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By C. B. Manula

This report is volume 7 of an eleven-volume final report for a Grant completed by The Pennsylvania State University for the Bureau of Mines to develop a dynamic general purpose computer simulation model for underground coal mining. The simulator developed under the Grant has a wide range of possible applications in the design and evaluation of underground coal mining systems from the standpoints of health and safety, productivity, and mine environment. The Master Design Simulator consists of nine free-standing function-oriented subsystem models linked together into an integrated, comprehensive model of an entire mining system. The subsystems comprising the Master Design. Simulator include geology and reserves, methane generation, roof support, subsidence, production, rail haulage, cost, water generation," and ventilation. This volume of the final report describes the Rail Haulage subsystem of the Master Design Simulator. This subsystem can be used as a free standing model or can be linked to the Production subsystem to provide rail haulage capability. Complex rail haulage systems can be realistically simulated with this model. This report includes complete instructions for operating the subsystem as well as a program listing. In addition, a case study is included which illustrates the application of the subsystem when linked to the production subsystem.

Jan 1, 1974

By K Rau

The overall success of a mining operation is directly impacted by the reliability and availability of mining equipment. Heavy-duty vehicles such as excavators and haul trucks are used for conveying of bulk material and improving such assets’ availability helps reduce costs, increase throughputs and improve safety (Ravande, 2022). If a mining operation’s key performance indicators (KPIs) are tied to operational performance, then overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) is an essential metric to track progress and to identify areas of improvement.

Sep 1, 2024

By S. Don Brown

Between 1987 and 1988, the Bureau of Mines studied the mineral resources of the White River National Forest and part of the Arapaho National Forest to appraise the resources present and to determine the types of deposits, and their location, that could be mined economically if sufficient demand and metal prices existed. The study included a comprehensive literature search and a limited amount of field investigation of minerals and mining activity in and near the Forest. Mineral resource information indicates that in the Gore Range the area between Tennessee Pass and Gilman may contain large base-and precious-metal deposits, and could be the focus of exploration activity in the near future. The Breckenridge mining district was found to have a moderate to high likelihood for mineral exploration and possible development of gold. Recent exploration and minor development work has occurred in several other areas: Montezuma, Kokomo-Tenmile, and Upper Blue River districts, and portions of the Sawatch Range. Limestone, marble, sand and gravel, rock for crushed aggregate, and other industrial rocks have been recently mined or Quarried in the Forrest, and will likely be mined or quarried in the near future. Currently coal is being produced at one mine in the Forest, and extensive identified coal resources are located in the Forest. Parts of four known gas fields lie within the Forest west of Glenwood Springs; there is current production at one field.

Jan 1, 1990

By Hugo Leandro Rosa

A CBMM aplicou aços micro ligados ao nióbio em dois tipos de caçambas de carregadeiras de rodas que operam na usina de Araxá, Brasil. O objetivo foi avaliar os benefícios destes aços relacionados com redução dos custos, aumento da produtividade e vida útil dos componentes. Uma das máquinas analisadas coleta peças quentes de ferro nióbio para carregamento dos silos do britador. O uso de um aço ferramenta de alta resistência e resistente ao desgaste solucionou os problemas de deformação, desgaste e rachaduras durante o serviço, aumentando a vida útil da caçamba em cerca de 190%. A outra máquina avaliada foi uma carregadeira de rodas que opera na mina de minério de nióbio. O novo desenho com aços de alta resistência mecânica e resistente ao desgaste reduziu o peso em 14%, correspondendo ao incremento na capacidade de carga. A carga extra possibilitou um aumento na produtividade dos caminhões de 42 toneladas. Com os novos materiais, as trincas anteriormente encontradas na caçamba da pá carregadeira foram eliminadas, enquanto foi mantida a resistência ao desgaste antes oferecida pelo aço revestido com carbeto de cromo reduzindo também os custos de investimento em 7%.

Aug 17, 2017

By Jacqueline V. Rich

The relationship between surface and ground water quality and copper mining in the Globe-Miami area is investigated in this three-year study. Methods to prevent, minimize, mitigate, or treat polluted waters are identified and evaluated. Best Management Practices are incorporated in a recommended plan to manage the area's water quality.

Jan 1, 1983

By D. N. Trerice

The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) is sponsoring the construction and operation of a coal cleaning test facility at Homer City, Pennsylvania. The facility represents a major investment by the electric utility industry to advance the state of the art of conventional coal cleaning technology. The facility is unique in design and can process large quantities of coal in conventional flowsheet configurations, simulate full size plant conditions, and perform open and closed loop performance testing on conventional and advanced coal cleaning equipment. Computer operation will also be demonstrated. The facility objectives, initial complement, and operating plane are discussed as they relate to other coal cleaning projects at EPRI.

Jan 1, 1981

By Leonard Weixler, Peter Halbach, Michael Jarowinsky, Johannes Post

Germany as an industrial nation is highly dependent on the import of mineral or metal resources. Sources which have not been considered until now are the marine mineral resources (MMR), which in recent times are enjoying more and more increasing interests and which might provide in the future a considerable contribution to the supply security on metal resources not only for the industrial countries. Backed up by the German government’s "National Masterplan Maritime Technologies" (NMMT) and corresponding industrial R&D-activities, the idea and the advantages of deep-sea mining is gaining more and more interests and supporters with respect to industrial and political considerations on strategic raw material resources as well as on the development of deep-sea mining technologies. The NMMT aims to initiate growth and increase the competitiveness of the German maritime industry on international markets and covers about 10 different marine and ocean technology sectors including deep-sea mining.

Sep 1, 2014

By Michael J. Nicol

The teaching of courses in geology, mining and extractive metallurgy in Australian universities is undergoing significant change largely as a result of the initiative taken by the Minerals Council of Australia (MCA). This has resulted in a major program aimed at developing national under- and postgraduate courses in selected areas with the aim of making these available to a consortium of participating universities. Murdoch University, together with the A J Parker CRC for Hydrometallurgy has been commissioned to develop the course in hydrometallurgy. Progress in the development of this course will be discussed in terms of overall philosophy, content and mode of delivery. Aspects of the extension to a Web-based course will also be summarized. Murdoch University has also established a hydrometallurgical pilot plant on the campus and the results of the first continuous operation for several months using under- and postgraduate students as operators will be discussed from the point of view of practical training and providing an interface with the local industry.

Jan 1, 2002

By Robert H. King

An analysis of low-voltage shielded trailing cables is performed to develop a method for calculating the differences in operating costs between shielded and non-shielded cables. Two types of shield constructions are considered (SH-C and SH-D) for the three major underground coal mining methods. Data from laboratory and in-mine testing are presented in addition to an analysis of safety benefits. Recommendations for further investigations are proposed. Example calculations with sensitivity analyses are presented. Recommendations for further investigation include costs impact considerations.

Jan 1, 1980

By Hugh P. Godard, K. Winslow

"AbstractA number of panels of various aluminum alloys in different combinations and secured by steel and three types of aluminum rivets were exposed underground at two locations in a Northern Ontario gold mine for two years and then examined to determine the extent of corrosion. The results indicate Alcan 65S-T to possess considerable advantages over Alcan 178-T, which has been employed in the construction of light skips and cages with considerable success for almost twenty years. Information on the behaviour of these alloys when used with steel rivets and in mixed combinations with themselves was obtained.IntroductionBy the complete substitution of aluminum alloys for steel in the fabrication of mining skips and cages, their weight can be reduced as much as 50 per cent. Lesser savings are possible though its savings are possible through its plates, doors, reinforcing members, etc. Reduced weight leads to economy through increased hoisting efficiency.For a new installation, the basis of design is the rate of production, which thus fixes the live load to be hoisted per trip. A lighter skip permits the use of a lighter rope and a smaller hoist. In deep shafts with high-speed hoists operated in balance, the power required for accelerating is considerable. The hoist size is determined by the weight of skip, load, and rope plus the force required to accelerate or decelerate these three elements A light skip may result in a considerably lighter rope. This is important because, even though the skip can be completely balanced this is not true of the rope. Partial balancing is possible, but conical hoist drums or other devices for this purpose are costly; thus a smaller rope results in a smaller hoist, with consequent general reduction in cost of the whole installation. A reduction in power consumption is also obtained as a result of keeping to a minimum the amount of unbalanced load and the weight of all moving parts which must be accelerated."

Jan 1, 1950

By Michael T. Nigbor

This Bureau of Mines publication identifies the significant environmental issues associated with the potential development of strategic and critical minerals in the Stillwater Complex, MT. The Stillwater Complex contains deposits of Cr, platinum-group metals (PGM), and Ni. Issues that must be addressed prior to minerals development include the effects mining, milling, and smelting will have on the land, water, and air, and methods of minimizing the environmental impacts.

Jan 1, 1985

By D. R. Wilburn

This summary of international mineral exploration activities for the year 2010 draws upon available information from industry sources, published literature and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) specialists. The summary provides data on exploration budgets by region and mineral commodity, identifies significant mineral discoveries and areas of mineral exploration, discusses government programs affecting the mineral exploration industry and presents analyses of exploration activities performed by the mineral industry. Three sources of information are reported and analyzed in this annual review of international exploration for the year 2010: 1) budgetary statistics expressed in U.S. nominal dollars provided by Metals Economics Group (MEG) of Halifax, Nova Scotia; 2) regional and site-specific exploration activities that took place in 2010, as compiled by the USGS, and 3) regional events including economic, social and political conditions that affected exploration activities. These were derived from published sources and unpublished discussions with USGS and industry specialists.

Jan 1, 2011

By I. Cerny, M. Vanek, J. Hubácek

"SWOT analyses and the closely related TOWS matrix are frequent starting points for an organization to develop its strategy. The paper deals with the evaluation of the TOWS matrix and presents three novel approaches to evaluate the different factors of the TOWS matrix, namely (1) approach to evaluate the factors with identical weights; (2) approach to evaluate factors with their weights determined within the different quadrants of the TOWS matrix; and (3) approach to evaluate factors with weights determined within the whole TOWS matrix. The third approach has two variants. The proposed approaches to evaluate the TOWS matrix were tested on a SWOT analysis of a significant mining company in the Czech Republic. The results imply that the strategy W-T (weaknesses-threats) is recommended in three cases, while the strategy S-T (strengths-threats) is recommended once. The paper may be valuable for managers responsible for strategic planning.IntroductionThe process of human needs gratification has been closely connected with raw material resources of the planet. In the contemporary socio-economic conditions, the task of the mining company managers, apart from extracting mineral resources, is to meet the owners' intents.The managerial work itself becomes very complex. In mining companies in particular, the complexity is augmented by the characteristics of the business. Undoubtedly, the key factor is that mineral resources cannot be renewed or relocated. Stojanovi (2013) characterizes mining projects as involving great investments in finance and time, as well as consecutive decisions and a 'complex mosaic of numerous unknown factors that affect the value of the project'. He adds that mining projects are typified by a 'number of geological, technological, technical, economic, environmental, social, and financial risks' (Stojanovi , 2013).Inter alia, the managerial work may also be intese due to the dynamic internal and external conditions for the existence of any company (Vane? k, 2014). This tallies with Peter Drucker’s prediction in 1969; that the times at the turn of the millennium could be expected to be turbulent (Drucker, 1969)."

Dec 1, 2018

By Daniel Lachapelle, Nuri Hmidi, Turgut Yalcin

"Simulation can serve as a convenient tool in studying the behaviour and performance of grinding circuits by facilitating the evaluation of various scenarios and identification of optimum operating conditions. This technique was applied to the St Andrew Goldfields Ltd.’s Stock Mine Mill which is a 1300 tpd gold milling facility, offering custom milling services as well as processing the Company’s own ores. Lack of adequate instrumentation in the mill poses a challenge in attaining optimum performance especially with changing ore types and characteristics. The grinding process is monitored essentially by manual measurement and adjustment of pulp densities at various streams. A simulation program was designed to assist in the effective implementation of this mode of grinding control. Product sizes from both the primary and secondary grinding circuits were correlated empirically to relevant process variables using a database formed from the results of past sampling campaigns. The simulator was created in Microsoft Excel whose data analysis and optimization tools coupled with its Visual Basic Programming capabilities were found to provide an excellent environment for the development of a cost-effective, efficient and user-friendly simulation program.INTRODUCTIONGrinding is often a very costly unit process in milling operations, mainly due to the excessive energy consumption associated with it. For example, for a Canadian copper-zinc flotation mill, grinding was listed as being the most costly item taking up 30.4% of the total milling expenses, followed by the flotation cost at 2 1 .O% (Kidd Creek Mines Ltd., 1982). A survey on 45 copper flotation mills around the world showed the average grinding cost to be 34.5% of the total milling cost (Weiss, 1985).Overgrinding aggravates the cost issue, while insufficient grinding either causes loss of valuable minerals to tails or results in low-grade concentrates. Therefore, it is essential that grinding circuits be carefully controlled and monitored. To this end, a great deal of effort has been devoted over the years to the modelling and simulation of grinding systems in order to assist in the efficient running of these processes."

Jan 1, 2001

By Franklin D. Cooper

Three model dwelling units were redesigned to achieve specific levels of noise reduction above that provided by conventional construction. Using 1968 prices, the added costs of materials and installation were found to range from $500 to $5,000 depending upon the size of the dwelling unit and the degree of insulation. The potential aggregate expenditures for sound insulation materials are projected to reach $617 million in 1975, including about $408 mil- lion for the mineral-based materials, in 1968 constant dollars. The report includes a brief review of the mechanics and effects of sound.

Jan 1, 1970

By Jannie van Deventer

"Innovation in the minerals industry has been lagging behind comparable industries like oil and gas. An incremental innovation culture that tolerates long lead times between invention and adoption has been exacerbated by a research grant structure that inhibits radical idea generation. Entrepreneurs who can make the link between ore source, technology and finance will cause a shift in innovation culture and open up substantial opportunities in the minerals industry of the future. By extrapolating existing trends in technology within and outside mineral processing, a crystal ball vision of future innovation is shaped with the aim to lower energy and water demand, reduce CO2 emissions, decrease operating and capital costs, reduce environmental impact, and secure a social licence to operate. Advances in nanotechnology, advanced materials and biotechnology will impact mineral processing, but the initiative for technology transfer must come from mineral processors. Laminates of graphene oxide can offer efficient filtration and separation media, while microfluidic devices will be used for desalination, solvent extraction and analysis. Substantial progress is expected on benign lixiviants and separation agents, such as nanoscale supramolecular hosts that can serve as high-capacity, selective and recyclable ligands and sorbents, and solid aminobiphosphonate-based adsorbents. Radical ideas for the recovery of precious metals from non-assayable ores and the generation of energy above unity will be adopted in selected minerals projects. In-situ mining in which microbes generate lixiviants at mineral surfaces will simplify processing circuits. Specific ores will be subjected to microwave processing and electropulse liberation to enhance recovery. Ultrafine grinding using devices of low energy consumption will be done mainly dry, followed by dry separation. New flotation cells will remove efficiently either coarse particles or ultra-fine particles, with mineral surfaces being modified not just by new reagents but also by selective microbes. Innovation in mineral processing indeed has a bright future."

Jan 1, 2014

By Thomas T., Read

T HE preceding chapter has recorded the initiation of mineral industry education during the period 1890-1910 in numerous institutions that had not previously offered it. It should also be emphasized that in many institutions where instruction had begun before 1890, as recorded in earlier chapters, but had not yet become firmly established,, this period was one of marked growth and development. This was not universally true, however, for at the Universities of Pennsylvania, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Washington (St. Louis), Iowa, Vanderbilt and Tennessee, and at the Polytechnic College of Pennsylvania, mineral industry instruction was being dropped during this period, instead of gaining in strength. It is necessary to emphasize this, because writers on the subject have not infrequently , attempted to make a much too simple correlation between mineral -discovery or production and the intensity of student interest in mineral industry curricula. It would naturally be true that periods of large mineral production would, in general, coincide with cycles of business prosperity, and the latter are conducive to starting new ventures, educational as well as business. It should be equally evident that opportunities for business and professional success might, in such periods, appear to increase at a more rapid rate in industries other than mineral, or in the utilization of minerals rather than in their production. The author has not been able to perceive any simple and clear relation between interest in mineral industry education and mineral discovery, production, and utilization, or general business prosperity. On the contrary, the more the problem is studied the more complex the factors involved in it appear to be. In a later chapter an attempt will be made to analyze them in more detail.

Jan 1, 1941

First, a classification of the various primary sources of feed materials for the production of cobalt is presented from a mineralogical point of view : sulfides, arsenides, sulfo-arsenides and oxide minerals. Each of these cate- gories will be characterized by its behaviour towards concentration methods, taking account of the presence of the associated minerals of other metals and of the nature of the gangue minerals. Then, for each category of cobalt bea- ring ores, typical flowsheets of treatment will be presented and discussed and the characteristics of the cobalt concentrates produced will be under- lined having in view their subsequent processing by pyro - and (or) hydrome- tallurgical methods.

Jan 1, 1988

By A. Deneys

This paper reviews industrial gases used in primary copper production. Copper smelting industrial gas demand has steadily increased since the first commercial oxygenconcentrate smelting in 1952 [1]. In copper production oxygen for smelting is the dominant industrial gas use followed by oxygen for converting. Nitrogen is finding increased use in copper smelters. Nitrogen is used for porous plugs for copper converting and anode refining [2-5]. Nitrogen can be used for concentrate drying [6,7] and is also used in some Ni-Cu smelters as a coolant in Peirce-Smith converting [8,9]. Industrial gas supply options of cryogenic or adsorbent based on-site plant or cryogenic liquid delivery are detailed.

Jan 1, 2007

By J. C. Motz

With ore grades continually decreasing and finer mill feed requirements, it becomes increasingly important to have the capability to handle the larger tonnages economically. With the 10 ft. Standard capable of reducing 1,633 metric tons per hour (1,800 short tons per hour) to 80 percent passing 50 MM (2 inches) and the 10 ft. Short Head following to produce a mill feed of all minus 12 MM (1/2 inch) at a rate of 608 metric tons per hour (670 short tons per hour), we feel significant savings will be realized in installation and operating costs. The largest concentration of cost in the secondary and tertiary crushing stations is the building itself that houses the process equipment. An example of the savings to be attained can be seen from an examination of a 40,820 metric ton (45,000 short ton) per day crushing plant. A total of nine 7 ft. Symons Cone crushers is used to generate 12 MM (1/2 inch) ball mill feed. The average center distance between units is 6.1 M (20 feet) and allowing a 6.1 M (20 feet) nominal distance from the centerline to the wails, the building becomes 61 M (200 feet) long. For this production rate, four 10 ft. Symons Cone crushers would be required. With the 10 ft. crushing plant requiring a center distance spacing of 7.6 M (25 feet), the building length totals approximately 38 M (125 feet). Construction costs vary depending on location, but a reduction in building length from 61 M (200 feet) to 38 M (125 feet) will result in estimated savings of between $2,500,000 and S4,000,000. While the 10 ft. Symons Cone has been involved in a number of feasibility studies for some time, the Process Machinery Division of Rexnord commenced detail design work on the 10 ft. Cone crusher in 1972. For comparison purposes, the 10 ft. and 7 ft. capacities are given in Table 1.

Jan 1, 1978