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A pilot plant has been constructed for the low temperature carboni-zation of Wallarah (N,S,W6) coal at the rate of 300 pounds per hour. The plant was built and tested at Australian Mineral Development Laboratories for Broken Hill Pty, Ltd. Char product was required within the specifi-cation 15.5 `S' 1 per cent volatile matter. The design was based c atz an entrained state carbonizer developed by Parry and U.S. Bureau of Mines co-workers at Denver, U.S.A. The method involved the carbonizatioan of fine coal by entrainment with air in an externally heated reactor.. The heat required for carbonization of tits coal was supplied to the be, both through the reactor walls and also by internal cambustion of products .

Jan 1, 1963

By R. H. McLean

Velocity, kinetic energy and shear in crossflow beneath three-cone jet bits may influence cleaning of the bottom of the borehole and the teeth of the bit. Laboratory investigation shows that each of these parameters is a function of the diameter of the borehole and the product of the volume rate of flow and velocity through the nozzles (QVn). Increasing QV, or decreasing the diameter of the borehole increases each parameter. These functions provide means of predicting the magnitude of each parameter and of scaling the cleaning forces. INTRODUCTION In drilling operations using conventional jet-type rock bits, the impinging jels create an important flow mechanism. Called crossflow, this flow mechanism originates in the impact area of the jets, spreads across the bottom of the hole and supplies the principal source of energy to clean the teeth of the bit and most of the bottom.' Besides providing the means of cleaning cuttings from the bit and the hole bottom, crossflow may also have other, less direct, effects on the rate of penetration. The shear stress generated on the bottom by crossflow will inIluence the thickness and permeability of any filter cake of mud solids or crushed material which forms on the bottom.' These factors may affect the rate of penetration. A previous pulblication introduced some fundamental concepts of crossflow.' Crossllow was shown to occur in a thin layer adjacent to the bottom, and to cover the bottom completely. The maximum velocity in the crossflow above any position on the bottom was found to be directly proporlional to the square root of the product of the volume rate of flow and velocity through the nozzles—the jct QV,,—and inversely proportional to the diameter of the borehole. This information indicated that the effectiveness of crossllow in scavenging the bottom can be improved by maximizing the jet QV. The investigation reported herein amplifies the definition of crossflow. Complete velocity profile data above a representative position on the bottom are analyzed. These data better illustrate control of the capacity of crossflow to scavenge the bottom, and also relate shear stress on the bottom to known, controllable parameters. The conclusion reached in the previous publication that maximization of the jet QV. produces the maximunl cleaning beneath current jet bits is unchanged by these new data; rather, it is strcngthened. Data presented here show that the kinetic energy flux above a representative position on the bottom is maximized by maximizing the jet QV. The shear stress on the bottom will also be shown to be maximized in the same manner. Since the functions relating the jet QV. to velocity, shear stress and kinetic energy also involve the diameter of the borehole, means of equating, or scaling, these quantities in different sizes of boreholes will be illustrated. EXPERIMENTAL EQUIPMENT AND TECHNIQUE JET BIT MODEL Data were recorded from the same laboratory model as used in the aforementioned investigation of the flow around a jet bit.' The model consisted of a 43/4-in. three-cone, jet-type rock bit in a smooth, flat-bottomed borehole constructed of lucite. The bit had a shape and nozzle placement closely resembling larger three-cone jet bits commonly used in field operations. Fig. 1 illustrates the impact area on the bottom of a jet from this bit. Details of the orientation of the jets may be found in the previous publication. TECHNIOU'E OF MEASUREMENT Measurements of the crossflow were made by inserting a very small Pitot tube through the bottom of the simulatetl boreholc. Extreme thinness of the layer of crossflow necessitated accurate measurements of the height of the Pitot tube above the bottom to achieve close definition of the velocity profile. A cathetometer, which could be read to the nearest 0.005 cm, was used to make this measurement.

Jan 1, 1966

By C. G. Brehm

The anthracite-producing region is in the northeastern section of Pennsylvania, and has an area of approximately 484 square miles. It is divided geographically into three separate fields, known as the Northern, Middle and Southern. The Northern field, with Wilkes-Barre approximately at its center, is a basin about 60 miles long and almost 6 miles wide at its greatest distance across. Generally speaking, it may be said that the coal measures in this field lie horizontally, or on slight pitches, and consist of from 11 to 19 veins of coal, varying in thickness from several inches to several feet. The intervening strata between veins may be composed of slate, clay, rock or shale, or a combination of several, and are sometimes very thin. This condition often causes a treacherous roof, therefore roof support and the attending hazard of mining are problems of concern. The Middle field is made up of a number of small basins of not very great depth, and the measures, which are in like number to those of the Northern field, are varying inclinations running from nearly flat to steep pitches. The Lower, or Southern field, is made up of basins of great depth, some being 4000 ft. deep, and its measures are mostly on very steep pitches. In certain sections this Southern field is being mined at an elevation of 1300 ft. below sea level, on a pitch ranging from 50' to practically vertical, and because of the tremendous pressure and the inherent gas in the seams, outbursts of coal frequently occur at the face, locally known as "bumps." These outbursts are accompanied by a rumbling noise, after which gas is usually found. This condition makes mining a difficult and extremely hazardous undertaking, and unusual skill is required on the part of the miner to drive and maintain openings necessary to the production of coal. Miners working in such seams on the heavy pitch must carry face batteries (Fig. 1) to afford proper protection while working at the face, because of the outbursts and free running coal. To drive haulageways or gangways in this field it is

Jan 1, 1940

By C. G. Brehm

The anthracite-producing region is in the northeastern section of Pennsylvania, and has an area of approximately 484 square miles. It is divided geographically into three separate fields, known as the Northern, Middle and Southern. The Northern field, with Wilkes-Barre approximately at its center, is a basin about 60 miles long and almost 6 miles wide at its greatest distance across. Generally speaking, it may be said that the coal measures in this field lie horizontally, or on slight pitches, and consist of from 11 to 19 veins of coal, varying in thickness from several inches to several feet. The intervening strata between veins may be composed of slate, clay, rock or shale, or a combination of several, and are sometimes very thin. This condition often causes a treacherous roof, therefore roof support and the attending hazard of mining are problems of concern. The Middle field is made up of a number of small basins of not very great depth, and the measures, which are in like number to those of the Northern field, are varying inclinations running from nearly flat to steep pitches. The Lower, or Southern field, is made up of basins of great depth, some being 4000 ft. deep, and its measures are mostly on very steep pitches. In certain sections this Southern field is being mined at an elevation of 1300 ft. below sea level, on a pitch ranging from 50' to practically vertical, and because of the tremendous pressure and the inherent gas in the seams, outbursts of coal frequently occur at the face, locally known as "bumps." These outbursts are accompanied by a rumbling noise, after which gas is usually found. This condition makes mining a difficult and extremely hazardous undertaking, and unusual skill is required on the part of the miner to drive and maintain openings necessary to the production of coal. Miners working in such seams on the heavy pitch must carry face batteries (Fig. 1) to afford proper protection while working at the face, because of the outbursts and free running coal. To drive haulageways or gangways in this field it is

Jan 1, 1940

By Joseph Carlston

With environmental regulations continuing to restrict the discharge of phosphorus from wastewater treatment facilities, traditional methods of phosphorus removal are proving inadequate. To achieve the phosphorus control necessary, a new coagulant used for phosphorus removal, cerium chloride, has been studied in several municipal and industrial wastewater treatment facilities that must meet a phosphorus discharge limit of 0.5 mg/L or lower. These studies demonstrated the high phosphorus removal capabilities of cerium chloride, with the results illustrating the ability for cerium chloride to reduce phosphorus to low concentrations in the effluent using a lower volume of product as compared to traditional coagulants, such as ferric chloride. This reduction is due to the unique ability of cerium chloride to remove phosphorus as cerium phosphate, whereas iron- and aluminum-based coagulants rely on adsorption and co-precipitation.

Jan 1, 2014

By Hongbo Yang, Tongbo Zhang, Ting Huang, Jingshe Li, Fangfang Song

"Liquid core length is a very important parameter of the process of continuous casting, which directly reflects the cooling status in secondary cooling zone and solidification rate of the slab. In this paper, the billet caster in some steel plant in China was chosen as the prototype of simulating. A numerical simulating model for calculating the liquid core length of continuous casting billet was built by ProCAST software, which was verified reasonable and accurate by pin-shooting technique. Based on the model, the relationships between casting speed, casting temperature and liquid core length of casting billet were found, which was very practically useful for the workers on sit to improve casting billet quality. IntroductionContinuous casting process developed very rapidly because of the high metal yield, energy saving, and low-cost 111• And the quality requirements of continuous casting billet for customers became higher and higher with the fast development of economic121• Internal defect usually is the major quality problem for continuous casting billet[3•61 , which is influenced by the solidification process of casting billet, especially the solidification process of liquid core17•81 • So it is very important to study on the relationship between casting parameters and the liquid core length which means the distance between the crystallizer meniscus and the casting billet solidification end-point. In practical production process, the workers usually control the quality of casting billet according to the liquid core length."

Jan 1, 2013

By N Fullelove

The Renison Bell Tin Mine on the West Coast of Tasmania has recently installed a new underground ore handling system incorporating underground crushing, conveying and hoisting facilities. Contracts for the sinking of the shaft and the development of the mine were let and managed by the operator, Renison Limited. Hardcastle & Richards was responsible for the design, procurement and construction management of the fixed plant and equipment including civil, structural, mechanical, electrical and instrumentation services. The system demonstrates worldÆs best practice in design and incorporates a state-of-the-art integrated control system allowing the entire system to be controlled by a single operator located in the underground crusher chamber. A rapid construction period was achieved, despite the difficult and constrained underground environment, without affecting the ongoing operations of the mine. The mine, which was established in the mid-1960s, had previously operated by trucking ore to the surface via a decline. Truck haulage distances and costs had increased as the mine became deeper over the years. By the 1990s it had become apparent that, in order to remain economically viable, it was necessary to reduce truck haulage distances and allow the mine to go still deeper to access orebodies such as Rendeep beneath the current workings. The Internal Shaft System achieved this by eliminating approximately 5 km of truck haulage. It allows the production rate to be increased to up to 1 Mtpa compared with a limit of 628 kt per annum by direct truck haulage to surface. The access it provides to the Rendeep ore and other deep orebodies greatly increases the amount of ore which can be economically mined.

Jan 1, 1998

By Saeed Karimifard, Saman Nouranian, Shahram Tafazoli, Bahram Sameti, Frank Chu, Caitlin McKinnon, Tetiana Konstantynivska, Glen Turner

Continuing blast optimization is the cornerstone of any mine-to-mill approach, and particle size analysis is a key metric for meeting blast targets to reduce overall energy consumption and operating costs. To ensure the statistical validity of particle size data, it is important to sample material frequently. In most mines and quarries, the blasted material is loaded onto haul trucks and then transferred to the crusher; measuring the particle size of each haul truck load therefore provides an adequate sampling rate. We propose a particle size analysis solution for haul trucks that does not impact current operational workflows. Using artificial intelligence (AI) and 3D imaging technology, our solution reliably localizes and identifies haul trucks as they drive by, then accurately calculates the particle size distribution of the visible material in each truck load. In this paper, we identify the challenges of designing and implementing the proposed solution and explain the strategies we employ to overcome these. We also discuss a method for boulder detection that leverages the existing deep learning architecture to significantly reduce crusher downtime caused by oversized rocks. Finally, we present field data from a trial installation. To evaluate each change made to the blast design, it is necessary to measure the effect on particle size. An accurate particle size analysis solution is therefore the first step towards optimizing blasting practices and reducing energy consumption throughout the comminution circuit.

The Mammoth Copper Deposit consists of three distinct orebodies adjacent to the Mammoth Fault. This fault is arcuate, changing from a normal tension fault to a shear strike fault just to the north of the mine. Movement on the fault was probably contemporaneous with deposit- ion of the adjacent sediments. In the upper levels the No. 1 orebody occurs within a brecciated zone in the footwall of the fault, but at depth the No. 2 and 3 orebodies are stratabound by two brecciated lithologic horiz- ons. The host rocks are impure sandstones, arkoces and quartzites, which in the mine area are near the top of the Lower Proterozoic Myally Beds. Overlying these beds is a conglom- erate siltstone sequence which has been assumed to be the base of the Gunpowder Creek Formation. North and south of the mine the conglomerate rests on an erosional unconformity representing a major time break, but in the mine the uncon- formity and conditions of deposition of the conglomerate are obscure. Some mineralization is contained within the conglomerates. The sulphides present are chalcocite, bornite, chalcopyrite and pyrite. Chalcocite is dominant in the upper levels but could be en- riched by supergene processes. At depth, bornite becomes the dominant copper sulphide with lesser amounts of chalcopyrite, pyrite and primary chalcocite. Throughout the orebody minor digenite and covellite occur and arsenic is a minor constituent bound up with the pyrite. The bulk of the sulphides occur in stringers, fractures and breccia interstices but finer grained primary bedded sulphides can be observed. The genesis is probably a complex process in- volving active tectonic movements extending from deposition to post lithification giving numerous phases of brecciation and redistribut- Ion.

Jan 1, 1974

In taking the chair at this meeting of the Australasian Institute of Mining Engineers, I feel it my duty to thank you for the honour you have conferred upon me by electing me President for the current year, especially as Bwken Hill is the birth place of the Institute and myself one of its foundation members. I will now endeavour to entertain you for a short time with a few reminiscences of Broken Hill from its inception. Beyond the fact that the mines on the Broken Hill lode have paid to their shareholders in dividends and bonuses no less a sum than £896,500, created and maintained a city of 25,000 inhabitants. supplied a large proportion of the revenue on the railways of a sister state, and made their influence felt throughout the 'commercial centres of the world, very little, I regret to say, is known by the general public as to the form, extent, or vastness of the ore bodies, or the mode of occurrence of the various classes of ore which have been found to exist in them. It has occurred to me that a short paper by the senior mining manager on the line of lode might prove interesting. There has been great difficulty in getting some of the figures relating to the field, the total output of metals from the Broken Hill mines not being obtainable from the Mining Department in Sydney j but an inscription on the foundation stone of the Technical College recently opened in this City, sets forth that the Broken Hill Mines started in 1880...

Jan 1, 1903

By Dale Ramsey

During Phase IV of our Landfill Mine Stabilization project at a coal burning power generating station, it was determined that a coal barrier pillar separating two abandoned areas of the deep mine had to be breached prior to expansion of the ash disposal area. The proposed plan by the landfill design engineers involved using a high pressure jet cutting tool to cut a slot to allow water flow to an existing industrial waste water treatment facility. Our plan proposed using explosives to breach the pillar from the surface reducing earth disturbance in a high quality watershed while reducing the project cost and accelerating the project time schedule. Many issues surfaced with the proposed change of using explosives. There were a number of lessons learned from this case history and is the primary basis of this paper.

Jan 1, 2003

By W. R. Kube, W. H. Oppelt

Five low-rank coals, including two lignites, a steam-dried lignite, and two subbituminous coals, were carbonized at 940°F, in a bench-scale carbon-ize~ with a nitrogen and hydrogen atmosphere, or both, using pressures from atmospheric to 1000 psig. Coking characteristics were observed, and yields, composition, and distribution of products from thermal degradation were determined. The influence of pressure on yields from coal carbonization, as well as on modification of coke structure, has long been of interest. One of the first attempts at pressure carbonization was that of Capps and Hulett1 who in 1917 investigated the effects of pressure ranging from 1 to 20 atm on yields at 600° C for bituminous and subbituminous coals. High-pressure carbonization has not been used commercially for coke production. More recently, carbonization at relatively high pressure in the presence of catalysts and hydrogen has been proposed for the production of metallurgical-grade coke from low-rank fuels.' Another approach involves carbonization at high pressure in a hydrogen atmosphere to produce heating gas and a solid residue that is gasified with oxygen and steam to produce the hydrogen required for hydro-genation 3-4 or, alternatively, is burned to raise steam. Recently it has been proposed to carbonize coal under pressure, burn the gas in a gas turbine to produce power, and use the solid residue as fuel in a conventional steam-power plant.5 Our primary interest in pressure carbonization stems from an attempt to determine the influence of pressure on the coking characteristics of lignite to design a high-pressure slagging gasifier using oxygen and steam. At atmospheric pressure, North Dakota lignite is generally considered to be non-coking. However, lignite and subbituminous coals have been reported to show increased agglomeration properties in steam, hydrogen, or carbon-dioxide atmospheres at elevated pressures, although no strong coke was formed at pressures up to 3000 psig.6 If lignite would agglomerate seriously under gasification conditions, proper flow of charge through the gasifier could not be maintained without installing a mechanical stirring device or destroying the caking properties of the coal before gasification. Data on the caking properties of lignite or other gasification fuel, as well as on yields of products under conditions simulating the carbonization process in the pregasification zone, were required in the preliminary design stage of the gasifier. No information was available concerning the influence of pressure and type of atmosphere on North Dakota lignite. To provide this basic data, the U. S. Bureau of Mines investigated the effect of pressure and a hydrogen or nitrogen-rich atmosphere on the yield of products and on coke formation in a bench-scale pressure carbon-izer. SCOPE OF INVESTIGATION Five coals were tested at 940°F in nitrogen and hydrogen atmospheres, at pressures from atmospheric to 1000 psig. Yields and composition of solid, liquid, and gaseous products were determined as a function of the process pressure, and attention was given to the physical appearance of the solid residue. Percentage of carbon converted, sulfur retained in char, and thermal balances were calculated. In this paper, primary consideration is given to carbonization in a nitrogen atmosphere and to data concerning the solid phase. The effect of pressure in hydrogen is presented in detail for only one lignite. More complete information on the response of the other coals in a hydrogen atmosphere will be published in a USBM Report of Investigations. DESCRIPTION OF EQUIPMENT Details of the bench-scale pressure carbonizer are given in Fig. 1. The body of the carbonizer was

Jan 1, 1961

By R. W. Snyder, W. H. Guilinger, B. S. Gottfried

Two numerical methods are presented JOT solving the equations Jor one-dimensional, multiphase /low in porous media. The case oF variable physical properties is included in the Formulation, although gravity and capillarity are ignored. Both methods are analyzed mathematically, resulting in upper and lower bounds for the ratio of time step to mesh spacing. The methods are applied to two- and three-phase waterflooding problems in laboratory-size cores, and resulting saturation and pressure distributions and production histories are presented graphically. Results oJ the tuo-phase flow problem are in agreement with the predictions of the Buckley-Leuerett theory. Several three-phase flow problems are presented which consider variations in the water injection rate and changes in the initial oil-and ujater-saturation distributions. The results are different physically from the two- phase case; however, it is shown that the Buckley-Lez~erett theory can accurately predict fluid interlace velocities and displacing-fluid frontal snturations for three-phase flow, providing the correct assumptions are made. The above solutions are used as a basis JOT et~aluuting the numerical methods with respect to machine time requirements and allowable time step for a fixed mesh spacing. INTRODUCTION Considerable progress has been made in recent years in obtaining numerical solutions of the equations for two-phase flow in porous media. Douglas, Blair and Wagner2and McEwenll present different methods for solving the one-dimensional case for incompressible fluids with capillarity (the former using finite differences, the latter with an approach based upon characteristics). Fayers and Sheldon4 and Hovanesian and Fayers8 have extended these studies to include the effects of gravity. West, Garvin and Sheldon, l4 in a pioneer paper, treat linear and radial systems with both capillarity and gravity and they also include the effects of compressibility. Douglas, Peaceman and Rachford3 consider two-dimensional, two-phase, in compressible flow with gravity and capillarity and Blair and Peaceman1 have extended this method to allow for compressible fluids. No one, however, has examined the case of three-phase flow, even for the relatively simple case of one-dimensional flow of incompressible fluids in the absence of gravity and capillarity. In obtaining a numerical technique for simulating forward in situ combustion laboratory experiments, Gottfried5 has developed a method for solving the one-dimensional, compressible flow equations with any number of flowing phases. Gravity and capillarity are not included in the formulation. The method has been used successfully, however, for two- and three-phase problems in a variable-temperature field with sources and sinks. This paper examines the algorithm of Gottfried more critically. Two numerical methods are presented for solving the one-dimensional, multi-phase flow equations with variable physical properties. Both methods are analyzed mathematically, and are used to simulate two- and three-phase waterflooding problems. The numerical solutions are then taken as a basis for comparing the utility of the methods.

Jan 1, 1967

NEW- MEMBERS The following list comprises the names of those persons who became members during the period Feb. 10, 1917 to Mar. 10, 1917. ANDERSON, .LAWRENCE W., Min. Engr., Boston Mine, Utah Copper Co. Bingham, Utah. AUSTIN, JOHN W., Assayer, Magma Copper Co., P. 0. Box 101, Superior, Ariz. BARNARD, C. W., Treas. and Resident Mgr., Arizona Asbestos Assn., Globe, Ariz. BIERMAN, A. C : Geol., Producers Oil Co., Box 75, Houston, Tex. BOCHERT, W. C., Prof. of Mining, South Dakota State School of Mines, Rapid City, So. Dak. BROOKS, FLOYD R., Shift Boss, Mond Nickel Co., Ltd., Worthington, Ont., Can. BROWN, CECIL J., Draftsman &,Surveyor, Wallaroo SC Moonta Min. & Smelt. Co., Wallaroo, South Australia. BURRAGE, ALBERT C., Vice-Pres., Chile Copper Co., 85 Amos Bldg.; Boston, Mass. BURGESS, JOHN ALBERT Genl. Supt., United Eastern Min. Co., Oatman, Ariz. CARLOCK, JOHN BRUCE, Supt., O'Neall Oil Process Co., - 608 Haas Bldg., Los Angeles, Cal. CARPENTER, BYRON H., Min. Engr., . . Willoughby, Ohio.

Jan 4, 1917

Dr J. P. Hugo, Pr. Eng., after obtaining a B.Sc. (Eng.) in Metallurgical Engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand in 1948, gained about 9 months' practical experience in a British steelworks, followed by post-graduate studies at Sheffield University, leading to a Ph.D. (Metallurgy) in 1953. Mr G. Y. Nisbet, Pr. Eng., holds a B.sc. (Min.) from the University of the Witwatersrand (1948) and a P.M.D. from Harvard University, U.S.A. (1966). On graduating, he was awarded the Chamber of Mines' Gold Medal. Professor D. G. Krige, holds a D.Sc. (Eng.) from the University of the Witwatersrand (1963) and a D.Ing. (H.C.) from the University of Pretoria (1981). Dr P. T. Wedepohl holds a B.Sc. (Hons.) from the University of the Witwatersrand (1953) and a Ph.D. from the University of Reading, England (1958).

Jan 1, 1984

By E. Poiate, P. A. L. P. Firme, D. Roehl, M. A. Carrion, A. M. Costa

Drilling high-pressure/high-temperature wells in salt rock formations is still a challenge for the energy industry. Creep and solubility is part of the salt rock physical-chemical behaviour, which must be considered in the design of the wells. The stress redistribution caused by drilling, in addition to thermallyactivated processes, triggers creep deformation, leading to borehole closure and the imposition of loads on the casing. The drilling fluid is designed by computer modeling in order to control the creep strain rate to a limit which allows the drilling operations and the casing setting. Depending upon the composition of the drilling fluid, chemical reactions on the salt wall may occur, especially in case of water-based fluids in highly soluble salt rocks. In those cases, cavities by dissolution (washouts) can be generated and the casing column remains uncovered by the cementation and laterally unconfined along the cavity length. This scenario is propitious to the loss of integrity of the casing due to phenomena such as plastic collapse, buckling and non-uniform loading on the casing provoked by the closure of salt formation around it. The casing should remain intact during the wellbore life-time. In this work, a section of a typical well crossing salt formation composed by halite and carnallite is considered. An idealized-cylindrical washout cavity inside a highly soluble salt layer is assumed. The purpose here is to evaluate the effect of the dimensions of the cavity on the integrity of the casing. Several typical diameters and lengths of the cavity are adopted. Numerical analyses are carried out with an in-house finite-element system composed by the pre-processor MTOOL 3D®, the simulator ANVEC 3D® and the post-processor POS 3D®. Salt rocks are modeled as visco-elastic materials. Creep is simulated by the Double Mechanism Creep Law, widely employed in Brazilian salt rock mechanics research. Cement and casing (steel) are modeled as elasto-plastic materials described by the Mohr-Coulomb and the von Mises criteria, respectively. Casing integrity is evaluated with respect to vertical and horizontal displacements. Vertical displacements imposed to the casing can provoke the failure of the column by plastic collapse or by buckling. Besides that, horizontal displacements of salt due to creep closure shall lead to the undesirable contact with the casing. Failure envelopes based on displacements are generated. The results of the simulations have shown that the casing failure by plastic collapse occurs preferentially in short columns, as well as buckling occurs in long and slender columns. The occurrence of both failure modes is more frequent in large-diameter cavities. Additionally, failure caused by contact between salt and casing occurs preferentially in short-diameter cavities.

Jan 1, 2015

The story of the Penjom gold mine located near Kuala Lipis on the Malay Peninsular demonstrates the valuable role successful exploration companies can play in the development of the gold mining industry. Avocet Mining PLC ('Avocet') began exploration in the area on a limited budget in 1989, securing land tenure around the Penjom alluvial workings in July 1990. The lease granted, known as Block 7, formed part of a land package offered at the time by the Pahang State Government to develop the resources of the area. Until the late-1980s, the Kuala Lipis region, situated approximately 180 km north west of Kuala Lumpur, had restricted accessibility for security reasons precluding serious exploration or mining activity. The situation has changed dramatically in the 1990s, with several foreign explorers active in the Peninsular, targeting old alluvial and underground workings adjacent to the north-south trending Raub-Bentong Suture. Deeper drilling of these prospects has shown there is potential for both small- to medium-scale open pit mining and possibly underground operations, providing companies such as Avocet with an ideal mining investment opportunity.

Jan 1, 1997

By Stanko Nikolic

Ferrous calcium silicate slags are potentially important for future practice in copper converting operations and processes and can be described by the ?Cu2O?-FeO-Fe2O3-CaO-SiO2 system. Despite its industrial importance the phase equilibria in this system have not been fully investigated. Characterization of this slag system is necessary to improve the design and optimization parameters of new processes, including fluxing and operating temperatures. Experimental methods have been developed to investigate the phase equilibria of these slags at copper saturation and without copper. This technique involved equilibration of samples at a fixed oxygen partial pressure, rapid quenching, and analysis of the compositions of phases using electron probe x-ray microanalysis (EPMA). Liquidus and solidus data are reported for the primary phase fields of spinel, wollastonite and tridymite at 1250oC and an oxygen partial pressure of 10-6atm. The resulting data has been used to construct liquidus isotherms in the ?FeO?-CaO-SiO2 system both in equilibrium with and without molten copper. The experimental results were compared with the predictions of a thermodynamic computer package utilizing a self consistent thermodynamic database. The predictions of the model were in good agreement with the experimental isotherms when projected onto the FeO-CaO-SiO2 section, however the copper concentrations in the liquid phase at copper saturation were lower than predicted using the current database of the model.

Jan 1, 2006

Diamond drilling is a relatively new commodity in terms of drilling. The first known diamond drilling activities were carried out in the Swiss Alps around 1863 when the Swiss engineer M Leschot designed and made a tube with a diamond set face which was used in probing ahead drilling for the Mont Cenis tunnel (Figure 1). Craelius AB which today is a part of the Atlas Copco Group was formed in 1886. The name Craelius is a family name and the founder of the company was Per Anton Craelius (Figure 2). He went to the United States to study this new technology using diamonds to extract core samples and when he returned to Sweden designed his first diamond drilling machine. It was a man-powered drill needing a crew of six men, two to crank the unit, one to feed, two to power the flush pump and a foreman (Figure 3). As time passed through research and development, the original design was improved and manpower was substituted for steam engines and later combustion engines or electric motors (Figure 4). During the 1930s the drills radically changed designs and took the form of the short stroke drills which to a certain extent are still in use today. The original design of these drills have been refined during the years, hydraulic chucks, gear boxes and other improvements have been added.

Jan 1, 1995

By Charles A. III Cravotta

Streamflow and water-quality data for the northern part of Swatara Creek, which drains a 112-km2 area in the Southern Anthracite Field of east-central Pennsylvania, indicate iron, copper, and lead, and to a lesser extent manganese and zinc, are transported with suspended particles during stormflow conditions. During stormflow conditions, concentrations of these constituents typically peak prior to peak stream stage as a result of scour and transport of streambed deposits. In contrast, sulfate is transported mostly as a dissolved ion. Concentrations of sulfate, specific conductance, and pH are inversely related to streamflow, indicating dilution and acidification during stormflow. This effect is attributed to the mixing of poorly buffered stream water having pH 6.0-6.5 with weakly acidic storm runoff having pH 4.0-4.5 and low dissolved solids.

Jan 1, 2000