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By T. W. Healy, M. S. Moignard

The use of electrokinetic or zeta-potential phenomena in studies of the properties of mineral sulphides has increased greatly over recent years. This review aims to examine and discuss the body of literature on the subject of electrokinetic properties of sulphides in a comprehensive and critical manner. Although the review covers the period from 1925 to 1975, it is only in the past ten years that researchers have been fully aware of the implications and problems of chemical reactions, notably oxidation and precipitation reactions, on the surface properties of sulphide minerals. These papers are discussed in more detail than the earlier publications. A table containing a list of determinations of iso-electric- points and points-of-zero-charge of mineral sulphides, and the methods employed in obtaining these results, is presented.

Jan 1, 1976

By W. B. Daly, A. S. Richardson

The application of artificial refrigeration, or air-conditioning, to the ventilation of deep, hot mines has long been a subject of interest to the operators of such properties. Artificial cooling of the air in theaters, railroad coaches, and various industrial plants has been so successful within recent years that it has been natural to assume that the adoption of similar methods would afford a ready solution to the difficult problem of mine ventilation. It should however, be obvious, that although there may be nothing technically impossible in the application of this process to mine ventilation there is a great economic distinction between the maintenance of a high standard of comfort for a large number of people in a relatively small space such as a theater and the cooling of air to improve working conditions for miners scattered throughout the extensive workings of a large mine. Many methods of air-conditioning have been considered by the management of the Anaconda Copper Mining Co. at various times, but until the development of the process to be described in this paper none has seemed economically practicable. The Ventilating Problem at Butte The main obstacle to satisfactory ventilation in the Butte mines is the normally high temperature of the granite country rock. In the present operating zone, rock temperatures as high as 120' F. have been noted, and in some parts of the district the rate of increase of temperature with depth has ranged as high as 3.5" F. per 100 ft. Other factors, such as the decay of mine timber and the oxidation of sulfide minerals in the ore bodies, contribute to raise the temperature of the air in the working places but, particularly in the development of the mines to greater depth, the naturally high temperature of the rock is of predominant importance. In few other places, probably, are the ordinary ventilating measures more hindered than at Butte. At an operating depth now exceeding 3000 ft., all of the air required for ventilation must pass through timbered shafts which, because of heavy ground, are of small size and offer great resistance to the flow of air. Shaft compartments are rarely more than 4.5 X 5 ft., and the shaft area open to the flow of air usually does not exceed 65 sq. ft.; in only two shafts is the area as great as 85 sq. feet.

Jan 1, 1934

By O. Bergmann, R. E. Lueders, R. R. Ellefson, H. M. Brennecke, D. S. Davies

A new hydrometallurgical process has been developed to recover copper from sulfide ores. Copper is leached in a staged reactor system utilizing nitric and sulfuric acids at 105OC. Iron is removed from the pregnant liquor as a jarosite, and cathode copper is electrowon directly from the purified pregnant liquor. The spent electrolyte is recycled. Nitrogen oxides evolved from the leach are reconverted to nitric acid and are also recycled. Sulfur is rejected as So, jarosite, and gypsum. The process is highly versatile and can recover precious metals, molybdenum, and zinc when these elements are present. Continuous, integrated, semi-pilot plant operations using chalcopyrite ores demonstrated 99% copper leaching and production of cathode grade copper. Economic evaluation shows that the process is competitive with pyrometallurgical and other hydrometallurgical processes.

Jan 1, 1982

By Charles Kirchhoff

For twenty years it has been my work to watch and record progress in both the technical and the commercial branches of mining engineering in the wide sense in which it is represented by our Institute. While you who have been actively engaged in our profession have made history, a few of us have attempted to be the historians and have been kept keenly on the qui vive to follow the developments of so broad a field. One so employed may be pardoned if he ask you to pause for the unusual purpose of looking backward, that you may measure what you and others have done, and that the younger men may gather inspiration from the work accomplished by their elders and their predecessors. It is not so long since that the commercial management dominated our industries. Bred in the school of science, which seeks its reward in establishing the truth, our engineers were sometimes indifferent to trade conditions and requirements. Much of that feeling has disappeared, and the engineer recognizes that it is his mission to apply the achievements of science to a useful commercial end. On the other hand, business men now understand that the utilization of our natural resources and the production of articles for consumption is impossible without the intervention of the engineer. They must co-operate, unless, indeed, the two functions are combined in one man —a rare but powerful combination. Now the final measure of success of both is the cost sheet on the one hand and the expansion of markets on the other, so closely interwoven, so mutually interdependent. There is one cardinal feature, however, which characterizes the engineer's work—namely, the permanence of his achievements. Every improvement, particularly when it has been recorded in such lasting form as a paper in the Transactions of our societies—

Jan 1, 1900

By D. R. Mitchell

Accent is on mechanization, more preparation plants - Competition from other fuels remains biggest problem.

Jan 2, 1953

By Christie A. Callender, Harry M. Dahl

The Hobson uranium deposit is located in Karnes County, Texas, along the prominent south Texas uranium trend. The uranium mineralization occurs in the Deweesville Sandstone of the Whitsett Formation of the Eocene Jackson Group. The host rock is a friable, fine-grained, well-sorted, highly porous and permeable sandstone interpreted to be an ancient beach deposit. The sandstone contains significant volcanic constituents and ranges in composition from arkosic to tuffaceous. Locally, the host sandstone contains hard, dense opal cement. Bentonitic shales underlie and overlie the mineralized sandstone unit. Geometrically, the Hobson uranium-bearing zone resembles an elongated roll front type deposit. Chemical uranium values compared with gamma ray equivalent uranium values indicate that the uranium has been dissolved from the updip side and precipitated on the down- dip side of the roll front. Details of the uranium mineralization were studied using thin section microscopy, autoradiography, x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) techniques. The uranium mineralization occurs in the pores of the sandstone, as grain coatings and as replacement of sand-size and smaller grains. It is commonly associated with pyrite and other opaque minerals. Other favored hosts for uranium (other than pore openings) appear to be clay aggregates, altered rock and glass fragments, and carbonaceous plant debris. Aggregates of coffinite were identified by XRD and SEM/EDS analyses. Some uranium mineralization also appears to be dispersed and is postulated to be adsorbed on the clay and carbonaceous matter.

Jan 1, 1985

By John B. Gustavson, Thornton L. Neathery

A geochemical survey was conducted in the gold district in Alabama. Eight old mines were found to be sufficiently large in tenor and tonnage to be economical today. Four of these appeared to be amenable to exploration for new blind deposits. A gaseous aspiration AA method was used on soil samples. The results indicate that arsenic, antimony, and zinc may be good pathfinders for lode gold and residual placers in the saprolite. Antimony and zinc display a high correlation coefficient at gold-bearing locations in contrast to non-mineralized areas. The low cost of this method could make it a tool for selecting detailed targets to be drilled and trenched in the saprolite. Outcrop sampling was found to be inefficient due to paucity of outcrops and lack of correlation between the trace elements and gold in the rock samples, due to extensive weathering. Schistosity changes and silicification, on the other hand, have been found to be helpful in exploration around granite plutons.

Jan 1, 1977

By T. A. Rickard

The use of the verb in this mood is not as common as formerly: at the time, for' example, when the Bible was translated and the plays of Shakespeare were written. Nevertheless it is an essential part of literary English. In editing the `Mining and Scientific Press' I do not insist upon the use of the subjunctive in articles that are contributed from the outside, but it is deemed proper in all our editorial writing. To speak plainly, the subjunctive is I a mark of scholarship; it is ignored by those that are not particular in such matters, and unfortunately it is a source of perplexity to many that are entirely unfamiliar with the use of it. Therefore, as an editor, I think it well to allow the indicative mood to be used by contributors in sentences in which, to be strictly correct, the verbs .should be in the subjunctive mood. The fact that most subjunctives are indistinguishable in form from indicatives is another cause of trouble to the uninitiated.* For example, the verbs in such phrases as "Suffice it to say ", "So help me God ", and "God save the King" Fare in the subjunctive. One reason why the subjunctive is becoming uncommon is the growing habit of expressing the subjunctive meaning by aid of auxiliary verbs that are coupled with the infinitive; thus: "It will suffice' to say" and "May God save the King". The subjunctive is common in subordinate clauses, and that is how it obtained its name, `subjunctive', meaning * The student is referred to `A New English Grammar', by E. A. Sonnenschein, published by the Clarendon Press, Oxford. This textbook (see pp. 60-71 in Part III) discusses the subject luminously.

Jan 1, 1931

By William H. Mount

St. Joe Minerals Corp. has a long operating history of utilizing rubber-tired, trackless mining equipment in its Southeast Missouri Lead Belt underground mines. The company's first completely trackless mine, Hayden Creek, was opened in 1952, employing rubber-tired drill jumbos, electric shuttle cars, and articulated diesel trucks. The trucks were comprised of a conventional scraper tractor unit matched with a rear-dump rock wagon. These machines featured the first true earthmover tires to be used underground by St. Joe. The articulated truck concept proved to be very successful, and constitutes an increasing portion of the underground haulage today. St. Joe's second completely trackless mine, the Indian Creek property, was opened in 1954; conventional 9.1-t (10-st) rear dumps were used for haulage. Main haul roads were designed to be wide and fairly level to accommodate speeds of 32-40 km/h (20-25 mph).

Jan 4, 1976

By B. W. Frazer

In the numbers of the Engineering and Mining Journal of June 27th and July llth, 1874, there appeared some very complete statistics of the working of some anthracite blast-furnaces belonging to a large establishment in this country, followed by calculations of the heat requirements of the furnaces, similar to those which have been made for European furnaces by Mr. I. Lowthian Bell, Prof. Gruner, Prof. Akerman and others. To the author of these valuable papers, Mr. John A. Church, of New York, the thanks of American iron metallurgists are due for this attempt (the first, to my knowledge at least), to attack systematically and scientifically the problem of economy of fuel in our anthracite blast-furnaces, by applying the formulas obtained from European practice and from the experiments of European metallurgists, to the determination of the amounts and the modes of distribution of the heat production and absorption in our furnaces. In order to facilitate a comparison of the results thus obtained for the anthracite furnaces in question with those obtained for the best types of European coke furnaces, I have reduced 60 the same standad of heat units (the product of the ton and the degree Centigrade), and placed side by side, the calculations of the heat requirements of one of the furnaces of the Clarence works, as given by Mr. Bell, of a furnace at Pouzin, on the banks of the Rhone, given by Prof. Gruner, and of the anthracite furnaces for 1869-73, as given by Mr. Church. Table I shows the different conditions of working of the three furnaces, of which Table II gives the respective heat requirements. I have made this latter table in such a manner as to give for each furnace its heat requirements, both according to the views of Mr. Bell and those of Prof. Gruner. Mr. Bell assumes that all the carbonic acid produced by the decomposition of the carbonate of lime of the charge, is reduced to carbonic oxide by contact with solid carbon ; also, that the carbon of t,he pig iron is a portion of that deposited in the ore in the upper part of the furnace, by the dissociation of carbonic oxide. Prof. Gruner, on the other hand, assumes that all the carbonic acid of the carbonates of the charge escapes unreduced, and that the carbon deposited in the upper part. of the furnace, by the dissociation of carbonic oxide, is again converted into carbonic oxide or

By J. F. McLaughlin

The installation of the Chance flotation system for the preparation of anthracite demonstrated the need for some means by which the specific gravity of the fluid mass in the separating cone could be determined with a fair degree of accuracy. The means used (with the original cones) was a set of wooden balls attached to ropes or chains, each with a different specific gravity. In the Northern Anthracite field, where the cones are generally operated with the specific gravity at 1.65, these gravity balls are provided with a range of 1.6, 1.65, 1.7 and 1.75. The operator of the cone from time to time would place one or more of these balls in the cone and estimate its specific gravity by the action of the balls. The margin of error with this system was very great, because there was the possibility that the test ball might be held in suspension and carried around by material floating beneath the surface of the cone in what is known as "island " formation—a formation resulting from a low sand line in the separating cone. The inaccuracy of this system of determination of specific gravity was indicated also by periodic tests of the final refuse bank, which showed excessive losses of coal to the refuse. Further evidence of the unsatisfactory operation of the cone was the uneven appearance of the market product, which caused spasmodic condemnation. Maintenance of Even Preparation With the critical market condition of today, it is essential that the preparation units operate consistently to maintain an even preparation. If a plant wishes to maintain a 1.65 specific gravity preparation, which means that all material of a specific gravity greater than 1.65 is classed as "reject," if the specific gravity of the fluid mass runs to 1.70, the market product will not be satisfactory; or if the specific gravity of the fluid mass is 1.60, the market product will be entirely satisfactory but the losses at the slate ends will be excessive. The desired specific gravity of the fluid mass in the Chance cone is maintained by agitating the sand within the separating cone by means

Jan 1, 1931

By George A. Moore

A recent survey of existing analytical results, and an attempt to correlate them with each other and with the known history and behavior of the samples, indicated that none of the commonly applied methods could be considered established as intrinsically reliable. It was. therefore, desired to attempt to establish the reliahility of some one method by external evidence. If this were to be accomplished, other methods could then be evaluated in terms of the method establibhed. The correct method was accordingly to be chosen without regard for cost, speed, or convenience; with the requirements for routine application to be reserved for 1ater consideration. The method of total combustion was chosen and submitted to a limited number of tests against primary standard samples. Considerable experimental difficulty was encountered, indicating that additional work on the experimental arrangements is desirable. While the work to (late by no means represents a completed investigation, it is helieved that the combustion method is basically sound and that its development should be continued. Choice of Method Of the several available methods, mechanical disintegration. electrochemical methods'2'3 modifications of the Sieverts experiment,% and vacuum fusion, were all judged to contain one or more factors of un- certainty not at present completely cvaluated or suhject to complete control. These methods, therefore, were considered currently unsuitable for referee purposes. Solid evolution was considered to be of doubtful significance when conducted in the alpha range. A reasonable chance for a true analysis was found for evolution in the gamma range. Preliminary tests have indicated a very slow rate for evolutioll from gamma iron. indicating a running time of possibly 100 hr. for a one-centimeter sample. Difliculty in distinguishing such slow. evolution from blank gas was anticipated, hence the method was not consitlerctl the most suitable for the present purpose. The combustion method was evaluated as being most sound on fundamental principles. The only important unknown would be to determine that the iron oxide formed did not occlude water at the tcmperaturv of the combustion.with the odvious precautions of using a sound and clean specimen, providing a system sufficiently tight to give acceptable blanks in longtime runs, and providing a suficicntly sensitive measuring system, reasonable, precise, and truthful analytical results could be logically expected. Apparatus The equipment as originally operated is shown in Fig. I, and the glassw-are in its latest modification in Fig. 2. The sulphuric acid drier and small safety tube in the upper right of Fig. I were replaced by a KOH drier and combined manometer safety tube, to permit operation at reduced

Jan 1, 1945

By John Jermain Porter

THe value of any particular ore, coke, or limestone, for iron-making, depends upon its effect, first, upon the quality or value of the resultant product; and second, upon the cost of smelting. The factors under the first head are the percentages of phosphorus, manganese, and other elements, which remain in the pig-iron ; while those under the second head are the percentages of iron, carbon, or lime, the slag-forming constituents, which must be fluxed, and any other ingredients which give rise to variations in cost of fuel and flux. The first of these criteria of value is perhaps not capable of being reduced to a general formula embracing all cases, since it must vary to a great extent with market-fluctuations. For example, Bessemer pig is worth sometimes more and sometimes less than foundry-pig; and the premium paid for high manganese varies within wide limits. The second, or smelt-ing-value, however, can be expressed numerically with a fair degree of accuracy; and it is with this phase of valuation that the present paper is concerned. The utility of a means of comparing numerically the relative smeltiug-values of difierent ores, cokes, and limestones, is self-evident, although it may not have importance in Northern practice, where materials are largely standardized. On the other hand, there are, especially in the South, many furnace-managers who must use a great variety of materials of widely varying grade; and it is with special reference to this district, and in connection with the efficiency-methods which I have elsewhere proposed,' that the methods herein described were devised.

Jan 1, 1913

By Frederick Prime

At the last meeting of the Institute, Mr. A. L. Holley read a paper on "Steel," in which he proposes for it a definition so opposed to the one generally received, as to call for some remarks. Until within the last five or six years there has been no dispute on the subject, and it seems worth while to investigate the matter. For not only does a proper tax on all importations depend on a proper appreciation of the term steel, but it is necessary to know whether steel, or wroughtiron, or homogeneous iron are requisite in all processes of manufacture in which malleable iron is employed, on accouut of cost, strength, etc. Karsten* says: "Iron may be obtained, either as an unforgeable, unweldable metal, which melts at a high heat, termed cast-iron ; or as a ductile, weldable, soft, metal, which can only be melted at the

PURPOSE OF UPDATED ESTIMATE FOR MINERAL INVENTORY BLOCKS During the production stage of an open pit porphyry copper mine it was observed that the expected production grade, as determined from the block inventory estimates, often differed greatly from the head grade of ore delivered to the mill. It was determined that, for purposes of production scheduling and monthly forecasting, better in situ grade estimates for mining blocks were necessary. Because all of the bench blastholes were being sampled, and periodic holes were being drilled into the next underlying bench, much more sample data existed than was being used for estimating the grade of nearby mining blocks. It was reasoned that, by periodically updating the mineral inventory block file over the benches scheduled for mining in the next time period using all existing data, better estimates and forecasts for production grade could be made. BLASTHOLE SAMPLE DATA MANAGEMENT The collars of all blastholes in each mined bench were surveyed and assays run on the cuttings representing the full 12-m (40-ft) bench height. The blastholes range from about 5 to 6 m (16 to 19 ft) apart along the front of the bench as well as perpendicular to the front. Overbreakage often left larger spacings between successive blasts. Fig. 17-1 is a plan map of blastholes on a typical mine bench. All blasthole data were keypunched to a format resembling that of the 12-m (40-ft) composite assay data file as follows: [Collar Coordinates Compite Assoy Hole ID Northing East Elewotion Total Copper Oxide Copper] Because of the many blasthole samples available, and in order not to use excessive computer time for running kriged estimates for 30.5 X 30.5 X 12-m (100 X 100 X 40 ft) blocks adjacent to and beneath the mined area, the decision was made to average all the blastholes falling with each 15.2 X 15.2-m (50 X 50-ft) mined block, and use the mean value of the samples as a regionalized variable for purposes of assigning kriged estimates and estimation variance to adjacent unmined blocks. In other words, instead of using individual blasthole samples for making kriged estimates, the holes were grouped by blocks and assay values were averaged and assigned to the centroid of the holes within the block, which was then treated as a single regional variable for purposes of kriging. See Fig. 17-2. VARIOGRAM COMPUTATIONS AND KRlGlNG RESULTS With the many blasthole samples it was possible to compute directional and vertical experimental variograms for both sulfide and nonsulfide copper assays falling within the enriched mineral zone for the full 12-m (40-ft) sample support. Due to the close spaced drilling, excellent definition of the experimental variograms was possible, and the spherical model exhibited good fits. A three-dimensional kriging program was then run over the two or three mine benches involved in the inventory update, and estimated grades reassigned to all mining blocks falling within the range of the new blasthole assay data according to the anisotropisms of the deposit. Better confidence limits could then be assigned to scheduled mining blocks and better short- range forecasts made. An interactive kriging computer program was also applied for the purpose of determining the kriging variance or estimation of error for larger, irregular mining blocks representing the monthly production from a particular bench. The interactive program permitted the operator to enter the limits of the irregular block onto the screen of a cathode ray tube (CRT) as a series of points around the perimeter of individual gridded blocks making up the larger irregular block. The computer then was programmed to calculate the kriging variance of the larger block using all samples fall- ing within range. Thus the limits of estimated grade could be established at any confidence level. Fig. 17-3 illustrates the output from the interactive kriging program showing the sample points entering into the grade and kriging variance computations, and also the kriging coefficient assigned by the computer to each sample.

Jan 1, 1980

By Ole Singstad

The legislatures of New York and New Jersey, determined in 1919 that a vehicular tunnel should be built under the Hudson River. On July 1, 1919, an engineering staff was organized with the late Clifford M. Holland as chief engineer. After preliminary investigation it was decided to build the tunnel from Canal St., New York, to 12th St., Jersey City, which is the center of the heaviest traffic across the Hudson River. It was also decided to build two tunnels—one for west-bound traffic and one for east-bound—the tunnels to be of cast iron, built up of segments and bolted together, each tunnel to have a roadway 20 ft. wide and a clear head room of 13 ft. 6 in. The tunnels have an exterior diameter of 29 ft. 6 in. The interior lining is of concrete, the sidewalls, tiled with a vitreous white tile, and the roadways are paved with granite block. The entrances and exits at both ends are separated by two blocks so as to reduce traffic congestion. Basis of Ventilation It was recognized very early that one of the most important problems confronting the engineers was a proper ventilation system. It was estimated that each tunnel as planned would have a traffic capacity of 1900 vehicles per hr. The tunnels are 8500 ft. long between portals, and it was considered that the ventilation should be based on all of these vehicles being operated by gasoline engines. That presented a problem in ventilation unlike any other either in magnitude or character. There have been vehicular tunnels built in Europe, principally in London, but they are shorter and have a smaller traffic capacity. Up to the present time, at least, they have handled a very large percentage of horsedrawn vehicles so that the necessary ventilation has been provided for by the natural draft through the portals and open shafts. Within the last few years, however, a small mechanical ventilating plant has been installed in the Blackwall Tunnel, which has been in operation about 27 years. I might mention that at the time this work was started, it was considered by many that the problem of ventilation was insuperable and it

Jan 1, 1927

By Blamey Stevens

The following paper aims to make a full explanation of the phenomena of rock jointing. It may be unnecessary to give any general description of what are termed joints in rocks, but Professor Geikie's clear and faithful generalizations are so illuminating that no excuse need be given for introducing the following and other quotations into this paper : " Almost all rocks are traversed by vertical or highly inclined divisional planes termed joints. These have been regarded as due in some way to contraction during consolidation (fissures of retreat) ; and this is no doubt their origin in innumerable cases. But, on the other hand, their frequent regularity and persistence across materials of very varying texture suggest rather the effects of internal pressure and movement within the crust." 1 General Explanation.—In this paper I show that the phenomenon of jointing may to a large extent be accounted for by the pressure of the water contained in the pores of the rock. To understand this, each constituent grain of the porous material may be considered to be separately compressed by the water which submerges it. As all the grains are held together by cohesion, the whole mass is contracted by this pressure. In an indefinitely extended mass, however, there must be a limit to the possible contraction without rupture, because the material is restrained from moving freely by other material around its boundariee. The mass of rock thus becomes broken up. This phenomenon is known as " shrinkage" jointing. The term " shrinkage " is an apt one, if it be understood that the shrinkage of the rock is often brought about by change of stress. Stresses.—The compressive component of water stress on the individual grains is evidently the same as that of the water with which it is in contact. This is so, both before and after the jointing is formed. Before the jointing is formed there is, however, a tensile stress in one or more directions which keeps the material from contracting. At the moment of the formation of joints this stress is equal to the cohesive compressive stress. This is more commonly known to engineers as the tensile breaking stress.

Jan 1, 1914

By S. Frederick Ravitz

IN recent years, two theories of the mechanism of flotation have received a great amount of attention. One of these is Ostwald's theory of linear flotation,1 according to which most collectors contain three active groups: a hydrophilic or water-loving, a metallophilic or mineral-loving, and an aerophilic or air-loving group. Under the action of these three groups, Ostwald considers a single ring of collector molecules at the three-phase air-liquid-mineral boundary sufficient to bring about the flotation of the mineral particle. Siedler, Moeller and Reddehase2 objected to this theory immediately after it was presented, but most of their objections were answered by Ostwald.3 Very recently, however, Wark and Cox4 have more adequately criticized this theory, and their criticism makes its validity appear doubtful. The other important recent theory is the "chemical" theory of flotation, proposed by Taggart and his coworkers,5 who maintain that "all dissolved flotation reagents, which, in flotation pulps, either by action on the to-be-floated or on thenot-to-be-floated particles affect their floatability, function by reason of chemical reactions of well recognized types between the reagent and the particle affected." In general, they appear to consider most flotation results to be brought about by purely chemical reactions between the collectors and the products of oxidation present

Jan 1, 1933

By Edward L. Fidler, Thomas E. Finch

Thin seam coal mining in the western US nominally equates to recovery of stray seams associated with thicker, major seams. The thin or stray seams encountered are generally recovered, but not in all cases. The alternative to extraction is, of course, spoiling. The majority of thin seams are encountered somewhere in the overburden above the major seam or in the parting between thick seams. Although some are true strays and appear anywhere in the geologic sequence, others might be classified as thin "rider" seams immediately above or below a thick seam and separated by some equally thin parting. For the purpose of this discussion, stray or thin seams are defined as those which are less than 1.2 m thick or represent less than 10% of the expected extractable coal. [Figure 1] is a graphic representation of typical thin, stray, or rider seams which actually appear in a western operation. Operationally, stray seams create irritating scheduling problems and require special handling techniques which do not always lead to efficient equipment utilization. Additionally, coal recovery from a thin seam is considerably less than the 95% usually recovered from thick seams. Higher recovery in thin seams leads to dilution problems, which depreciates Btu quality, and most western coals are not in a position to lose heating value. Thin western seams also undulate and pinch or swell more than thick seams, and this leads to more difficult recovery. Often they are associated with equally dark carbonaceous shales and visual selectivity is difficult at best during daylight hours. Resource Recovery Regulations Thin seam recovery in western mines is encouraged by both federal and state regulations and by the mining industry's concern for total resource recovery. [Table 1] lists the western coal states and their recovery regulations. The federal regulations are found in the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977. They state, "General performance standards shall . . . require the operation as a minimum to … conduct the surface coal mining operations so as to maximize the utilization and conservation of the solid fuel resource being recovered." Economic stimulation for thin seam recovery appears to be marginal or at the least controversial. Scheduling and operational problems often outweigh the nebulous profits created by engineering analysis. The only alternative to extracting thin seams occurring above major production seams is to strip directly through them and lose the resource to the spoil pile. Although this is not palatable to environmental emotions or resource promoters, it is the most simple expedient to operations people.

Jan 1, 1981

By Hugh Archbald

IT is possible to construct a simple diagram of the earnings, or the production, of the men employed at a coal mine that will show not only if the conditions tend toward contentment among the men, but if the operating distribution of the work is correct. As earnings are the greatest cause of discontent, even exceeding all the other causes, if contentment exists in the matter of earnings, the likelihood of other discontents flaring up is greatly lessened. The basis of such a diagram would be the Gaussian curve of the normal variation in human ability. Such a curve has long been recog-nized. H. L. Moore,1 in discussing the quantitative relation between wages and ability says: "It has been pointed out that industrial efficiency is dependent upon physical, mental, and moral qualities, and these qualities . . . there is good reason for regarding as being distributed according to the Gaussian law..

Jan 7, 1924