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By Narendra Gupta, Gaurav Srivastava, Abhinav Sharma

From the days when plain detonators and safety fuse were used for initiation of commercial explosives, the commercial blasting and mining industries have made rapid strides. With the advent of electronic detonators in the late ‘90s, the face of commercial blasting was changed forever. The Mining Industry in India initially took a while to embrace Electronic Blasting Systems (EBS), however, more recently the industry has taken to EBS in a big way.

Jan 1, 2015

By Prasad S, Chatterjee S. S, Singh B. N

The chief source of metallic iron for steelmaking in India, even today, as it is in most part of the world, is through blast furnace (BF) route. This will continue to be so in the foreseeable future as the technology is most efficient, both process and economy-wise. However, as the world is moving into the next millennium, a critical look is being given to the process primarily because of its non-ecofriendliness (as a result of extensive use of metallurgical coal/coke requiring elaborate pollution control facilities) and huge investment involved for supporting facilities like extensive raw material preparation and handling, agglomeration, adoption of sophisticated instrumentation and control system, etc.

Jan 1, 1999

By W. E. Anderson, T. M. Brady

As part of a larger study to identify factors influencing the practical operating life of wire rope used on large draglines in surface coal mining, field trips to operating surface coal mines were made during late 1975. Wire rope performance information was obtained from personnel at 13 mine sites west of the Appalachians. Seventeen pieces of equipment, utilizing bucket sizes ranging from 30 to 220 cu yd (23 to 168 m), were documented. Draglines at large US surface coal mines can be represented as 120 machines having 60-cu yd (46-m3) buckets, moving 1.8 X 109 cu yd (1.4 x 109 m3) of overburden during 6650 hours of productive availability per year. Based on the limited field study, the calculated downtime resulting from rope-related causes averages 105.6 hours per year for each typical 60-cu yd (43-m3) dragline. The total loss in production from this source alone is thereby estimated at about 25 x 106 cu yd (19 x 106 m3) annually. Although study findings did not reveal anything about dragline rope life that wasn't known or practiced by one operator or another, most operators can expect improved rope life by periodic review of their practices and by adopting one or more life-improvement measures employed at other sites. Since rope productivity was found to vary by a factor of five among the sites studied, considerable improved average performance is possible. As little as 10% overall improvement would increase national productivity by 2 million cu yd (1.5 X 106 m3) of solid overburden removal. Associated savings in rope costs would be some $2 million annually, plus a large reduction of labor-related expenses. This report outlines preliminary findings which may prove useful to many operators in extending wire rope life. Some of these modifications or adjustments in maintenance/operating practices would not require capital investment. During the field survey, no company was found which had tried cost reductions by using presocketed dump ropes, or dump rope sheaves that opened like a snatch block, so these are suggested as possible improvements requiring modest capital input. Data Acquisition During the field visits, mine operators provided rope life information about their machines. Some of the rope life data consisted of gross averages; other data was in the form of detailed records, including rope construction and manufacturer, cutoff and resocketing periods, end-for-end switching, and downtime for rope change-out. Trends of average hoist rope life and average drag rope life determined from the field study are shown in [Fig. 1] as a function of bucket size. The three lines on the graph have slopes of 1, M, and 1/4. A comparison of the data shows that hoist ropes moved about twice as much material as drag ropes prior to retirement, although more than a two-to-one scatter within each category is evident. As expected, the larger machines with the larger buckets moved more total volume of material. The four pairs of solid symbols represent those data for which detailed rope life histories are presented in subsequent figures.

Jan 1, 1980

By Ellis S. Hertzog, James R. Cudworth

Tremendous interest has been evidenced in the subject of dewatering and drying ooal for the past 10 years, and yet little effort has been made to summarize the literature, at least so far as this country is concerned. Only a few published articles have dealt solely with dewatering and drying coal. In most cases the subject has been discussed briefly, either in general terms or as to specific installations. It is desirable that a compendium be prepared collecting in one place information on the dewatering and drying of coal, the needs for this process in various fields, the available equipment, and the current American practice in regard to it. This work was underta..lten by the :Bureau of Mines in cooperation with the University of Alabama. New coal-washing plants in which various types of dewatering and drying equipment were in operation were visited in-Pennsylvania; Ohio, India...~a~ and Illinois. The dewatering·and drying of coel has .been studied in this coimtry by the Surface Preparation ·Committee of the ·coal Operato~s• Committee of the .American Mining ·Oongress. In GermaIJY .it has received the special attention of the Reichskohlenr·at, and in Great Britain of the Utilization of Fuel Commi-t-tee of the Insti ti.ite of Min"ing Engineers.

Apr 1, 1938

By Ta M. Li, Russell A. Carter

The first century of mining in northern Idaho's Couer d'Alene District will soon he drawing to a close. Like so many other great raining districts, it has been a period accompanied by a rich and colorful history. From its early days as a gold rush camp, the district has evolved into the leading silver producer in the US, but the going has not been easy: early-day labor disputes, the challenge of mining for profit in some of the deepest mines in the Western hemisphere, and the constant search for new reserves at great depths have taken their toll of mines-and miners-along the way. To these traditional mining problems have of late been added the burden of inflationary cost increases, pollution control, and reclamation. A recent visit to the district by MINING ENGINEERING, how ever, revealed that the deep commitment of the operating companies and the quiet competence and vitality of their engineering personnel are key factors in the continued prosperity of the district.

Jan 7, 1976

By H. J. Rose, H. H. Lowry

Considerable information on the organization of German fuel research and recent developments was obtained and published in several combined Intelligence Objectives Sub-Committee Reports. This material, although avail- able in the initial reports, has never been consolidated, so that it may not have come to the attention of many readers. This report gives a summation of the authors' observations at six different research laboratories.

Dec 1, 1947

By Wm Petruk

"The tungsten-bismuth-molybdenum deposit in southwestern New Brunswick occurs in greisenized and silicified tuffite * and feldspar porphyry in and adjacent to volcanic necks. The ore minerals occur as veins and veinlets and as disseminated grains in gangue. These minerals can be grouped into three assemblages. Assemblage 1 consists of oxides and phosphates of W, Ti, Fe, Nb, Sn, Ta and rare-earth elements, with the main minerals being deposited in the sequence wolframite, rutile, cassiterite. Assemblage 2 consists of arsenopyrite, molybdenite and bismuth, and assemblage 3 of sulphides with minor cassiterite and arsenopyrite. Sphalerite is the main sulphide mineral, but it contains minute inclusions of copper-tin- and indium-bearing minerals. Textural relations suggest that most of the elements can be recovered from this ore by conventional mineral beneficiation and extraction methods, but a variety of techniques must be employed. It is expected that the wolframite and molybdenite can be recovered satisfactorily, but poor recoveries are expected for bismuth and cassiterite. A sphalerite concentrate can be readily obtained by flotation, but it would contain a wide variety of elements. It is suggested that leaching be used to recover the bismuth and the elements in the sphalerite concentrate."

Jan 1, 1973

By J J. Robinson, B N. Noller, D M. Franks, G McIlveen, D R. Mulligan, A T. Soro

Fiji is a developing nation that relies on economic opportunities and recently experienced increased interest in mining and mineral exploration that could potentially benefit the country. In order to understand the lack of, or failure of, past rehabilitation activity, this study applied risk-based approaches to identify the significance of activities or actions applicable to rehabilitation of post-mined land in Fiji. This involved the use of qualitative, semi-quantitative and quantitative risk methodologies, which allow assessment and evaluation of mechanisms of mining administration and practices, as well as rehabilitation methods and approaches that have been applied successfully to post-mined land in other countries with similar environmental and climatic conditions and social and regulatory environments to Fiji. The semi-quantitative risk-based technique followed an earlier approach applied for mine closure by Laurence (2006) and provided a systematic way to assess and evaluate rehabilitation issues that were identified on-site by assessors, who were able to estimate through expert judgement the likelihood and consequences based on conditions, situations observed and circumstances on-site. It demonstrated that experienced professionals could reproducibly score likelihood and consequence of selected items relevant to mine site rehabilitation, despite the wide-ranging issues identified during post mined land rehabilitation. The quantitative risk-based approach was adopted as a method to determine environmental bonds for mining projects using the assessment of consequences and likelihood results from the semi-quantitative approach, then incorporating unit cost of materials or activities for local conditions required to fully rehabilitate each issue at net present value. Application to both an abandoned mine site and a newly opened mine site in Fiji showed that this approach could provide a risk-based estimate for rehabilitation cost and demonstrated potential applicable in the Fijian context.CITATION:Soro, A T, Mulligan, D R, McIlveen, G, Franks, D M, Robinson, J J and Noller, B N, ?2014. Risk-based Rehabilitation Strategies for Post-mined Land in Fiji, in Proceedings Life-of-Mine 2014 , pp 165–180 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 16, 2014

By Chee Theng

"What would you do if you are an industry leader and disruptive technology threatens to overturn your business model? Although bearings and seals are in little danger of being displaced in the near future, one company is taking no chances in an age of digital disruption.“For SKF, digital transformation and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) make this time right now arguably the most exciting time in our 100-plus years of history,” John Schmidt, president of SKF USA Inc., said during the SKF Technical Press Day in Philadelphia, PA.The company is not merely integrating digital technologies into its products and services but is taking a forward-looking, strategic approach. “To be successful, legacy companies have to undertake a process called digital transformation. It’s not just an IT initiative but is really about upgrading the strategic thinking,” explained Michael D’Argenio, vice president of digital transformation and customer experience at SKF Americas.Learning from those who went beforeD’Argenio cited the examples of two companies that saw entirely different outcomes in the face of digital disruption. The well-known case is that of Kodak, one of the storied brands in history, whose business was disrupted by the advent of digital photography. Although it invented digital photography, Kodak decided to box it up and put it on the shelf because it was scared of disrupting its business in photographic fim. Instead, it was disastrously disrupted from the outside.Less well known is the case of Encyclopedia Brittanica Inc., publisher of the longest-running English-language, general-knowledge encyclopedia in the world. Sales peaked at 120,000 sets in 1990, plunging to 8,000 sets in 2012. In 20 short years, it saw not one but two massive digital disruptions. The first was in 1993, when Microsoft published the first digital interactive encyclopedia on a CD-ROM, called Encarta, priced at just $99. The second was in 2001, when a communitycurated, free website called Wikipedia launched. Taking the opposite approach from Kodak, Encyclopedia Brittanica looked at its industry, its company and its customers through the lens of the new technologies, made a prediction about the future and, based on that prediction, took a bold move. Having identified its core value proposition as the delivery of reliable, high-value, verifiable knowledge, Encyclopedia Brittanica replanned, restructured and rebuilt its company from the ground up to deliver that same value proposition, only in a different way. It stopped producing the only product that it had known for 244 years and began producing digital products that it sold to educational institutions.“There is a lot to learn from the Encyclopedia Brittanica case,” said D’Argenio. “The company embraced its market change, it embraced its customer change, and it rethought what it needed to do to be successful. Because it owned that disruption internally, it was never disrupted from the outside. It continues to operate today and is as profitable as it has ever been.”"

Aug 1, 2019

By Albert H. Fay, Herbert M. Wilson

The national mine-safety demonstration at Pittsburgh, Pa., was projected and undertaken in the hope that it would aid the increase of safety in the mining industry. That the national mine-safety demonstration was warranted and has served a useful purpose was evidenced by the attendance, not only at the public demonstration in Forbes Field, but also at the more special exhibit of the work of the Bureau of Mines at the arsenal grounds and at the experimsntal. mine. Nearly 2,000 persons witnessed the demonstrations and exhibits of the Bureau of Mines at the arsenal grounds on the morning of October 30, 1911. The spectators were all mine operators, miners, or persons interested in mining, and represented operations in all parts of the United States. Nearly 1,200 of these persons visited the bureau's experimental mine at Bruceton to witness ~th~explosion of coal dust. Had the weather, which was exceptionally inclement, been more favorable, there would doubtless have been a much larger attendance. At the public demonstration in Forbes Field, which· was witnessed by President Taft, from 12,000 to 15,000 persons, chiefly mining men, were present and attested their interest and enthusiasm in the minesafety exhibits by remaining throughout the proceedings, regardless of the rain which fell all the morning .. Sincethis demonstration, the organization of first-aid corps and of rescue corps has been undertaken at mines where there had previously been no such organizations. The bureau has received letters of commendation attesting the value of the demonstration in drawing· attention to the dangers and to possible means of greater safety in mining. Many of these letters have urged that the results of the demonstration be published for the guidance and instruction of those who were present. In response to these reauests the following account of the mine- BlIIeLY demonstration lias been prepared. IIi its preparation various division and section chiefs of the Bureau of Mines have cooperated. The authors acknowledge the assistance they have received from those section chiefs and other members of the bureau who contributed detailed descriptions of apparatus exhibited at the demonstration or of investigations represented.

Jan 1, 1912

The development of information concerning mesothelioma in South Africa started with the 1959 finding of Dr. J. Christopher Wagner of cases of mesothelioma in persons living in the vicinity or working in crocidolite mines in Cape Province. After more than 40 years, the data from South Africa now provide important insights into the differences in mesothelioma risk associated with different asbestos fiber-types. Three case series reports and one analytical report were reviewed in this session. In total, information on 504 proven cases was presented. There were 28% of cases arising from occupational exposure in mining, 35% from non-mining occupations, 23% from environmental exposures; 14% where no exposure was established and 9% where the exposure was unknown. Among the 129 cases for which occupational exposure and asbestos fiber-type were established, 115 cases were associated with occupational exposure to Cape crocidolite; 1 case associated with occupational exposure to Transvaal crocidolite and 9 cases with occupational exposure to amosite (grunerite asbestos) and 4 cases with occupational exposure to mixed fiber-types. There were no cases associated with chrysotile asbestos. There were 33 cases of environmental mesothelioma linked to Cape crocidolite exposure and 2 to exposure to amosite and crocidolite but none to Transvaal amosite alone or to chrysotile. The evidence shows that amosite is capable of causing mesothelioma but that the major risk in South Africa is associated with Cape crocidolite.

Jan 1, 2008

By R. V. Ramani

Demands on available lands will continue to increase due to the projected increase in population and industrial expansion. Though there is an upper limit on the available lands, the multi-use nature of the lands will make it possible to meet these demands. However, this will not happen without adequate planning. Land uses can be broadly categorized as non-renewable and renewable. Lands with mineable resources can be dedicated at some point in time to the extraction of resources. Such a dedication, however long-term, is only temporary because of the non-renewable nature of the mineable resources. Implied here is that the land will be available before and after mining for other uses. Planning for such lands must have the objective that, as far as practicable, no non-renewable uses are pre-empted and no renewable uses are permanently destroyed. The primary aspects of this planning process will be addressed in this paper, These aspects include a discussion of planning responsibility, data needs and availability, the integration of mine planning and post-mining land use planning and a long-term plan for resource conservation and utilization. Minerals, together with agriculture and forestry products, are the primary sources of wealth. Therefore, to avoid land development that may pre-empt future mineral resource utilization, the local planning groups must be aware of the mineralization and mining potential. Much work needs to be done to identify and characterize the mineral resources. Even more work is needed in land use planning for lands with mineral deposits.

Jan 1, 1982

By Robert J. Timko, Charles D. Taylor, Edward D. Thimons, Tom Mal

A test system was developed for measuring airflow in the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) ventilation gallery using a three-axis ultrasonic anemometer. The gallery was used to simulate face airflow conditions in underground mines having a blowing curtain. Airflow data collected at multiple sampling locations between the face and the end of the curtain were used to draw airflow profiles for different curtain setback distances, intake flow quantities and entry widths. In addition, methane was released at the face, measured at the sampling locations, and displayed as methane distribution in the area between the curtain and the face. Entry geometry had a significant effect on airflow patterns, and the flow patterns affected the distribution of methane in the entry. Flow measured at and parallel to the face was a good predictor of methane dilution and removal within two feet of the face.

By R. Todd Swinderman

"Higher production demands across all bulk handling segments require increased efficiency at the lowest cost of operation, in the safest and most effective manner possible. As conveyor systems become wider, faster and longer, more energy output and more controlled throughput will be needed. Add an increasingly stringent regulatory environment and cost-conscious plant managers must closely review which new equipment and design options align with their long-term goals for the best return on investment (ROI).There are primarily two separate market segments using conveyor belts. One is in process industries such as food, chemicals, paper and powders. Handled in relatively low volumes, the bulk materials that enter these processes are generally of a consistent size and quality. The other market includes mining, coal handling and cement, where the bulk material’s quality and size vary, and the volumes are typically much greater. While both segments face similar issues with safety and environmental control, the properties of the materials handled and the volumes transferred suggest different approaches, with one thing in common: increased belt speeds requiring modern equipment upgrades.Safety at higher belt speedsWith companies recognizing that safety does indeed pay, safety is likely to become a new source of cost reduction. The percentage of mines and processing facilities with a robust safety culture are likely to increase over the next 30 years to the point where it is the norm, not the exception. In most cases, with only a marginal adjustment to the belt speed, operators quickly discover unanticipated problems in existing equipment and workplace safety. These problems are commonly indicated by the larger volume of spillage, increased dust emissions, belt misalignment and more frequent equipment wear or failures."

Jan 7, 2017

By M Rattenbur, A B. Christie, S C. Cox

A new minerals initiative to increase the level of understanding of New Zealand's mineral resources and to promote the development of minerals began earlier in the year in a partnership pilot-project between Crown Minerals and the Institute for Geological and Nuclear Sciences (GNS). The project aims to gather a set of comprehensive geoscientific data and build a series of digital GIS packages to highlight New Zealand's mineral prospectivity. The pilot study was carried out at a regional scale, and is focussed on mesothermal gold mineralisation in the South Island. A significant amount of geological data and information was sourced from open file technical reports held by Crown Minerals and from various databases held by GNS and has now been compiled into a single GIS dataset, which will soon be made freely available to interested parties. In addition to this comprehensive data compilation, prospectivity modelling using Weights of Evidence techniques was undertaken to highlight those areas likely to contain ore deposits. It is clear from this study that the South Island of New Zealand remains highly prospective for mesothermal gold mineralisation. Many of the highly prospective areas, which also contain historic mine workings, remain open for exploration. The study not only highlights these areas, but also other areas where the potential for similar mineralisation exists, in all likelihood with no surface expression. The study has also highlighted the value of many of the open-file technical reports held by Crown Minerals and the need to carry out additional studies using this and other available data at a more detailed level, possibly as the basis for a web-based minerals information system.

Jan 1, 2002

By Josh Swank

Albert Einstein once said, ?the important thing is not to stop questioning.? In the mining industry, a lack of inquisitiveness may lead to a blissful ignorance but it certainly will not increase efficiencies. While one may claim necessity is the mother of invention, questioning and analyzing how methods and systems can be improved is the catalyst to discovering necessities. Understandably, when working in the middle of Canada?s oil sands, where trucks operate around the clock every day of the year, it is nearly impossible to pull the nose from the grindstone long enough to provide thorough analysis. But, fortunately, some manufacturers/inventors have assisted by examining the process and the ensuing headaches within this application.

Jan 1, 2013

THE Lehigh Valley Section is planning with a num-ber of other organizations a three-day conference, April 25, 26 and 27, with field visits to cement, slate and steel plants in the vicinity of Easton, Pa. W. B. Plank is chairman and D. Knickerbocker Boyd is sec-retary. Headquarters will be at Hotel Easton. Wednesday' will be cement day. In the forenoon A. S. T. M. Committee D-16 will meet and after luncheon the delegates will visit the Martin Creek plants of the Alpha Portland Cement Co. An evening dinner and general session on cement is being arranged. Thursday morning will be devoted to a technical ses-sion on slate, and the breaking of ground for the new John Markel mining building at Lafayette College. After luncheon various slate quarries will be inspected, the visitors being guests of the companies. In the eve-ning there will be a conference dinner at Hotel Easton with a number of distinguished visitors. Friday will be given over to steel and will include a visit to Lehigh University, an inspection of the plant of the Bethlehem Steel Corp., and a luncheon as guests of the latter.

Jan 3, 1928

By W. F. Dietrich

1. On St. Thomas and St. Croix, and possibly also on St. John, low-quality red-burning clays probably can be developed to provide the major part of the raw materials for structural clay products and earthenware pottery. 2. The potential sales volume for structural clay products is too small to sustain a plant in the Virgin Islands to manufacture such products in competition with Puerto Rico; however, handmade patio tile might be produced successfully. 3. The market for pottery utility wares in the Virgin Islands is too small to justify a plant devoted solely to the production of such wares; but it may be feasible to evolve a diversified community activity to make jugs, pots, casseroles, bowls, charcoal burners, patio tile, and other items.

Jan 1, 1955

By J. Jerome MacDonald, Stephen B. Flewelling

"In the base metals industry of today, operations required to continuously improve productivity and reduce unit production costs. Consistent with these goals is the improvement of the muck haulage cycle from open stopes with the No. 12 Mine.Existing haulage from open stopes occurs with LHD units experience at Brunswick indicates that LHD units have a higher unit cost per tonne mucked than loader-truck combinations when the haulage exceeds approximately 150 m.The reintroduction of open stoping at Brunswick made existing loader-truck combinations unsuitable. It was recognized that application of recent continuous loading technology could potentially result in significant unit cost savings and productivity increases.A review of the technology resulted in the testing of the Voest Alpine AL60 loader in the open stopes located on the 1000m Le vel. Testing began in January 1988 and finished in late November 1988. The test will provide experience as well as quantified production and maintenenace parameters f or the purpose of quantifying production unit costs and system productivity, ultimately resulting in a decision to further utilize or not utilize the loader as a primarymucking unit at Brunswick .INTRODUCTIONBrunswick Mining and Smelting Corporation Ltd. produces approximately 10500 tonnes per day from the No. 12Mine located 35 km southwest of Bathurst, New Brunswick Mining is the largest (single mine) producer of zinc in the world having mined over 52 million tonnes since 1964. Many years of production still remain with proven and probable reserves in excess of 90 million tonnes. Reserves grade at an average of 3.65% Pb. 8.99070 Zn, 99g/mt Ag and 0.32% Cu . The operation employs 1446 people with approximately 800underground including operations and maintenance staff.In the No. 12 Mine two major mining methods are presently utilized . The primary method is Mechanized Cut and Fill (MCF) accounting for approximately 6500 tonnes per day from four major areas. The remaining 4000 tonnes per day is produced from open stopes with the majority of 2800 tonnes per day being produced by the 1000 level.The 1000Level contains 30 million tonnes segmented into open stope blocks 30 m high, 15m and 30 m on strike , with a transverse width of 10m to 50 m (Fig. I). Stopes are organized on a primary secondary stope arrangement along strike. Primary stopes are undercut and overcut full size with the back fully cablebolted. All stope and lateral development is driven 4.0 m high. All stopes to date are flat bottom (Fig. 2). Primary stopes are filled with cemented rock- fill , secondaries with conventional rockfill, Haulage from the stopes is primarily with 8-yard LHD units ; mucking is approximately 50% conventional and 50% remote. Haul distance to date has averaged approximately 150m with current stope haul distances of approximately 300m. Haulage is presently to a small jaw crusher situated on the 1000 Level. From August 1989on, haulage will be to a set of ore passes feeding to a large gyratory crusher situated on the 1200 Level. Start up of the gyratory crusher corresponds to an increase in tonnage from 1000 Level to 4100 tonnes per day."

Jan 1, 1989

By S Hall

Mining schools around the world, many unfortunately now closed, were often established to teach the techniques of narrow vein mining and associated processing to students studying part-time while working in the industry. This arrangement ensured graduates (or æassociatesÆ) had a mix of skills and knowledge invaluable to the industry.It is argued that there is still a need to educate students in these narrow vein techniques and that there will be a growing demand for such graduates with a high level appreciation of this type of mining. There is also a need for innovation in narrow vein mining and processing to develop specific technologies and allow the use of techniques applied in æbulk miningÆ to achieve improvements in productivity, safety and economic performance.This paper aims to review the situation with regard to education and innovation in narrow vein mining.CITATION:Hall, S, 2012. Narrow vein education - back to the future?, in Proceedings Narrow Vein Mining 2012 , pp 23-26 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Mar 26, 2012