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By Fabrice Mathieu

The Cutter Soil Mixing (CSM) provides a cost effective solution for the rapid construction of retaining and cut-off walls using new equipment developed from diaphragm wall cutter technology. CSM consists of cutting and mixing drums mounted on compact hydraulic motors. Soletanche Bachy CSM has been designed to leave the space above the tool free, thereby mixing the soil efficiently during all the phases of the wall construction, with high penetration rates. The precise positioning and verticality of the wall is achieved using a kelly bar and full monitoring. Soletanche Bachy CSM is a versatile equipment which can be mounted on various carriers: pile rigs, hydraulic crane, carrier equipped with telescopic mast. The major phases of Soletanche Bachy CSM development are presented, including the results of an extensive trial carried out in Le Havre (France). The soil consists of hydraulic fill with soft soil lenses overlying sandy deposits. 20m deep panels were constructed to support a rectangular shaft. During the construction, and after its completion, the shaft was subjected to an extensive series of tests followed by a partial excavation. The paper discusses also the future development of the technique and its potential applications.

Jan 1, 2006

By Jim Frazier

Tradition has often dictated low design load stresses on piles. Such traditions often developed prior to modern static or dynamic pile testing methods and perhaps result from a few limiting situations. These low stress limits were then broadly applied, even in cases where the piles could carry substantially higher loads. With sufficient testing to prove the design, higher design loads may present significant overall savings to the project owner. The cost of the testing then becomes an insignificant cost compared to the potentially great benefit of increased pile loadings. To confirm higher load possibilities for driven piles, the pile is tested either statically or dynamically. Further savings and increased testing efficiency result from remote dynamic pile testing. This paper presents a project where design stresses were considerably increased as a result of additional testing and use of remote dynamic pile testing equipment.

Jan 1, 2002

By Albert L. Toenges

The introduction of mechanized mining in coal mines, which has speeded loading, has emphasized the importance of efficient underground transportation systems. The purpose of this investigation is to study and analyze various systems now in use, and to derive conclusions therefrom. This report may be helpful to operators who are planning new systems of transportation or who are revising present systems to increase their efficiency. This paper is the first of a series on this subject and describes some systems of transportation utilizing rail haulage. ACKNOWLEDGMENT The information used in preparing this report was obtained through the courtesy and cooperation of the officials of the companies whose mines were studied. The descriptions of the transportation systems at the mines included herein have been checked for accuracy, and publication of the data has been approved by the executives of the several operating companies.

Jan 1, 1940

By Reno M. Pappas, Christopher Mark

This report presents results of a U.S. Bureau of Mines study of longwall gob material. The objective of this work was to determine material stiffness properties of the gob for use in numerical models of rock mass response to longwall mining. Photographs of actual mine gob were digitized to obtain approximate particle size gradations of gob material. The gradation curve was shifted down to a lab- oratory scale, and 20 uniaxial compression tests were conducted. Varying the maximum particle size was not found to affect the stress-strain behavior, but changing the gradation appeared to influence the stress-strain behavior. The stress-strain relationship of the simulated gob material was nonlinear, the stress-secant-modulus relationship, was approximately linear, and the stress-tangent-modulus relationship was approximately a second-order polynomial function. Equations were generated from these curves, providing numerical modelers with a means to estimate gob moduli based on the stress level. In addition, the experimental data were statistically evaluated using multiple regression analyses, producing a series of equations to predict the secant and tangent moduli from the given stress level, bulking factor, rock strength, and thickness-to-width shape ratio of the particles.

Jan 1, 1993

By Tim O’Neil

Question: Looking forward, do we face a future in which energy markets, energy policy and energy conflicts threaten to preoccupy, if not dominate, our concerns over economic growth, national security and domestic tranquility? The answer is, we may indeed face such a future. Question: What oil resource is comparable in size to the reserves of Saudi Arabia and presents a tremendous opportunity? The answer, the oil sands in Alberta, Canada. Question: What is the largest mineral staking rush in North American history, still under way? It has so far led to the development of two large mines. The answer is the Point Lake diamond strike in Canada’s Northwest Territories. It led to the development of the Ekati and Diavik mines.

Jan 1, 2004

By Craig T. Jones, Zachary Q. Maassen

"Jet grouting is a method of ground improvement that relies on the erosive capacity of high-speed jets to cut and mix the ground in place with a cementitious grout. A continuous return flow of cuttings, called jet grout backflow or spoils, is expelled to the surface during the grouting process. Data from projects completed in Toronto and Ottawa is presented where BOS Solutions’ services provided significant savings compared to the traditional spoils treatment utilizing vacuum trucks for spoils disposal. These traditional treatment methods are cumbersome and expensive by nature. BOS Solutions provided an alternative solution that is environmentally friendly and capable of handling full flow to process these jet grout spoils utilizing a tank system paired with centrifuges and flocculation additives to remove the ground soils and grout product from the spoils slurry. BOS’ process produced a clean water for reuse in the project while reducing the overall waste volume by producing a dry, stackable solid that could be hauled to a landfill. Benefits observed by using the BOS process were disposal waste volumes decreased over 30% and at least a 19% reduction on disposal costs.SCOPE OF WORKJet grouting is a method of ground improvement that relies on the erosive capacity of high-speed jets to cut and mix the ground in place with a cementitious grout. A continuous return flow of cuttings, called jet grout backflow or spoils, is expelled to the surface during the grouting process. The backflow, or spoils, is a mixture of grout, water and soils. Traditionally, the spoil would be collected in in-ground pits and allowed to solidify for a few days prior to hauling to a final disposal site. For the projects completed in Toronto and Ottawa, the jet grouting work was performed at street level, in high traffic congested areas, presenting the challenge of insufficient space for the contractors to process the jet grout spoils in the traditional way. At first, attempts were made of using vacuum trucks to collect and haul the wet spoils to an off-site location where the spoils would be allowed to solidify. However, this method proved cumbersome and expensive due to the high volumes of spoils generated daily and the high number of vacuum trucks required to support the jet grouting operations, respectively."

Jan 1, 2017

By R. Owen, T. Canty, C. Marks

The industrial vision system provides on-line 2D particle size analysis for aggregate slurries in both the overflow and underflow of hydrocyclones. This paper covers required vision system features allowing CCD cameras to function in the harsh environment of a mine milling area. The study conducted demonstrates the system’s capacity to obtain particle size distributions for controlling hydrocyclonic separators. The particle size distribution is obtained within seconds and immediately updated to allow for process adjustments. Results are then provided as a graphical computer generated display or output as a 4-20mA current loop for process control. The primary use of the vision system is in classifying particles in cyclone overflows which are often a few microns in size. Typical size information for actual mine slurry samples are presented and possible control schemes discussed.

Jan 1, 2002

By Richard F. Coon

Six potential locations along the west shore of Lake Mead were evaluated to site anew water intake pumping station for the SNWA. The evaluations were based upon geotechnical exploration results and conceptual intake pumping station designs. The exploration included geologic mapping, geophysical testing, underwater ROV inspections and borings. Ground surface and underground chamber pumping station designs were considered. Sites at Saddle Island, Black Canyon and Hoover Dam are geotechnically suitable. A Saddle Island site was selected because it has the most favorable conditions for the intake pumping station and the aqueduct to the Las Vegas valley.

Jan 1, 1997

Nowadays, technology has improved to extract dimensional stone blocks at quarry sites and also to process these at processing plants for making slabs and tiles. In the process of quarrying and processing, performance evaluation of machinery is very important to achieve optimum output at minimum cost with improved technology. Cost analysis of improved technology includes parameters such as manpower, energy consumption, tool consumption, depreciation, maintenance and also others. The chainsaw machine with long boom and rail in marble quarries and multi-diamond wire saw machine for slab making from granite blocks at processing plants have recently been introduced in India. Thus, a study was carried out under a research project on these machines to assess their suitability. In this paper, performance evaluation and cost analysis of chainsaw and multi-diamond wire saw have been carried out with existing machines on the basis of research findings.

Dec 6, 2010

By Steve Kral

Mining is a risky business. The cost of exploring for new mineral deposits is high and the success rate of finding one worthy of development is relatively low. And once a deposit is identified, there is no guarantee that it will become a mine. Mining companies have to spend a lot of time and money on due diligence, prefeasibility and feasibility studies, and sustainable development and environmental issues before deciding whether the deposit will become a profitable mine. And then there are the millions of dollars spent in developing the deposit and building a mine. No wonder the mining industry has trouble attracting investment capital. Companies take a large risk in developing reserves and investors take a similar risk in investing in them. So mining companies must be as accurate as possible in determining mineralization that makes it to reserve status. After all, reserves are a company’s most important asset and one of the critical factors analysts and funding sources look at when determining if a mine or mining company is worth the risk.

Jan 1, 2003

By R. Karl Zipf, David Newman

The objective of this is paper is to review the current state of knowledge and practice in highwall mining (HWM). HWM has become a widely-applied method in surface mining, commonly used alone or in conjunction with contour or slot mining. It provides 800-feet to 1,200-feet of additional recovery when the economic stripping ratio is reached in contour mining or in slot mining when surface access to a reserve is limited. A significant attribute of the highwall miner is its versatility. HWM has been used successfully to mine abandoned pre-reclamation law highwalls, points or ridges uneconomic to mine by underground or other surface methods, outcrop barriers left adjacent to underground mines, separate benches of the same seam where the parting thickness or quality differences between benches render complete extraction uneconomic, previously augered areas containing otherwise inaccessible additional reserves and close or widely spaced multiple seams. The theory and design methods to assess roof, pillar, and floor stability are presented followed by three case histories. Simple design charts for sizing HWM web and barrier pillars are also presented. A recommended web pillar width may be obtained from the design charts given the overburden depth, the HWM cut width, and the mining height. Given the depth and panel width for a set of HWM cuts, another set of charts gives a suggested barrier pillar width. The case histories, from Northern and Southern Appalachia are used to illustrate the application of rock mechanics to quantify the stability of the highwall, roof, web pillars, and floor. The case histories involve 1) mining through a previously augered highwall, 2) mining under back-stacked spoil and 3) selective mining of closely spaced benches of the same seam. Because each site is unique, the appropriate pre-mining geotechnical analyses range from the calculation of roof, web pillar, and floor bearing capacity stability factors to detailed numerical modeling of the auger and underground mine workings. When operating in the vicinity of existing underground mine or auger workings, the determination of ground deformation and strains resulting from highwall mining is a necessary facet of a ground control investigation.

By F. W. DeVries, O. B. Mathre

Addition of Kastone® peroxygen compound and formaldehyde to cyanide gold extraction process effluents, containing at least 5 mg soluble copper per liter, will oxidize acid-dissociable cyanide to levels less than 0.2 mg per liter, without appreciable oxidation of thiocyanate. Most of the copper precipitates and is removed by filtration of the treated solutions. The treatment can be completed in less than 2 hours when the excess of hydrogen peroxide over the cyanide is about 75-100 mg per liter. The excess hydrogen peroxide destroys residual formaldehyde and then is catalytically decomposed by the copper-containing solids that separate, so it will not interfere with subsequent operation. A pilot plant using this technology has been operated for more than four months at rates from 1-2 gpm. Clear, filtered effluent containing less than 0.2 mg acid-dissociable cyanide per liter has been produced.

Jan 1, 1981

Ten years ago, only 3% of Consol's underground coal production resulted from using the longwall mining method. Today, that figure has grown to 45% and has helped the Pittsburgh-based concern fuel an upswing in productivity. The company reported that productivity at its underground mines, excluding labor strike periods, increased 24% between 1978 and 1981. Last year, an additional 8% increase was achieved. Efforts such as improved safety, training, engineering, and maintenance programs as well as the closing of unproductive mines has contributed to these gains, according to Joseph M. Richards, Consol's executive vice president of operations. But, Richards adds, a great part of the credit goes to longwall mining. What is Longwall Mining? To fully appreciate the advantages of longwall, one needs an understanding of how mining is done by other methods. For instance, in both conventional and continuous mining, rooms or tunnels are dug in the coal seam. Pillars of coal are left standing to support the roof as mining moves forward in the seam. In conventional mining, a slot is cut in the base of the seam and holes for blasting are drilled. After blasting, the coal is loaded. A more efficient method - continuous mining - uses a machine that combines cutting and loading. Longwall mining, by contrast, works backwards from the end of a panel. Two parallel sets of tunnels (development panels) are cut into a seam with continuous mining machines, then connected with a set of crosscuts at the far end. Min¬ing then proceeds back toward the entrance. Longwall mining employs some very productive machines. Large drum shearers, for example, run on a track along the length of the coal face for some 150-180 m (500-600 ft). The shearers cut the coal which falls onto a conveyor system or pan that also runs the entire length of the face. The longwall crew works under a roof of heavy steel supports called shields. As the coal is removed, shearers, pans, and shields are moved forward by hydraulic rams. The roof is allowed to collapse behind the shields. In addition to increasing production, longwall mining is considered to be safer because the miners work under strong steel shields. New designs have made them more rugged and maintenance free, as well as more stable on soft mine floors. Early roof supports, called chocks, had gaps in the roof canopies. The new roof shields now cover the entire working area and are better able to prevent roof material from falling into the working area, thereby improving safety and productivity. Longwall mining also results in a cleaner product in many mines. If the first layer of rock over the coal seam is thin, it might have to be removed with the coal in a room-and-pillar operation so a

Jan 11, 1983

By K. G. Thorne, D. R. Lentz, A. F. Park

"The Main zone of the Clarence Stream gold deposit is hosted by a shear zone adjacent to the Saint George batholith in southwestern New Brunswick. The mineralization history relates to progressive deformation in the shear zone and the intrusion of the Magaguadavic granodiorite.Of three phases of deformation that have affected the area (D1-D3), D1 is not observed in the Clarence Stream shear zone. Two suites of igneous rocks intrude the shear zone: post-D2, pre-D3 gabbro; and granitic dikes, which crosscut the gabbros. Granitic dikes show a diverse range of relationships to D3 features, from pre-syn-D3 mylonitic fabrics in transposed and highly deformed enclaves, to nondeformed and entirely discordant dikes (post-D3).A variety of veins occur within this shear zone. Zoisite-bearing and later, crosscutting epidote-bearing veins are preserved as relics in quartz-mylonites, and predate quartz veins that host gold mineralization. The epidote-bearing veins are associated with pseudotachylitic cataclasite dikes, consistent with transient brittle failure during ductile deformation.Deformation relates to right-lateral strike-slip motion across the shear zone, and subhorizontal and near-vertical stretching lineations imply transpression. A late (late- or post-D3) dip-slip phase of motion is also apparent, and cooling followed a metamorphic peak early in D2-D3 history. Deformation of the shear zone, and more localized transient brittle failure, provided the permeability for fluid movement and vein emplacement. This scenario is similar to the findings of other studies, in which geochemical, tracer isotopic, and age-dating (U/Pb, 40Ar/39Ar) results suggest that the adjacent Magaguadavic granodiorite provided heat and metals. La zone principale (Main zone) du gisement d’or de Clarence Stream est encaissée par une zone de cisaillement qui longe le batholite de Saint George dans le sud-ouest du Nouveau Brunswick. L’historique de la mise en place de la minéralisation accorde un rôle important à la déformation progressive dans la zone de cisaillement et à la mise en place de la granodiorite de Magaguadavic.Des trois phases de déformation à avoir affecté la région (D1-D3), les effets de D1 ne sont pas observés dans la zone de cisaillement de Clarence Stream. Deux suites de roches ignées se sont mises en place dans cette zone de cisaillement : un gabbro post D2, pré-D3 et des dykes granitiques qui recoupent le gabbro. Les dykes granitiques montrent une grande diversité de relations avec les structures D3, allant de précoces à synchrones aux fabriques mylonitiques D3 dans des enclaves transportées et fortement déformées à des dykes complètement discordants et non déformés (post-D3).On note diverses veines dans cette zone de cisaillement. Des veines contenant de la zoisite ainsi que des veines d’épidote sécantes plus tardives, lesquelles sont préservées comme reliquats dans les mylonites à quartz et sont plus vieilles que les veines de quartz contenant la minéralisation aurifère. Les veines d’épidote sont associées à des dykes de catacalasite à texture de pseudotachylite, compatibles avec une rupture cassante épisodique durant la déformation ductile.La déformation résulte d’un mouvement décrochant dextre le long de la zone de cisaillement et les linéations d’étirement subhorizontales et quasi-verticales impliquent de la transpression. Une phase tardive (tardi- ou post-D3) de mouvement selon le pendage est aussi apparente, et le refroidissement succède à un pic métamorphique tôt dans l’histoire D2-D3. La déformation de la zone de cisaillement et la rupture cassante épisodique ont fourni la perméabilité nécessaire au mouvement des fluides et à la mise en place des veines. Ce scénario est similaire à celui proposé par d’autres études, dans lesquelles les résultats de géochimie, de traceurs isotopiques et de géochronologie (U/Pb, 40Ar/39Ar) suggèrent que la granodiorite de Magaguadavic avoisinante a fourni la chaleur et les métaux."

Jan 1, 2008

By S J. Brace

About 180 000 tons of explosives are used annually underground in South Africa. Most is loaded into holes less than 50mm in diameter. 75% is consumed in the gold and platinum mines where holes are between 25 and 4omm in diameter and no more than 3.0m in length. The small amount of explosives per hole with extreme conditions of heat, humidity and seismic activity, make the choice of explosive on safety and technical grounds very important to the success of a blasting operation. Taken together with the fact that many underground precious metal operations are now marginal then the choice of an explosive, when its price is also considered, becomes critical to the very viability of some mines.

Jan 1, 1994

By J. -M. Rescoussier

Due to Important settlements inducing major structural damages, the western part of the Grand Littoral shopping centre has been closed in 1997. The present paper describes the project of underpinning including not only micropiles under the structure of the building but also a reinforcement of the soil located between the shopping centre and the edge of the embankment surrounding the western part of the shopping centre. The aim of this reinforcement is to reduce existing horizontal movements to allowable values.

Jan 1, 2002

By R. E. Moore

Refractories are unique ceramic materials, which are used in large quantities in steel making furnaces, metal smelting vessels, and glass melting tanks. They are required to possess high thermal shock properties and good slag corrosion resistance as well as creep resistance at high temperatures. Therefore, they are made from very refractory minerals such as lime, periclase, corundum, spinel, and zirconia. Slags are vitreous materials produced as a residue in steel refining processes. They cover a wide range of compositions and may contain pure oxides, silicates, and sulfides as well as fluoride phases depending on the melting and smelting processes. These minerals exhibit spectacular cathodoluminescence color under electron bombardment; therefore, cathodoluminescence (CL) microscopy is found to be a superior technique for the characterization of refractory corrosion by slags. Examples included in this study are (1) reaction of fluorine containing mold slags with ZrO2-C nozzle refractories promoting crystallization of the Cuspidine, Ca4Si2O7(F,OH)2, (2) corrosion of fusion cast refractories in TV panel glassmaking furnaces and formation of glass defects, and (3) reaction of spinel based castable refractories with copper smelting slags.

Jan 1, 2001

By Dennis W. Boehm

The building boom of the late 1970's and early 1980's has all but used up most of the better sites across the more populated metropolitan areas of the United States. This means that current buildings and other types of structures are being founded on more marginal sites. The use of marginal sites has placed ever-increasing quality control on the installation of the deep foundation systems utilized for these sites. Several remedial techniques are available for the repair of the deep foundation systems. These include minipiles, compaction grouting and jet grouting. Eight case histories are cited where these methods have been utilized to repair deep foundations.

Jan 1, 1999

By R. H. Grau, R. B. Krog

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has investigated the unique ventilation requirements of large-opening mines to help identify and evaluate the effectiveness of various fan types to improve the ventilation and air quality in the underground workplace. Large-opening mines, with their low airflow resistance factors, can be ventilated with free-standing auxiliary fans because airflow pat-terns in these mines are primarily controlled by airflow momentum. The flow characteristics of both vane-axial and propeller fans were investigated and tested at four large-opening mines to assess the effects of fan location on recirculation and entrainment. Each fan type has its own airflow, entrainment and penetrating air-flow characteristics, and operating costs that are advantageous for specific applications. Either fan type can be used for most auxiliary applications. However, this research has shown that the optimum placement and use criteria for propeller fans differ from those promulgated by the U.S. Bureau of Mines (USBM) for vane-axial fans Brechtel et al. (1985)

By M Passmore, N Poznik

Olympic Dam is a world-class deposit and is unquestionably one of the most geologically, structurally and texturally complex orebodies in the world. As development advances into the Southern Mine Area (SMA) the geological understanding is rapidly evolving as underground drill rigs are prioritised to provide the additional data necessary to convert Indicated and Inferred Resources into Measured Resources. The SMA represents approximately 70 per cent of Olympic Dam’s total resource and is significantly more complex when compared to the Northern Mine Area with respect to the diverse nature and origin of lithotypes, rock mass characteristics and the extent of major structures controlling primary mineralisation trends.Recent mine development into the central SMA has been impacted by a major structural gouge zone. Sound geological interpretation allowed mine geologists to successfully integrate their local understanding of the distribution of lithotypes with critical geotechnical data, chiefly rock quality designation (RQD), to delineate and better predict this major structural gouge zone. As a direct result, development rates improved whilst also increasing awareness for the importance of sound geological interpretation utilising all available data. In order to maximise predictability across all systems in place through the mining geology value chain, the integration of geological and geotechnical data in a geotechnical RQD block model provides an additional tool to assist in preventative solutions for complex problems to achieve a proactive mining environment.This paper details the methods used to build the RQD block model, the geostatistical estimation parameters, 3D geotechnical domain wireframes, challenges regarding legacy approaches, and collection of geotechnical information and incorporating/linking geotechnical data with geological features, including the use of grade and lithotype domains. Although the geotechnical block model proved difficult and complex to construct, the resultant product has seen successful integration of geological and geotechnical data into mine planning providing higher resolution of critical parameters for local mining areas.CITATION:Clark, J M, Passmore, M and Poznik, N, 2017. Olympic Dam rock quality designation model – an integrated approach, in Proceedings Tenth International Mining Geology Conference 2017, pp 27–36 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Sep 20, 2017