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By R. L. Pozzo, A. S. Malicsi, I. Iwasaki

The electrochemical nature of mineral-grinding media interaction in the wet grinding of one and two sulfide mineral ores was investigated with regard to the flotation behaviors of the minerals. Two iron sulfides (pyrite and pyrrhorite) and mild steel were used to represent the sulfide minerals and the grinding media, respectively. Galvanic currents in two- and three-electrode combinations under abrasive and non abrasive conditions were correlated with the floatabilities of these minerals under corresponding conditions.

Jan 1, 1991

Paper and paperboard manufacturers need to quantify the carbon footprint and environmental impact of their products to satisfy market, social and government demands. Coated paper products contain minerals, such as kaolin and calcium carbonate, at significant levels; some coated paper grades have mineral contents as high as 45% by weight. Some uncoated paper has no mineral content, but most uncoated paper contains some mineral to improve appearance, process efficiency and cost. Super-calendared paper grades can contain levels of mineral up to 35% by weight. This paper describes how to calculate the carbon footprint of kaolin and calcium carbonate minerals used for white pigments. The carbon footprint of these minerals strongly correlates to the primary energy sources, final product form and energy used to calcine kaolin and lime. Kaolin and calcium carbonate pigments have a favorable impact on the carbon footprint of paper and paperboard products by directly substituting for fiber and by reducing the energy needed for paper making. Key words: Kaolin, Calcium carbonate, Paper production, Carbon footprint, Lifecycle analysis

Jan 1, 2010

By G. H. Schnakenberg

In 1986, the US Bureau of Mines (USBM) embarked on a major research effort to develop technology that could substantially reduce worker exposure to face hazards by simply relocating the equipment operators to an area of relative safety. This reduced-exposure mining system (REMS) research effort enhances the USBM's ongoing health and safety efforts aimed at reducing and controlling dust and noise and reducing accidents through training and better mining practices. This paper reports on the progress made on the developing research and demonstrates the technologies required for the computer-assisted teleremote operation of continuous mining machines, haulage systems and roof bolting machines.

Jan 1, 1998

By A. J. Surtees, M. P. Evans

This paper discusses the development and application of sophisticated monitoring equipment used to measure the operating parameters of conveyor systems. With the radical reduction in price of computer hard- ware and software during the last decade and an associated increase in memory capacity, the concept of continuous conveyor monitor is now a reality. With this tool, the various problems normally encountered in large conveyor installations can now be avoided at an early stage. • The four main areas of application are: • Design verification • Hand-over certification • Preventative maintenance and increase of system availability Failure analysis The paper introduces the techniques used and gives examples where the service has been used.

Jan 1, 1996

By Fred V. Carrillo

California was the leading state in industrial mineral production value with an estimated value of nearly $2 billion. In total value of U.S. non-fuel mineral production estimated for 1992 by the U.S; Bureau of Mines, California ranked second; 81 % of California's total production value was derived from industrial minerals. California led all other states in the production of boron minerals, portland cement, diatomite, calcined gypsum and construction sand and gravel, and ranked second in potash and soda ash production. California's five leading industrial minerals in terms of value were portland cement, construction sand and gravel, boron, crushed stone, and soda ash. California had 13 additional industrial minerals production with reported sales of over $1 million including; industrial sand and gravel, magnesium compounds, lime, salt, potash, natural sodium sulfate, clay, feldspar, crude gypsum, pumice, dimension stone, calcium chloride and perlite.

Jan 1, 1995

By J. David Lowell

The discovery of the Kalamazoo (Arizona) ore body was a comedy of errors and coincidences and luck -as most discoveries probably are. The story began in early 1965 when Quintana Petroleum decided to diversify from petroleum into minerals and decided to do this by the route of minerals exploration. Quintana Petroleum is owned by the Cullen family of Houston and has Geen successful over the years in discovering oilfields. In 1965, the president and general manager was Corbin J. Robertson, son-in-law of Harry Cullen, founder of the company and a famous Texas wildcatter. But, in 1965, Quintana's financial advisors suggested that the company go into several mineral commodities, including copper, with Tucson, AZ, as the jumping-off point for copper exploration, and with a geological consultant (me) as the point man. The stage was now set! (See Fig. 1, location map of the San Manuel District, Arizona.)

Jan 1, 1991

By H. M. von Seebach, M. P. Trubeljal, L. G. Austin

Six US coals and a crystalline quartz were tested in an instrumented laboratory high-pressure grinding rolls machine equipped with 100-mm-diam. rolls. The machine was choke-fed to maximize the capacity. As expected, the specific capacity decreased with increased grinding pressure for each material tested. Among the six coals, there were significant differences in the critical angle of nip, the effective feed porosity and the variation of strain at the gap relative to the grinding pressure. Although a precise correlation was not obtained, the overall effect of these factors was that, at a given grinding pressure, the specific capacity increased as the Hardgrove grindability index of the coal increased. The relationship between the specific capacity and the grinding pressure for a given coal was independent of feed size down to 150 µm. However, smaller feed sizes produced anomalous results, and the flow within the feed hopper was restricted.

Jan 1, 1996

By K. A. Natarajan, M. K. Yelloji Rao

The electrochemistry of sphalerite and chalcopyrite was investigated under both open-circuit and applied potential conditions. Emphasis was placed on the selective dissolution of sphalerite from a mixture of sphalerite-chalcopyrite flotation concentrates as a function of applied potential, acid concentration, pulp density, and time. Morphological studies using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) were also carried out with chemically leached, galvanically leached, and unleached surfaces of sphalerite and chalcopyrite. Selective dissoulution of sphalerite could be achieved if the mixed chalcopyrite-sphalerite concentrate slurry was maintained at a negative applied potential of -0.4V (SCE). Probable mechanisms involved in the selective dissolution of zinc are disscussed.

Jan 1, 1990

By P. McGrath

From the mid-1980s through 1997, Echo Bay Alaska evaluated reopening the historic Alaska-Juneau (AJ) gold mine. Their original proposed project underwent numerous modifications in order to minimize the potential for significant environmental impacts. One of the major modifications involved changing .the tailings disposal method from a conventional tailings impoundment to submarine tailings disposal (STD). In 1995, the U.S. EPA began work on a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) to assess the impacts of the STD proposal. Key features of the STD impact assessment included fate and transport modeling to determine the extent of tailings deposition and the use of ecological risk assessment to predict marine impacts during deposition and ecosystem recovery following STD. A key feature of the SEIS regulatory process included a rulemaking proposed by EPA to exempt the AJ tailings from effluent regulations. Critical to success in moving the project forward was early development of an interactive working relationship with other regulatory agencies and the public.

Jan 1, 1998

By Reese E. Mallette

This paper makes five major points which may be contributions to the art of limestone sinkhole engineering. First, solution cavity development in limestones is dependent in great measure on pyrite contained within the limestone. Second, rock failure is rarely involved in sinkhole problems, while soil failures are almost always the mode of occurrence. Third, draw down, depression of the water table, is a primary causative factor in sinkhole development. Fourth, lateral movement of vadose water along the soil-rock interface, sub-soil erosion, is the mechanism by which soil is stoped, raveled, piped, or removed from the soil cavern. Fifth, the ultimate or triggering factor in localizing a sinkhole collapse is any superposed mechanism which disrupts the continuity of an impermeable clay soil overburden. The above theses are presented as extensions of our observation and of published literature, with the suggestion that additional study of these mechanisms is warranted.

Jan 1, 1975

By D. Hongjun

In this paper, the flotation rule and behaviors of kyanite-group polymerphous minerals were studied in modified Hallimond tube in detail. Furthermore, the energy change of collector/mineral systems before and after adsorption and the net charge densities of the atoms on the minerals surfaces were calculated by use of quantum chemistry. The flotabilities in minerals were successfully explained.

Jan 1, 1995

By N. D. Cristescu

An analysis of the interaction between a creeping rock and a yieldable lining is presented. The following cases are considered: an elastic lining, a lining made of circular shaft rings that may slide at their joints, a lining made of circular reinforced concrete panels with wooden compressible strips inserted between the longitudinal joints and a yieldable support that has a compressible broken-rock stratum between the support and plane rock. By formulating a mathematical model for the rock-lining interaction, one can optimize the sequence of excavation-lining application. To keep costs to a minimum, one can also choose the most appropriate lining for the corresponding rheological properties of the rock.

Jan 1, 1997

By Allegra Yeley, Ted Klemetti, Gamal Rashed, Tim Miller, Nicole Evanek

In 2015, the Subtropolis Mine in Petersburg, OH, experienced a massive ground collapse that continues to grow over time. Horizontal stress effects have affected the roof at this operation in the past and may have played a large role in this collapse. Horizontal stress can impact the roof and floor stability and endanger the health and safety of underground stone miners. Mines experiencing damaging effects from horizontal stress typically find that the principal stress direction is the same throughout the mine and the region. At the Subtropolis Mine the principal horizontal stress direction appears to change as conditions change and differs from the regional horizontal stress, particularly near the collapse or other roof fall areas. The growth over time of this collapse and other roof falls have been captured and analyzed using geologic mapping, 3D LiDAR scanning, numerical modeling and geographic information systems like ArcGIS. Utilizing these tools to better understand sitespecific conditions can be critical to reducing the potential of massive ground collapses in the underground limestone industry.

Feb 1, 2024

By Ishwar G. Mulani

In conveyor design, the first step is capacity and the second step is belt width and speed. The third step is decision on 'ff," where distinction arises between DIN/ISO and CEMA for calculating resistances. Then again, both the methods are virtually similar. This topic helps in understanding Dm design style and its comparison to CEMA. This topic is from the book Engineering Science and Application Design for Belt Conveyor wherein the issue has been analysed in detail. It presents a workable calculation model to calculate the value off in design office, based on conveyor parameters. CEMA uses Kx, Ky and 0.01 5 instead off. Thus, f is a sum effect of Kx, Ky and 0.015. Hence, knowledge on f is also applicable to Kx and Ky. This helps to understand their relationship.

Jan 1, 2004

By H. Nakazawa, A. S. Malicsi, K. J. Reid, P. J. Ryan, I. Iwasaki, P. W. Weiblen

Precious metals are commonly believed to be recovered along with sulfide minerals in flotation, but a few neutron activation analyses showed that the recoveries of gold and silver were unexpectedly low. Reasons for low recoveries of platinum group metals remained unresolved due to interferences in the analyses. Electron microprobe, scanning electron microscope, and scanning Auger microprobe analyses have identified nickel arsenide minerals in the ore and confirmed a close association of platinum group metals with the arsenide minerals as minute inclusions. These results indicated a need for re-evaluation of flotation procedures that have so far ignored special problems related to arsenide minerals. The electrochemical and flotation behaviors of nickel arsenide and their application to the flotation recoveries of precious metals from copper-nickel bearing Duluth gabbro are presented.

Jan 1, 1987

By C. Patrick, D. Puckett

The feasibility of monitoring the locations and vital statistics of equipment and personnel in surface and underground mining operations has increased with advancements in radio frequency identification (RFID) technology. This paper addresses the use of RFID technology, which is relatively new to the mining industry, to track surface equipment in mine pits, loading points and processing facilities. Specific applications are discussed, including both simplified and complex truck tracking systems and an automatic pit ticket system. This paper concludes with a discussion of the future possibilities of using RFID technology in mining, including monitoring heart and respiration rates, body temperatures and exertion levels; monitoring repetitious movements for the study of work habits; and logging air quality via personnel sensors.

Jan 1, 1999

By T. Seal

The Hydro-Jex technology has been used by Newmont Mining Corp. on the gold heap leach pads on the Carlin Trend - Nevada for three years to recover the inventory gold and change the chemistry in the pads. This research and development patented process is complete with the resultant data presented. Information on drill sampling, geophysical surveying, followed by leach pad stimulation with impacts on solution chemistry and gold recovery are discussed. Can this technology be used to rinse and close heap leach pads faster with reduced pump energy costs and improved recovery?

Jan 1, 2007

By F. L. Wilke

A model is presented to minimize the winning costs per shift within the different sections of a potassium mine by liner programming and to simulate the other areas to get all costs in order to comp re different production strategies. he model is based on a a given total layout of the underground mining which is considered to be fix during the planning period. Room-and-pillar mining is assumed to be used. Potassium extraction is done by drilling and blasting. Transportation of the raw material to sectional crushers is done by scoop-trams where it is crushed to coarse-grains which allow further transportation by conveyor belts to the hoisting shaft or to a bunker. When production is stopped, the continuously working factory is supplied by means of this bunker. Starting from a desired composition of the raw material the model has to keep the given total. demand of raw material per shift, to minimize the winning costs, to keep the capacity constraints of the equipment and to determine the planned output of production of the sections per shift. Costs of the areas which follow the extractions are added to extraction costs in order to allow a comparision of costs of several alternatives of production. Optimization in extraction and assignment of scoop-trams to sections is done by linear programming. The other areas of the mine are treated by simulation. The model output is a schedule of the calculated costs broken down into costs of processes, equipment, and kinds of costs. This proceeding enables to compare different ways of production.

Jan 1, 1979

By R. Jerez

This paper describes practical applications of lineal" programming techniques to help in the planning of production, transportation and shipments at different coal mines. The models are being used by Cyprus Coal Company in eastern and western operations to plan coal production, economic dispatching and blending over variable time horizons. In addition, where a preparation plant exists, the models establish the amount of washing required to meet specific coal sales qualities. The emphasis on this paper is on model development and implementation together with a system to track coal flow and qualities, either raw from the mines to the loading facilities 01" processed through a preparation plant.

Jan 1, 1991

By W. D. Monaghan, A. J. Kwitowski, A. L. Brautigam

Teleoperation is a technology that can provide significant health and safety improvements in mining operations by locating machine operators hundreds of meters away from the face area. The US Bureau of Mines recently developed a teleoperation system for continuous mining and haulage equipment. This system features near real-time closed-loop control. A prototype system was developed and demonstrated. This system could be used in thin-seam applications down to 36 in (914 mm). Provided are details of the teleoperation system, the results of testing and the expected applications of this technology.

Jan 1, 1996