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By H. J. Glass, J. G. L. Bekkers

"In order to determine the feasibility of a hydraulic ore hoisting installation, the optimal operating conditions were calculated for applying such a system at the Detour Lake Mine of Placer Dome Ltd. Next, a financial analysis was conducted in order to estimate the cost per tonne for hydraulic hoisting of the ore. Subsequently, the cost per tonne was compared with the hoisting costs associated with a new borehole hoist. Installing a hydraulic ore hoist at Detour Lake Mine was found to be feasible with considerably lower costs per tonne of ore. The applied research method appears to be very functional and can be used to do similar research for other mining operations. IntroductionThe principle of hydraulic ore hoisting is well known, yet hardly accepted in hard rock mining. Application of the system would result in a smaller diameter shaft requirement and a flexible, easily expandable system. However, underground ore size reduction might be necessary and practical experience with the system is limited. Following recent innovations in the field of pumping hardware, e.g. new GeHo and Siemag Transplan equipment, hydraulic ore hoisting should be seriously considered for certain mining operations. As a case study, a design was made for the development of the newly found QK-Zone at Placer Dome Ltd.’s Detour Lake Mine. Hydraulic ore hoisting has been compared with conventional skip hoisting by establishing the optimal operating conditions and pumping equipment requirements for similar capacities at a selected mining operation. Generally accepted equations for slurry transport were used to predict the variation of pressure and power requirements as a function of hourly production and pipeline diameter. These data are used to select suitable equipment and estimate cost figures in order to make a financial assessment."

Jan 1, 1998

By W. A. Ahrens, J. H. McNamara, J. G. Franek

"An economical, pollution-free process has been developed for the hydrometallurgical extraction of copper from sulphide ores. The extracted copper, in the form of cuprous chloride (CuC/), is converted by reduction to copper metal. The metal is melted and fire -refined into wire bars which meet the standards of electrolytic tough pitch (ETP) copper wirebars. IntroductionThe successful development of the Cyprus Copper Process has been an evolutionary series of events covering a time span of some nine years. The original process, based on an electrolytic membrane cell principle , was abandoned in 1975 because of technical, economic and pollution problems. During the past four years, the pilot plant has been reconstructed based on a new flowsheet and operated successfully in several campaigns, some for as long as four months. The pilot-plant hydro section operates at a 225-lblhr copper rate. In October 1977, a feasibility study was completed by Jacobs Engineering, Pasadena, California. The study showed favourable economic and technical feasibility. Jacob's studies in 1978-79 revealed favourable comparative economics with other known pyrohydro processes and favourable economies of scale.The Cyprus Copper Process converts copper concentrates of varying composition into copper metal, which has been proven to be equivalent in every way to electrolytic tough pitch copper, suitable for electrical applications. This is accomplished at capital and operating costs which are estimated to be lower than those associated with any other known currently applicable technology. Also, the total energy requirement is equal to or less than any other known process and the process is essentially pollution free."

Jan 1, 1980

By C P. Gravenor

In 1953, a deposit of sedimentary oolitic iron ore was discovered in the Clear Hills area of northwestern Alberta. Since that time, detailed drilling has outlined reserves in excess of 200 million tons of ore grading 30 to 35 per cent iron. Attempts to physically beneficiate the ore to meet blast furnace or direct reduction feed specifications have been, in general, unsuccessful. In 1960, Premier Steel Mills Limited and the Research Council of Alberta jointly sponsored a pilot-plant test at the R-N Corporation at Birmingham, Alabama. About 5,000 tons of ore were treated, and briquettes containing 90 per cent Fe were produced, with 83 per cent recovery. At the same time that the R-N tests were being made, the Research Council initiated a program to produce high-purity powders by chemical methods. Several purification techniques were investigated; hydrochloric acid dissolution of reduced ore was finally adopted. Briefly, the steps involved in this acid process are as follow

Jan 1, 1964

By T. Rigg, J. N. Stone

"The process described has been developed to utilize low-grade scrap -turnings, borings, tin cans and other types of ferrons scrap which currently has been of limited or no use in conventional steelmaking processes. If scrap of this type can be converted into high-purity iron by chemical means then there is a potential saving of several million tons of metal annually in North America.The process is chemically quite simple and consists of dissolving ferrons scrap in hydrochloric acid, followed by evaporation and crystallization of the resultant solution to yield ferrons chloride crystal.s. These crystals are dries, briquetted and converted to non sponge by reduction in hot hydrogen. The HCl produced from the reduction step. is absorbed in water and the hydrochloric acid so produced is returned to the dissolver circuit. The hydrogen produced from the initial dissolution of the scrap is used to reduce the ferrons chloride. Purity is maintained by bleeding off impure chloride solutions from the evaporator-crystallizer circuit, and converting these chlorides to oxides and HCI in a high-temperature spray roaster. The HCl produced in the roaster is absorbed in water and the hydrochloric acid returned to the dissolver."

Jan 1, 1970

By J. A. Meech

"The technology known as Expert Systems is being used within the minerals industry in a wide variety of problem areas. Applications include diagnosis, prediction, training, monitoring and control. Expert Systems provide a way to program computers to imitate human thinking. The construction of such systems is a straight-forward task that can be quickly learned by novices but can require a lifetime to master.To assist in the understanding and utility of this technology, a special manual bas been prepared which operates on a microcomputer under the MS-Windows environment. The manual covers all aspects of Artificial Intelligence of relevance to Expert Systems. A hypertext system allows users to probe as d•~ply as needed to achieve understanding or to simply skim the surface of the knowledge to obtain a quick overview of subjects. The manual was developed under the sponsorship of the Mineral Sciences Laboratory of CANMET and is available from the Mining and Mineral Process Engineering Department at the University of British Columbia. Annual updates are planned to keep abreast of new developments in this rapidly changing technology. RESUMELa technologie: des Systèmes Experts est utilisée par l'industrie minière pour résoudre une grande variété de problèmes. Les domaines d'application comprennent le diagnostic, la prédiction, la formation, la surveillance et le contrôle des procèdes. Les Systèmes Experts permettent d'écrire des programmes d'ordinateur qui imitent le processus de la pensée humaine. La construction de tels systèmes e:st une tâche qui peut être apprise rapidement mais qui peut prendre des années à maitriser.Pour aider à mieux comprendre et utiliser cette technologie, un manuel spécial opérant sur microordinateur dans l'environnement Windows a été développe. Le manuel couvre tous les aspects de l'intelligence artificielle qui concement les Systèmes Experts. Un système ""hypertexte"" permet à l'utilisateur d'étudier un sujet en profondeur ou de simplement couvrir une grande variété de sujet en surface. Le manuel a été développe avec l'aide financière du Laboratoire des Sciences Minérales de CANMET et est disponible au Département de Génie Minier et Minéralurgique de l'Université de la Colombie Britannique. Des mises à jour annuelles sont prévues de manière à couvrir les changements et nouveautés de cette technologie en évolution."

Jan 1, 1993

By J. J. Jonas, G. R. Stewart, A. M. Elwazri

Two important parameters for dynamic recrystallization can be derived from the changes in the strain hardening rate: the critical strain for initiation of dynamic recrystallization and the point of maximum softening. In this work, these values are determined from the flow stress-strain data obtained in continuous compression testing in the range 900-1100°C. The resulting strains are used to calculate a kinetic model of dynamic recrystallization for two materials: 304 austenitic stainless steel and a hypereutectoid plain carbon steel. The mechanical parameters used to define the proposed model are confirmed with quantitative metallographic analysis of the recrystallized microstructure.

Jan 1, 2004

By Paul E. Mather, Matthew J. M. Krane

Anode or fire refining is the final pyrometallurgical step in the production of copper anode. Part of this process purifies liquid copper by reducing its dissolved oxygen with a natural gas-steam mixture. Until now there have been no transient models of this process coupling the injected gas jet mass transport with its chemical reactions. A transient, 1D flow, chemical reaction model was made to estimate the time-dependent behavior of anode copper composition, soot formation, and the transient gas jet composition along its height. Model estimates were made for reduction rate, soot emission rate, and exergy loss and destruction distributions for two melt temperatures and a range of steam addition rates. It was found that increases to melt temperature and steam addition rate increased reduction rate and decreased soot emission, while having little effect on exergetic performance. Estimates for reduction histories were compared to industrial data. INTRODUCTION Anode/fire refining is the final pyrometallurgical step in the production of copper anodes; it is essential for removing dissolved gases which cause porosity in cast anodes. Despite its significance, the open literature appears devoid of any transient models of the entire process; furthermore, there are very little published process data with which to validate any models made. This dual dearth of modelling work and process data inhibits studies of the tradeoffs between process and performance changes, desirable for decreasing reduction time and soot formation as well as quantifying changes in the exergy losses and destructions of the process. This work introduces a reduced-order, transient model of reduction during fire refining, examines performance trends with operating conditions, and compares model estimates with industrial data. Overview of anode refining The purpose of anode refining is to produce liquid copper which can be cast with minimal gas porosity, which disrupts the downstream electrorefining process. Dissolved sulfur is removed first, then oxygen, by reactions with different injected gases. The removal of oxygen (the reduction step) is the subject of this proceeding and is effected by the bubbling of natural gas, typically mixed with steam, through the melt from tuyeres. A typical refining run reduces dissolved oxygen from 3000 ppm to 300 ppm in 2–3 hours (Schlesinger, King, Sole, & Davenport, 2011). The refined copper is then cast as anodes. Figure 1 shows a schematic of the furnace vessel.

Jan 1, 2019

By A. Farzanegan, D. A. Lowther, A. R. Laplante

"Off-line optimization studies are often necessary to improve the efficiency of grinding circuits. These studies are primarily based on the mathematical modelling of processing units (e.g., ball mills and hydrocyclones) and computer simulations. To complete an optimization task, process engineers must possess skills and knowledge of different subtasks involved in such efforts, e.g., plant audit, laboratory tests, and data analysis. Such know-how can be in part provided by Knowledge-Based Systems (KBSs). One such system, being developed in C Language Integrated Production System (CLIPS), is presented here, with focus on the estimation of ball mill selection functions for the purpose of both diagnostic and simulation, and its use for the optimization of ball size. Some of the interpretation and diagnostic rules will be presented, as well as grinding kinetics and classification data likely to fire them.IntroductionSince the late eighties there has been a growing trend in applying Knowledge-Based Systems (KBSs) to mineral processing [Meech 1990, Bearman and Milne 1992). Table l lists some KBS (often referred to as expert systems) applications that have been used mainly as tools for improving on-line monitoring and control of grinding circuits. However, there has been fewer attempts to add the symbolic processing powers of KBSs to conventional off-line grinding simulators. Figure 1 shows a relatively standard procedure to perform an off-line optimization study [Napier-Munn and Lynch 1992]. In brief, a typical program includes taking representative samples from a number of streams, running laboratory tests on collected samples, estimating model parameters which describe physical processing units (e.g. ball mills and hydrocyclones) validating model predictions and using models for simulation trials. One inevitably needs to be familiar with concepts of process modelling and simulation as well as various computer programs to be able to complete all steps of the study. Much of this ""expertise"" can be captured by KBSs, given their inherent capabilities for symbolic knowledge representation and manipulation."

Jan 1, 1997

By A. J. Hyett, N. Hedrick, J. Blackall

The Garford bulb anchor is a modified cable geometry developed and patented by Garford Ply Ltd. of Australia, and which has recently become widely available in Canada. It is produced by deforming the seven wires (including the central kingwire) of a standard cable into a bulb" (Fig. 1). Laboratory cable pull tests indicate that the bond capacity of the 25 mm Garford bulb anchor is comparable to the nutcase cable, in excess of the birdcage cable, and significantly higher than standard 7-wire strand. Its comparative advantage over the latter is most significant for tests at low radial confinement and high water:cement ratio grout, which corresponds to operational conditions of low quality rock (i.e. weak, highly fractured rock masses, foliated hanging walls, failed ground, etc.) and poor installation quality control (perhaps the most common explanation for cable bolt failures). It is under such conditions that cable bolting is often ineffective. The most impressive result is that for a reduction of the effective rock mass modulus by a factor of five, the Garford bulb cable capacity remains virtually unchanged.

Jan 1, 1995

By Wayne F. Luinstra, Frédérique Vincent, André R. Laplante

"A test to determine the amount of gravity recoverable gold (GRG) in an ore is described. Typical GRG results are given; possible uses are discussed. A case study of how the technology was used at Hemlo Gold Mines is presented.IntroductionUsing gravity to supplement either flotation or cyanidation is a well established practice in the gold industry. It differs from most recovery circuits in that most of the gold recovered by gravity would be recovered in any case by the circuit downstream, be it flotation or cyanidation. The economic justification of gravity is therefore based on small margins (for example. a net smelter return of gravity gold of 99%, as opposed to 94% by flotation). It was easily demonstrated when either flotation or cyanidation were relatively inefficient processes, and labour costs low (as gravity can be labour intensive). Over the past thirty years, the advent of better flotation machines (flash, column, high capacity), more effective collectors, and better control systems has increased flotation's metallurgical performance, thereby decreasing the incentive for gravity recovery. Cyanidation technology has undergone similar changes, with the advent of activated carbon, oxygen and lead nitrate addition, and improved impeller design.Today, gravity could remain an attractive option only inasmuch as it can be implemented with very low capital and operating costs. This has resulted in a relative shift away from gold gravity recovery (except for alluvial deposits), in the seventies and eighties. For example, as of the early nineties, gold gravity recovery has disappeared from the typical South African flow sheet. The advent of the Knelson Concentrator, at the beginning of the eighties, foreshadowed a resurgence of gravity recovery, as gold's grinding and classification behaviour (Banisi, Laplante and Marois, 1991) makes it possible to achieve adequate gold recoveries with very simple, Knelson based, gravity circuits (Laplante et al., 1994).Consider for example the Hemlo recovery circuit, made of a single 61 cm x 122 cm (2' x 4') screen, an automated 76 cm (30"") Knelson feeding a Gemeni table, to produce a 70-80% Au concentrate which accounts for approximately one fourth of the gold production (about 3 million grams per year). The low capital and operating costs make it possible to justify the gravity circuit on the basis of savings in other operating costs (e.g. fewer carbon stripping and reactivation cycles). Any improvements in recovery, which would at Hemlo be difficult to measure, would be additional benefits. Such a circuit is rapidly becoming a standard in Canadian and Australian operations.The justification for installing a gravity circuit must be first based on an estimate of how much gold it will recover (irrespective of what the potential benefits are). This is a function of the nature of the gravity circuit to be installed; however, Knelson circuits, by their very simplicity and efficiency, limit the options. This leaves the amenability of the ore to gravity recovery as the single most important parameter. Various approaches can be used to characterize this response (Woodcock, 1993). The present work sought a route which would fulfil the following criteria:"

Jan 1, 1996

By B. G. Cousins, B. O’Rourke, C. Spence

"Some non-flotation chemicals are added to flotation circuits directly and indirectly to control issues such as scaling and dust in other areas of the operations. Since dosage levels are generally not high, a standard laboratory float test may not be able to determine the effect of a specific chemical on the productivity of the flotation circuit. This paper presents a laboratory testing protocol that uses kinetic float studies to test the effect of normal to extreme doses of antiscalant and dust chemistries (5–100 g/t). Results indicate that this protocol helps to predict potential interference by a particular chemistry on the flotation circuit.RÉSUMÉ Certains produits chimiques ne servant pas à la flottation sont ajoutés directement et indirectement aux circuits de flottation afin de contrôler des problèmes tels que l’entartage et la poussière dans d’autres secteurs des opérations. Étant donné que les niveaux de dosage sont généralement faibles, un essai standard de flottation en laboratoire pourrait ne pas être en mesure de déterminer l’effet d’un produit chimique spécifique sur la productivité du circuit de flottation. Le présent article définit une procédure d’essai en laboratoire qui utilise des études cinétiques de flottation pour vérifier l’effet de doses normales à extrêmes de produits chimiques antitartre et anti-poussière (5 à 100 g/t). Les résultats indiquent que ce protocole aide à prédire l’interférence potentielle d’un produit chimique particulier sur le circuit de flottation."

Jan 1, 2016

By B. G. Cousins, B. O’Rourke, C. Spence

"Some non-flotation chemistries are added to flotation circuits directly and indirectly to control issues such as scaling and dust. Since the dosage levels are generally not very large, a standard laboratory float test may not be able to determine the effect a specific chemical has on the productivity of the flotation circuit. Hudbay and Ashland Water Technologies developed a laboratory testing protocol that uses kinetic float studies to test the effect of normal to extreme doses of antiscalant and dust chemistries (5 ppm to 500 ppm). Laboratory results indicate that this protocol helps to predict the potential interference that a particular chemistry will have on the flotation circuit.INTRODUCTIONFrom a chemical perspective, flotation is a very complex system involving more than the reagents used for flotation. Along with collectors, frothers, modifiers, suppressants and activators, there can be antiscalants for water treatment, dust suppressants used in the mining process, residual flocculants from recycled thickener overflows, grinding aids, and many other types of chemicals that are added upstream of a flotation circuit. Although these other chemicals are usually used at very low doses, it is important to know if they affect the flotation process detrimentally in the event of a spill or a build up from recycled water.Laboratory flotation testing of these chemicals characterizes their effects, but testing at expected doses in the float can mask the effects of the chemicals in the plant. Also, simple tests that do not measure the kinetics of flotation do not reveal the effects the other chemicals have on the flotation circuit. Thus, a new flotation protocol was needed to expose the full effects of chemical additives and to assist in choosing the chemical with the lowest potential for a negative effect.FLOTATION KINETICSMeasuring recovery kinetics in a laboratory flotation cell is a well-established procedure: analyzing concentrates taken in a timed sequence to determine the recovery rate of individual cells in a flotation circuit. The recovery from the early flotation cells are a true measurement of how well a flotation chemical is performing. The principles of kinetics can be mathematically determined by the following functions (Houston, 2006):"

Jan 1, 2013

By P. R. A. Andrews

"A sample of flotation feed from Bakertalc Inc., High water, Quebec was subjected to flotation evaluation to improve the recovery of talc. A number of alternative frother/collectors and depressants as well as flotation parameters including pH, conditioning time, frother/collector concentration and pulp density were assessed. In addition, the possibility of using a size coarser than that currently employed for flotation (95% minus 50 um) was investigated.As far as possible, a laboratory duplication of the present circuit arrangement was folio wed so as to minimize the cost of any changes. The best results obtained were a concentrate analyzing 95.96% acid insol for a recovery of 65.98% after four stages of cleaning. With recirculation of cleaner tailings, the recovery would be higher.The possibility of using an alternative method, based on the natural ability of talc to float unaided by a frother/collector, was briefly explored with encouraging results.IntroductionBakertalc lnc ., located in the eastern townships at Highwater, Quebec, Is approximately 140 km east of Montreal near the Vermont, U.S. border. Originally called Baker Mining and Milling Co. Ltd., it has produced pulverized talc products since 1938(1 ), although records show that talc was mined in the area as early as 1871(2). Feed to the mill originally was obtained from local deposits, but since 1952 the van Reet mine near south Bolton, approximately 25 km from Highwater, has been the source of ore .In 1957 a Raymond high -side roller mill was installed which enabled production of a greater range of talc products and, in 1960, new crushing equipment and a dryer were added. Other additions to the mill were the introduction of wet magnetic separation, although this was later discontinued, and flotation to produce high-grade talc concentrates."

Jan 1, 1985

By W. R. Lindsay

Considerable attention has of late been given to the blasting of large amounts of ore in one operation, on account of the saving in labour and explosives and consequent low cost per ton, and also on account of the additional safety to employees. The blast here described, at the Hidden Creek mine. at Anyox, B.C., is not necessarily unique either in size or methods employed, but some interesting p10blems were encountered and the solutions of these may be of interest to others engaged in similar work. The ore consisted mainly of old scope-bottoms and sill pillars, although there also were some braces and parts of vertical pillars included. Some of the stope-bottoms were overlain by caved waste, and one of the problems was to break them in such a manner that the maximum amount of ore could be recovered without serious dilution with waste. The ore blocks, designated as the 385 silt and the 7 A-103 blocks, were under preparation for blasting for over a year, as conditions permitted. This work consisted in drilling long machine drill holes, varying in length from 14 to 20 feet. These holes were drilled with the Numa detachable bit, made locally, starting at 2~-inch diameter and bottoming at 2 inches for the longest length. The long hole drilling was used in the thinner sections of the area. For the stronger, thicker portions, powder drifts (3 ft. by 4 ft. in section) were driven for the powder charges. Reference to the plan and sections (Figures 2 co 8 inclusive) show the relative location of these, as well as the long drilling. The amount of explosives used in the powder drift charges averaged 0.25 pounds per ton of estimated burden, varying from 0.2 to 0.3 pounds per ton.

Jan 1, 1934

By R. M. Porter

PILLAR extraction at the Sullivan Mine bas been in progress for over twenty-five years and bas .involved progressively larger pillars. The largest pillar blasted to date exceeds one million tons and is described in this paper. This blast is believed to be one of the largest to take place entirely under-ground. The Sullivan Mine, owned by The Consolidated Mining and Smelting Company of Canada Limited, is located in the southeastern corner of British Columbia on the east flank of the Purcell range overlooking the twenty-mile wide Rocky Mountain Trench (Figure 1). The orebody is a bedded replacement deposit in argillites, varying in thickness up to 300 feet, but averaging about 80 feet. Above the 3900 Level, the dip varies from nearly horizontal to 40 degrees; be-low the 3900 Level it varies from 45 to 20 degrees (Figure 2). Pillar extraction follows a plan of retreating outward from caved areas. The size of each blast is determined by the effect which the removal of support

Jan 1, 1961

By E. S. Moore

In the townships of Genoa and Marion, Subdury Mining Division, Ontario, there is a group of twenty-three mining claims known as the Jefferson claims. They are controlled by the Jefferson Mining Corporation and they were staked in 1908 by W. E. Smith, formerly of Sudbury, Ontario, and now of Smith & Reitz, a law firm of Minneapolis, Minnesota. These claims were staked for iron ore and in 1910 about 4000 feet of diamond-drilling was done on them. During the drilling operations galena and sphalerite ~were found in the iron formation in cores from holes, Nos. 2 and 3, claim W. D. 717, Genoa township. This discovery lead to a search for galena and sphalerite in the vicinity and a streak of rock containing these minerals was found in the iron formation a short distance to the east of. the drill holes. A shaft was sunk on this outcrop in 1912 to a depth of 8 feet and bottomed in an attractive lens of galena. Stripping revealed other small exposures of galena and sphalerite in the iron formation.

Jan 1, 1926

By James Ball

The paper describes a new type of pump and related apparatus specifically designed to dredge sea-floor minerals from very great depths. The principle of operation of the dredging system is explained, and the factors which determine the equipment size and the power required for varying mining rates and depths of water are discussed. An estimate of the capital and operating cost of a commercial-scale mining system is presented.

Jan 1, 1968

By Xiao min Zhou, Yan Xu, Hongzhen Liang, Xiaonan He

"With the increase of shaft excavation depth, the thickness of the shaft lining increases sharply. It is difficult to reduce thickness of lining effectively by improving high-strength concrete performance. The concept of the New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM) is that surrounding rock plays a certain role in tunnel support. The solution should be to find the correct relationship between shaft lining thickness and rock strength, which is related with the interaction between the surrounding rock and concrete lining. The plane strain mechanics model is introduced to calculate lining thickness. Shaft lining design of Cixi Colliery in China is completed with the mechanics-based method proposed in this study. The lining design is verified through numerical simulation and field monitoring. The simulation results show that the maximum mises stress is located at the inner edge of the shaft lining. The increase of lining thickness cannot effectively reduce concrete grade. The monitoring results indicate that a lining design thickness of 900mm with C60 concrete, is safe and reliable in the shaft over 1000metres.This analytical design method can well be referenced in similar deep shaft projects.INTRODUCTION The New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM), thought to have helped revolutionize the modern tunneling method, is the most extensive design philosophy and construction principle in today's tunnel engineering. It began to attract attention in the 1960s based on the work of Ladislaus von Rabcewicz, Leopold Müller, and Franz Pacher in Austria[1]. NATM was originally developed for tunneling in depth and in high situ-stress conditions in the Alps. The history of sequential excavation was reviewed, which highlights the progress of tunnel design and construction in Europe after NATM[2]. Structural conditions were introduced into the equilibrium of tunnels in NATM, and the additional force was estimated to stabilize the excavation of the tunnel[3].From the perspective of applied mechanics, there was no accuracy theory to explain the interaction between the tunnel structure and the surrounding ground. Numerical calculation is an effective means to study the basic mechanism of tunnel excavation[4].Based on two-dimensional modeling approaches in the past, such as NATM and other derivatives, a three-dimensional model was studied to"

Jan 1, 2019

By F. Hassani, K. Moozar, J. Ouellet, P. Gauthier

"This paper describes a sudden spill of waste rock used for backfilling from a waste pass at an underground mine in Canada, thus causing a major failure/accident. The mine operator immediately launched a detailed investigation to understand the causes of this accident and develop procedures to prevent any recurrence of such events in the future. The authors from McGill University were invited to collaborate with the engineers at the mine to examine this accident. The events leading to the accident were studied, appropriate measurements were taken and samples of the waste material were collected for further testing and analysis.The field visit and the interview of the witnesses allowed the detailed documentation of the events. The sequence of events related to the incident, along with the experimental results obtained in the course of the investigation, are presented. The waste material was characterized in the laboratory with regard to its behaviour in the presence of water. This information is discussed and the failure mechanism involved in the accident is identified. Finally, the full recommendations as well as the immediate operational measures implemented by the mine to prevent the future occurrence of such events are presented and discussed."

Jan 1, 2004

By F. Hassani

This Paper describes a sudden spill of rock waste used for backfilling from a waste pass at one of the underground mine in Canada thus causing a major failure/accident. The mine operator immediately launched a detailed investigation to understand the causes of this accident and develop procedures to prevent any recurrence of such events in future. The investigators from McGill University were invited to collaborate with the engineers at the mine to examine this accident. The events leading to the accident were studied and appropriate measurements were taken and samples of the waste material was collected for further test and analysis. The field visit and the interview of the witnesses allowed a detail documentation of the events. The sequences of events related to the incident together with the experimental results obtained in the course of the investigation is detailed. The waste material was characterised in the laboratory with regard to its behaviour in the presence of water. This information is then discussed and the failure mechanism involved in this accident is identified. The full recommendation as well as the immediate operational measures implemented by the mine to prevent future occurrence of such events are discussed and presented.

May 1, 2003