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By Miller F. S

The famous Golden Mile of Kalgoorlie in Western Australia was, between 1888 and 19ft, one of the richest and most important gold camps in the world. Annual production, which reached a peak of nearly 1,300,000 oz. in 1903, however dropped to below 400,000 oz. after 1920.Depression seized the camp, and many mines closed down. The output from this old field is now steadily mounting under the stimulus. of a higher price for gold. In 1935 300,000 oz. of precious metal were recovered and the future is bright. Total production from the field is 21,400,000 oz., whereas something like £23,600,000 have been paid in dividends.The Golden Mile has been studied by many geologists. Their somewhat diverse findings were published for the most part in the Australian technical press which, unfortunately, is not sufficiently represented in foreign libraries.The following article is based on an eighteen months' study in the district for Gold Mines of Kalgoorlie Ltd., preceded by four years' experience with almost identical rock types in the, Porcupine district of Ontario. The excellent record of observed fact left by previous invesigators, augmented by talks with observant mining men...

Jan 1, 1937

This publication is the fourth in a series of miners? circulars covering various phases of accident prevention in bituminous-coal mines; these circulars constitute a text hook for courses of instruction on accident prevention in bituminous-coal minim. To these may be added material of particular interest in the field where the course is presented. Other circulars in the series are: Accident Statistics as an Aid to Prevention of Accidents in Bituminous-Coal Mines (Miners? Circular 47). Accidents from Falls of Roof and Coal in Bituminous-Coal Mines (Miners' Circular 48). Accidents from Hoisting and Haulage in Bituminous-Coal Mines (Miners' Circular 49).

Jan 1, 1946

The ability to optimise a concentrator from mill feed to final products requires a simulator which integrates comminution, classification and separation modelling. In order to model this range of processes, such a simulator must handle a variety of information about the ore. The AMIRA P9 project has developed a whole-of-concentrator simulation capability which brings together a texture-based model of mineral liberation, quantitative X-ray micro-tomography analysis to measure the inputs required by this model, and a multi-component simulator software framework. In the context of this approach, the term ?multi-component? implies the ability of the simulation to handle many particle properties simultaneously; for example size, composition, density, floatability etc. The simulation software framework provides the means to manage the flow of data around a circuit flowsheet, allowing each process model to access the information relevant to that particular model. A case study based on plant data from a gold-bearing pyrite concentrator is used to demonstrate the capabilities of the multi-component approach in simulating circuits which contain comminution and separation processes.

Feb 27, 2013

Jan 1, 2000

By Joe Roby

Rolling disc cutters are the business end of hard-rock and mixed-face tunnel boring machines (TBMs). Since their first successful employment on a TBM more than 50 years ago, disc cutter technology has constantly evolved, allowing modern TBMs to excavate very hard and abrasive rock efficiently. Disc cutters have also been employed successfully on earth pressure balance (EPB) and slurry machines, cutting rock under water and ground pressure. The range of materials excavated by machines today is broader, excavation rates are higher and cutter costs are lower than ever before, proving the value of investment in cutter development. Disc cutters are used on a range of tunneling equipment, from pipe jacked slurry micro-TBMs less than 1 m (3.3 ft) in diameter to 15 m (49 ft) in diameter, hard-rock boring TBMs. The geological conditions under which they are employed range from sands and gravels, with several bar of water pressure, to extremely hard, massive rock with UCS up to 420 MPa. Regardless of the type of machine or geology, one thing remains constant: changing worn out cutters is costly. When cutters must be changed in the middle of a tunnel, the contractor incurs the cost of downtime as well as the cost of refurbishing or replacing the cutters. In the case of catastrophic cutter failures, the project can be stopped completely for long periods, and the costs mount up rapidly while tunnel production is at a stand still. Catastrophic cutter failures include the occasion when hard-rock disc cutters are failed in groups (called a ?wipeout? phenomenon) and the operator fails to stop the machine, which results in severe damage to the cutterhead. The cause of this can be either an undetected failed cutter propagating damage to surrounding cutters or operator error in steering. Regardless of the cause, the resulting damage can take days or even weeks to repair. When cutters fail prematurely on EPB or slurry machines in certain geological conditions, it is impossible to evacuate the chamber and, therefore, impossible to get [ ] into the chamber to change the cutters. The solution is frequently an unplanned intervention shaft that must be sunk at great cost. The importance of being able to predict cutter life accurately, and in all geological conditions, cannot be overemphasized. For these reasons, cutters have been developed for specific machine types and sizes, as well as for specific geological operating conditions. Different size cutters are required for different size machines. For example, while 483- and 508-mm (19- and 20-in.) cutters are used on large diameter TBMs, it is impossible to employ cutters so large on a small micro-TBM. Also, the cutter must be designed for the specific geological conditions under which it will be operating. The disc cutter rings required to bore extremely hard rock are the most expensive of cutter rings. However, they provide little advantage in weaker rock formations where less expensive rings will do the job as well. It is important to choose the correct cutter for the machine and the geological conditions in order to get the best balance of cost and risk.

Jan 1, 2009

By Vance G. Leak

A technique for recovering copper and steel from metallic scrap has been developed by the Bureau of Mines based on preferential melting in molten salt baths at 1,150° to 1,250° C, The molten salt, preferably barium chloride or calcium chloride, both minimizes oxidation of the metals and promotes heat transfer. Cleanest separations (0.01 percent copper remaining in iron) have been achieved by pretreatment (dipping or spraying) with sodium sulphate or sodium silicate, which alters and coats the surface of the iron to inhibit the alloying or brazing with copper. An economic evaluation of the process was carried out on six combinations of sweating media and inhibiting reagents. On the basis of the postulated model, a cost of about $0.20 per pound of copper recovered has been determined for the sweating treatment operation.

Jan 1, 1973

A record $18.7 billion worth of metals, non- metals and fuels was produced in the U.S. during 1962, according to a year-end estimate from the USBM. The 1962 total value, based on preliminary statistics compiled by the Bureau, was nearly $600 million more than in 1961. Most minerals gained both in value and volume of production during 1962 according to information collected by the Bureau. All mineral fuels except anthracite showed increases. Among nonmetallic minerals- other than fuels-gains exceeded losses by two to one. Metal production held steady as gains and losses balanced.

Jan 2, 1963

By T. A. Marcotte, D. J. Bobrow, S. Vaghar

This paper discusses the geotechnical instrumentation program on the Central Artery/Tunnel Project, in Boston, Massachusetts. Particular attention is given to a state of the art Graphic Information System (GIS) application which has been developed for rapid analyses and reporting of data. This application will see extensive use during the ongoing complex downtown tunnel construction. The excavations in soft ground require cuts of up to 120 feet deep and 250 feet wide. Deformation and groundwater monitoring instruments have been installed to monitor the stability of the excavation support systems and the abutting buildings. The use of this application is illustrated with an example from an ongoing contract.

Jan 1, 1997

The stratigraphy of the Western Coalfield is briefly reviewed and the important units of the Lithgow Coal Measures, particularly the coal seams, are defined. The possibility of coal measures of Tomago age ocurring near the edges of the Sydney Basin is discussed onpresent evidence.Using data obtained from unpublished drilling records, detailed structural, isopachous and lithofaeies maps have been drawn. These show that the structure of the coal basin has been influenced by the underlying basement in many ways.The prominent jointing in the overlying Triassic sandstones is discussed in relation to jointing in the coal measure sediments.It is concluded that in addition to the general knowledge obtained with respect to the coal basin, useful information regarding coal quality and quantity can be gained by the study of broader sedimentary and structural features.INTRODUCTIONThe term "Western Coalfield" covers approximately the area from Katoomba to Rylstone, together with the smaller, separate Ulan area (Fig. 1). The area studied is part of the great sedimentary Sydney basin named by Osborne (1948). The first discovery of coal in Sitlt in the area was made in 1824 by Andrew Brown, although George Bass noted the presence of coal float in the Grose River in 1797. Production is recorded from the Western Coalfield in 1838 but mining was intermittent until 1868 when mines in the Lithgowvalley (producing coal from the Lithgow Seam) came into production. In 1882 the Katoomba Seam was first worked at Katoomba.The work of J. E. Carne (1903, 1908) defined the limits of the Coal Measure sediments and also contributed a great amount of valuable detailed information about the region.

Jan 1, 1960

By Mark K. Larson

Researchers at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health?s (NIOSH) Spokane Research Laboratory are developing a borehole profilometer to dynamically measure the roughness pro-file of boreholes used to install roof bolts fully encapsulated with resin. Numerical measures of roughness were calculated from profiles of borehole surface roughness to determine potential roof bolt anchorage capacity. The concept of dynamically profiling was proven through the following series of laboratory tests: a sensitiv-ity test using various grits of sandpaper, a known-profile test along a section of a concrete hole, and a simulated borehole test in a pipe with machined grooves. Two profilometer prototypes were devel-oped that measure slight changes in the radius of a borehole using either strain-gauged, spring-steel arms or rigid, steel arms attached to a spring-loaded cone and a linear potentiometer. Both instruments performed reasonably well in the laboratory and were subsequently tested in boreholes drilled in two concrete blocks using different drilling techniques to obtain three different borehole surface roughnesses. A Z2 roughness parameter was calculated with data from the first profilometer, and an average radial increment was calculated from the test results of the second profilometer. Although both instruments were able to readily distinguish the difference between smooth and rough boreholes, the correlation coefficient (r2) for a linear relationship between Z2 and average radial increment was 0.577. Pull tests were conducted with resin bolts installed in the concrete blocks, but maximum pull-out strength could not be correlated to borehole roughness because in each of these tests, failure occurred at the resin-bolt interface. A more sophisticated prototype has been designed to measure surface roughness and also accurately determine the location and tilt of the instrument in the borehole. However, this instrument has not yet been fabricated or tested.

Jan 1, 2007

By Stephen M. Smading

The Jinping-II hydroelectric project in China features four parallel headrace tunnels approximately 18-km- (11-mile-) long. Two will be excavated by tunnel boring machines (TBM) and two by drill-and-blast. A nearby fifth tunnel is being excavated by a 7.2-m (23.6-ft) TBM to draw down ground water in advance of excavating the headrace tunnels. Unique onsite assembly of a 12.43-m (40.7-ft) main beam TBM and backup system was completed on Sept. 18, 2008 in the remote mountains of the Sichuan province. The equipment was assembled onsite, without previously having been assembled and tested in a factory, using a method called onsite first time assembly (OFTA). This paper addresses the following topics: ? Project description including geology and terrain. ? The decision process leading to onsite, first time assembly, the assembly process and logistics, and lessons learned. ? Design features of the TBM and backup system. ? Operational history from startup to the writing of this article.

Jan 1, 2009

By Drew Floyd

Five full-scale pile load tests were performed on pairs of PZ-22 sheet piles installed with a vibratory pile driving hammer. The sheet piling was installed in several locations in soil generally consisting of miscellaneous granular fills overlying soft organic silts, inorganic silt interbedded with sands and gravels, very dense glacial till and shale bedrock. The test program also included the use of tip tell tales to determine what capacity could be attributed to tip resistance and skin friction. During the design phase of the project, it was assumed that the capacity of the sheet piles driven with the vibratory hammer could be correlated with the rate of penetration. The correlation between vertical capacity and rate of penetration would be used as a basis for determination of a driving criteria from driving the production sheet piling. The sheet piling load tests demonstrated that it was not possible to correlate the capacity of sheet piling driven with a vibratory hammer and the rate of penetration. It was also demonstrated that the capacity of the sheet piles was directly related to the density of the soil at or just below the tip. The results also tend to agree with empirical equations provided by Meyerhof (1976).

Jan 1, 1989

By G. L. Smith

Central to the success of any mining company is the ability to manage capital investment effectively so as to ensure acceptable stakeholder returns within an overall strategic context. Critical to this process is the effective selection and implementation of a strategically aligned project portfolio that enables optimal resource exploitation while operating within mandated bounds and identified constraints. Consideration is given to the strategic long-term planning process, an investment prioritization methodology and specific tools and techniques based on the discounted cash flow philosophy.

Jan 1, 2007

By D. Pickering, R. Wharton

The deadline for meeting legal requirements relating to the sale of explosives in the European Union was 1 January 2003. The paper examines the range of materials that have already been certified by the different Explosives Notified Bodies as well as recent national and European Commission decisions relating to this work. The implications of enlargement of the European Union are also discussed as is the future role of the Great Britain Explosives Notified Body in certification and assessment.

Jan 1, 2003

By Richard J. Mainiero

The Bureau of Mines has developed a prototype nonincendive explosive rock-breaker charge that can be fired unconfined in underground bituminous coal mines without the danger of igniting a flammable atmosphere that might be present. At present, unconfined shooting in underground coal mines is prohibited, but there are situations where the use of such shots would yield an overall improvement in safety. The charge consists of l-1/2 lb of permissible water gel explosive in the form of a short cylinder 7 inches in diameter and 7/8 inches high, surrounded by a l/2-inch-thick layer of damp salt, and encased in latex rubber reinforced with cheese cloth. The latex rubber housing provides a charge package that is strong enough to resist rough handling yet is pliable enough to conform to an irregular stone surface. A charge of this shape was found to be more effective at breaking rock than charges with lined or unlined cavities. Incendivity tests in a gallery have shown that the prototype charge will not ignite a flammable methane-air atmosphere when fired. Rock- breaking tests made with limestone boulders indicate that the charge will satisfactorily break stone slabs weighing 1 to 2 tons, and that two or more charges might be effective for slabs weighing up to 10 tons. In cooperation with the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), a test protocol for the certification of these charges as "permissible" for use in flammable atmospheres is being developed.

Apr 1, 1982

By A. U. Miller

"Ventilation is one of the meet important factors in mining, although until recent years less thought has probably been given to effective ventilation than to any other one phase of mining. In the past, very little, if any, attention was given air courses until they became so constricted by falls that the volume of air was greatly reduced; and, in addition, the stoppings and doors were so poorly constructed that only a very small percentage of air reached the face workings.As a matter of fact, mines have been visited where the volume of air being circulated in certain sections was much larger than in others, and where the management was striving to increase the flow of air in those sections with the least air current, believing the ventilation to be deficient. After sampling and analyzing the return air from the various sections in such mines it has been found that the quality of the air in certain places with the largest flow was more impure than in some of those with the least flow.In past years, practically all mine fans were operated by steam-driven engines supplied with steam from the mire boiler plant. No check was made on the steam consumption or the power cost of operating the fan, therefore the management had very little if any definite information as to cost of ventilating the mine.With the increased use of electrically-driven equipment in mines electricity is being used more and more to drive mine ventilating fans, and since in many instances the current is purchased from central power plants operators have come to realize that in many cases the cost of operating the fans is very high. Some engineers estimate that it ranges from 20 to 50 per cent of the total power cost of the mine. This information, together with the fact that mines are now being developed on a larger scale, requiring larger quantities of air for the men to dilute the gases liberated, has caused the large progressive companies to make, a more comprehensive study of mine ventilation, resulting in a decided improvement in the quality and quantity of air at the face workings, as well as reducing materially the ventilating costs."

Oct 1, 1930

Rehabilitation, reclamation and restoration are all terms used to describe the repair of land after mining. Here, restoration is used to mean restoring the land's original use, capability or productivity. Effective restoration is dependent on good planning before mining commences and must include a clear definition of post-mining objectives. The physical condition of the land within the mining licence was that of an imperfectly drained soil in permanent pasture, supporting a seasonal supply dairying unit. During the mining process, the soil layers were separated, with the topsoil stockpiled separately. As part of the restoration process, the land was recontoured to encourage surface drainage, with topsoil spread evenly over the recontoured tailings. Low grond pressure machinery was used to minimise soil compaction, with light discing and harrowing used to increase water infiltration. A permanent pasture was sown, with weed species controlled by spraying, both before and after pasture establishment.  Soil testing has been used extensively to ensure there were no nutrient deficiencies that good compromise pasture establishment and performance. Controlled grazing practices were used to ensure that the sown pastures became well established.

Jan 1, 1998

By Nicholas J. Grant, H. C. Chang

TRANSCRYSTALLINE fracture surfaces of the cleavage type have been examined by microscopy and X-rays for several metals.' These investigations revealed that the fractured surfaces were not flat and invariably had cleavage and other deformation markings on them. On the other hand, the study of inter crystalline fracture surfaces has been limited. Perryman, in a recently published paper on the inter crystalline fracture of ß-brasses,' found that a thin layer of heavily deformed metal was invariably associated with these surfaces. Furthermore, the thickness of this layer was found to depend on the orientation of the grain boundary surface with respect to the applied stress. The mechanisms of grain boundary sliding and intercrystalline fracture have been presented in two previous papers,which described certain aspects of the deformation of a 20 pct Zn-A1 alloy. It is the purpose of this paper to present some observations on the structure of intercrystalline fracture surfaces and to correlate the structure of such surfaces with the mechanism of intercrystalline fracture. Experimental Techniques—The high purity 20 pct Zn-Al alloy was generously supplied by the Research Laboratories of the Aluminum Co. of America. Two sizes of specimen were used; the first had two parallel flat surfaces of dimensions 1x0.17x0.09 in. and the second was round with a 0.25 in. diam. A grain diameter of 1 to 3 mm was obtained by annealing the specimens at 1000°F for 24 hr. The specimens were then air cooled. The specimens were subjected to creep at 500°F and 2300 psi. The rupture times ranged from % to 3 hr, with one room temperature tensile test. It has been mentioned previous1y" that the intercrystalline fracture surfaces of this alloy, when tested under the conditions given above, are sharply defined. In the optical examination of the fracture surfaces, whenever possible, magnifications of at least X250 were used. The locations of the regions examined, both optically and by X-rays, were selected to give several fracture surface orientations with respect to the stress axis and to the specimen surfaces. This was possible for the X-ray studies since the grain diameters were large compared to the X-ray beam. A film to specimen distance of 3 cm, a 1 mm pinhole and Cr radiation were used for the Laue back reflection pictures.

Jan 1, 1957

By C. Droun

"Low back pains account for about 13 per cent of all compensation claims made to the Quebec Workmen's Compensation Commission and cost the employers a sum exceeding ten million dollars. The frequency and cost of these health problems in Quebec metal mines are proportional to the provincial trends. An elaborate review of the literature on the causes, nature and prevention of low back pain is made in this presentation. A prevention program for low back pain has been designed in cooperation with a team of seven medical specialists and two physiotherapists for the Quebec metal mines. The program is especially designed for persons who have had low back pain, in order to prevent a recurrence, and for persons beginning to feel chronic difficulties. It is based on existing programs at the Hawthorne Plant of Western Electric Company and at Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing, but it requires a much different approach because of the nature of medical care available at the mining sites. The program is difficult because it involves a change of attitude for every employee and every supervisor. The program, so far, is beneficial because several men are now seriously engaged in an active program of reconditioning and because the problem of low back pain ie beginning to be seen from a new angle."

Jan 1, 1973

By Larry G. Stolarczyk

Jan 1, 1980