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By T. Peter Philip, Erich U. Petersen, William J. Tafuri, Donald M. Hausen, Douglas N. Halbe

Scarcely a month goes by that I or someone else at Newmont Mining or Newmont Gold isn't asked to give a talk on the topic I was asked to discuss today. Investors, financial analysts, geologists, metallurgists, even our government--everybody wants to know what the future holds for gold mining. Well, you're not going to get exactly what you asked for. Today, I'm prepared to focus primarily not on what the future will bring to us, but rather on what the future will demand from us. More than that, I cannot undertake because it isn't within my scope to predict how wise and resourceful everyone in our industry will be in the future. What our future will hold, as I see it, will depend on our--and our colleagues'-- responses to these very real demands. Three critical issues stand out in my mind as to what the future will demand of us in the gold mining industry. And these demands will be for: 1. The very greatest of technical expertise and innovation. 2. The highest order of environmental sensitivity and timely accommodation. 3. Planning, planning and more planning. All of these flow inexorably today from the traditional objective of any mining company--or any company in any business, and that is, to make money. Nothing as I see it, should be undertaken by a geologist, metallurgist or even an environmental department, unless the exercises will enhance profits; and nothing may be ignored which can have consequent damage to the bottom line. Thus, the three issues I've listed for you subordinate themselves to the objective of making money, although at least in the environmental area, it might seem to some that we can only incur additional costs without even a dollar-for-dollar return. I hope to disabuse you today of any such out-of-date notion. Let's tackle the first issue-- Technical Expertise and Innovation. Newmont Gold Company this year is celebrating its 25th anniversary of successful and profitable operations on the Carlin Trend. Carlin in 1961, which is when exploration began on the "Trend" by Newmont, actually may share a lot of similarities with Carlin today. They didn't then know where the gold was and, if they found it, they had one hell of a challenge mining and processing ore at a profit because gold was selling at only $35 an ounce. Today, we know where the current reserves are. But we don't know where our future reserves lie. Furthermore, we don't know exactly how we're going to mine them, and, as everyone here knows too well, we don't know what the optimum metallurgical treatment is, even if we can find and mine them. And all that despite the abundant level of modern experience and skills within the current generation of mining companies, and the fact that, even taking inflation into account, gold sells at a higher price today than in 1965 when Carlin began operations. But, of course, I'm telling you what you already know.

Jan 1, 1990

By H. I. Smith

CONTENTS [PAGE Problems of Mining and Processing Mineral Aggregates (TP 1649, by NATHAN C. ROCKWOOD, Min. Tech., Nov. 1943. Discussion by H. I. SMITH, IRVING WARNER and the author) t Mica in War (TP 1749, by RUSSELL G. WAYLAND, Min. Tech., July 1944. Discussion by H. S. SPENCE) 3 Three Roofing-granule Plants in Pennsylvania (TP 1787, by RICHARD M. FOOSE, Min. Tech., Jan. 1945. Discussion by H. I. SMITH)5 Methods of Prospecting and Mining Optical Calcite in Montana (TP 1896, by E. W. NEWMAN, Min. Tech., Nov. 1945. Discussion by W. C. STOLL and FRANK C. ARMSTRONG, and the Glass Sand and a Glass Industry in Puerto Rico (TP 1939, by HOWARD A. MEYERHOFF and J. EARL FRAZIER, Min. Tech., Nov. 1945. Discussion by A. M. SHORT, the author and PHILIP The "Bonanza" Mica Operation of Purdy Mica Mines, Limited, Mattawsn Township, Ontario (TP 2154, by HUGH S. SPENCE, Min. Tech., March 1947. Author's supplement and discussion by JOHN A. BAKER, E. J. LINTNER, and the author) 7 Process for Manufacture of Dead-burned Magnesite and Precipitated Calcium Carbonate from Dolomite (TP 2155, by ROBERT D. PIKE, Min. Tech., March 1947. Discussion by 0. C. RALSTON and the author) 9] Problems of Mining and Processing Mineral Aggregates H. I. SMITH*-Mr. Rockwood has presented a very interesting paper on problems of the mineral aggregate industry in meeting specification requirements, which apparently are ever decreasing in tolerance. May I call attention to a method of mineral separation that may be of value in separating the flat aggregate particles from the more angular ones and possibly the soft particles from the hard. The method is the old Pardee spiral coal separator, extensively used many years ago in the anthracite region for separating rock and bone from anthracite coal.1 The success of the process depends on the relative coefficient of friction of the aggregate particles to be separated rather than on their relative specific gravity. The flat and the soft particles normally will slide more slowly and stay on the inner spiral until they reach the delivery spout at the bottom whereas the round and the angular pieces will work to the outer edge and fall off into a spiral of larger diameter. The capacity of the separator is increased materially by having three inner spirals, with a separate feed for each, on which the particles travel more slowly, and one outer spiral from which the more rapidly traveling pieces slide to the bottom. IRVING WARNER*-I have long been convinced that much of the equipment and methods developed for mineral dressing might be advantageously employed in the mineral aggregates industry, and more particularly in the production of sand and gravel. The two industries are not well acquainted with each other or their problems. They have separate trade publications. The difficulty with the situation is that there are few large sand and gravel plants and few provided with technical services in their own organization or by retainer. This does not refer to engineering organizations but rather to improvement of plant technic in processing.

Jan 1, 1947

By Secis R

Northparkes Mines is located 27 km northwest of Parkes in central west New South Wales. The E26 deposit is the largest of all defined to-date in the area, containing over 50 per cent of Northparkes' resources and reserves. The combination of orebody geometry and geotechnical characteristics provide ideal conditions for the block cave method of mining of the first lift of the E26 deposit. Although this method of underground mining has been used for decades in other countries, E26 is the first example of its use in Australia. Copper-gold mineralisation at Northparkes is related to quartz monzonite porphyries that have intruded coeval Ordovician volcanics. Sulphide mineralisation (dominantly bornite and chalcopyrite) occurs principally within quartz veins associated with the porphyry intrusions. Veining and mineralisation occurs within both the porphyries and volcanics. To optimise the recovery of a resource within a block cave mine, a good understanding of the rock mass and ore flow characteristics is essential. These have a significant effect on the fragmentation size and range and on parameters such as the drawzone spacing, height of interaction zone and dilution entry. As ore within a cave column moves and mixes when material is extracted from below and beside it, the total reserve extracted is unique for a particular draw strategy/production history. Until recently, reserve estimates and production schedules were based on the application of a uniform dilution factor to the tabulated resource. However, given the complicated flow and mixing within the cave column, such a simplistic approach can produce erroneous results. Northparkes Mines purchased and sponsored the upgrading of a commercially available software package specifically developed for modelling removal of resource blocks under caving conditions. This Gemcom software package, PC-BC, has been used for mine planning, reserve reporting and production scheduling. Blocks within it resource block model are converted into a mineable reserve taking into account mixing and dilution during depletion of drawcolumns (by horizontal and vertical redistribution of insitu tonnage and metal). As PC-BC gives individual drawpoint reserves, it can be used during the planning stage to determine whether or not a drawpoint is economic. For E26 Lift I an optimal layout containing 130 drawpoints has been developed based on a nominal 14 m x 14 m drawpoint spacing and a 0.8 per cent equivalent copper (eCu) cut-off grade. Annual production schedules for the depletion of material above this layout are based on: I higher tonnage removal from higher grade drawpoints in the early years of production; and 2 drawpoint production rates proportional to the total tonnage of orr remaining in the drawcolumn up to the optimal height of draw tier subsequent years. The reserve is tabulated from the combined annual production schedules over the life of the lift. The pre-mining reserve for Lift I of E26 is 26.6 Mt at 1.43 per cent copper and 0.39 g/t gold, of which approximately 23.4 Mt will be extracted under caving conditions. By scaling down the annual production schedule, weekly drawpoint tonnage calls can be given for short-tern production scheduling.

Jan 1, 1997

By John T. Galey

A combination of two factors in addition to the current Federal drilling and price regulations reduced by 120 from I942 the number of new wells completed in southwestern Pennsylvania during the year. No new prospective area was found comparable to the Armbrust gas pool, Westmoreland Co., which accounted for a seventh of the last year's drilling, and it is considered doubtful whether, even if such a field had been discovered, the drilling contractors, who have been seriously affected by the manpower shortage, could have drilled many more wells than they did during the year. New wells totaling 445 were completed for a combined footage of over 1,250,000 Dry holes numbered 131 and had a footage of nearly 400,000. Old wells drilled deeper total 55, of which 17 were found nonproductive. Shallow Development Oil Oil completions yielded an initial of only slightly over one hundred barrels from 21 wells for about the same per well average as that of a year ago. However, 65 bbl. of this total came from two wells in two new strikes. The footage drilled of nearly 33,000 gives an average of nearly I00 ft. less per well than a year ago. Two old wells drilled deeper had a combined initial of only 4 bbl. The largest oil well of the year, 40 bbl., was found in the Speechley (U. Dev.) sand at a depth of 3492 ft. in German township, Fayette County. The location is several miles east of the nearest oil production hut as the area that could be occupied by a pool is fairly well delimited by drilling, the extent of this production would not appear to be large. The other notable oil production was found in the Dunkard (Penna.) sand, Cumberland township, Greene County, at a depth of 1065 ft. Here the first well had an initial of g bbl. and the second 25 bbl. However, a third proved dry, and as this area is also delimited by drilling, the pool doubtless will be of small area. Gas Gas completions yielded an initial of slightly over one hundred million cubic feet per day and new wells, totaling 303, account for all but four million of this volume. Old wells drilled deeper, numbering 35, found gas. The per well average in new drilling of approximately 320 M cu. ft. is nearly 165 M cu. ft. less than a year ago and the total footage is slightly over 830,000, which is about a quarter of a million feet less than in 1942. Average rock pressure of new completions is approximately 365 lb. per sq. in. The entire volume of new production is from the Upper Devonian or higher stratigraphic horizons. In Allegheny County, the grestest activity was in Forward and Plum townships. Wells there account for more than one half the completions. One large well was drilled in Forward township and an open flow of 3.623 million cubic feet was found in an old Gantz (U. Dev.) sand area. The top of the sand was encountered

Jan 1, 1944

By John T. Galey

A combination of two factors in addition to the current Federal drilling and price regulations reduced by 120 from I942 the number of new wells completed in southwestern Pennsylvania during the year. No new prospective area was found comparable to the Armbrust gas pool, Westmoreland Co., which accounted for a seventh of the last year's drilling, and it is considered doubtful whether, even if such a field had been discovered, the drilling contractors, who have been seriously affected by the manpower shortage, could have drilled many more wells than they did during the year. New wells totaling 445 were completed for a combined footage of over 1,250,000 Dry holes numbered 131 and had a footage of nearly 400,000. Old wells drilled deeper total 55, of which 17 were found nonproductive. Shallow Development Oil Oil completions yielded an initial of only slightly over one hundred barrels from 21 wells for about the same per well average as that of a year ago. However, 65 bbl. of this total came from two wells in two new strikes. The footage drilled of nearly 33,000 gives an average of nearly I00 ft. less per well than a year ago. Two old wells drilled deeper had a combined initial of only 4 bbl. The largest oil well of the year, 40 bbl., was found in the Speechley (U. Dev.) sand at a depth of 3492 ft. in German township, Fayette County. The location is several miles east of the nearest oil production hut as the area that could be occupied by a pool is fairly well delimited by drilling, the extent of this production would not appear to be large. The other notable oil production was found in the Dunkard (Penna.) sand, Cumberland township, Greene County, at a depth of 1065 ft. Here the first well had an initial of g bbl. and the second 25 bbl. However, a third proved dry, and as this area is also delimited by drilling, the pool doubtless will be of small area. Gas Gas completions yielded an initial of slightly over one hundred million cubic feet per day and new wells, totaling 303, account for all but four million of this volume. Old wells drilled deeper, numbering 35, found gas. The per well average in new drilling of approximately 320 M cu. ft. is nearly 165 M cu. ft. less than a year ago and the total footage is slightly over 830,000, which is about a quarter of a million feet less than in 1942. Average rock pressure of new completions is approximately 365 lb. per sq. in. The entire volume of new production is from the Upper Devonian or higher stratigraphic horizons. In Allegheny County, the grestest activity was in Forward and Plum townships. Wells there account for more than one half the completions. One large well was drilled in Forward township and an open flow of 3.623 million cubic feet was found in an old Gantz (U. Dev.) sand area. The top of the sand was encountered

Jan 1, 1944

By Kazutoshi Haga, Batnasan Altansukh, Atsushi Shibayama, Ryuji Oinuma

"Recently, the arsenic grade in copper ores has been increasing year by year. Arsenic bearing minerals (enargite (Cu3AsS4) and tennantite (Cu12As4S13)) coexist with typical copper minerals such as chalcopyrite (CuFeS2). The removal of arsenic from copper ores that contain relatively high arsenic content is essential due to its adverse impact on the environment and the resulting economic consequences. In this study, arsenic removal and dissolution behaviour of Cu and As from enargite (Cu3AsS4) were investigated using ferric sulphate (Fe2(SO4)3) solutions containing sodium chloride under high pressure oxidation conditions. The effects of numerous parameters including the concentration of Fe2(SO4)3 and NaCl, temperature, total pressure, leaching time and particle size were studied while other variables such as pulp density and stirring speed were fixed at 100 g/L and 750 rpm. The results showed that more than 60% of the copper was dissolved in a 0.1 M ferric sulphate solution under the high pressure oxidative conditions, whereas the leaching rate of arsenic was less than 20%. SEM observation revealed that elemental sulphur was deposited on the surface of enargite forming a passivation layer and the residue was agglomerated. Those phenomena may cause a decrease in the copper leaching rate. It was found that more than 80% of copper was dissolved in the ferric sulphate solution in the presence of 0.34 M sodium chloride under the conditions optimized, whereas the dissolution of arsenic in the mixture did not exceed 2%. XRD analysis of the solid residues from the leaching experiments used ferric sulphate and mixtures of ferric sulphate and sodium chloride showed arsenic to be present as scorodite (FeAsO4).INTRODUCTION In recent years, there has been an increase of the arsenic (As) content of copper ores due to the gradual depletion of high grade copper ores. In some copper deposits, arsenic occurs in the form of minerals such as enargite and tennantite. The removal of arsenic in ores containing copper is critical to the production of pure copper and the management of the environmental challenges caused by the smelting process. Due to the environmental risk caused by arsenic emission and the deteriorated quality of the copper product, smelting of enargite concentrates is not an effective method for the extraction of copper (Padilla et al., 2010; Safarzadeh et al., 2014; Long et al., 2012). Therefore, a number of studies have been carried out to develop arsenic removal technologies from copper ores using various methods such as hydrometallurgy (Curreli et al., 2009; Tongamp et al. 2010), pyrometallurgy (Dalewski., 1999; Padilla. et al, 2012) and bio-oxidation (Ehrlich, 1964; Sasaki et al., 2010). Several hydrometallurgical leaching processes like sulphuric acid, alkaline sodium sulphide and sodium sulphate and ferric sulphate leaching have been developed to treat enargite ores and concentrates. The alkaline sodium sulphide leaching process has been developed for the removal of arsenic from enargite (Anderson, & Twidwell, 2008; Parada et al., 2014). The mechanism of the dissolution of arsenic from enargite in sodium sulphite solution is"

Jan 1, 2016

By R. P. King

Held on the 22nd March 1972 at Kelvin House. Four papers were presented at this colloquium, which was attended by approximately 120 people. The first paper, 'Flotation Research Work at the N.I.M. research group, University of Natal on the modelling of a Flotation Process' was presented by Dr R. P. King, the leader of the N.I.M. Research Group in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Natal. A discussion panel, under the chairmanship of Dr R. E. Robinson with Mr M. Dawson (PMC), Mr E. Roux (FOSKOR), and Dr B. K. Loveday (NIM), discussed the potential application of the theoretical work on flotation modelling to industrial processes, and alternative approaches to providing a way of control of flotation plants. The second paper, 'Fundamental Studies of the Flotation Process the Work of the National Institute) for Metallurgy', was presented by Dr N. P. Finkelstein. The discussion panel for this paper was under the chairmanship of Professor D. D. Howat,and had as its members Mr H. P. Carlisle (JCI), Professor D. le Roux (University of Pretoria), and Mr E. Rudolph (Anglo American Research Laboratories). A lively discussion on this paper ensued, with several contributions from the floor. After lunch, Mr S. K. de Kok, Assistant Consulting Metallurgist, Anglo Vaal, presented a paper on 'The Flotation of Copper and Zinc Sulphide from Prieska Ore'. The paper was discussed by a panel comprising Dr V. C. Lovell (NIM), Mr A. Gilbert (General Mining), and Dr D. Legge (Anglo Vaal), under the chairmanship of Dr L. Bushell. This discussion, in which many members of the audience participated, revolved around the difficulties associated with the production of copper and zinc concentrates and the lack of fundamental information on the behaviour of copper and zinc sulphides in flotation. The final presentati0n was a paper, 'The Recovery by Flotation of Cassiterite contained in Gravity Concentration Plant Tailings', presented by Mr E. B. Viljoen (Metallurgy Department, Goldfields South Africa Limited). The discussion, led by a panel consisting of Mr O. Tant (Goldfields Laboratories), Mr J. Levin (NIM), and Mr R. I. Shanks (NIM), under the chairmanship of Mr H. Cross (Goldfields South Africa Limited) referred particularly to the use of new reagents for the flotation of tin, with particular emphasis on the fundamental relationship between reagent composition and its ability to float this type of mineral.

Jan 4, 1972

Page Foreword. By Edmund M. Wise..................... 3 A.I.M.E. Officers and Dircctors...................... 4 Institute of Metals Division Officers and Committees............ 7 Institute of Metals Division Annual Award Certificate............ 8 Institute of Metals Division Lectures and Lecturers............. 9 Photograph of E. H. Dix, Jr., Institute of Metals Division Lecturer...... 10 PAPERS Acceleration of the Rate of Corrosion by High Constant Stresses. By E. H. Dm, JR. (Institute of Metals Division Lecture, T. P. 1204).......... 11 Variation of Internal Friction with Grain Size. By Clarence Zener and R. H. Randall. (T.P. 1146, with discussion) .............41 Changes in Damping Capacity during Annealing of Alpha Brass. By John T. NoRton. (T.P. 1168, with discussion)................49 An Electron Diffraction Study of Anodic Films. By R. A. HarrinQton and H. R. Nelson. (T.P. 1158).....................62 Determination of Orientations by Etch Pits. By Charles S. Barrett .and L. H. Levenson. (T.P. 1171, with discussion).............76 Process of Precipitation from Solid Solution, I—A Crystallographic Mechanism for the Aluminum-copper Alloys. By Carl H. Samans. (T.P. 1186). . . 85 Age-hardening of Aluminum Alloys, IV — Discussion of the Theory. By WilTJam L. Fink and Dana W. Smith. (T.P. 1083, with discussion). . . 95 Structure of Aluminum after Compression. By Charles S. BaRREtt and L. H. evensonON. (T.P. 1104, with discussion)................112 Recrystallization Texture of Aluminum after Compression. By ChaRlEs S. BarRett. (T.P. 1141, with discussion)................128 Plastic Deformation and Recrystallization of Aluminum Single Crystals. By J. A. Collins and C. H. Mathewson. (T.P. 1145, with discussion) . . . 150 Recovery and Recrystailization in Long-time Annealing of 70-30 Brass. By S. E. Maddigan and A. I. Blank. . (T.P, 1166, with disonssion).....170 Correlation of Deformation and Recrystallization Textures of Rolled 70-30 Brass. By R. M. Brick. (T.P. 1144, with discussion).........193 Tensile Deformation of Critically Oriented Brass Crystals. By H. L. Burghoff. (T.P. 1149).............................214 Recrystallization of Lead. By Paul A. Beck. (T.P. 1101, with discussion). . 222 Simple Method of Thermal Analysis Permitting Quantitative Measurements of Specific and Latent Heats. By Cyril Stanley Smith. (T.P. 1100, with discussion).............................236 Metallographic Study of Internal Oxidation in the Alpha Solid Solutions of Copper. By Frederick N. Rhines. (T.P. 1162, with discussion). . . . 246

Jan 1, 1940

Page Foreword. By Edmund M. Wise..................... 3 A.I.M.E. Officers and Dircctors...................... 4 Institute of Metals Division Officers and Committees............ 7 Institute of Metals Division Annual Award Certificate............ 8 Institute of Metals Division Lectures and Lecturers............. 9 Photograph of E. H. Dix, Jr., Institute of Metals Division Lecturer...... 10 PAPERS Acceleration of the Rate of Corrosion by High Constant Stresses. By E. H. Dm, JR. (Institute of Metals Division Lecture, T. P. 1204).......... 11 Variation of Internal Friction with Grain Size. By Clarence Zener and R. H. Randall. (T.P. 1146, with discussion) .............41 Changes in Damping Capacity during Annealing of Alpha Brass. By John T. NoRton. (T.P. 1168, with discussion)................49 An Electron Diffraction Study of Anodic Films. By R. A. HarrinQton and H. R. Nelson. (T.P. 1158).....................62 Determination of Orientations by Etch Pits. By Charles S. Barrett .and L. H. Levenson. (T.P. 1171, with discussion).............76 Process of Precipitation from Solid Solution, I—A Crystallographic Mechanism for the Aluminum-copper Alloys. By Carl H. Samans. (T.P. 1186). . . 85 Age-hardening of Aluminum Alloys, IV — Discussion of the Theory. By WilTJam L. Fink and Dana W. Smith. (T.P. 1083, with discussion). . . 95 Structure of Aluminum after Compression. By Charles S. BaRREtt and L. H. evensonON. (T.P. 1104, with discussion)................112 Recrystallization Texture of Aluminum after Compression. By ChaRlEs S. BarRett. (T.P. 1141, with discussion)................128 Plastic Deformation and Recrystallization of Aluminum Single Crystals. By J. A. Collins and C. H. Mathewson. (T.P. 1145, with discussion) . . . 150 Recovery and Recrystailization in Long-time Annealing of 70-30 Brass. By S. E. Maddigan and A. I. Blank. . (T.P, 1166, with disonssion).....170 Correlation of Deformation and Recrystallization Textures of Rolled 70-30 Brass. By R. M. Brick. (T.P. 1144, with discussion).........193 Tensile Deformation of Critically Oriented Brass Crystals. By H. L. Burghoff. (T.P. 1149).............................214 Recrystallization of Lead. By Paul A. Beck. (T.P. 1101, with discussion). . 222 Simple Method of Thermal Analysis Permitting Quantitative Measurements of Specific and Latent Heats. By Cyril Stanley Smith. (T.P. 1100, with discussion).............................236 Metallographic Study of Internal Oxidation in the Alpha Solid Solutions of Copper. By Frederick N. Rhines. (T.P. 1162, with discussion). . . . 246

Jan 1, 1940

The management of risks associated with slope instability is an essential process in the safe and economic operation of open cut mines. The ?slope stability radar? (SSR) has been developed to better manage those risks. The SSR remotely scans rock slopes to continuously measure any surface movement and can be used to detect and alert users of wall movements with sub-millimeter precision. The high level of movement precision and broad area coverage of the rock face can allow for a better understanding of the geomechanics of slope deformation, including magnitude of potential failures and additional warning time of impending instability. Additionally, radar waves adequately penetrate through rain, dust and smoke to give reliable measurements, 24 hours a day. SSR systems have been deployed in many metalliferous and coal mines throughout the world. Over 80 systems are currently being used with current operations in 17 countries. Greater than 200 rock slope collapses and waste dump failures (from several to millions of tones) have been monitored, with ?warning? precursor movements recorded by the SSR. This technology enables a radical change in the management of risks in open cut mining. This paper will present recent case studies of the SSR operation in coal and metalliferous mines. Slope Stability Hazards and Rock Slope Monitoring in Open Pit Mines Surface mining often creates excavation boundaries which are steeper than those would be created under natural processes in the same rock type. They are also undertake quite rapid stress changes during mining and are influenced by significant external forces such as blast vibrations and changes in groundwater. These conditions are likely to allow some degree of instability to develop in the pit slopes. The hazards associated with this instability of pit slopes can be extremely variable in character; ranging from small cobble sized rocks dislodging and falling from mine benches to complete collapse of entire pit walls. It is usually the position of mine geotechnical or geological staff to assess these hazards for mine operations. The assessment of hazards due to unstable slopes can be done by visual observation of precursor signs such as fracturing or rilling of loose material. A more reliable indicator of instability involves the quantitative measurement of outward movement and acceleration of material as an instability mechanism develops. There is strong evidence that small precursor movements of a rock wall occur for an extended period prior to rock slope collapse (Hoek and Bray, 1981). Development of a monitoring system, adopting acceptable slope deformation criteria coupled with warning systems and design of stabilization or risk reduction measures if appropriate has become a standard method of dealing with slope instability. Framework for Slope Hazard Management using the SSR A framework for the management of slope hazards is shown in Figure 1 (discussed in detail in Harries, 2007). Although this framework is specifically for use with the Slope Stability Radar, a similar framework could be developed for other monitoring technologies for monitoring slope deformation. An important point to consider is the sequential nature of the hazard management framework from selecting the context ? identifying hazards ? analysing hazards ? evaluating hazards ? treating hazards. [ ] Once the context of the system has been developed (for example ? to monitor for rapid bench scale collapse), the identification of hazards is the next stage in hazard management. Identification of slope hazards can be relatively straightforward due to the visual nature of the information that the SSR system produces. The areas of excessive wall deformation are highlighted in color maps of the mine slope with a co-aligned photographic image to review the actual site of interest. The responsible personnel must then analyses this data, usually reviewing the deformation style and rate, as well as the size of area that appears to be failing. This information can then be evaluated against organisation protocols (for example it may be only a small sub-bench failure that will be ?caught? by existing benches and hence can be categorized as a lower risk). Once these hazards are evaluated they can then be treated if required. Two major options are available to reduce the risk during this treatment option. We can reduce the likelihood of failure ? for example by buttressing the failure or de-pressurising of water pressures in a slope. However, the most likely plan of action is to reduce the consequence of the failure. One of the most successful opportunities to reduce the consequence of a slope failure is to ensure that no personnel or mining equipment is present at the location of a slope failure when collapse finally occurs. This has been the major benefit of the SSR system to the different mining operations around the world. SLOPE STABILITY RADAR TECHNOLOGY OUTLINE Slope Stability Radar system specifications and capabilities: ? Measurement precision +/- 0.1mm (std.) ? Perforated dish and other features enable it to operate in high wind conditions ? Measurement range is 1700 metres ? Scans 270 degrees horizontally and 120 degrees vertically ? 1 ? 30 minute repeat rate for area scans (varies according to area being scanned ? RF exposure (<0.05mW/cm2) is a factor of 200 below the acceptable limit for the general population (1 mW/cm2) ? Tolerant to vibration and mining equipment ? The system weighs approximately 1500 Kg ? Remote area power supply enabling unmanned, continuous 24/7 monitoring ? Real time monitoring

Jan 1, 2009

By J. E. Lawver, J. D. Raulerson, Charles C. Cook

The agriculture industry has made great strides during the past decade to increase agriculture yields through increased use of fertilizers. Increased use of fertilizers may prevent, or at least delay, mass starvation due to the alarming increase in world population. Phosphate was added to soil as a plant nutrient in the form of calcined bones at least 2000 years ago (Anon., 1964), and man has used phosphate minerals as a source of fertilization in one form or another for at least 100 years. During 1977 the world produced about 116 Mt of phosphate rock, with about 86% used for fertilizers and another 4% for animal feed supplements. More than three-fourths of the total production comes from the United States, Morocco, and the Soviet Union. From a mineral beneficiation point of view, the major sources of phosphate rock and the methods of beneficiation can be classified as follows: marine deposits not containing appreciable carbonate minerals, marine deposits requiring a francolite carbonate mineral separation, igneous deposits not containing appreciable carbonate minerals, and igneous deposits requiring apatite carbonate mineral separation. [ ] Guano, mostly from Chile and Peru, accounts for 0.1% of the total world production, and the calcium phosphates from Ocean, Nauru, and Christmas Islands and the aluminum and iron phosphates from Brazil and Aruba account for less than 4% of the world production and are thus not considered in this classification (Lawver, et al.). At present, marine phosphorite deposits account for about 75% of the world&apos;s production; the igneous deposits account for 20%. The igneous deposits low in carbonate minerals are easily concentrated by crushing, grinding, and apatite flotation. The most important igneous deposits are those of the Kola Peninsula, USSR (Woodrooffe, 1972). The igneous deposits high in carbonate materials are of corn appreciably more difficult to beneficiate, but they have been concentrated by froth flotation for a number of years. An interesting but rather complicated flowsheet of this type is at Phalabonva, in the Republic of South Africa (Lovell, 1976). The Phalaborwa deposit is an igneous complex of pyroxenite with a central core of carbonatite surrounded by a serpentine- magnetite-apatite rock called phoscorite. The phoscorite containing about 10% P2O5, 35% magnetite, and 35% calcium magnesium carbonate is currently being processed. The process involves comminuting the material for fiberation and subjecting it to a copper float using a potassium amyl xanthate as collector and triethoxybutane as a frother followed by a magnetic separation of the tailings to produce a feed for phosphate flotation. This process produces a phosphate concentrate containing greater than 36% P2O5 at a P2O5 recovery ranging from 75 to 80%. Considerable success has been claimed for recovering apatite from carbonate-bearing ores at the Jacupiranga Mine of Serrana S/A (Silva and Andery, 1972). The carbonatite currently being mined contains an average of only 5% P205 and is concentrated using a unique flotation process (Andery, 1968) to yield 96% P205 concentrates. The ore contains about 12% apatite, 5% magnetite, 80% calcite plus dolomite, and minor amounts of phlogopite, olivine, zircon, ilmenite, and pyrochlore. Feed preparation consists of crushing to -31.75 mm (-1 M in.), rod milling in closed circuit with hydrocyclones to about 92% (-50 mesh), and two-stage cyclone desliming of the -50 mesh sands at 20 m. Weight recovery in the deslimed feed is normally 85 to 88% and the corresponding P2O5 recovery is usually about 90%. The deslimed feed is conditioned at 60 to 70% solids for 15 min at pH = 8-10 with 0.6 kg/t of causticized starch for iron oxide and calcite-dolomite depression. The conditioned slurry is diluted to 20 to 30% solids, about 0.2 kg/t of fatty acid or soap collector is added to the conditioner discharge, and the reagentized ore is subjected to rougher-scavenger flotation with additional fatty acid added to the scavenger float. The scavenger concentrate is returned to rougher circuit distributor, and the rougher concentrate froth is subjected to two stages of cleaner flotation to yield a final apatite concentrate analyzing 36 to 38% P205. Flotation recovery of P205 is, in general, above 90% when treating fresh carbonatite. The high-carbonate flotation tails normally analyze 1 % P2O5 or less and are suitable for portland cement production. The marine deposits. Types 1 and 2 of central Florida are representative of enormous reserves of phosphate rock that will undoubtedly account for much of the world&apos;s production in the near future. Until very recently the sedimentary deposits high in carbonate minerals (Type 2) have not been considered reserves due to the difficulty in making a francolite-carbonate separation. Although no commercial plant has yet been built to beneficiate Type 2 ore, laboratory and pilot plant data indicate the process is viable. If so, the reserves of Florida and similar deposits throughout the world will be substantially increased. A discussion of the beneficiation of these two types of sedimentary deposits and the relation of the resulting concentrates to the fertilizer industry of the United States is the subject of this paper.

Jan 1, 1981

By S. Usui, I. Iwasaki

The effect of pH on the adsorption of dodecylamine at the mercury-aqueous solution interface was investigated by differential capacity and electrocapillary measurements. With dodecylammonium acetate, the differential capacity curves showed two desorption peaks in the cathodic branch with their relative intensities varying with the solution pH. With dodecyltrimethylammonium chloride, only one cathodic de-sorption peak was observed in the same pH range. Through thermodynamic analysis of the electrocapillary curves, the adsorption density of undissociated amine was evaluated separately from that of aminium ion. The adsorption densities of the un-dissociated amine and of the total amine increased with increasing pH. The ratio at the interface of undissociated amine to aminium ion was several orders of magnitude greater than the ratio in the solution and increased with increasing pH. The potential at the closest distance of approach of counter ions to the mercury surface was compared with values of zeta potential on quartz previously reported. The most important variable in the flotation separation of minerals is probably the pH of the pulp, and a number of theories have been proposed to explain its effect on the condition of the mineral surfaces, on the dissociation of collectors and of inorganic and organic species (accidentally present or intentionally added) in the pulp, and on the mineral-collector interaction. In the development of a theoretical background for oxide flotation systems, an experimental approach based on electrokinetic measurements has been of much value, although the effect of pH becomes confounded since it governs both the electrochemical conditions of the oxide surface and the dissociation of the collector. For investigation of the adsorption behavior of long-chain collectors on oxide minerals, however, electrokinetic potential measurements are the most widely used technique. Hydrogen and hydroxyl ions are found to be the potential determining species, thereby governing the interfacial electrical conditions. The electrostatic interaction between the charged mineral surfaces and ionized collectors is regarded as the driving force for the adsorption of the collectors. An association of alkylamine collectors adsorbed on quartz surfaces has been postulated from streaming potential measurements, and a term "hemi-micelles" has been proposed.&apos; The possibilities of coad-sorption of undissociated amine along with aminium ion has been inferred from contact angle measurements? and from adsorption studies.~ Electrochemical titration as applied to silver sulfide provides a more quantitative approach to the analysis of the electrical double layer at an ionic solid-solution interfaceqG and the electrochemical evidence for the adsorption of amine at pH 4.7 indicates a specific affinity of dodecylammonium ion towards silver sulfide surfaces, whereas at pH 9.2 the adsorbed species might be free arnine." A combination of differential capacity and electrocapillary measurements on a dropping mercury electrode was reported to be a sensitive method of provid- ing reliable information on the adsorption behavior of dodecylammonium acetate (DAA) at a natural (near neutral) pH.? It was also shown that there were striking similarities in the properties of the double layer and in the adsorption behavior of the amine on mercury and on such ionic solids as quartz, silver sulfide, and silver iodide. The effect of pH on the differential capacity curves at a mercury-sodium fluoride solution interface has been investigated by Austin and Parsonss who reported that between pH 7 and pH 11 there was very little effect. In the present paper, the adsorption behavior of DAA was investigated as a function of pH through differential capacity and electrocapillary measurements and the information gathered was correlated with that available in literature on quartz and silver sulfide. Experimental The apparatus and the method used for determining the differential capacity and the electrocapillary curves were identical to those described previously.&apos; The ionic strength of the supporting electrolyte was fixed at 0.1 M with potassium fluoride, and the pH of the solution with potassium hydroxide. Only the neutral to alkaline range was covered in order to avoid the dissolution of the glass vessel with hydrofluoric acid. Results In Fig. 1 the differential capacity has been plotted against the applied potential at a DAA concentration of 10-&apos; M at three different pH values. The curves are characterized by one capacity peak in the anodic branch, by two capacity peaks in the cathodic branch, and by a marked depression in capacity between the peaks. The depression indicates an adsorption of the arnine in this potential range. One of the cathodic peaks appears at pH 7.3 near -1.4 v and decreases with increasing pH. The other appears at pH 8.9 near —1.2 v and increases with increasing pH. At pH 9.6 only the latter peak is observed. Beyond the cathodic peaks, all the curves tend to converge with the curve in the absence of DAA, implying that two different species are being desorbed in this potential region. The anodic peak near 0.0 v increases markedly with increasing pH. The well-defined anodic peaks at pH 8.9 and 9.6 were accompanied by an appreciable increase in the current flow (in excess of O.luA), and, therefore, is a "pseudo-capacity"&apos;" due to a

Jan 1, 1971

By D. Bois, P. Keating, J. Lemieux, M. A. Vallée, M. Allard, R. S. Smith, L. Z. Cheng, M. Chouteau, D. K. Fountain

"Abstract -A test survey using the MEGATEMII airborne electromagnetic system was flown over the Iso and New Insco massive sulfide orebodies in the Rouyn-Noranda mining camp, Canada. The results were compared with data from historical systems (INPUT, DIGHEM) used to discover the deposits. The historical data show that the two deposits have comparable conductances. However, the modern MEGATEMII system reveals that the New Insco deposit has a much slower decay than the Iso deposit, and it is, therefore, interpreted to be more conductive. The MEGATEMII anomaly maps provide estimates of the location, depth, dip, and strike of the two deposits, information that was not available from the historical anomaly maps. The signal-to-noise ratio of the MEGATEMII data is greater than the historical data, yielding more sharply defined anomalies. The investigations also included a comparison between 90 Hz and 30 Hz MEGATEMII data. The 90 Hz data were found to be useful for mapping the less conductive parts of the Iso body, whereas the 30 Hz data demonstrated that the New Insco body is more conductive. Analysis of height attenuation data over the Iso body indicates that the body could be seen by the MEGATEMII system if it were buried an additional 230 m deeper (in highly resistive material). On the other hand, the INPUT system would detect the Iso body only if it were buried no deeper than an additional 60 m. Tests with the transmitter turned off showed that, for this flight, the MEGATEMII system noise levels on the processed data are about 300 pT/s. Sommaire - Dans le cadre d’un projet de recherche, un ensemble de levés d’essais électromagnétiques aéroportés employant le système de MEGATEMII a été effectué au dessus des dépôts d’Iso et de New Insco, Rouyn-Noranda, Canada. Les données ont été comparées avec les réponses des systèmes qui ont découvert ces deux dépôts (INPUT et DIGHEM). Les données antérieures montrent que le dépôt d’Iso a une conductance comparable à celle de New Insco. Cependant, les données de MEGATEMII démontrent que le dépôt de New Insco a une haute valeur de la constante de décroissance, ce qui reflète une plus forte conductivité. La carte d’anomalies de MEGATEMII indique la localisation, la profondeur, le pendage et l’orientation des deux dépôts, ce que la carte d’anomalies antérieure ne montrait pas. Le rapport de signal à bruit de MEGATEMII est plus grand que celui des données de INPUT et de DIGHEM; de plus, les pics sont mieux définis. Les tests ont également permis une comparaison entre les fréquences de base de 90 Hz et de 30 Hz. Les données de 90 Hz se sont montrées utiles pour cartographier la partie du dépôt Iso dont la conductivité est la plus faible, tandis que les données de 30 Hz montrent clairement que le dépôt de New Insco est plus conducteur. Les analyses de l’atténuation du signal avec la hauteur ont indiqué que le dépôt d’Iso pourrait être détecté par le système MEGATEMII s’il était enfoui à 230 m sous la surface (dans un milieu hautement résistant). D’autre part, le système INPUT pourrait seulement détecter le dépôt d’Iso s’l était situé à 60 m de profondeur. Les tests avec l’émetteur fermé démontrent que le niveau de bruit est des l’ordre de ±300 pT/s."

Jan 1, 2006

By Liu Xiao, Lin Xiaoying, Ma Geng, Tao Yunqi

"The soft coal in China has several issues, low permeability, high gas content and prone to gas outburst, making it difficult to drill and improve its permeability. Using the rock mass loading test, the relationship of stress-strain-permeability-time of sandstone was investigated. The fracture network that communicates with coal seams to provide the pathways for gas migration can be established by drilling, hydraulic fracturing or loose blasting in the roof and floor about 5m from coal seams top and bottom. The gas migration can be summed up as ""desorption-diffusion-two levels of seepage"" for gas drainage of the quasi-protection-layer in hard coal seams, and ""desorption-two levels of diffusion-seepage"" in soft coal seams. In the quasi-protection-layer, different gas drainage techniques were used during different stages of mining. Gas drainage of the quasi-protection-layers was demonstrated at Hebi Zhongtai Mining Co., Ltd. The results showed that the technique promotes the gas seepage flow, and improves the efficiency of drainage. The influence zone of the quasi-protection-layer was 1601 m2 and the average amount of gas drainage was 328m3/d, with the maximum being 661m3/d. INTRODUCTIONGas is one of the main factors that cause disasters and influence safety production in underground coal mines (SACMS, 2009). The coal-bearing formations in China have been subjected to multiphase tectonic stress field during the period of geological evolution. Coal body was often crushed into fragmented coals and mylonitic coals under the tectonic stresses (Su and Lin, 2009). The gas permeability of coal is generally poor. So in underground, drilling and hydro-fracturing technology have been used to improve the permeability of coal, such as intensive drilling, hydraulic punching, hydraulic cutting, hydraulic extrusion and deep hole blasting. But the gas drainage rate was low, only 23% (Liu, Li, and Li, 2006; Li and Wei, 2006; Henan Polytechnic University, 2008; Ma, et al., 2014; Lin and Wu, 2009; Zhou, et al., 2011) that was much lower than the rates achieved in the main coal-producing countries such as America and Australia whose average rate of gas drainage was 50%. The protection layer mining technology has been used widely as an effective technique to improve the permeability of coal in the mining of multiple coal seams (Cheng and Yu, 2003; Diaz and Gonzalez, 2007; Karacan, et al., 2007; Palchik, 2003; Latham, et al., 2013; Yuan, et al., 2013; Shi and Liu, 2007; Wang, et al., 2008, Guo, et al., 2015; Lu, et al., 2015; Slazak, Obracaj, and Swolkien, 2014 ). In the single low permeability coal seam, there is no protection layer. This kind of coal seam has low permeability, high gas content, soft coal body, and is prone to serious gas outbursts. During drilling, the holes very often spray, collapse, stuck and wedged the drilling tool. The hole length drilled is difficult to reach the required minimum, the service life of holes for gas drainage is short, the construction cost is high, and the holes are difficult to maintain. The gas drainage efficiency of single low permeability coal seam, especially soft coal seams, cannot be improved even though hydro-fracture technology has been implemented, because its permeability is not improved."

Jan 1, 2016

By Victor Maksaev, Marcos Zentilli

"Abstract - The Domeyko Cordillera, the westernmost uplifted crustal block of the composite High Andes of northern Chile (20°S to 28°S) hosts a narrow N-S trending belt of Late Eocene-Oligocene giant porphyry copper deposits, which include Collahuasi, Chuquicamata, El Abra, La Escondida, and El Salvador. These deposits are spatially and genetically associated with the closing igneous activity along this range, prior to a 30 km eastward jump of the magmatic front in response to tectonic plate interaction. The porphyry copper deposits are also spatially associated with a major intraarc strike-slip shear system, the Domeyko Fault System. Although the tectonic uplift of the 3000 m to 5000 m high range has generally been assumed to be mostly Miocene in age, field relationships suggest that the Domeyko Fault System and tectonic uplift were active as early as the Eocene, coinciding with porphyry copper emplacement between 41 Ma and 30 Ma. Apatite fission track (FT) thermochronology provides both age data and a time-temperature history for rocks since they cooled below a temperature of ca. 125°C (equivalent to a depth of 4 km to 5 km under normal geothermal gradients) on their way to the surface during exhumation, or after a heating event. Apatite FT data from the Paleozoic crystalline basement of the Domeyko Cordillera indicate that at least 4 km to 5 km of rocks were eroded during exhumation of this tectonic block between ca. 50 Ma to 30 Ma (Middle Eocene to Early Oligocene), a time that immediately precedes and overlaps with the emplacement of giant porphyry copper deposits. The FT data constrain the age and duration of a period of crustal thickening and extensive erosion known as the Incaic compression, an event recognized in the Andes of Chile and Peru. Assuming that cooling was due to denudation alone, modelling of the FT data allow estimation of denudation rates between 200 and 100 m/My during this period. In contrast, exposures of pre-porphyry Paleocene intrusives on the western edge of the Domeyko Cordillera reveal apatite FT ages that are concordant with biotite 40Ar-39Ar dates, indicating shallow emplacement, fast cooling and negligible exhumation. The apatite FT ages of the Chuquicamata and El Abra porphyry copper deposits are only marginally younger than their 40Ar-39Ar dates, implying fast cooling/exhumation of shallow mineralizing systems (ca. 2 km to 3 km). Their FT time-temperature history is compatible with extremely low rates of exhumation (ca. 50 m/My) since about 30 Ma (Early Oligocene). This limited extent of erosion, due to exceptional aridity, has greatly contributed to the preservation of rich supergene enriched blankets above some of the porphyry copper deposits.A model is proposed, which is consistent with field relationships, geochemical, and geochronological data. High relative velocities and intermediate-angle oblique convergence between the Nazca and South American plates in the Eocene-Early Oligocene led to intra-arc transpression partitioned into reverse faults of opposing vergence and a right-lateral shear system (the Domeyko Shear System) localized along the magmatic front. Crustal shortening and thickening led to uplift within the Domeyko Fault System and to erosion of at least 4 km to 5 km. Crustal thickening deepened the zone of magma generation, and magmas accumulated in the lower crust, allowing small volumes to rise rapidly to shallow levels along transtensional domains of the regional shear system. A similar model of crustal thickening and shortening before and during porphyry copper emplacement in zones of transtension may also apply to the Miocene-Pliocene giant porphyry copper province of central Chile."

Jan 1, 1999

By J. O. Lewis

The operation of gas-condensate fields is comparatively new and involves physical principles with which the industry was not prcviously familiar. It has been necessary to devise methods for testing gas-condensate wells and to correlate laboratory and field data. In this paper new methods are advanced for interpreting well G.P.M.† tests whereby dilution by dry gas can be estimated and information supplied on revaporization of condensates by dry gas. Inaccuracies in well test data are discussed. Changes in flow rates can cause changes in the G.P.M. of the effluent and it may take some time for a well to become stabilized after an important change in flow rate. Retrograde tests as usually conducted cannot be directly compared with field G.P.M. data, because the retrograde tests usually include solution gas in the condensates, which are reported On the cumulative basis whereas field data (G.P.M.) usually report pentaneS PlUS on a rate or instantaneous basis. Introduction Though long known to physicists, the phenomena Of retrograde condensation became known to the oil and gas industry Only in recent years, when deeper drilling disclosed that the behavior of vapors under changing pressures was different in high-pressure reservoirs than under the low-pressure operations with which the industry was familiar. These deep, high-pressure reservoirs in which condensation and vaporization behaved inversely to the accustomed manner became known as "gas-distillate," or preferably "gas-condensate" fields. Partly to prevent precipitation and retention of liquids in the reservoir, but still more to prevent the waste of residue gas, the operation known as "recycling," or preferably "cycling," was instituted, in which the residue gas is reinjected into the reservoir, thus maintaining pressure and driving the wet gas to the producing wells. For lack of field experience to serve as a guide, the industry had to assume that theory and laboratory experiments could accurately forecast retrograde behaviors in operating these gas-condensate fields, but it is obvious that these assumptions should be checked at the first opportunities against actual field experience. To make such checks, it is necessary to accumulate a large quantity of reliable field data, but experience has shown that it is difficult to obtain reliable field data and that the laboratory data as usually presented are not in directly comparable form. The problems of correlation involve the complex phase behavior on the one hand, and a knowledge of field data and a visualization of underground conditions on the other hand. This paper is an approach from field experience, The purposes of this article are to discuss the sources of uncertainty in the data and to present methods of analyzing, interpreting and correlating laboratory and field data. Data mostly from lower Gulf Coast fields are presented, from which some conclusions can be derived, but better data from more sources than those available to the writer will be required before satisfactory answers to many questions can be obtained. This paper is presented to stimulate the analysis and publication of data from other fields, the reexamination of field and laboratory methods, and the taking of more complete and reliable field tests. For these purposes, the writer presents some speculations that otherwise would not be appropriate.

Jan 1, 1947

By J. O. Lewis

The operation of gas-condensate fields is comparatively new and involves physical principles with which the industry was not prcviously familiar. It has been necessary to devise methods for testing gas-condensate wells and to correlate laboratory and field data. In this paper new methods are advanced for interpreting well G.P.M.† tests whereby dilution by dry gas can be estimated and information supplied on revaporization of condensates by dry gas. Inaccuracies in well test data are discussed. Changes in flow rates can cause changes in the G.P.M. of the effluent and it may take some time for a well to become stabilized after an important change in flow rate. Retrograde tests as usually conducted cannot be directly compared with field G.P.M. data, because the retrograde tests usually include solution gas in the condensates, which are reported On the cumulative basis whereas field data (G.P.M.) usually report pentaneS PlUS on a rate or instantaneous basis. Introduction Though long known to physicists, the phenomena Of retrograde condensation became known to the oil and gas industry Only in recent years, when deeper drilling disclosed that the behavior of vapors under changing pressures was different in high-pressure reservoirs than under the low-pressure operations with which the industry was familiar. These deep, high-pressure reservoirs in which condensation and vaporization behaved inversely to the accustomed manner became known as "gas-distillate," or preferably "gas-condensate" fields. Partly to prevent precipitation and retention of liquids in the reservoir, but still more to prevent the waste of residue gas, the operation known as "recycling," or preferably "cycling," was instituted, in which the residue gas is reinjected into the reservoir, thus maintaining pressure and driving the wet gas to the producing wells. For lack of field experience to serve as a guide, the industry had to assume that theory and laboratory experiments could accurately forecast retrograde behaviors in operating these gas-condensate fields, but it is obvious that these assumptions should be checked at the first opportunities against actual field experience. To make such checks, it is necessary to accumulate a large quantity of reliable field data, but experience has shown that it is difficult to obtain reliable field data and that the laboratory data as usually presented are not in directly comparable form. The problems of correlation involve the complex phase behavior on the one hand, and a knowledge of field data and a visualization of underground conditions on the other hand. This paper is an approach from field experience, The purposes of this article are to discuss the sources of uncertainty in the data and to present methods of analyzing, interpreting and correlating laboratory and field data. Data mostly from lower Gulf Coast fields are presented, from which some conclusions can be derived, but better data from more sources than those available to the writer will be required before satisfactory answers to many questions can be obtained. This paper is presented to stimulate the analysis and publication of data from other fields, the reexamination of field and laboratory methods, and the taking of more complete and reliable field tests. For these purposes, the writer presents some speculations that otherwise would not be appropriate.

Jan 1, 1947

By P. N. Eksteen, G. E. Greig

The South African mining industry currently installs about 6 km per month of plastic pipes for conveying compressed air and water. Plastic pipes have a number of desirable properties and are favoured by many mining engineers because of their low mass, which facilitates ease of erection and assembly, and their excellent corrosion resistance and durability. However, they are combustible, and if involved in an underground fire can contribute to the overall toxicity of the combustion gases emitted. Furthermore, plastic pipes have the potential to conduct a fire from one part of a mine to another, and, by so doing, exacerbate an already hazardous situation. The limitations of small scale tests and the need to establish a large facility where underground conditions could be simulated was recognized by the South African mining industry. This paper briefly describes the Industry&apos;s full scale fire test facility and presents the conclusions drawn as a result of a number of full scale combustibility tests conducted on pipes manufactured from unplasticized Poly Vinyl Chloride (uPVC) and High Density Polyethylene (HDPE). Based on these findings, some practical solutions to prevent the spread of fire along the length of pipe columns of various pipe diameters and suspension configurations are presented. Recently some new and exciting developments in the field of intumescent coatings have occurred which are proving effective in minimizing the incidence of fire underground on South African mines. The potential benefits of these coatings are briefly discussed. INTRODUCTION Plastic pipes used underground on mines are predominantly in the form of protective cladding on insulated chilled water pipes and as service pipes for the conveying of water and compressed air to the workings. Plastic pipes have found wide use in the aggressive environmental conditions encountered underground due to their favourable properties relative to steel; these include being lightweight, easily installed and virtually immune to corrosion. However, plastic pipes are inherently combustible and can contribute to the overall hazard in three ways: (i) they are easily ignitable and can provide the initial fuel for a fire. (ii) once ignited, they can propagate a fire along their length and by so doing ignite other combustibles in their path, thereby contributing significantly to the overall conflagration. (iii) they can contribute to the overall heat, smoke and toxic gas emissions from a fire. While conscious of the value of small scale fire tests, the South African mining industry recognized the need for full scale testing to determine the combustion characteristics of plastic pipes under conditions closely approximating those underground and, as a consequence, a full scale fire tunnel test facility was commissioned with the objective of being able to (a), accurately evaluate the potential hazard of the various types of the plastic pipes found in mines, (b) use this information to suggest suitable fire engineering practices to minimize the hazard and (c), to practically verify the efficacy of the practices suggested. THE FIRE TUNNEL The fire tunnel is situated on a mine in the Western Transvaal and is 40 m long with a cross section of 3 m x 3 m which is typical of many haulages currently in use in South African gold mines. The ventilation drawn through the tunnel is provided by a 110 kW centrifugal exhaust fan and air velocities can be varied from 0 to a maximum of 5,8 m/s.

Jan 1, 1993

By J. Trimble, B. M. Davis, D. McClure

During initial mining operations at the Colosseum gold mine, discrepancies between the average blasthole grades and mill-head grades were quite large. In December 1987, mill-head grades averaged 39% lower than corre¬sponding estimates from the blastholes. The correlation between average blasthole grade and mill-head grade had an r-value of 0.015. The magnitude of the discrepancy and the lack of correspondence between estimated and actual grades led to a series of investigations of the sampling system, the effect of blast movement of the ore, and the estimation methodology. The discrepancy between blasthole grades and mill-head grades had been reduced by about half on a percentage basis at the conclusion of these studies. Ongoing studies have produced changes that reduced this discrepancy to its present level of less than 10%. Geology The Colosseum mine is within the Clark Mountain mining district about 68 km (42 miles) southwest of Las Vegas, NV in San Bernardino County, CA. Gold mineralization at the deposit is hosted in two 152 m x 213 m (500 ft x 700 ft) interconnected, rhyolitic intrusive breccia pipes that intruded Pre¬cambrian crystalline basement rocks and overlying Paleozoic marine sedimentary rocks. Subsequent erosion (deroofing) of all of the Paleozoic section and a portion of the Precambrian section has exposed the pipes to the present level (probably a significant depth in the original breccia pipe system). Lithologies exhibited within the breccia pipe complexes include rhyolitic felsite, and breccias of felsite and wall/ country rock. Breccia types grade from felsite plus Precambrian granite-gneiss fragments in an aphanitic felsite matrix to crosscutting breccias of felsite, Precambrian granite-gneiss, and Paleozoic sedimentary rocks in a matrix of finely comminuted material of the same composition. All the lithologies in and around the breccia pipes exhibit moderate to intense quartz-sericite-pyrite alteration, with sericite and pyrite the dominant visual alteration minerals. Gold at the Colosseum mine is generally submicroscopic and associated with sulfide mineralization, chiefly pyrite. It occurs as free gold, with minor alloyed silver. It is primarily in contact with pyrite in fractures or along pyrite grain edges. Secondarily, it appears as isolated particles in quartz and other gangue minerals but spatially always close to pyrite, and rarely as particles encased in euhedral pyrite. The pyrite mineralization and minor base metal sulfides occur in three distinct styles: as disseminations, as open space or vein/fracture filling, and in breccia clasts replacing dolomite. The pyrite megascopically ranges from absent to 30% of rock volume within the breccia pipes. Although the gold at Colosseum is apparently spatially and geochemically associated with pyrite, there is only a general proportional relationship between pyrite content and gold content. Sometimes, a high volume percentage of pyrite has only geochemically anomalous gold. This makes visual pyrite only a general grade control tool and not a specific tool. This further makes the ore control process at Colosseum all the more difficult. Initial grade control procedure Initial grade control was based on blasthole samples collected in two stages by an "automatic" sample collection device (rocket sampler). A sample was collected for the top 3 m (10 ft) in a hole. The bag was then changed so that a sample was collected for the lower 3 m (10 ft). Each sample was prepared and fire assayed to determine the grade. Large discrepancies were sometimes noted in the assays of top and bottom samples. The samples were averaged together and a plot was made showing the blasthole locations and their associated grades. Discrimination between ore and waste was based on as-

Jan 1, 1989

By B. B. Dhar

Slope stability at the proposed mine in Rajasthan was analysed in two dimensions using a finite difference code. The properties of the rock material were determined in the laboratory and subsequently modified to approximate those of the in situ rock mass. Geotechnical mapping was undertaken to determine the critical orientation of structural discontinuities. The results of the work indicated that an open pit 148 m in depth would be stable with overall slope angles of 60 degrees

Aug 1, 1994