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By Thomas E. Brown

Commercd explosives have evolved through this century f?om dynamite through ANFO to the current lines of Water Gels and Emulsions. Water Gels and Emulsions evolved to counter the lack of water resistance and density of ANFO yet maintain its low cost position verses dynamite. Today, explosives must be safe and inexpensive and perform under a wide range of temperatures, function efficiently in wet or dry boreholes and have a good shelf life. Emulsions meet this criterion, which is why they are the current trend products worldwide.

Jan 1, 1998

By Harry Schnabel

A 6200 m² cement deep soil mixed (CDSM) wall was constructed for an addition to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts. The addition was located along the east side of the existing museum within an existing courtyard and in the area of a recently demolished structure. The basement for the new addition extended up to 9.1 m below the floor slabs of the adjacent buildings. The adjacent buildings are supported on a variety of foundations including; shallow spread footings on alluvial sand deposits, low capacity piles bearing in the alluvial sands and Boston blue clay, and caissons bearing on the alluvial sands and clay. Groundwater was less than one meter below the top of the CDSM wall. The new addition was founded on shallow foundations in the desiccated crust of the Boston Blue Clay. The CDSM wall was selected as the most economical means to control deep seated ground movements, limit movements of adjacent structures, and inhibit groundwater flow into the excavation. Braces and a continuous wale were used to support the CDSM wall where it was located adjacent to structures. Tiebacks were used where there were no structures. Other geotechnical construction at the site included: ? Jet grouting (JG) to improve the ground and provide an impervious subgrade layer at the west end of the addition, ? Concrete pier underpinning was used to support an existing structure on the west end of the site, and ? A secant pile wall using alternating drilled shafts and jet grout columns was used for earth support and a barrier to groundwater flow to allow for the installation of a storage tank at the south end of the site. Inclinometers, total station surveying, vibrating wire strain gauges on the braces and wales and load cells on the tiebacks were used to monitor performance of the excavation support system. The excavation support system performed better than required limiting lateral movements of the adjacent structures to less than 13 mm and vertical settlement to less than 8 mm. No settlements or movement were detected during the construction of the wall. Lateral movement of the CDSM wall was typically below 15 mm with the maximum movement occurring near subgrade.

Jan 1, 2011

By M. F. Werneke

Flotation of the carbonate, oxide and silicate minerals of copper (malachite, azurite, chrysocolla) has been the subject of much research in recent years, but few effective solutions to this problem have been found. With decreasing reserves of sulfide minerals, the economic recovery of these "oxides" appears to be an important source of copper for the future. Xanthates have been known for many years to be malachite collectors (1), but only at very high dosages, or at lower dosages following activation of the mineral by sulfide ion. Dewitt and Batchelder (2, 3) found that chelating agents such as certain oximes were collectors for malachite and azurite, but also required high reagent dosages. Fuerstenau (4) has suggested, for example, that potassium octylhydroxamate may be an effective collector for malachite, On the other hand, Balberyszski (5) has found that oxide minerals may be completely sulfidized at high temperatures with gaseous sulfur or H2S, and then floated with conventional collectors. None of the above approaches appear to offer an economically effective method for the direct flotation of these oxide minerals.

Jan 1, 1977

(The following -list, contains the navies of those members of the Institute of whose connection with military service we have only recently become acquainted; it also includes the names of a few who have recently been promoted or transferred. A com-plete list was published in the Year Book, issued as a supplement of the Bulletin for March, 1918.) ADDICKS, LAWRENCE, Naval Consulting Board. ALINE, P. A., Camp Lewis. BARCUS, WALTER .J. E., Captain, Ordnance Department. BAUSH, JOHN R., Private, 1st Army Headquarters Regiment, Co. M. BENNETT, A. F., Lieutenant. BILLINGSLEY, PAUL, Engineer Officer, Aviation Section, Signal Officers' Reserve Corps. BOOTH, L. E., Ordnance Department. BROWN, JAMES F., 2d, 1st Lieutenant, Ordnance Reserve Corps, A. E. F.

Jan 4, 1918

By D. Denton, M. Stickney, R. Langston

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and the Stillwater Mining Company worked cooperatively with the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology to develop a system that would collect seismic data at the Stillwater and East Boulder mines. The purpose was to obtain baseline information on the magnitude and location of mining-induced seismicity to determine if the mines needed multi-channel in-mine monitoring systems. Seismic data recorded at field sites near the mines are being telemetered via FM radio through a series of repeaters to a central recording site where the seismic signals are digitized using an Earthworm data acquisition system. The Earthworm system performs several data analysis tasks in near-real time and places raw seismic data, preliminary hypocenter locations, and magnitudes on a Website within 5 min of a seismic event. Such rapid access to seismic data allows personnel at the Stillwater Mine, Spokane Research Laboratory, and Earthquake Studies Office to evaluate seismic events quickly and respond in ways that may improve the safety of mine personnel underground. Installation of the system also broadened earthquake coverage to south-central Montana, a region previously not covered by the seismograph network.

By Jr. Matthews

The Candelaria copper-gold deposit is located in Region m of Chile, 805 kilometers north of the capital, Santiago. Candelaria was discovered in 1987, following a six month exploration program. In late 1986, induced polarization (IP) surveys outlined an anomalously high response within the area of interest. The first test hole bad three intersections totaling 49 meters, with an average grade of 1.97% copper. Drilling eventually outlined approximately 390 million tonnes, grading 1.09010 copper and 0.26 grams/tonne gold. Production began in early 1995 and is estimated at 120,000 tonnes copper and 80,000 ounces gold annually.

Jan 1, 1996

CONTENTS PAGE MERRISS, M. H.-Direct Electrolysis of Black-copper Anodes of High Nickel-lead Content. Discussed by C. S. Witherell, C. P. Linville, G. E. Dalbey, M. H. Merriss 1 GRISWOLD, GEORGE G.-Calculating the Zinc for Desilverizing Lead Bullion by the Parkes Process. Discussed by C. S. Witherell, George G. Griswold, Milo W. Krejci, Lawrence Addicks, W. F. Gross, H. H. Alexander, A. F. Beasley, C. P. Linville 3 ALEXANDER, H. H. and STACK, J. R.-The Reduction and Refining of Tin in the United States. Discussed by Edward F. Kern, J. R.' Stack, R. L. Hallett, C. R. Hayward, William H. Bassett, R. C. Canby, H. G. S. Anderson 20 GREENAWALT, WILLIAM E.-Greenawalt Electrolytic Copper Extraction Process. Discussed by Stuart Croasdale, Colin G. Fink, Arthur L. Walker, Edward F. Kern, Henry A. Tobelmann, Oliver C. Ralston 26 BENEDICT, C. H. and KENNY, H. C.-Ammonia Leaching of Calumet and Hecla Tailings. Discussed by G. E. Dalbey, C. H. Benedict 34 RALSTON, OLIVER C.-Hydrometallurgy of Lead. Discussed by F. L. Bosqui, Jr., George D. Van Arsdale 34 TAINTON, U. C. and LEYSON, L. T.-Electrolytic Zinc from Complex Ores. Dis¬cussed by W. G. Woolf, C. A. Hansen 39 Direct Electrolysis of Black-copper Anodes of High Nickel-lead Content Discussion of the paper of M. H. MERRISS, presented; at the New York Meeting; February, 1924, and, issued, as Paper No. 1273-M, with MINING AND METALLURGY, September, 1923. C. S. WITHERELL, New- York, N. Y. (written discussion).-This paper is particularly valuable in that it gives the results of operations -carried out under conditions differing from standard practice. In the electrolytic refining of copper, as in other kinds of metal refining, it is occasionally necessary to treat extraordinary foul or complex material, in which cases 'it is valuable to know what other metallurgists have accomplished under similar conditions. As tapping the slimes-covered anodes brought the tank-voltage down to 0.45 to 0.50 volt, the counter electromotive force was, probably not more than 0.1 or 0.2 volt; hence the so-called polarization was, mainly,

Jan 6, 1924

By C. Garcia, J. J. Opazo, A. Potulsha, T. Comi

"Sierra Gorda SCM is a joint venture partnership of KGHM International (owned by KGHM SA, Poland), Sumitomo Metal Mining and Sumitomo Corp. (Japan) operating in northern Chile. The Sierra Gorda openpit mine and coppermolybdenum processing plant will become one of the largest mines in the world. The need for optimum production efficiency and sustainability has driven the creation of the most modern, wellinstrumented mine in Chile. This article contains a general review of the project including geology and history.This was a fast-track project going from greenfield site acquisition to mill startup in 10 years. Highly experienced and motivated engineers and technical staff have overcome many significant challenges resulting in a rapid ramp-up of production capacity. A potential expansion to double the production rate in the fourth year of operation has also been intensely studied.The Sierra Gorda property is located in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile, in the District of Sierra Gorda, Region II of Antofagasta, Chile (Fig. 1). There is almost no precipitation in this area. The mine site is generally flat with some rolling hills. The project is located about 5 km (3 miles) from the village of Sierra Gorda at an elevation of approximately 1,700 m (5,600 ft) above mean sea level. The village is near a highway and railway line. The city of Calama, home of the famous Chuquicamata Mine, is located about 60 km (37 miles) northeast of Sierra Gorda. In addition, the SG mine is in the midst of numerous other mines including Spence, Esperanza, Mantos Blancos, El Tesoro, Lomas Bayas, Gabriela Mistral, El Abra, Radomiro Tomic and Escondida, to name a few.The primary organizational value at Sierra Gorda is "Zero Harm." This includes employees, contractors, the environment, the community, plant facilities and mine equipment. A cornerstone of this program is called 5X5S (five by five S), which combines the lean principles of 5S with the safety model of taking five steps back and thinking about the task at hand for five seconds, five minutes, the time it takes to assess and manage the risk. "People caring about people" promotes proactive engagement in the safety of coworkers and others at work and at home."

Jan 1, 2014

By CORA ROELOFS

In the USA, miners are at higher risk for work-related disorders that could precipitate an opioid prescription, injury-related opioid prescriptions, and opioid overdose. We aimed to support prevention of these outcomes with an “opioid hazard awareness” miner safety training module. In January and February 2020, the training module was embedded within required mining safety and health training for stone, sand, and gravel miners in Massachusetts (USA). Training impact and reception were assessed with a pre- and post-training survey of trainee characteristics, training content knowledge, and attitudes. Over 800 miners were trained and over 600 responded to surveys. We found statistically significant improvements in opioid risk factor knowledge and knowledge of resources to help a coworker. Nonstigmatizing attitudes were high both at baseline and following the training. The training was perceived as relevant and useful by trainees. Improving opioid hazard awareness in high-risk worker populations has potential to reduce opioid dependence and downstream impacts including overdose death. Employer injury-prevention efforts should be reinforced while worker health and safety training enhances awareness of opioid-related harms and prevention strategies for miners and other high-risk worker populations.

Nov 19, 2021

By Huw Williams

It is becoming increasingly common practice to re-use existing foundations for new projects, especially on urban sites where geotechnical conditions are congested. A knowledge of the foundation dimensions and capacity is essential for this to take place, however, as-built records are often non-existent. Non-Destructive evaluation (NDE) is now becoming an important tool in assessing old foundation properties and their potential for re-use. Pile dimensions are also critical in the power industry, when they are supporting transmission towers which need to be upgraded, and may carry additional wind loading. This paper describes the application of various NDE techniques that are available and how they can be used to determine pile length, shape and capacity in difficult site conditions, including foundations under structures.

Jan 1, 2006

By P. F. Sands

This U.S. Bureau of Mines report reviews the state of the art in blind pneumatic stowing of backfill in voids in abandoned coal mines. It contains a short history of the development of pneumatic equipment in mining and four recent case histories of blind pneumatic stowing. Limitations of pneumatic stowing in terms of equipment wear, costs, backfill material, and methodology are discussed, and some new procedures and designs are reviewed. A bibliography covering pneumatics in mining is included also. This report provides background for the preparation of a Bureau test program in which the variables affecting the efficiency of pneumatic backfilling will be studied using a full-scale surface test facility.

Jan 1, 1990

By J. H. Crary

This report summarizes the results of a one-year agreement for research on the electromagnetic environment in coal mines, which was conceived as the beginning of a long term cooperative program between ITS and the Bureau of Mines. The concepts on which it was originally based are a result of the report on mine rescue and survival by the Committee on Mine Rescue and Survival Techniques of the National Academy of Engineering, dated March 1970. This report drew particular attention to the need for improved communications during and following mine disasters. In particular, the outstanding problems identified were the location of, and communication with, trapped miners. Some tentative solutions, generally involving long-wave electromagnetic signals, were offered. Consideration of the problems of disaster location and communication soon leads to consideration of the communications techniques (or lack of them) for use under normal mining conditions. In particular, if a disaster communication and/or location system is to be readily available and operable under disaster conditions, it should also be usable during mining operations. In this way operators can become familiar enough with the system to operate it during disaster conditions, as well as provide a mechanism for regular testing.

Jan 1, 1972

By A. Brown

"The first printed report on Canada's coal resources was published in Paris in 1672(1. Written by Nicholas Denys, then Governor for France of Isle Royale (Cape Breton Island), the report dealt exclusively with the coal of the Atlantic region because little or nothing was known about the interior of North America. Clearly, also, he wrote about a resource of which much was known among the military and early settlers of that day. This early knowledge is not surprising because the presence of coal is clearly displayed in the coastal cliffs of Cape Breton as it was also, at a later date, to the first arrivals on Vancouver Island.An example of early use was that of the French garrison at Fort Louisburg in the first half of the 1700s. Still earlier, in 1643, Governor Winthrop of New England reported the receipt of a small ship load of coal from New Brunswick (2). Despite this early knowledge there was no significant development of coal mines until the 1800s. This had to await the ending of wars between the French and British factions and the growth of population. Basically, also, its development awaited the beginning of the Industrial Age. Organized coal mining began in Canada in 1825 with the formation of the General Mining Association. This British firm was the creation of a group of London jewellers which had been granted royal rights, by the British crown, to all minerals in Acadia (substantially the present Maritime Provinces). The Association took over a number of existing small mines and opened up larger operations in the Sydney coal field. Subsequently, it expanded to the mainland Nova Scotia fields at Stellarton and Springhill. The Association continued in existence as the major coal producer in Canada until 1899 when it sold its properties to the Nova Scotia Steel and Coal Company, Limited (3). This Montreal-based firm managed the coal mines as a major Canadian producer of coal until 1968 when financial problems led to the expropriation of the mines by the Government of Canada. The federal government established the Cape Breton Development Corporation to operate the larger mines on Cape Breton Island. This Crown corporation continues to be a .major producer of coal in Canada."

Jan 1, 1985

By John J. Sammarco

This report details the testing and evaluation of a modular azimuth and positioning system (MAPS) to provide navigational information for a continuous mining machine. Vehicle navigation is part of the U.S. Bureau of Mines research program in computer-assisted mining serving as a tool to increase mining health, safety, and productivity. The Bureau is investigating other navigation systems, but MAPS seems to have the most promise. MAPS was installed on a continuous mining machine. An operator used the machine to cut coal while researchers collected machine and MAPS data. A comparison of MAPS data for xy position and data obtained with an electronic transit showed an increasing error for MAPS. After 30 min of operation, the easting position error was -0.02 m, and the northing position error was 0.019 m; after 60 min of operation, the easting position error was -0.19 m, and the northing position error was -0.26 m. Modifications to MAPS software and to the operational procedure of the machine significantly reduced this error by a factor of 3.7. Researchers continue to reduce these errors.

Jan 1, 1993

By E. L. Garton

[AnalY3e s of Qany crude t) i 1 s prod.uced in Loui sia.na are incl udeo" in re!Jor~ ~ th'l t have b en u~li shed by the BurOllU 0: i?{ine s. The first rc-port,j} givin..; analyseG of 6 Louisiana crude oils, '-vas pUblluhed in 1921'l.s,nd this was 1'0110\ cd a year later by P.ep rt of InvBstign.tions 21a6t~ givi~ 7 addi tional analyses. The G7even :,ost il'!lportant of these analyses were incol"]lorated in Bulle~in 91,.2, is~ued in 1928. In 1934, analyses of 26 cl ... ude oils j)roduced in southern Louisiana ",ere published ? .§! The present report I)renonts analysos of 72 ad(~itional samples of crude oil frorl 4-, fields in 23 "l)ari shefl in Loui f",io.r]

Jan 1, 1939

By A. Lawley S. Schuster

The tensile behavior of copper foils prepared from rolled bulk material has been studied over the thickness range 2 to 53 , and for a range of pain sizes. For foils of comparable grain size, having the cube texture and tested along (100), yield strength increases with decreasing foil thickness t below -26p, with a corresponding decrease in ductility. Deformation occurs in the form of localized slip clusters distributed throughout the gage section. To the extent that the tensile strength (10 to 18 kg mm-) is unaffected by foil thickness, and that the foils possess fair ductility, the stress-strain behavior resembles that of bulk material rather than that of whiskers or evaporated films of comparable dimensions. The dependence of yield strength o on foil thickness t below -26p is of the form: oy = oo + kt-1/2. Possible explanations for the stress increase are considered based on 1) the dependence of active dislocation source length on foil dimensions, 2) the locking of surface sources, or the blocking of mobile sources at the surface due to surface film. It is now well-established that filamentary whiskers of many materials show exceptionally high strength compared with bulk crystals.'-11 As the diameter of the whiskers decreases to -1, the observed fracture strength approaches, and in certain cases exceeds, the calculated shear stress for the nucleation of slip in a perfect crystal.' In general, the stress-strain curve is entirely elastic, with strains at fracture approaching 1 pct. Similarly, thin films12-24 of evaporated or electrodeposi-ted material have been shown to possess tensile strengths three to seven times that of bulk material, with total strains at fracture -1 to 2 pct. In the present study, attention has been directed to the room-temperature tensile behavior of thin foils of copper over the thickness range 2 to 53, prepared from rolled bulk material. Yield stress, ultimate tensile strength, elongation to fracture, and work-hardening behavior are measured as a function of grain size and foil thickness. Structurally such foils are superior to either evaporated or electrodeposited films, and in the recrystallized condition exhibit considerable ductility. Apart from preliminary work by Sumino and Yamamoto25 on the work-hardening behavior of rolled and recrystallized copper foils, no systematic tensile studies have been carried out on material of this form. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Tensile specimens were prepared from 99.995 pct purity rolled copper foils of thickness 2, 6, 12, 26, and 53, obtained from the Hamilton Watch Co., Lancaster, Pa. Irrespective of specimen shape, it is necessary to use tensile foils with edges free from notches or tears. To this end, any form of cutting operation was excluded, and the tensile foils prepared using a photoengraving process, the details of which are described elsewhere.26 Since tensile data are required under conditions of uni-axial stress, the specimen shape is extremely important. Ideally, the foil should be infinitely long, allowing a gradual taper from the grip area to the gage section; however, from a practical standpoint, long foils are easily damaged during testing. A modified tensile specimen was therefore selected having a parallel gage section 1.25 by 0.20 in. with a tapered shoulder section increasing to 0.5 in. at the grips, and an over-all length between grips of 4 in., Fig. 1. In practically all tests, these foils fractured within the parallel gage section. By approximating the foil contour (Fig. 1) to a hyperbola it is possible to analyze the stress distribution in the tensile foil using two-dimensional elasticity

Jan 1, 1964

By Stefan Larsson, Sebastian Adevik, Sadek Baker, Razvan Ignat

"Abstract Uncertain strength, deformation and flow properties in dry deep mixing columns often lead to conservative choices concerning design values where the design is regularly complemented with a surcharge fill. The surcharge not only leads to increased cost but also to logistical problems where the surcharge is a physical obstacle. The deformation properties of a ground improvement were studied by means of two small embankment load tests. The settlement measurements were also used in FEM analyses, where the effect of surcharge on creep settlements was investigated. Based on the results, the effects of the surcharge were considered negligible and could safely be ignored. The project is an example how the contractor can use a field test as an effective design approach.IntroductionGround improvement of soft soils with dry deep mixing columns, or lime-cement columns, is often combined with a surcharge fill. The main reason for using a surcharge is to force the primary settlement and some of the secondary settlement that would have occurred under the final embankment height alone, to take place under the surcharge loading. Another reason is to level out uneven settlements. Strength and deformation properties in improved soil cannot be sufficiently assessed in advance, before columns have been tested on-site, and this uncertainty often lead to conservative choices concerning design values. In order to compensate for a slow forecasted consolidation process, the design is regularly complemented with a surcharge. The surcharge not only leads to increased cost but also to logistical problems where the surcharge is a physical obstacle.Extensive research undertaken by Åhnberg (2006, 2007) shows, by means of triaxial and oedometer tests, that cementation processes and a load acting on the columns during hardening, makes the improved soil to behave as a heavily over-consolidated soil due to an increase in quasi pre-consolidation pressure. The effects of using a surcharge on the time for consolidation and creep properties are thus probably small, since the stress level does not normally exceed this quasi pre-consolidation pressure. A study presented by Venda Oliveira et al. (2013) shows that the stress level within small ranges has limited effect on the creep properties.This paper presents a case study where the deformation properties of a ground improvement using dry deep mixing columns was investigated by load tests on two small test embankments. The tests were performed at the Interchange Värtan project site, which is part of the Norra länken infrastructure project in Stockholm. The tests were not performed as a research project but simple load tests performed by the contractor with the purpose of rationalizing the design delivered by the client. One purpose of the load tests was to assess the deformations when the columns are loaded temporarily by overlaying concrete works. Another purpose was to provide some input data to a study of the effects of using surcharge on creep settlements. The analysis was conducted as finite element modeling using the commercial code PLAXIS, where creep settlements can be simulated using the built-in Soft Soil Creep model."

Jan 1, 2014

The timber township of Powelltown, Victoria lies N.E. of Yarra Junction, 60 miles east of Melbourne and in the site of the mill of the Victorian Hardwood Company Proprietary Ltd.A lift gauge railway owned by the company connects Yarra Junction on the Warburton line, with the township through two or three smaller mill centres on the way.The company has been operating for some 12 years. In the divide, about four miles from Powelltown, between the Little Yarra and Latrobe rivers, cutting was continued with material being handled by winch and double incline haulage over the divide. A small bush locomotive dealt with the traffic between the divide and the cutting site.In order to reduce costs, which were heavy at the haulage, the company decided to make a continuous railway from Powelltown to the bush by means of a tunnel through the divide.Hand bore holes were put down on the proposed line of tunnel and showed that the divide at this point consisted of decomposed depth of about 100 ft. towards the eastern or Latrobe side - and that the undecomposed granite summit lay to the west of the surface summit.The bores also served to locate the underground water line, this was afterwards found to rise and fall with wet and weather.To avoid tunnelling in hard and heavy water, the grading of the was laid out with the summit of the hard granite the point in the line.

Jan 1, 1925

By D. Brady

The need for onsite gas monitoring during, or following, a major incident at an underground coal mine has long been recognised. Recommendations from inquiries following Queensland mine disasters have included ?qualified persons and equipment for rapid analysis of gas samples be available in times of emergency? and that ?this may be accomplished by either mobile laboratories or laboratories established in each mining locality.? Following the Moura No. 2 disaster, the Queensland Government allocated funds to Simtars for a mobile laboratory to respond should such a disaster occur again in the future. This vehicle was commissioned in 1997 and has been used at many mine sites under a wide range of scenarios. Simtars, armed with over ten years of operational experience with this mobile laboratory, has taken an active role in the design and construction of a modernised replacement unit. With a twenty point tube bundle system and ultrafast gas chromatograph the result is, arguably, the best equipped mobile gas analysis laboratory for mine emergency response in the world. This paper outlines the features of the new laboratory, its capabilities and the philosophy behind the design and inclusions.

Jan 1, 2012

This report is the 24th in a series summarizing research on coal and related investigations3 by the Bureau of Mines. The coal programs of the Bureau of Mines include a wide range of theoretical and applied studies--such as fundamental studies of coal structure and properties, the development and evaluation of new mining techniques, and work toward more effective processing and utilization of coal. The scope of these programs is indicated, in topical outline, by the table of contents. These investigations are integrated into a broad but coordinated effort to develop information on coal that will benefit the coal mining industry and the coal consumer while promoting the wise conservation and utilization of our national coal resources. Any attempt to summarize in one volume the progress in all of the program areas indicated must necessarily be limited to a brief review of developments, without detailed reporting of the data. However, while the brief discussion in each section will present only the highlights of the Bureau's work during the year, details of many of the operations or investigations described here can be found in the publications cited throughout the text. Other work, reported here for the first time, will be covered in greater detail in later publications.

Jan 1, 1962