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By D J. Brake

The risk from fire remains one of the most serious of underground mine disaster scenarios. The impacts of mine fires on the underground ventilation system and the production of toxic gases have been difficult to model and therefore assessments have relied largely on empirical data, historical precedent and subjective opinions. Underground fire modelling software has had limited availability and been technically challenging and time consuming to use especially for routine mine investigations. There has also been no well-accepted set of assumptions for fire modelling in mines, which has resulted in a lack of confidence in adopting its use more widely. This paper describes modelling of three critical fire scenarios in underground hard rock mines: a fire (LHD) in an underground diesel refuelling facility, a fire in an underground explosives magazine and a fire on an underground ore transport conveyor. Modelling was undertaken using VentsimÆs VentFIREÖ fire simulation module. It describes the basis of design, the key assumptions, the methodology used and provides examples of the outputs, conclusions and recommendations. It reviews the impacts of these fires on egress and entrapment strategies in the mine. Some general principles regarding improvements to ventilation circuit design based on this analysis are also recommended. Whilst the fire scenarios were based on actual case studies, they have been disguised for this paper.CITATION:Brake, D J, 2013. Fire modelling in underground mines using Ventsim Visual VentFIRE software, in Proceedings The Australian Mine Ventilation Conference , pp 265-276 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 1, 2013

By M. C. Rockwell

There are approximately 1,800,000 t of discarded dolomitic-limestone tailings from the Gays River lead/zinc mining operation in Nova Scotia. Neutralization effectiveness similar to an agricultural grade limestone and low contents of residual metals make the tailings a suitable source' of soil conditioner material for the local market. However, the fine particle size, 98% passing 147µm, and a high moisture content make their handling and application difficult. Agglomeration of the tailings into relatively small hard pellets was investigated and difficul¬ties were overcome. Pellets with a range of pH values and various amounts of soil nutrients and moisture content less than 10% were obtained, from tailings containing 20% initial moisture, through the addition of less than 15% selected materials.

Jan 1, 1985

By G. L. Anderson

The critical importance of wire rope integrity to the mining industry has led to the creation of standards for the retirement of wire rope as well as to the development of electromagnetic devices and procedures that would allow wire ropes to be tested against these standards without destroying them, The U.S. Bureau of Mines (USBM) conducted research to evaluate these devices by measuring loss of metallic cross-sectional area and the number of wire breaks, or local faults. The intent was to define the extent to which the technique can identify degradation within the rope, e.g., broken wires, corrosion, and wear. Experimental results showed that instrument sensitivity depended on a number of factors, including rope diameter, placement of sensors, location and characteristics of flaws, rope speed, and tension on the rope. The experiments also demonstrated the importance of having an elongated recorder trace and a properly trained and experienced operator to interpret overall results. A design of a rope and test procedures for use in laboratory evaluation of instruments have been recommended by the American Society for Testing and Materials Committee E07.07.10, Wire Rope Applications. The USBM is working through this committee to develop standards for an electro-magnetic method of wire rope inspection.

Jan 1, 2010

By R Brake

The Enterprise Mine (EM) is located at Mount Isa and is wholly owned by Mount Isa Mines Limited (MIM). This high-grade copper mine extends from about 1000 m below surface to almost 2000 m below surface. A recent $400 million upgrade has taken the operation from a production rate of 1.3 Mtpa to a capacity of 3.5 Mtpa. The effects of high surface ambient temperatures in summer, combined with the depth of the mine and high virgin rock temperatures results in heat stress in the working place that, without intervention, would exceed the levels that human physiology can withstand. It would also result in significant decreases in productivity and high accident rates even where work is possible. Moreover, with a very hot and deep mine, the needs of æegressÆ and entrapment of workers during a mine emergency must be carefully considered. Enterprise Mine has taken a æsystems approachÆ to the issue of working productively, healthily and safely in heat. This involves setting limits of thermal stress for workers, understanding productivity decrements when working in heat, establishing productive and healthy environmental targets, developing engineering solutions to meet these targets, creating a well-educated workforce with respect to working in heat and then developing health protocols to ensure workersÆ health is protected. Refrigeration must be added to the mine to provide acceptable and productive conditions underground. By the time the mine is commissioned in 2000, Enterprise mine will have an installed refrigeration capacity of in excess of 40 MW(R). The ventilation engineering principles proven over many years at the other Isa underground mines are tailored to æfloodingÆ the mine with air to remove the heat, which is the main contaminant. This principle will not work at the Enterprise Mine, for reasons discussed below. With the underlying ventilation principle no longer satisfactory, a complete review of the entire ventilation principles and engineering solutions was required for the Enterprise Mine.

Jan 1, 2000

By Sydney H. Ball

I. INTRODUCTION. DURING the past 50 years the attention of mining-men has been turned to Africa, and within the past decade prospecting-expeditions sent into Central Africa have resulted in the opening-up of several mines. Having recently spent two years in the Belgian Congo for the Société Internationale Forestiere et Miniere du Congo, it is our purpose to outline briefly the mining-conditions in that part of Central Africa. Before it became, in 1908, a Belgian colony, this region was known as the Congo Free State. II. LOCATION AND AREA. The Belgian Congo lies in southwestern Central Africa, west of the continental divide, is illustrated in Fig. 1. It has a coastline of but 20 miles on the Atlantic, but widens rapidly eastward to points 5° north and 14° south of the equator. Its area is 908,000 sq. miles, which is almost one-quarter that of the United States and Alaska, or more than one and one-half times that of Alaska. Stated in other terms, its area is nearly one-third that of the United States, exclusive of Alaska and the insular possessions, or more than that of all the United States east of the Mississippi river. III. TOPOGRAPHY AND DRAINAGE. From north to south, Africa is made up of three topographic elements: 1, the Atlas mountains, a highly-accentuated region

Apr 1, 1910

By Paul M. Tyler

Masurium and rhenium are two elements known only to a few scientists and known to them for scarcely more than five years . The existence of two members of the manganese family was long suspected , and places were left for them in the orderly table of the periodic systemas developed by Mendeljeeff . The empty spaces left in this table some 60 years ago were for elements numbered 43 and 75 , respectively , and since it was evident these were related to manganese they were sought for in research laboratories under the names of ekamanganese and dvimanganese . This nomenclature is in harmony with that usually employed in describing hypothetical elements , and the prefixes are taken descriptively from ancient Sanskrit wherein the word " eka " means one and " dvi " ( also spelled dui or dwi ) means two . Ekamanganese or element 43 was once removed and dvimanganese or element 75 was twice removed from manganese . It was further possible to predict that these elusive elements would not only be related to manganese but would have a great deal in common with certain other elements . It was reasonable to suppose that element 43 , merely because it stood in numerical sequence between element 42 and element 44 , would likewise prove to be intermediate in many other respects . Since its next neighbors were molybdenum ( No. 42 ) on the one hand and ruthenium (No. 44) on the other , ekamanganese could be given in advance what would correspond among persons to a social and economic rating . Similarly , the properties of dvimanganese were likely to be in simple harmony with those of tungsten and with those of osmium , which latter , like ruthenium , is a member of the platinum group of metals . Another inference , although one which could not be stated with scientific certainty , is that these new elements because they have odd instead of even atomic numbers , would be even more sparingly distributed than their near neighbors , none of which is abundant in nature . This inference has been amply supported by available evidence . These elements eluded discovery until 1925 and never have been found except as minute traces in complex association with relatively rare minerals . In 1930 , for the first time , rhenium became available in quantities which give promise of commercial possibilities , but masurium still stands on the border of the unknown , like some distant star speck photographed and identified by vigilant astronomers but invisible without the aid of the powerful tools of science . The telltale flame of element 43 has been charted by its spectrum lines ; but beyond that , little more can be said except perhaps to repeat the forecasts made for ekamanganese before the Noddacks captured it and gave it a definite name . Certain rare - mineral dealers will furnish molybdenite samples from Norway which are said to contain masurium as well as rhenium , but except for a few highly technical statements as to its behavior in the spectrograph , nothing in the way of concrete information on masurium has come to the notice of the present writer . The literature of rhenium is a little less meager and a brief résumé of the data available in the files of the Bureau of Mines may be of interest not merely because of the novelty of the metal but because its unique properties and increasing availability afford a prospect of its finding employment in industry .

Jul 1, 1931

By Beverly Cramp

In 1995, mining engineer Alain Gachet thought about using Earth-observation satellite imagery to search for precious minerals. The latest radar Earth-observation satellite, Canada’s RADARSAT-1, had just been successfully launched at the time, creating new opportunities for commercial applications. Gachet was working in Congo Brazzaville as an oil executive and general secretary of Elf Congo for the French national oil company Elf Aquitaine. He understood that the RADARSAT-1 launch promised new and cost-effective sources of data for mineral and oil exploration. “It was early 1996 before I ordered my firstRADARSAT-1 satellite images,” said Gachet. “I was first struck by the quantity of information delivered by the radar images. Linear structures and faults were clearly defined and subtle topographic features were tremendously enhanced,” he said. “It was ‘tree top geology,’ but this kind of information appeared to be key for finding new gold seams.”

Jan 1, 2003

By Hugh M. Roberts

DEVELOPMENT at Steep Rock lake has given rise to renewed interest in the geology of the iron ore deposits in the Lake Superior Region and has implications of no small moment bearing upon methods of exploration in the Precambrian Shield generally. Following upon the Regional Lake Superior meeting of the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers in August, 1941, the authors prepared a paper on the Steep Rock deposits, which appeared in the A.I.M.E. publication, Mining Technology, for January, 1943. Between Januar7 and April, 1943, exploration at Steep Rock was continued by means o vertical, Mesabi-type churn-drill holes put down from the ice. This drilling has enlarged the tonnage of ore previously known and has disclosed further facts relating to the origin of the ore. The added evidence, we believe, goes to support the hypothesis that the deposits were formed by a process of replacement due to upward-moving, iron-bearing solutions which came in as igneous after-effects. Accordingly, in presenting the subject to the Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, it seems best not to change our first explanation, but to prefix the original paper with an interpretation of the results of the more recent explorations completed after its publication.

Jan 1, 1943

By T. W. Turk

Iron Mountain Mines, Inc., (IMMI) ore de- posits are located in the southeastern portion of the Klamath Mountains in the West Shasta copper/Zinc Mining District in Shasta County (Figure 1). The original massive sulfide ore deposits totaled 22,895,000 Mt (25 million st). The remaining ore deposits contain 12,875,000 Mt (14,183,000 st) of proven massive sulfides and 2,769,000 Mt (3,050,000 st) of proven gossan deposits. The addition of magnetite deposits and tailings (now marketable) brings the total of proven and probable reserves to 20,433,000 Mt (22,508,000 st). The massive sulfide ore bodies are generating a natural flow of acid mine water which has been slowly leaching minerals out of these deposits. This flow varies in volume, depending on rainfall, and contains variable concentrations of copper, zinc, iron and precious metals. This mine water has been treated for the past 50 years at the mine site to remove copper. The treatment process, utilizing scrap iron precipitation, continues at a production rate of approximately 54,430 Kg (120,000 pounds) of copper precipitate annually.

Jan 1, 1986

By I. Anazia

Selective fatty acid flotation of carbonate gangue from sedimentary apatites was achieved under acidic pH's without a specific apatite depressant and without conditioning the pulp with the collector. Concentrates (35-38% P205, 0.8-1% MgO) with high recoveries (80-85%) were produced from Indian and Chinese dolomitic ores. The calcareous and/or dolomitic-siliceous phosphate ores of South Florida and Utah required two flotation stages: one for carbonate removal, as mentioned above, and the other for phosphate recovery from siliceous gangue. Preliminary tests on the South Florida ore gave concentrates analyzing 29% P205 and 0.8% MgO with a P205 recovery of 76%. Data are also included showing the applicability of the process to the dolomitic-calcareous-siliceous Western U.S. phosphate ore from Utah. A concentrate obtained from this ore assayed 30% P205 and about 1% MaO.

Jan 1, 1987

By Greg J. Hasenfus, Allison M. Haines, Joshua M. Silvis

The floodable volume of longwall gob can be of great importance in developing accurate coal mine operation plans, particularly for mine water management and environmental control strategies. Given the inaccessibility and difficulty in direct measurement of gob characteristics following gob recompression, hydrologic, geomechanical, and spatial data and principles were used to solve for the porosity and height of the residual gob using a mathematical model framework and bulking-based techniques. Based on this approach, gob porosity of Appalachian longwalls appears to be tighter than previously reported, ranging between 4.99 and 14.31%. Residual gob height, as normalized with respect to mine extraction height, ranges between 1.90 and 2.45. A novel, bedding-based bulking approach is ampliative with respect to existing roof caving and bulking fundamentals, as it has greater explanatory value compared with the traditional, lithologic-based bulking application. The efficacy of using the residual gob characteristics determined by the mathematical model and bedding-based bulking is examined using a causal comparative method, whereby time series prediction of historical groundwater rebound is compared with observed mine pool elevation data. Prediction accuracy is significantly improved using a prototype model to calculate void volume of longwall gob, specifically, the dependence of porosity of the gob material upon the longwall width to overburden depth ratio for movement basins of subcritical and critical panel widths. The potential implication of these findings toward hydrologic, geomechanical, and ventilation studies of longwall gob could be significant.

Aug 13, 2021

By D. F. Malan

This paper presents an overview of work conducted over several years to investigate the continuous stope closure profiles recorded in tabular excavations and the use of this data as a hazard indicator. In spite of the brittle nature of the rock, measurements in gold mines and intermediate depth platinum mines revealed a significant time-dependent closure component. Various approaches to simulate the time-dependent closure have been investigated. Viscoelastic theory is able to simulate the time-dependent closure behaviour, but there are subtle problems with the use of this theory as it cannot simulate the failure processes in the rock. To overcome these problems, continuum and discontinuum elasto-viscoplastic models were developed by the authors. Discontinuum models have the advantage of being able to simulate the creep behaviour of prominent discontinuities. Development of these models has led to useful insights into rock mass deformation and has made the numerical simulation of parameters, such as rate of mining, possible for the first time. A number of practical applications for the mining industry have been developed from this study. Among these are the delineation of geotechnical areas using closure data, use of the data as a hazard indicator and to give warning of large collapses in the platinum mines, identification of areas to be preconditioned in the gold mines, measurement of the effectiveness of preconditioning and improved da

Jan 1, 2007

By Link. Theo A.

Introduction Since the discovery of a major oil pool at Leduc, Alberta, on February 13th, 1947, the long spell of 'oil drought' in Western Canada is now being turned into an oil and gas flood which requires immediate action to obtain the optimum economic benefits. The Woodbend, Section 9, and Okalta extensions of the Leduc field itself have been established; the Redwater pool, lying thirty-seven miles northeast of Edmonton, has been discovered and is being drilled up, and the Imperial Schoepp No. 1 or Golden Spike discovery holds promise of something phenomenal in view of the 500 feet of oil-saturated coral-reef porosity whose areal extent is not known. Imperial Stanolind Barrhead No. 1, northwest of Edmonton, revealed the presence of oil in the Madison, and just recently Gulf N.J. Ellis No. 1, some sixty miles southeast of Leduc, found commercial production in the Leduc D-2 discovery zone. In addition to these Paloeozoic discoveries, gas and oil reserves have also been established in the Upper and Lower Cretaceous, which must be penetrated by all tests on the way through the geological column to the Devonian. If ever there appeared to be an index of 'things to come' in the oil industry, this is it. However, without these recent discoveries the picture in Western Canada does and always did, look very promising indeed. A brief survey of the geological setting in Western Canada is the object of this contribution.

Jan 1, 1949

By Kadri Dagdelen

The importance of factoring mining dilution into feasibility stage ore reserve estimates is discussed. An example that relates the issue of mining dilution to the size of smallest volumes that can be mined selectively is given. Relationship between the size of the selective mining units (SMU's) and the variance of their average grade is presented. The concept of variance reduction and its use in factoring mining dilution into geostatistical ore reserve estimation is described. An approach to estimate variance reduction factor by way of conditional simulation is introduced.

Jan 1, 1996

By Wilder Sánchez

Yanacocha —mina donde por primera vez se desarrolló el uso de la tecnología de membranas (ósmosis inversa) para el tratamiento de efluentes mineros— se constituye en el marco de este estudio sobre tecnologías para tratamiento del agua, en el que se muestra la evolución asociada al proceso de separación sólido/líquido de ultrafiltración y tratamiento de cianuro por el proceso de SO2/aire; y se aborda también la importancia de implementar raincoats y de organizar un proceso de cosecha de agua a través de sistemas de almacenamiento, como reservorios y diques, para asegurar una descarga permanente. Adicionalmente, el estudio observa que los volúmenes de tratamiento y los costos asociados a los permisos de descarga se han visto reducidos porque existe un 100% de recirculación del recurso y todas las tecnologías implementadas están alineadas con los actuales Estándares de Calidad Ambiental (ECA).

Aug 31, 2019

By J. F. T. Agapito

Significant economic benefits can result when rock mechanics is applied within a practical framework and integrated within the other engineering functions of the mine organization. This requires management support and understanding of rock mechanics as a practical tool to help attain high standards of safety, productivity and resource recovery. For such an approach, a long-term geotechnical program is needed in most operations to build an adequate data base and to ensure that design and ground control issues are handled in a cost-effective manner. This paper presents a summary of four case studies where significant economic benefits were realized with the help of rock mechanics. Although cost savings were not computed, the economic benefits are obvious and clearly impacted the mine operations favorably.

Jan 1, 1990

By Herbert R. Babitzke

As part of a project to develop refractory metal alloys suitable for high-temperature structural applications, the Bureau of Mines applied solid solution and precipitation-hardening techniques to columbium and tantalum alloys. Thirty-three alloys were evaluated to determine their formability, strength, and oxidation resistance. Three alloys had tensile strengths near 40,000 psi at 1,200° C: Cb-1N-5W-5V-10Hf (No.4), Cb-15Hf-5W-0.5B (No. 31), and Cb-15Hf-SW-IB (No. 32). Oxidation resistance of the high-strength alloys was good. Alloy4 gained only 34 mg/cm2 at 1,200° C, and 21 mg/cm2 at 1,000° C in 2 hours. Hot forming was done without any protection from oxidation.

Jan 1, 1968

By B. R. Arvidson

Rare-earth elements have some unique properties that are used in many common applications, such as TV screens and lighters. In the 1970's, rare-earths began to be used in a new generation of magnetic materials that have very unique characteristics. Not only were these stronger in the sense of attraction force between a magnet and mild steel (high induction, B), the coercivity (He) is extremely high. This property makes the magnetization of the magnet body composed of a rare-earth element alloy very stable, i.e., it cannot easily be demagnetized.

Jan 1, 1998

By S. H. Ash

The United States Bureau of Mines has published relatively little on the flooding and unwatering of coal and metal mines. Bulletin 229, Fifty-Nine Coal-Mine Fires, published in 1927, contains several instances of the flooding of mines or sections thereof to extinguish fires but does not describe their unwatering. Report of Investigations 2649, Explosion Hazards Incidental to Unwatering Coal Mines, published in 1924, warned against the possibility of gas accumulations in flooded mines and indicated the precautions to be taken. Report of Investigations 2255, An Unusual Hazard in Reopening Long-Flooded Timbered Metal Mines, published in 1921, told of methane being pocketed and the danger thereof. The flooding of mines originates in many ways. At some mines flooding followed reopening after what was thought to be permanent abandonment; also, explosions have caused some mines to be flooded. Extinguishing fires, accidental encountering of underground streams or flooded old workings, and caves of strata admitting water from underground workings, water-bearing strata, or surface accumulations have also flooded all or parts of mines. Unfortunately, un watering often necessitates much study and causes apprehension largely because experiences in similar situations are not generally known, as few descriptions of successful or unsuccessful methods are available. The job has sometimes been contracted for outside the local management involved and has become a matter of record for the contractor only. As the cost-plus contract system often employed in the past is now known to be expensive, careful managements elect to handle the problem themselves, in line with the general policy of cutting expense where possible. This report describes specific in-stances of successful unwatering by operators.

Jan 1, 1933

By Ben Habermann

"The object of the work described in this paper was to increase the understanding of the relation that capillary pressure of a rock, hydro-dynamics, and accumulation of oil in stratigraphie traps have to one an-other. The hydrodynamic oil-water tilt equation is derived by considering the two vector gradients involved: (1) buoyancy of oil in water and (2) hydraulic gradient.Recent theories show the necessity for oil to have a continuons phase in the reservoir rock in order to mi-grate; this fact applies to hydro-static as well as to hydrodynamic conditions. Hydrostatically, the displacement pressure of the rock deter-mines the amount of oil that can be trapped behind a permeability barrier. If the buoyancy of oil in water exceeds the displacement pressure, oil will migrate up-dip; an oil trap will be formed where displacement pressure is greater.In stratigraphie traps the pressure drop caused by moving water is positive when its direction is down-dip, helping accumulation; and it is negative when its direction is up-dip, forcing the oil into the tighter section of the reservoir. Theoretically, pro-vided we have data such as: (1) the displacement pressure of an up-dip permeability pinchout, (2) density difference between the oil and water in place, and (3) the direction and magnitude of the hydrodynamic gradient (if any), the possible extent of a stratigraphie oil accumulation down-dip can be predicted.To test the above theory sample cores from three wells in the Denver Basin were analyzed and the oil column that could be held under hydro-static conditions was calculated. After the hydrodynamic influence was considered, the results were compared with actual field data.The significant fact shown by this investigation is that the calculated oil column in one reservoir very closely approximates the actual extent of the oil column in a well. Also in accordance with the theory, the capillary pressure caused by the buoyancy of the oil column exceeded the measured displacement pressure on core samples from another productive field. For very tight shaly sand and questionable oil shows, the interpretation of data is very critical, as shown by experiments on core samples from a third field."

Jan 1, 1960