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Jan 1, 2005

By L. M. Southwick

"The history of extractive metallurgy is replete with examples of commercializing new processing technologies. The successes are widely reported, but failures seldom are. This is unfortunate, for usually we can learn more specifics on how to succeed in technology development by studying and thoroughly understanding their failures. Frequently one encounters a red herring that caused the whole effort to fail. A thorough and objective due diligence up front would have identified those red herrings and prevented the pursuit of a bad idea and the resulting destruction of capital. Due diligent analyzes performed before construction of three such bad ideas will be discussed. One is an EAF dust process, which pursued the red herrings of a poor understanding of the business, a naïve view of past experience, and false confidence in the technology. Another will examine the effort to commercialize a new pressure copper leach process that followed the red herrings of inadequate testing of the raw material, application of processing conditions that were inherently unsafe, and an improper assessment of the inherent advantages of past developments. The last is an alternative iron-making process, where the red herrings were incomplete and superficial assessment of prior pilot plant and demonstration plant tests, an assumption that the commercialization model of “build it and we will make it run” was viable, and a technology whose technical fatal flaws had already been identified. Unfortunately, capital destruction often also closes the window to more intelligent pursuit of technology development. TECHNOLOGY COMMERCIALIZATIONThe development and commercialization of new technology is a vital part of keeping industry profitable, able to deal with new sorts of feed stocks and current with economic, product, operational and environmental requirements. This is a difficult task in the best of times, and can be compounded when the developers become enamored of a particularly favorable characteristic of the project or of the product. These “red herrings” divert project focus away from the arduous path to success and, in the end, result in project failure."

Jan 1, 2012

By Tim O’Neil

More than 5,300 mining professionals from around the world attended the SME Annual Meeting and Exhibit, March 1-3 in Denver, CO. Seventy three technical sessions highlighted innovative technologies and applications for the development of mineral resources. And the exhibit featured 421 companies worldwide and 632 exhibit booths. The 1999 SME Annual Meeting had 10% international attendance. Professionals from outside the United States were guests at the first SME International Reception.

Jan 1, 1999

By AIME AIME

THE John Fritz Gold Medal for 1929 was presented to Herbert Hoover at the Executive Mansion on April 25, at a luncheon given by Mr. Hoover to present and past members of the Board of Award, preceding medalists, and presidents and secretaries of the American societies of Civil, Mining and Metallurgical, Mechanical, and Electrical Engineers. The presentation party of forty engineers which gathered at the White House, from all parts of the United States, was made up of past presidents of the four senior national engineering societies that established the John Fritz Medal and included five men who had received the medal in previous years. These former medalists were Edward Dean Adams, J. J. Carty, J. Waldo Smith, Elmer A. Sperry and Ambrose Swasey. This medal is the highest honor bestowed by these four national engineering societies, having a membership of 60,000. It is awarded not oftener than annually for "notable scientific or industrial achievement, without restriction on account of nationality or sex." In accordance with custom, the award to Mr. Hoover was made tentatively and without announcement in October, 1927, and was formally con- firmed and announced one year later.

Jan 1, 1929

By Michael L. Wayman

Archaeological and ethnographic work during the last century has shown clearly that metals have played a small but important role in prehistoric Arctic cultures. For at least the past several millenia both iron and copper have been used in the North, primarily for blades, projectile points, knives, awls, engraving tools, fishhooks, scrapers and axes. In addition they were used for joining purposes as staples and rivets. It is of great interest to enquire into the origins of these metals. In this connection one begins with the observation that to date there has been no clear evidence for the smelting or melting of metals in the Arctic prior to the arrival of Europeans. This can be explained partly by the absence of traditional pyrotechnologies such as the high-temperature firing of ceramics and the heat treatment of bone and wood. Another factor which surely inhibited the development of smelting/ melting operations is the relative absence of wood in the region. The production of charcoal for smelting requires large quantities of wood, to the extent that the desertification of a number of areas in the Old World is believed by some to have been at least partly caused by charcoal production. In the North this was obviously not possible. Thus the Arctic peoples were restricted to using native (naturally occurring) metals and metals obtained by various direct and indirect forms of contact with areas of the world where smelting was practiced. Both of these sources were important in the case of iron; we know that meteoritic iron, telluric (native) iron and smelted wrought iron were all used in the Arctic. These three types of iron will be considered in tum.

Jan 1, 1999

A symposium was held on January 30 and 31, 1973, at Pittsburgh, Pa., to review the state-of-the-art in designing and utilizing diesel-powered equipment in underground mining. The Health and Safety Activity of the Bureau of Mines sponsored the symposium with major assistance from the following four participating organizations: The American Mining Congress J. Allen Overton, President The United Mine Workers of America Arnold R. Miller, President The National Independent Coal Operator's Association Cloyd D. McDowell, President The Bituminous Coal Operators' Association, Inc. Guy Farmer, President Seventeen papers were presented during four half-day sessions devoted to the general subjects of the diesel engine, the place of the diesel in underground mining, health protection using diesels underground, and maintaining safety of diesels underground. Eleven of the speakers were from industrial organizations here and abroad; one represented the Provincial Government of Nova Scotia; two were with the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare; and three reported on Bureau of Mines work related to diesels.

Jan 1, 1975

Contributions made by mining have played a much more significant role in the development of civilization than is generally conceded by historians or recognized by ordinary citizens. In modern society, mined products pervade all industry and the lives of all civilized people. Early man relied largely on stone and ceramics, and eventually metals, to fashion tools and weapons. Civilization was advanced by discoveries such as abundant supplies of high-quality flint in northern France and southern England and firesetting to break rock. Middle Eastern cultures flourished not only because of agriculture and trade, but also because of mineral-rich deposits nearby. The earliest miners date back perhaps to 300,000 BC; their quest was for nonmetallic minerals (chert, flint, obsidian) suitable for utensils and eventually for weapons. Other rocks and minerals (ceramics, clay, salt, meteoric iron) attracted the miners for jewelry, cosmetics, construction materials, food seasoning, and coinage. At first, their excavations were confined to the surface, either pits or placers. But by about 40,000 BC, mine workings had been extended underground as short adits or shafts, and by 8000 BC as elaborate interconnected openings 300 ft (90 m) in depth. Metallurgical separation of metals from their ores and their subsequent fabrication evolved gradually over the centuries, copper being the first liberated (c. 7000 BC) followed by lead, silver, gold, and iron. Man enhanced both the sophistication of his

Jan 1, 2008

By Michael Radnor

The purpose of the study was to 1) examine the social and economic impacts of surface mine blasting in relation to variations in conditions of terrain and geology, population density and type, levels of ground motion and air blast; 2) consider technical, legal and government policy issues; and 3) examine the potential, nature and extent of surface mine blasting impacts and its regulations upon both communities and surface mining companies. Phase One designed the empirical research and technical analyses of Phase Two, focused upon surface coal mining and quarrying in the Eastern U.S. Several broad conclusions are evident: 1) blasting is not the major issue for communities or surface mine companies; 2) while the number of instances of severe cracking or annoyance are relatively small, the impact can be severe for individuals immediately involved; 3) blasting/drilling cost curves tend to rise significantly at intervals below 1.0 particle velocity, in/sec, dependent upon the size of a permit area and the size of a mine; and 4) the legal, complaint, cost and density analyses do not suggest the need for a general lowering of present regulations.

Jan 1, 1981

As has been the case since the early Phoenician traders, the minerals used by modern man come from deposits scattered around the globe. The price received is more and more being set by worldwide supply and demand. Thus the price component in the profit equation:Profits = Material sold (units)x(Price/unit û Cost/unit) is largely determined by others. The recent price history for two of the major metals, copper and iron, are given in Figures 1 and 2, respectively. As can be seen there has been a steady decline in the prices (when expressed in constant dollars) over the 20 years which have lapsed since the first of the International Conferences on Mass Mining, æDesign and Operation of Caving and Sublevel Stoping MinesÆ was held. If one would look back over the entire 20th century this would also be the trend. Cost containment/reduction through efficient, safe and environmentally responsive mining practices is serious business today and will be even more important in the future with increasing mining depths and more stringent regulations. A failure to keep up is expressed very simply as: Profit This, needless to say, is unfavourable for all concerned (the employees, the company, and the country or nation). The mining companies have had to look at ways of reducing the expense part of the profit equation while maintaining safe, environmentally conscious operations. Table 1 summarises the rules for working in todayÆs economy.

Jan 1, 2000

The value of raw nonfuel mineral materials production totaled an estimated $19.7 billion in 1978. The record 1978 value exceeded by 13 percent the 1977 value of $17.5 billion. This raw mineral output was the basis for approximately $200 billion worth of processed materials of mineral origin. Output of both metals and nonmetals increased about $1 billion each, above comparable figures for 1977. Of the 22 metals produced quantitative output of 11 increased and the value of 13 increased. Among the 48 nonmetallic commodities produced, the quantities for 35 increased, and the values for 40 increased.

Jan 1, 1979

By H. C. George

This bulletin deals with prime movers, power-transmitting machinery, and the surface equipment and methods used to pump oil wells. It does not discuss geological problems nor the methods and equipment used in drilling or at flowing oil wells. Much of the presentation is by photographs and drawings which are described in the text. Underground equipment and methods for pumping oil wells will be discussed in a later publication of the Bureau of Mines.

Jan 1, 1925

Senior staff representatives of the Bureau of Mines and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) met in Washington on September 6, 1972, to review and evaluate their cooperative accomplishments to date and to consider the planning and conduct of future coordinated activities. The six presentations given at this joint staff seminar are published here for the benefit of those concerned with the problems of coal mine health, and especially those with responsibilities in administering the Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969.

Jan 1, 1972

P.T. Freeport Indonesia's latest expansion has increased total mill throughput to 125,000 dry metric tonnes per day. The most recent expansion included the installation of a Semi Autogenous Mill designed to treat more ore than any other single SAG mill currently operating in the world. Also included in the expansion were two large ball mills, rougher and cleaner flotation including conventional and column cells and a regrind circuit. All equipment is supported by a modem distributed control system. This paper describes the design considerations, construction, commissioning and start-up of the SAG concentrator and support facilities and includes an overview of the oreflow and milling facilities.

Jan 1, 1996

By W J Fisher

Northern Australia leads in world-class mineral deposits' is a bold statement. First there must be a starting point. Land north of the Tropic of Capricorn (23¦ 26' 5") will be regarded as Northern Australia covering nearly 40 per cent of the land surface of Australia. As opposed to land south of the Tropic of Capricorn, it should be regarded as Tropical Northern Australia and for the sake of brevity, (TNA) Refer Figure 1. Apart from the tyranny of distance from centres of power and population in the temperate zone, it suffered in the past from the belief that the tropics are unsuited for European workers and from the lack of infrastructure. Outstanding mineral deposits of iron, base metals, gold and diamonds, discovered and developed in the past three decades, provided the substance for the title. There are many world-class mines producing and there are mineral deposits neutralised through Government policy. TNA can maintain its lead in world-class mineral deposits provided Government policy will stop partitioning the land and decreasing that available for exploration. Let's look at what we have that is world-class. In Western TNA iron ore deposits at Paraburdoo, Mt Tom Price, Marandoo, gold at Telfer, diamonds at Argyle. In central TNA uranium at Ranger and Jabiluka, lead-zinc-silver at McArthur River, gold at the Tanami, manganese at Groote Eylandt and bauxite at Gove. In eastern TNA Mt Isa, Hilton, Century zinc-lead, bauxite at Weipa, gold at Kidston, Mt Leyshon, magnesite at Yamba and coal mines in the Bowen Basin. Those mines or deposits stand out yet are only an indication of the numerous lesser mines and of mineral deposits depending for development on market demand and/or changes in Government policy, eg 'The Three Mines' policy. Very large areas of mineral rich structures in the western, central and eastern parts of TNA are concealed below flat lying comparatively young unmineralised sediments. The Great Artisan basin sediments in eastern TNA can and do host oil shale and non metallic minerals. Nearly 40 per cent of western TNA is covered by the Great Sandy Desert. The Canning Track, with a series of 54 wells, was constructed by surveyor Alfred Canning in 1908 - 1910 with great difficulty. It extends 1700 kilometres from Halls Creek in the north to the gold town of Wiluna in the south, through the Great and Little Sandy Deserts. Gold explorers are following favourable structures extending to the north east below the sediments and sand hills covering the track. Half of central TNA's mineral structures are concealed by the Tanami desert and the Cretaceous sediments covering the pastoral regions of the Barkly Tableland and the Daly Waters to Top Springs pastoral areas. The Georgina Basin in the south eastern section is part of the concealment.

Jan 1, 1994

Jan 1, 1997

By George S. Rice

In 1911 the Director of the United States Bureau of Mines instructed the chief mining engineer of the bureau , during an investigation of coal-mine safety conditions in Europe, to ask the directors of the various mine-experiment stations whether they would favor a European conference . The majority of the officials in immediate charge of experiment stations favored the plan , and Victor Watteyne, inspector general of Belgium, suggested that the United States call such a conference to be held immediately after the Eighth International Congress of Applied Chemistry, which was to assemble in New York on September 3, 1912 . Accordingly, invitations were issued by the United States Government to those countries having mine-experiment stations , namely, Austria-Hungary, Belgium, France, Germany , and Great Britain, and to those that contemplated the establishment of such stations , Canada and Mexico . All but Great Britain and Canada accepted ; Mexico designated a representative , who later found it impossible to come. The Government of Great Britain in declining, expressed regret at its inability to accept ; an informal statement was made that the opening of the experimental gallery at Eskmeals , England , occupied the attention of the officials in charge . Delegates were appointed by their respective Governments as follows: Austria-Hungary, Julian Czaplinski , royal mining engineer. Belgium, Victor Watteyne , inspector general of mines . France, J. Taffanel, director of the Lievin experiment station . Germany, Carl Beyling, bergassessor, director of Dortmund experiment station. United States , Charles E. Munroe, consulting explosives expert and George S. Rice, chief mining engineer of the Bureau of Mines . Subsequently Mr. William O'Connor , a mining engineer and mine operator of Wales , who opportunely appeared at the Pittsburgh station with letters of introduction from the South Wales Institute of Engineers and from prominent mining officials of Great Britain , was unanimously invited to take part in the meeting as an unofficial representative of Great Britain . Messrs . Beyling, Taffanel , and Watteyne were met in New York on September 3, by George S. Rice, who accompanied them to Washington, where they were welcomed by Director J. A. Holmes , of the Bureau of Mines , and where , with the delegates to the Eighth International Congress of Applied Chemistry , they were presented to President Taft . Mr. Taffanel was unfortunately called back to France just before the scheduled time of the conference on account of a mine disaster ; the other delegates , including Mr. Czaplinski , convened at Pittsburgh on the morning of September 14. Mr. Rice, representing the Director of the Bureau of Mines , acted as temporary chairman , and called the meeting to order.

Jan 1, 1914

By J. Patrick Ryan, Thor H. Kiilsgaard, Charles W. Merrill, E. T. McKnight

The U.S. Treasury stocks of silver have been reduced at such a rapid rate to meet industrial and coinage requirements that they face exhaustion in 3 or 4 years. Alleviation of the silver problem will require increasing supply or reduc ing demand. This paper examines poss ible long-range resource development and research programs and improved secondary recovery. The possible reduction or elimination of silver in coinage and development and introduction of substitutes in the arts and industry are also discussed.

Feb 1, 1965

By G. van den Berg

Anglo Platinum has initiated a project to investigate hydraulic hoisting technology for platinum mines. Hydraulic hoisting systems are categorized as pumping, fluidizing feeder or displacement feeder systems. Positive displacement piston diaphragm pumps are most suitable for pumping systems but they require that the ore be milled prior to pumping. Fluidizing feeders are unsuitable for platinum ore applications due to the large percentage of fines in the ore. The three-chamber pipe displacement feeder has been most widely used for hydraulic hoisting and is the most suitable technology for platinum mines. Eight hydraulic hoisting applications covering pumping and displacement feeder technologies are reviewed. The key factors to be assessed in selecting a hydraulic hoisting system for a platinum mine are discussed. A typical platinum mine configuration will comprise an ore preparation plant (to produce -15 mm material through screening or crushing), motive water pump on surface, high pressure water pipeline from surface to underground, ore slurrification plant, three-chamber displacement feeder, and a high pressure slurry pipeline to surface. The water and slurry pipelines are housed in a purpose drilled borehole. A hydraulic hoisting system selection chart is presented. A 150 mm diameter system with a 25 MPa pressure rating is required to hoist 60 000 t/m from a depth of 1 200 m. Generic capital and operating costs are presented . A major potential advantage of hydraulic hoisting is that the fines, which contain a high percentage of PGMs, are captured underground and transported directly to the concentrator. Hydraulic hoisting technology is ideally suited to providing supplementary hoisting capacity to existing shafts that have reached the skip hoisting capacity limit. The main advantage for new shafts is the potential to significantly simplify underground rock handling and transportation. All hydraulic hoisting system components are proven. The only risk area is the wear rates of the valves and piping. Current estimates are based on gold ore. The business cases investigated show that the financial viability of the installations are not sensitive to wear rate. Hydraulic hoisting is technically feasible and financially attractive for platinum mines. Keywords: Hydraulic hoisting, slurry

Jan 1, 2004

By Karl J. C. Harries

"12.1. NO DEPRECIATION/GAAPAll calculations and computations relating to the Royalty shall be carried out in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied to the extent that such principles are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Schedule and the agreement attached hereto, it being specifically agreed that nothing herein contained shall permit, or be construed to permit, the Operator to deduct any amount for depletion, depreciation, amortization or any deduction that represents a non-cash outlay.Comment: In cases like net profit royalties where recoupment of prior expenditures is permitted, care should be taken to avoid any implication that depreciation may also be taken. It is only logical and equitable that Property Owners should not be permitted an apparent ability to “double dip” with respect to deductions. A provision like this example should accomplish the task. It will be noted that the example specifically contemplates that the negotiated arrangements will prevail over any requirements of GAAP. Accordingly, if the parties agree to an unusual formula for recoupment, it will not be set aside to accommodate GAAP requirements. Under GAAP, revenues and expenditures are accounted for on an accrual basis. In addition, it specifically prohibits the taking of non-cash deductions, which is in keeping with the concept of recoupment.Although in some ways the example states the obvious and could be considered redundant, its presence, especially in provisions contemplating recoupment, makes it clear to the financial people that there may well be some variations from normal practices dictated by GAAP, while at the same time confirming the availability of GAAP to fill any voids.The accounting profession often makes the caveat that application of GAAP is an “art”, not a “science”. GAAP do not provide a cure-all and can create problems that will have to be addressed. For example, GAAP contemplate that asset costs are to be reduced by investment tax credits, which can cause a problem for a payor with more than one mine."

Jan 1, 2003

By D. Randolph Berry

The objective of this program was to develop a system to extinguish coal mine fires by remote sealing of the underground passageways. The system developed had to be versatile enough to function under a wide range of operating conditions, including large variations in passageway geometry, depth of mine, water conditions, both in the mine and at the surface, and rubble in the mine passage. The system developed had to include instrumentation for the remote probing of the passageway prior to sealing, a system for sealing the mine passages, and instrumentation for remote monitoring of the quality of the seal during and after construction. These objectives were successfully achieved during this program. The remote mine sealing capability of the system was satisfactorily demonstrated in a field test conducted at the Eastern Associated Coal Corporation Federal No, 1 Mine in Grant Town, West Virginia.

Jan 1, 1973