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By J. C. Haptonstall

The Bismark Mine is located in northern Chihuahua, 150 km southwest of Ciudad Juarez. The ore deposit was discovered in 1979, and was placed in production in 1992. The production rate is about 2400 tpd from an ore reserve of 8.5M tonnes. Grades average about 8 % Zn, 0.5 % Pb, 0.2 % Cu and 50 g Ag per tonne. Substantial inflows of water into the under-ground mine complicate the operation. Complex metallurgy poses another challenge for the operators. Bismark was operated through a joint venture, Minera Bismark, S.A. de C.V., with U.S. and Mexican partners, but since early 1993, it is wholly Mexican-owned and operated.

Jan 1, 1994

By J. Drelich

An improved experimental procedure to measure contact angle has been consolidated with coal surface preparation involving polishing with abrasive paper, alumina powder, and a cloth, followed by ultrasonic and mechanical cleaning. Specifically, the captive-bubble measuring technique has been compared with the sessile-drop technique and the former has been recommended for the examination of the hydrophobic properties of coal surfaces. Results of the research program, which is currently under way, on the examination of the effect of the nature, amount, size and distribution of mineral inclusions in coal on its wettability are briefly reviewed.

Jan 1, 1999

By Richard Collins

The projected depletion and the increasing costs of petroleum and natural gas along with the public and governmental resistance to nuclear energy have caused coal to emerge as one of today's answers to both our short term and long term energy needs in power generation. In order to satisfy this need, major increases in coal production are mandatory, thus requiring more and higher capacity coal transfer terminals. The logic for selecting coal as the major fuel for power generation is based on many different reports on the existing and potential energy sources, which include petroleum, natural gas, hydropower, solar, geothermal, and nuclear. The following is a brief synopsis of these reports for each type of energy.

Jan 1, 1978

By Wayne D. Gould

Planning for a project does not start with the announcement of the approval for a project. Planning actually begins when the project is only a prospect and it involves the years of experience of many people because their expertise influences the final decisions. In partial anticipation of the Pinto Valley project, as well as a search for improvement in the Copper Cities operation, two projects were undertaken. The first project was to substitute one 26" cyclone for three 20? cyclones in the single stage grinding circuit. The second project was to replace the Hunt air flotation cells with 300 cubic foot mechanical cells. The 300 cubic foot cells were just being introduced, consequently two types of cells were selected for testing. The results from both projects influenced the decisions on equipment for the Pinto Valley project.

Jan 1, 1975

By Richard R. Klimpel

The purpose of this paper is to summarize some of the author's experiences in applying population balance models to a variety of industrial grinding circuits. Over 26 separate industrial circuits have been studied in detail during the last 10 years, each unique in its equipment type and layout as well as in the material (s) being ground. The success of the population balance approach during these studies was variable. Fourteen of the circuits were shown to be very amenable to such an approach while the remainder had conditions present that sufficiently violated the standard population balance assumptions so that the analysis was of less than optimal utility. Some discussion of the importance of standard population balance assumptions will be given. It is increasingly becoming this author's opinion that the use of population balance models has its greatest utility in defining logically and cheaply (in contrast to actual physical testing), the relative limits and comparisons of different proposed circuit configurations and changes in equipment types and/or operating conditions. As far as specific quantitative predictions and actual optimization of existing plant performance, the results of applying the population balance approach have been often disappointing and need to be coupled at the plant level with other engineering quantification techniques in order to achieve desired improvements.

Jan 1, 1992

By A. Halim, A. Martikainen, S. GYAMFI

This paper outlines a unique case of the development of strategies to reduce ventilation and heating costs in Konsuln iron ore mine in northern Sweden. The mine, located just south of Luossavaara-Kiirunavaara Aktiebolag’s Kiruna iron ore mine, was developed as a test mine from 2018-2020 for the Sustainable Underground Mining (SUM) project. Besides functioning as a test mine, Konsuln also contributes to ore production. The existing mine ventilation system was designed for the current production rate of 0.8 million tons per annum (Mtpa). There is a plan to increase this rate to between 1.8 and 2.0 Mtpa.

Sep 30, 2021

By Fred D. Wright, Stefan H. Boshkov

12.1-BASIC AND PARAMETRIC CRITERIA IN THE SELECTION, DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF UNDERGROUND MINING SYSTEMS STEFAN H. BOSHKOV AND FRED D. WRIGHT The criteria governing the selection of an underground mining system relate to several factors the importance of which varies with geographic location, the state of development of the industrial technology, the economic climate in the Nation and, perhaps, in the world-all these as functions of time. Thus, the best choice of a mining method depends upon sets of definable and undefinable values for numerous factors that may be considered fixed at the precise point in time. Subsequent changes in economic and/or technological developments may necessitate modification or complete revision of the existing mining system. A classification of criteria for selecting a mining system must be based on the broadest definitions. Specific cases may present simple solutions or pose very intricate questions, the answers to which are frequently based on judgment rather than explicit logically reasoned and derived results. Specific criteria may be of negligible consequence in some instances and of overriding importance in other cases. It would be foolhardy to attempt to point out, in the limited space available, all possible variations and interplay of factors, as well as to define the setting in which this interplay can take place. The reader is, therefore, referred to the case histories described in the subsequent parts of this section where actual practice will point out the variability of the problems encountered in the selection of a mining method. A popular thesis suggests that the proper approach to selecting the method of mining should be rooted in the inverse solution, whereby the limitations of the various methods in use serve as criteria to eliminate most of these methods from consideration in the specific case. This narrows the ultimate selection to one or perhaps two most appropriate methods. At this stage, a critical comparison analysis will lead to the ultimate choice. Although such a negative approach un¬questionably is valid in discarding obviously inapplicable mining systems from consideration, it falls short in defining the best system, which in practice quite often turns out to be a variation of a textbook standard, or a combination of two or more such standards. Because the deployment of capital and manpower over a long-term commitment closely follows the selection of the mining system, the decision-maker can well afford to spend a great deal of time and effort in evolving the optimum solution for the peculiarities of his specific case. Within the basic engineering tenets of economy and safety to which the design of a mining system must adhere lie numerous factors of constraint which may be grouped, somewhat arbitrarily but for ease of discussion, into several categories. The criteria that enter into the choice of a mining method derive from the following groups of factors: 1. The shape, size and spatial position of the ore deposit.

Jan 1, 1973

By C. L. Wilsey, K. M. Oakes, W. J. Reich, M. J. Protani

The time frame required to complete the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process for a new mine, or for the expansion of an existing mine, can range between 9 months to 24 months, or more. The time frame will vary depending on whether an Environmental Assessment (EA) or an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be completed. Completing properly designed baseline studies to collect natural resource data to support the EA or EIS prior to the start of the NEPA process can shorten this time frame. The two year natural resource baseline study completed by Homestake Mining Company for the Ruby Hill Mine, located in Eureka County, Nevada will be used as the case study to describe how properly designed and executed natural resource baseline studies streamlined the NEPA process.

Jan 1, 2001

By R. O. Ifill

Alternating current electrocoagulation (AC/EC) may be an alternative to chemical coagulation in the thickening of tailings in the mineral, coal and petroleum industries. In the current study, ground silica (d50 as received, 20 µm) served as the model tailings solid with characteristically poor settling behavior. Its natural initial settling rate was 1.6 x 10-3 cm/min. This paper discusses the indirect application of AC/EC via aluminum electrodes to the enhancement of the settling behavior of the silica. ?Indirect AC/EC? means that the silica was coagulated upon dispersion in water that had been treated by AC/EC. The effect of AC/EC retention time on settling behavior is examined and the water chemistry is analyzed. Test results show that the initial settling rate of silica was enhanced by a factor of 4,000 at its maximum of 6.4 cm/min, under the conditions employed. Settling enhancement was achieved upon contact between the AC/EC-treated water and the silica, and the enhanced initial settling rate was dictated by the floc size. The aluminum dosage increased with AC/EC retention time, reaching a maximum concentration that was equivalent to 13.1% of that predicted by Faraday?s law. Complex aluminum ions are considered to have adsorbed onto the silica surface and an adsorption mass ratio of 0.3 mg Al/g silica was the most effective in enhancing settling behavior. Owing to pH change or slow kinetics, aluminum hydroxide precipitation did not lower the ion product ([Al3+][OH-]3) below the KSP of 6.3 x 10-32.

Jan 1, 2011

By Malte J. M. Gurgel, Axel Preusse

The planning, construction, and monitoring of underground storage facilities is a key factor in meeting upcoming challenges as part of the energy transition from fossil fuels to renewables. Therefore, the many years of knowledge and expertise in ground control gained from coal mining are highly valuable for new mining and storage operations. For such applications, our previous work examined cavity registration, combining structure from motion and LiDAR through a case study in a former lead ore mine. Building on this, the results of this recent case study are discussed regarding the possible application in sites for nuclear waste disposal in Germany including a view on the situation in the United States. Photogrammetric methods are particularly suitable as part of long-term monitoring, which relies on both precise survey results and a large variety of detailed visualization. In order to gain a better understanding of the resulting application potential for holistic monitoring, both existing repositories sites in Germany and ones yet to be found are examined. This search and selection process for high-level nuclear waste disposal is studied in detail together with rules resulting from the (German) mining law, regulations, and other guidelines. Hereby, key requirements of photogrammetric products like oriented images, point clouds, and three-dimensional (3- D) models are identified for different case studies. The findings on accuracy and integrity of the generated models are not only of interest for future repository sites or underground pumped storage power plants, but also offers various possibilities for underground mining of coal and other commodities.

Jul 1, 2023

By Yuchen Wu, Jing Mei, GUOZHONG LIU, KE GAO, Songjie Tian, Jianwei Cheng, Yu Wang, Yuhang Wu, Hui Wang

The stability and integrity of protective coal pillars between the longwall working face and development roadways are greatly affected by the mining activities such as the development face advancing or retreat mining. Due to underground strata pressure, the coal pillar cracks could be further developed and then the air leakage passages (mainly cracks) could be produced greatly. The air circulation caused by the atmospheric pressure difference between the two sides of the coal pillar may also provide suitable conditions for the possible spontaneous combustion of the residual coal in the mine gob. In this paper, a typical the protective coal pillar in a Chinese coal mine is studied. The deformation and stress of coal pillars during the mining process of longwall working face are simulated by using FLAC3D. The displacement and strain of coal pillars are analyzed. Two indexes, the linear fracture rate (LFR) and area fracture rate (AFR), are introduced to characterize the development of internal cracks’ development within coal pillars. By using field measurement, the air leakage intensity distribution due to coal pillar cracks is obtained; the equation of air leakage resistance of coal pillar under the influence of mining is derived. Then, the possible location of large air leakage of coal pillar is determined, which can be used as guidelines to study the possibilities of coal spontaneous combustions happening in pillar or mine gob. The research results help to control such potential hazards in advance.

Jun 16, 2022

By J. A. Murray

Maintaining satisfactory air quality in electrowinning tankhouses is problematic and costly, particularly as plant operating current densities have increased. Conventional approaches have not proved completely effective. These include the use of beads, hollow spheres, surfactants and coalescer devices. They require powerful ventilation systems to be installed. As workplace and environmental regulations become more stringent, containment of the acid mist at its source is more attractive. An electrode cap system based on this approach has been developed and tested in two commercial copper electrowinning tankhouses.

Jan 1, 1996

By J. A. Organiscak

Longwall mining technological improvements have provided significant increases in productivity over the last 15 years. Longwall productivity is anticipated to continue to escalate with expanded application of automated equipment. Automation technology that will likely be adopted over the next 5 years is memory cut with shearer initiation of shield movement supervised by a couple of face workers. Operations using this technology will most likely relocate many production workers from the face to the outby gate entries and position several face workers outby the shearer, exposing workers to different health and safety risks. These changing risks are primarily related to worker relocation and expected increased production levels. Workers outby the face will most likely have less dust and noise exposure, but will be exposed to other safety hazards associated with outby equipment movement, materials handling, and gate entry ground movements. The face workers will most likely be exposed to higher respirable dust and noise levels generated by the equipment at elevated production rates. Methane gas emission is also expected to increase with faster mining rates. These operational changes and the control technologies needed to reduce redefined longwall worker hazards at semiautonomous longwall operations require examination to maintain the health and safety of mine workers.

Jan 1, 1996

By J. Wallace Gwynn

Salt from Great Salt Lake was probably used by the Native Americans prior to the Jim Bridger Expedition to the lake in 1824-25, and was used by the region's early explorers and trappers after that time. From the arrival of the Mormon pioneers in 1847, salt has been produced from Great Salt Lake, starting first with the collection of crude salt from along its shores, and later by boiling down the lake's brine to obtain crystalline salt. Since these early beginnings, salt production from the lake has become a substantial commercial enterprise. Since the early 1960s, research and development have led to the economic production of potassium sulfate, magnesium metal, chlorine gas, magnesium chloride products, and nutritional supplements. Many of the salt-production techniques and equipment that were developed prior to 1964 are still being used today. Sodium sulfate has been produced, but is no longer marketed. Morton Salt, Cargill Salt, and IMC Salt currently extract sodium chloride, which is precipitated during the early stages of evaporation when the brine concentration reaches saturation, or about 26 to 27 percent total dissolved solids. Magnesium Corporation of America produces magnesium metal and chlorine gas, and IMC Kalium Ogden Corporation produces potassium sulfate, as well as magnesium chloride brine and flake products. These salt, gaseous, and metallic products are processed from the sodium-chloride-saturated, high-magnesium-chloride brines, and from the potassium and magnesium salts that are precipitated from the lake brine after it has been further concentrated. One obstacle to salt production is the fluctuating level of Great Salt Lake. In 1983, the lake level began a dramatic rise from an elevation of 4,200 feet (1,280.16 m) to its historic high of 4.211.85 feet (1,283.77 m) in 1986-87 (uncorrected USGS provisional lake-level records). The State of Utah employed flood-control measures, including breaching the Southern Pacific Railroad causeway in 1984, and pumping lake water to a shallow basin west of the lake in 1987. During the high-water years, the lake's mineral-extraction industries faced many challenges including the need to raise dikes to prevent flooding of facilities, broken dikes which resulted in the inundation of solar ponds, and dealing with the lake's greatly reduced brine salinities which resulted in lower annual salt and concentrated-brine production. The years following the record-high lake levels have been a time of adaptation, innovation, and change for Great Salt Lake industries. After its solar ponds were flooded in 1986, AMAX, Inc. built a new solar-pond complex near Knolls, and used the concentrated brines from the West Pond, generated by the State's West Desert Pumping Project. Great Salt Lake Minerals built a 21-mile-long (33.8 km) open, underwater canal, called the Behrens Trench, to convey concentrated brines from a new, remote solar pond on the west side of the lake to the east side of the lake, to help increase its production of sulfate-of-potash. There were also numerous changes in corporate ownership and production-facility locations.

Jan 1, 2001

By Dean Brox

Tunnel boring machines (TBMs) have been used for the construction of various tunnels for mining projects for the purpose of access, conveyance of ore and waste, drainage, exploration, water supply and water diversion. Several mining projects have seen the successful and economic beneficial use of TBMs, and there is an increasing awareness of the benefits of TBMs for mining projects. Key technical considerations for the use of TBMs for the construction of tunnels for mining projects include geological issues (rock type, rock alteration, rock strength, rock abrasivity, durability, ground water in flows), depth of cover and the potential for overstressing/rockbursts, site access and terrain, portal locations, TBM constraints, minimum tunnel size, tunnel support requirements, contractor and labor experience, and project schedule demands. TBMs offer key project schedule benefits with high rates of progress, which is a unique economic advantage recognized for mining projects where timing is of the essence in order to advance mining development and achieve early startup for operations. A thorough evaluation of the anticipated ground conditions should be performed as part of the decision to adopt a TBM for a mining project. Minimum specifications for TBMs are necessary in order to prevent the incorrect type of TBM from being used. Appropriate geotechnical investigations are necessary in order to provide key information on the anticipated subsurface conditions for careful planning and design of the proposed tunnel alignment. The overall site and geological conditions associated with some projects may suggest that it is not appropriate to use TBMs for some mining projects due to a perceived higher risk. Key words: TBM, Tunnel boring machines, Tunneling in mining

Feb 1, 2014

By Jessica M. Wempen, William G. Pariseau, Dallan J. Coons, Michael K. McCarter, Erik C. Westman

The abstract discusses the importance of proper pillar sizing in underground mining for safety and efficiency. It highlights the use of theoretical models, geotechnical measurements, and numerical modeling in predicting pillar behavior. The research focuses on using seismic tomography to image stress changes in a yield pillar at a longwall mine as the longwall face approaches. The study aims to compare the stress distribution imaged using tomography with theoretical models, geotechnical measurements, and numerical models.

Mar 18, 2022

By Dean Brox

Tunnel boring machines (TBMs) have been used for the construction of various tunnels for mining projects for the purpose of access, conveyance of ore and waste, drainage, exploration, water supply and water diversion. Several mining projects have seen the successful and economic beneficial use of TBMs, and there is an increasing awareness of the benefits of TBMs for mining projects. Key technical considerations for the use of TBMs for the construction of tunnels for mining projects include geological issues (rock type, rock alteration, rock strength, rock abrasivity, durability, ground water inflows), depth of cover and the potential for overstressing/rockbursts, site access and terrain, portal locations, TBM constraints, minimum tunnel size, tunnel support requirements, contractor and labor experience, and project schedule demands. TBMs offer key project schedule benefits with high rates of progress, which is a unique economic advantage recognized for mining projects where timing is of the essence in order to advance mining development and achieve early startup for operations. A thorough evaluation of the anticipated ground conditions should be performed as part of the decision to adopt a TBM for a mining project. Minimum specifications for TBMs are necessary in order to prevent the incorrect type of TBM from being used. Appropriate geotechnical investigations are necessary in order to provide key information on the anticipated subsurface conditions for careful planning and design of the proposed tunnel alignment. The overall site and geological conditions associated with some projects may suggest that it is not appropriate to use TBMs for some mining projects due to a perceived higher risk.

Jan 1, 2013

By Wayne W. Murdy

Peru is a mineral hot spot in the world today. Newmont is in the exploratory phase of this mining cycle, a phase full of optimism and expectations. But exploration is high risk. There will be successes but also failures. Many foreign companies will come and go. But it is the responsibility of the mining industry leadership of Peru and the government to continue to foster an environment conducive to investment. This is the time of year companies begin planning their next annual report. Last year, Newmont’s was called “new horizons.” It highlighted the company’s global expansion into Peru, Uzbekistan and Indonesia. Now, projects that were only on the horizon a year ago are moving into production. So “turning opportunity into gold” may be this year’s theme.

Jan 1, 1996

By Tyler Luxner

Stillwater Mining Co. (SMC) is the largest primary producer of platinum and palladium in North America. SMC operates two underground mines in south central Montana, along the 45-km (28-mile) platinum/palladium J-M Reef in the Stillwater Complex. The Stillwater Mine exploits 9.6 km (6 miles) of deposit strike length and East Boulder Mine exploits 4 km (2.5 miles) of deposit length. The two mines are 20.4 km (12.7 miles) apart with SMC controlling a considerable length along the entire J-M Reef trace. Production at the Stillwater Mine began in 1986 and in 1988 the first tunnel boring machine (TBM) was commissioned, becoming an integral part of mine development at SMC. TBMs have been used for developing production footwall laterals (FWL) to access new mining blocks at the Stillwater Mine, as well as boring twin crosscut ac-cess tunnels at the East Boulder. Two TBM development expansion projects are currently in progress: the Graham Creek project at the East Boulder Mine, which will extend footwall lateral development 2,591 m (8,500 ft) to the west, and the Blitz project, where a TBM will be commissioned to extend east out of the Stillwater Mine to 3,658 m (12,000 ft) beyond the current production mining front. General strike and dip of the Reef is west to east and to the north, respectively.

Jan 1, 2012

By R. Elias

Botswana is a mining-dominated sub-Saharan country. Workforces are characterised by poorly educated operators and front line supervisors, with equipment and management to 1st World standards. Poor communication, ignorance of business objectives, inability to meet targets, and lack of problem-solving capacity are the norm. Training leads to high expectations and is of concern to management as a source of dissatisfaction, despite the long-term benefits higher skills have for mine viability. The aims of a technical training programme are presented with various models and approaches being implemented at operations in Botswana. These are used to construct a series of guidelines for technical training initiatives.

Jan 1, 2000