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By John W. Leonard

The typical tunnel boring machine in use on today's tunnel project uses 15'2-inch diameter cutters at a nominal load of 45 kips per cutter. The cutterhead rotates at a speed of 120 over D revolutions per minute where D is the cutterhead diameter in feet. The typical machine operates about 50 percent of the time. Delivery of a new machine takes 12 to 15 months. The TBM is a specialized tool and not applicable to all jobs. There is a range of job conditions that limit the economic use of a TBM. The machine should provide a thrust per cutter at least twice the compressive strength of rock in psi and up to three times the rock strength is required if in "granitic rocks." The rock strength in psi must be at least three times the cover above the tunnel in feet or the machine may stick. For example, 2,500 feet of cover requires at least 7,500 psi rock to avoid problems. When the RQD's over a significant distance of the project are less than 50, the TBM becomes support-bound. When a large percentage of the time is spent waiting while the ground is supported, the TBM cannot perform well (See Figure 1). This problem increased inversely with tunnel diameter. We are finding that increasing the RPM's does not significantly increase progress. The increased RPM results in a substantial decrease in cutter penetration. The explanation for this decrease appears to be vibration, cutterhead drag, or lack of stiffness in the cutterhead (See Figure 2).

Jan 1, 1981

By J. S. Redpath

There appears to a definite trend toward the hoisting of greater tonnages from greater depths. There is every indication that this trend will continue and we feel that improvements in the design, fabrication and installation of mine guides will be of significant importance in the future. The present state of the art in mine-shaft guide systems is reviewed and the parameters required for improvement are derived in this paper. Finally, a proposal is made for a new steel guide system which meets the parameters and is economical to fabricate and install.

Jan 1, 1977

By Jorge Maldonado Villa

Se desarrollaron materiales compuestos de matriz polimérica para toberas en cohetes; con dos zonas: una térmica para soportar elevadas temperaturas de combustión y una estructural que resista los esfuerzos generados. La zona térmica se elaboró con materiales de comportamiento ablativo, probados a temperaturas de hasta 2950°C durante dos minutos, los cuales fueron reforzados con polvo cerámico y/o subproducto de la industria siderúrgica (cerámico 2). Con base en los resultados obtenidos del comportamiento de térmico y de conductividad térmica del material ablativo, se construyó la zona estructural en materiales compuestos fibroreforzados (vidrio y carbono) con matriz polimérica. Los moldes se diseñaron en SolidWorks y se fabricaron por prototipado en ABS rápido y se elaboraron machos disgregables en poliuretano. En la zona térmica se usó un procedimiento de vaciado con vibración con diferentes tipos de matrices (poliéster, vinilester, caucho silicona) y de laminación para la zona estructural. Se evaluó el desempeño mediante simulación de las condiciones reales de operación mediante llama de oxicorte y quemador de ACPM, observando el efecto en la pérdida de peso, espesor, diferencial de temperatura, cambio de propiedades mecánicas, etc.; encontrándose un positivo comportamiento del sistema con matriz de resina vinilester reforzado con polvo cerámico 1 y buenos resultados con cerámico 2, así como una estabilidad en la zona estructural construida con fibras de vidrio y carbono. Substituir todo o texto de orientação deste Template pelo conteúdo de seu trabalho. Inserir o texto com no máximo 1.500 caracteres (200 palavras), sem uso de parágrafos. Deve conter, de maneira concisa, o objetivo, a metodologia, os resultados e as conclusões do trabalho.

Aug 17, 2017

By Pamela J. Watson

The U.S. Bureau of Mines has demonstrated in laboratory tests that drilling with surface-charge-neutralizing concentrations of polyethylene oxide (PEO) polymer solutions simultaneously improves penetration rates and extends bit life. The applicability of this additive to improve drilling performance in coal measure rocks was demonstrated under field conditions at an abandoned mine land site in Pennsylvania and a producing coal mine property in Ohio. Penetration rate improvements ranging from 15 to 50 pet were obtained when core drilling through a variety of coal measure lithologies. Drilling cost analysis indicates that the small added cost of using the polymer is more than offset by the savings that result from demonstrated increased drilling penetration rates, which translate into drilling cost savings of about 10 to 30 pct. This report also gives chemical analyses of a variety of coal measure rocks and some corresponding local drilling water samples, obtained from a wide geographical base, along with threshold concentrations of PEO required to effect the improved drilling performance in these rocks. From these data, the threshold PEO concentrations needed to ensure improved drilling performance can be estimated for any coal measure rock suite. Proper techniques for mixing PEO solutions are also presented.

Jan 1, 2010

By W. H. Emens

[This circular is one of a series dealing with tie development and equip¬ment of small and medium size mines, and with the costs of such work prior to productive operation. The preparation and publication of these papers by the Bureau off Mines has been made possible through the cooperation of various min¬ing and development companies. The bureau of Mines has published a series of circulars dealing with min¬ing methods and costs at a large number of producing nines in the United States, Canada, Mexico, an, other countries. Unit costs of development work, shaft sinking, (rifting, crosscutting, tunneling, and raising are usually much higher in the preliminary development of a property than during its productive life.]

Jan 1, 1933

By Knut H. Bech, Stein Tore Johansen

"The collision efficiency for small particles relative to 2D spherical bubbles in a developed turbulent flow field were calculated applying an adopted version of the CPD program FLUENT. The turbulence field was related to bubble size and fluid properties. The results were compared with analytical theory. The turbulence intensity was found to be the most important single parameter for collision efficiency. Effects of boundary layer thickness and particle diameter were discussed. IntroductionRemoval of inclusion particles from melted aluminium can be facilitated by means of a rotor system that supplies kinetic energy and gas bubbles to the floating metal. At the surface the inclusions adhere to the surface dross or slagg which is removed at regular intervals by the operators. When applying computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to model such a system, one experiences difficulties with the large range of turbulent length-scales encountered, from the large geometrical scales of the rotor and container, through the bubble size and down to the particle diameter. A mathematical model for the complete system will be both complex and require an extreme spatial resolution. Another way of dealing with the problem is to model the micro-scale phenomena separately and apply the results to create a model for the macroscopic system. In a previous work [12] we addressed these problems and developed a procedure for calculating turbulence enhanced flotation to bubbles. It was found that turbulence may have a profound effect on the collision rate of particles to idealized bubbles. In this study we recognize that only a fraction of the total turbulent kinetic energy generated by the rotor's work on the liquid metal may contribute to enhanced flotation. By using a model spectrum for the turbulence, the fraction of turbulent energy in eddies smaller than the bubble diameter is calculated. A twodimensional CFD model was then constructed to calculate the collision efficiency between particles and bubbles of various sizes."

Jan 1, 1999

By Cláudio Antunes de Oliveira

Este trabalho tem como objetivo demonstrar uma aplicação prática da técnica de reconciliação de dados no diagnóstico das medições que compõe uma malha de distribuição de gás BFG – Blast Furnace Gas. Falhas comuns de medição tais como saturação e congelamento da indicação afetam a qualidade da informação e este tipo de detecção faz parte da proposta de diagnóstico. Será abordado o desenvolvimento de um algoritmo que implementa a técnica de reconciliação, bem como a elaboração de uma matriz de diagnóstico no InfoPlus.21. Os principais indicadores deste diagnóstico são armazenados na base de dados do InfoPlus.21 visando consultas históricas e monitoramento contínuo das medições. Os dados obtidos demonstraram que a técnica de reconciliação de dados pode contribuir para identificação de falhas e agregar confiabilidade às medições.

Jul 30, 2018

Automation Defined ?Using self-operating equipment to reduce human exposure to the mining environment and routine or repetitive work.?-Atlas Copco Terminology: ?Manual Operation ?A vehicle being operated by a person ?in the cab?. ?Radio Remote Control (RRC) ?A vehicle being physically operated by a person through a Line Of Sight (LOS) or Video-Remote equipment. ?Tele-Remote Control ?A vehicle being physically operated by a person at an operator station which is not necessarily located near the vehicle?s working area. ?Autonomous Operation ?A vehicle under self control with the possibility of human supervision and override.

Oct 1, 2010

By Joseph Bradley

THROUGHOUT this article, minerals used in the paint industry are designated 'pigments'. They may be classified in two groups: (1) Pigments which are used in the state in which they occur in nature, requiring only mechanical preparation. (2) Pigments which require heating or chemical treatment before use, in order to obtain from them a product of the desired quality or shade of colour. They may be further classified according to colour, as follows: White Pigments .-These include calcium carbonate (chalk, marble), gypsum and alabaster, kaolin-or china-clay, and magnesia. However, the white pigments most extensively used are compounds prepared chemically from minerals containing lead, zinc, titanium, and antimony. The white pigments are of particular importance because, not only are they used by themselves, but they also serve as adjuncts to other colours for the production of special shades. Yellow Pigments.-These are mainly naturally occurring ferric hydroxides, as limonite and bog iron ore, or similar. compounds prepared artificially. Brown Pigments .-Pigments of this group are distinguished for their beauty and depth of colour, and many of them are used in the finest of paintings. Familiar names are sienna, umber, and Vandyke brown. They are for the most part ferric hydroxides, containing varying amounts of water; but the group also includes a manganese brown, which consists chiefly of a mixture of oxide and hydroxide of manganese. Red Pigments.-Chief among this group is ferric oxide, known under various trade-names, such as Canadian red, Persian red, etc., and also the much prized and somewhat rare vermilion. The pigment used is either naturally occurring hematite, de-hydrated limonite, or artificially produced red ferric oxide.

Jan 1, 1937

By K. Richardson

Although the De Beers group has a long history of placer mining on land, the group only became actively involved in deep water marine diamond exploration and mining in1983 with the formation of De Beers Marine. Full-scale commercial mining commenced around 1991. Since then, the group marine mining capability has grown into a formidable fleet of 8 large deep water (>70 m) mining vessels, as well as other special purpose geo-survey platforms. Marine diamond production by the group is expected to be just short of 1 million carats in 2006. DeBeers operates across the entire value-chain spectrum from geology and geo-survey, through sampling to mining, and finally ore processing into high value concentrate. Supporting these operations involves significant service activities such as maintenance, security, logistics and environmental management. Specific challenges exist in terms of developing or acquiring appropriate technology for marine mining. These challenges have resulted in DeBeers operating extensive in-house R&D and projects departments, as well as drawing extensively from technology partners. An array of computational and test facilities are also available to support R&D and projects activities. Hydro transport in various guises is key to the current approaches to marine mining and ore processing. Use is made of airlift and centrifugal pumping for hydraulic hoisting of very coarse gravel, while splitters, launders, dewatering, elutriators, jet-pumps, centrifugal pumps, dense medium circuits, pipeline systems, and instrumentation for coarse abrasive particles are used extensively in the ore processing plant.

Jan 1, 2007

By Shadrack Nuamah, Erik Westman, Bright Afum, Jesse Addy

Rock fragmentation is the most critical aspect of hard rock production blasting due to its significant impact on drilling and blasting costs and the economics of subsequent loading, hauling, and crushing operations. This study analyzes current cost trends in the drill and blast operations of an anonymous open pit gold mine and proposes cost-effective drill and blast geometric parameters. The investigation focused on one operational pit with provided design parameters for two shots, shot 1 and shot 2. Existing blast parameters and two additional proposed sets of geometric parameters were evaluated using the Kuz-Ram and Chung and Katsabanis fragmentation models to estimate mean fragment sizes. The results indicated that the proposed blast parameters produced estimated mean fragment sizes within the mine’s desired range (not exceeding 45 cm). Additionally, the explosive energy was utilized efficiently per in-situ material blasted. The proposed parameters increased the estimated total volume of in-situ material fragmented by approximately 14% for both Shot 1 and Shot 2 compared to the current parameters. Furthermore, adopting the proposed blast parameters could lead to significant cost savings. The evaluated total drill and blast cost savings were approximately 11% for Shot 1 and 12% for Shot 2. These savings stem from the increased efficiency and effectiveness of the blast operations, highlighting the potential for substantial economic benefits. This study demonstrates that optimizing blast geometric parameters will allow open-pit mines to achieve desired fragmentation, utilize explosive energy more effectively, and realize considerable cost savings in drill and blast operations.

Jan 21, 2025

By M. B. Shongwe

Pt-based alloys are being developed for high-temperature applications with the aim of replacing some of the currently used Ni-based superalloys (NBSAs) in the highest temperature applications. The Pt-based alloys have a similar structure to the NBSAs, and since Pt is more chemically inert than nickel and has a higher melting point, they can potentially be used at higher temperatures, up to 1300°C, and in more aggressive environments. Several experimental Pt-based alloys were studied at Mintek, and an optimum composition was found to be Pt84:Ahi:Ru2:Cr3 (at.%). On the basis of hardness and microstructure, a later study identified a new optimum: Ptr8:A111:Ru5:Cr6 (at.%). There are at least two Pt3A1 allotropes, and the high-temperature cubic structure has better properties than the lower temperature tetragonal form, and so needs to be stabilized. This work describes the latest results obtained in transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies of the quaternary Pt-based superalloys. These results are both interesting and important, because the samples have a higher precipitate density compared to those from earlier work. The precipitate morphology is mainly cubic, with minor areas having irregular-shaped precipitates. The high volume fraction of the precipitates is a major breakthrough, since the objective of this work is to improve the alloys. A prior disadvantage was that the proportion of the precipitates was too low in samples before this work, especially compared with the work from Germany on Pt-Al-Cr-Ni¬based alloys as well as the NBSAs. TEM -Pt3A1 diffraction patterns were studied, and for each diffraction pattern, many possible lattice point combinations were tried, with the angle between the lattice spots as well as interplanar spacings being calculated for each phase (cubic or tetragonal) to match the measured results. An overall analysis of the diffraction results indicates that the cubic phase fitted the experimental lattice points with much lower errors compared to the tetragonal phase. Thus, with the close match achieved with the cubic structure, the structure of -Pt3A1 precipitates is likely to be cubic. X-ray diffraction has been carried out on selected samples, and the results confirmed the presence of cubic -Pt3A1 and (Pt). Different X-ray diffractometers were used to further verify the results, and the results were also compared with those from TEM.

Jan 1, 2012

By H. A. Kursell

IN pre-war days, the mining industry of Russia occupied in the industrial life of the Empire a place of ever increasing importance. The peak of produc-tion was reached in 1913 and 1914, the years of greatest prosperity, and a rapid growth of the mineral industry seemed assured, especially as regards base-metal mining. Exceptions were the gold production, for which a gradual decline was anticipated, and the platinum out-put which was expected to remain steady. A greater productivity of labor, corresponding to better working facilities was noticeable, and the economic status of the working classes was constantly improving. The tremendous strain on Russia's economic life caused by the World War did not materially alter the prospects of the mineral industry and the fundamental changes began only with the revolution in the spring of 1917. Their scope and character are illustrated by the figures in Table 1 which compare, for the parts of the Russian Empire under Soviet (R. S. F. S. R.) control, the average mineral production of 1913 and 1914 with that of 1920, 1921 and 1922, as supplied by bolshevik sources.1The latter three years in Russia's history were characterized by the firm establishment in power of the Communist party as a new ruling caste. Silver, lead, zinc, tin, nickel, tungsten, barite, etc., were either produced in negligible quantities, or not at all. However, before the revolution the development of several argentiferous lead-zinc deposits in western Siberia had reached a stage which seemed to assure an appreciable output of the white metals for the near future.

Jan 7, 1923

By R. Dawson Hall

Discussion of the paper of R. DAWSON HALL, presented at the San Francisco meeting, September, 1915, and at the New York meeting, February, 1916, and printed in Bulletin No. 105, September, 1915, pp. 2013 to 2021. R. DAWSON HALL, New York, N. Y.-The general practice in the past has been to view the roof as being somewhat subject only to shear. In fact the action of the roof under the stress of its own weight has been but little considered, not because the matter is unimportant but because it is so complicated that it has been felt that an analysis of it would not result in any conclusions definite enough to justify the inquiry. The result has been that the consideration of the subject has fallen into the hands of persons who are not experts in the study of beam and plate stress. They have been disposed naturally to view the destruction of the roof as the outcome of the simplest of stresses-vertical shear. In the lack of a careful consideration of the conditions of roof fracture it was thought that the roof consisted of a number of horizontal layers, which were each of them weak, because, no matter how strong they might be they usually lacked sufficient depth. This view of the condition of the roof would naturally lead one to expect that it would yield to bending moment, the various layers succumbing one by one to their lack of the necessary radius of gyration to meet such severe stresses. But,

Jan 5, 1916

By Games Slayter

NO reasonably well-informed person believes that the role of minerals, both metallic and nonmetallic, will be any less important in the future than it has been in the past. The contrary is true. Industrialization is based on mineral resources and man's ability to make use of them. A nation's standard of living, its political and military power, will continue to depend largely upon the extent to which it is industrialized-and minerals are the raw materials both of the machine and the power to run the machine. Minerals are also the raw materials of human health and stamina. The world's healthiest, most vigorous, and most long-lived peoples have always been those that have lived in regions of the globe where the earth is rich, and kept rich, in the phosphates and other minerals required for the production of the so-called growth foods. Only a small proportion of the land surface of the globe is suitable under any circumstances for large-scale production of these and other essential foods. As things stand, only a part of this land is capable of such production either because the soil minerals have been exhausted by cultivation, or because they never existed in the soil in sufficient quantities.

Jan 1, 1943

By W. Hunka

PACIFIC PETROLEUMS, Ltd. first discovered commercial quantities of gas in the Peace River area in 1952. Development of gas wells in this area is quite ex-pensive due to low penetration rates. To improve the economics, the potential of the wells in many cases had to be increased. At that time, well stimulation was still in its infancy in Canada and in this area, in particular, no treatment of any consequence had been attempted. Therefore, trial-and-error was the only means available to determine the stimulating technique that would give optimum results. Various fluid treatments were available and these were used wherever the application was warrant-ed. This paper covers acid fracture and explosive treatments as carried out on various gas-bearing horizons.

Jan 1, 1958

By W. W. Adams, T. D. Lawrence

"Despite the manpower shortage and other difficulties of operation in war time, the National Safety Competition of 1943 for the promotion of safety in the mineral industries of the United States was notable for having a larger enrollment of mines and quarries than in any other year except 1941 and 1942 since the yearly safety contests were inaugurated in 1925. The competition was also notable for having a larger number of man-hours represented by the competing companies than in any previous contest except that of 1942. The ratio of accidents and days of disability resulting from accidents to the number of man-hours of work performed was more favorable than in 1942; the accident-frequency rate was lower and therefore better than in 13 of the 19 years during which the annual safety competitions have been conducted, and the accident-severity rate was better than in 16 of the 19 years.The National Safety Competition is a yearly safety contest conducted by the Bureau of Mines, United States Department of the Interior. Companies that win first place in their respective group in the contest are awarded a bronze trophy, ""The Sentinels of Safety,"" which is provided by THE EXPLOSIVES ENGINEER magazine. Competing companies are segregated into six groups: Underground bituminous-coal mines, underground anthracite mines (in Pennsylvania), underground metal mines, underground nonmetallic-mineral mines, open-cut mines (without regard to kind of mineral produced), and open quarries (without regard to kind of stone produced). The bronze trophies are retained by the six winning companies for 1 year and are then transferred to the winners of the succeeding year's contest. On the pedestal of each trophy is engraved the names of the winners of the trophy. With the award of the trophies for 1943, therefore, the pedestal of each trophy bears the names of 19 winners."

Aug 1, 1944

By Rafael Humberto Mota de Siqueira

O objetivo da presente contribuição é discutir o aparecimento das trincas a quente em três ligas de alumínio, AA2024, AA6063 e AA6013, soldadas a laser. Para tanto um laser do tipo Yb:fibra foi usado em condições de aportes térmicos diferentes. Os resultados indicam uma tendência ao trincamento em várias condições experimentais. No entanto, para os parâmetros de processo utilizados e para as ligas estudadas, observa-se que quando a liga possui entre 0,6% e 1% de silício a sensibilidade ao trincamento diminui.

Oct 30, 2017

By Everaldo Afonso Fernandes

O estudo do efeito do elemento de liga Zircônio, nos teores 0,15% e 0,22%, sobre a liga AL-0,05%Cu-[0,35-0,45]%Fe foi realizado com a finalidade de caracterizar o desempenho em cabos e fios para fins de transmissão e distribuição de energia elétrica. Dessa forma, foi adotada sequencia operacional a fim de caracterizar as estruturas apresentadas pelas ligas. O processo de solidificação foi realizado de modo unidirecional horizontal. Posteriormente os lingotes passaram pelos processos mecânicos de usinagem e laminação para obtenção de corpos de prova com quatro distintos diâmetros (2,7; 3,0; 3,8; 4,0) mm a fim de se ter amostras próximas das bitolas utilizadas nas indústrias de cabos elétricos. Todas as ligas foram caracterizadas termicamente [Análise Térmica], eletromecanicamente por meio do ensaio de tração [LRT] e condutividade elétrica [%IACS].

Aug 8, 2018

By Nikhil Dhawan, Shrey Agrawal

India’s most extensive renewable energy expansion program targets 280 GW of solar energy by 2030. Due to the massive generation of photovoltaic waste (expected 34,600 T by 2030), stringent recycling effort to recover metal resources from endof- life PVs is required for resource recovery, circular economy, and subsequent reduction in the environmental impact. The present study investigates the recycling potential of end-of-life silicon solar modules. The feed characterization reveals that most of the values in PV modules are concentrated in the frame (pure Al), Si wafer (72–84% Si, 9–12% Al, and 0.13–0.71% Ag), and electrical connections (Cu wire coated with Sn). The Si and Ag values in the feed were beneficiated using water fluidization, and concentrate with 90% Si and 2% Ag was attained in the underflow concentrate. Ag values were recovered in the form of AgCl by leaching in nitric acid and precipitation. After the purification step, the residue containing 99% Si can be further utilized to fabricate Si wafer and Al-Si alloy. The preliminary cost estimations suggest that the proposed process is economically viable for the recycling of solar panels with the maximum value generated from the AgCl precipitate followed by Al panels and Si wafers.

Nov 14, 2022