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By R P. Langford, T A. Moore

Indonesia over the last 15 years has experienced a surge in coal exploration, which has led to the development of a major export industry. This coal exploration has improved the understanding of the geology of the Indonesian coal deposits. The main economic coal deposits are of Eocene and Miocene to Pliocene age, which mainly occur in Kalimantan and Sumatra and were formed from peat deposits in an equatorial paleoclimate similar to that prevailing today. Some of these peats were domed peats, which grew above the normal water tables, under a climate of year-round rainfall; these peats grew above the level at which waterborne mineral matter can enter the system, resulting in low ash and sulphur, and locally very thick coal. It is believed that such peats have formed the unusually thick, low ash, and low sulphur Miocene coals of Indonesia. Coal deposits of Eocene age are typically characterised by thinner seams, with relatively higher contents of ash and sulphur. The Miocene coals and Eocene coals both appear to have formed in lacustrine, coastal plain or deltaic depositional environments, similar to the modern peat-forming environments of eastern Sumatra and parts of Kalimantan. The Eocene coals formed mainly in extensional tectonic settings. Miocene - Pliocene coal deposits formed in a range of tectonic settings; the most significant, for large economic coal deposits, are the foreland basin setting of the large Neogene coal deposits of South Sumatra.

Jan 1, 1999

By Alexander J. Verstraeten

The design and construction of foundations for power transmission line towers present some special problems. This paper describes a system of design and construction for these foundations that was developed in Europe and has attained general use there because of its reliability and cost effectiveness. Transmission line foundations distinguish themselves by having to deal not only with compressive and lateral loads, but with uplift loads and, because of the wind (in some regions earthquakes), with dynamic loading. The construction of transmission line foundations distinguishes itself mainly in the great number of inaccesible locations involved, resulting in extensive geotechnical investigation and logistical problems in moving men, materials and equipment.

Jan 1, 1987

By Roxana Barrantes Huamán

El presente texto describe la geología económica del depósito aurífero Alpacay ubicado en Arequipa, Perú. El depósito Alpacay es un típico depósito mesotermal, filoniano que es explotado por la Cía Minera Yanaquihua, donde el mineral es procesado en una planta de cianuración, gravimetría y flotación. Costa. Asímismo, se realiza en la Franja Aurífera Nazca-Ocoña que alberga innumerables minas y depósitos en vetas angostas como Arirahua, San Juan de Chorunga, Chalhuane, Las Clavelinas, María Eugenia, entre otros. La alteración es básicamente argílica en la vecindad de las vetas y propilítica hacia el exterior.

Sep 12, 2011

By Edwards A. B

A suite of specimens from the newly developed Black Star copper ore body at Mount Isa was made available for mineragraphic study by the Mount Isa Mines, Ltd. The specimens were selected as representative of the different phases of mineralisation found in the ore body, rather than with a view to furnishing a complete cross-section of it; and the examination has been carried out with a view to ascertaining (1) the nature, extent and association of the arsenic, antimony and possibly bismuth, minerals in the ore, (2) the mode of occurrence of silver in the ore, and (3) whether galena and sphalerite occur in minute forms well below the sIzes readily observed in hand specimens.Analyses of the January to June, 1944, mill head composites show that the proportions of the elements Ag, As, Sb and Bi in the ore are as follows:Ag 0.000013 = 0.35 oz./tonAs 0.024Sb 0:002Bi 0.0005The copper content of the mill heads ranges from 3.5% to 4.75%, the lead content from 0.03% to 0.08,% and the zinc content from 0.09% to 0.23%.MINERAL COMPOSITIONThe specimens range from massive sulphide ore, consisting of areas of chalcopyrite, pyrrhotite, and rarely sphalerite, from 1 to 3 cm. across, to fragments of extremely finely banded pyritic shale in which no minerals other than pyrite are visible. The gangue associated with the massive sulphides is chiefly dolomite, and sometimes white quartz. The pyritic shale fragments show evidence of shearing and faulting on a micro-scale, the fractures sometimes being filled with sulphides and vein minerals.The ore minerals found in the polished sections are pyrite, arsenopyrite, marcasite, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, valleriite, chalcostibite, galena, dyscrasite, jamesonite, magnetite, gold, graphite and rutile.Pyrite (FeS2)Pyrite occurs chiefly in two forms according to whether deposition took place along the bedding planes or along the intersecting faults and fractures. Deposition of pyrite along the bedding planes of dense, thinly banded shales ha,s produced a metasomatically altered shale in which the pyritic bands are from 0.02 to 0.03 mm. wide, and alternate with bands...

Jan 1, 1945

By Joseph Jensen

MANY fields have been zoned by nature with shales and intermediate waters between oil zones. Limitations thus imposed have been the basis on which the field was developed. In contrast thereto, in the Ventura Avenue Field, nature proved more generous. Always expecting to find such similar limitations, operators drilled deeper and deeper into the oil zone without finding any distinctive shale bodies other that the Gosnell shale and only one intermediate water, which became the point below which the final water shut-off of each well was made. Thus, on top of the structure, about 3300 ft. of oil-bearing zone has been penetrated below this intermediate w9ter-a distance of 4000 ft. below the Gosnell shale. At first it seemed that the greater the penetration in the zone, the better the well. The error of this assumption became evident

Jan 1, 1930

Shortly after Denny, Robson, and Irwin published their first paper in 1937, on the prevention of silicosis by metallic aluminium, experiments were begun on the practical application of the discovery.It was thought at that time that aluminium powder, to be effective in aluminium therapy, would have to be intimately admixed with siliceous dust at the latter's source. There followed several years of experimental work underground, during which the application of aluminium powder was tested in:(1) Speakers on machine columns, vibrated by drills.(2) Vials placed in drill holes to be blasted.(3) Both homogeneous and heterogeneous mixture with explosives.(4) Packages with tamping.(5) Compressed-air lines.(6) Special compressed-air ejectors for use while drilling and after blasting.(7) The discharge of ventilation fans.(8) The filters of respirators.It was concluded from this research that any adequate method of introducing aluminium powder into a mine atmosphere would require too much extra gear, supervision, and aluminium p;wder, and would interfere unduly with underground routine.Later, animal experiments by Denny, Robson, and Irwin2 showed that aluminium powder provided effective therapy when inhaled independent of silica dust. Therefore, some means of surface treatment was deemed more practical.APPARATUS USED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ALUMINIUM PROPHYLAXIS SAMPLINGA basic requirement was a method of sampling to assess accurately the particle-size concentrations of dispersed aluminium powder. Konimetry, though regularly practised at McIrityre, was inadequate for the research in mind. On the other hand, the efficiency of the thermal precipitator was recognized as being very high. Accordingly, the latter instrument was chosen as best suited to our needs. Through the courtesy of the Ontario...

Jan 1, 1945

By C. Sawmliana, P. Pal Roy

Near-field blast vibration response of restrained pipelines either buried or exposed was studied during rock excavations at sensitive locations for Stage-II (4x500 MW) commissioning work in a super thermal powerplant of the National Thermal Power Corporation Ltd. (NTPC) of India. The existing running plant of capacity 1000 MW has many important installations including pipelines of varying diameters. These pipelines were very close to the blasting locations (mostly within 12m). Blast optimization and consequent monitoring of vibrations were carried out simultaneously for more than 250 experimental blasts conducted by the authors. This paper emphasized, particularly, on the safety of pipelines and their responses due to repeated blasting impacts. A few guidelines supported by theoretical derivations are provided for futuristic research.

Jan 1, 2001

By Keet B. A, Waid J. S

The Gippsland Basin is one of Australia's most important producers of petroleum products. An inevitable byproduct of the production, refinement and transport of the millions of barrels of oil is thousands of tonnes of waste. These wastes are generated from the wellhead through to the petrol bowser and range from oily brines and coal tars to oil and petrol contaminated soils. The vast majority of these wastes are of a relatively low toxicity and most importantly are carbon-based and biodegradable. Current disposal practices tend to ignore the latter characteristic and inappropriate and/or expensive waste disposal solutions such as landfilling (tipping), incineration or ocean outfalls are the result. A very cost effective and environmentally friendly alternative is land treatment of such wastes. Landfarming, as it is called, has been successfully practiced in Europe for over a decade. Essential features of the system are: ò Application of a predetermined quantity of biodegradable waste in liquid, sludge or highly contaminated soil form, to pre-ploughed soil with concurrent addition of nutrients (N, P and trace elements) and lime to encourage bacterial activity. ò Harmless bacteria already present within the soil break down the carbon-based compounds into carbon dioxide, water and waste heat, WHILE concurrently generating new cells. The breakdown occurs over a period of weeks to months and continues with time with the extremely low levels of the more difficult waste types being the last to disappear. ò Further waste is applied to the soil at regular intervals. The treatment area may be dedicated to landfarming or may be used alternatively for agricultural purposes. Application rates vary but may be as high as 800 tonnes per hectare per year for wastes such as refinery sludges.

Jan 1, 1992

By T. J. Goff

Keywords: accurate control, matte level, smelting operations, process control, tapping, sounding bar, electromagnetic measurement [ ] Accurate control of matte levels during primary matte smelting operations is desirable in order to improve process decision-making. High matte levels in the vessel could have to disastrous consequences, particularly in the new generation of intensive smelting furnace with deep-cooled copper coolers. Knowing when to commence tapping and a better understanding of melt times can only be improved if the furnace levels are monitored correctly. At Lonmin Marikana Smelter Division it has long been understood that the matte level information being provided by the manual sounding bar is only as good as the operators? following of measurement procedure, their skill in assessing what the sounding bar is displaying, and their individual interpretation of what they are looking at. This paper sets out to show how this problem was identified as an area of major concern to the plant, how a solution was sought and how an electromagnetic measurement system was installed as an alternative measurement to the matte sounding bar system. Other areas discussed in the paper are the difficulties to be overcome when first installing new equipment and how these teething problems were solved by close co-operation between Lonmin and equipment suppliers, which led to some design modifications to the delivery system. In conclusion the paper discusses the results between the electromagnetic measurement and the manual sounding measurement and how best to integrate the generated data into the plant?s process control system for improved decision making.

Jan 1, 2011

By Larry Schneider

I n the simplest application of a shock tube initiation system, the tubing acts as a “relay line” which passes a detonation signal from borehole to borehole. When the signal arrives at each borehole, it causes the detonator attached to it to fire. Such a single path constitutes a progressive series where each unit must function properly in order to activate the following units. Any application error, malfunction, or mistake in connecting any surface unit will stop the progression of the detonation signal through the system and result in a “cutoff” or misfire of the following charges.

Jan 1, 1995

By U. Gorkhan Akkaya, N. Enver

Geographic information system (GIS) is one of the most accurate and useful tools to help decision – making for decision-makers. As to expert systems, it provides solutions to the problems faced by mimicking reasoning of the human experts. Blasting operations in mining include high risks for the vicinity of the operations. GIS having required mechanisms to take right decisions for the people who have to make right and precise decisions, while it is utilized as a integrated system with expert reasoning, is thought to be considered important tool that provides to take decisions with ease, and also to reduce the risks in the blasting operations. It is possible to find out both of the economic and optimum solutions to solve the various encountered problems in the mining activities such as blasting operations, only when GIS integrated expert systems is used. Managing the spatial data unified with expert reasoning is the one of the greatest advantages of the system. In the scope of the study, various scientific studies were investigated. The benefits of the system were figured out and the phases of a unified system were proposed in the blasting operations.

Jan 1, 2013

The Bulli Seam, New South Wales, comprises medium to low volatile bituminous coal, generally of coking quality. It is worked over an area embracing 300 square miles.Variations in several factors are found.1. The seam is somewhat disturbed and dissected by various structural features.2. This structure, and present topography, have resulted in depths of cover from very shallow to approaching 2,000 ft in the presently worked areas.3. Wide variations of seam thickness occur.4. Gradations of rank occur from place to place.5. Variations in seam gas content and wide variations in seam gas composition are experienced.6. Variations in coal strength occur.These factors may contribute to the occurrence of stress and gas phenomena in mining exploitation.INTRODUCTIONThe Bulli Seam, the most extensively worked seam in Australia, is the uppermost seam of the Illawarra Coal Measures, which comprise the southern portion of the Sydney Coal Basin. Generally, the rank of the seam and its assemblage of types make it ideal for the production of hard metallurgical coke. The thickness and relatively flat dips render the seam suited to mechanized bord and pillar mining, and this method is used almost without exception. At the north-eastern corner of the field, stress and gas phenomena have occurred during mining.Various data have been assembled on physical, chemical and geological conditions of the seam which may influence the occurrence of stress and gas phenomena. This material is presented in an attempt to explain the location of such phenomena to date, and to enable variations in conditions to be considered when future possibilities are being assessed.

Jan 1, 1963

By Graeme McWhirter

This paper discusses the Installation of a Vibwall for the Cardiff Bay Barrage Project Wales, UK, by Kvaerner Cementation Foundations. Only the second use of the technique in the UK the wall was successfully placed to a depth in excess of 20 metres, in unique and challenging conditions. The installation of the Vibwall was a technical success, but not a financial one. The use of the technique was at its "limits" and this paper recommends some of the controls essential in the carrying out of such work in the future.

Jan 1, 2000

By Holla L, Tyminski A

Stowing has been successfully used in many countries as a means of controlling surface subsidence, minimi ing incidences of spontaneous combustion, maintaining gate road stability and maximising coal recovery.Australian experience in stowing is limited but in the future increased extraction of thicker and/or multiple seams by longwall operations and resolution of conflict of alternative land u'ses may necessitate the use of stowing in coal mining. At present there is little incentive for mining companies to introduce and operate a stowing system because costs have to be borne by the individual companies and benefits spill over to society and the State. Cost sharing by the industry and State incentives may overcome the problem of cost disincentive.

Jan 1, 1987

In Alaska?s southwest corner, in the Bristol Bay region, 476 holes have been drilled to help define the size of the Pebble Project. The results indicate that the deposit holds close to 32 Mt (72 billion lbs) of copper and 2.9 Gt (94 million oz) of gold. The Pebble Partnership, an Alaskan limited partnership of Anglo American and Northern Dynasty Minerals, owns the project that consists of two world-class mineral deposits. Currently in the prefeasibility and prepermitting stage of development, the Pebble Project is one of the largest and highest profile exploration projects in North America. History The Pebble West Project was originally discovered in 1988 by Cominco (now Teck Cominco). Drilling programs in 1997 defined a near-surface mineral deposit of 1 Gt (1.01 billion st). Minerals found included copper, gold and molybdenum. Northern Dynasty Minerals acquired the property in 2001 and, by 2005, it had confirmed a measured and indicated resource of 4.1 Gt (4.5 billion st) containing 1.2 kt (42.1 million oz) of gold, 11.2 Mt (24.7 billion lbs) of copper and 612 kt (1.35 billion lbs) of molybdenum and additional silver. By September 2005, Pebble East, a deeper, but richer deposit had been found. Drill data by the end of 2005 confirmed a 3.4-Gt (3.7-billion st) inferred resource containing 19 Mt (42.6 billion lbs) of copper, 1.2 Mt (39.6 million oz) of gold and 1.2 Mt (2.7 billion lbs) of molybdenum.

Jan 1, 2009

By Jamal Rostami, Levent Ozdemir, Amund Bruland, Filip Dahl

Cerchar Abrasivity Index (CAI) is one of the commonly used tests to evaluate rock abrasiveness for cutter life/cost estimations of TBM projects. There are at least 3 style machines, 2 different pin hardness, and the test could be run on fresh rock surface VS a sawn surface. Each of these parameters has a meaningful effect on the results, but its impacts were not fully understood nor its implications well explored. This paper reviews the current practice of Cerchar testing and its implications on geotechnical investigations related to TBM tunnels and provide a set of guidelines on testing and reporting of the test results for future projects.

Jan 1, 2005

By Jacques B. Wertz

Both the San Andreas fault complex and the Murray fracture zone are apparently found to be contemporaneous with the Laramide mineralization period. Their compounding effects certainly have disturbed the Texas lineament belt and its components with serious lateral offsets and most probably have been instrumental in allowing intrusives to be emplaced as well as mineralization to accompany these intrusions at some of the fracture intersections. While the main fracture centers can be almost accepted as being structurally linked together, the Texas lineament trend definitely predominates, exerting a prevailing direction to graben (Silver Bell) and to elongated depressions (Bisbee). That this lineament belt also influenced the concomitant mineralization seems a logical inference. The orebodies are generally found at intersections near the most centrally-located intrusive with a distance varying from contiguity to one or two miles. The Southeast Arizona copper province owes its existence primarily to a particularly favorable structural setting of broad semi-continental scope. Thus, various regional structural elements are to be considered as possibly direct or remote cause for the widespread mineralization, although the one or the ones really responsible may never be singled out. There arc three basic regional elements: (1) The north-northwest-trending anticlinorium that diagonally crosses Arizona is quite obvious because many mountain ranges follow this direction. This anti- clinorium, which merges northward into the Wasatch-Jerome Belt, marks a broad zone of weakness where tension seems to prevail. Mineralized trends such as Jerome-San Manuel-Bisbee may give some weight to the economic value of this structural element. (2) Northeast-trending fractures, parallel to the Colorado Mineral Belt (Landwehr, 1967), appear troincident with mineralization as evidenced by the Questa-Grants-Morenci and the Lordsburg- Tyrone-Santa Rita alignments. This structural direction is accepted as one of the most economically significant in the Southwestern United States. (3) The Texas Lineament.

Jan 1, 1970

By Peter Zhang

Shield recovery in a longwall move is normally conducted from tailgate to headgate. However, if the face is wide and the immediate roof is weak, difficult conditions with considerable roof sag, excessive shield load, and local roof falls could occur as the shield recovery proceeds to the middle of the face, causing delays in shield recovery. The situation could be aggravated when a pre-driven longwall recovery room is employed. Alternatively, a bi-directional approach for shield recovery, i.e. shield recovery starting from the middle of the face towards both tailgate and headgate, can alleviate the roof sag significantly by quickly withdrawing the shields towards the lower abutment pressure zones at the headgate and tailgate sides. In this case, the bi-directional shield recovery approach was used in a longwall move for a 1450 ft wide face under weak roof conditions. Shields were successfully withdrawn within five days without experiencing significant roof sag. The time-dependent roof-to-floor convergence, shield pressure, and roof conditions were monitored during shield recovery. 3-D finite element modeling was conducted prior to longwall move to evaluate the difference between a uni-directional and a bi-directional shield recovery during a longwall face move. Vertical stress, yield zone in and around the recovery room, load on the shields, and convergence at the center of the shield canopy were obtained from computer modeling, and compared with the data from field monitoring. Finally, the advantages of the bi-directional shield recovery are discussed.

Jan 1, 2007

When the Mining Bill came before the Victorian Legislature not so many months ago, the question arose whether mining managers required education, and to what extent. Some members of the House expressed themselves in a way which appeared to leave the impression that mining managers would be all the better if they were not brought up in a scientific school.To try and prove what we owe to science I will give a short history of colonial mining from the earlier period to the present time and compare results.I believe I am right in saying that South Australia is the pioneer colony in mining and to her belongs the credit of not dnly being the first mining colony, but also that her beginning turned out so successful, as the history of the Burra Burra copper mine will testify. At about the same time a little galena mining was carried on nearer to Adelaide, but as this did not prove a success and was only worked by tributing parties, little notice was taken of it.

By D. Toporov, R. Abraham

"Gasification is a process of thermal conversion of solid carbonaceous materials into a gaseous fuel called syngas. Coal gasification is an efficient technology for a range of systems for producing low-emission electricity and other high-value products such as chemicals, synthetic fuels, etc.The paper presents the High-Temperature Winkler (HTW) gasification process, which is designed to utilize low-rank feedstock such as coals with high ash content, lignite, biomass etc. The process is characterized by a bubbling fluidized bed, where coal devolatilization and partial oxidation and gasification of coal char and volatiles take place, and by a freeboard where partial combustion and gasification of coal char take place.The recent development of the high-pressure HTW process is reviewed. Gasification of low-rank, high-ash coals with respect to gasification temperatures, conversion rates, and syngas quality is also discussed. The main HTW design steps required for an industrial-scale design are presented. Special attention is given to the process modelling, including global thermodynamic calculation as well as detailed CFD-based simulation of a reacting fluidized bed. Three-dimensional numerical results of the HTW process are also provided and discussed."

Jan 1, 2015