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By James L. Weeks

Introduction This paper attempts to summarize some of the major criticisms of drug testing. Eight problems with drug testing are discussed. These are: • It does not measure something employers have a reasonable need to know, • It is a distortion of priorities, • Drug use is not known to be associated with increased risk of occupational injuries, • Drug testing is proposed as a dangerously simplistic solution to poorly conceived problems, • In the absence of safeguards, it is unacceptably inaccurate, • In the absence of treatment commitments and confidentiality protection for persons dependent on drugs, it is an unethical practice of medicine, • Drug testing is an invasion of privacy, and • It will have a negative effect on treatment of persons with drug or alcohol dependencies. Employers' need to know It does not measure something employers have a reasonable need to know. It is reasonable for employers and fellow workers to want to know if workers are functionally impaired (intoxicated) while on the job. Drug testing does not measure impairment. It measures the concentration of drug metabolities in urine or blood. Unlike measurements of blood alcohol concentration (BAC), drug metabolites are not correlated with impairment or intoxication. They indicate only drug use in the one to two weeks before a urine sample. And, in some instances, they indicate chronic use. Impairment caused by drug use, on the other hand, occurs immediately and declines rapidly within hours. Drug metabolites may linger for days afterwards. Drug metabolite concentrations in urine are a function of (Morgan, 1984; Schartz and Hawks, 1985; MMWR, 1983): • the amount and purity of drug consumed before taking the test, • when the drug was consumed, • whether the person was a chronic user, in which case a certain amount of drug metabolites would be stored in body fat and slowly released, • the person's metabolic rate, and • for metabolites in urine, any dilution effects of urine. Only the first two factors has

Jan 11, 1987

By C. J. A. Mcewan, C. M. Rice

The Rosita Hills contain rich, vein- and breccia pipe-hosted precious metal deposits. Volcanic activity occurred in two cycles - an early, mainly andesitic cone-building phase that terminated in the formation of a caldera and breccia pipes and a later phase characterised by trachytic lavas and dykes, rhyolite domes and lamprophyre dykes. Alteration consists of weak propylitic and argillic and, locally, intense advanced argillic, K-feldspar sericitic and silicic types. Marked trace-element depletions (Rb, Sr, Zn, Mn) are associated with K-feldspar-sericitic alteration and with advanced argillic alterations, whereas enrichments (Pb, Ag) are associated with K-feldspar-sericitic alteration. Gold distribution is highly localised and is controlled by breccia pipes and a caldera ring fault; it is not related to district scale alteration. In general, the geochemical and alteration patterns are complex, but they are clearly influenced by linear structures, the caldera ring fault and breccia pipes. Pipe-hosted Au-Ag and vein-hosted Ag mineralisation are associated, respectively, with early andesitic and late, post-caldera rhyolitic activity. The pipe-hosted and, especially, the vein-hosted mineralisation show affinities with adularia-sericite-type epithermal deposits

Jan 1, 1991

Sapporo-Iwanai district is located at the intersection of the northeast Japan arc and Kuril arc, associated with the subduction zone. This area is characterized by Miocene submarine volcanism followed by Plio-Pleistocene subaerial volcanism.   Koryu, a small epithermal Au-Ag deposit, occurred in Pleistocene (1.4 - 0.85 Ma) within Miocene sedimentary rocks near a subaerial andesitic volcano, while Toyoha, a large epithermal Pb-Zn-Ag (-Au) deposit, also occurred near a subaerial andesitic volcano. Although most of the base metal deposits formed in middle-late Miocene, Toyoha formed in Plio-Pleistocene (2.93 - 1.60 Ma) within Miocene volcanic and sedimentary rocks. This epithermal mineralization was partly overprinted by xenothermal Cu-Sn-In(-Au) mineralization (2.68 - 0.49 Ma).   Hydrothermal alteration differs vastly between Koryu and Toyoha: host rocks at Koryu were not intensively altered, although wall rocks adjacent to veins were silicified, while those at Toyoha show intensive and extensive neutral-pH alterations. Geological and chronological studies show that middle~late Miocene (12.5 - 8.4 Ma) alteration was pervasive and overprinted by Plio-Pleistocene (2.93 - 0.49 Ma) alteration. The base metal veins in the middle-late Miocene were not well developed, but were large in number with great depth.   These studies show that the hydrothermal activity at Koryu is rather small and short-lived, while that at Toyoha is large, long-lived and characterized by overprinting of different hydrothermal systems. The subaerial magmatic activities yielded not only the andesite lavas, but also generated hydrothermal solutions for the formation of both Koryu and Toyoha. The metals were possibly derived from such magma. At Toyoha, the hydrothermal solutions could also remobilize metals from old ores.   The size, life span of magmatic-hydrothermal system, and overprinting on the old mineralizing systems could constrain the type of metal deposits (precious and polymetallic deposits) nearby subaerial andesitic volcanoes in Plio-Pleistocene.

Jan 1, 2005

By Laszlo Imreh, Pierre Trudel, André C. Tessier

"The Siscoe gold mine is ranked as the fourth largest mine in the history of the Val d' Or mining district with a total production of 27.4 tAufrom1929 to 1949. Most of the gold mineralization occurred in quartz veins, hosted in a small (.69 km2) intrusion of altered quartz gabbro known as the Siscoe stock. The southern contact of the Siscoe stock is crosscut by a major shear zone (the ""K"" zone) trending 295/80 NE and from which gold mineralization was also exploited within the limits of the stock. Field and petrographic observations of the Siscoe stock combined with chemical analyses of major, trace and rare earth elements of the stock and its volcanic host rocks (Dubuisson Formation) suggest that:The Siscoe stock comprises four alteration facies formed from a homogeneous precursor: 1) the actinolite - Mg-chlorite facies, characterized by low FeOt,Na2O andTiO2 , and highAlp3 and MgO; 2) the albite- Fe-chlorite facies, containing high concentrations of FeOt and Nap; 3) the Mg + Fe-chloritefacies, which is transitional between the actinolite- Mg-chlorite and albite- Fe-chloritefacies; 4) the carbonate-chlorite facies, which consists of rocks that were subjected to extreme hydrothermal alteration, is spatially associated with mineralized veins and part of the K-zone. The first three facies are depleted in SiO 2, CaO and Au, and enriched in MgO, relative to fresh rocks of the Siscoe stock and the equivalent rocks of the Dubuisson Formation.Hydrothermal fluids introduced mainly along the K-zone ""channelway"" induced three types of element remobilization, resulting in the various alteration facies: 1) redistribution of elements within the stock from one facies to another (e .g., FeOt, Nap, Ti02 migrated from the actinolite- Mg-chlorite facies to the albite- F e-chlorite and Mg + Fe-chlorite facies); 2) remobilization of elements from the intrusive rocks into veins (e.g ., SiO 2 and CaO ); 3) introduction of elements by hydrothermal fluids in rocks of the Siscoe stock (e .g., Al2O3, MgO, H2O, CO2 and FeOt).The Siscoe stock and the Dubuisson Formation form part of the same tholeiitic suite. Similarly, the Bourlamaque batholith and the Val d'Or Formation belong to a single calc-alkaline suite. In view of this relationship, dissimilarities between the petrochemistry of the Siscoe stock and the Bourlamaque batholith suggest that the two intrusions are not co-magmatic.Finally, gold may have been leached from rocks of the Siscoe stock and remobilized into the quartz-carbonate mineralized veins. In order to account for the total production at the Siscoe mine, approximately 1.2 km3 of the Siscoe stock is thought to have been partially leached of its gold."

Jan 1, 1990

WHY IS IT that smoke-abatement efforts do not bring more satisfactory results? The main reason is an incorrect estimate of the kind and size of the job. When an industrial community realizes that keeping the air clean is a project of similar magnitude to keeping streets clean, providing clean water, removing city waste, or guarding the moral atmosphere, then there maybe a real hope of success. We usually think of the project in too small terms. It is thought of as is the dog catcher or the boiler inspector--a matter of a man or two, a job or two, a small appropriation of variable and uncertain amount, to be abolished in a fit of economy and reestablished under pressure of a vigorous minority. Even so, it is surprising how much is obtained for the effort; but the community is rarely satisfied, for the job is bigger than it was conceived to be. Continuous, never-ceasing effort is required to clean up a smoky city. A few months of relaxation and the situation slips back some years of effort.

Jan 1, 1938

By C Hall, J L. Mauk

New 40Ar/39Ar dates of vein and wall rock adularia from seven epithermal deposits and one porphyry copper prospect help constrain the ages of mineralisation in the Hauraki Goldfield. Vein adularia from the Paritu region yielded a single 40Ar/39Ar plateau date of 16.315 ¦ 0.066 Ma. Five 40Ar/39Ar plateau dates of three samples of vein adularia from the Opitonui deposit overlap within error to yield a preferred age of 13.149 ¦ 0.016 Ma. Two samples of vein adularia from the Night Reef at the Broken Hills deposit yield exceptionally flat 40Ar/39Ar plateaus, and all dates overlap within error to provide an age of 7.121 ¦ 0.010 Ma. Two 40Ar/39Ar plateau dates of one sample of vein adularia from the Wharekirauponga deposit overlap within error to provide an age of 6.318 ¦ 0.061 Ma. Four 40Ar/39Ar plateau dates of three samples of vein adularia from the Maratoto deposit overlap within error to provide an age of 6.411 ¦ 0.022 Ma. Two samples of adularia from altered wall rock at the Sovereign deposit yield three 40Ar/39Ar plateau dates that range from 6.547 ¦ 0.021 to 6.806 ¦ 0.028 Ma. This suggests that mineralisation formed around 6.6 Ma, but the results are complicated because the adularia contains minor illite that post-dates adularia formation. Results from the Karangahake deposit are complex. Two samples of vein adularia yield three 40Ar/39Ar plateau dates that range from 6.116 ¦ 0.116 to 6.901 ¦ 0.101 Ma, whereas one sample of wall rock adularia that contains minor late illite yields two 40Ar/39Ar plateau dates that overlap within error to provide a date of 5.734 ¦ 0.041. The range of dates indicates that more work is necessary to understand the history of mineralisation at this deposit. Two samples of vein adularia from the Tui deposit yield four 40Ar/39Ar plateau dates that overlap within error to provide an age of 5.714 ¦ 0.017 Ma. These results confirm previous work that indicates that the ages of epithermal deposits young southward in the Hauraki Goldfield. These results are also consistent with previously postulated different ages for deposits hosted in Kuaotunu Subgroup rocks in the northern goldfield (>10 Ma), and deposits hosted in Waiwawa Subgroup rocks in the southern goldfield (7.1 to 5.7 Ma).

Jan 1, 2005

By D. J. R. Ras

A sub-level open stoping method is being used to mine the massive deposits at TARGET Gold Mine which uses cemented tailings to backfill the stopes. This requires the construction of bulkheads to contain the freshly placed backfill, capable of resisting the hydraulic pressure imposed by filling. The bulkheads must contain an 8 metre head of backfill slurry within 48 hours and withstand the force exerted by a 35 metre load of consolidated fill at a maximum estimated fill relative density of 1.9. After a variety of methods of construction were evaluated, it was decided to construct the bulkheads using the low density, fast-setting foamed cement-based product TEKSEAL HS manufactured by MINOVA RSA. The cement foam is contained between low-cost steel and fabric brattices which are easy to construct, using a method specially developed for the TARGET bulkheads. The paper will describe the design, trialling and construction of the bulkheads, and results obtained to date.

May 1, 2007

By R. P. Maloney

Since mining operations began in 1900, Government geologists and mining men have periodically recorded the presence of the minerals of mercury and antimony in the extensive gold placer deposits near Flat in the Iditarod district of the Yukon River region, Alaska. No serious effort was made to recover the cinnabar contained in the gold placer gravels, and there is no evidence that veins of cinnabar and stibnite exposed in the placer operations (as reported by the Geological Survey) were ever explored or developed. A large monzonitic intrusive, which is the dominant geologic feature of the immediate area, is believed to be the lode source of the valuable minerals in the placer deposits. In contact with the monzonite are argillite and quartzite, metamorphic products from the Cretaceous shales and sandstones.

Jan 1, 1962

By Robert J. Hundhausen

The Young America lead-silver-zinc mine in Stevens County, Wash., was investigated by the Bureau of Mines during parts of 1946, 1947, and 1948. Results of the investigation are described herein. The mine is 1/4 mile northeast of Bossburg, Wash., the nearest railway station. An excellent paved highway (No. 22) connects Bossburg with Colville, Wash., 23 miles to the south. The property was located in October 1885. It is credited with a production of 2,178 tons of shipping ore since 1901. The shipping ore averaged 7 percent lead, 7.7 percent zinc, and 16.1 ounces silver per ton. The property is under lease and option to Walter E. Morris and Perry Leighton of Colville, Wash. The deposit crops out on a steep limestone bluff overlooking the Columbia River. The country rock is a highly metamorphosed, brecciated, marbleized limestone (Northport formation).

Jan 1, 1949

By Doug Tesarik

Researchers from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health1 (NIOSH), together with employees from The Doe Run Company, are monitoring and evaluating the stability of a pillar retreat section at the Fletcher Mine, a lead/zinc, room-and-pillar mine near Bunker, MO. Cemented rockfill is being used to provide roof support as high-grade, remnant ore pillars are mined. Earth pressure cells and deformation meters placed in backfill panel pillars monitor stress change and vertical deformation, respectively, as nearby ore-bearing pillars are extracted. Similarly, biaxial stressmeters and borehole extensometers are used to monitor mining-induced stress change and deformation, respectively, in long-term support pillars. Data from these instruments indicate that when ore-bearing pillars were mined, stress was redistributed from support pillars to a backfill panel pillar. The data also indicate that the backfill and support pillars have remained stable for two years after pillar extraction was completed in the area. This research demonstrates the importance of using reliable instruments to document the geomechanical behavior of pillars and backfill. Gaining a better understanding of roof support and stress redistribution mechanisms is a fundamental part of NIOSH's goal to reduce and/or predict rockfalls, which are still among the leading causes of injuries in metal/nonmetal underground mines.

Jan 1, 2006

By Y Zhang, X Yi, J Deng, J Zhao, J Song

To obtain the combustion process of a coal fire, a high-temperature programmed system is used to simulate the spontaneous combustion process of fresh and weathered coals. Both fresh coal and weathered coals from Liulingou, Inner Mongolia, China, were used to examine the gas releases from constant temperature to 650°C. Moreover, gas release rate was used to calculate the characteristic temperatures. The results showed the coal samples lasted to oxidise under high temperatures, and released plenty of heat to assist self-heating. The humic acid contained inside the weathered coal went through thermal decomposition as temperature rising and generated gases. This resulted in increasing concentrations of CO, CO2, CH4, C2H4, and C2H6. Changes of CH4, C2H4, and C2H6 gases were also similar. For weathered coal, concentrations of three gases were kept in balance under low temperatures, increased rapidly with the temperature rising. After the ignition temperature, the concentration of hydrocarbon was reduced. In addition, particle size affected coal spontaneous combustion. Coal samples with less than 0.9 mm in size produced much more CO than others. This study has examined coal spontaneous combustion caused by coal weathering during mining and its impacts on self-heating and pyrolysis in the process.CITATION:Deng, J, Song, J, Zhao, J, Zhang, Y, Yi, X and Zhang, Y, 2017. Gaseous products of weathered coal during the process of spontaneous combustion, in Proceedings Australian Mine Vent Conference 2017, pp 79–84 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Aug 28, 2017

By M. Wickham

Design of an open pit backfill requires an understanding of highly varied processes including slope stability, hydrogeology, pit lake chemistry, climate, runoff, and mine waste behavior. Dynamic systems modeling (DSM) provides flexibility to the designers of open pit backfill, allowing them to directly integrate many different physical processes and varying levels of complexity. DSM also provides for the efficient application of uncertainty analysis to define a range of possible results, the sensitivity of the results to uncertainties in model inputs, and the value of additional data. This paper presents the results of an analysis using DSM to evaluate a pit backfill design at an Arizona mine. The objective of the partial backfill was to stabilize an active slope that threatened facilities adjacent to the pit. DSM was used, in part, to develop a pit lake water balance model for evaluating the influence of the backfill on the ability of the pit to maintain passive hydraulic containment of groundwater and surface water inflows and for evaluating costs for various backfill scenarios.

Jan 1, 2001

By F. W. Liang

The geology of pearl River estuary belongs in strong weathered rock quaternary geological systen, so the conditions are complication. Since 80's we built the first deepwater wharf of Shenzhen chiwan port which has 3 berths of 10000 dwt, We have built 3 berths for vessels of 40000 dwt both in Shekou Port and Chiwan port. The berths for carriers of 10000 dwt in Yantian Port of Dapeng Bay are constructing now. In the five years, We built more than 20 deepwater berths of 5000 dwt to 40000 dwt. This paper will introduce how to solve the difficulties of the complex geological conditions and how to use the new fashion construction. We will reduce the period of engineering construction and get good quality and make a good beginning of rapid development of port construction in ShenZhen Special Economic Zone.

Jan 1, 1991

By Colin Rawlings, Simon Pepper, Maria Karakitsiou, John Mathews, Peter Townsend, Russell Bowler, David Keeble, Christopher Darton, Scott Sadler

National Grid needs to maintain a connection between two existing electricity sub-stations (Beddington & Rowdown) in the Croydon (south London) area, and allow the replacement of two 275 kV cable circuits that are buried under roads. This is to be achieved using a single 400 kV cable circuit within a 10 km (6.25 mile) long, 3 m (9.8 ft) diameter high voltage cable tunnel which is being driven through water bearing Chalk, at depths ranging from 5 m (15 ft) to 80 m (262 ft), with four access shafts(12.5 m (41 ft) in diameter) ranging in depth from 10 m (31 ft) to 40 m (131 ft). The Chalk in this area acts as a source of public drinking water supply (PWS) and is protected by areas designated Groundwater Source Protection Zones. To minimise the groundwater risk the design and construction of the cable tunnel and shafts has paid particular attention to the construction materials used, including testing of these construction materials prior to use, developing construction methods (including the design of the Earth Pressure Balance TBM) and maintaining a groundwater monitoring & testing programme prior to and during construction to ensure the integrity of the Chalk aquifer is maintained as a drinking water source. This paper describes the tunnel &shaft design and construction in relation to these particular groundwater environmental issues which set new precedents for tunnel assessment, design and construction requirements in the United Kingdom.

Jan 1, 2007

By Fabien Miller

Automation technologies are increasingly envisaged to improve underground mining productivity. However, the technologies need to be used and adopted gradually in order to get the best benefits. This paper presents the technical and operational aspects of autoguided production vehicles at Brunswick Mine. During 2001 Noranda?s Brunswick Mine has successfully commissioned an automated haulage zone where two optically guided trucks transport ore from a remotely operated chute to two orepasses. Operational advantages include increased system capacity and enhanced safety and comfort for the operator. The data obtained up to now indicate that the system can operate reliably in mine production

May 1, 2002

By Jerry E. Olson

In 1984, the U.S. Bureau of Mines conducted a mineral survey of the Pahute Peak Wilderness Study Area (WSA) (NV-020-621), which covers 57,529 acres in Humboldt County, NV. About 90 percent of the WSA is underlain by Tertiary volcanic and shallow intrusive rocks. Of the remainder, metasedimentary rocks of unknown age are in contact with Cretaceous intrusive rocks in the northwest corner of the WSA. The entire WSA is within an upthrown fault block of the Basin and Range physiographic province. Portions of the WSA, especially south of Pahute Peak (Big Mountain), may be part of an eroded caldera structure. No mines or evidence of major exploration were identified within the WSA. Workings in Copper Canyon, claim blocks along the northwest boundary, and zones of anomalous character as defined by the Bureau of Land Management were examined. No mineral resources were identified, but sample results indicate three significantly mineralized sites, one with indications for zinc skarns in Copppr Canyon, another favorable for precious metals 2 miles south of Copper Canyon, and another area near the northwest boundary with geologic conditions characteristic of molybdenum deposits. Further investigation of these sites is warranted. Petrified wood is present in small amounts near the west central range front.

Jan 1, 1986

By Wilton Johnson

Native asphalt was produced by three companies in two States, Texas and Utah. Bituminous limestone, used primarily as a paving material for street and road repair, was produced by one firm, R. L. White Co., Uvalde County, TX. Gilsonite, a solidified hydrocarbon found only in Colorado and Utah, was mined by two firms, American Gilsonite Co., a division of Chevron Resources Co. (a subsidiary of Standard Oil Co. of California), and Ziegler Chemical and Mineral Corp. Hydrocarbon Mining Co. (a subsidiary of Oberon Oil Inc., a Utah corporation) closed its mining operation during the year.

Jan 1, 1988

By Mathew Avery, Colby Barrett

In November 2016, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake caused more than 100,000 cubic meters of rock and debris to tumble down and bury the transportation infrastructure below Ohau Point in New Zealand. All routes between the northern and southern portions of South Island were severed. To undertake the rebuilding efforts, the New Zealand government established North Canterbury Transport Infrastructure Recovery (NCTIR) – an alliance to repair the road and rail networks between Picton and Christchurch. NCTIR’s aim was to have the road open by Christmas 2017, but work also continued into 2018 to complete a number of safety improvements along the highway. The presentation will review the initial remediation attempts, the necessity to re-evaluate the original efforts, the need to incorporate techniques that were “outside-the-box” and different from traditional methods, and the logistics and planning that were required to complete the work safely. INTRODUCTION Shortly after midnight on Monday 14th November, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the small South Island settlement of Waiau in North Canterbury, 100km north of Christchurch. The quake was the largest in New Zealand since the magnitude 7.8 Dusky Sound earthquake in 2009 (GNS 2016). While shaking was widespread with over 15,000 recorded ‘felt reports,’ the worst shaking occurred about 50 seconds after the quake rupturing started. The energy of the tremor progressed north over several minutes with surface rupture recorded on a total of 21 faults. The length of all the fault ruptures combined was close to 100km (GNS 2016). The degree of ground shaking was high, recorded as Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale (MMI) Level 8 – Severe. This level of shaking causes considerable damage in ordinary buildings with partial collapse including fall of chimneys, factory stacks, columns, monuments, walls, etc. At a human level, people experience difficulty standing; while furniture and appliances shift. Geologically, the damage depends on the geological setting. In Kaikoura and the surrounding area, especially the coastal highway State Highway 1, north and south of the town, many of the slopes consist of over steepened weathered, fractured greywacke. During the quake, the shaking caused significant and widespread damage with a total of 26 major slips (and many smaller slips); closing both State Highway 1 and the Main North Rail Line between Picton and Christchurch.

Jan 1, 2018

By J Taylor, L Richards, M McKenzie

When a collapse in its services shaft caused rapid gas build up and its premature closure in. 1951, the Blackwater Mine at Wiauta was in full production with significant ore reserves yet to be mined. A total of nearly 23 tonnes of gold was produced from the mine during its 44 year life. It was New ZealandÆs deepest underground mine, producing gold from an extensive sub-vertical mineralised quartz reef that averaged 0.6 m in width. Mining was by stoping between adits and short shafts, latterly with the main mine access through the 840 m deep Prohibition shaft. Macraes Mining Company Ltd are presently investigating the possibility of reopening the mine. This paper outlines a preliminary assessment of the main geotechnical factors for achieving the reopening, using recent exploration and old mine information. The greywacke host rock mass in the vicinity of the quartz reef has been evaluated using both these sources, and the paper discusses how the geological structure, intact and rock mass strengths, the rock mass defects, in situ stresses, and groundwater inflows may effect the reopening and support of the prohibition shaft, the excavation methods and support for a new supplementary shaft, and the likely excavation and support requirements for working adits and stopes in the rejuvenated mine.

Jan 1, 1996

By Giovanna Valdivia Málaga

Dado que la comunidad de Michiquillay recibe una gran cantidad del canon minero a través de la gestión de la Municipalidad del mismo nombre, se planteó mejorar las relaciones de parentesco y la inmersión en la modernidad económica y socia de dicha comunidad y pasar de una economía informal a una economía social o solidaria. En ese sentido, el presente texto describe el proyecto de participación colectiva entre los miembros de la comunidad Michiquilllay y La Encañada, con el objetivo de construir una propuesta de privatización del proyecto minero Michicallay. El trabajo de campo se realizó en los ocho sectores y se desarrolló desde hace dos años, alcanzando la comunicación y sostenibilidad del mismo.

Sep 12, 2011