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By W. D. Macleod

This paper describes a mineral dressing process for the upgrading of tin ores. The process described is called 'agglomeration' and. is similar in many respects to flotation. Many variables have been examined experimentally both on batch and continuous operations and are reported upon herein... Using a Mt. Pleasant tin ore, assaying 0.5% Sn, an upgrading to 8% Sn, with a recovery of 95% could be obtained by this process.

Jan 1, 1966

By James N. Orlich

Meridian Gold Company's Royal Mt. King mine (RMK), a subsidiary of FMC Gold Company, is located approximately 40 miles east of Stockton, California on the western edge of the historic mother lode belt. Gold ore at RMK is associated with a series of northwest trending fault zones hosted in either meta-volcanic or meta-sedimentary rock types commonly referred to as greenstone sulfide and carbonaceous phyllite. Mineralogy studies show gold in both ore types to occur primarily as electrum in the form of 1 -20 um inclusions in pyrite with varying amounts of free milling gold. In carbonaceous ores, gold was not found to be closely associated with carbon. At the start of the current mining operation, three major ore resources were identified. North Pit and Gold Knoll pits were the major greenstone reserves while Skyrocket Pit contained over 60% of the total reserves as carbonaceous ore. Since North Pit and Gold Knoll were to be the first areas mined, the mill began operation in February 1989 with a flowsheet designed for greenstone ores with a carbonaceous expansion anticipated after depletion of the greenstone reserves.

Jan 1, 1992

By Dongxu Jia, Chen Cao, Shuangwen Ma, Jun Han, Huibin Ma

Coal bump, or coal burst, is one of the catastrophic disasters in underground coalmine. Among them, approximate 80% of recorded destructive burst events were occurred in mining roadway. The bump panel is often formed by hard coal seam and hard main roof; however, the cause and course of the bump events are not understood yet. This study provides a fundamental theory for the causality and progress of a coal bump event occurred in longwall roadway. Considering hard roof condition commonly existed in bump panels, we think that the abutment pressure induced by suspended roof behind the working face is the trigger of a coal bump event occurred in the roadway. Once high abutment pressure is concentrated on the hard coal seam around the working face, the roof and the coal around the working face form a seesaw-like structure, which leads the roof in front of the working face moving upwards. The movement of roof uplifting in front of the working face is a well evidenced phenomenon in practice, namely, roof rebounding, which causes unloading of the normal stress on the roof-coal interface around the roadway. A rib coal block bump mechanical model has been developed to establish the critical equilibrium equation of the coal block. Result shows that, the force source of coal bump is the horizontal ground stress perpendicular to the rib surface; and the slippage of the coal block is caused by the unloading of the normal stress acting on the roof-coal interface. Based on the causality and consequence theory of coal bump developed in the paper, several new prediction and prevention measures have been developed, including roadway design and in-tunnel reinforcing methods. The commonly used prevention measures in present have also been discussed. This paper presents a comprehensive explanation of coal bumps occurred in longwall roadways, from abutment pressure at working face forming seesaw structure to roof rebounding leading slippage of the rib coal mass into roadway, which provides a fundamental theory for coal bump causality mechanism and prediction and prevention technology.

Apr 26, 2022

By R. N. Rothan, V. Khunova, C. M. Liauw, G. C. Lees

The interphase modification activity of 1,3-phenylene dimaleimide (also known as m-phenylene bismaleimide (BMI)) has been studied in composites based on magnesium hydroxide (60% w/w) and a polypropylene block copolymer (PPBC) that featured an ethylene-rich elastomeric impact modifier phase. BMI was found to be a unique product that led to significant simultaneous improvements in composite strength and toughness, even at the high filler levels. BMI modification was found to promote encapsulation of filler particles with the elastomeric phase of the PPBC together with formation of a PP boundary layer of increased crystalline content.

Jan 1, 2003

By Giuseppe M. Gaspari, Tamara Kondrachova

Contract practices affect cost and schedule of tunneling works, impacting risk allocation between Owners and Contractors. The Authors compiled a dataset of projects constructed in the Toronto Area between 1990–2020 procured either Design-Build or Design-Bid-Build. Data were analyzed identifying independent cost variables across the two methods. Overall industry efficiency further comparison with historical information demonstrates the costs of engineering ongoing escalation due to rising trends in environmental requirements and public consultations stirred through modern communicative platforms. These hard to predict and estimate costs need to be included in the risks evaluated and managed by Owners and not by Contractors

Jun 13, 2021

By Michael E. Karmis

New and developing communication systems en-able underground miners to, not only connect to the surface from an increased communication coverage area, but also to be discovered in the event of an emergency. Communication and tracking systems are required by the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Ad-ministration (MSHA) regulations, aiming to enhance health and safety and routine production in underground operations. Modeling a mine?s potential communication coverage area will increase overall coverage and efficiency of the communication network itself. Modeling the propagation of wireless communications enables ideal broadcast locations to be found when designing a communications network. Strategic placement of broad-cast devices results in a reliable communication network that can better withstand disruption in daily operation and during a time of emergencies. Research on wireless communication in mines has been ongoing since 1922, when the U.S. Bureau of Mines performed experiments in its experimental mine in Bruceton, PA (Schiffbauer & Brune, 2006a). Ac cording to Dobroski and Stolarczyk (1982), ?as early as 1922, Bureau of Mines experiments showed that radio propagation in mines was possible but not practical.? In 2006, the underground communication technologies available to the mining industry had inherent problems that limited communication capabilities. Because harsh underground mine environments significantly reduce line of sight and propagation range and introduce power and safety concerns, the overall effectiveness of underground communication technologies were limited. After several coal mining accidents in early 2006, the U.S. Congress responded with the Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response (MINER) Act, enacted

Jun 1, 2010

By S. Kenzap, V. Kazakidis

Risk assessment is an essential component of mine feasibility studies. However, it is often challenging to identify the appropriate analysis and derive the required input data. The uniqueness of a mining project and the associated technical issues require customization of the risk assessment approach to meet both requirements and characteristics. The uncertainty driving the operating risk in mine feasibility studies and its assessment through Monte Carlo simulation as a component of a cash flow analysis are discussed in this paper. The paper introduces the use of the analytic hierarchy process for derivation of qualitative input and conducts quantification of the three main sources of operating performance delays, equipment, ground and schedule problems, in a cash flow simulation. A methodology for the assessment of operating risk in mine feasibility studies is presented.

Jan 1, 2011

By David B. Cook, James R. Bieke

I. INTRODUCTION Lawyers are a cautious breed; and it might be expected that a paper concerning a broad and complex area of legal regulation, prepared by lawyers for presentation to a predominantly non-legal audience, would commence with several caveats. Ours are the following: First, we have written a broad (and, in some instances, simplified) overview of the regulatory system and of some of the more important requirements generally applicable to uranium mine and mill wastes in the United States. Our paper is not a legal opinion setting forth all of the governmental requirements that would have to be met by any particular mine or mill. Similarly, we do not imply that the requirements we mention are necessarily applicable to each and every mine and mill in the country; depending on the facts, some of the requirements may be inapplicable or avoidable through exemption or variance proceedings. Compliance decisions and strategies for particular facilities must be considered on a site-specific basis. Second, we have undertaken merely to describe the regulatory framework and some of the generally "applicable" requirements which have been promulgated and proposed by administrative agencies. We express no opinion on whether, under the U.S. Constitution and statutes, the existing and proposed agency regulations are valid in general or as applied to any particular mining or milling operation. There are, of course, procedures for judicial review of agency action; and newly promulgated environmental regulations have frequently been challenged, with varying degrees of success, before the courts. For us even to begin to consider such issues would expand an already forbiddingly long paper to totally unmanageable proportions. Third, in light of the subject of this Conference we have limited our paper to the legal framework and requirements applicable to uranium mine and mill "wastes" -- primarily mine overburden and waste rock and mill tailings (including waste tailings solution). We treat operating discharges (e.g., emissions from yellowcake drying) only peripherally. Fourth and finally, it is important to note that this paper, at least in so far as it concerns the specific requirements of particular regulations, will likely soon be out of date in some important respects. Despite

Jan 1, 1980

By J. Jordan, D. K. Denton, D. Tesarik, D. F. Scott, T. J. Williams

Personnel from the Spokane Research Laboratory of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health integrated the results of studies from a seismic tomographic survey, a finite-difference analysis, laboratory measurements of compression wave (ultrasonic) velocities in rock cores, and site geology to evaluate the use of seismic tomography for identifying induced pressures in an underground pillar at the Edgar Mine, Idaho Springs, CO. The key findings were that (1) the seismic tomograms showed that seismic velocities in rock adjacent to mine openings were low, (2) a difference tomogram in which in situ stresses on the east and west sides of the slot were compared showed that velocities increased west of the slot but decreased east of the slot, (3) geologic features (rock types and a fault) identified through geologic mapping were recognizable in the seismic tomograms, (4) ultrasonic velocity measurements on the rock cores agreed with seismic velocity measurements in the tomograms, and (5) results from a finite-difference analysis compared well to the seismic tomograms west of the slot but not east of the slot. The significance of this research is that seismic tomography is a useful tool for determining relative stress in underground pillars.

Jan 1, 2004

By S. Dubnewych, S. Kieffer, M. T. McRae, R. R. Redd

The seismic vulnerability of the existing outlet tower at Lake Mathews reservoir, located in Riverside County, California, necessitated the design of a new outlet facility to assure serviceability of the facility following a major earthquake. The components of the proposed facility include: a new outlet tower; a shaft; a new outlet tunnel; an approach channel that will be excavated underwater; and two short tunnels that will connect the new outlet tunnel to the existing outlet tunnel via the shaft. As the new facilities will be constructed while the reservoir is in operation, a cofferdam will be constructed around the site of the new outlet tower. The design for the underground facilities used a combination of empirical methods; limit equilibrium analyses, including displacement-based pseudo-static analyses for dynamic loading conditions; and numerical analyses. This paper outlines the design methodology used to develop an innovative design for the facilities which can be constructed within the time frame required by the operational schedule of the reservoir and existing outlet facility.

Jan 1, 1999

By Emily Wortman-Wunder

As the 2013 president of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration, Inc., I am pleased to present the 2013 issue of the Transactions of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration, Vol. 334. The timely publication of professional papers that promote the advancement of scientific and technical knowledge is critical for enabling technology transfer. SME plays a key role in this process through its publications. Communication within the mining community is the key to a successful profession and society. This technology exchange continues a tradition that dates back to the 1871 meeting of 22 mining engineers in Wilkes-Barre, PA, that resulted in the founding of AIME; those individuals envisioned that these transaction volumes “would form a most valuable and greatly needed addition to our professional literature.” This volume fulfills that pledge. The 2013 Transactions contains 73 papers covering most every aspect of the mining life cycle and encompassing the diverse sectors of our industry including coal, industrial minerals, metals, health and safety and computational methods. It includes all 18 papers published in 2013 in the Technical Papers Section of Mining Engineering magazine (Vol. 65) and all 33 papers published in 2013 in Minerals & Metallurgical Processing (Vol. 30). Additionally, this volume contains 22 papers that are being published for the first time in this issue. The papers presented in this volume were written by some of the most distinguished professionals in the industry worldwide. Some of the many research highlights from 2013 include discussions of perennial issues, such as how to adequately prepare the next generation of mining engineering students for the workforce (Frimpong et al., pp. 44-52) and how to predict and prevent coal mine bursts and bumps (Pariseau, pp. 60-68), the highly anticipated February Rare Earths issue of Minerals & Metallurgical Processing, and papers analyzing electrical injuries in the U.S. Mining industry (Homce and Cawley, p. 367-375) the latest in assessing the safety and efficiency of operations. All 73 technical papers were peer-reviewed. The process of review and publication requires much hard work by authors, reviewers and our publications staff. As the 2013 president of SME and on behalf of all our members, I would like to extend our gratitude to all whose volunteer efforts contributed to the publication of this volume.

Jan 1, 2013

By J. I. Schoenherr, G. Schubert, T. A. Baloun

The currently known and used plastics and rubber recycling or sorting processes cannot be applied efficiently and economically due to large amounts and different numbers of plastics types as well as of fine bulky materials (<4mm). These wastes are mostly given to land-fill sites. Thermal adhesion seems to be a great means to efficiently separate plastics mixes. Tests carried out at a special lab-scale testing unit (TaA1) confirm the effectiveness and feasibility of the separating mechanism. The thermal properties of the individual types of plastics differ from each other to a sufficient degree so that special products or product mixes of high material purity can be obtained according to the respective requirements. For this reason, plastics mixes such as PE and PP can be sorted with very good results. The separation efficiency is influenced only by different contact surfaces. The contact period can be adjusted to a short period of time so that sorting large amounts of fine dispersed plastics seems feasible. Sorting processes in feed streams were shown to be technologically effective when applying appropriate technologies. For the time being, the technological application of a thermal adhesion drum separator (TaTr1) is suitable. First tests on such a pilot-scale unit provided good separation results.

Jan 1, 2004

By Pedone Ezio Michele, Mohamed Dahir Holad

"The 4c segment is a part of the ""Oman National Railway Project” linking the mining area in the surroundings of Thumrait and the port of Salalah. It is 90 km long and the last 40 km stretch crosses a mountainous area near the city of Salalah. The project includes the excavation of a 33 km double and single bore tunnel and 10 km of safety tunnels. This mountainous area is a holiday destination for Omanis, thanks to its beautiful landscapes, especially in summer time due to the monsoon rains. The tunnelling design had to take into account both these environmental constraints and the limestone rock formations crossed, which are affected by significant karst features. Given the context, the conventional tunnelling method has been preferred. INTRODUCTION The Oman Railway Project (Fig. 1) covers the construction of approximately 2,150 km of railway line for freight and passenger transport which will connect together Oman’s main towns and industrial sites and it will form part of the Arabian Peninsula railway system “GCC Project”. The non-electrified double-track railway line must guarantee a speed of 220 km/h for passenger trains and 120 km/h for freight trains and must guarantee the transit of AAR (Association of American Railroad) H and D plates using clearance envelope according to AREMA (American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association) requirements. The design alignment must have maximum radiuses of curvature of 3,250m and a maximum gradient of 1.0%. The project is divided into 9 constructional and functional segments. •,Segment 4c will be constructed in the southern region of Oman, close to the border with Yemen, to connect the town of Thumrait with the Port of Salalah. •,Segment 4c will run through the Dhofar region and will be mainly used by the freight traffic which currently travels by road."

Jan 1, 2016

By W. Ghyoot, J. Boonstra, H. Dijkman, C. Buisman, M. Picavet

Paques and Umicore have demonstrated the feasibility of biological treatment of the highly complex Hoboken wastewaters in a1 m3/h pilot plant at Umicore Precious Metals, Hoboken, Belgium. In the first step arsenic was precipitated from copper smelter effluent as As2S3using biogenic produced H2S. Other metals such as copper, lead and cadmium were also removed as MeS to concentrations well below the discharge levels. Subsequently, sulfate and nitrate were removed to low concentrations (<300 mg/l and < 5 mg/l respectively) in high rate engineered bioreactors. Sulfide produced in the sulfate reduction process was recycled to step 1 for metals precipitation. Selenite/selenate was partly removed in the sulfide precipitation step, whereas the excess was biologically reduced and removed as selenium to concentrations <0.2 mg/l.

Jan 1, 2003

By Linda Frederick

In July 1997, Krupp Canada obtained the contract to design and supply the conveyor system for Chile&apos;s Los Pelambres copper mine expansion project. Progress on the overland conveyor system is currently on schedule. It is a challenging task to convey copper ore from an open-pit mine located on a mountain site 3,000 m (9,840 ft) above sea level down 1,300 m (4,265 ft) to the processing plant at the valley floor below. The Los Pelambres conveyor system moves copper ore at a rate of 8.7 ktlh (9,600 stph) and at a speed of 6 ml sec (1,180 ftlmin) for 12,750 m (41,830 ft). The distance is divided in three conveyors, each 1,800 mm (71 in.) wide. The largest conveyor is 6 km (3.7 miles) long. To protect against avalanches and rockslides, the conveyors run through a 12-km- (7.4-mile-) long tunnel system. The lowest of the three conveyors is equipped with a shuttling head end. With this, the conveyor discharge point can be moved back and forth by 100 m (330 ft), allowing it to build up a longitudinal stockpile at its end. To meet the extreme design parameters, the limits of conveyor design had to be pushed to record-setting marks. For instance, the ST-7800 steel cord conveyor belt is the strongest belt ever installed in a conveyor system. A total drive power of 25 MW (33,535 hp), consisting of 10 2.5-MW (3,352-hp) drives, is included in the design plans. In loaded condition, the electric motors act as generators and feed electric energy back into the power grid. The motors are controlled by variable frequency inverters that provide an infinite adjustment of motor speed. This technology allows starting and stop- ping the conveyors precisely along predetermined acceleration and deceleration ramps. This is done so harmful belt jerking and stress waves can be avoided.

Jan 1, 1999

By Dennis S. Kostick

Sodium is a silver-colored metal that is so unstable that it reacts violently in the presence of water, and chlorine is a greenish-colored gas that is dangerous and lethal. Yet the combination of these two elements forms sodium chloride, commonly known as salt, which is a white-colored compound essential to life itself. Salt is perhaps the only mineral in the world that is used virtually by every human being in every country. Although its importance has diminished over time, salt has had a profound influence on history. Sources of salt have determined the location of cities, such as Salzburg, Austria, Salzgitter, Germany, Salt Lake City, UT, and Saltville, VA. Populations have migrated in search of salt, and wars have been fought to obtain or to protect it. Although there is no written record of when prehistoric man first discovered salt, he probably instantly appreciated its unique and distinctive taste and sought more of it. He noticed animals were attracted to salt springs and salt licks, where they satisfied their innate cravings. Man used this knowledge to hunt for food; where he found the salt, he would find the animals. Because prehistoric man was not aware of his physiologic need for salt, he automatically received his salt requirements from the meat of the animals he ate. A Mesopotamian tale tells of a wounded pig that ran into the ocean and drowned. After being recovered from the ocean, where it was saturated in the salt brine, the pork was found to taste better than unsalted meat. It was not until man graduated from a nomadic to an agricultural society when he introduced vegetables and cereals into his diet that he realized he needed additional supplements of salt. The Sumerians ate salted meat and used salt to preserve food about 3500 BC. In approximately 1000 BC, the Trojans learned to use salt for preserving fish. The maritime civilizations, such as that of the Phoenicians, engaged in an extensive salt trade throughout the Mediterranean. Many superstitions, customs, and traditions surround the religious, social, economic, and political aspects of civilization. Although some commodities have provided the basis of some ageless metaphors and cliches (i.e., heart of gold, strong as steel, etc.), none are more commonly used than those pertaining to salt. Being "the salt of the earth" referred to a person&apos;s worthiness, as referenced in Matthew 5:13 of the Bible. Someone "not worth his salt" reportedly was used in ancient Greece in bartering salt for slaves. When a laborer was worth his salt, he was paid a salary (sal is Latin for salt), a term still in use today that dates back to Roman times when part of a soldier&apos;s pay was salt rations. Fearing those around him, the Roman leader Pompey was known to add a grain of salt to his drinks as a supposed antidote to poison. Hence, "taking it with a grain of salt&apos;&apos; is to regard something with suspicion. The earliest known record of salt production was in China about 2000 BC when Emperor Yu decreed that salt had to be supplied to the court as a tribute. Because salt was a commodity that had universal demand, governments often intervened to control salt production and distribution to generate revenue for major national projects. State-run salt monopolies were common in history, such as in Rome about 506 BC. Revenue was also derived from taxes levied on salt sales. The word gabelle refers to the direct salt tax used in France. This tax was so despised that it was a major cause of the French Revolution. Although the tax was repealed in 1790, it was reinstated in 1805 to raise revenue for war. France continued to used the gabelle until 1945. Salt making was an important economic activity in many areas of the world. Archaeological evidence indicates that salt was quarried from hills near the Dead Sea before the Bronze Age. At Hallstatt in the eastern Alps of Austria, rock salt was mined as early as 1400 BC. Solar salt was being produced in the northern Yucatan peninsula by the Mayan civilization from about 50 BC to AD 300. Other than the prehistoric use of salt in the southwestern part of the United States by the Native Americans, the first production of salt by American colonists began in June 1614 on Smith&apos;s Island, VA, seven years after the founding of the Jamestown colony. The short-lived activity was in response to the high price of salt being charged by ship&apos;s captains who brought salt over as ballast from England. Although Nathaniel Loomis is credited with starting the first commercial inland salt production in the United States at Onondaga Lake in New York in 1790, salt had been made by individuals for private use years earlier. Indians had long known of the salt springs in the Kanawha Valley of Virginia (now known as West Virginia). In 1755, Mary Ingles, a white settler, was kidnapped by Indians and was forced to make salt from the saline springs. After her escape, she told other settlers how to make salt. At Saltville, VA, Arthur Campbell began making salt in 1782 by boiling brine obtained from salt springs. In 1799, William King sank a shaft about 3 m in diameter down about 61 m to the underlying Saltville salt deposits. The shaft flooded before he could extract any rock salt; however, King has the distinction of digging the shaft of the first salt mine in the United States. Fig. 1 shows the King site as it appears today in Saltville, VA. Production of brine from the shaft continued until 1892. Settlers moved into the Kanawha Valley in 1785, but it wasn&apos;t until 1806 that Elisha Brooks established the first commercial salt works in Kanawha.

Jan 1, 1994

By Herbert F. Nyberg

The Black River Falls Mine is owned and operated by Jackson County Iron Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Inland Steel Company. It is located in vest central Wisconsin, seven miles east of the city of Black River Falls. This is the first taconite plant in the state of Wisconsin. Iron mining started in this area in 1856 but soon failed due to the low grade ore and crude methods of mining and transportation. Inland Steel Company acquired the property in 1939. Some drilling and test work was done in 1940, but the economics of developing the property at that time were not favolable. Improved methods of concentrating and pelletizing in the 1960&apos;s made it possible to build the present plant. Due to the limited ore reserve of 45,000,000 tons with expected recovery of 33% it was necessary to limit the capacity of the operation to 750,000 TPY with a life of 20 years. There was some concern about an operation of such limited capacity. A million ton operation was considered the minimum size plant for a profitable operation.

Jan 1, 1976

By Bruno Bussière, Michael Aubertin, Robert P. Chapuis

Covers with capillary barrier effects (CCBE) have been used in recent years as gas barriers for the isolation of wastes, including reactive mine tailings. Capillary barrier effects help to maintain a high degree of saturation in the moisture retaining layer, which then reduces gas flux. Various factors affect the degree of saturation of the moisture retaining layer in a CCBE, such as the material water retention characteristics and layer thickness. Slope geometry can also influence the hydrogeological behaviour of a CCBE, but this factor has frequently been ignored in the past. In this paper, the authors show some results of a numerical study that illustrates the influence of slope on the behavior of capillary barriers made of different types of material. The numerical model calculations are based on an actual case of a CCBE constructed in northern Quebec. This investigation shows that the water content profile is greatly affected by the position along the slope. Thus, it is necessary to evaluate the influence of the geometry to properly establish the performance of a cover system.

Jan 1, 2000

By Michael J. Miller

In the design of a modem mill, a stockpile storage system for raw and/or semi-processed ore has become almost indispensable. This paper discusses the benefits of such stockpile storage as well as the various types of belt conveyor stockpiling units available. Particular attention is given to large radial stackers since they offer the greatest flexibility. Stacker control systems and accessory equipment are briefly discussed. Various alternative reclaiming arrangements for stockpiles are reviewed and a discussion of the advantages and drawbacks of each arrangement is included.

Jan 1, 1979

By Sathit Tandanand

Geological differences among various coalfields restrain the applicability of subsidence prediction using existing European methods. To modify these methods for domestic conditions, the Bureau of Mines, U.S. Department of the Interior, developed a method of assessment to evaluate the lithological effects on subsidence in the Northern Appalachian basin by examining data collected from 16 longwall panels in the coalfield. The assessment is partially completed, and the results to date show that the ratio of maximum subsidence to the extraction thickness, known as the subsidence factor, can be expressed in terms of the width-to-depth ratio by a simple exponential equation which has a coefficient tentatively considered as the subsidence index. This index varies with the lithology of a particular site and can be expressed in terms of the percent distribution of weak and strong rocks in the overburden.

Jan 1, 1982