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By L. Adler

A fairly complex analysis is required to select or evaluate a piece of excavating and bulk handling equipment for its performance. At present, there is little agreement as to what points should be considered, and even less on what procedure to follow. This paper provides both of these in a consistent and direct form. The analysis applies to all types and sizes of equipment. The importance of the equipment characteristics, job activities, and work conditions are stressed. Separate analytical stems are established in a flow chart for these. They are combined using suitability tests in: problem statement; natural conditions; suitability guidelines; appropriate equipment types; operational activities; encumbered space; geometric design; equipment sizing; failure and limits; performance and consumption; public policy checks; and costs and profitability. Public policy and economics receive emphasis towards the end. The procedure is iterative, containing distinct feedback loops. Specifying the steps and sequence provides a necessary structure which has long been overdue.

Jan 1, 1985

By R. P. Killmeyer, B. S. Gottfried, J. T. Wizzard

The US Department of Energy's Coal Preparation Branch has developed a computer program to calculate the performance characteristics of coal washing devices. This program uses specific gravity analyses of the clean coal and refuse streams as input, and generates dependent and independent performance criteria for the washer. Partition curves are internally represented in a functional form by a Weibull function. Comparisons are made between performance criteria calculated by hand and the performance criteria calculated by the program for 120 different dense medium cyclone tests. Results show that the computer program gives results in close agreement with hand-calculated values while greatly reducing the amount of time involved in performing the analyses.

Jan 1, 1984

By W. J. Whiten

Current developments in one type of crushing and screening model is reviewed and general design techniques and policies are proposed for the control of crushing plants.

Jan 1, 1984

By M. J. Hordon, M. A. Wright

ReCENT work has indicated that the substantial decrease in the rate of fatigue crack propagation for aluminum observed below a critical vacuum level can be attributed to the depletion of oxygen or water vapor from the vicinity of the fatigue crack opening.' At reduced gas pressures, generally below 10-2 Torr with fatigue strain amplitudes in the range *1 to 2 x 10-3 and cyclic loading rates of 25 to 50 cps, estimated rates of oxide or hydroxide monolayer adsorption on newly formed crack surfaces can fall behind the actual rate of crack extension. Changes in the critical pressure required for the transition in fatigue behavior with changes in temperature, strain amplitude, and cyclic frequency can be interpreted from variations in the adsorption and crack growth rates.'" Although the adsorption model generally appears to explain the enhanced fatigue resistance of reactive metals in vacuum, the specific adsorbing gas species and nature of the adsorption mechanism are uncertain. In addition to the direct dissociation and adsorption of O2 on the metal surfaces,3 the dissociation of H20 and subsequent adsorption of H ions have been advanced for aluminum alloys.4 The present note describes some measurements of the fatigue behavior of 1100 aluminum in reduced partial pressures of specific gases including O2, H2O, and H2 in order to provide additional experimental data. Cantilever-type specimens of 1100-H14 aluminum were fatigued in cyclic reverse bending at constant strain amplitude using a multispecimen vacuum apparatus and procedure described previously.' After initial vacuum evacuation to 1 x 10-7 Torr, the appropriate gas species was bled into the system through a calibrated leak valve. The input rate was adjusted to maintain the desired pressure level under continuous evacuation, thus minimizing possible changes in gas composition during testing. High-purity input gases including 99.9 pct O2, 99.999 pct H 2, and water vapor from triply distilled H 2 O were used to provide residual pressures. Trace amounts of contaminant species were limited by passing the Oz and H 2 input gases through liquid-nitrogen-cooled copper coils prior to entry to the test chamber. Care was taken to repeatedly flush the gas lines and valves before testing to minimize the effect of adsorbed contaminants. Residual gas pressures in the range 10-6 to 5 x x3 Torr were monitored by an NRC ionization gage corrected for each gas species. In the higher-pressure range, 5 x 1CT3 to 5 x 10' Torr, an NRC alphatron gage was used. In operation, eight simultaneous fatigue tests were conducted at a constant strain amplitude of *1.2 x 10 at cyclic bending rates of 25 and 50 cps to give an average fatigue life of 6.5x 105 cycles-to-fracture at standard atmosphere and 3.3 x 106 cycles in 1 x 10"7 Torr vacuum. Representative results for the effect of residual O2, H2O, and H2 contents on the fatigue life are shown in Fig. 1 for tests performed at 50 cps. It is apparent that the presence of either O2 or H2O gas in the system at partial pressures greater than 10"3 Torr was noticeably detrimental to the fatigue life. In contrast, the enhanced fatigue resistance typical of high-vacuum environments was retained with pure H 2 through the pressure range up to 1 Torr. For partial pressures of H2 gas above 1 Torr, the fracture life noticeably decreased. The critical Hz

Jan 1, 1969

By E. H. Crabtree, T. C. King

THE ferrosilicon grinding unit at the Central Mill of the Eagle-Picher Mining & Smelting Co. near Picher, Okla., was completed in March 1947. The object of the plant was to grind pigs of ferrosilicon, having a size of approximately 1 ½ by 4 by 12 in. and an analysis of 85 pct Fe and 15 pct Si, to approximately 100 mesh by crushing and wet grinding in a ball-mill classifier circuit. The minus-loo mesh ferrosilicon had formerly been purchased, and was used as medium in the heavy media process for treatment of lead-zinc ores. From the standpoint of dollars and cents, the cost of minus-100 mesh ferrosilicon was roughly $40.00 per ton more than pigs of the corresponding alloy delivered to the mill. Estimated wet grinding costs were considerably below this figure. The possible saving in cost of make-up medium for the cone plant was particularly attractive since, at that time, the plant losses averaged over four tons of minus-100 mesh ferrosilicon per day. Aside from the probable saving on the grinding charge, the need for such a unit was twofold. First, periodic fluctuations in the differential between the top and bottom densities of the cone were thought to be detrimental to metallurgy. There was little doubt that an intermediate differential existed at which the heavy media separation was most efficient, representing a compromise between concentrate grade and tailing loss. Furthermore, if a finer, but considerably cleaner, medium could be obtained, there was the possibility that the differential could be decreased without increasing the viscosity, or conversely, the viscosity of the medium decreased without increasing the differential. Preliminary to experimental work aimed at pegging the cone differential and circulating medium viscosity at whatever values were found to be most efficient, it was essential to have control over both the non-magnetic content of the medium and the particle size of the contained ferrosilicon. The latter was possible by means of a grinding unit at the mill. Second, whereas the ferrosilicon alloys are made by a number of manufacturers, only two, to our knowledge, grind it in any quantity for use in heavy media plants. For all practical purposes, the Central Mill was limited to one source of supply, a particularly vulnerable position. In case the supply was cut off, it was thought that pigs of the 85 pct Fe, 15 pct Si alloy could be obtained elsewhere, providing means of grinding them was available. There was no published information available covering wet grinding of ferrosilicon. Dry grinding in batch mills and in continuous mills with air classification was being practiced, but the cost of grinding was excessive and the dust condition objectionable. It appeared that primary and secondary crushing was no particular problem, providing heavy duty equipment was used;

Jan 1, 1947

By William G. Pariseau

There are important phenomena in rock and soil mechanics that cannot be explained in terms of theories of homogeneous, isotropic materials. Subsidence of strata about mine openings is an example. In-situ stress measurements in nonisotropic sedimentary and metamorphic rocks is another. Patterns of joints, faults, fractures, and similar geologic features impart directional mechanical properties to rock masses that are locally isotropic or anisotropic. On the geologic scale, the nonhomogeneity of composite rock masses may, in certain instances, be dealt with as homogeneous anisotropy. The mechanics of large rock masses can, therefore, be expected to involve considerations of anisotropy. The source of the anisotropy is not relevant. Once the scale of observation is selected and the material is defined accordingly, the analysis of stress and deformation proceeds without regard to the numerical values of the material constants. There are also important phenomena in rock and soil mechanics that cannot be explained in terms of linear elasticity, theory. For the mechanical description of anisotropic geologic materials capable of deforming beyond the limit of purely elastic strains, a plasticity theory is required. The purpose of this chapter is to present a plasticity theory for anisotropic rocks and soils. The proposed theory is based on the work of Hill in anisotropic metal plasticity and represents an extension of his work so as to include anisotropic geologic materials. The point of departure from metal plasticity theory begins with the inclusion of the normal stresses as linear terms in the yield condition, which plays a central role in plasticity. Once the yield condition is established, the plastic strain increments are obtained immediately through the principle of normality. For practical applications, some simplification of the three-dimensional theory is re-

Jan 1, 1972

Until the end of 1960, the small primary aluminum industry in Australia was run by the government. The entire operation was at Bell Bay on the north coast of Tasmania. It consisted of an alumina plant and smelter, owned jointly by the Commonwealth and the State of Tasmania. Apparent domestic demand that year was about 48,000 long tons; 11% thousand came from Bell Bay; the rest was imported. By March 1964, Australia had two fully integrated aluminum companies. The government has stepped out of the picture and the key word of the industry from bauxite to metal is "growth." Present annual capacity of the two companies for making aluminum metal totals 92,000 long tons a year. Australian demand is about 60,000 tons. By 1968 Australian consumption should be 90,000 tons and by 1970 it is expected to reach 107,000 long tons per year. Export markets for bauxite, alumina and metal are developing.

Jan 10, 1964

By Alexander Gakner

Since the end of World War II the Soviet Union has made great strides toward economic development of the country. Today it is firmly established as the world's second largest industrial power after the United States and it has committed itself before the people on both sides of the Iron Curtain to catch up with and to overtake us within a few decades. No nation could achieve such a degree of industrialization or aspire to become the world's industrial leader without a large supply of many basic mineral raw materials or at least easy access to such resources. In addition, it requires technical competence, a large skilled labor force, and a high rate of capital investment. Why should we concern ourselves with these Soviet aspirations? The Free World's yardstick of measuring a nation's well-being is the standard of living of the people in that country. Presumably even Communist governments are committed to some, however gradual, improvement in the standard of living of their people. The population of the USSR is 20 pct greater than that of the United States. Hence, if they ever achieve a standard of living equal to ours, they must by all logic reach a greater overall industrial output. However, in the U.S.S.R. the standard of living of the masses has not kept pace with the expanding industrial production and is still far behind that of the United States. Our concern, therefore, is with what the USSR intends to accomplish with its expanding industrial power: Will they produce large mineral raw-material surpluses and manufacture products to compete with us for world markets and attempt to put us out of business if not use it directly to wage war; or will they use their resources merely to produce more consumer goods for the Soviet people; or will they, along with other Communist nations in the not-too-distant future, compete with us for the world's sources of mineral raw-materials to maintain a high level of mass consumption?

Jan 6, 1960

By William Daly

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.

Jan 1, 1934

The Commissioner of Education has issued a call for a public conference on business training for engineers and engineering training for students of business. This conference, national in scope and character fully representative of all interests, will be held in Washington, D. C. on June 23 and 24. Educational institutions, commercial organizations, and educational and engineering societies will be given an opportunity to state their views. Engineers, educators and business men will be invited to discuss the following major topics: Business Training for the Engineer; Engineering Training for Commercial Enterprises; Significance of the. War Experience for Engineering Education; Training of the Engineer for Foreign Projects. This conference has been called on behalf of the Conference Committee on Commercial Engineering. This Committee is composed of administrative professors in engineering and commerce from several of the large educational institutions and representatives from the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers, Society for the Promotion of Engineering Education, The American Society of Civil Engineers, American Institute of Electrical Engineers, American Society .of Mechanical Engineers, and a committee f fifteen on Educational Preparation for Foreign Service.

Jan 6, 1919

By R. M. Stewart

INTRODUCTION Requirements for achieving economic slope stability in open pit mining must not only be met during the operating stages but in all preceding stages of mine development. In many operating mines little or no emphasis was ever placed on evaluating the stability of possible slopes during the exploration and planning stages. The purpose of this discussion is to emphasize the necessary considerations that should be made in all stages of development in order to achieve the safest and most economic pit slopes. The most economic slopes may not always be the safest slopes and it is incumbent upon the mine operators and engineers to achieve an optimal combination of economics and safety. The stability requirements outlined are based on the profit motive and are, therefore, practically oriented. Long-term basic research or theoretical studies are considered important only to the extent that they can be shown to have a definite payoff. Consideration will first be given to the information required for stability analysis, which can be determined during the exploration and evaluation stage, followed by further stability work necessary during the mine planning and layout stage. Particular emphasis is then placed on the operating stage in which blasting, dewatering, artificial stabilization, and slope failure are discussed. Lastly, the importance of a logical and orderly research procedure is stressed. EXPLORATION AND EVALUATION STAGE The purpose of the exploration and evaluation stage in the mining scheme is to find and delineate a potential orebody. Discovery and delineation commonly involve drilling tens and in many cases hundreds of boreholes. These boreholes, which may cost as much as $20.00 per foot of depth for a cored hole, are usually abandoned once drilling is completed. Stability evaluation for a potential open pit should begin at this stage by taking advantage of the existing boreholes. Rock and soil properties, as well as hydrologic parameters, may be obtained from both the borehole and the core. Seismic velocity and neutron probes may be used to log the borehole to obtain elastic moduli data. A borehole dilation jack may also be used to give backup information on the rock and soil elastic parameters. Use of a core orientation system can result in the determination of fault and joint frequency and distribution. Before splitting or otherwise disturbing the fresh core, qualitative evaluation

Jan 1, 1972

SINCE the adoption by the U. S. Bureau of Standards several years ago of specifications for standard 100- and 200-mesh sieves, frequent requests have been received that this Bureau test and certify sieves of other sizes than these. With a view to the adoption of a series of standard testing sieves which might be of use to all industries making fineness tests, this Bureau for .two years has been studying the question of such a standard screen scale. Various scales that have been proposed were considered, and information was sought of representative firms in the various industries interested as to their requirements. Manufacturers of sieves have also been consulted as to the desirability of different screen scales and the practicability of their manufacture. As a result of this study of the question, a conference was called at the Bureau of Standards, Apr. 20, 1916, of representatives of various committees of the American Society for Testing Materials, American Society of Civil Engineers, American Institute of Mining Engineers, American Foundrymen's Association,. [Mining and Metallurgical Society of America, American Water Works Association, American Institute of Metals and the American Spice Trade Association; also representatives of the Committee of Revision of the U. S. Pharmacopoeia, the U. S. Geological Survey, the U. S. Bureau of Mines, the U. S. Office of Public Roads and Rural Engineering, the U. S. Office of Grain Standardization and the U. S. Bureau of Standards; also representatives of a number of private firms engaged in industries in which sieves are used, such as the glass, the drug milling, the abrasive, the asphalt, the mining, the spice, the chemical, and the graphite industries; also representatives of the firms in this country manufacturing wire cloth and sieves. This Conference, after considering the various screen scales either proposed or now in use, adopted as a Standard Screen Scale that given in Table 1, and recommends that it be adopted generally by scientific,

Jan 6, 1917

By John Birkinbine

THE favor with which the members of the Institute received Mr. Fernow's paper upon the use of charbon roux in the manufacture of iron has encouraged me to present this paper, in the hope of having the discussion upon the manufacture and use of the oldest and undoubtedly the best fuel for producing pig iron continued. Owing to the advances made in employing anthracite coal, bituminous coal, or coke, or mixtures of them, we are apt to forget how much of our present development is due to the pioneers in iron manufacture and the fuel which they employed in the production of pig iron. In Mr. Swank's last compilation of the iron and steel works of the United States, the furnace capacity of the country is given as 5,868,000 tons, of which 1,000,000 tons can be made in the 264 charcoal furnaces. In other words, over one-third of the furnaces now in existence use charcoal for fuel, and produce more than one-sixth of the iron made. If to this is added the 130,000 tons of blooms and billets turned out by the 122 forges and bloomaries, the importance of the charcoal industries will be appreciated.

Jan 1, 1879

By R. M. Board

This paper will focus on measurement and control of four main aspects of crushing, namely horsepower, bowl level, mantle position and feed rate, and will discuss related sensors and control techniques, some of them designed specifically for crusher control, that have proven successful and reliable in many installations.

Jan 1, 1982

By Paul Levin

A coal preparation plant built with conventional materials only might be able to do an efficient job of preparing coal, but its maintenance costs would be high and emergency shutdowns frequent. To remedy this situation special materials are being used, either in original plant construction or for replacement of conventional materials. The special materials vary from high-strength and abrasion-resisting steels and stainless steel alloys to ceramics. They include hard surfacing welding rods, rubber refractories and some of the newer plastics, the merits of which are cited by the author. A coal preparation plant, limited strictly to the use of conventional materials-for example, mild steel, cast iron and ordinary rubber-could, no doubt, do an efficient job of preparing coal, but the high cost of maintenance and increasingly frequent emergency outages would soon force the operator to seek relief by introducing special materials such as alloyed steels, oil-resistant rubbers and hard-surfacing welding rods.

Jan 6, 1964

By Dennis E. Stover

Grade control for in situ uranium leaching is maintaining, at desired levels, the uranium concentration in the pregnant lixiviant which feeds the extraction (ion exchange) circuit. This differs from grade control in conventional mining in that in situ grade control is imposed subsequent to rather than prior to leaching without the direct observation and control possible in conventional mining and milling. Grade control is a necessary engineering task through the entire project life, beginning with preliminary evaluation and design and ending only when the final wells are shut in. More specifically, this task is associated with designing the initial well field, maintaining productivity during well field operations, and planning well field expansions to compensate for the depletion of existing wells. Our aim during each of these phases is to maximize uranium productivity while ensuring that we are developing information necessary for future phases. Throughout this task, we remain cognizant of the fact that uranium productivity is a function of both the complex geologic and operational parameters of the project. A minimum list of significant geological factors must include the following: . Host formation mineralogy . Uranium mineralogy . Permeability . Ore quality (grade and thickness) Our concerns are not limited to average or general descriptions of these factors. The interactions among the factors as well as localized variations among them are far more important in obtaining high productivity from a deposit. For example, an ore body may display an average permeability of one darcy but have its high grade ore confined to regions with permeabilities less than 500 millidarcies. This relationship between ore grade and permeability must be understood early in the project life if the operation is to be successful. Similarly, the fundamental operating parameters for the well field include those items which enable us to distribute the lixiviant within the ore as well as the chemistry which will dissolve the uranium minerals. A minimum list of such factors will include: . Well design . Well efficiency . Well bore damage . Pattern size and shape . Oxidant type and concentration . Complexing agent concentration - pH The interactions between these variables and the complex geological variations create a situation which often defies quantitative analysis. Hence, we have adopted a statistical approach when correlating production history with these parameters and the quality of the correlations improves as the number of wells operated increases. However, the correlations are often specific to an ore body. We find that we must tailor the process to meet the unique geologic parameters of each ore body. PHASE 1: INITIAL WELL FIELD DESIGN Designing the initial well field is perhaps the most difficult phase because we have the smallest data base from which to predict performance. We will have conducted numerous laboratory tests and, perhaps, field pilot tests to select the lixiviant system and to characterize the geologic parameters. However, we will learn a great deal more about the deposit and its productivity during actual commercial scale operation. Fully acknowledging its limitations, we will, as a starting point, assume that uranium productivity will be directly proportional to the quality and quantity of recoverable reserves. Future deviations from this assumption will be plentiful and result from our limited understanding of the aforementioned interactions between and among the operational and geological factors. However, in planning the initial field, estimation of the quantity of leachable uranium present at levels above the economic grade and grade-thickness limitations is a priority task. (The concentration of uranium in the ore, the ore grade, is expressed in units of weight percent. The grade-thickness of the ore is the product of the average grade and ore thickness expressed in units of percent-feet.) These parameters provide a direct indication of the quality and quantity of ore. They are determined from gamma logging of closely spaced drill holes (50 to 100 foot centers being typical) accompanied by uranium core analysis or direct uranium assay logging. Gamma- logging measures gross gamma radiation which emanates from uranium decay products and indicates only the possible presence of uranium. Direct uranium assays are necessary to confirm this presence and the true location and quality of the reserve. From this information, an estimate of the in-place uranium reserve is formulated. Utilizing the above data, we begin to assess the quantity and quality of the leachable reserve. Analysis of self-potential and resistivity logs in conjunction with uranium logs will identify those zones which contain uranium and display apparent high permeabilities. Similarly, zones with extensive calcite cementation or dense clay sedimentation are located and uranium within such zones is excluded. (Interpretation of these logs should be confirmed

Jan 1, 1980

By Eugene J. Schreiber, F. Newton Parks

Booz-Allen & Hamilton management consultants has recently completed a comprehensive study of Brazil's minerals and metals sectors for 40 leading international and Brazilian companies. The 220-page study describes the activities and Investments under way in 25 key commodities and assesses the current state of Brazil's economy, the impact on domestic minerals and metals industries, and government minerals policies.

Jan 12, 1977

By Granville S. Borden

THE program for income tax legislation presented here proposes some diminution in the current tax burden on mineral producers but it will, if enacted, eventually increase the potential and current Government revenue from the mineral industry.

Jan 6, 1951

By Earl Oliver

This paper is based on the formula that the petroleum industry is sick—find the cause, eliminate it, and the industry will get well. There is perhaps no difference of opinion that the cause is overproduction, actual or potential. But that, again, is a result rather than a cause. The problem is to study the influences that serve to keep production and consumption out of balance. Production control is a popular theme and a natural one at this time when the whole world is unstable; but production control in its popular sense means little more than the application of emergency measures while danger threatens. Economists differ as to the effectiveness of these, most of which are designed to alleviate and not to cure, but we assume there are none who question the wisdom of promoting conditions under which economic forces are permitted to operate freely in bringing about stable conditions. The petroleum industry suffers from two classes of economic ills that serve to promote overproduction; namely, those which are common to all industries and those which are peculiar to this industry. It is of the latter I wish to speak. Strange to say, government is responsible in large part for this latter class of ills that affect the petroleum industry and we are coming to recognize that only through the assistance of government can they be corrected. Instability of the petroleunl industry, in so far as human agency was involved, had its inception in 1875 when a Pennsylvania jurist, called upon to make a decision for which there was no precedent and fancying he noted some resemblance between the so-called fugitive nature of oil and gas and that of wild game, made mention of that resemblance. Other courts being impressed by the analogy enlarged upon it, and gradually fixed upon oil and gas a legal status in certain important respects similar to that of wild game. Although later the courts abandoned this analogy, certain practices that developed out of that early concept have continued to this day and are largely responsible for the industry's present plight. Thus, instead of ownership in place that is characteristic of private property generally, the law of capture was applied to oil and gas. Now, the rapid and wasteful depletion of game

Jan 1, 1932

A. W. TRACY' AND D. H. THOMPSON (presented in written form).-Messrs. Ed¬munds, Anderson and Waring are to be commended for their excellent work in so painstakingly reducing to constants, the variables believed to be associated with these types of stress corrosion. An ammonia stress-cracking apparatus similar in many respects to the one described has been assembled. Certain aspects of its construction may be of interest. Tensile loading of the specimens, which are usually Y8-in. diameter wires, is accomplished by springs acting in compression in compact, portable, tubular assemblies weighing less than 10 lb. The lower end of each assembly contains the test specimen and is passed into the test chamber for exposure to the moist ammoniacal atmosphere. There is considerable convenience in being able to load the specimens in a portable unit, which may be warmed to prevent condensation, and then thrust instantaneously into the test chamber. Spring loading obviates the use of weights, but it has the disadvantage of allowing some relaxation of the load if the specimen elongates during corrosion. The maximum loss in load found so far was 20 per cent. The air supplied to the test chamber is humidified by passing it through thermo¬statically controlled water. The air is dispersed into fine bubbles by being forced through a porous ceramic filter at the bottom of a tank containing about 10 liters of water. The temperature of the water is controlled independently of the tempera¬ture of the test chamber. Thus, with the

Jan 1, 1945