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By T. W. Camm

"We hear all the time about the value of hard work and perseverance, and the part they play in the professional life of successful people. What we do not hear so much about are the many professionals who work hard and persevere, yet never seem to quite reach the level of success they aim for. Some current authors are beginning to give more attention to the part luck/black swans/outliers play in success. This is not a new phenomenon, Machiavelli had a lot to say about it back in the Renaissance. So how can knowledge of this dynamic help in a modern organization? INTRODUCTION Work hard and you will succeed. Go to the right school, major in the right degree, study hard, and get a good job. Look at the lives of successful people, and do what they do. Be all that you can be. You can be anything you want to be. Really? Those who are successful always get attention, people want to know what they did to reach such a high position. Invariably, at least part of their narrative will include hard work, wise insight, taking advantage of opportunities, etc. If they are of a more generous nature, they might also allow that building the right friendships and collaborations also played a role. All of this may be true; what we do not often hear are the stories of those who did all of these very same things, but did not find success. An example from pop culture: The Voice. I have watched this show occasionally the past couple of years. One of the things I like about the show is that the initial screening of contestants is based solely on their singing voice (hence the name of the show), and not on their appearance. At the time of this writing (early November), the judges have just finished elimination rounds for their final teams to go on to the live shows. Here is my point—in almost every case the judges agonized over choosing who would go forward and who would be eliminated. And the reason is because all of them are really talented singers. It is impressive how gifted they are. At the end of each season, only one is declared a winner, out of that gifted pool of singers. When you hear their stories, they are all talented, hard-working individuals sacrificing for their art. And as far as I know, none of them has ever become a star. Hard work, dedication, sacrifice, talent—sometimes it is enough, sometimes not. I will be looking at the part uncertainty/luck/black swans play in our lives, but I want to make it clear at the beginning that I am not saying everything that happens to us is out of our hands or beyond our control. Taleb makes this same point (2007, p. 52): “This problem is chronic: if you tell people that the key to success is not always skills, they think that you are telling them that it is never skills, always luck.”"

Jan 1, 2017

By Steve Kral

The concept of sustainable development is not new to the mining industry. Many people involved with mining have argued that the industry throughout the world has always supported the communities where they operated. They say that the mining industry was employing sustainable development practices before the phrase became fashionable. The mines employed residents and supported the local economy through tax payments and the purchase of goods and services from local businesses. In many cases, mining companies have built medical facilities and contributed money, equipment and services to local schools. In modern times, mining companies have donated reclaimed land to the local communities for use as parks and recreational facilities.

Jan 1, 2004

By TOMI GIORGIO DE, Ricardo Tichauer

Mineral exploration is a key factor for success in the mining industry. However, exploration best practices are often ignored in small-scale mining. This works presents the Tichauer-DeTomi Matrix, a methodology that measures the level of compliance of exploration programs in small-scale mining with the industry best practices. The matrix has been applied to three projects in Brazil: an artisanal gold mine in the state of Pará, a small-scale manganese project in the state of Bahia, and a small-scale manganese project in the state of São Paulo. The application of the matrix resulted in indexes that represent the level of maturity of the exploration program in each project and indicate priority actions for reduction of the geological uncertainty. Therefore, the Tichauer-DeTomi Matrix has shown potential to be a useful tool for assessment of geological uncertainty in small-scale mining. As a risk indicator, it may contribute to promoting investment in small-scale mining and development for communities that depend on this activity around the world.

By Y. Luo

Highwall mining, which is a relatively new mining method, is a preferred and often the only feasible method for extracting coal reserve left by surface mining operations in areas with steep terrain and in closely spaced thin coal seams. Though its safety record is comparable to that of surface mining, failures of mine structures in highwall mines, especially the highwall, have occurred. Methods for the systematic designing of highwall mines to meet the safety and operational challenges are still evolving. This paper presents the results of research into improving the existing design methods and developing new ones for highwall mining operations. The design methodology is aimed at ensuring structural stability of the highwall, roof, web and barrier pillars and preventing subsidence. It takes into consideration the major ground control challenges of soft and layered mine roofs, and interactions from mining closely spaced coal seams. An optimization design process applying a pressure arch concept can be incorporated to improve the recovery rate of coal reserve. A computer program based on the design methodology was developed.

Jan 1, 2015

By William Gleason

"In a time that seems to be dominated with nothing but bad news coming from the mining industry, there is a success story that has been quietly happening in Southwestern Wyoming for more than 60 years, and it is one that is likely to continue for many decades to come.Beneath the wind swept high desert plains of Sweetwater County, WY, about 32 km (20 miles) west of Green River, lies the Green River Basin where five companies, including Tata Chemicals North America (TCNA), are mining the world’s largest known deposit of trona and, in turn, are collectively producing 15.3 Mt/a (17 million stpy) of soda ash.“We have a long-term growth story that has been, and will continue to be a steady earner for many years to come,” said J. Martin Keighley, managing director of TCNA who has been in charge of the mine, formerly known as General Chemical Industrial Products Inc., for Tata Chemicals for about three years.According to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Keighley is safe with his prediction of future success. The BLM estimates that there are enough reserves in the Green River Basin to last another 2,000 years. Currently, four trona beds in the Green River Basin are being mined and in all, there are 25 major trona beds that occur within the Wilkins Peak Member of the Upper Eocene Age Green River Formation. The trona deposit as a whole covers about 2,500 km2 (1,000 sq miles) within the Green River Basin.And imagine, this economic mainstay in the region was discovered accidently.Prior to 1948, soda ash, the salable commodity that comes from trona and is used in a host of products including glass and detergent, was produced synthetically. In 1938, an oil and gas exploration team working in the Green River Basin came away with a find that would change the soda ash industry and the physical and employment landscape of southwestern Wyoming forever. Within 10 years, the communities of Green River and Rock Springs, which were built largely on the back of coal mining and railroads, had another commodity beneath their feet."

Jul 1, 2016

The Colorado portion of the Rio Grande rift is clearly defined physiographically from the south in the San Luis valley northward to the latitude of Leadville where sediments of the Dry Union Formation (Tweto, 1961) accumulated within the subsiding rift zone. To the north of Leadville is a system of faults active in the late Tertiary, including the Mosquito fault that offset a portion of the Climax mineralization (Wallace et al., 1968). Tweto (197B) describes remnants of Dry Union Formation against the Mosquito fault north of Dillon in the Blue River valley, so it is apparent that the rift and associated sediments extended well to the north of Leadville. Kelley (1952, 1954, 1956) and Chapin (1971) have noted in New Mexico that the Rio Grande rift is a series of en echelon basins, offset to the east, with constrictions connecting them (Fig. 1). In Colorado the structural basins are offset to the west. The net effect of all the rift zone basins in New Mexico and Colorado is an arcuate pattern (Fig. 1) abutting the Colorado Plateau and Sari Juan Volcanic Province on the west. The width of the rift system gradually decreases northward to about Leadville where rift definition is not apparent.

Jan 1, 1987

The 31st annual American Hall of Fame Awards Banquet and Fundraiser sponsored by the Mining Foundation of the Southwest (MFSW) will be held at the JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2013. Each year, one living inductee, two Medal of Merit recipients, honorees from mining?s past, an industry partnership award, as well as a special citation, are recognized by the MFSW for their respective contributions to the mining industry. James D. Toole, past president and chief executive officer of Southwest Energy LLC, will be the Hall of Fame inductee, guest of honor, and featured speaker at the awards banquet. Toole founded Southwest Energy LLC in 1973 and is credited with introducing innovative explosive technology, providing even greater value to its mining customers. Medals of Merit will be awarded to Joseph M. Keane, principal metallurgical engineer for SGS Metcon Research/KD Engineering, and Sean D. Dessureault, associate professor at the University of Arizona. Keane is recognized for his metallurgical expertise, especially in design development and pollution abatement. Dessureault is recognized for his advanced mining research, with more than 25 journal publications, and his entrepreneurship as the founder and chief executive officer of two mineral-related companies. To honor mining?s past, the hall of fame will induct Bartolomé de Medina for his invention of the patio process for recovering silver; Ben Williams for his management of the Copper Queen Mine in Bisbee, AZ; Charles E. Mills for his contributions at Morenci and Inspiration Copper and founding Apache Powder Co. and The Valley National Bank; John S. Finlay and Edwin B. Royle for their invention of the mucking machine; and Louis Caryl Graton for his ore deposits research and teaching economic geology at Harvard University.

Nov 1, 2013

By Rick Frechette, Greg Nelson

"The 2018 Elko Roundtable was held at the Red Lion in Elko, NV on March 15, 2018. The gracious host was once again Knight Piésold. Attendance was robust with representatives from more than 14 mining properties across Nevada representing nine corporations. Total attendance was at its highest in almost a decade. A high level of interest was also gauged by the number of companies with multiple attendees.The topic of water in mining was clearly a factor in creating the large show of interest. In terms of industry trends that are tracked annually, this topic had been absent from the list for more than 10 years (Deloitte, 2018) but was squarely planted there this year. And deservedly so. Three attending companies are signatories of the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) which espouses a firm stance on water stewardship (ICMM, 2017).How’s the water?It is reported that water scarcity affects more than 40 percent of the world’s population (Deloitte, 2018). Consumption of water in the United States, based on the last detailed census, entails only 1.5 percent usage by the mining industry. The largest users are reportedly thermoelectric power and irrigation, combining for more than 75 percent of the U.S. consumption. During the prior census period, water usage at mines was up dramatically (USGS, 2014).Mine water source usage is primarily a mix of ground water and saline or fresh surface water resources. Over the previous period, saline sources experienced the greatest percentage in growth as a mine water source, nearly doubling in use. Nevada ranks second as a state nationally in mine water consumption. California is the leader, and Nevada is immediately followed by Utah and Alaska (USGS, 2014).Water rights in Nevada and the ongoing litigation at the state level, particularly over the Humboldt River basin, have elevated the concern over the supply of water and have raised the interest regarding the topic of water across the mining industry as well as within other industries.The Elko Roundtable meeting began with a safety share and introductions, and included each attendee mentioned a water problem or solution that he or she would like to discuss during the day. An interesting list of subtopics was developed from this round robin and yielded the following most common themes:• Mine pit dewatering during operation and pit wall stability.• Draindown from tailings dams and heap leach pads and dealing with this at closure.• Post closure pit lakes, pit lake water quality and associated water rights."

Dec 1, 2018

By Diler Katircioglu-Bayel

This manuscript aimed to examine the impact of operating parameters on the wet grinding of talc in a vertical-type stirred media mill. Within the scope of the research, the effects of operating parameters including media filling ratio, solid mass fraction, grinding media size, and grinding time were studied. The findings were assessed based on the product particle size (d50, d10), surface area (Sw), and energy consumption (Em). As a result of the present research, the following optimum grinding test conditions were determined: 65% media filling ratio, 40% solid mass fraction, 1 mm grinding media size, and 120 min grinding time. After determining the optimum grinding conditions, the Box–Behnken statistical design was used to determine the effect of parameter interactions on the d50 size. The media filling ratio was found to significantly affect the decrease in d50 compared to the other two parameters. Furthermore, the minimum d50 size was also achieved under optimum grinding conditions.

Aug 12, 2020

By Josh Savit

Corporate responsibility already encompasses safety and compliance. No longer will companies be able to use differing standards of care to miners based on the country in which they are working. This is not only an issue of social license, but one of global risk management.

By J. Sidhom, W. Fourie

"As the mining industry continues to face difficult challenges the need to persistently focus on productivity and utilization of labor and equipment costs will intensify. With these challenges in mind, Komatsu is helping to bring mining performance and analytics to the next level.By evaluating underground haulage, a significant component of the room and pillar mining value stream, variables have been identified and sensitivities have been performed to show opportunities to balance and streamline throughput. As a result of applying operational excellence tools to the mining environment, Komatsu is seeking to optimize mining performances by limiting waste, simplifying the process, increasing productivity and machine utilization, as well as removing workers from harm’s way.These days it’s not enough to work harder; mines have to work smarter. Improving efficiency, reducing costs, increasing safety: these are no longer nice to haves, they are must haves.Starting with the best products and the right people is a first step, but then what? How do mines take their operations from average to being a top performer? By using operational excellence principles aimed at eliminating waste, simplifying processes, automating where possible and removing people from harm’s way.The fundamentals of operational excellence (OpEx) are based upon the process of define, measure, analyze, improve and control (DMAIC). DMAIC is an improvement cycle that helps with, for example, haulage optimization by: defining the issues and problems in the process as well as the areas of improvement; measuring and collecting mining operational data by time study and equipment monitoring system; analyzing through sensitivities and production modelling to determine root causes and then improving the performance and controlling the operation.Komatsu uses OpEx or lean principles inside its organization to drive efficiency, but it also helps its customers employ them to achieve new levels of productivity and safety.These same principles can be applied in most situations to streamline processes, improve operations and deliver value."

Jan 12, 2017

By Mustafa Fener, Masoud Rostami, Sair Kahraman, Behnaz Dibavar

The paper introduces a new rock mass cuttability classification (RMCC) system for roadheaders used in coal mines. It includes performance prediction models for both axial and transverse roadheaders, based on six parameters: uniaxial compressive strength, Cerchar abrasivity index, volumetric joint count, strike and dip of joints, joint aperture, and groundwater condition. The study validates the RMCC system through field and laboratory measurements, showing high correlation coefficients between net cutting rates and RMCC indices.

Nov 1, 2023

By Adam Levy, Thomas Novak, Sampurna Arya, Joseph Sottile, Kozo Saito

The use of a woven wire-mesh screen as part of a flooded-bed dust-scrubbing system is popular in the underground coal mining industry. It is used in combination with a demister (mist eliminator) to remove dust from the dust-laden air. A study was conducted to measure the pressure drop across a flooded-bed, wire-mesh screen at different airflow rates in one-phase (dry) and two-phase (wet) conditions. Two empirical relationships between pressure drop and air velocity were developed for dry and wet conditions, respectively. In both cases, the form of the empirical relationships was found to be similar to relationships given by Sabri Ergun for high velocity, non-Darcy, single- and multi-phase flow through porous media. The experiments were repeated on a reduced-scale model of the wire-mesh screen, and the pressure-velocity relationships obtained from the full-scale prototype experiments were tested. The test results show validation of the full-scale empirical formulae on the small-scale model with an insignificant variation. This paper presents the empirical equations for pressure drop across the wire-mesh screen in dry and wet conditions. Researchers can use these equations as a tool to predict total pressure drops for wire-mesh screens of different scale sizes.

By William H. Langer

I spent 41 years as a geologist with the US Geological Survey (USGS) conducting geologic studies and preparing peer reviewed maps and reports describing the results of those studies. Since retiring from the USGS in 2011, I have been a consultant specializing in aggregates and other industrial minerals. Consequently, I have had the opportunity and pleasure to apply the information contained in those kinds of geologic maps and reports to real-life situations. About half of my consulting is performing due diligence for mineral resource evaluations of one type or another where resource information has been provided by the property owner. Many of those jobs necessitate that I conduct desktop studies followed by field work. I then use my information to review and comment on the written reports of others; reports variably referred to as geologic reports, resource studies, reserve analyses, and so forth. While there are many well written reports addressing geologic resource issues, I was surprised to see that there are also a significant number of so-called geologic reports that only pay cursory attention to geology. Unfortunately, that lack of rigorous geologic investigation commonly leads to erroneous conclusions. This paper addresses three such reports covering concrete sand, metallurgical gravel, and proppants (frac sand). Although all three examples are located in the Gulf Coastal Plain Province, I do not reveal the exact location of any of the properties for purposes of confidentiality. Furthermore, I have generalized the site descriptions and illustrations. However, all the descriptions faithfully define the geologic situation.

Feb 1, 2024

By E. Cameron

Yeelirrie lies toward the center of Western Australia, 650 km (404 miles) northeast of Perth (Fig. 1). The ore reserves have been estimated as 52.5 kt (57,871 tons) of contained U3O8, at an average grade of 0.15%, of which almost two-thirds average 0.24% U3O8. the ore body is a thin, elliptical, more or less horizontal sheet measuring approximately 9 km (5.6 miles) in length, between 0.5 and 1.5 km (0.3 and 0.9 miles) in width, and up to 7 m (23 ft) in thickness, extending from the surface to a depth of 8 m (26 ft). In spite of its near surface position, there is only one small outcrop of significant mineralization. Carnotite is the only uranium mineral recognized so far, dispersed through a calcrete horizon, and deposited from circulating ground water which was also responsible for the carbonation of the clays completely filling an Early Tertiary drainage system. Calcrete, as seen at Yeelirrie, is quite distinct from the widespread, thin pedogenic horizons, as it often forms bodies many kilometers in length and up to 20 m (65.6 ft) in thickness, elongated parallel to the drainage lines. It is variously referred to as "valley calcrete" or "ground water calcrete" to emphasize the occurrence and mode of origin. The discovery of Yeelirrie in mid-1971 was the successful culmination of a grass-roots exploration program initiated in 1968 as part of Western Mining Cop's program of diversification from its historical position as a major gold producer. The object was simply to find an economic uranium deposit - with no constaints other than those normally taken as applying in the mineral search. There was, therefore, complete freedom in the selection of the exploration model, or models, to be applied and the areas to be considered, though the choice was inevitably influenced by both the nature of world occurrences and the local geology. One of the options avail- able was the sandstone environment. Yeelirrie was the direct result of pursuing this line of investigation through three sequential, but quite distinct, stages: first, a regional study; second, establishing a case for exploring the inland drainage systems of Western Australia; and finally, an evaluation of the calcrete environment. An assessment of the potential for sandstone-type deposits in Australia necessitated going back to first principles, since there were no known precedents in this country for guiding exploration and, as a consequence, the search need not be influenced by established prejudices. Previous uranium exploration during the 1950s had been preoccupied with vein-type deposits, and, although the sandstone environment was undoubtedly being examined in 1968, no discoveries had been announced to that time. When considering the necessary ingredients -a source of leachable uranium, a circulating ground water system, and a suitable reducing environment - it could be argued that considerable areas in the eastern part of the continent were theoretically prospective, but basin depth and the extensive superficial cover of Mesozoic and Cainozoic sediments presented considerable practical difficulties.

Jan 1, 1991

"The National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum (NMHF&M) announced the 2015 National Mining Hall of Fame inductees and the 2015 Prazen Award winner. This year’s inductees, selected by the National Mining Hall of Fame’s Board of Governors, represent the technology, management, mineral policy, education and health and safety aspects of the mining industry. They envelope a diverse cross section of the mining industry and were selected for being visionaries, leaders, educators and ambassadors.In 2015, Frank F. Aplan, T S Ary, Ralph E. Bailey, John Campbell Greenway and Edward Steidle will join 227 other mining industry honorees when formally inducted into the National Mining Hall of Fame. The Prazen Living Legend of Mining Award will go to the Powell River Project Research and Education Center, a partnership of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) and the Appalachian coal mining industry.The 2015 annual induction banquet and ceremony will be the 28th such event and will be held this year in Pittsburgh, PA, on Oct. 23, 2015, in the Omni William Penn Hotel ballroom.2015 National Mining Hall of Fame inductees:Frank F. Aplan is among the most influential mineral processing leaders in both industry and academia. His studies of the processes involved in the preparation of coal and mineral ores are acknowledged worldwide for their broad applicability. An authority on flotation, Aplan is especially known for his studies of the wetting of solids and their control through the adsorption of surfactant films, and for his work on atomic defects on properties and behavior of solid-liquid interfaces."

Jan 1, 2015

By David Chastka, Isidro Rivera, Shawna Von Stockhausen, Idit Zarchi

The City of Santa Cruz Water Department is replacing the existing Newell Creek Dam inlet/outlet works at Loch Lomond Reservoir in the San Lorenzo Valley. The project will improve the City’s overall operational efficiency, improve system performance, and improve the safety and reliability of storage for the City’s drinking water supply. The project comprises new inlet works* (three new inlets that control and convey flows into and out of the reservoir, and an intake control building), an inlet/outlet tunnel with a 48-inch conduit to convey flows into and out of the reservoir, and a new outlet structure at the toe of the dam. The outlet structure includes a release point for energy dissipation of emergency drawdown flows, a connection to Newell Creek Pipeline, and beneficial releases into Newell Creek. The project also includes a new dam seepage collection and monitoring system and appurtenant structures such as a culvert bridge over the spillway plunge pool to improve access to the new outlet. Notable complex project components include in-water work to connect the new intake shaft pipes to the three new inlets. The project includes one major milestone with a work window regulated by environmental permits that could only be amended/ extended with approvals from those agencies. If not met, the milestone work would have caused significant delays (potentially up to one year) to the project.

Jun 13, 2021

By J. F. Burr, D. P. Snyder, G. W. Luxbacher

"The Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act (MINER Act) of 2006 established the Office of Mine Safety and Health (OMSH) within NIOSH and provided authority for awarding contracts related to the development and implementation of new mine technology and equipment. Subsequently, Congress provided additional funding to NIOSH to initiate and continue the program. OMSHR has fulfilled this Congressional mandate through annual Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) solicitations, directed Requests for Proposals (RFP) and Inter-Agency Agreements (IAA), and has further expanded the program through capacity building BAA contracts with U.S. university mining departments in the areas of mine ventilation and ground control. This paper describes the extramural funding program and broadly examines the results of the 150+ contracts issued to date, grouped into key focus areas. INTRODUCTION The Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act (MINER Act) of 20061 established the Office of Mine Safety and Health Research (functioning as the Office of Mine Safety and Health Research or OMSHR) within the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and provided authority for awarding contracts related to the development and implementation of new mine technology and equipment. The OMSHR external contracts program was formed in accordance with the MINER Act and has since issued over 150 contracts focused on worker health and safety. Initial funding for this program was provided by Congress through two Emergency Supplemental Appropriations (ESA) and was focused on emergency oxygen supply, communications and tracking, and refuge chambers (also referred to as refuge alternatives). Since the MINER Act, Congress has continued to fund the program through the annual NIOSH mining appropriation. The program was supplemented starting in 2009 with an academic capacity building program directed toward developing university tenure-track faculty and facilities and supporting graduate students in the area of mine ventilation; ground control was added as an additional focus area in 2011. A short synopsis of each contract is published on the NIOSH Mining website2 and final reports are available in digital form on request. A summary of the progress OMSHR has made over the 10-year period since the Act was published previously.3"

Jan 1, 2018

By R. Y. Wan

Acid ferric sulfate solution has been used for heap and dump leaching of low-grade chalcopyrite ores and is being considered as a possible lixiviant for the hydrometallurgical processing of copper sulfide concentrates. For many years, researchers have attempted to explain the leaching behavior of chalcopyrite, since the reaction rate kinetics are extremely slow and seem to be significantly influenced by the nature of the reaction product. A summary of conclusions drawn from reported literature on chalcopyrite leaching is found in the paper by Munoz, Miller, and Wadsworth(1) and more recently by Dutrizac.(2) Lowe(3) and Jones and Peters (4) attributed rate control to a surface reaction. Linge,(5) Dutrizac,(6) Bauer,(7) and researchers at the University of Utah(1,8) reported that the reaction rate is limited by transport in the chalcopyrite lattice or through the elemental sulfur reaction product layer. Munoz et al.(1) presented a model, derived from the Wagner theory of oxidation, which is based on the formation of a protective sulfur layer with rate control by electron transport through the insulating sulfur layer. By utilizing Wagner's parabolic oxidation relationships, (9) the following equation was obtained: [ ] where a is the fraction of CuFeS2 reacted at time t, pB is the molar density of CuFeS2, do is the initial diameter of the particle, e is the electronic charge, s is the total electrical conductivity of the sulfur layer, and ?G is the Gibbs free energy for the reaction:

Jan 1, 1984

By George M. Potter

Under contractural arrangements with the Bureau of Mines, Mountain States Research and Development, Inc. (MSRD) completed a technological investigation to determine the feasibility of in situ mining of metal commodities other than copper and uranium, The study was based upon available literature and experience. The selection of potential candidates for in situ mining was influenced by economic importance, probable amenability to in situ methods, and environmental considerations. Four metals (or metal pairs) were chosen for feasibility studies: aluminum (with a copper byproduct), gold-silver, and manganese were recommended for further study and action; cobalt-nickel was also recommended contingent upon preliminary laboratory leaching and recovery investigations and field geohydrological work. Mining and recovery plans and an economic evaluation are included. Other metals with potential for in situ leaching are lead/ zinc, molybdenum, and vanadium.

Jan 1, 1981