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By Z. Sun

Imposing a strong magnetic field is considered to be an attractive method to prepare materials with aligned or textured structures due to its intrinsic properties, e.g. non-contact and easily controllable. However, the nature of the strong magnetic field effect still remains unclear and further research is needed. In the present paper, the effect of a strong magnetic field on the solidification of a hypereutectic Al-Cu alloy was investigated. After magnetic field treatment, the primary phase was aligned parallel to the magnetic field direction. Meanwhile, the eutectic micro-structural constituent became elongated and thinner. A theoretical analysis was conducted to have a better understanding of the phenomena. During solidification, the magnetic Faraday and dipole-dipole interaction forces are considered to decrease the solute pile-up in front of the solid-liquid interface and modify the eutectic cell formation. The alignment of the phase is due to the shape magnetic anisotropy and crystal magnetic anisotropy.

Jan 1, 2010

By M. K. Mohanty

One of the main objectives of this study was to evaluate a fine-coal cleaning circuit using an enhanced gravity separator specifically for a high sulfur coal application. The evaluation not only included testing of individual unit operations used for fine-coal classification, cleaning and dewatering, but also included testing of the complete circuit simultaneously. At a scale of nearly 2 t/h, two alternative circuits were evaluated to clean a minus 0.6-mm coal stream utilizing a 150-mm-diameter classifying cyclone, a linear screen having a projected surface area of 0.5 m2, an enhanced gravity separator having a bowl diameter of 250 mm and a screen-bowl centrifuge having a bowl diameter of 500 mm. The cleaning and dewatering components of both circuits were the same; however, one circuit used a classifying cyclone whereas the other used a linear screen as the classification device. An industrial size coal spiral was used to clean the 2- x 0.6-mm coal size fraction for each circuit to estimate the performance of a complete fine-coal circuit cleaning a minus 2-mm particle size coal stream. The ?linear screen + enhanced gravity separator + screen-bowl circuit? provided superior sulfur and ash-cleaning performance to the alternative circuit that used a classifying cyclone in place of the linear screen. Based on these test data, it was estimated that the use of the recommended circuit to treat 50 t/h of minus 2-mm size coal having feed ash and sulfur contents of 33.9% and 3.28%, respectively, may produce nearly 28.3 t/h of clean coal with product ash and sulfur contents of 9.15% and 1.61%, respectively.

Jan 1, 2008

By Matthias Baeßler, Markus Herten, Ernst Niederleithinger, Steven Georgi

"Abstract: BAW and BAM have performed a large scale comparison and calibration test on static and dynamic load capacity evaluation of bored piles in glacial sandy soil. The test was performed using eight piles at the BAM test site for technical safety at Horstwalde 50 km south of Berlin. The test area has been prepared and investigated in great detail using boreholes, cone penetration tests, pore pressure sensors and geophysical methods to assure controlled conditions for all piles and tests. The piles (10 m length, 0.9 m diameter) are mainly friction piles (low toe resistance) and have been checked by integrity testing. Five piles have been tested by five contractors using the dynamic method in a blind experiment, the other ones piles by static load and/or later on by the dynamic method. Some piles have been equipped with additional fibre optic instrumentation which proved to be robust and helpful in interpreting the results of static, dynamic and integrity tests. We have experienced a deviation of the dynamic load test results gathered in the blind experiment from the static values of up to 20% in most cases, sometimes even up to 30%. This can be related to the known soil inhomogeneities, interpretation and modelling in CAPWAP and method inherent uncertainties. In cases where the static values were known by the testers for calibration, the deviations were significantly smaller. It has to be taken into account, that the two static load tests showed different results as well. Due to the low toe resistance, use of a big drop weight (11 tons) and large drop heights most piles suffered from cracking, which was clearly seen in follow up integrity tests and confirmed by excavation. The piles are available for further research.IntroductionBored piles are used in many construction projects of the German waterways authorities, e. g. bridges, piers or locks. Their load carrying capacity varies with pile type and geometry as well as soil type, parameters and structure and is thus not easy to calculate in advance. Dynamic pile testing as a cost effective addition or replacement for expensive load tests is accepted in many places (Beim and Likins 2008) but still doubted in others. Inspired by the international prediction event for piles in residual soil carried out in the frame of ISC’2 (Viana de Fonseca and Santos 2008), governmental research institutes have designed an experiment in a geological setting typical for glacial and post-glacial areas in northern Germany. Some results have already been presented by Niederleithinger et al. (2012), Herten et al. (2013) and Baeßler et al. (2013). It was intended to perform a blind test for load capacity estimation using dynamic pile testing on six drilled shafts involving five test crews. Two other piles would have to be tested thereafter using static and dynamic methods."

Jan 1, 2014

By R. O. Burt

"Gravity Concentration, the oldest form of Mineral Processing, remains of major importance to the Industry. Current applications of Gravity Concentration are briefly examined.The Paper details one approach to the development of a Gravity Concentration Plant, from laboratory and mineralogical techniques, through Pilot Plant testing, where applicable, to the actual design of the plant.INTRODUCTIONGravity Concentration, once the major method of concentrating minerals has, for much of the twentieth century been regarded, like the dodo bird, as obsolete. However, in more recent years it is enjoying something of a renaissance, and is once again being treated as a useful, economic alternative in the Mineral Processing Engineers' arsenal.An indication of the broad application of gravity concentration is the variety of minerals presently recovered. A list is given in Table 1; this list is not exhaustive."

Jan 1, 1984

By E. L. Garton

[The oil-producing district, "Southern Oklahoma," is generally considered to be that part of the: State lying; southwest of the Arbuckle Mountains. It includes six counties: Carter, Cotton, Garvin, Jefferson, Kiowa, and Stephens. At present cost of the oil is produced from formations of Pennsylvania age. The individual crude oils resemble those produced in other parts of the State, except that the sulfur content is rather high. This report is a continuation of a study of Oklahoma crude oils3/ being made, by the Bureau of Mines, Petroleum Experiment Station, Bartlesville, Okla. in cooperation with the State of Oklahoma. Analyses are given of 27 samples obtained from 21 fields in the southern part of the State, end the physical and chemical characteristics of these crude oils are discussed briefly. Analyses of crude oils from other Oklahoma areas and publications in which these analyses may be found are listed in tables 2 and 3.]

Jan 1, 1941

By Mark Aylmore, Guy Deschenes

"Increasing pressure are motivating the gold mining industry to develop a substitute to cyanide for leaching gold. This effort in mainly based on the high toxicity of cyanide and on the lack of efficiency of cyanide in the treatment of mildly refractory gold ores (sulfides and pre-robbing). Consequently, in only a few years, consortia have been created to elucidate and implement a new technology. The most promising lixiviant that has been selected to replace cyanide is thiosulfate. This paper will present a critical analysis on the latest developments in thiosulfate leaching and illustrate the potential and limitations of the technology with experimental data. Finally an assessment of the cost and performance of thiosulfate leaching relative cyanidation will be evaluated.INTRODUCTIONConcerns regarding the toxicity of cyanide and inability of cyanide solution to effectively leach some carbonaceous gold ore or mild refractory gold ores have made the gold mining industry evaluate alternative lixiviants to leach gold. This concern has been heightened recently by the cyanide spill at a mine in Romania, which devastated a 250-mile stretch of the Danube River and its tributaries, and the environmental damage at Ok Tedi mine in Papua New Guinea. Some countries and locations have prohibited the application of cyanidation to recover gold, such as, California and Colorado States, Japan and Turkey etc.There are several potential non-cyanide lixiviants (Sparrow and Woodcock, 1995) for gold extraction, such as thiosulfate, thiourea and halogen. A pilot feasibility test (Marchant and Broughton, 1987) had suggested that thioureation might result in acutely toxic byproducts even after treatment. Scientists of Swedish Academic of Sciences reported that thiourea is a carcinogen. Halogen is also a pollutant to the environment. Thiosulfate leaching appears to have very good potential as an effective and less hazardous procedure for gold and silver extraction from auriferous ores. In addition to being much less toxic and relatively cheap, it forms a stable anionic complex with gold but is less reactive to other metals, for instances, copper and carbonaceous materials, in comparison with cyanide."

Jan 1, 2001

By Robinson KJ

Education in Australia now has to respond to a very wide political and policy agenda. The political emphasis is upon increasing participation and retention rates with a view to greater graduation rates in `high-tech' disciplines. There is an implied linkage between `education' and `economic well-being'. Our argument is that equalitarianism in education tends towards mediocrity. In this context many Geoscience educators view the future with pessimism. The argument is that science has been `sold short' and needs revitalising. We contend that Geoscience coursework should be a feature of both secondary and tertiary education in Australia. To this end we propose six policy initiatives to increase the content of Geoscience in education programmes.

Jan 1, 1989

By Vilma Beltrán

Dado que los trabajos de procesamiento metalúrgico de la mina Uchucchahua, ocasionaron impactos en el medio ambiente, afectando la calidad del agua y eliminando la vida acuática en las lagunas Añilcocha, Colquicocha y Tinquicocha, se procedió a encontrar una alternativa de tratamiento biológico que recupere la calidad de vida en la mina Uchucchacua. En este sentido, el presente trabajo describe el tratamiento pasivo de los efluentes con manganeso de la mina Uchucchacua. Para dicho procedimiento, se desarrollaron trabajos en dos etapas: el de laboratorio y balde. El primero comprende los sistemas de tratamiento pasivo anaeróbico y aeróbico.El aeróbico se inició sobre la base de los procesos de filtración y aireación a fin de determinar el grado de oxidación y precipitación del manganeso como óxido, mientras que el segundo se realizó en función a los resultados obtenidos en la etapa laboratorio y comprende los siguientes procesos: filtración, autooxidación, aireación, sedimentación. En consecuencia, los procesos anaeróbicos no favorecen la reducción de Mn II en los efluentes estudiados, mientras que los procesos aeróbicos permitieron la disminución del manganeso.

Sep 13, 2001

By H Firdausi, I Pasek, T Chenier

The Grasberg Block Cave (GBC) Mine is one of the future underground mines of PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI). Located in the remote highlands of Papua, Indonesia, the GBC mine is scheduled to start production in 2017 reaching its peak production capacity of 160 000 t/d in 2023.In order to reach planned production capacity, the GBC mine will utilise an ore handling system consisting of rail haulage, crushing and conveying. The rail haulage system will utilise over 20 km of track while crushing is accomplished by way of three gyratory crushers each with a capacity of 3300 t/h. Nine conveyors operating in two parallel systems, each system over 3 km in length, will move the ore from the crushers to the stockpiles. These systems require a network of larger tunnels and mass excavations to accommodate the planned production facilities.This paper will describe the ore handling system, tunnel and mass excavation methodology as well as some of the challenges encountered with ground conditions and excavation quality during the execution of the project. A combination of lateral and vertical development methodologies and equipment, including drill jumbos, mechanised raise climbers and specialised ground support equipment, have proven successful in the development of a quality ore handling system.CITATION:Pasek, I, Firdausi, H and Chenier, T, 2016. Development of the ore handling system at the Grasberg block cave mine, Indonesia, in Proceedings Seventh International Conference and Exhibition on Mass Mining (MassMin 2016), pp 599–608 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

May 9, 2016

By L. Frost

"Since the late 1990s, increased prevalence of severe lung disease among US coal miners has been observed, particularly in central Appalachia where thin-seam mining is prevalent. While respirable silica exposures have been implicated in many cases, the available dust monitoring data from mines shows no explanatory trends. One possible factor could be differences in the relative toxicity of silica particles based on their surface condition. Previous research has indicated that particles with occluded surfaces (e.g., by a thin layer of clay) may be less toxic than those with non-occluded surfaces. However, this dust characteristic has not been investigated before now in central Appalachian mines. In the present study, 18 respirable dust samples from seven central Appalachian mines and two northern Appalachian mines were analyzed to assess the relative occurrence of surface-occluded silica. Results showed that the dust from central Appalachian mines actually had higher fractions of occluded silica, which may be due to extraction of large amounts of rock strata along with the coal. However, the central Appalachian mines also more silica particles overall (i.e., occluded + non-occluded) in terms of total number percentage of respirable particles.INTRODUCTIONResurgence of occupational lung disease among US coal miners, especially in the central Appalachian region, has been observed since the late 1990’s (Gibson, 2016; Zosky et al., 2016; Suarthana et al., 2011; Gamble et al., 2011; Antao et al., 2005; Attfield & Sexias, 1995). In addition to increased prevalence of simple Coal Workers’ Pneumoconiosis (CWP, or “black lung”), the prevalence of severe and rapidly progressive disease has risen dramatically (Almberg et al., 2018; Blackley et al., 2018a, 2018b, 2016, 2014; Graber et al., 2017; Cohen et al., 2016). While exposures to respirable silica have long been known to cause or play a role in diseases such as silicosis or progressive massive fibrosis (PMF), which is conventionally considered as the most advanced form of CWP, it is unclear whether silica is the only culprit in the recent outbreak of severe disease. Indeed, as disease rates have risen, both total respirable dust and silica concentrations generally appear to have declined since the late 1980s, based on regulatory monitoring data in the most affected mining districts (i.e., MSHA coal Districts 4, 5 and 12, which cover central WV, eastern KY and southwestern VA, and southern WV, respectively) (Figure 1). Of course, the latency of disease can vary and may be or more 10 years, but many of the most recent cases are likely to have resulted from exposures that occurred since the late 1980s."

Jan 1, 2019

By M. Ganster, H. Krenn

The mission of the project is the fast and cost-effective rehabilitation of decommissioned lignite mining and coal upgrading facilities. This is necessary to ensure the successful future utilization of these sites. On the one hand, for founding new industrial and commercial facilities and on the other hand for touristic activities.

Jan 1, 2013

By Denis Labrie

Le minage en profondeur sous contrainte modérée à élevée présente de nombreux défis aux opérateurs et aux ingénieurs de mine notamment au niveau du contrôle de terrain et de l?environnement minier souterrain, pour assurer la sécurité des travailleurs sous terre et la continuité du cycle d?opération. Des conditions de contrainte élevée signifient une pression accrue au front de taille et sur les structures minières tels les piliers de mine et les fins de zone, un risque de rupture violente ou de coup de toit plus élevé, des zones de rupture plus grandes au pourtour des excavations, des charges accrues sur le support de terrain, etc. Le présent article fournit un aperçu du travail fait à l?intérieur du Programme de Contrôle de terrain de CANMET au cours des sept (7) dernières années, entre 1995 et 2001, pour comprendre et suivre l?évolution des niveaux de contrainte à l?intérieur des structures minières. Les propriétés déterminées en laboratoire sur des échantillons rocheux et les prévisions effectuées au moment de la conception sont comparées avec les observations effectuées en chantier à la paroi des excavations et à l?intérieur de la masse rocheuse. La plupart des cas discutés ici montrent une corrélation satisfaisante entre les observations effectuées en chantier d?une part, et les résultats d?essai obtenus en laboratoire et les calculs réalisés lors de la conception d?autre part. Ces observations peuvent donc être considérées comme des moyens relativement sûrs pour vérifier et suivre l?évolution des niveaux de contrainte présents à l?intérieur des structures minières.

May 1, 2002

By Wing L. Lew

LEAD, silver, and zinc, in quantities of economic importance are found in the Aguilar ore. The lead occurs as galena and the zinc as sphalerite and marmatite. The silver occurrence is more complex. Pyrargyrite and proustite have been identified only occasionally. Galena is silver-bearing and so are the various other sulphides, though to a lesser degree. The principal nonsulphide gangue minerals include calcite, quartz, wollastonite, rhodonite, and various calcium, aluminum, and iron silicates. A typical analysis of, the ore is: Pb, 11.2; Zn, 12.3; Fe, 4.4; Mn, 2.2; Cu, 0.15; S, 11.2; CaO. 7.6; "Insoluble," 50.1 percent; and Ag 263 g per ton. Crushing is done in three stages. The primary crusher at the mine is set to deliver about a 5-in. product. The crushed ore is then transported to the secondary crushing plant by a 3-km cableway where the general practice is to hold the product of the first Symons to about 1 in., and of the second Symons to about 1/2 in. When the ore is soft and rich the product of the first Symons is by-passed directly to the ball-mill bins. Dust control in the secondary crushing plant is effected by enclosing the dust-emanating sources and exhausting the enclosures with a Clarage No. 18 fan driven at 1300 rpm by a 20-hp motor. Use is also made of spray water at one or two critical places. Every effort is made to keep the air free from visible dust. Dust counts taken at the working places show dust concentrations of less than six million particles ner cu ft. The composition

Jan 1, 1947

By Antonio Karzulovic, Ricardo Sepulveda, Manuel Schellman

Mantoverde Division of Empresa Minera Mantos Blancos S.A., Anglo American Chile, developed an open pit mine to exploit copper oxide ore. Mantoverde mine is located in the Province of Chañaral, Northern Chile, about 1,020 Km far from Santiago. Currently, the East wall of the mine is reaching the condition of final pit. To evaluate the possibility of a pit optimization on this wall a geotechnical study was performed, including slope stability analyses by limit equilibrium and numerical methods. As a result of this geotechnical evaluation, it was decided to allow a probability of failure of 12% for instabilities affecting up to 600,000 tonnes, and use steeper slopes on the East Wall of the mine. This paper describes this geotechnical evaluation and how the results of the stability analyses were used to define a flexible slope design, which allows modification if the observed slope behaviour deviated from the expected one.

Jan 1, 2006

Cretaceous to Cenozoic sedimentary basins in Western Southland include a wide range of non-marine and marine sediments, in a structurally complex setting dominated by major fault systems. A reassessment of their mineral potential confirms large quantities of nonmetallic minerals (limestone, aggregate, marl), and smaller reserves of bituminous coal, lignite, clays, and oil shale. Hydrocarbon potential is largely untested. Metallic minerals are present in trace amounts, apart from platinum group minerals and some detrital gold. In the offshore area, seismic data suggest the hydrocarbon potential is significant. The Orepuki area has the most interest onshore.

Jan 1, 1992

By Richard Klimpel

"Over the last 15 years, there has been a number of plant scale sulfide mineral flotation tests organized by this author specifically aimed at understanding how flotation rate varies with reagent type and dosage. With regard to the Interaction of collector dosage, particle size, and frother type, the eight specific trends listed in the paper (Illustrated with data from two specific case studies) are qualitatively the same for almost all plants studied in some depth. The Interaction of flotation rate K and equilibrium (Infinite time) recovery R in the plant has been denoted as the R/K trade-off. The effect of collector dosage on the rate of flotation of specific particle size intervals is particularly interesting and once understood, is quite useful In understanding how industrial flotation plants respond to changing reagent type and dosage. The location and magnitude of the R/K trade-off can be different for various ores and various plant configurations, but the RIK trade-off is almost always present. The purpose of this paper is to clearly describe and illustrate the nature of this very Important flotation system Interaction so that operating engineers have a starting reference point for beginning successful plant Improvement studiesIntroductionIt is well recognized by industrial froth flotation plant operators that improving existing sulfide circuit performance is often difficult due to the self-compensating systems nature of the froth flotation system, e.g. Klimpel (1988, 1989, 1995). Extensive plant testing with existing and new reagents by this author throughout the world has clearly shown that one of the more important self-compensating mechanisms is the Interaction between collector dosage, frother type, and particle size. The term self-compensation in flotation simply means that as the plant operator consistently changes one parameter in the same direction, the nature of the froth flotation system Is such that the circuit will eventually begin to resist this controlled parameter change by automatic (uncontrolled) changes In other parameters and the overall circuit performance will go through a maximum or minimum (hence causing the operator to stop the parameter change)."

Jan 1, 1997

By William I. Busenbark, Elmer C. Newman

At Bingham Canyon, the world's largest open-pit copper mine, annual grease consumption is in the neighborhood of 109 000 kg (240,000 lb), all of which was 544 (120-16) purchased, warehoused, and distributed in 54-kg (120-1b) and 180-kg (400-1b) drums. While perhaps a menial and mundane chore, grease distribution shows on the ledger as a significant expense item. To improve labor and cost performance, Kennecott maintenance engineers undertook a study to find the most direct method for moving multi purpose grease (MPG) from the refinery to the point of final consumption. What they found was a direct vendor system for hulk grease so simple and flexible that long-established drum distribution is being phased out in favor of the newer method throughout 75% of the operation.

Jan 9, 1977

By R. G. B. Pickering

The hard rock gold and platinum mines in South Africa have seen little development in the technology of mining. Holes are still drilled in the rock?though the latest water hydraulic rockdrills will complete that task in two minutes compared with the eight hours for hand drilling. Charging up is with far safer explosives and with available initiation systems it is no longer necessary to run up the face lighting each fuse. Movement of rock in the stope is predominately by means of scraper buckets and scraper winches?these were first introduced in the 1920s. Support is still mainly rock, either in situ pillars or backfill, or alternatively wood. Just as the mining process has changed very little it is hardly surprising that the productivity of mining is also relatively unchanged. Major efforts have been made to mechanize the mining process. However, most of the narrow reef mines where ?trackless mechanized mining? was introduced in the early1980s have reverted to conventional mining. In the wider reefs mechanized mining is the option of choice, unfortunately most of the gold and platinum mines have very narrow reefs that are not suitable to ?off the shelf? equipment. The move to introduce room-and-pillar mining into the narrow UG2 reefs is at the expense of mining more waste with the reef, fortunately it appears that appropriate waste and reef separation processes are available. Room-and-pillar mining followed by long hole drilling and blasting of a narrow slot of reef out of the pillars currently appears to offer the best of both worlds?maximum reef recovery with minimum waste dilution.

Jan 1, 2002

By Alvin J. F

Tin in ores containing 0·025 to 1·5 per cent tin can be determined polarographically by the reduction of the chlorostannite ion at the dropping mercury electrode in 2M hydrochloric acid solution containing 15 per cent ammonium chloride. The tin is separated from interfering elements by distillation as the tetrabromide and collected from the distillate by co-precipitation with aluminium hydroxide. The method can detect 0·01 per cent tin in ore.INTRODUCTIONAn iodimetric method, suitable for routine analysis of titrating tin in concentrations down to 1 per cent, has been available for some years (Low, Weinig, and Schoder, 1939).As concentrations fall below 1 per cent tin, there is increasing difficulty in obtaining a distinct end point due to large amounts of iron and silica normally present after fusion of the ore. Since concentrations of tin down to 0·02 per cent are significant in ore dressing products it was necessary to examine methods to determine such low concentrations, and to adapt these to tin ores containing a wide variety of other minerals.EXPERIMENTALDigestion and separationCassiterite, the principal tin mineral, is refractory but readily attacked by a sodium peroxide flux to yield soluble sodium stannate. In a recognized procedure, a sample of ore is mixed with up to 15 g of sodium peroxide in an iron crucible and swirled over the full heat of a Meker burner for 7 min. The fusion is leached with water and acidified.This solution then contains tin, silica, and other soluble...

Jan 1, 1962

By Hal. Oliver

MR.]. G. TRAILL: My only excuse for contributing to the discussion on Mr. Hall's interesting paper is that I had the good fortune to be employed at Noranda during those romantic years, 1927 and 1928, when construction was at its height. The mine was in course of being rapidly prepared and brought into production, and the initial difficulties in crushing-plant and smelter were being met and overcome. They were stirring days, and perhaps those members who were with the second Empire Mining and Metallurgical Congress in 1927 sensed the atmosphere of excitement and activity that prevailed. Early History. Noranda must surely possess some of the most remarkable ore-bodies known to mining men, and the story of their development is pure romance. Ed. Horne's faith in the property, and the persistence of Thomson and Chadbourne, were richly rewarded in the end, but only after some very thin times had been experienced. In those early days access to the district was by the Kenojevis river and various portages to Osisko lake, on the shores of which the mine and smelter and the town of Noranda now stand. But all the early work was done on the Chadbourne claims, more than a mile to the west; through the b~sh. I have read a log of the events of that period, and through the whole tale of hard work, discouraging developments, occasional shortages of food, and constant danger from forest fires, can be read the faith and persistence of the men in charge. The Chadbourne ore was of that well-known type which, though just too low-grade to pay (with gold at $20 per ounce), is yet sufficiently encouraging to lead one on in the hope of striking something better. It was only as a last resort that work on the Chadbourne claims was suspended and a diamond drill brought to the gossan-covered hill beside the lake. The diamond-driller told me his version (it may be exaggerated) of how the position and direction of the first hole were decided on. He was told, "You might as well set up your drill here, and drill in, say, that direction". I believe that the first hole went through the richest ore ever found at Noranda. After the drill had gone through about 150 feet of solid sulphide ore running 17 per cent copper and 4 dwt. of gold per ton, it passed into barren rock, but the diamond-driller expressed the opinion (I wonder how he knew)) that the hole would come into ore again before long.

Jan 1, 1937