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By Lawrence Williamson, Randall J. Essex, David P. Field

As part of a $2.2 Billion bridge project that will link Indiana and Kentucky, an interchange project northeast of Louisville will require the mining of a 6-lane tunnel system about 2,000 ft long in order to cross beneath the historic Drumanard Estate. This paper will discuss preliminary engineering that has been undertaken to compare two-bore and three-bore layouts, the planning of an exploratory tunnel facility, and the potential for including a test chamber to investigate the ability of high capacity roadheaders to mine the 22,000 psi limestones.

Jan 1, 2005

By A. Philipp, A. S. Middleton, G. A. Harron, A. B. Durham

"Basal till sampling techniques were used to search for gold mineralization in the Timmins, Ontario area. During 1978 and 1979, approximately 90 overburden sampling drill holes were completed in Murphy and Hoyle Townships to test specific geophysically defined target areas. A conventional tricone dual tube drill system, and a unique retractable tricone/rock coring system were used to various advantages.First pass till sampling at 800 to 1200 ft intervals perpendicular to ice transport direction yielded anomalous gold values in till and carbonatized quartz pyrite-rich bedrock chips, and lateritic soil. Subsequent induced polarization-resistivity surveys defined the areal extent of a pyritic carbonate alteration zone. A second pass till sampling/limited rock coring program evaluated the gold mineralization potential of the alteration zone. Diamond drilling has substantiated the till and bedrock gold anomalies. Further evaluation of this mineralization is currently in progress. IntroductionThis paper describes an integrated geochemical/geophysical gold mineralization discovery case history in Hoyle Township. This discovery is on a property jointly owned (I983) by Canamax Resources Inc. and Du Pont of Canada Exploration Limited. Exploration of the property began in 1978 by Rosario Resources Canada Ltd. and in 1979 a joint venture agreement was signed with Du Pont of Canada Exploration Limited. Rosario Resources Canada Ltd. was taken over by Amax Minerals Exploration in 1981, which became Canamax Resources Inc. in 1982.The work described in this paper deals with a gold mineralization discovery located three-quarters of a mile northwest of the gold deposit currently being readied for underground exploration and development. Further drilling is required to investigate the economic potential of the gold mineralization herein described."

Jan 1, 1987

Researchers from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) are developing a coal pillar rib rating (CPRR) technique to measure the integrity of coal ribs. The CPRR characterizes the rib composition and evaluates its impact on the inherent stability of the coal ribs. The CPRR utilizes four parameters: rib homogeneity, bedding condition, face cleat orientation with respect to entry direction, and rib height. All these parameters are measurable in the field. A rib data collecting procedure and a simple sheet to calculate the CPRR were developed.

Jan 7, 2020

By E. B. Johnson

Cleveland-Cliffs lron Co., which operates Marquette lron Mining Co.'s Republic mine, conducted a test whereby 35,000 tons of self-fluxed pellets were produced in the grate-kiln system from specular hematite flotation concentrates. A brief description of the pelletizing plant is presented along with pertinent operating details. Date is included which compare operating conditions and the chemical and physical properties of the green and fired pellets for the self-fluxing pelletizing test with the normal acid pelletizing operation. The success of self-fluxed sinter in enhancing the operation of the blast furnace during the past few years has reasonably led to the assumption that the use of self-fluxed pellets might result in even greater furnace efficiencies. A great share of development work in agglomeration has been directed towards techniques related to the production of self-fluxed pellets, but only a limited tonnage of self-fluxed pellets had been produced on a commercial scale until this past year when The Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Co. produced 35,000 tons of such pellets by the grate kiln system at the Republic mine during the period May 21-June 5, 1962. REPUBLIC'S GRATE-KILN PLANT The grate-kiln pelletizing process consists of four stages, namely: feed or balling circuit, traveling grate, rotary kiln and annular cooler (Fig. 1). The balling section is conventional and utilizes four 9x30-ft balling drums in closed circuit with 5x14-ft vibrating screens having 3/8-in. rod decks. The traveling grate is 12 ft wide by 126 ft long and has 14 windboxes — six in the drying section and eight in the preheat section. The rotary kiln is 15 ft ID shell and 114 ft long. The annular cooler is 40 ft in diameter and has 12 windboxes. The cooler is divided into two zones by a moveable curtain wall. The high temperature air from the first zone is used as secondary combustion air in the kiln. Normally the only heat supplied is through the burning of No. 6 oil in the single kiln burner. Hot gases pass counter to the pellet flow through the system. The exit gases from the kiln pass down draft through the preheat section through cyclones and are drawn through the drying bed prior to exiting via the stack. The temperatures are normally held within the following ranges: Kiln 2400-2445 °F Preheat 1850-1950°F Drying 480-520°F Exit gas 200°F Pellets 120°F The design capacity of the Republic mine grate-kiln system was 2500 Itpd. Sustained production in excess of 35% over design capacity has been achieved. No screening of the cooler product is practiced. PELLETIZING TEST CONDITIONS When a decision was made to proceed with a test at the Republic mine pelletizing plant to produce 35,000 tons of self-fluxed pellets, several potential failure factors had to be carefully considered. Research work on a batch and pilot plant scale indicated that the grate-kiln system at Republic would require some major changes in order to obtain optimum conditions. In many cases compromises were agreed upon as major equipment changes and revisions were not feasible. The pelletizing conditions which laboratory development tests revealed were required in order to insure successful production of self-fluxed pellets were: 1) Good mixing of limestone and concentrate and proper moisture control; 2) Higher gas flow rates in the preheat section than are normally used; 3) Higher preheat temperatures than normal; 4) Maximum kiln temperature 2350°F. There was just cause for concern about balling problems that might occur. Approximately 10% of dry pulverized limestone was to be added to the specular hematite concentrate just ahead of the Pekay mixers on the belt feeding the balling drum. Large scale

Jan 1, 1963

By Jerry Gagnon, Matt Burr, Dave Evans, Timothy Ellis, Davies Kakengela, Abbas Mirza, Larry Webb, François Leclercq, Andrew Johnston

Lead-based alloys are the primary anodes used in electrowinning from sulphate-based aqueous systems. Lead anode technology has evolved over the years, migrating from pure lead and lead-antimonial alloys to the present day lead-calcium-tin alloys for copper electrowinning and lead-silver alloys for zinc electrowinning. It has also migrated from cast to rolled microstructures in search of improved mechanical properties and higher corrosion resistance. Although great strides have been made in the development of new alloys and production processes, the industry still has unresolved issues related to untimely corrosion which limits anode life and may lead to higher contaminant levels in the metal being produced. Lead anodes corrode because of the difference in the chemical/electrochemical potential across the microstructural features of an anode. Given a very high purity material, we find that the grain boundary areas corrode significantly faster than the rest of the grain. The desire to minimize grain boundary corrosion by a balance of alloying element selection and microstructural design allows the grain boundary area to be engineered. However, operational issues can lead to unexpected corrosion behaviours which we will discuss moving forward. The comments in this work, though directed toward copper electrowinning, can be extended to similar phenomena in other metals electrowon from sulphate media (i.e., zinc, nickel, cobalt, manganese). The lifecycle of electrowinning anodes is dependent upon electrowinning tankhouse operating conditions and maintenance of the anodes, including cleaning and straightening. This paper will focus on the operational aspects of maximizing the utilization of lead electrowinning anodes.

Jan 1, 2015

By Arnold O. Tanner

Tables based on 1985 data, which were not available in time for publication of the "1985 Minerals Yearbook," are included in this chapter; corresponding tables for 1986 are not yet available. Raw nonfuel minerals produced in the United States during 1986 had an estimated value of $23.5 billion, an increase of $0.25 billion over the 1985 value. This is the fourth consecutive year that the value has increased, and except for a de- crease in 1982, the value each year has increased since 1971, or 14 out of 15 years. Industrial minerals growth slowed from a 3% increase in value in 1985 to a 1.5% increase in 1986, reflecting the slow growth in the domestic economy. The value of industrial minerals, more than three times larger than the value of metals, easily offset the less than 0.5% decline in the value of metal mine production. Although the decline was small, this decrease makes 1986 the fourth year in the past 6 years in which a drop in the value of metal mining production occurred in the United States. U.S. production continued to lag behind the growing world production. Overall, the estimated raw nonfuel mineral production rose 1% over that of 1985. Domestic mine production of ferrous metals declined as follows, in decreasing order of production: nickel, iron ore, tungsten, and molybdenum. All remaining domestic primary nickel and tungsten mines had closed down by yearend. Nonferrous metals that similarly declined included titanium, rare-earth metals, lead, silver, zinc, and magnesium. For the second consecutive year, aluminum, produced predominantly from imported bauxite, declined in production, while imports reached record-high levels. Somewhat modest gains were made in beryllium and copper. As has been the case for a number of years, gold was a bright spot in the domestic and internation-al metal mining industry. Gold production was spurred on by the increasing usage and development of heapleaching techniques that make lower grade ores, which were previously uneconomical, profitable. Additionally, various mining companies, the U.S. Mint, individual States, and a number of foreign countries began production of gold bullion and commemorative coins. Gold output in the United States increased from 2.43 million troy ounces (revised) in 1985 to about 3.73 million troy ounces in 1986, a dramatic 54% rise.

Jan 1, 1988

By Fan Shaogang

In this paper, the airbags' structure and technical characteristics and its applications in China are described. Based on the practice of the airbags in mining thin seams, the effects on ground control are discussed. This paper also analyzes the interaction mechanism between the airbag and surrounding rocks.

Jan 1, 1997

By William D. Monaghan, Michael A. Trevits

Over the period 2000 to 2003, roof falls have accounted for 4 to 14% of the fatalities in underground mining operations. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is conducting research to reduce the frequency, exposure, and risk of these events through an ongoing program of field and laboratory studies. One area of research involves the evaluation of polyurethane grouting technology that is commonly used to stabilize fractured mine roof strata. Concurrently, NIOSH is conducting work to evaluate the application of ground penetrating radar for advanced delineation of problematic mining areas. In this study, NIOSH partnered with Sub-Technical, Inc. who injected a polyurethane grout (also known as glue) into a roof area of NIOSH’s Safety Research Coal Mine. The mine roof area was scanned using ground penetrating radar technology before and after grout injection in an attempt to determine the extent of grout infiltration. A comparison of the pre-and post-grouting radar records showed a significant change at a mine roof depth of about four to five feet. The interpreted radar records were then compared with drill core information, borescope evaluation of roof-bolt holes in the study area, and underground observations. At this site, the interpretations of the radar records correlated with data obtained from the core holes, borescope evaluations and underground observations. This study showed that ground penetrating radar technology can be a useful tool for detecting changes in mine roof due to the injection of the grout.

Many mining operations are uncertain of what costs they should be achieving. The majority of cost estimates are based on historical costs that have added contingency factors. Historical costs are a valuable source of information but a more precise costing method is necessary. There are several alternative methods for predicting costs. A methodology which provides the best indication of the achievable costs is one using a standard inventory list and a bill of quantities. The model is termed a Basic Principles model and addresses basic design principles and engineering constraints.

Jan 1, 1990

Following extensive trials on a 100 000 tpa Research and Development facility at Kwinana, Western Australia, Hismelt Corporation (wholly owned by Rio Tinto) are confident of the future commercial success of this technology. The Hlsmelt process uses iron ore fines and non-coking coals to produce molten pig iron suitable for feeding to BOF and EAF steelmaking vessels. The unique process configuration combines direct injection of raw materials into the molten iron bath, high rates of metal and slag mixing, and effective post-combustion of the bath gases to achieve efficient coal utilisation. This is the key to the strong economic performance of the process.

Jan 1, 1999

By Robin Shepherdson

Security concerns have prompted the Department of Homeland Security to investigate the use of recording systems on all vessels holding materials used for blasting; a new regulation is expected in the near future. By measuring the strain developed in the legs of vessels with bolt-on sensors, it is possible to monitor the weight of vessel contents. Several companies make this type of sensor and recent versions give the required accuracy. This paper describes two generations of sensor, the second generation having a simpler method of installation that uses standard power and hand tools. Three types of indicator are available to monitor the material weight. 1) A simple electronic bar-graph indicator with a digital weight display. 2) A touch-screen display showing bar-graphs of multiple silos with digital weight displays plus their associated trend graphs, recent readings and an alarm log. 3) A data acquisition unit which acquires the weight digitally from up to 32 vessels and stores the raw and filtered date and time stamped data in a local computer database. This local computer then transmits the data via an Internet connection to a secure central database which allows the weights of all the storage vessels for a company to be viewed anytime and anywhere via the Internet. Historical trend graphs can be viewed and the data can be uploaded into an Excel file for further processing; for example to determine filling or discharge amounts. In addition, E-mail and SMS (Short Message Service) text alerts can be sent automatically when selected alarm levels are reached. Current research and development includes connection of vessels to the central database by a cellular wireless modem when a local computer or Internet connection is not available, as well as connection of remotely located vessels to a central point via “Wi-Fi bridge" radio data links. Future versions will include digital I/O (Inputs and Outputs) to record, for example, activation of filling and discharge devices as well as opening and closing of doors.

Jan 1, 2015

By D. Gu

Shaft drilling is one of the most useful methods of driving shafts. This paper describes the application and development of the technique in coal mine construction in China.

Jan 1, 1993

Overview ?G-9 Discovery Hole 420 drilled May 2005 ?14.16% Zn, 1.76% Cu ?Greenfield discovery built into the G-9 Mine in under 4 years. ?Utilized a unique ?Parallel Track? approach to fast-track mine development. ?Raised over $200million in financing without a Feasibility Study. ?Mine built for $149.7 million, only 20% over PEA. ?Commercial Production declared April 1, 2009. ?G-9 Mine has now completed the first year of commercial production on April 1, 2010. ?Initial cash costs per pound of zinc US$0.39/lb -US$0.45/lb range. ?Mill operating at over1,900 tpd in March 2010, well above design capacity (1,500tpd) only one year after starting commercial production. ?Balance Sheet -$167 million assets, $24 million long-term debt, $22 million cash. ?Restarted Exploration ?excellent initial results. ?Strategically positioning Farallon to grow to a mid-tier mining company.

May 1, 2010

By F. F. Peng

The raw-coal feeding system and the upward medium current flow in a dense-medium vessel (DMV) are, in addition to the residence time of particles in the separator, important factors for efficient coarse particle separation. The feed material from a raw coal screen and/or pre-wet screen merge with the major volume of circulating medium as push medium, guided by an adjustable submergence baffle plate deep fed into the separator for effective separation. The remaining volume of the circulating medium enters from the purge and drain hoppers at the bottom of the DMV. This generates a gentle upward medium current flow in the separator, which prevents dense medium stratification/settling and merges as part of the push medium. A two-dimensional, two-phase model developed using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is used to describe the flow pattern and evaluate the function of the dip plate for understanding the mechanisms of particle separation in the separator. The particle movement in the DMV is also tracked to investigate the major operating parameters affecting the separation performance of the DMV. The simulation results of the DMV separation performance are validated by in-plant test data.

Jan 1, 2007

By H. Lowers, P. Hageman, S. Diehl, D. Fey

Understanding relationships between mineralogy, texture, microstructural features, and element distribution and residence in minerals, is critical for accurate modeling of mineral weathering in waste-rock piles. The morphology of minerals and deformation structures, such as veins and faults, are important factors that control: (1) fluid access to the mineral surface to initiate dissolution, (2) the distribution of trace elements, and (3) formation of secondary minerals. We characterized the mineralogy, textures, and chemical properties of waste-rock material at three sites at scales ranging from outcrop to micrometer scale. A comprehensive hand-sample to thin-section scale methodology utilizing light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, electron microprobe, and laser ablation ICP-MS was used to thoroughly characterize the waste-rock material.

Jan 1, 2007

By Henry G. Granger

I. INTRODUCTION. REPEATED failures in attempts to work gold-bearing gravels by means of suction-dredges have created the impression that this method is impracticable. The suction-dredges have failed from three special causes excessive wear and frequent breakage of pump-shell, runners and liners; inability to dredge compact gravel which would ,not. readily move towards the intake; and, most important of all, closing. of the suction-pipe by stones too large to enter it. In my opinion, all three causes of trouble may be remedied: the first, by making stronger the parts most liable to wear and breakage; the second, by means for loosening the gravel at the intake; and the third, by sufficiently... Increasing.. the diameter of the suction-pipe. In suction gold-dredges, this diameter has not usually exceeded 10 or 12 in.; whereas there are few profitable gold-fields which can bee considered dredgeable, in which stones more than' 12 in. in diameter, are-.not frequently encountered. II. AN EFFECTIVE SUCTION-DREDGE. In harbor-operations, much larger stones are handled by suction-dredges.., The large dredge of the Henry Steers Contracting Co. worked for nearly four years at League Island, Philadelphia, where it sucked up, passed through the pump, and forced through 3,700 ft. of discharge-pipe; gravel containing boulders up to 200 lb. in weight. This was done with no bad breaks and few shut-downs. The cutter; and liners were the only parts liable to damage, and these were easily replaced with brief interruption of work. The chrome-steel liners are said to have lasted from six to nine months. I am informed that this dredge worked continously for nine

Apr 1, 1909

By M. Heger

February 2, 1999 marks a milestone in earth-moving technology at the San Miguel Lignite Mine. It was on that date that The North American Coal Corporation (NAC) took delivery of three Leica Dozer 2000 GPS grade control systems for use on its bulldozers. The primary reason for the purchase of these grade control systems was to prove that GPS technology could safely and economically be utilized on heavy equipment to assist operators in defining grades. If these properties were successfully demonstrated, the ultimate vision of the project was to expand the system to a point were GPS would become the primary means of providing grade control information to the mine’s heavy equipment operators. Twenty nine months and more than $500,000 later this vision was realized when the final bulldozer operating at the San Miguel Lignite Mine was equipped with Dozer 2000. Presently North American Coal has a total of nine Dozer 2000 GPS grade control systems at San Miguel providing cut and fill information to operators 24 hours a day. These grade control systems have allowed the San Miguel operation to increase safety, reduce costs, improve operator attitude, and better ensure environmental compliance. This article discusses both the nature of these benefits and some of the issues that had to be dealt with along the way.

Jan 1, 2002

By Chulgi Suk, Hoon Park, Hyonsoo Kim, Hakman Kim, Sangho Cho

Dust emission from blast demolition and other construction activities can be a nuisance; it is widely recognized that fine particles less than 10 µm in equivalent diameter (called PM10) may cause health problems. Mist spray systems, such as rain guns, sprinklers, water/surfactant sprays (or foams) etc., are some of the most effective dust suppression methods. A large amount of research has showed that when water droplets are produced in an equal amount to that of dust particles, the airborne dust is suppressed by the agglomeration of dust and mist particles. A method for generating micro-sized mist from water, achieved by the detonation of explosives in the water tube, was suggested and is called the ‘detonationdriven water bag burst system’. There are many experimentally observed limitations of the explosioninduced water break-up process. The water bag explosion tests were simulated using the AUTODYN software, in order to investigate the aerosolization mechanisms of the detonation-driven water and water break-up process into micron-sized droplets. As a result of the numerical analyses, the diffusion direction of water when detonating in the central interior part of water tube was radioactive and significantly stronger than when detonating in the bottom exterior part; this is due to the compressive flow of the volume change inside of the water tube, which resulted from the blasting wave inside of the tube, as well as the reflected pressure on the ground. Blast tests of full-scaled reinforced concrete columns were conducted to verify the effectiveness of the suggested detonation-driven water bag burst system. The water breakdown and dispersion that occurred while blasting the reinforced concrete columns were observed using a high-speed camera, and dust generation was monitored using four density detectors. The suggested detonation-driven water bag burst system showed that the average dust density decreased by up to 7 mg/m3.

Jan 1, 2016

By M. Seeger

The demographics and the growing numbers of people provide a strong signal that the demand for electrical power in Southern Africa will grow considerably over the foreseeable future. Without a steady and increasing supply of electricity development of the continent is likely to be constrained. The inventory of solar, wind, hydrothermal, geothermal and biomass resources will probably provide sources of energy for the future The parallels between extraction of natural resources in the minerals industry and the green energy industry is striking, and the well-established project development process in the minerals industry provides an ideal and useful template for comparing the establishment and development of green energy projects. The potential levels of power generation and carbon savings are described.

Jan 1, 2010

By K. Leutwyler, H. L. Bigelow

Jan 1, 1966