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By R. C. Warner, L. Mills, S. D. Botts, M. Marticorena

The Antamina Mine is located in the mountainous region of the Ancash Department of Peru at an elevation of approximately 4200m.The 120 km main access road crosses the headwaters of numerous high-value trout streams and is adjacent to pristine lakes, some of very high ecological and scenic value. In addition, the mine discharges mine water and tailings supernatant to the Antamina and Ayash watersheds. These streams provide the primary water supply for irrigation by local residents and provide excellent fishery habitat. The rock walls and earthen diversions constructed by historic and current indigenous residents of Peru are world-renowned and local residents continue this tradition, passed down from the Inca Civilization, for both agricultural purposes and water distribution. The key elements of sustainable development – economic, environmental and social development have been incorporated into Antamina’s sustainable development program through integration of indigenous knowledge and capabilities into enhanced storm water, erosion reduction and sediment control systems. Examples of incorporating indigenous technologies and knowledge into cost-effective and environmentally sound environmental controls are:(1) placement of rock walls on steep terrain to reduce slope length and erosion, (2) installation of rock walls (porous rock check dams) within elongated sediment ponds to increase detention time, (3) construction of rock-lined ditches to convey clean water (4)use of rock walls, with or without geotextile, to function as a seep berm, and (5) appropriate selection and usage of native Andean species for protection of canals and sediment ponds, and steep slopes.

Jan 1, 2004

By Rogério Vicentini

O objetivo deste trabalho foi desenvolver um suporte cerâmico apropriado para a soldagem unilateral de liga de alumínio, utilizando a cordierita, uma vítria cerâmica constituída de óxidos. Trata-se de uma proposta tecnológica que viabiliza a produtividade da operação de soldagem, mantendo-se inalterada a qualidade da junta soldada ampliando os conhecimentos relacionados aos suportes cerâmicos focando a redução dos custos de fabricação.A soldagem unilateral com este tipo de suporte de solda foi executada em chapas de alumínio com arame de solda de alumínio 4043 pelo processo Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW). A eficiência do suporte cerâmico em suportar o metal de solda líquido foi verificada durante a soldagem do passe de raiz. Várias soldas foram executadas em chapas com espessura de 6,35mm para testar a eficiência do suporte. Parâmetros e variáveis do processo foram estudadas: a abertura de raiz, a tensão, a corrente e a energia de soldagem. Os resultados mostraram que o suporte foi eficiente para suportar a poça de solda líquida. Foi possível estimar uma faixa de operação do processo, com abertura de raiz de 2,0 a 6,0 mm e a energia de soldagem calculada ficou entre 0,62 e 1,46 kJ/mm. A soldagem foi realizada com mecanismo para facilitar a saída do arame de alumínio (tocha Push-Pull) sendo soldado puxando, da esquerda para direita, com pequena oscilação lateral em relação ao cordão de solda. As macrografias das juntas soldadas, além de revelar boa penetração lateral (entre 2 a 4,5mm) e reforço de solda com até 2,1mm de altura, pôde revelar ausência de descontinuidades como: trincas, falta de fusão, inclusão de escórias e porosidades.

Aug 16, 2017

The Autogenous Fine Grinding Kelsey Axial Displacement (KAD) Mill The marginal improvements which continue to be made to fine grinding practices have exposed the limits of conventional technologies and highlighted the need for a radically new approach. The patented autogenous Kelsey Axial Displacement (KAD) Mill design consists of a rotating spherical grinding chamber, which shares the same spherical centre as the shaft-mounted counter-rotating disc assembly. The axis of the disc assembly can be inclined to the axis of the spherical grinding chamber by pivoting the disc shaft about the common spherical centre. The inter-particle energy transfer required for breakage results from particle velocity differentials created by the discs intercepting the rotating mass. Particle size reduction is concentrated in high shear zones, which envelop the outer surface and periphery of the discs. This paper traces the development of the KAD Mill from pilot to commercial scale. Pilot work covers a range of minerals including magnetite, calcite, dolomite, barite, limestone and talc. Test results include open and closed circuit operation in wet and dry modes. Conventional milling constraints and energy consumption issues are addressed while new dimensions are added to the feed size range acceptable for wet and dry grinding to fine and ultra-fine sizes.

Sep 13, 2010

In the spring of 1944 the Congress passed Public Law 290 (58 Stat. 190, 30 U. S. C. Sec. 321) "authorizing the construction and operation of demonstration plants to produce synthetic liquid fuels from coal, oil shales, agricultural and forestry products, and other substances, in order to aid the prosecution of the war, to conserve and increase the oil resources of the Nation, and for other purposes." Section 2 reads: "In order to carry out the purpose of this act, the Secretary of the Interior is authorized- (a) to conduct laboratory research and development work, and, with pilot plants and semi-works plants, to make careful process engineering studies, along with structural engineering studies, in order to ascertain lowest investment and operating costs necessary to determine the best demonstration plant designs and conditions of operation;

Jan 1, 1948

Beaches contain the residue of eroded rocks which have resisted weathering, and it is common to find in all beaches some of the harder, heavy minerals. The natural sorting action of waves and winds tends to concentrate the heavy minerals into banded deposits.The value of such deposits is extremely variable. Even amongst the more concentrated deposits, the principal minerals, in the vast majority of cases, are magnetic, titaniferous magnetite and other forms of iron oxide, which, in the present state of mineral economics and technology, are of little or no value.Valuable minerals of fairly common occurrence in beach sand deposits are rutile, zircon, ilmenite, monazite and chromite, and each of these minerals, as well as others of less common occurrence, is obtained from beach deposits in various parts of the world.Along a stretch of 300 miles of coast from Coff's Harbour in New South Wales to North Stradbroke Island in Queensland, occur unique concentrations of heavy minerals. The principal minerals which occur are rutile, zircon and ilmenite, and for some years these deposits have contributed half to three-quarters of the world's consumption of rutile and zircon 1, ,2. The only other notable beach sand concentrations in Australia are at a number of places in the southwest of Western Australia, where deposits containing highgrade ilmenite are being developed.

Jan 1, 1950

Why A Friction Hoist? B EFORE discussing the equipment, it would be instructive to review the factors that influenced the management of Opemiska Cop-per Mines to purchase a friction hoist rather than a conventional double drum hoist. The mine required that 250 tons per hour be hoisted from a depth of 2,100 feet. They also specified that the top speed should not exceed 1800 feet per minute. Eight ton capacity skips in balance and a maxi-mum hoisting speed of 1725 feet per minute would meet the required <Output on a duty cycle as follows: Loading time Creep away from loading pocket Accelerate (at 2.5 ft/sec2) 10 seconds 5 seconds 11.5 seconds Full speed run Decelerate (at 2.5 ft/sec2) Creep into dump Cycle time Trips per hour Tons per hour 72 seconds 11.5 seconds 5 seconds 115 seconds 31 31x8 = 248

Jan 1, 1962

By Anthony J. Konya

"This paper was written during part of the author’s student co-op with Cargill Salt at its Avery Islandunderground salt mine in Louisiana. Blasting salt is a unique type of blasting that is different than blasting other rock types. The plastic nature of salt, along with its large swell factor make salt a challenge to blast. The Cargill salt mines use and have tested a variety of different methods for breaking salt in an efficient manner, however these blasting methods are rarely used in other operations nor talked about today."

Jan 1, 2016

By Christopher Jon Preston

This paper describes a type of ammonium nitrate (AN) produced in a patented experimental atomization/aerodynamic process. This AN exhibits outstanding properties for use as a main ingredient to a new family of AN-based commercial explosives. Micro-particle ammonium nitrate (MP-AN) is produced by atomizing either an 83% or 85% AN solution which has been doped with a two component surfactant NSol 1000 (NSol). NSol imparts some water-resistance as well as provides a means of increasing density and bulk strength. Increased detonation velocities, well in the range of emulsion explosives, can be achieved. The maximum manufacturing temperature is less than 100°C. The methodology has the potential of being environmentally friendly since any effluent can be recycled back into a make-up tank to be re-used by the closed loop method. The process has a small footprint.

Jan 1, 2015

By C. Yi, M. Onifade, B. Genc, S. Dineva, T. Zvarivadza, M. Khandelwal

Deep hardrock mines worldwide increasingly face rockbursts as mining depths increase. These events result from the accumulation and sudden release of stress, causing rockmass damage and posing major safety and operational challenges. This paper focuses on destress blasting as a critical strategy to mitigate rockburst hazards. Although limited practical experience exists in Swedish deep hardrock mines, international case studies demonstrate that, when well implemented, destress blasting redistributes peak stresses by promoting controlled fracturing around mining excavations. The success of such techniques is highly dependent on site-specific factors such as stress regime, rockmass brittleness, structural geology, and blast layout. Although destress blasting is especially effective in massive, brittle rock under high stress, typical conditions for strainburst prone environments, its design cannot rely solely on numerical models. Simulations can offer preliminary evaluation of stress redistribution trends and guide early design assessments but their current limitations, including sensitivity to input data and simplified fracture mechanics, mean they are best used as supplementary tools rather than final decision-makers. Field trials, supported by microseismic analysis and fracture mapping, remain essential for validation. The study critically synthesises international experiences and presents a structured framework for destress blasting design, offering practical and academic perspectives aligned with Swedish geological conditions to support safer and more efficient application in deep hardrock mines.

Jun 27, 2025

By Oliver Bowles

Lime is of tremendous importance to modern industries. In agriculture it is regarded as essential to the continued fertility of many important regions; in building it is indispensable, and in the many ramifications of the chemical industries it is so necessary and so widely employed that it has been designated "the king of all the bases." Figure 1 shows a general view of a modern lime plant producing more than 500 tons of lime daily. In 1924 the production of lime was reported from nearly every State in the Union and amounted to more than 4,000,000 tons, valued at, nearly $40,000,000. For a production of that magnitude between 8,000,000 and 9,000,000 tons of limestone are required. The many problems involved in winning this great quantity of raw material from the natural rock and preparing it for the kilns have in the past received little attention from any governmental agency. Therefore, in compliance with a request from representatives of the National Lime Association in 1922, the Bureau of Mines began a study of problems in limestone quarrying in an effort to advance more economical methods of operation and the utilization of waste material. Field studies were made at many quarries, and the information thus compiled, besides data already at hand from work in other branches of the stone industries, were disseminated to operators in the form of mimeographed Reports of Investigations, eight of which were issued at intervals during 1922, 1923, and 1924. A questionnaire was appended to each report, and quarry operators were invited to contribute additional information obtained as a result of their actual experience and observation. Operators of lime plants have been cordial in their responses and have supplied the bureau with much valuable information. From the data thus obtained, supplemented by later field studies, the revised reports have been combined to form the major part of this bulletin, which is believed fairly to represent present knowledge on the subject of quarrying limestone for lime manufacture.

Jan 1, 1927

By Harold J. Bennett

The purpose of this study was to develop methods for the financial evaluation of mineral deposits. This includes the selection of the best alternative mining and processing methods and production rates. This was done by performing a financial evaluation through computer simulation using sensitivity and probabilistic risk analysis. The criterion used to measure the relative advantages of these investment and operating alternatives is the discounted-cash-flow rate of return. Included is a description of the theory and methods used in the probabilistic analysis approach, which is based on the premise that the expression of a range of values in establishing an estimate for a parameter is more realistic than the choice of a single value. Numerous simulations are made using randomly selected values of the input parameters resulting in a frequency distribution of the rates of return and their relative probability of occurrence. The sensitivity analysis method is described and combined with the probabilistic analysis to interrelate mineral reserves, capital investments, operating costs, and production rates. The ability to vary these input parameters on successive runs has permitted the selection of the best alternative mining and processing methods and production rates for a given mineral deposit. For illustrative purposes the evaluation of a mineral deposit was performed using three alternative mining and processing methods at three different quantities of resources and various production rates and prices. The computer program used in this analysis was written in FORTRAN II for maximum compatability and should run without modification on most computers having BK (8,000-word) core memory, a card reader, and printer (120 characters per line).

Jan 1, 1970

By Felipe das Dôres Machado

No processo de fabricação de aço, o distribuidor possui grande importância na questão limpeza inclusionária, principalmente, quando se trata da produção de aços limpos (clean steel). As inclusões podem afetar negativamente as propriedades mecânicas e metalúrgicas do aço. Estudos realizados em modelos físicos e/ou matemáticos vêm sendo aplicados com intuito de propor medidas que melhorem a capacidade do distribuidor na remoção de inclusões presentes no aço. Este trabalho tem como objetivo principal qualificar o escoamento de um distribuidor e quantificar a remoção de inclusões do mesmo. Um modelo físico de um distribuidor de lingotamento contínuo de tarugos construído em acrílico e que respeita a similaridade de Froude e Reynolds é utilizado para os ensaios. A quantificação das inclusões é realizada por meio de um ensaio que envolve um sistema de injeção de partículas de polietileno na entrada no distribuidor e outro sistema de coleta dessas partículas na saída do distribuidor no qual as amostras coletadas, posteriormente, são secadas e pesadas. Com os resultados obtidos pretende-se compreender o efeito dos parâmetros propostos sobre a remoção de inclusões e permitir a utilização de uma ferramenta capaz de avaliar a qualidade de aços no que se refere à passagem de inclusões na saída do distribuidor.

Jul 30, 2018

By Taciana Rezende Pereira

O aço 10B06 é utilizado na produção de fio máquina para trefilação. Por ser produzido em aciaria elétrica, o teor de nitrogênio desse aço é elevado, o que pode causar envelhecimento por deformação, resultando em aumento de resistência e queda de ductilidade. Reduzir o teor de nitrogênio livre é uma forma de minimizar esse efeito, o que é feito pela adição de boro. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo realizar uma caracterização mecânica e microestrutural de materiais com teores de boro variando de 55 a 112ppm’s. Nas propriedades mecânicas obtidas no fio máquina, foi observada uma redução do limite de resistência com o aumento do teor de boro, evidenciando o seu efeito em minimizar o envelhecimento. Na análise metalográfica, as microestruturas apresentaram-se similares para todos os testes. Nas imagens do reagente Le Pera foram identificadas três fases, austenita retida e/ou martensita, ferrita e perlita. A presença de martensita não era esperada nesse aço. O que pode ter potencializado a sua formação é a presença de boro livre, que pode causar aumento da temperabilidade. Nos próximos passos desse trabalho serão feitas outras análises para confirmar esse resultado, como microdureza, MEV-EDS e detalhamento do processo produtivo do fio máquina.

Aug 17, 2017

By Juliane Medeiros Ferraz

Este estudo tem como objetivo apresentar as etapas, os desafios e melhorias na implantação da área da logística da Companhia Siderúrgica do Pecém (CSP) na primeira Zona de Processamento de Exportação (ZPE) do país que está localizada no estado do Ceará e tem a siderúrgica CSP como a primeira empresa a se instalar nessa área de livre comércio com o exterior. Nesse contexto a logística tem um papel importante e fundamental no planejamento e controle minucioso dos fluxos de entrada e saída de materiais e produtos cumprindo todas as legislações federais e estaduais de uma ZPE. O estudo é realizado através da análise dos conceitos logísticos de uma siderúrgica e das normas e portarias que regem uma ZPE. Os resultados alcançados estão pautados nas sugestões e alterações das disposições legais e na integração entre os sistemas controlados pela Receita Federal com o sistema da CSP. O estudo tem como conclusão que todas as melhorias que foram propostas e alcançadas nessa implantação pioneira, proporcionaram maior eficiência e agilidade nos processos de controle aduaneiro da ZPE voltados para uma siderúrgica, mantendo continuamente a interação entre todas as entidades legais sem impactar a dinâmica operacional da siderúrgica, agregando grande valor para a CSP.

Aug 17, 2017

By K. S. Radcliffe

Results are presented for the first phase of an experimental program to study the feasibility of using acoustic velocity for predicting the state of stress in a rock mass. Compressional wave velocities were determined axially in cylindrical samples during uniaxial compression for several rock types conditioned in dry and water-saturated environments. Results indicate that in rocks containing compressible voids or cracks, substantial velocity change occurs with the application of stress in the lower (below 100 MPa) stress regime. The effect norm- ally is nonlinear, however, and diminishes to asymptotic values when cracks or voids become closed or with saturation. Empirical prediction equations were derived for each rock type by linear and nonlinear regression analyses, and correlation coefficients were calculated to determine the equations that best fit the stress- velocity data. The operational range for predicting stress using compressional-wave velocity appears to be within the range of vertical stress expected in most shallow to intermediate depth mining operations (less than 1,000 m). Based on the experimental results to date and theoretical considerations, it appears that the technology can be advanced to predict in situ stress based on acoustic P-wave velocity determinations in most mining situations.

Jan 1, 1986

By Deren Zhu

Based on the results of in-situ observations and physical model analysis, a computer simulation method, FEAEBP, has been developed to predict the behaviors of main roof breakage in longwall mining by considering it as a Kirchhoff plate on Winkler elastic foundation. This method in used to investigate the initiation, and development of the breaking process of main roof and its displacement field before and after its breakage. In this paper the simulation method is introduced, characteristics of the displacement field of the main roof is discussed and monitoring variation of the displacement field of the main roof in a Chinese longwall face is demonstrated.

Jan 1, 1989

By Thomas V. Falkie

In bygone days, the mineral engineer spent most of his/her time on the technical aspects of designing, building, and managing mineral operations. In the last few decades, mostly since the 1960s, increasing amounts of engineering man power and time are spent dealing with federal, state, and local government agencies, laws, and regulations. It is not possible to plan, design, build, or operate mines, mills, smelters, or even office buildings without detailed consideration of government regulations and permitting requirements dealing with environment, worker health and safety, etc. The four chapters of this section provide an overview of the social, legal, political, environmental, and health and safety aspects of mineral enterprise. The section sets the stage for the working engineer/geologist in industry, government, consulting, or academe and points the direction for more detailed study in each of these areas.

Jan 1, 2008

By S. M. M. Safvi, A. Jowett

Small-scale continuous flotation tests are described in which the influence of 1) pulp density and 2) feed rate on the rate of flotation are investigated. The results provide further evidence of first-order kinetics for flotation and indicate that tests at different feed rates provide a particularly simple method of determining rate constants. Flotation kinetics are discussed in general terms. Over a period of many years numerous research workers have studied the rate of recovery of valuable materials from flotation pulps with a view to deter-mining the mechanism of the froth flotation process. Froth flo ation is fundamentally a collision process involviug at some stage collision and then mutual attachment between air bubbles and mineral particles. It is possible to draw analogies therefore between the flotation process involving mainly macroscopic particles and the ordinary processes of chemical reaction kinetics involving collisions between atoms, molecules and ions. By adopting this analogy we may postulate a general equation representing the kinetics of the flotation process: -dC/dt =K.CC ,Aa (1) The rate constant, K, will be a complex function involving reagent concentrations, particle and bubble sizes, induction times and no doubt flotation cell design. However, these are factors which can be kept constant in any series of experiments, permitting investigation of the exponents a and c, which determine the order of the reaction occurring in flotation. The various research investigations carried out so far have all aimed at evaluating a and c and in the majority of cases only since the concentration of air has usually been kept constant in a series of tests, so that a relationship of the following type has been investigated: -dC/dt = K1 Cc (2) The techniques of both batch testing and continuous testing have been used to investigate this relationship. The technique of continuous testing, in which steady-state conditions are established, permits direct investigation of the above equation. In the case of batch testing, C is decreasing continuously

Jan 1, 1961

By D. E. Poole

Injury Prevention: Dependent, Independent and Interdependent In recent years, management-directed (dependent)safety programs have lost ground to the more successful self-directed (independent) programs, where employees take responsibility for their own safety. Today, with the growth of the team concept in industry, a mutual-caring (interdependent) approach to workplace safety is gaining wide acceptance. This presentation compares characteristics and results of the three progressive levels of safety responsibility and explains how to develop a successful interdependent program. The presentation will also detail the common principals that are necessary for safety excellence under any of the management styles.

Jan 1, 2000

By Douglas Valentim Fernandes Neves

O aço inoxidável austenítico 316 (316 SS) é um dos materiais metálicos mais utilizados em aplicações médicas devido à combinação de propriedades mecânicas e do baixo custo. No entanto, desgaste e corrosão estimulam mudanças permanentes no tecido humano que podem levar à perda do implante. O desenvolvimento de recobrimentos biocompatíveis e estáveis, que apresentem propriedades mecânicas adequadas, e que não sofram ruptura ou delaminação durante o uso, é uma solução muito promissora para melhorar o desempenho do 316 SS como biomaterial para implantes. Neste trabalho, uma liga intermetálica FeAlCr, que tem apresentado propriedades adequadas para a aplicação como biomaterial, foi utilizada como recobrimento sobre um aço inoxidável 316 de grau médico. O revestimento foi obtido utilizando-se a técnica magnetron sputtering por corrente contínua. Os parâmetros de deposição, como distância substrato - alvo e pressão de gás argônio foram mantidos fixos em 50 mm e 5 mTorr, respectivamente. As amostras foram preparadas com os seguintes valores de potência de sputtering: 50 W, 75W, 100 W e 150 W. A adesão dos filmes foi analisada por teste de scratch, enquanto a espessura e a taxa de deposição foram analisadas por perfilometria ótica. As características estruturais foram analisadas por microscopia eletrônica de varredura com EDS.

Aug 8, 2018