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By D. R. Wilburn

This summary of international mineral exploration activities for the year 2013 draws upon information from industry sources, published literature and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) specialists. The summary provides data on exploration budgets by region and mineral commodity, identifies significant mineral discoveries and areas of mineral exploration, discusses government programs affecting the mineral exploration industry and presents analyses of exploration activities performed by the mineral industry. Three sources of information are reported and analyzed in this annual review of international exploration for the year 2013: 1) budgetary statistics expressed in U.S. nominal dollars provided by SNL Metals & Mining (SNL) of Halifax, NS, Canada (formerly Metals Economics Group (MEG); 2) regional and site-specific exploration activities that took place in 2013 as compiled by the USGS; and 3) regional events that affected exploration activities, including economic, social and political conditions, that were derived from published sources and unpublished discussions with USGS and industry specialists. Commodity and regional compilations are presented in this summary. Because multiple sources are used to develop commodity and regional compilations, reported statistics may vary depending on the source and type of data that are being reported. The SNL data summarize planned company budgets for worldwide exploration activities in 2013 for 20 nonfuel mineral commodities based on surveys returned by companies primarily focused on precious metals (gold, platinum-group metals and silver), base metals (cobalt, copper, lead, molybdenum, nickel, tin and zinc), bulk commodities (coal, iron ore, phosphate and potash), and specialty commodities (diamond, lithium, niobium, rare-earth elements, tantalum and uranium). Information on uranium exploration activities was included in the MEG overview for the first time in 2007. MEG included data on the commodities lithium, niobium, phosphate, potash, rare-earth elements and tantalum for the first time in 2010 because of the increased topical significance of these commodities. Since 1999, companies with exploration budgets of $100,000 and greater were included in the MEG and SNL compilations. SNL budget estimates exclude aluminum, coal, and oil and gas. Budget estimates for iron ore have been compiled since 2011 but reported separately. The post-1999 budget surveys by MEG and SNL cover at least 90 percent of world?s reported nonferrous, nonfuel mineral exploration budgets; the 2013 survey is reported by SNL to cover an estimated 95 percent of these budgets. The 5 percent that is not covered is accounted for by companies that chose not to participate in the SNL survey, private companies that do not publish their budget data, and government-funded exploration activities.

More than 1,200 professionals from the global tunneling and underground space industries are expected to be on hand for the 2009 Rapid Excavation and Tunneling Conference to be held at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, NV. The conference, set for June 14-17, is sponsored by the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, & Exploration, Inc. (SME) and the Construction Institute of the American Society of Civil Engineers. The four-day conference will feature more than 100 technical papers in 19 sessions. Two one-day short courses are also planned, as are a pair of field trips. And the show?s exhibit will feature more than 120 of the industry?s leading equipment and service suppliers.

Jan 1, 2009

By T. Owen

Not since 1917 has a foreign company developed a standalone, grass roots gold mine in Russia. With. Russia's political changes of the late 1980s, development of mineral prospects once again beckons foreign investors. In 1990, Cyprus Amax began aggressively searching for such an opportunity. Early in 1997, production will commence at the Kubaka gold project located in the Russian Far East, near the Arctic Circle. The Kubaka project is a 1,750-tonne per day open-pit operation that will produce more than 300,000 ounces of gold per year. This paper discusses the challenges of locating such a prospect, doing business in Russia, developing supply lines, identifying work force capabilities, gaining government approvals, securing financing, arranging for gold sales and ultimately building a facility in this arctic region.

Jan 1, 1997

By K. A. Stanley, N. A. Karl, D. R. Wilburn

"This summary of international mineral exploration activities for the year 2014 draws upon information from industry sources, published literature and specialists in the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Minerals Information Center. The summary provides data on exploration budgets by region and mineral commodity, identifies significant mineral discoveries and areas of mineral exploration, discusses government programs affecting the mineral exploration industry and presents analyses of exploration activities performed by the mineral industry.Three types of information are reported and analyzed in this annual review of international exploration: 1) budgetary statistics expressed in U.S. current dollars provided by SNL Metals & Mining (SNL) of Charlottesville, VA; 2) regional and site-specific exploration activities that took place in 2014 as compiled by the USGS and 3) regional events that affected exploration activities including economic, social and political conditions, which were derived from published sources and discussions with USGS and industry specialists. Commodity and regional compilations are presented in this summary. Because multiple sources are used to develop these compilations, statistics may differ depending on the source and type of data that are being reported.The SNL data summarize planned company budgets for worldwide exploration activities in 2014 for 19 nonfuel mineral commodities based on company surveys. Research focused on precious metals (gold, platinum-group metals and silver), base metals (cobalt, copper, lead, molybdenum, nickel, tin and zinc), bulk commodities (iron ore, phosphate and potash), and specialty mineral commodities (diamond, lithium, niobium, rare-earth elements, tantalum and uranium). Information on uranium exploration activities was included for the first time in 2007. Data on lithium, niobium, phosphate, potash, rare-earth elements and tantalum were compiled for the first time in 2010 because of their increased significance. Since 1999, companies with exploration budgets of $100,000 and greater were included in the SNL compilations. SNL budget estimates exclude bauxite, coal and oil and gas. Exploration budget estimates for iron ore have been compiled since 2011 but reported separately. The 2014 SNL company survey is reported by SNL to cover an estimated 95 percent of the world’s nonferrous, nonfuel mineral exploration budgets. The 5 percent that is not covered includes companies that chose not to participate in the SNL survey, private companies that do not publish their budget data, and government-funded exploration activities"

Jan 1, 2014

By S. K. Singh, J. Shepherd

"Feather edging"- a major source of injury and fatal accidents in Australia, South Africa and USA, refers to a phenomenon where the roof, at the goaf edge, falls as a thin wafer of rock often suddenly, over-riding conventional timber breakerlines. It may run down and affect adversely a working bord at distances of 15 metres or more from the goaf edge. Feather edging typically occurs in relatively massive, strong roof strata such as sandstone or conglomerate. This paper presents the results of a mine trial where a concentrated row of fully grouted bolts were able to resist the feather edging in the first comprehensive, monitored trial in an Australian pillar ('total') extraction coal mine.

Jan 1, 1999

By G. M. Rao, P. N. Deo

Graphite is soft and easily floatable but it is quite difficult to obtain high purity concentrate at coarse sizes. Chemical treatment can produce high grade concentrate but it is an expensive process. Graphite containing plus 96% fixed carbon (FC) with coarse flakes commands high price in international market. Such graphite concentrate containing plus 96% FC was produced in Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) by using newly developed reagent (mixture of different hydrocarbons and terpenes, IBM/D7) instead of commonly used frothers viz. pine oil, MIBC, kerosine etc. and regrinding in a special type of mill with special grinding media instead of grinding in a conventional ball/ rod mill followed by cleaning. Both the new reagent (frother) and special grinding media are inexpensive and readily available. The process is under patenting. This paper focuses application of this new grinding methodology for flake size protection, and the new reagent for selective flotation of high purity graphite.

Jan 1, 1995

By Richard P. Stahura

During the next five years, there will be a trend toward performing belt cleaner maintenance while the conveyor is in operation. Most mines and industrial sites that use belt conveyors have an in-house safety rule that the belt must be stopped before maintenance work can be performed on any belt-cleaning device. This is a good rule. Most cleaning devices are positioned against the belt with hardware that requires the service technician to reach or climb into the chute to change the cleaning blades. But this simple rule becomes more complicated as production demands require higher conveyor availability and provide fewer conveyor outages. In many cases, today’s conveyors are expected to be available 98% to100% of the time.

Jan 1, 1996

By J. A. G. Llerena, J. Sattarvand

Tailings dam failures have been occurring in recent years. They are considered more vulnerable than hydraulic dams due to the lack of regulations on specific design criteria, and stability requirements regarding monitoring during the construction and maintenance process. Thus, monitoring the dam is essential to know the dam's existing state and ensure its safety. One of the reasons tailings storage facilities fail is slope instability caused by moisture content. A relationship does exist between moisture content and surface strength, early detection of seepage would help to assess the physical condition of the dam. Moreover, to cover the tailings dam area in an efficient way Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are suitable because of their versatility and high-resolution data acquisition. Mounted with a high-resolution RGB camera, and thermal, or hyperspectral sensors UAVs can acquire good quality images that combined with image analysis and machine learning algorithms yield a good estimate of soil moisture.

Feb 1, 2023

By W. O. Kerr

As in other industries, companies engaged in mining and extraction use and develop intellectual property (?IP?) in the form of new technologies or production processes. The development of IP assets in mining may occur as a byproduct of ongoing operations, or result from investment in dedicated R&D efforts. New technology may lower costs, increase quality of output, and/or increase operational efficiency or safety. Key business questions with respect to any new technology are how best to use IP assets, how to protect them and how to derive value from them. IP assets can provide a competitive advantage to a developing firm that uses the technology to improve its operating results. The developing firm can preclude others from using the technology if it believes that is the best way to exploit the technology?s value. Or, it can be shared with others taking care to ensure rights are maintained, thereby generating royalty income or strategic value through cross licensing or other business relationships. Either way, in order to fully realize the maximum economic benefit, innovators must protect the IP assets and control their dissemination.

Jan 1, 2012

By G. ALBORNOZ, S. Utili, A. AGOSTI, C. VALDERRAMA, R. PELL, N. Morales

The steepness of the slopes of an open pit mine has a substantial influence on the financial return of the mine. The paper proposes a novel design methodology where overall steeper pitwalls are employed without compromising the safety of the mine. In current design practice, pitwall profiles are often planar in cross-section within each rock layer; i.e., the profile inclination across each layer tends to be constant. Here instead, a new geotechnical software, OptimalSlope, is employed to determine optimal pitwall profiles of depth varying inclination. OptimalSlope seeks the solution of a mathematical optimization problem where the overall steepness of the pitwall, from crest to toe, is maximized for an assigned lithology, geotechnical properties, and factor of safety (FoS). Bench geometries (bench height, face inclination, minimum berm width) are imposed in the optimization as constraints which bind the maximum local inclination of the sought optimal profile together with any other constraints such as geological discontinuities that may influence slope failure. The obtained optimal profiles are always steeper than their planar counterparts (i.e., the planar profiles exhibiting the same FoS) up to 8° depending on rock type and severity of constraints on local inclinations. The design of a copper mine is first carried out employing planar pitwalls, secondly adopting the optimal pitwall profiles determined by OptimalSlope. The adoption of optimal slope profiles leads to a 34% higher net present value and reductions of carbon footprint and energy consumption of 0.17 Mt CO2 eq and 82.5 million MJ respectively due to a 15% reduction of rockwaste volume.

Feb 9, 2022

By Richard Cole

The Energy Act of 1992 has many users of ac-induction motors eyeing premium-efficiency motors with mixed feelings and perhaps some confusion. When the October 1997deadline arrives for compliance with the1992 standards, the winners will be the environment due to reduced need for more power generating plants and the petroleum economy because of reduced dependency on foreign oil. But what will it mean for industrial users? The most obvious benefit is the potential for smaller electricity bills. Motors account for about 64% of the electricity consumed in the United States, at a yearly cost of $112 billion. Every 1% reduction in motor demand cuts 0.64%, or $716 million, off the industry wide bill. Higher efficiency motors also run cooler. This lightens the load on air-conditioning systems and further reduces plant demand. Lower total demand can lead to lower rates by helping to minimize peak-demand surcharges. As rates increase over time, these savings get bigger.

Jan 1, 1996

By R. Frim, S. D. Ukeles

The present U.S. production of bromine is from inland brines located in Arkansas and Michigan. The most concentrated domestic brines (up to 5,000 ppm bromide) are situated in Arkansas. Less concentrated brines (about 2,500 ppm bromide) are located in Michigan. The amount of bromine sold or used in the United States came from three companies operating in Arkansas and Michigan. Arkansas, with its six plants, was the leading U.S. state in bromine production. Bromine being the leading mineral commodity valuewise produced in the state. The Michigan bromine production was a byproduct of magnesium compounds production.

Jan 1, 2006

By J. P. H. Steele, T. Vincent, C. Debrunner, M. Whitehorn

For a variety of reasons, the need for automation of underground mining equipment is growing dramatically, e.g., improved safety and health, availability of labor, deeper mines, and desire for more focused excavation. While there has been tremendous progress made in this direction, much needs to be done to reach the holy grail of an autonomous mining machine. This paper reviews a number of technological developments and presents research and development needs for future development. A report on our current project for the Western Mining Resource Center at CSM is included.

Jan 1, 2000

By Larissa Koroznikova, Steve Durkin, Patrick Bouwmeester, Michael Tuck

In currently used mining methods, blasting techniques often causes dilution of valuable ore and results in costly processing requirements. In the context of narrow vein mining of thin and highly concentrated orebodies there is a need of a mining method that can reduce dilution in order to remain economically viable. This research project explored the viability of a new mining technology, thermal fragmentation, in narrow vein mining. Thermal fragmentation technology uses a flame jet to produce extreme heat that spalls the surrounding rock to a strategically located drill hole, as an alternative to traditional blasting. This paper creates a net present value (NPV) model of a mining method using thermal fragmentation, as well as for an existing method used for narrow vein mining; comparisons and evaluations were made regarding the feasibility of the new technology. It was found that while overall costs for thermal fragmentation were relatively high, reductions in wages, haulage and processing costs, as well as increased productivity and ore recovery, meant that the new method would improve the financial performance of any operation. These results identify that there is an opportunity to introduce the thermal fragmentation technology to narrow vein mines within Australia, in order to lower costs and increase profit.

The residues produced during the incineration of leather scraps contain significant amount of chromium which can be recovered and reused in the tanning industry. The objective of this study is to develop a cost effective method for chromium recovery from leather ashes produced during the incineration of leather scraps using a fluidized bed incinerator. The entire process investigated involves fusion of leather ash with sodium carbonate in air to oxidise chromium to sodium chromate, leaching with distilled water to dissolve chromates, and chromium reduction from the hexavalent to trivalent state by sodium thiosulphate solution. The main factors affecting chromium extraction, such as temperature, reaction time, and sodium carbonate to leather ash ratio, were investigated. Based on the results obtained, almost 100% Cr extraction can be obtained at 700°C fusion temperature, sodium carbonate to ash weight ratio equal to 3 and retention time longer than 50 min.

Jan 1, 2006

By M. Deul

For the first half of the 21st Century the USA will rely on the same mix of fuels as for the past 50 years: Petroleum will cost more and availability will decline as developing nations modernize. Increased use of natural gas for electric power generation will result in severe stress on gas supply. Coal will be the fuel of last resort. More than half the petroleum used is imported, about the same amount as used for transportation. Only coal can provide relief by fueling railroads through electrification while encouraging ‘piggy-back’ trailer haulage, co-generation for manufacturing and expanded passenger service.

Jan 1, 2002

By R. M. Corn

The Non-Time Critical Forest service CERCLA Action at Mansfield Canyon, Santa Cruz County, Arizona designated previous locators of unpatented mining claims as owners/operators of the Hazardous Waste Facility, retroactively liable for all reclamation costs including reclamation of mines acquired by the Forest Service. The CERCLA Action is based on non-existent tailings, a non-existent permanent resident, inaccurate and unreliable data and did not review or consider prior USGS and USBM data. The consequences of the Forest Service action include(1) reduced exploration, (2) loss of credibility, (3)public disillusionment and distrust.

Jan 1, 2000

By P. M. Soupios

An integrated suite of environmental methods was used to characterize the hydrogeological, geological and tectonic regimes of the study area, to determine the geometry of the landfill (depth and spatial extent of electrically conductive anomalies), to define the anisotropy caused by bedrock fabric fractures and to locate potential zones of electrically conductive contamination. The study area which covers an area of about 0.08 Km2 is a municipal solid waste site (MSW), located 20Km West of Herakleion in the central part of Crete (S. Greece). The landfill is located in a northwest oriented valley with highlands to the northeast and southwest. The combination of geophysical methods and chemical analysis are commonly implemented for characterization and management of land-fills. At the particular site, geophysical methods were focused on studying the electrical insolating properties of the materials, electrical con-ducting properties of fluids (leachates) and electromagnetic properties of the disturbed regolith materials in the burial zones. Three different types of geophysical surveys were performed: 1) 2D electrical tomography (ERT), 2) electro-magnetic measurements using very low frequencies (VLF) and 3) electromagnetic conductivity (EM31). Furthermore, in order to calibrate the geophysical methods dielectric spectrometry measurements are conducted. To evaluate the environmental degradation of the area, soil and liquids samples were collected.

Jan 1, 2005

By Richard L. Stotlar

Introduction During the last decade, the metallic minerals segment of the industry could be categorized as a "feast-or-famine" business. It is no secret that metallic minerals are cyclical. Employment opportunities greatly depend on the supply and demand for its mineral products. It is also not unusual for there to be a lag between the industry's manpower requirements and academia's ability to produce new graduates. Due to this lag, there will be years with manpower shortages, as in the mid-1970s. At other times, supply will exceed demand. The question is where will the jobs be in the years to come? This presentation will review reasons why employment opportunities have declined within the metallic minerals industry. It will also predict future demand for mineral engineering graduates. And it will outline strategies for obtaining an employment offer. Historical Review - Employment From 1977 through 1983, about 75% of all metal mining employees were directly engaged in production activities, down from 83% in 1965. This decline reflects increased use of labor saving equipment, and more government regulation and foreign competition. Metal mining's employment decreased from 74,000 jobs in 1982 to fewer than 68,000 in 1983 - an 8% decline. The overall industry is having these problems because of the general downturn in the economy. For example, at the beginning of this decade, US automobile and steel industries were in trouble. Interest rates were too high and volatile. This adversely affected construction, housing starts, and manufacturing. All these industries, being large users of base metals, drastically affected the metals industry. US copper companies are still having problems. Reports indicate that many copper employers have cut production, laid-off workers, and permanently closed mines, refineries, and smelters. A decline in the demand for US produced metal products, such as copper, obviously affects some mineral engineering employment opportunities. Other factors to consider when looking at employment opportunities and why it has become difficult for US metal producers to compete in the world market include: • The grades of ore bodies of many US minerals are considerably lower than the grades of ores being mined elsewhere in the world. • The grades of ore bodies currently being mined in the US are steadily declining. • Foreign producers are largely government controlled and are not necessarily subject to the realities of supply and demand. • US environmental regulations have considerably added to production costs. Foreign producers in most countries do not have to worry about these additional costs. • US mines are getting deeper. This adds to the cost of production because of the increasing distance the ore has to be transported. • Plants and equipment are outdated. Many companies find themselves operating with equipment and plants that need modernizing or replacing. This obviously hinders competitive productivity. • Labor and management have had problems. Work stoppages in certain mining businesses and high wage and benefit costs in relation to foreign producers place US producers at a disadvantage. • Much land is unavailable. The US government owns most of the land considered to have the best potential for minerals development. Most of this land is unavailable for mining or exploration. Therefore, it appears that finding employment with a company whose primary business is mining and processing most metals, such as copper, in the US will be quite restricted and competitive. Future Demand It is difficult to anticipate what key employment opportunities within the next few years will be available to mineral engineering graduates. The Engineering Manpower Commission estimated that US engineering schools awarded 72,471 undergraduate degrees in 1983 vs. 66,990 in 1982. This was the eighth consecutive year in which the number of baccalaureates awarded has increased. On a brighter note, the US government's Occupational Outlook Quarterly stated that the growth rate through 1995 for all engineers is an encouraging 49% over present levels. The estimated number of engineers employed in 1982 is 1.2 million. The numerical in-

Jan 2, 1985

By H. G. Stephenson, D. Castendyk

Open pit anthracite mining at the Canmore Creek Mines, Canmore, Alberta, south of Banff National Park, resulted in several pit lakes by the early 1970’s. To enable future mining opportunities in the Rocky Mountains, operators decided to reclaim the site into a non-polluting landscape which would provide a memorable outdoor experience for residents and visitors alike, and would preserve wildlife habitat. Reclamation began with the stabilization and revegetation of spoil piles adjacent to Canmore Creek, and the backfilling and revegetation of Canmore Creek Mines No. 1 and 2 to create “Salamander Pond.” The company dammed the outlet of an open pit at Canmore Creek Mine No. 3 to raise the water level and create Quarry Lake. Reclamation concluded in 1980 when the Town of Canmore took ownership. Quarry Lake is now the centerpiece of 293-acre Quarry Lake Heritage Park, a popular destination for swimming, hiking, and fishing, visited by about 400 people on summer days. The Alberta Environment Conservation Authority described this as “The best mine reclamation in Western Canada.” Quarry Lake is an exceptional example of walk-away, pit lake closure, where the mining company created a valued post-mining asset and was released from future liabilities. INTRODUCTION One of the most important environmental issues associated with contemporary open pit mining is the closure of mine pit lakes, and the perpetual legacy these lakes can potentially generate. Ideally, successful pit lake closure includes the following: (i) the water quality within the pit lake, plus surface water and groundwater discharging from the pit lake, meets pre-mining, or other acceptable water quality conditions of the receiving environment, (ii) the termination of all active treatment processes, (iii) the return of the pit lake to the government for long-term care and maintenance, (iv) the release of the mining company from all future liabilities associated with the pit lake, (v) the return the environmental bond to the mining company, and (vi) the reuse of the pit lake for some post-closure, beneficial purpose. The achievement of these goals is known as “walk away, pit lake closure.” Peer-reviewed, publications of successful walk away, pit lake closure provide mining companies the ability to address public concerns regarding the safety of pit lakes which commonly occur during the permitting, operations, and closure phases of mining. To date, most published work on walk away, pit lake closure work has occurred in the coal mining sector in Germany and Australia (McCullough et al., 2009; Jones and McCullough, 2011; Kumar et al., 2013; Schultz et al., 2013). However, in North America, examples of walk away, pit lake closure are not widely discussed in the literature despite there being excellent examples from the coal mining sector in Alberta, Canada (e.g. Pleasure Island, Black Diamond, East Pit, Sphynx, Robb, Lovette, Siltstone, and Sterling), and from the iron mining sector in Minnesota in the United States (e.g. Portsmouth Lake, see MNDNR, 2018). Although seldom included in discussions of pit lakes from the metal and coal mining sectors, the aggregate and fabricated-stone mining sectors also produce pit lakes, and there are numerous examples throughout North America where these pit lakes have been successfully closed and transformed into post-mining resources. The difficulty of finding these good examples in the literature makes it challenging for companies to respond to public and regulatory questions regarding pit lake closure and reuse. As such, there is a pressing need document the motivations and approaches used in examples of successful, walk away, pit lake closure in North America so that the mining industry at large can learn from these examples and can better address public concerns.

Jan 1, 2019