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By S. Gaillard, E. Cauda

"Diesel particulate matter (DPM) is an occupational health hazard in underground mines. It generally occurs in the submicron range, and is often present in the mine atmosphere with significant concentrations of dust particles that tend to occur in the supramicron range. Since dust can interfere with analytical methods to measure DPM, it is often removed from a sample stream using impactor-type size selector (diesel particulate matter impactor, DPMI). Because the DPMI physically removes oversized particles from the stream, its performance may be gradually reduced with aging. Sharp-cut cyclones (SCCs) represent an alternative size selector for DPM sampling applications, with a major advantage being that, by design, they should not be susceptible to rapid aging. This paper presents results of a field study designed to compare the performance of aged versus new/clean DPMIs and SCCs in an underground mine. DPMI aging resulted in clogging of the device, and eventually a reduction of its effective particle cut size – though, when sample flow rate was maintained, DPM sample mass collection was not affected until significant aging had occurred. Under the conditions present for this study, effects of SCC aging were observed to be minimal by the end of the study period. INTRODUCTION Submicron particles are increasingly recognized as significant respiratory health hazards (Cantrell and Watts, 1997; Kenny, et al., 2000; Ristovski, et al., 2012). Diesel particulate matter (DPM) represents a major source of submicron particles in both public and occupational environments (Kittleson, 1998; Abdul-Khalek et al., 1998). Due to their work around large equipment in confined spaces, underground miners have some of the highest exposures to DPM (EPA, 2002; Grau et al., 2004). DPM largely consists of solid elemental carbon (EC), commonly known as “soot”, and organic carbon (OC) that may be sorbed to EC particles (Kittleson, 1998; Abdul-Khalek et al., 1998). EC and OC can be measured by thermal-optical methods such as the NIOSH 5040 Standard Method (Birch, 2016), and their sum is referred to as total carbon (TC). While the complex nature of DPM does not allow for its direct measurement, both TC and EC have been accepted as suitable surrogates for monitoring occupational exposures to DPM (Noll et al., 2007 and Birch, 2016)."

Jan 1, 2018

By Roy H. Poston

The following paper is one of a series on mining methods and practices being published by the United States Bureau of Mines, and deals with the sinking of the Pim shaft (No. 7) of the St. Louis Smelting and Refining Works of the National Lead Co. in the southeast Missouri lead belt. The shaft was sunk in 1922 and 1923 on a tract several miles south of the company's main plant located at St. Francois, Mo., in St. Francois County. The author is indebted to W. H. Comins, local manager of the company, with whose permission this article has been written, for his helpful criticism; and to E. T. Campbell, geologist, and M. Cross, underground shop foreman; and to W. A. Cole, manager of the E. J. Longyear Development Co., who had general supervision of the work and supplied detailed performance and cost data.

Jan 1, 1932

By S. Balideh

A good understanding of the behavior of rock helps us to make more informed decisions regarding geo-structures. Engineers need accurate equations to calculate the strength and deformation of rock before and after failure. Previous studies explain the failure of rock to ultimate strength, and laboratory tests adequately determine the ultimate strength and deformation modulus of rock. However, there are few comprehensive equations to determine the post-failure strength and deformation of rock. Previous work shows that the post-failure behavior of rock depends on the behavior of the broken rock particles after failure. The following question is then posed: How can the post-failure behavior of rock be determined by the behavior of broken rock particles? In order to answer the question, this study pursues three objectives: (i) to explain the behavior of broken rock at low confining pressure; (ii) to estimate the behavior of broken rock via the extrapolation of scaled laboratory testing; and to suggest a procedure (iii) to outline the post-failure behavior of a rock mass at low confining pressure commensurate with the behavior of broken rock in a rock mass.

Aug 1, 2013

By B Poborowski, A Chen

"For some time, the Australian and Chinese underground coal mining industries have evolvedindependently with minimal infl uence on each other. Despite the fact that in recent years severaltechnologies and solutions have become common to both industries, this trend has seeminglycontinued to the point that there are still many important diff erences in legislation and hazardmanagement systems in both countries. Austar Coal Mine as an Australian based and Chineseowned enterprise has a unique opportunity to benefi t from the technology and knowledge ofboth nations. This paper compares the Australian and Chinese approach towards spontaneouscombustion hazard management in order to exchange experience, identify possible improvements and learn from each other."

Jun 1, 2012

By A. F. Buckham

Introduction Several basins of the Nanaimo series, a group of coal-bearing sedimentary rocks of Upper Cretaceous age, underlie parts of Vancouver island and the adjacent gulf islands. One, the Nanaimo basin, occurs on the southern half of the west shore of the gulf of Georgia. About fifty square miles at the north end of this basin are known to be underlain by productive coal seams, this area being known as the Nanaimo coal field. Coal has been mined from two horizons- that of the Wellington seam, fairly low in the series, and that of the Newcastle and Douglas seams, about the middle of the series. Coal has been mined here since the fall of 1852. About fifty million tons have been produced, almost half the total production of British Columbia. About seventy-two years ago, James Richardson of the Geological Survey made a reconnaissance of the coal measures on Vancouver island, and thirty-five years ago C. H. Clapp mapped and reported on most of the Nanaimo coal field. Twenty-four years ago, J. D. MacKenzie extended the work to those areas not mapped by Clapp. MacKenzie died before the results of his work could be published, but did issue a revised estimate of the Goal Resources of Southern Vancouver Island. Work by the present writer is a further contribution by the Geological Survey to knowledge of the island coal measures. Having spent more time in the field, and having had more data at his disposal than were available to his predecessors, the writer has been able to throw additional light on the Nanaimo, and other, coal fields on Vancouver island. He is indebted to Canadian Collieries (Dunsmuir), Limited, and to its officials for access to much valuable information in their possession.

Jan 1, 1947

By W. B. Paton

Introduction For several reasons the accident history of Flin Flon has been quite unlike that of any other mine in northern Canada, and very much unlike that of the average American metal mine. Towards the end of 1928, the mining project that is now Flin Flon, and that is now in the very: forefront of Canada's big producers was launched; but, metaphorically, it was launched in a tempest of mining troubles. Each branch of the mammoth enterprise was beset with extraordinary difficulties, and the Safety Department had its relative share. Difficulties in Accident Prevention The unusually rugged contour of the plant site made roads, and even moderately safe pathways, out of the immediate question. The project established an industrial outlet for depression-stricken areas which hitherto had been essentially agricultural; but through that outlet poured labour whose working atmosphere had been the bald prairie, labour that knew nothing of safety consciousness, labour that had to be moulded to industrialism, labour in the raw. A considerable length of the ore-body lay under the eastern section of Flin Flon lake. Open-pit methods were adopted to work the upper limits of the ore-body, and consequently the eastern section of the lake had to be dammed and pumped dry. The subsequent difficulties and hazards created by silt deposit cannot be fully visualized. And, finally, there was a geographical hindrance: the ore-body was partly in the Province of Manitoba and partly in the Province of Saskatchewan. The workmen's compensation problem became intricate. Insofar as accident prevention is concerned, Flin Flon's young industrial life may be conveniently divided into three distinct periods, namely: (a) Construction (Nov. 1928-June 1930) (b) Tuning up, and production till the strike (June 1930-June 1934) (c) Production from the strike till the present time At the peak of construction, due to the usual labour fluctuations of big jobs, there was a weekly turnover of about a hundred men. A very large percentage were Central Europeans, most of whom could neither read nor write English. Consequently, an organized safety programme was out of the question.

Jan 1, 1935

By J Jackson, E Sellers

Blasting related indices were developed to quantify variation in rock strength and structure for each stope, and for each lift of each stope, as part of a Mine to Mill study at an underground open stope mine. The indices were derived from combinations of data from underground diamond drilling because the simplifying assumptions contained in the block model prevented sufficient differentiation in rock mass characteristics to enable adjustments to the blast design.Application of combinations of blasting related indices enabled the identification of stopes with a high potential for inconsistent and oversize fragmentation, underbreak and overbreak. The indices also fragmentation outcomes to deliver increased material flow within stopes, better digability and predict indicative mill throughput. The stopes with issuesCalibration of the results enabled adjustments to the blast design based on the rock mass conditions and accordingly improved the blast outcomes. This enabled improved productivity by reducing underbreak and overbreak, having a more appropriate fragmentation, which reduces unplanned rock handling and improves bogging. The reduction in recovery drilling creates huge opportunities to improve output by reducing production delays and decreasing the overall cost per tonne. By understanding the explosive performance and blast energy distribution in relation to rock mass blastability poor, performing designs in blind upholes and convex stopes were identified.The conclusion of the work is that value improvement, regarding increased revenue and reduced costs, can be achieved across the whole underground Mine to Mill process chain by developing stope based indices from the existing geological information to correctly tailor the blast design to the rock within, and surrounding, the stope.CITATION:Jackson, J and Sellers, E, 2017. Blasting related indices as the key to underground blasting improvements in a challenging rock mass, in Proceedings 13th AusIMM Underground Operators’ Conference 2017, pp 23–32 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Oct 16, 2017

By A. Ignatieff

Introduction Some interest is being shown in Canada in underground gasification of coal and, as developments have now taken place in several countries of the world, it is thought that a review of progress, particularly from the viewpoint of a mining engineer, may be of interest. The literature on the subject, and notably that of Russian origin, is already very voluminous. The various methods of underground gasification of coal have evolved from initial attempts to employ underground workings as gasifiers of previously fragmented coal or to use some method that involves little or no preparatory work underground. The 'stream' method, shown schematically in Figure 1, has been the only one used in tests to date in countries outside the U.S.S.R. Other methods, involving preparatory work underground prior to gasification, are the early 'chamber' method, where fragmented coal was gasified in rooms between inlet and outlet entries, and the underground borehole' method, illustrated in Figure 2, where gasification is developed in a succession of boreholes which are temporarily sealed and then abandoned in turn after gasification. The stream method appears. to be particularly suitable for pitching seems as it is claimed that the pitch prevents ash accumulation or serious blockage from roof falls, and it also aids the circulation of the stream. As a considerable proportion of Canadian medium and high-rank coal seams are inclined, it would seem that, at least at the outset, the stream method or a modification thereof would be the one most applicable to all but the Saskatchewan lignite fields and the flat domestic-coal fields of Alberta.

Jan 1, 1949

By S. Torno

The elimination of ultrafine (<10 µm) clay particles is essential to the treatment of abandoned coal-washing plant tailings for the recovery of the remaining coal fraction by enhanced gravity processing. Effective hydrocyclone classification is required to remove this fraction. The highly variable composition and particle size distribution of such wastes creates significant difficulties in the operation of hydrocyclones for such classifications. Hydrocyclone laboratory investigations and their plant setup require lengthy or time-consuming tests. The use of empirical models of such classifications frequently requires modification to correspond to actual operating conditions. Results of the evaluation of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling to predict hydrocyclone classification of coal-washing plant tailings are presented. Results of the standard k-epsilon turbulence, SSG turbulence and large eddy simulation CFD models are compared with the results obtained from analyzed hydrocyclone classifications. The CFD models tested are shown to be very effective in the simulation of hydrocyclone classifications for the determination of the classification particle size and adequate for determining the efficiency index values for many applications. The large eddy simulation model was identified as the most precise, but it is recommended that all three models be improved simulations of classifications above and below the classification particle size.

Jan 1, 2011

From 1886, the first year shipments were recorded, until 1939, the Leadville district produced over 3,500,000 long tons of manganiferous ore. Of this total, metallurgical-type ores comprised 27 percent and manganiferous iron ores suitable for fluxing in lead smelters made up 73 percent. In 1939, the Bureau of Mines, as part of the strategic minerals investigative program being conducted at the time, requested the Mineral Industries Survey Section of the Mining Division to make a comprehensive study of the manganese resources of the Leadville area. This investigation, owing to the caved and flooded condition of the underground mine workings, was necessarily confined to a study of old maps, production records, and geological reports, and the results were published as an Information Circular in July 1940.

Jan 1, 1949

By L. Sandbak

The Turquoise Ridge Joint Venture (TRJV) is located in northern central Nevada, and is situated within the Basin and Range province, near the northeast end of the Osgood Mountains (see Figure 1). The TRJV mine consists of typical Carlin type- gold mineralization characterized by low strength rock of altered limestones, siltstones, and mudstones. The weak nature of the ground facilitates the underhand cut and fill mining methods. TRJV has been working to optimize ground support and mechanize top cut drift sizes and eliminate operating hazards associated with jackleg drilling. Safety Factor analysis based on bolt strengths has allowed us to pursue larger sized top cut drifts and to evaluate bolt length sizes and spacing. Switching from jackleg sized drifts of 10?W x 10?H to a mechanized 12?H x12?W top cut drift design has the potential to decrease overbreak, provide more uniform drift design sizes and bolt patterns, and increase ore production by at least 38%.

Feb 23, 2014

By R. L. Keiski, H. Miettunen

"The serpentinite massifs of Hitura are located in the municipality of Nivala in Central Finland. The most important sulfide minerals in the ore are pentlandite, pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite. The ore body consists of amphibolite rocks in contact with serpentinite against mica gneiss. The mean Ni grade of the ore is about 0.7%, and the highest Ni grades have been encountered in close contact. In general, the inner parts of the ore are strongly serpentinized ultramafite and some sulfides have been converted to mackinawite and valleriite. The degree of alteration varies considerably within the ore body and, correspondingly, the grain size of the sulfides varies as well. In this study, flotation tests were done with samples from different zones of the ore body. The flotation test results on the bench scale and plant scale are discussed in terms of the mineralogical features of the ore. Ores in the North Hitura zone differ from those in the South Hitura zone.IntroductionThe Hitura nickel mine, like the entire Nivala area, is part of the Bothnian Svecokarelian schist zone, where numerous Ni-Cu boulders have been discovered since the early 1930s. The Nivala area has therefore been the subject of exploration activities by the Geological Survey of Finland (GSF) and mining companies. The first period of exploration started in 1936, and the Makola nickel deposit, located 3 km south of the Hitura mine, was discovered by GSF in 1937. About 415,000 tonnes of ore were mined at Makola between 1941 and 1954. In 1937, during the exploration and development stage of the Makola mine, boulder tracing and a geophysical survey revealed a significant ultramafic body with some lowgrade Ni-Cu occurrences in the South Hitura zone.In 1961, GSF continued the exploration program in the area and discovered the North Hitura ultramafic complex and its allied Ni-Cu occurrences. In 1964, Outokumpu Oy bought the property and, after underground exploration, comprehensive mineralogical studies, process research and a feasibility study, production started in 1970 (Isohanni et al., 1985)."

Jan 1, 2015

By J Harris, J Li, M Shi, P A. Kirsch, D Sprott

Australia has an enviable global reputation as a leader in health and safety outcomes in the hazardous industry of mining, in part due to an increased application of risk management regarding operational planning and mining practice. In 2010, the Australian Coal Association Research Program (ACARP) initiated a major project, RISKGATE, to build, capture and deliver a national body of knowledge to assist companies with the management of risk in coal mining. The online system contains information for tyres, collisions, fires, isolation, strata underground, ground control open cut, explosions, explosives underground, explosives open cut, manual tasks, slips/trips/falls, outbursts, coal bumps and bursts, human–machine interface, tailings dams, occupational hygiene and inrush. In 2014, RISKGATE is developing content for fitness for work (fatigue, drugs, alcohol, physical well-being, psychosocial well-being).This paper analyses underground mining fatalities in Australia and the United States since 2002 and introduces RISKGATE with a focus on the knowledge base for management of hazards in underground operations. Through capturing coal industry expert operational knowledge, RISKGATE provides a cumulative corporate memory at a time of high personnel turnover within the mining industry. This coal-based body of knowledge is a platform that can be evaluated and implemented for other mining domains and high-risk industries within the energy supply chain.CITATION:Kirsch, P A, Shi, M, Harris, J, Li, J and Sprott, D, 2014. RISKGATE and underground operations, in Proceedings 12th AusIMM Underground Operators’ Conference 2014 , pp 11–18 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Mar 24, 2014

By B Abbasi

It is well known that most roof falls in coal mines typically occur at and around intersections. Room-and-pillar and longwall coal mining systems typically develop 3-way and 4-way intersections. This research develops an improved scientific understanding of stress distribution and associated instability behaviour around 3-way and 4-way coal mine intersections through 3-D numerical modelling and limited field observations. Numerical analyses were performed for an Illinois longwall coal mine to identify factors that influence intersection stability. The stability of immediate roof, floor strata, and coal ribs at and around intersections are considered with pre-mining regional horizontal stress. Non-linear failure analyses used the Hoek-Brown failure criterion for rock mass. Progressive failure zones in and around intersections were developed. For a typical 4-way intersection, pillar corners across the intersection fail first and lead to progressive failure of the immediate roof and floor layers. The mechanism of failure is similar for a 3-way intersection but the shape and extension of failed zones differ. For the 3-way intersection, the effect of off-set distance was analysed. It was found that minimum off-set distance of about 10 m (centre to centre distance between two 3-way intersections) was required to minimize interaction between two intersections. A simple instrumentation program monitor ground movements around intersections. These data were used to design the intersection geometry that is now being practiced by the mine. CITATION:Abbasi, B and Chugh, Y P, 2018. Instability analysis in three-way and four-way coal mine intersections, in Proceedings The Fourth Australasian Ground Control in Mining Conference (AusRock), pp 345–359 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Nov 30, 2018

By Jimenez Leon, Christopher Newman, Boede Gabriel, Zacharias Agioutantis

"Ground movements due to longwall mining operations have the potential to damage the hydrological balance within as well as outside the mine permit area in the form of increased surface ponding and changes to hydrogeological properties. Recently, the Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement has completed a public comment period on a newly proposed rule for the protection of streams and groundwater from adverse impacts of surface and underground mining operations (80 FR 44435). With increased community and regulatory focus on mining operations and their potential to adversely affect streams and groundwater, there is now a greater need for better prediction of the possible effects mining has on both surface and sub surface bodies of water.As mining induced stress and strain within the overburden is correlated to changes in the hydrogeological properties of rock and soil, this paper investigates the evaluation of the hydrogeological system within the vicinity of an underground mining operation based on strain VALUES (calculated through a surface deformation prediction model. Through accurate modeling of the pre- and post-mining hydrogeological system, industry personnel can better depict mining induced effects on ground water flows through the overburden material aiding in the optimization underground extraction sequences while maintaining the integrity of surface and subsurface bodies of water.INTRODUCTIONThe utilization of high-recovery underground mining methods, such as longwall or high-extraction room-and-pillar operations, have the potential to cause adverse impacts to both surface and subsurface bodies of water as strata movement and deformations propagate from the mined seam through the overburden to the surface (Peng, 2008).Previous research has indicated that mining induced strains are the most damaging to surface streams (Singh, 1992) as well as greatly affecting the integrity of subsurface bodies of water and groundwater flow conditions (Booth, 1986). On the surface, adverse effects to the stream can occur due to the development of either tensile or compressive strain in the stream bed. The development of tensile cracks along the bedrock allows for a potential loss of stream flow through developed fissures. In fact, water flow in the Cataract River of Australia ceased in 1994 as a result of mining-induced strains from longwall operations in the Bulli seam 430 meters (1320 feet) below the river gorge (McNally and Evans, 2007). On the other hand, the development of compressive strains within the rock layers can cause rupturing or buckling of the stream bed, blocking stream flow and/or diverting flow into the fractures at the base (Iannacchione et al, 2010). While these localized fractures can contribute to the loss of stream flows, given time, damaged streams have the ability to self-heal through the regeneration of near-surface aquifers as well as the sealing of mining-induced fractures with rock debris, gravel, sand, clay or other soil particles carried from upstream sources and deposited in the river bed (Waddington and Kay, 2002)."

Jan 1, 2016

By A. F. Matheson

The St. John Del Rey Mining Company, Limited, is an English company owning 150 square miles -of mining lands near Belo Horizonte, Minas Geraes, Brazil. The area is 2,300 to 5,000 feet above sea level, with a pleasant and healthy climate. Bedrock is Precambrian. The Nova Lima series of metamorphosed sediments and some volcanics is overlain uncomfortably by the Minas series of quartzites, itabirites. etc. Batholithic granite and gneiss cut both series and basic dykes cut all these rocks. There are important deposits of gold, iron, and manganese on the Company&apos;s holdings, as well as occurrences of arsenic, antimony, cobalt, nickel, dolomite, day, quartz, -ochre, bauxite, kyanite, and asbestos. Except for gold and consequent recovery of arsenic, all the other materials are relatively unexploited. The Company operates the Morro Velho gold mine and the Espirito Santo and Raposos gold mine. The Morro Velho mine was purchased in 1834 for £56,000. To the end of 1952 it had produced 7,000,000 troy ounces of gold from 15,000,000 short tons of ore. The ore z?ones are replacement deposits in a sinuous siliceous dolomitic rock locally termed "lapa seca," and plunge east, near surface at 45 °, at 8,000 feet at 15°. The ore minerals are pyrrhotite, arsenopyrite, pyrite, and chalcopyrite. Gold is finely distributed and almost nowhere visible. Ore reserves at the end of 1952 were estimated at 5.5 million short tons grading 0.39 oz. gold per ton. Chances exist for new ore within the mine area. The Espirito Santo and Reposos mine, in folded banded iron formation, has mineralization similar to Morro Velho but sulphides are less abundant. The mine to a depth of 2,500 feet has estimated ore reserves of 1.5 million tons of an average grade of 0.28 oz. gold per ton. New ore may be expected both laterally and at depth. To the end -of 1952, the ?Company had paid dividends of almost £4,- 600,000, largely earned from the operation of the gold mines.

Jan 1, 1956

Jan 1, 1879

By H. N. Dougherty

"The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Office of Mine Safety and Health Research (OMSHR) ventilation gallery was used to study methane-air flows around a continuous miner mockup with water sprays and a scrubber fan. Methane gas was released from pipes located at the face to simulate face gas emissions. Methane concentrations and air velocities were measured while varying parameters such as airflow quantity, entry width (sump or slab cut), and face ventilation configuration (blowing or exhausting curtain). Test data showed a similar pattern of methane concentrations at both low and high airflow quantities, but a difference in the distribution of methane concentrations between narrow and wide entry widths. Most tests showed that blowing face ventilation was more efficient in diluting methane than exhausting ventilation, similar to observations made in previous empty gallery studies. The patterns of airflow and methane concentrations observed in this testing can further improve the understanding of airflow in and around the CM and face, promoting effective use of face ventilation to improve the health and safety of miners. INTRODUCTION Attaining an accurate understanding of airflow distribution at the continuous miner face is instrumental in maintaining a safe mining environment. US mining regulations require that sufficient airflow must be directed to the deepest penetration of the face and render harmless contaminant gases, as verified by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). Currently, continuous miner face air readings can be taken in the last open crosscut and at the inby end of the curtain mouth. By measuring adequate airflow in a pre-determined area it is accepted that a sufficient quantity of that air exists to sweep the face of harmful dust and gasses. Unfortunately, due to the location inaccessibility, precise face velocity readings cannot be measured in situ. Face velocities may be estimated through computer-simulated programs based on laboratory models. Improving upon previous empty gallery testing and to more effectively determine representative face methane readings, a mockup of a continuous miner with water sprays and a scrubber fan was used in the current study to further refine face airflow conditions that would be closer to actual mining conditions."

Jan 1, 2016

For handling rough rock, the shovel-train system is unexcelled. The ideal application is a physically large, but not excessively deep, open-pit mine from which the coarsely blasted ore and waste must be transported distances in excess of three miles. If, in addition, a high production rate is to be maintained, railroad haulage will probably afford a lower cost per ton transportation than will any other haulage method. Relatively gentle grades must be employed- usually 3% for uphill hauls and 4% for downhill hauls. The greater the differences in elevation the greater are the railroad track grade space requirements. By way of illustration, a 3% ramp out of a pit only 300 ft deep must be almost two miles long. Mainline track locations should be selected carefully so that the frequency of movements during the life of the mining operation is minimized. This applies both to ore and to waste haulageways. Such moves are not only expensive but difficult to execute without adversely affecting production rates. The large mine affords greater opportunities for judicious location of semi-permanent trackage.

Jan 10, 1967

By T. V. Falkie

REMARKS OF DR. THOMAS V. FALKIE, DIRECTOR, BUREAU OF MINES, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, BEFORE THE FALL MEETING OF THE SOCIETY OF MINING ENGINEERS, AIME, ACAPULCO, MEXICO, SEPTEMBER 23, 1974 This is a time of uncertainty on the world mineral scene. For some of the world&apos;s so-called "developed" countries, reserves and production of key minerals are running low. And, we have learned that the energy so essential in recovering and processing minerals can suddenly be in short supply. The prospects for a "no growth" situation in energy or mineral consumption are practically nil. Moreover, the world&apos;s economy is in flux, casting doubt on whether traditional mineral customers will continue to be able to buy, or for that matter, whether traditional suppliers of minerals will continue to sell. It is clear that the mineral situation is contributing to world inflationary pressures, which incidentally are most damaging to developing countries. So it is appropriate that SME members devote this session to the world mineral situation, and consider some of the opportunities and responsibilities that we will inevitably encounter as the future becomes the present. The opportunities, to me at least, are especially intriguing, I have the good fortune to be part of an organization that has an enormous capability and responsibility for dealing with mineral problems. The Interior Department&apos;s Bureaus, including the Bureau of Mines, have been around for a long time. They are. a prolific and reliable source of both mineral information and mineral technology.

Jan 1, 1974