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By R. Sharma, S. Svoronos, S. Gupta, N. A. Abdel-Khalek

This paper presents the results of column flotation of a fine feed sample of Florida phosphate. A central composite design is used to study the main and interaction effects of parameters affecting column efficiency. The statistical design is also used to determine the optimum conditions. The results indicate that, depending on the experimental conditions, it is possible to achieve a concentrate of high grade and recovery. A concentration of 15 ppm of non-ionic frother is found to be enough to maximize the recovery at the pH of 9.5.

Jan 1, 1999

By A. W. Laughlin, C. R. Mansfield, M. J. Ferris, D. A. Cremers

Analytical costs are a major part of exploration programs in developing nations which may lack adequate laboratories. Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS), a variant of atomic emission spectroscopy, can reduce exploration analytical costs and can provide the analytical results in <1minute. CPI is now marketing battery-powered, backpack mounted analyzers, using LIBS to analyze for many elements of interest to the explorationist. LIBS is well suited to the analysis of elements in industrial minerals. Limits of detection in ppm for some of these are: Li-1, Be-2, Na-100,B-33, Sr-10, Ba-300, Cs-1, K-500, Fe-500, Mg-500, andTi-500.

Jan 1, 1999

By J. Engelbrecht

South Africa?s re-entry into the fast moving and competitive global economy calls for some careful strategic planning and a good deal of co-operation between suppliers and end-users. The issues that need addressing are generally well known and include: ?South Africa was ranked 45th out of 46 i.r.o. productivity ?SMMEs contribute 1% to exports compared to 40-60% for the ?tigers? ?High unemployment ?Limited skills of the majority of workers ?Slow growth rate of the economy ?The vast majority of suppliers are not world-class ?The vast majority of suppliers are not export or marketing orientated. In order to survive, all parties, i.e. government, labour and business, will have to play their part.

Jan 1, 1999

By C. Patrick, D. Puckett

The feasibility of monitoring the locations and vital statistics of equipment and personnel in surface and underground mining operations has increased with advancements in radio frequency identification (RFID) technology. This paper addresses the use of RFID technology, which is relatively new to the mining industry, to track surface equipment in mine pits, loading points and processing facilities. Specific applications are discussed, including both simplified and complex truck tracking systems and an automatic pit ticket system. This paper concludes with a discussion of the future possibilities of using RFID technology in mining, including monitoring heart and respiration rates, body temperatures and exertion levels; monitoring repetitious movements for the study of work habits; and logging air quality via personnel sensors.

Jan 1, 1999

By G. C. Hall, B. E. Hobbs

Giant gold deposits are considered products of crustal-scale systems. Reduced fluids stored in mid to lower crustal reservoirs were discharged into mid to upper crustal sites of deposition. Elements of the architecture include crustal-scale structures, reduced packages of rock and regional seals. Gas-rich aqueous fluids were common but non-aqueous fluids may have been significant in the deeper parts of the systems. Fluid fluxes in over pressured domains were maintained by porosity waves. Abnormal heat input from the mantle may not be required once the systems were perturbed. Fluid-mixing and hypogene enrichment were probably the most significant precipitation processes.

Jan 1, 1999

By M. Kalin, C. Steinberg

We have worked on several flooded pits from coal-mining activities in the former East Germany, as well as ones associated with hard- rock mining, including the B-zone pit discussed in the above technical paper. We found the paper to be a useful summary, but, unfortunately, it failed to give an adequate comparison of the physical limnology of the flooded pits, which is an essential component. While the title suggests that the primary focus of the review is physical limnology, it appears that it is essentially pit-lake chemistry being presented. Physical limnology requires that factors such as fetch, latitude, light penetration, relation to ground water table, methods of flooding and the physical shape of the pits be defined. These physical aspects of a pit interact with the chemical and biological processes taking place in it, all of which contribute to the character of a water body. Few of these physical aspects are presented, however. The conclusion that the authors reach suggests that meromixis may be a condition that would serve as an effective containment mechanism for contaminants in a pit. Although this may be desirable, such limnological conditions are not clearly supported by the data presented for any of the pits. These data should be summarized to facilitate comparison between the same structural units of the pit water - the epi- and metalimnion for example. The thermocline depth is a reflection of the physical forces mixing the water body, and pit dimensions affect these forces. Due to the use of different scales in Figs. 2 through 5, it is difficult to determine whether the thermocline is at the expected depth, because the fetch is not given. Moreover, the status of a water body cannot be determined unless measurements cover a period of at least one year, and depth profiles are completed to represent the entire depth of the pit. This shortcoming is most notable in the case of the Berkeley pit, where data are given for depths of only 20 and 35 m (66 and 115 ft), although the pit is reported to be 242 m (794 ft) deep. Limnological data to define the status of the pit water have to be collected at regular intervals, for the same parameters. The authors present temperature measurements for 1-m (3.3-ft) intervals, but fail to use that interval for other parameters, such as dissolved oxygen or, in some cases, for contaminant concentrations. Furthermore, the profiles for the deepest part of the pit display only part of the picture, because pits are rarely conical. Profiles can be considered to represent the status of a water body only after other stations in the pit have been monitored regularly and the consistency is determined. For example, fresh water, which can enter a pit at any depth, would interfere with the proposed meromictic conditions. Similarly, organic material at the bottom of a pit, such as the fish-waste deposited in the Gunnar pit, contribute to oxygen consumption. Oxygen depletion alone is not indicative of meromixis. It is interesting to note that the Dpit arsenic concentrations could possibly be slightly higher than the B-zone pit concentrations at depth, although this is difficult to determine accurately when a log scale is used for the D-pit and not for the B-zone pit. In our investigations, we noted arsenic removal in the B-zone pit bottom water, which was due to the formation of particles that are relegated to the newly forming sediment in the bottom of the pit. Particle-carrying contaminants form due to a combination of geochemical and biological factors and TSS contributed from erosion of the upper parts of the pit walls, whereas the settling out of particles from the water column is controlled by the physical conditions or turn over, for example. during ice cover in the B-zone pit. Although meromictic conditions for flooded pits may be desirable at decommissioning, this would depend largely on the physical conditions of the pit, because, under no circumstances, would this water be of desirable ground-water quality. Under meromictic conditions, acidity, if an environmental issue, may be reduced by microbial acid-neutralizing activity, and several heavy metals may form more or less stable sulphitic compounds. These may stay suspended in the water if conditions are such that they are not relegated to the sediments, i.e., in the absence of turnover. These processes do not take place in meromictic conditions only, but meromixis does require autochthonous and/or allochthonous organic substrate supplies, which are generated under aerobic conditions. Specific limnological (biological, chemical and physical) features of the pit lake under consideration have to be defined, such that water quality parameters can be predicted, and the objectives of the decommissioning activities, environ-

Jan 1, 1999

By A E. Annels, I P. Hodkinson an, S P. Barr

Narrow vein systems represent an important source of gold, which have generally been exploited by small to medium sized companies. Their evaluation poses particular problems because of their grade and geological complexities. The determination of grade is arguably the most important activity in resource estimation, as it is generally grade and not tonnage that makes an orebody. This is particularly true of narrow vein-gold deposits whose resources are generally relatively small, though medium to high-grade (6 - 40+ g/t). They often display extreme grade anisotropy in all directions. Two grade populations are generally observed; 1) low, often subeconomic, background grades and 2) high-grades associated with discrete ore shoots. It is possible for gold to be distributed within the wallrocks as well as within the vein. Extremely high-grade values typify this style of mineralisation and require special consideration during grade estimation to determine if top cutting is valid or not. Estimation of both width and accumulation in 2D on vertical longitudinal projections or inclined planes have historically been used to evaluate narrow veins. Resource estimates based on traditional 2D methods is still widespread, but has in some cases been replaced by computer-based 3D modelling. Grade estimation methods are well-known, ranging from classical to geostatistical. Historically, classical methods such as inverse distance weighting have been used, though geostatistical indicator kriging methods are sometimes applicable. Geostatistical studies are driven by the production of reliable variograms, which in narrow gold veins is often problematic. It is generally difficult to define resources from drillhole intersections beyond the inferred and indicated categories with any confidence. In the majority of cases underground development is required to define measured resources and ore reserves. Trial mining/bulk sampling is often used to test estimated grades and also provides important data on ground conditions and the parameters relating to the proposed mining method required for ore reserve definition. Regular reconciliation should be undertaken between the estimated stope grades, grades indicated from stope/truck sampling and grades realised in the mill in order to determine whether correct evaluation strategies are being applied. The important feature of narrow vein-gold deposits is their strong geological controls; in response to this, geologists must understand the geology as best as possible.

Jan 1, 1999

By R. R. Klimpel

The efficiencies of plant-scale comminution processes are often evaluated by various indices calculated and/or measured somewhat independently of the performance of any associated downstream froth flotation processes. To compare specific comminution factors, such as energy utilization, media consumption and equipment utilization time, comparisons of comminution efficiency independent of flotation behavior are appropriate. However, as increasingly detailed plant-level information is gathered on the joint and highly interactive nature of comminution and froth flotation, it is becoming even more obvious that knowing and using simple efficiency indices are not enough. What is needed are more performance-related measures of the efficiencies of the combined size reduction froth flotation system for effective plant-level economic optimization to occur. The purpose of this paper is to present examples of some of the important interactions that influence the joint efficiencies of size reduction and froth flotation processes.

Jan 1, 1999

By L. J. Prosser, A. T. Iannacchione

From 1991 through 1995, 44 miners out of a total workforce of less than 2,000 were fatally injured in the stone industry. Of these, 12 occurred at underground mining operations with nine deaths resulting from roof or rib falls. A safer environment can be achieved by evaluating the nature of the hazardous ground and by developing more efficient and effective ground-control strategies. Roof and rib conditions were observed and assessed in 33 underground stone mines in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Pennsylvania and West Virginia (Fig. 1). Hazard assessment indicated that the ground failures that occurred under moderate to substantial overburden, i.e., >30 m (100 ft), were caused by stress concentrations and geologic structures. Ground failures near the surface are caused by solution (water) processes. Selection of the mining horizon and mine-layout decisions

Jan 1, 1999

By P. D. Navarro

The behavior and operability of LIX 1104SM extraction was studied at laboratory scale on the Solvent Extraction at Sb3+, from high concentration sulfuric acid. In order to evaluate the reactant batch tests were made at laboratory scale as well for extraction as for re-extraction of Sb3+. Experiences achieved were: extraction kinetics, temperature effects, selectivity tests and re-extraction selectivity. A extraction kinetics was found, reaching equilibrium in 2 min, high selectivity of Sb3+ extraction in front of Cue , existing As5+ co-extraction and Fe3+ At the re-extraction stage, equilibrium was reached in 3 min, getting high Sb3+ re-extraction efficiency with HCl concentrations within 6 and 8 M. A high selectivity was achieved on Sb3+ re-extraction in front of As+5, existing Fe+5 re-extraction.

Jan 1, 1999

By J. Drelich, M. Pawlik

An improved experimental procedure to measure contact angle has been consolidated with coal surface preparation involving polishing with abrasive paper, alumina powder, and a cloth, followed by ultrasonic and mechanical cleaning. Specifically, the captive-bubble measuring technique has been compared with the sessile-drop technique and the former has been recommended for the examination of the hydrophobic properties of coal surfaces. Results of the research program, which is currently under way, on the examination of the effect of the nature, amount, size, and distribution of mineral inclusions in coal, on its wettability are briefly reviewed.

Jan 1, 1999

By V. B. Achanti, A. W. Khair

Introduction Laboratory studies were carried out at West Virginia University to investigate the rock-fragmentation mechanism of continuous miners using an automated rotary cutting simulator. The primary factors influencing the fragmentation process were found to be bit spacing, bit geometry, depth of cut and cutting-drum rotational speed. This paper presents a discussion of the effects of these parameters in achieving optimum energy consumption and minimizing dust generation during rock fragmentation. The removal of rock ridges/walls between adjacent grooves is analyzed with three hits mounted simultaneously on the cutting head, while the bit tip angle was varied from 600 to 900. Bit spacing was varied from 25.4 to 50.8 mm (1 to 2 in.) while the cutting process was assessed for varying cutting depths. Respirable dusts generated during the course of the experiments were analyzed utilizing cascade impactors. Assessment of these parameters has led to a better understanding of the cutting mechanism of continuous miners in terms of energy consumption and dust generation. A review of the literature revealed that a considerable amount of research has been carried out on rockcutting processes. Many authors agree that the mechanical cutting efficiencies of mining machines (e.g., continuous miners, shearers and road headers) are affected by a host of parameters. Some of these parameters are machine controlled, some are operator controlled, while others are uncontrollable. Efforts were focused on understanding the influence of parameters such as bit spacing, cutting depth, attack angle, bit type, drum speed, bit geometry (i.e., tip size, shape and tip angle) and rock type on the cutting process efficiency in terms of specific energy consumption and respirable dust generation (Strehig?? et al., 1975, Hanson et al., 1979, Khair et al., 1989). Roepke et al. (1976) in an attempt to study the dust and energy generated during coal cutting using point attack bits found that the dust and the specific energy consumed both decrease as the depth of cut increases. The four fundamental stages of dust generation luring rock fragmentation are identified by Zipf and Bieniawski (1989). Coal breakage by various types of wedges was assessed by Evans and Pomeroy (1966) in an extensive experimental study on British coals. Yet the industry today requires further attention and guidance to optimize the energy consumption and dust generation during the rockbreakage process. This paper attempts to give a better understanding of the influence of some of the parameters listed above and focuses on further improvement in the rock-cutting process. The specific energy consumed for different types of bits used and the respirable dust generated are analyzed in the context of the variation of a few other parameters. Laboratory investigation The experiments were performed in the Rock Mechanics Laboratories located at West Virginia University. A rock-cutting simulator designed and fabricated by Khair (1984) was utilized for this purpose. The details of this machine are available in the literature (see Khair 1984). For this study, a series of preliminary experiments was carried out to determine the optimum cutting frame advance speed. This was intended to facilitate a maximum cut depth of 31.75 mm (1.25 in.) at an advance rate of 0.525 mm/s (0.0207 ips) for all types of bits being used and various bit spacings being considered. To look into the cutting-process efficiency of a continuous miner in the laboratory, several parameters of influence are being considered. Besides the bit-geometry parameters, machine- and operator-controlled parameters, such as spacing of bits on the cutting head, the cutting head rotational speed and the total cutting depth during an experiment, are varied. At the time this paper was written, only part of the completed experiments were ana¬lyzed, and a number of experiments were still being carried out following an orthogonal fractional factorial experimental plan to assess the effect of all of the above¬mentioned parameters on the cutting efficiency in terms of energy consumption and dust generation. Three different types of tip angles, namely, 60°, 75° and 90°, and two different tip sizes, namely, diameters of 7.94 and 24.61 mm (0.313 and 0.969 in.), were used. At

Jan 1, 1999

By R. M. Bricka, T. J. Olin

Heavy metals contamination is an environmental problem at Army installations engaged in firearms training and munitions production. At these facilities, weathering and corrosion of expended munitions and leaching from wastewater lagoons, landfills and burn pits have resulted in heavy metals contamination of the soil. The principal metals encountered in firing-range soils are lead, copper and zinc. Cadmium and other metals, such as antimony, that are often incorporated in the munitions are sometimes seen in lesser concentrations. Mercury is associated with various propellants and, while present in much smaller concentrations, is of concern because of its acute toxicity. Chromium is primarily associated with plating operations. The transport of metals into groundwater has been confirmed at some locations, which has required treatment of the soil and groundwater at these sites. Certain treatment processes for contaminated soil produce metals-laden extracts, which also require treatment before reuse or disposal. Ion exchange is generally quite effective for removing metals from aqueous streams. However, resins are expensive and must be regenerated, and activated carbon is generally less effective for most metals and also requires regeneration. Therefore, alternative effective and economic sorbents are needed. Twelve sorbents were screened in initial batch testing. These included activated carbon, bark, chitosan, crown ether, corn cob, xanthate, clay (kaolinite and montmorillonite), peat moss, seaweed and reagent-grade zeolite (aluminosilicate, Sigma Product No. Z3125). Of these, zeolite demonstrated the highest capacity for Pb, Cr and Cd. For this reason, zeolite was selected for further testing in batch, kinetic and column studies. Materials and methods Zeolite. The zeolite used in the second-phase batch and column studies was obtained from a natural deposit of clinoptilolite-rich rock located in South Dakota (Rocky Ford SDH) (Desborough, 1996). Large blocks of the material were crushed and sieved into the following three particle size ranges: 0.5 to 1.0, 1.0 to 4.0 and 2.0 to 4.7 mm. This material demonstrates high structural stability in acidic solutions (pH 2.5) (Desborough 1996) and has a measured surface area of 30 m2/g. The measured total cation-exchange capacity (TCEC) was approximately 10 meq/100 g. This is well below what has been indicated for commercially available zeolite, which has been reported to be about 180 to 220 meq/ 100 g. The TCEC test was repeated (Method 9081, SW 846) using sodium acetate. The test resulted in a TCEC of 54.5 meq/100 g. The difference between values obtained for this material and published values for zeolites may be attributable to the greater heterogeneity in the material used in this study, compared to commercially available materials, or to the effect of the relatively large particle sizes utilized. Batch studies. Seven batch studies were conducted using synthetic metal solutions and soil extracts (Table 1). Extract composition: The P-extract was prepared by sequential surfactant extraction of organics from a burnpit soil followed by acid extraction of metals. The pH of this solution is approximately 1.1. A number of metals and organic compounds were present in the soil. Analysis of the extract was restricted to Pb, Zn and Cu concentrations for this study. The FBH extract was produced from a firing-range soil that was oxidized with a 0.01 M CaO solution and then extracted with 0.1 M acetic acid. This was filtered through 0.5-µm Whatman No. 5 filter paper and stored at room temperature. The pH of the FBH extract was approximately 4.5. pH Control: Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) may be present in the zeolite horizon or bed. Calcium ion (Ca") is released from the exchange sites when in contact with solutions containing ions for which it is more selective, such as lead. This results in a rise in solution pH over time. Acid washing removes most of the carbonates, eliminating the need for a buffer. Batch studies were conducted using both acid-washed zeolite (AW) and unwashed zeolite (UW) for performance comparison. The UW zeolite was rinsed with distilled deionized (DDI) water to remove fine soil particles. Both materials were dried at 105°C (220°F) overnight, so that the dry mass could be determined. Column studies. Ten column studies were conducted. Because it was expected to have the best hydraulic properties, the largest particle

Jan 1, 1999

By M. A. S. Siraa

A program of work was undertaken at the Kennecott Smelter and Refinery to model the complex. This effort contributed a total of eight models of the plant: flash smelting furnace, flash converting furnace, slag concentrator, anode furnace, offgas scrubbing system, acid plant, hydrometallurgical dust treatment plant, and the precious metals plant. Some of these models have been used in a variety of investigations ranging from offgas capacities for a steam generation analysis to an examination of impurities. The culmination of this enterprise has resulted in an on-line control scheme for the flash smelting and flash converting furnaces. These two process control schemes incorporate their respective steady-state heat and mass balances that are executed in response to feed changes while a feedback loop calculates when product grade and temperatures deviate from setpoints. This system has been put into place to improve furnace control and on- line time.

Jan 1, 1999

By Ing. E. h. Martin Herrenknecht, Werner Burger

In recent years, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of machine driven soft ground tunnelling projects. This increase is largely due to the technological development of slurry and EPB Shield systems. A new generation of soft ground tunnelling machines, markedly different from those of five years ago, now overcomes ground conditions that until now were too costly and impractical to undertake. The paper reviews the latest soft ground tunnelling machine developments in material transport, guidance and control, seismic surveying, soil conditioning, settlement control, cutting tool applications and variable mode operating systems. Specific projects where this technology has been applied will be highlighted.

Jan 1, 1999

By J. K. Neathery, T. X. Li, H. Ban, J. L. Schaefer, J. M. Stencel, X. K. Jiang

Pneumatic, triboelectrostatic processing of physical mixtures containing fine (-200 mesh) particulate may have significant application potential in the mining and energy industries. Such dry processing methods, especially for finely comminuted materials, have not been examined in as much detail as wet processing methods nor have been part of the training or education of mining and process engineers. We have examined fundamental and applied physical and engineering factors controlling triboelectrostatic beneficiation of fine-sized physical mixtures, one of which - combustion fly ash - has size, heterogeneity and mineral concentrations typical of those expected in mined minerals. The applicability of dry processing, however, cannot be readily evaluated because of the unavailability of standard procedures for process assessment.

Jan 1, 1999

By D Suppel, Y Miezitis, S Jaireth

The competition between various options for the use of land is ever increasing. Commonly in Australia large tracts of land were un-encumbered by sweeping land use option limitations, but this situation has been rapidly altering in recent decades as governments are obliged to maximise the utility of the land for a broad range of competing interests. While the interests of miners have always been considered, the effects on limiting access to land for exploration and possible mining have not always been effectively incorporated into decision-making processes. As a result the challenge for national and state organisations representing these interests has been to develop a transparent process to allow for the mineral potential of an area to be systematically assessed and for information to be presented for use by specialists and non-specialists. Government agencies are called upon to implement government policy but also to provide accurate and meaningful advice which can assist in policy and land use decisions. Commonly timeframes are short and information can be less than complete. Nevertheless on-going decisions are made based upon the best available understanding. It is in this operational framework that the methods described in this paper are set. The paper describes a process for quickly and systematically providing advice on mineral potential for use by government agencies and ultimately the community within tight time and resource constraints. It is a method of combining the accumulated knowledge about mineral resources and their potential and presenting this information in an easily accessible form which can be used in a negotiation and policy development environment. Development of the method was undertaken to meet the needs of the Regional Forestry Agreement process in Australia. The method has been applied to study areas in New South Wales, Tasmania, Western Australia and elsewhere. Examples in this paper are taken from north eastern New South Wales.

Jan 1, 1999

By R Bertuzzi

Permanent rock bolts in civil engineering are taken as having to serve their design purpose for at least 50 years. In many projects the design life is specified as greater than 100 years. A review of recent Australian tunnelling projects shows that substantial differences exist in the level of corrosion protection provided for permanent steel shafted rock bolts. This paper reviews the current state of practice and sets out what the authors consider to be appropriate requirements for corrosion protection.

Jan 1, 1999

By M. Matthias

A study, part of a doctoral dissertation (Matthias, 1991), was conducted during 1987 and 1988 to establish the means by which professionals assess and maintain their competence during the various stages of their careers. The study elicited responses from fifty-nine subjects representing engineering, pharmacy and medicine (twenty subjects from engineering, nineteen from pharmacy and twenty from medicine) on their perception and assessment of continuing competence. The findings revealed a wide variation of how professionals perceived their continuing competence and the means they adopted to keep current. The implications of the study are significant for adult education practice and theory building. The author strongly believes that now, more than ever, engineers must take ownership of their careers and professional development activities. While management and supervision have a key role to play, it is the engineer, who is ultimately responsible for the scope, planning and implementation of her/ his professional development needs. An example from one high technology company will illustrate these points.

Jan 1, 1999

By Ning Liu, Di Yin, Xuming Wang, Yongqiang Lu, Jan D. Miller

Air-sparged hydrocyclone (ASH) flotation technology has been evaluated for phosphate recovery from the central Florida phosphate deposits. As expected, it was demonstrated in pilot-plant tests that the ASH system has a specific capacity about 50-100 times higher than that of a traditional flotation cell. In the case of fatty acid flotation, single-stage ASH flotation produced a recovery of 75-77% in a rougher concentrate containing 24% P2O5 In reverse flotation with amine, the single- stage ASH system produced a phosphate recovery of 98% in a cleaner concentrate containing 31% P2O5. These results are comparable with those obtained at plant operations in the Florida phosphate industry. Based on these pilot-plant results, the effects of process variables are discussed in terms of separation efficiency. Subsequently, a 6-inch ASH system was fabricated and tested in a central Florida phosphate plant for reverse flotation in the amine flotation circuit. The high capacity of the ASH system was again demonstrated for the 6-inch ASH system. A single-stage phosphate recovery of 91% was achieved with a concentrate grade of 30% P205. During plant tests, it was established that porous tube plugging, the most significant engineering problem identified, was due to the poor quality of the plant water. Possible solutions to this problem are discussed.

Jan 1, 1999