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The Rum Jungle mine was operated by Territory Enterprises Pty Ltd who mined uranium on behalf of the Australian Government with operations spanning the period from 1953 to the final closure of the mine in 1971. In addition to the extraction of uranium from the open cut pits, copper, manganese and lead were mined and processed at Rum Jungle. During the latter part of the operation, and after the closure of the mine, environmental studies were carried out which were aimed at determining the causes of the pollution at Rum Jungle and identifying a rehabilitation strategy for the mine site. These studies identified sources of heavy metal and acid pollution and proposed a rehabilitation strategy which consisted of 1. recontour, construct impervious covers and controlled surface drainage on, and revegetate three overburden heaps,

Jan 1, 1984

By D. vas As, Constance M. Vleggaar, P. D. Toens

A facility at the National Nuclear Research Centre, Pelindaba, for the calibration of gamma survey meters used in uranium-prospecting operations by P. D. TOENS, D.Sc. (Fellow), D. van ASt, M.Sc. (Visitor), and CONSTANCE M. VLEGGAAR, B.Se. (Visitor) Ground radiometric surveys in uranium prospecting have in the past suffered from two serious shortcomings. Owing to varying instrument sensitivity and the often arbitrary height at which readings are taken, it has been impossible to compare results obtained in different surveys and, moreover, to relate such readings to actual U30s concentrations. A set of calibration sources designed to overcome these problems has recently been constructed on the site of the National Nuclear Research Centre, Pelindaba. A discussion of the standards applied and the instrument calibration procedure is presented.

It is no longer possible to establish a quarry on the most convenient hill then abandon the site, leaving a scar if the stone or sand in the deposit is found to be unsatisfactory. Before approval is given to operate a new quarry, the relevant authorities require a detailed plan of operations from commencement to final rehabilitation. To prepare this plan, a thorough know- ledge of the quality and size of the deposit is required. To obtain this information, the industry must use the most modern techniques available. Many examples can be given showing problems which have affected the smooth operation of a quarry for many years because the initial exploration was poorly carried out. The factors which must-be considered when exploring a deposit are detailed in this Paper.

Jan 1, 1979

There's a right way and a wrong way to store diesel electric systems and similar equipment for generating on-site power, according to James Frankow, service manager for Allis-Chalmers Corp's Engine Division. In any event, the less storage the better. Many generating sets are stored before installation, especially when new construction is underway. Improper storage, or mothballing, can create initial reliability problems. Therefore; arrange for inside storage with no drastic extremes in temperature or humidity. If engines and alternators are stored in areas other than inside a dirt-free and temperature-controlled building, the unit or engine should be completely covered and protected against the environment. Before covering it with a canvas or with plastic, the unit should first be sealed at the following critical engine openings:

Jan 3, 1978

By B. E. Protheroe, C. Allen, A. Ball

The results of laboratory abrasive and abrasive-corrosive tests carried out on a range of carbon, Iowalloy, and stainless steels are compared with underground tests conducted on similar materials on prototype shaker conveyors carrying gold-bearing quartzitic rock. The dry-abrasion resistance of all the steels was found to be better than that of mild steel. When the added effect of corrosion was tested, the stainless steels proved to be much superior to proprietary abrasion-resistant alloys both in the laboratory and underground. The ferritic stainless grades were shown to be superior on the basis of cost per unit of volume lost. This investigation has shown that laboratory tests on materials can provide valuable information on their possible performance in situ, and can thus be used to replace lengthy experiments on site.

Jan 1, 1981

Stress Mapping Technology is aproprietary technique developed to target epigenetic mineralisation located in dilatant (low stress) sites. It is a computer based technique, based on rock mechanics principles and stress-strain relationships, which seeks to transform strain data, in the form of a solid geology map, to stress data.The main assumptions in the conceptual model are that:The strain pattern of faults and lithological contacts have not been changed since mineralisation i.e. that ore formation is late in the structural history.Stress orientations and magnitudes are known.Rheological properties of faults and rock units can be deduced.The 2D geometric and rheological data is then treated by a mathematical technique which permits the geometry of the elements to be defined by the spacing and orientation of the discontinuities in the rock mass.

Jan 1, 1990

Asarco's newest concentrator near Troy, Montana, began operation in October 1981, and is presently milling ore at its design capacity of 7,710 metric tonnes per day. The underground room-and-pillar mine produces a readily floatable copper sulfide- native silver ore in a quartzite gangue. Major sulfide minerals are bornite and chalcocite with minor chalcopyrite; fine grained native silver occurs with the copper sulfides. There are also minor amounts of native copper and copper oxides in the ore. A rougher copper-silver concentrate is floated, reground and cleaned twice. Cleaner tail is scavenged, and the scavenger concen- trate is combined with rougher concentrate for regrinding. Rougher flotation tailing and scavenger tailing make up final mill tailing which is disposed of by spigotting into a tailing dam located 10.5 km from the mill site.

Jan 1, 1978

By Brown P. L

A study has been made of the geochemistry of the Ronneburg mine district as input to the overall management strategy for the rehabilitation of the mine site. The study drew on the geological data and information store developed over the 40 years of mineral exploration and mining at Ronneburg, and on chemical data from the literature which described the chemical processes of weathering, oxidation, dissolution and precipitation of minerals. The geochemical processes were divided into three groups based on their rate of reaction. Fast processes were assumed to proceed to equilibrium and were modelled using equilibrium chemistry equations; slow processes were assumed to be proceeding at a quasi-steady state rate and were modelled using chemical rate equations; very slow processes were assumed to have no role in describing the geochemistry for rehabilitation purposes.

Jan 1, 1995

By Charles Vaught

This paper discusses the fact that US coal mining organisations are losing the knowledge they need in order to be able to respond to emergencies. The authors note that knowledge management provides a useful perspective from which to view the problem, but that the debate about what constitutes knowledge should be broadened to include a debate about what constitutes management. It is argued here that knowledge is actually shared knowing distributed across group members; that such knowledge can be managed by cultivating it; and that narrative is the medium through which this may be done. The paper then examines NIOSH research that has attempted to use such an alternative knowledge management approach to help potential mine emergency responders better deal with the predicaments they are likely to encounter on-site.

Jan 1, 2006

Kensington is a joint venture between Echo Bay Mines and Coeur Alaska, a subsidiary of Coeur d'Alene Mines Corp. The venture is of equalparticipa- tion and is governed by a management committee with Echo Bay as the operator. The project site is 50 miles north of Juneau, Alaska on the eastern shore of the Lynn Canal. The mine and mill are being planned for a production rate of 4,000 stpd. Currently, probable reserves stand at just over 11.3 million tons grading 0.149 oz Au/ton. The project is now in final feasibility study with a production decision anticipated by the end of 1990. Commercial production would begin early in 1993. This presentation dis- cusses the anticipated mine, mill and support aspects of the project.

Jan 1, 1991

By Timothy F. McConachy, Christopher J. Yeats, Ray Binns

Various kinds of sediment-hosted polymetallic sulfide deposit are known on land in ancient marine sequences, many tending to be larger and more valuable than massive sulfide deposits genetically associated with volcanic host rocks. Often such deposits are attributed to subhalative or shallow sub-seafloor precipitation processes, and structural control by faulting is commonly evident. Apart from the famous but anomalous Red Sea metallic oozes and several NE Pacific sites (Middle Valley, Escanaba Trough, Guaymas Basin), however, modern analogs of the sediment-hosted polymetallic sulfide category are lacking. Some deposits hosted by volcaniclastic rocks, such as JADE (Okinawa Trough) and Suzette (Eastern Manus Basin) are strictly sediment-hosted, but their formation is associated with the igneous activity and they are better considered a variant of the more abundant volcanic-associated polymetallic sulfide deposits.

Aug 24, 2006

By Ross C

This paper uses the results of research trials by Landcare Research and Forest Research Institute and assessments of reclamation plantings at mines and other drastically disturbed sites to describe methods of enhancing restoration of native forests. The characteristics of mine and forest environments are compared to highlight the difficulties facing restoration and techniques which result in successful restoration are described. Selection of the most appropriate technique is illustrated by describing restoration of lowland beech-podocarp forest at a West Coast coal mine. The key to successful reclamation is to understand the factors controlling and limiting plant establishment and growth, then to design rooting media, surfaces and management regimes to create a favourable environment. This paper concludes with a summary of the planning and technical factors which are critical for successful restoration of native forest.

Jan 1, 1995

Although technology and circumstances are in a constant state of change, the principles of managing the human element remain constant. The isolated mining community continues to form the backbone of the minerals industry but the nature of the isolation, along with the economic and political environment of the industry, is changing. These changes require new inputs by management to the workforce. Management must determine an effective working relationship with unions on its mine site and concurrently contribute to the build- up of the expertise of the individual worker through training and communication. It must also retain a proper balance, by way of human contribution, in cost and information reporting and in other areas amenable to computerisation. These comprise the aids to management necessary to achieve the desired operating efficiency and profitability.

Jan 1, 1980

By Walter E. Vanderpool

Type 1B micropiles (Bruce and Juran, 1997) can be installed rapidly and efficiently. During an 85-day period, 536 micropiles were installed to depths of 61 meters within a site 41 meters by 43 meters. Their performance, as measured by load test, varied even where the materials, construction procedure, and installation technique were closely monitored and controlled. The variation in displacement, as measured by the standard deviation, exceeded 50 percent of the mean test-load displacement for all loads up to the maximum load applied (2670 kN). This study provides a statistical basis to predict variability with respect to the construction method, micropile materials, and installation technique. The variability of displacement at all test loads is a fundamental characteristic of this type of drilled deep foundation system.

Jan 1, 2002

By Majid Ataeepour, Ernest Y. Baafi

High level programming languages such ass C, FORTRAN and BASIC have been used in the mining industry to simulate truck-shovel systems. In addition, some special languages for simulation such as GASP, GPSS, SLAM, PROOF and SIMAN are commonly used. The most recent simulation system ARENA uses graphical modelling approach as well as animation notion. In this paper, the main elements of ARENA required to perform a truck- shovel simulation and to view the simulation results by means of the model animation are presented. The layout of the haulage system including shovels, trucks and dump sites was generated using draw tool in ARENA. All the components of the haulage system were represented by graphical modules. Animation tool was used to depict the performance of the haulage system as the simulation progressed.

Jan 1, 1996

By Charles Vaught

This paper discusses the fact that US coal mining organisations are losing the knowledge they need in order to be able to respond to emergencies. The authors note that knowledge management provides a useful perspective from which to view the problem, but that the debate about what constitutes knowledge should be broadened to include a debate about what constitutes management. It is argued here that knowledge is actually shared knowing distributed across group members; that such knowledge can be managed by cultivating it; and that narrative is the medium through which this may be done. The paper then examines NIOSH research that has attempted to use such an alternative knowledge management approach to help potential mine emergency responders better deal with the predicaments they are likely to encounter on-site.

Jan 1, 2006

By Raymond Hofstetter, Paul Worsey

The purpose of this paper is to investigate commonly used methods for mitigating the effects of shrapnel from linear shape charges (LSC) used in the demolition industry. Primarily the problem is not that shrapnel poses a threat to human bystanders, but rather it can affect the other charges in the demolition or damage to structures in close proximity to the charges. This research aims to determine what methods have success at stopping shrapnel, what methods do not, and to promote an awareness of the dangers of using the LSC without any protection. The project was carried out at the Experimental Mine site at the Missouri University of Science and Technology. This research is an undergraduate research project to fulfill the requirements for the Explosives Engineering minor program at MST.

Jan 1, 2008

By S. Mathur

Future Florida phosphate reserves contain higher MgO than presently mined deposits. The high MgO content is contributed by dolomite and Mg-rich clay, palygorskite. Selective flocculation was attempted to reduce the MgO content of apatite in synthetic mixtures of apatite with dolomite and palygorskie. Mixed mineral selectivity was predicted in the apatite-dolomite and apatite- palygorskite systems with Poly(ethy1ene oxide) (PEO) flocculant. Loss of selectivity in the mixed mineral systems was primarily attributed to heteroflocculation, which was minimized by addition of a Site Blocking Agent (SBA), a lower molecular weight fraction of PEO, prior to addition of the flocculant. A 80:20 mixture of apatite-dolomite (or palygorskite) was upgraded as 95% apatite at more than 80% recovery level in the product fraction.

Jan 1, 1995

By Alex C. Smith, Thomas P. Mucho, John B. Walsh, Alden Ozment, Michael R. Thibou, Michael A. Trevits

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), with US Foam Technologies, Inc. and On Site Gas Systems, Inc., conducted research on the remote application of extinguishing agents with the intent of improving deployment strategies to limit miner exposure and to help ensure the best possible outcome during a mine fire. Full-scale in-mine were conducted at the NIOSH Lake Lynn Experimental Mine to determine the flow characteristics, stability and fire-suppression capability of gas-enhanced foam. The in-mine experimental work was designed to evaluate movement of gas-enhanced foam through mine workings closely simulating an underground coal mine environment and how long gas-enhanced foam would remain stable. This paper presents results of the experiments and provides valuable insight into mine fire deployment strategies for gas-enhanced foam technology.

By D. Duvris

The main objective of this work was to quantitatively investigate exhaust emission levels relative to maintenance (service) intervals during the operation of diesel-powered equipment at an underground bauxite mine in Greece. Such emissions depend on a great number of parameters, including the type of engine (technology) and its tuning, the type of work performed (as related to the engine workload), the suggested maintenance intervals, the altitude, the temperature and humidity of the atmosphere in the underground mine, the properties of the fuel and the operator's training and experience levels. The necessary ventilation quantities were calculated based on exhaust gas-concentration measurements and site-specific relationships between pollutants and adjusted air-quality indices. Diagrams comparing the necessary and recommended airflow for several equipment groups, featuring two engine types and different maintenance intervals, are presented.

Jan 1, 2000