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By Elton L. Litchfield, Milton L. Weiss

Studies were made on the projectile impact sensitivity of explosives by subjecting explosive samples to the impact of metal projectiles fired from a 0.50- caliber gun . The projectiles , in the form of right cylinders , made plane surface to plane surface contact with the explosives . Pressures in the explosive were investigated with an expendable pressure transducer in some instances . The physical model of the projectile - explosive interaction describes , in principle , the duration of the peak shock pressure in terms of the projectile and explosive geometry and the steady- state penetration of the explosive . Of the explosives studied , liquid hydrogen- solid oxygen and liquid oxygen - solid or liquid hydrocarbon fuel were the most shock sensitive ( requiring an initiating shock of about 1.0 kb or 987 atmospheres pressure ) ; cast TNT was the least sensitive ( requiring an initiating shock of more than 110 kb pressure ) . Measurements of pressure in the explosive showed some moderate space resolution by the transducer and gave pressure distributions in agreement with expectations from the model of the shock processes . The appearance of the recovered projectiles and the calculated initiation shock pressures suggest that the solid explosives were initiated directly to high- order detonation , whereas the liquid explosives were probably initiated to low- order detonation-- with a subsequent , later transition to high- order detonation .

Jan 1, 1965

By G. R. Hopkins

According to reports received by the Bureau of Mines, Department of Commerce, as of January 1, 1929 there were 413 completed refineries in the United States, with a total daily crude-oil capacity of 3,509,540 barrels. In addition, 14 refineries, with a potential capacity of 99,000 barrels, were being constructed. Of the completed refineries, 341, with a capacity of 3,325,890 barrels, or 95 per cent of the total capacity, were in operation; and 72, with a capacity of 183,650 barrels, or 5 per cent of the total, were shut down. The improved condition of the refining industry in 1928 was indicated in several ways; namely, in an increase in the total capacity of the completed plants, in the opening up of a few plants which were shut down during 1927, in a decrease in the number of plants dismantled, and in an increase in the number of plants under construction. The majority of the refiners have followed a steady expansion program commensurate in most cases with the increase in demand for petroleum products. Obsolete equipment has been dismantled and modern equipment has been installed, with the net result that the total capacity of the completed refineries in the United States has shown a steady increase since January 1, 1918, the date of the first Bureau of Mines survey. Between January 1, 1928, and January 1, 1929, the number of completed plants fell from 423 to 413, but their total capacity increase 259,160 barrels, or 8 per cent. This compares with an increase in runs to stills of domestic and foreign crude petroleum of 10 per cent, and of domestic crude alone of 7 per cent.

Jan 1, 1929

By Timothy A. Clancy

To help reduce the Nation's dependence on imported chromite, the Bureau of Mines is conducting research on the use of dolomites as an alternate material. Dolomite is a plentiful domestic resource and offers certain advantages as a refractory raw material. A review of the literature has indicated that there are many sources of high-purity dolomite in this country and that European nations use a greater proportion of dolomite refractories, primarily in steelmaking, than the United States, The Bureau of Mines characterized 14 domestic dolomites as to chemistry, density, mineralogy, microstructure, and thermal behavior, to develop baseline data on their suitability as refractory raw materials.

Jan 1, 1983

By The Honourable George Prudham

"I AM PLEASED indeed to be present with you here today and to be taking part in the proceedings of your convention. You have been greeted and welcomed to the Province by Premier Manning who is also provincial Minister of Mines and Minerals, and to this City by Mayor Hawrelak. As Minister of Mines and Technical Surveys in the federal government and as Member of Parliament for Edmonton West, I have been asked to share the honour of extending greetings and a cordial welcome to all.It is a happy coincidence that this representative national gathering, indicative of the growing strength and significance of a great basic Canadian industry, is taking place in the Macdonald Hotel, the new addition of which marks another important step forward in the progress of this City and district.This happens to be the third national convention of the C.I.M. that I •have had the pleasure of attending and I trust that I am not presumptuous in expressing the hope that I will have the opportunity of attending many more conventions of the Institute in my present capacity.Dr. Kidd has bestowed on me a high honour by asking me to be Co-Chairman of this Inaugural Session of the Convention and thus to share with him the responsibility of presiding over the proceedings of this afternoon."

Jan 1, 1953

By S. James Campbell

Ladies and Gentlemen: Never in the history of our mining industry has the emphasis on public relations been accelerated as much as it has in the last few years. Knowing of your keen interest in this subject I consider it a great privilege that your program committee has asked me here to discuss the crushed stone segment of our industry approach to this important part of our daily business lives. As you are aware, crushed stone operations are present in almost every segment of the country wherever aggregates for construction projects are required. The tonnage of crushed stone produced is second only to sand and gravel - another source of aggregates - and this together with sand and gravel amounts to over half of the tonnage of all mined products in the United States. What is unique about this industry that will be of interest to all of you in analyzing how they have approached Public Relations? The fact that it is so wide-spread is of course obvious, but perhaps a more significant nature of this segment of the mining industry that has brought it more in the limelight of public interest and on a larger scale is the location of a large part of the quarries quite close into the urban area and population centers where you have the greatest demand for aggregate products.

Jan 1, 1969

In 1976 the Pitjantjatjara Council was established under the Associations Incorporation Act 1985 (SA), for the initial purpose of organising and bringing together three similar Indigenous groups. These members of the Pitjantjatjara Council of Central Australia were demanding land rights and to legally protect their traditional lands. The Land Rights movement was more focused on the South Australian Government that became more receptive to the general notion that Aboriginal freehold land could be attainable.For almost five years, Pitjantjatjara CouncilÆs intense negotiations took place with the Dunstan and Tonkin Governments culminating in the final passage of legislation by 1981. A bi-partisan approach by Government and opposition applauded by all South Australians for its mature and socially responsible actions, in line with the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 (Cth). Despite the similarities between South Australian and the Northern Territory Land Rights legislation, there still remains one obvious distinction. In the Northern Territory case, its legislation established æLand CouncilsÆ as statutory authorities that are responsible for the management and use of designated Aboriginal lands. On the other hand, South Australian legislation fails to include any reference to æLand CouncilsÆ as defined in the Northern Territory Act. The intention of establishing such æLand CouncilsÆ in the Northern Territory was, and is to provide legal, anthropological and other expect advisers that respond to the wishes and opinions of Traditional Aboriginal Owners. Negotiations between mining companies and Land Councils, will, after the granting of mining leases, monies are then transferred to those Councils being a percentage of royalty entitlements. While the Pitjantjatjara Land Rights Act 1981 (SA) (Act) does provide royalty arrangements to Anangu Pitjantjatjara (AP), a body corporate pursuant to the Act as a Landholding Body (and not as a æLand CouncilÆ), it does not provide any royalty payments for the legal and anthropological services by the Pitjantjatjara Council for providing essentially similar services as the Northern Territory Land Councils. The limited services by AP do provide complimentary services from other organisations û including the Pitjantjatjara Council. There are approximately 4000 Anangu members who reside on AP Lands and more than 1000 other Anangu members live near AP Lands in Western Australia and the Northern Territory. These people are defined as APÆs æTraditional OwnersÆ by virtue of their affiliation to portions of AP Lands. As a result, the depth and understanding of spiritual beliefs and customs are strongly present as it relates to the whole of the Lands. Most of these members reside at permanent communities that spread unevenly about the northern and south-western parts of AP Lands. In addition, there are numerous æHomelandsÆ where families and extended families have establish homes, with electricity and water supplies on those Traditional Lands (see Appendix 1 and 2 of this paper depicting the map showing AP Lands and also showing stunning photographs taken during late last year). All roads and airstrips are unsealed between communities and Homelands and the essential services to all communities are limited and costly to provide, and require continuous upgrading. Capital expenditure on infrastructure is sorely needed and alarming levels of unemployment is of serious concern. Tjilpi (older) Anangu members have continually discuss the urgency to provide employment and education for the future of their children and grandchildren while balancing the needs of maintaining cultural and spiritual considerations. It is thus a growing realisation by many Traditional Owners that long-term benefits occur as a result of exploration and production of oil or minerals. There are promising results from Primary Industry and Resources of South AustraliaÆs (PIRSA) Aero-magnetic Surveys on the Musgrave and Mann Ranges and soon to be completed surveys of the remaining southern half of AP Lands (see Appendix 3). PIRSA and mining companies û such as Rio Tinto Exploration Pty Ltd and Delta Gold NL û have been more conscious of the necessity for improving the dissemination of information to Traditional Owners and to AP members. With recent findings of large nickel deposits just over the border in Western Australia, there is a strong indication that discoveries may occur on AP Lands as similar geological information is present on the east Musgrave Block. Consequently there are concerted efforts by the legal and anthropological services of the Pitjantjatjara Council to arrange Workshops and Summit meeting to give extra information û particularly information concerning the true effect of large-scale mining operations û to members to properly consider these proposals. Pitjantjatjara Council will play a major role in any decisions effecting Traditional Owners and AP, and will ensure orderly and professional services when dealing with legal, cultural and sensitive matters. This paper addresses the historical and current relationship between Pitjantjatjara Council and AP, with an emphasis on mining operations on AP Lands. It argues that future economic and social development on AP Lands hinge predominantly on the legal recognition of the Pitjantjatjara Council for its ongoing role, responsibilities and protection afforded to AP and its Traditional Owners.

Jan 1, 2002

The U.S. economy showed further strength during the third quarter of 1983, continuing the upward trend discussed in the last two issues of Minerals and Materials. The National Association of Purchasing Management composite index increased to a 10-year high of 67. 1 in July. (A value of 50 or greater indicates expanding industrial activity.) The index, a weighted composite of new orders, production, employment, vendor performance, and inventories, is derived from a survey of purchasing agents for about 250 industrial firms. Investment and Other National Economic Indicators The strong consumer surge of second quarter 1983 was reinforced during the third quarter by the performance of private investment. Because of this, many analysts became more optimistic about the strength of the recovery and its potential for being sustained. Capital investment growth, negative since 1980, was positive for every investment component in the third quarter of 1983. Preliminary estimates indicate a real increase of $1.4 billion (at an annual rate) in private investment expenditures on nonresidential structures, an increase of $4.3 billion (at an annual rate) for producers' durable equipment, and an increase of $4.8 billion (at an annual rate) in real inventory levels. The second quarter 1983 increase in expenditures on producers' durable equipment was the first indicator that investment recovery would occur during the rest of the year (table 1). Corporate profits in total manufacturing increased $6.5 billion from first quarter to second quarter 1983 (table 2).

Jan 1, 1983

By E Mare

Recent highly publicised incidences of disastrous containment failures, none more pertinent than the 2019 iron ore tailings dam failure in Brumadinho, have focused the world’s attention squarely on the often-challenging subject of tailings storage. Unwanted ultrafines, that are deemed to be unworthy of further treatment or not to have further saleable value, are therefore a significant issue for mine owners looking to reduce risks and perceptions associated with long-term storage of tailings. In this context, there are strong drivers to identify safer approaches to ultrafine tailings management, especially if it can also lead to increased revenue, together with better water stewardship and environmental outcomes. The better management of tailings needs to be considered from both containment challenge and processing opportunity perspectives. This paper focuses on the latter, reviewing from a technical and economic perspective, the feasibility of more extensive processing and/or reprocessing of specifically iron ore tailings, in a bid to reduce the overall volume for management in long-term storage. Herein the opportunity lies in recovery processing, as much as enhanced thickening and/or mechanical dewatering, and therefore the paper discusses both issues as equally important sides of the same coin. Recent interest in iron ore ultrafines processing and reprocessing studies suggests that the enhanced processing of iron ore tailings offers multiple perceived advantages. Apart from a potential reduction in tailings volume, associated with safer containment, lower environmental impact and improved water management, the prospect of increased revenue from additional Fe recovery presents supplementary motivation for iron ore players to embrace this approach, as further elaborated in this paper.

Nov 8, 2021

By Edward E. Johnson

The U.S. economy made significant progress in 1984. The current-dollar gross national product (GNP), the market value of the Nation's output of goods and services, increased almost 11 percent over that of 1983 to slightly more than $3.66 trillion (table 1), and the real gross national product increased almost 7 percent.2/ Such rapid growth in real GNP has not occurred since the early 1950's. Real final sales increased only 5 percent during 1984, and real business inventories increased $24.8 billion ($57.9 billion in current dollars). Total employment of 106.7 million was an all-time record, and the unemployment rate declined from 9.5 percent in 1983 to 7.4 percent in 1984. During 1984 the U.S. dollar showed great strength on international markets, contributing to large current-dollar negative net exports of goods and services (-$62.5 billion) and even larger negative net exports of merchandise (-$107.6 billion). The strong dollar and the substantial increase in net imports of goods and services helped reduce U.S. inflationary pressures and provided a major source of loanable funds for financing domestic private investment.

Jan 1, 1985

Arsenic.--Inorganic arsenic has been added to the Environmental Protection Agency's list of hazardous air pollutants because of a high probability it can cause cancer. EPA estimates that inorganic arsenic emissions into ambient air total more than 6,000 tons per year, with about 65;L of this coming from the operations of copper, lead, and zinc smelters. Asbestos Detection.--In June 14, the President signed S. 1658 providing $172.5 million to detect and remove asbestos hazards in schools. Asbestos Use Must be Reported.--All firms using asbestos in the manufacture of some 30 categories of products must describe in detail how they use the mineral to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, for all manufactures since January 1, 1977.

Jan 1, 1980

By C. A. Heiland

THIS year's review of geophysical activities has a somewhat different complexion than usual. With the ending of the war, the time seems opportune to supplement the customary report on operations and discoveries in oil and mine exploration by a review out-lining the contributions of geophysicists to the. war effort. To give as much space as possible to the latter, presented as Part 2, some of the usual review features have been omitted from the statistical section, given as Part 1 immediately following.

Jan 1, 1946

By W. W. Fowler

ORIGINALLY designed for copper smelting only, the reduction works of the Cerro de Pasco Copper Corp. have been expanded over the years until now twelve different metals are produced, together with some seven other items which are used locally. Although the total tonnage treated is comparatively modest, as smelting plants go, the variety of operations makes one of the most complex and interesting metallurgical problems in the world. The original plant, at La Fundicion, operated from July 1906 until September 1923. In 1922 a new copper smelter was built at La Oroya, which produced its first copper on Nov. 23, 1922. It is in this plant, greatly enlarged, that metallurgical operations now center. La Oroya is situated at the junction of the Cerro de Pasco Railroad and the Ferrocarril Central del Peru, at an altitude of 12,175 ft.-well over two miles. Many of the various operations stem from two principal smelting circuits which are themselves of conventional types. Copper ores and concentrates are roasted, smelted in reverberatory furnaces and converters, and blister copper produced. Lead ores, concentrates, and other materials are sintered, smelted in blast furnaces to crude lead which is partially fire-refined, and finally electrolytically refined by a modified Betts process.

Jan 1, 1945

By Brian M. Harney

The technique of remote sensing, used for many years by earth scientists, is being applied to the detection and monitoring of air pollution. Instrumentation being developed is of a very diverse nature and is effective, Fn varying degrees, at ranges from 1,000 meters to the altitude of a space satellite. This paper describes a number of the recent developments in this new field. Instruments based on spectroscopic, laser, and photographic systems are discussed. Sensors are being developed which utilize correlation spectrometry, interferometry, Raman scattering, Mie scattering, laser line absorption, and simple photographic detection.

Jan 1, 1973

By P. A. Riveros, J. Binvignat, V. M. McNamara, D. Koren

The recovery of cyanide from a gold mill solution containing high levels of copper (400 mg/L to 900 mg/L) using the AVR process was evaluated. It was determined that acidification to pH 2 to 3 provides a suitable balance between HCN generation, copper precipitation and acid consumption. A short pilot plant campaign showed that ~75% of the feed WAD cyanide was recovered while the remainder precipitated along with copper upon acidification. The acid consumption averaged 3.5 g H2SO4 per litre of solution. The copper precipitate, consisting mostly of CuCN and CuSCN, was readily separated from the solution by gravity. The volatilization of HCN in countercurrent packed columns averaged 98.7% efficiency. Reabsorption of HCN was practically 100% in NaOH solutions and slightly lower in a lime slurry. Basic volatilizer design parameters applicable to a large-scale operation were determined, including the Henry’s Law constant and the mass transfer coefficient of HCN gas.

Jan 1, 1998

By S Dunham

A cross-discipline approach combining geology, metallurgy and mine planning, geometallurgy is seen as the next logical advance in improving the design and operation of mining businesses. This rapidly evolving field is focused on realising the value that has often been lost in the chasms between the aforementioned technical silos. When successful, the geometallurgical approach promises the ability to tailor mining and mineral processing development and operational options more closely to the characteristics of the resource with resulting lower costs (both capital and operating), improved recoveries and fewer project failures.As with any technological (or managerial) change, there will be side effects from the success of the geometallurgical approach that will impact areas beyond obvious linkages between geology and processing. Some of these effects have the potential to be beneficial to the resource industry and society in general. Beyond the basic geometallurgical promise of closer alignment between processing design/strategy and the multivariate 3D spatial characteristics of the mineralisation, this paper discusses the broader implications and ramifications of the emergent geometallurgical approach: enhancing exploration and discovery; improving project development success; achieving sustainability in an industry working with non-renewable resources; in a world of increasingly hard won license to operate, improving the management of potentially harmful by-products and waste materials (with knock on effects for proactive management of closure issues); smarter approaches to energy management and thus optimisation of projects with respect to carbon footprint; and potential to re-value assets and thus realise a strategic advantage in the area of acquisitions, divestments, mergers and take overs. The authors strongly believe that companies that actively engage with the above issues (and ensure that technical efforts in the area of geometallurgy are not isolated from the larger value chain activities of the firm) will be able to exploit the opportunities that consequentially arise. These early adopters will gain first mover advantages. Firms taking the broad view of geometallurgy will have an opportunity to maximise stakeholder value and win greater success than their less insightful competitors.

Sep 5, 2011

By Frederic P. Dewey

The Bureau of the Mint of the United States Treasury maintains 13 ofEces for the purchase of gold-bullion, and this paper describes an investigation to establish the reasonable differences in the assay-results at the various institutions which may be commercially allowable in the settlements between them. Beginning with the comparative assay of proof-gold at the Philadelphia mint and the Utrecht mint, which shows 0.00002 as the closest agreement now possible, nine tables of comparative results, taken from the regular work of the service, are given..These tables begin with very fine gold, produced in an electrolytic refinery, showing close agreement in the assay-results, and follow through decreasing gold fineness and increasing amounts and complexity of base metals to very impure and complex bars produced at cyanide-mills, some of which give widely-varying results. Next is given a series of results on samples, prepared and sent out to various laboratories in the service, to test the influence of different metals and various combinations upon the agreement of the assay-results ; 11 samples were sent out and each one was assayed from 44 to 71 times, making a total of 623 assays. To these ire added 107 assays of identical samples of coin-gold. On a previous occasion,' I have endeavored to show the degree of accuracy that may be expected in the ordinary everyday analysis of various materials, and on another occasion,2

Jan 1, 1910

By B. H. Good

This paper describes the research that has been conducted -in an effort to understand the nature and causes of sulphide fires -in the Sullivan Mine. Results of the investigation have led to several theories of the origin: of the fires, the nature of the chemistry and a method for assessing: the fire potential. Recommendations and the implications for the mining operation are also discussed.

Jan 1, 1977

By G. R. Lane

My opportunity to serve as President of the prestigious Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (SAIMM) was made possible by an Anglo American scholarship 39 years ago—a pivotal moment that set me on a career path spanning various roles and start-up ventures in the mining industry. Over the past decade, I have been privileged to broaden my experience by consulting across diverse industries globally. This exposure revealed something profound: what I had previously considered mining-specific challenges are, in fact, universal across many sectors. At its core, a mining operation is a complex system of interconnected activities—from exploration through mining operations like drill and blast, load and haul, to beneficiation, and outbound logistics. My cross-industry work has clearly shown that diverse sectors, such as chocolate manufacturing, tissue paper production, toilet paper converting facilities, labgrown diamonds, or high-tech equipment lifecycle management, all rely on value streams of interconnected activities to transform products. The objective is to maximise throughput while effectively managing performance variability. The primary difference lies solely in the specific technical expertise required for each industry, such as chemical, mining, processing, or metallurgical engineering. Across all these industries, I have observed a consistent pattern, that is, performance is primarily driven by individual efforts, where people react and work diligently as situations unfold in real-time. General managers and their teams often operate tactically, focusing on explaining yesterday’s poor performance rather than proactively setting up operations for success. This often resembles an ‘‘under-7s soccer match’’, with everyone chasing the ball. The common response to issues is to add more ad hoc meetings. This effort-driven organisational behaviour persists regardless of whether operations are greenfield digital manufacturing facilities, advanced digital mines with advanced process control, or operations run on paper and Excel spreadsheets for data acquisition. Paradoxically, more real-time data can lead to increased data noise, greater indecision, and sometimes, lower performance. Despite value streams often operating significantly below capacity, organisations continue to invest heavily in additional equipment or in ‘‘glossy brochure promises’’ of Industry 4.0 digital technology and real-time data solutions, which frequently fail to deliver value. This leads to a critical question: Have we underinvested in our most valuable resource— people? Even Tesla faced this challenge with their underperforming fully automated Model X facility. We must shift our focus to designing the ecosystem, or operating model, of our organisations. This extends beyond the traditional triad of people, process, and technology, and moves beyond simplistic views of change management. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to add significant value, but it also introduces another layer of complexity into designing the organisation of the future. My full presidential address below at the SAIMM AGM discussed the symptoms of an effort-driven organisation and covered the fundamental building blocks and requirements of an operating model, including recommendations on implementing a people-centric approach.

Oct 2, 2025

"M bed, Matanuska valley, Alaska, coal carbonizingproperties B 510M spectral lines, low-energy, study RI 5538Mab shaft, Leadvile district, Colo., investigation RI .1518Maberry process, for aluminum chloride TP 321"

Jan 1, 1960

By N. L. ALISON

MUCH has been published on the general subject of metal mine ventilation but, so far as I can discover, few specific data on selection of fan equipment to meet the requirements of a given mine ventilation problem are available. This article is intended to point out some of the more important considerations which influence the selection of such equipment. It will be assumed that the mine operator is able to determine the quantity of air which is necessary in the various parts of his mine to produce the required results and the pressure in inches water gage needed to circulate this quantity of air through the mine. There may be instances in which this assumption is not justified, but the fact remains that, with proper engineering talent, these data can be approximated sufficiently close for practical purposes.

Jan 1, 1930