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By L. E. Bowman

Efficient filtration of fine kaolin particles plays a crucial role in processing of raw kaolin to a marketable product. Oftentimes, filtration Is the rate controlling step of the whole process. As a consequence, plant production is dependent, to a great extent, on the rates being achieved In filtration. In order to alleviate the bottleneck in production, Nalco Chemical Company initiated a reagent development program to chemically enhance the performance of the filtration units. Filler aids of different classes were synthesized for evaluation. These include reagents whose primary mode of functionality were: coagulation, flocculation, thickening, and combinations of the preceding. All reagents that were synthesized and tested were listed under the appropriate Food and Drug Administration sections of the Code of Federal Regulations. This paper discusses the development and application of a new reagent that Improves the filter production rate with minimal Impact on filter solids. The results of laboratory filter studies along with plant data are presented and discussed. Plant data indicate that this reagent is capable of increasing production rates by as much as 35% on various clays of coarse particles to the finest fractions, as well as clays that are calcined. The reagent's Impact on solids content, re-slurrying characteristics, Brookfield and Hercules viscosity, and drying is within the standards set by plants who have evaluated and now use this product.

Jan 1, 1993

By M. Liu

In-situ soil washing using surfactants shows great potential to remove hydrophobic organics from subsurface environment. Lab scale soil washing experiment were performed using Sodium Dodecylsulfate (SDS), an anionic surfactant, and anthracene, a highly hydrophobic compound. The results of this research show that solubility of anthracene increases linearly with an increase in SDS concentration above the critical micelle concentration. Furthermore, SDS can be effective in removing anthracene from contaminated sand.

Jan 1, 1992

A brief description of the mining method and ventilation system of the San Manuel Mine?s first presented; this is necessary to an understanding of the heat problem and cooling system. The problem of heat at San Manuel is discussed. Charts and graphs showing the relationships between ambient surface air and underground temperature conditions are given. A history of attempts to cool air at San Manuel is presented, starting with the first refrigeration type air coolers which were used in development headings, and followed by the underground water chillers that were used in conjunction with cooling coils. Goals for design of a centralized cooling system with ultimate heat rejection through surface cooling towers are presented. The problems found with using the centralized system in main cooling coils are discussed. Plans for modification of the centralized system as utilized is the summer of 1987 are given, along with results obtained and problems with the system. Plans for subsequent modifications are presented.

Jan 1, 1988

Humic acids adsorb on coal and depress coal floatability in the acidic pH range. In alkaline solutions, their effect is not pronounced. In the neutral pH range, a second small addition of kerosene plus MIBC leads to a significant increase in coal yield and better selectivity. Humic acids present on oxidized coal surface were found to be responsible for the inhibited floatability of the? coal. As expected, the flotation of such oxidized coal also strongly depends on the method of pH adjustment.

Jan 1, 1988

By Wescomb R. Jones

The United States is the world's largest producer of hydrofluoric acid (HF), with its 1971 output of 317,000 short tons representing about 40 percent of the estimated Free World production. U. S. production has increased over five fold in the past 20 years, with a growth rate of about 7 percent per year between 1960 and 1970. However, the growth rate to 1977 is expected to be less than 5 percent per year, due primarily to a reduced rate of growth in requirements by the aluminum industry and an expected increase in imports from Canada and Mexico. This discussion will include our analyses of the consumption pattern for HF in 1972 and the factors influencing the demand forecast for 1977.

Jan 1, 1973

By Todd S. Harris

Industrial minerals or non-metallic minerals are loosely used terms applied to a diverse assortment of materials which, in many cases, have nothing more in common other than the fact that they are neither metals nor fuel minerals. To help bring order to this otherwise random assortment of minerals, we have grouped these materials into two main categories; chemical and physical minerals, and nine sub-categories based on end-use applications as shown in Table 1. Chemical minerals are products which are principally used for the specific chemical elements they contain, whereas physical minerals are products which are used to meet specific performance specifications. The latter part of the 1970?s, in particular 1978, were considered peak years in terms of production and sales for many industries, By using 1978 as a base year, we can evaluate wherethese markets stand today after the recession of the early 1980's and the recovery which began several years ago. From this historical overview and appraisal of the current situation, various assumptions can be drawn as to which markets are expected to perform well into the 1990's.

Jan 1, 1987

By C. J. Gilbert

The mining method at the Cannon Mine uses heading and bench stopes, which are subsequently backfilled with cemented high-strength fill prior to pillar removal. The dimensions of the pillars, 24 feet wide by G5 to 95 feet high, re-quire careful blasting in order to not damage the rock, compromising pillar strength and complicating later removal. Additionally, the proximity of dwellings makes vibration control a must for good-neighbor relations. A blast monitoring study was conducted in order to optimize bench blasting practices to maximize fragmentation, reduce costs, minimize well damage, and minimize ground vibration.

Jan 1, 1989

By S. Tan

In this paper, several commonly used computer truck dispatching criteria are evaluated. A computer-oriented truck dispatching and production simulator was developed to provide data for comprehensive cross comparison among the dispatching criteria. The definitions, primary considerations, characteristics, and performances of these dispatching criteria were investigated. From the simulation results, it was concluded that, in general, no one criterion can dominate all others. All basic dispatching criteria including minimizing truck waiting time, minimizing shovel waiting time, minimizing truck saturation, maximizing truck momentary productivity, or truck routes optimization provide a local optimal solution. To obtain a direct global optimization solution for this complex stochastic process does not appear to be likely. Therefore, the search for an optimal dispatching criterion that will fit all conditions may not be realistic. However, based on the simulation results of the mine operation, several dispatching criteria which have good potential to increase performance can be selected. It may be necessary to search for the best combination of these truck dispatching criteria for a given situation. For example, a truck flow measurement such as the truck clustering factor at shovels can be used as a switch parameter to change from one criterion to another. The values for the switch parameter at which actions should be taken to change the criterion can be established through simulation programs.

Jan 1, 1992

By Agus Sasmito, SRIVATSAN JAYARAMAN SRIDHARAN, Akash Adhikari, Purushotham Tukkaraja

The amount of toxic fumes produced during blasting operation depends on the types of explosives used, product formulation, degree of confinement, conditions of use, and reactivity of the explosives with the host rock. Ammonium nitrate and fuel oil (ANFO) is still the explosive of choice due to its lower price and ease of use/loading. If not properly monitored and controlled, toxic fumes produced from blasting operations can have serious health hazards [1]. This paper presents a novel technique developed to track trapped fumes during a development blasting.

Aug 1, 2022

By CLAIRE STREBINGER, ADITYA JUGANDA, JURGEN F. BRUNE, GREGORY E. BOGIN JR.

Methane gas explosions are a major risk in underground coal mining operations. The severity of such explosions can range from local area damage to massive loss of miners’ lives along with significant damage to mine infrastructure and ventilation controls that may lead to mine closure and loss of the entire operation. This study demonstrates the viability of integrating a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) combustion model into a longwall mine ventilation model to simulate methane gas explosions in the longwall face area. The resulting 3D methane gas explosion simulation can provide better understanding of the fundamental physics and the potential impact of an explosion in an underground longwall coal mine.

Aug 1, 2022

By Yuanhong Qi, KUN CUI, Tao Fu, XUNFU WANG, Yingyi Zhang, Jie Wang, Junmao Qie

Indonesia is the world’s largest supplier of nickel ore, with its nickel laterite resources mainly distributed in the Moluccas and Sulawesi regions. However, there is scant research on the mineralogical characteristics of nickel laterite deposited in southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia. This study aims to investigate the mineral phase structure, chemical analysis, thermal properties and element distribution characteristics of the middle and lower part of the rotten rock zone located in the southeast Sulawesi ophiolite belt.

By Kwangmin Kim, Taehee Lee, Minkyu Kim, JUNHYEOK PARK

Mine tailings storage facilities (TSFs) can be a significant source of fine, respirable dust. About 25 percent of the mass fraction of tailings from a hard-rock mine consists of particles of a respirable size (smaller than 10 μm) [1]. This dust poses concerns, especially for nearby communities, because of its detrimental impact on respiratory health. Respirable tailings dust, primarily composed of quartz or free silica (SiO2), may cause silicosis, chronic pulmonary disease, bronchitis, collagen vascular diseases, and chronic granulomatous infections [2]. 

By B. J. Scheiner

A ferrous chloride-oxygen leaching system was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Mines as a means of re-covering copper and silver from a sulfide concentrate that had been pretreated to remove a majority of the antimony. The pretreated concentrate contained Cu, Ag, Pb, Zn, Sb, and As. Parameters affecting metal extraction, such as temperature, pressure, amount of ferrous chloride, and initial hydrogen ion concentration, were studied. Copper extraction of 98 pct was achieved by leaching 4 hours at 40 pounds per?square inch gage (psig) and 1000 ?C. Copper was recovered from leach solutions by cementation with iron, and the resulting ferrous chloride was recycled. Leaching the residue with cyanide followed by electrowinning recovered 99.7 pct of the silver. Iron, Sb, As, Pb, and S reported to the tails.

Jan 1, 1978

By C. Newman

"As underground mining continues to operate at deeper depths and in more complex multiple seam mining geometries there has been an increased demand for higher design standards in ground control safety and stability within the mining industry. For the past 20 years, NIOSH has developed and validated a number of software tools to aid in the development of safer mining environments with respect to improved roof support performance, pillar stability in longwall and room and pillar mines, formation characterization, the prediction of roof conditions, etc. These tools are available, free of charge, to the mining industry as stand-alone software packages. As cloud computing gains momentum, there is a definite need to develop internet based applications for mine design that would be easily accessible to any user at any time, including underground where permitted. This paper introduces a new web-based product which will allow for faster and easier access to existing ground control designs, on-the-fly calculations in the field as needed, and instant online collaboration between operations personnel and planning engineers. It is expected that the industry will rapidly embrace this product and, as it is common with all new innovative technologies, it will be a new paradigm for mining engineering computer applications. INTRODUCTION Since its release to the public in the late 1980's, the World Wide Web has drastically changed from a collection of static HTML web pages to a dynamic vehicle driving e-commerce, collaborative working relationships, and the mass distribution of information and media (Offutt, 2002). Recent developments in Internet capabilities, such as Cloud Computing and Software as a Service, have begun a migration away from desktop-based software in adoption of the web application (Hayes, 2008). Web applications, or web apps, are designed on the client-server architecture paradigm in which the client, or user, can interact with an application through web browsers without disrupting or installing software on potentially thousands of client computers (Nations, 2015). Currently, web-based software applications are being utilized in all business sectors and markets from commerce, finance, media, and even engineering. In fact, the Alabama Department of Transportation has developed a web-based geotechnical geographical information system (GeoGIS) for the management of and access to geotechnical and subsurface data for transportation projects across the state (Graettinger, et al., 2001). Similarly, Dyno Noble has developed a service application for explosive engineers. The Explosives Engineers' Guide application equips users with a full range of product information as well as on-demand blasting calculations for powder factor, airblast prediction, ground vibration, etc. Through the incorporation of a web server, one is able to utilize the functionality of the desktop-based software through a web browser located on any personal computer, tablet, or Smartphone (Vaughan-Nichols, 2002)."

Jan 1, 2016

"The 33rd annual American Mining Hall of Fame Awards Banquet and Fundraiser sponsored by the Mining Foundation of the Southwest (MFSW) will be held at the JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort & Spa on Saturday, Dec. 5, 2015. Each year, one living Hall of Fame inductee, two Medal of Merit recipients, several honorees from Mining’s Past, an Industry Partnership Award and a Special Citation are recognized for their respective contributions to the mining industry.Conrad E. Huss, cofounder of M3 Engineering & Technology Corp. located in Tucson, AZ, will be honored as the 2015 Hall of Fame Inductee and will serve as the keynote speaker at the awards banquet. Huss has served his company as chairman of the board for its entire 30 years and guided M3 to become a full discipline firm. Now M3 offers complete project execution through engineering, procurement and construction management procedure and has become a major engineer of large observatories around the world. The company now has more than 1,000 employees with offices in Arizona, North Carolina, Mexico, Argentina and is incorporated in Guatemala, Peru and Canada.The Medal of Merit will be awarded to Charles Michael (Mick) Lownds, founder of his eponymous consulting firm in Salt Lake City, UT, for his 42 years in commercial explosives following tenure at Sasol and at Orica. Originally from South Africa, Lownds immigrated to the United States in 1998 and has made significant advancement on electronic initiation systems. Lownds has published numerous technical papers, is an inventor with 12 awarded United States patents and was also the recipient of the President’s Award from the International Society of Explosives Engineers in 2000.Medal of Merit for young professionals will be awarded to Fiorella Giana, Freeport- McMoRan Inc.’s (FCX) mine manager at Bagdad. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Giana left the small cattle farm where she was raised in 2001 to pursue higher education in the United States. For the past decade at FCX, as a result of her extraordinary combination of technical skill, leadership and commitment to excellence, she has been given positions of progressively greater responsibility from an entry level engineer to senior mine engineer, to chief engineer and now as mine manager, a position rarely held by woman."

Jan 1, 2015

In subterranean mining operations, access to communication networks deep underground is critical for transporting data, voice and video, and other supporting applications that are essential for efficient and safe operations. Whether accessing sophisticated ERP or maintenance management systems, engaging in fleet management, video surveillance, or access control, or protecting miners with wireless locator systems, these networks serve as a literal lifeline between workers deep within mines and surface operations. For this, mining networks require more than permanently installed network cabling, it also requires unique deployable systems designed for quick installation, extension and even relocation as the active mine site area moves, or equipment is moved in and out.

Mar 1, 2014

By Andrew Hall

Many Latin American countries are facing a scarcity of water. As such, infrastructure decisions are quite different from those made in parts of the world that experience a positive water balance. In the latter case, the water treatment approach tends to be ?treat and discharge.? For Latin American regions facing the challenges that go with a negative water balance, the focus is on resource optimization and reuse. Historically, the water challenge has had a significant impact on economic development in Latin America, especially in sectors such as mining, where water usage is high. At the same time, countries such as Chile and Brazil are major development targets for mining and oil and gas operations. Given the water supply challenge, industry is increasingly turning to technologies and processes that maximize water recovery and reuse. With sulfide precipitation and ion exchange water treatment processes for example, it is possible to treat and recover more than 99 percent of water for reuse onsite. These technologies have been applied successfully in other regions of the world where water conservation practices are essential to economic survival.

Jan 1, 2012

"The 35th Annual American Mining Hall of Fame Awards Banquet and Fundraiser, sponsored by the Mining Foundation of the Southwest (MFSW), will be held at the JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort & Spa on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017. This year, the Foundation will honor one living Hall of Fame inductee, two Medal of Merit recipients, four honorees from Mining’s Past and an Industry Partner for their respective contributions to the mining industry.Gary J. Goldberg will be the 2017 Hall of Fame Inductee and will serve as the keynote speaker at the awards banquet. Goldberg was appointed president and chief executive officer and joined the board of directors of Newmont Mining Corp. in March 2013. Prior to this appointment, he served numerous companies in key positions including Rio Tinto Minerals, US Borax and Coal & Allied Industries. At every appointment, he was able to improve safety concerns and reduce injury rates. While serving as chairman of the National Mining Association, Goldberg launched the CORESafety initiative and US Borax was the first mining company to receive the California Governor’s Environmental and Economic Award.The Medal of Merit will be awarded to John C. Lacy, a shareholder of DeConcini McDonald Yetwin & Lacy, P.C. and a director of the Global Law Center at the University of Arizona’s Law School. Lacy’s law practice concentrates on mining and public land law and encompasses transactional and title consideration involving acquisition of mineral rights. He played a crucial role in the revisions to the mining law of the Republic of Bolivia and the English translation of the mining laws and regulations of Mexico. Lacy’s expertise in mining law impelled the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law to approach him to head the new Global Mining Law Center in 2015. The program now partners with the Lowell Institute for Mineral Resources and offers cross-listing of courses"

Jan 10, 2017

By K. KAKLIS, O. SAUBI, Z. Agioutantis, R. JAMISOLA

Machine learning in the form of artificial neural networks was applied to investigate whether specimen load evolution can be predicted as a function of acoustic emission (AE) signals in the case of three-point bending (TPB) marble specimens instrumented with piezoelectric sensors. The ultimate objective of this study is to develop a model that can quantify rock behavior under loading that can lead to rock-failure prediction in underground structures subjected to bending, such as roof failure in development or production openings.

Nov 1, 2022

By HONGWEI YANG, Lili Zhang

Copper slag is mainly used in cutting tools, abrasives, asphalt pavement, road construction, and in the production of concrete as an alternative to sand and cement [1]. As a renewable resource, only about 15-20 percent of the slag is used for these applications, and the dumping or disposal of surplus unused slag results in waste of a certain amount of usable metal in the feedstock [2]. In this work, the oxidation behavior of copper smelting slag under nonisothermal condition is studied using data obtained by the thermogravimetric (TG) method, and the kinetics parameters and reaction mechanism of oxidation are determined. It provides a theoretical basis for the comprehensive recovery of iron resources in slag and the selection of reasonable slag-making conditions.

Oct 1, 2022