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By D. W. Struhsacker

Mineral exploration has evolved into a sophisticated science which uses powerful scientific tools to make mineral discoveries. In addition to their usefulness in performing mineral exploration, these scientific tools can assist the exploration geologist in assessing environmental conditions at exploration sites. During exploration, environmental data acquisition should focus on data collection efforts which can be easily integrated into exploration activities, and should provide information needed for pre-feasibility and preliminary engineering design studies. Environmental studies performed during exploration should also include an environmental liabilities audit and a fatal flaw analysis to assess whether there are any unresolvable environmental or regulatory issues affecting the project. Performing extensive environmental baseline studies during exploration and project evaluation is neither necessary nor recommended. This paper describes opportunities to integrate environmental data collection with mineral exploration activities. This paper also examines how political and communication issues can affect the outcome of permitting efforts, and recommends a strategy to improve the industry's ability to respond to political challenges and to communicate with the public. This strategy integrates technical and political issues, and implements programs to convince the public of the mining industry's technological achievements and its commitment to resource stewardship and environmental protection.

Jan 1, 1994

By T. McKeon

Gravity separators are commonly used in multistage cleaning and scavenging circuits to improve the quality and/or recovery of the final concentrate. Unfortunately, studies suggest that many industrial plants are poorly designed in terms of equipment layout. This shortcoming can often be attributed to a failure by engineers to make use of fundamental process engineering tools for circuit design. One of the most important of these is linear circuit analysis. This powerful tool makes it possible to mathematically compare the relative efficiencies of circuit configurations in advance of experimental testing. This article provides a basic review of the linear circuit analysis concept and discusses some of the key insights it provides for the layout of multistage circuits. An industrial case study is provided to show the tremendous impact that this process engineering tool can have on the design of multistage spiral circuits in a heavy mineral wet plant.

Jan 1, 2005

According to the classification of water conservation mining in shallow coal seams in China, when the ratio of the impermeable layer thickness to the mining height is less than 18, the mining belongs to the category of special water conservation, and the strip backfilling mining method is employed. This study is based on the geological conditions in northern Shaanxi. By analyzing the stability of the impermeable layer, the stability criterion of the impermeable layer was developed. The study also investigated the compositions and properties of the backfilling materials. The results show that reasonable subsidence of the impermeable layer is allowed during mining under the basic precondition (upward cracks and downward cracks are not connected).

Jan 7, 2020

By S. Constantinides

Over the past 100 years we have witnessed a revolution in permanent magnetic materials. Prior to 1932 electrical machinery depended upon steels for both the soft and the permanent magnet structures. Because permanent magnet steels were easily demagnetized, motors, generators, loudspeakers and similar devices often used the interaction between two electromagnets. Motors and generators were mostly of the induction type, depending for function upon induced fields. The discovery of Alnico in 1931 and its rapid commercialization presaged an expansion of the industrial revolution and today, permanent magnet structures are widely utilized. [ ] DEVELOPMENT OF PERMANENT MAGNETS Act 1: Early Days of Permanent Magnets Alnico, which stands for aluminum, nickel and cobalt, is a family of alloys with similar structure and processing requirements. Additional elements, such as copper and titanium, are present in minor amounts to optimize magnetic properties. Alnico is known by many trade names around the world including Alcomax, Hycomax, Ticonal, Nipermag, Koerzit, Oerstit, Nialco, etc(1,2,3). In addition to the generic name ?alnico?, it is usually appended with a number representing the magnetic grade.

Jan 1, 2011

By Jean Habimana

The Detroit Upper Rouge Tunnel CSO Control Project will capture and store up to 201 MG of combined sewer overflow from 28 outfalls in Detroit, Dearborn Heights and Redford Township during wet-weather events. The history of rock tunneling in the area is associated with high groundwater inflows, artesian pressure, and hazardous and combustible gases. This paper presents the geotechnical considerations for designing the 11.28-km (7-mile) long, 9.14 m (30-ft) finished diameter tunnel and its associated adits, chambers and shafts, including the discussions of geotechnical investigations, rock mass characterization, estimated groundwater infiltration during construction, and the selections of excavation methods and lining system based on anticipated ground behavior to be encountered.

Jan 1, 2008

By Roshan B. Bhappu

Integrating a research and development department into an engineering company's corporate structure can be rewarding to the engineering division, the R&D group, and, most of all, the company's clients. Actually, the R&D department is a logical extension of the conventional processing group within an engineering organization-but the R&D group provides services as needed to the engineering department while it is carrying out regular testing, pilot plant, and preliminary feasibility studies. Backup Services Provided With an R&D group, the engineering division does not need a process engineering group as such. The R&D group provides project backup services for feasibility studies, preliminary and detailed engineering, construction, and startup. The R&D group, in turn, benefits from its close association with project engineers, draftsmen, estimators, and computer capabilities in the engineering division. The client also benefits from the arrangement because R&D and engineering skills are available to both departments on an as-needed basis without standby eost. To handle the integrated responsibility of R&D projects, as well as conceptual design and preliminary feasibility studies, the R&D staff must be carefully selected. These research engineers should: • have a good background in plant practice as a mill superintendent or chief metallurgist; • be capable of organizing and supervising a testing program or a pilot plant campaign; •be innovative and willing to accept new ideas and concepts; • be able to translate lab test results into a workable flowsheet through sound conceptual design and feasibility studies; and •be able to communicate with clients. In short, the R&D engineer must be a jack of all process-engineering trades to successfully take a project from concept to operating reality. Engineers in a metallurgical R&D organization should have experience in mining and processing all types of

Jan 10, 1980

By W. Langer

Of the 50 or so most often utilized industrial minerals, more than two thirds are, or have been, produced in the western states of Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming. Some commodities, such as natural aggregate, currently are produced in all 13 states; others such as beryllium and iodine are produced in only Utah and Oklahoma, respectively. Together, the 13 western states make a significant contribution to the US industrial minerals industry.

Jan 1, 2007

By H. Fayed

Two-phase (water and air) flow in a self aerated WEMCO flotation machine has been investigated using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). A 0.8 m3 model is considered. The flow is modeled by Euler-Euler approach, and transport equations are solved using a commercial software ANSYS-CFX5 [1]. Because of the lack of circumferential periodicity in this machine, the entire machine is modeled and unsteady simulations are conducted in the whole volume of the bulb. Uniform bubble diameter is specified, and the effects of bubble diameter are determined by conducting simulations for three diameters of 0.5, 0.7, and 1.0 mm. The unsteady air flow rate through the machine is predicted as an outcome of the simulations. Air volume fraction contours and velocity field in different parts of the machine are presented and discussed.

Jan 1, 2012

By I. J. Duckworth

Due to improved, stringent safety regulations, many modern road tunnels are statistically safer, per kilometer, than above ground roadways. However, the public perception and reaction in the event of a serious tunnel fire is very different to that associated with a surface incident. Vehicle fires in road and rail tunnels are recognized to represent an immediate and extreme danger to the patrons of those systems. Unlike workers in the mining and civil construction industries, the general public are neither trained nor equipped to fight fires or evacuate under deteriorating smoke conditions. Accordingly, for the majority of modern transportation tunnels the ventilation infrastructure is sized on the requirement to control the combustion products from worst-case fire scenarios and to provide a tenable evacuation route for the tunnel users. It is common for these same emergency ventilation systems to be employed, often in a reduced capacity, for other operating modes such as the dilution of pollutants during congested traffic conditions. This is one of the fundamental differences to mine ventilation, where primary ventilation systems are not typically sized based on fire scenarios. This paper presents an overview of the subject of fires in vehicular tunnels. This includes a brief history of major transportation tunnel fires followed by a discussion on the resulting legislation and standards that govern the design and operation of tunnel emergency ventilation systems. A summary is provided on the common criteria, theory, and design techniques that are employed during tunnel emergency ventilation systems design. Information is provided on fire detection and suppression, with a discussion on the growing acceptance of wet suppression as a means to mitigate major fires in road tunnels worldwide.

Jan 1, 2009

By S. K. Gilman

Zircon (ZrSiO4) sand production of about 1.1 Mt/a(1.2 million stpy) predominates the global supply of zirconium minerals. Baddeleyite (ZrO2) contributes less than 1 percent of supply. Zircon is almost exclusively produced as a co-product from the mining of titanium minerals, mainly from mineralized beach sands. In 2004, there were a number of new projects under consideration that were more dependent on zircon revenue than for titanium minerals. This reflected sustained higher zircon prices and forecast ongoing supply shortages in the absence of major new discoveries.

Jan 1, 2005

By W. P. Diamond, S. L. Cario, F. Garcia, J. D. Byars, T. P. Mucho

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has been conducting research at a Pittsburgh Coalbed longwall mine to evaluate and optimize bleeder ventilation and gob gas venthole longwall methane control systems. Gas flow into these two methane control systems was investigated using a combination of Sulphur Hexafluoride (SF6)tracer gas studies and gob venthole pressure monitoring experiments. The insights gained from this research has facilitated the development of a longwall subsided strata methane control system conceptual model. This model provides the basis for design suggestions to increase the efficiency of the gob gas venthole system to permit the bleeder ventilation system to become a "safety net" for methane control.

Jan 1, 2000

By H. Maleki

In this paper, long-term measurements in five underground mines are presented to demonstrate how these measurements can be applied to stability evaluations and design of underground excavations. These case studies address both the global aspects of strata response to mining activities as well local ground behavior and support loading. The measurements include static (stress and deformation) and geophysical. Case studies quantify pillar behavior, roof-floor deformation patterns, overburden response, and microseismic activities. Large-scale studies quantify the nonuniform nature of overburden deformation and collapse. Local measurements address yield and stable pillar load deformation characteristics, as well as the performance of support systems under combined axial and lateral loads.

Jan 1, 2002

By Claudio Flores Martinez

The prospect of accomplishing economically and scientifically profitable deep-sea mineral mining within this decade or the next one is of particular interest to the emerging discipline of astrobiology which is concerned with the origin, distribution and future of life in the Universe. Several planetary bodies within our own Solar System such as Jupiter’s moon Europa and Saturn’s Enceladus now appear to be potentially habitable, or life-friendly, in terms of the three prerequisites for life as we know it: a sustained body of liquid water, biogenic elements (C, H, N, O, P, S) and energy sources to fuel metabolic reactions. Europa, for instance, possesses a global subsurface ocean, believed to be up to 100 km in depth, hidden beneath a kilometer-wide ice-sheet. A silicate mantle is directly interacting with a cold, aphotic ocean in which tidal forces might drive geological seafloor activity that results in the creation of hydrothermal systems. These locales are commonly hypothesized to be the cradles for an alternate origin of life on Europa. Especially alkaline hydrothermal springs, as found at Lost City, have been at the center of modeling the prebiological evolutionary dynamics preceding cellular life. Serpentinization-like reactions are also possibly fueling metabolic networks in putative microbial communities found in the oceans of the icy moos. Major space agencies around the globe are planning future space missions aimed at exploring and eventually characterizing potential life forms in these habitats. The technology needed for this exploration effort resembles the requirements for a successful deep-sea mineral mining industry: highly efficient AUVs (also equipped with biologically-oriented instrumentation), swarm robotics, landers, seafloor rovers and general high-pressure, cold temperature extreme environment engineering. Interestingly, science questions of deep-sea mineral mining and astrobiology converge too: the hypothesis of life originating at hydrothermal systems, the biogeographical distribution of species among these environments, adaptations of extremophilic organisms across the three domains of life and adequate autonomous robotic systems to assess the complexity of deep-sea biological communities. This presentation attempts to present a two-fold view of advanced planetary exploration that relates to a sustainable vision of deep-sea mineral mining: charting our oceans and developing technologies least harmful to endemic biology can propel the design and prototyping of future robotic planetary probes bound for aquatic missions on alien moons. Space industry, government and public interest towards a broadened planetary perspective on deep-sea mineral mining is promoted by addressing an astrobiological rationale of this endeavor.

Sep 1, 2014

By David A. Brence, Andrew D. Marti, Richard P. Stahura, Ronald J. Valentine

The development of an effective belt-cleaning system for a new conveyor system seemed a fairly conventional assignment. But a closer examination of the project showed a number of “fine print” details: •High altitude location (with resulting cold weather and low humidity conditions). •Long conveyor length. •Troublesome material (very sticky and capable of hardening like concrete). •Limited water. These difficulties are spelled out the challenge of developing a cleaning system for the production conveyor2 (PC2) belt at Climax Molybdenum’s Henderson Mine.

Jan 1, 2005

By Earl G. Hoover

For most geologists and miners the term "asbestos" refers to a group of highly fibrous silicate minerals that readily separate into long, thin, strong fibers of sufficient flexibility to be woven, are heat resistant and chemically inert, and possess a high electric insulation and therefore are suitable for? uses where incombustible, nonconductive or chemically resistant material is required. The United States Mining Enforcement and Safety Administration (MESA) specifically refers to the naturally occurring minerals chrysotile. amosite, crocidolite, termolite asbestos, anthophyllite asbestos, and actinolite asbestos as "asbestos" if the individual crystal fragments have the following dimensions; length -greater than 5 micrometers, maximum diameter -less than 5 micrometers, and a length to diameter ratio of 3 or greater. Since asbestos has been identified as one of the ten most carcinogenic substances (a cancer causing agent) it has become, for many government regulatory agencies, a major issue concerning banning emissions to the environment.

Jan 1, 1978

By Satid Therdkiattikul, Donald A. Dahlstrom

By oxidizing the pyrite matrix through biological leaching of precious metals ores or concentrates, better than 90% recovery of gold and silver is achieved. The paper develops three precipitation processes that eliminates arsenic and all other toxic elements in the resulting liquor after the biological reactors. In addition, the precipitates are highly crystalline and resist resolubilization. The latter must be tested for at least six months by EPA test procedures. The three systems are temperature (must be at least 120°C or higher) lime or limestone. A continuous pilot plant was employed for all three systems and complete recommendations are given to optimize Fe/As molar ratio, reaction kinetics (detention time) pH, temperature, wt % feed solids as well as resultant reagent consumption based upon continuous operation.

Jan 1, 1995

China’s vibrant economic growth is built on coal, the source of two thirds of the country’s electricity. Over 95 percent of China’s coal is mined underground with the average mining depth at 410 m and in-creasing at 10 m per year; today, the deepest Chinese coal mines have exceeded 1,000 m. With increasing mining depths, there are greater challenges including increased methane emissions and spontaneous combustion. According to the government, nearly half of China’s coal mines are classified as gassy (with specific gas content at least 10 m3/mt). Coalbed methane (CBM) is a clean energy source. However, only a small percentage of the methane is captured, and the rest is vented directly to the atmosphere. This paper describes China’s CBM resource, its production and utilization.

Jan 1, 2006

By L. Yuan

In the U.S. coal mining industry, most spontaneous combustion fires occur in longwall or worked-out gob areas. In order to reduce the fire hazard caused by spontaneous combustion, it is important to understand how ventilation and gob characteristics affect the spontaneous heating process. Given the difficulty to conduct field tests in such an environment, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) study was conducted to investigate the effects of ventilation and gob characteristics on the spontaneous heating process in longwall gob areas. Two longwall panels with a bleeder ventilation system were simulated. The spontaneous heating is modeled as the low-temperature oxidation of coal in the gob using the Arrhenius rate law and kinetic data obtained from previous laboratory-scale studies. The heat generated from the spontaneous heating is transported by convection and conduction, and oxygen and the oxidation products are transported by convection and diffusion. Unsteady state simulations were conducted with different ventilation conditions and gob permeability distributions. The ventilation parameters varied in the simulations are the pressure at the bottom of the bleeder shaft and regulator resistance in the second entry inby the longwall face.

Jan 1, 2009

By T. R. Ellis

Considerable movement is afoot internationally to rationalize standards and regulations relating to valuations and the qualifications for valuation professionals. In July 2000 the International Valuation Standards Committee released expanded standards, and additional important improvements are planned by 2003. Possible updates to the International Accounting Standards (IAS) and potential adoption of IAS by the U.S. could significantly impact minerals appraisers. Standards designed specifically for mineral asset valuation are under development in Canada and the U.S., with Australia’s internationally respected VALMIN Code providing the benchmark. In the U.S., the all-encompassing Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) is annually modified and continues to gain deeper acceptance, while the SEC holds fast to its antiquated rule prohibiting reporting of a quantitative estimate and value for non-reserve mineralization. Some important international trade agreements are driving actions to free the trade in professional services. In July 2000, an international workshop was held to initiate discussion on minimum qualifications for appraisers to work internationally. Pressure for uniform minimum qualifications and rules for professionals internationally will continue to build. The U.S. is historically among the slowest countries to implement such initiatives, with its state level licensure barriers having the potential to cause some of its professionals to be stranded in an international backwater. Structural change is needed in Australia’s VALMIN Code to remove conflict with the latest International Valuation Standards. The mineral valuation standards developers of Australia, Canada and the U.S. should work jointly on updating VALMIN for global use.

Jan 1, 2001

By Mark C. Russell, Charles T. Russell, Brooke Colburn, Parker Bailey, Desiree Bernhard, Kaito Durkee, Tristen Cutshall, Rob P. H. Urselmann

Hypersonic tunnel boring (HTB) uses directed, high velocity projectile impacts to remove rock. HTB is highly independent of rock strength and targets hard, abrasive rock and variable rock environments. This paper discusses history, theory and presents test (2×2 m and .75×.5 m tunnels) field trial results and technical and economic evaluation. The HTB tests are compared against the historic ‘project REAM’ and the concept against tunnel boring machines and drill & blast in design studies for full-scale 12 m and 4.5×5.5 m tunnels. The positive results indicate that under these conditions HTB can replace Drill & Blast and Tunnel Boring Machines.

Jun 13, 2021