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By Gordon Miner

GENERAL DESCRIPTION At the Star mine, Hecla Mining Co., located in Burke, Shoshone County, ID, the mining method is horizontal slicing (timbered or untimbered) cut-and-fill using hydraulic sand backfill. Back stoping as well as breast stoping is used; see Fig. 1. The annual produc¬tion from all cut-and-fill mining is 259 816 t (286,400 st). The average depth ranges from 366 to 2408 m (1200 to 7900 ft). A majority of the tonnage comes from an average depth of 2240 m (7350 ft). Average travel time to the stope is 1 hr. GENERAL ORE BODY REQUIREMENTS AND LIMITATIONS Size and Ground Conditions The ore body is 610 to 1219 m (2000 to 4000 ft) along the strike and 2408 m (7900 ft) on the dip, with an average vein width of 2.6 m (8.5 ft). The dip is essentially vertical. The ore body is heavily sheared and broken on the main fault structures; it is more competent on the wall veins but everywhere subject to rock bursting at depth. The hanging and footwalls are strongly fractured on the main fault structures, again more competent but still fractured on the wall veins. All host rock is Revett quartzite. Value and Production Requirements The ore value is $56 per ton. Production require¬ments are 1089 t/ d (1200 stpd), five days per week. Why Cut-and-Fill? The slusher extraction method is the most satisfac¬tory and practical for narrow vertical veins with sheared walls. The method must be quite selective to be com¬mercial. The veins are too narrow for rubber-tired ex¬traction and the grade is not high enough to make resuing practical. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Development Access to the main shaft is by the 3.2-km (2-mile) main haulage tunnel. The level intervals in the vertical timbered shafts are 61 m (200 ft). Vein development is by crosscut and laterals located 30.5 m (100 ft) into the vein wall. Vein crosscuts are on ±61 m (200 ft) centers. Access to the vein is by raises carried up with the stope. The raises are equipped with four wood¬cribbed chutes (two orepasses reinforced with angle irons, one manway, and one timber slide, Figs. 2-6). The initial cut is located 6.7 m (22 ft) above the main level (Fig. 1). Stoping Cycle Detail Sampling: Grab samples are taken from the mine cars. Channel sampling of the faces and backs is done when necessary. Drilling: For stope drilling, Ingersoll-Rand 300M percussion drills are used, with Ingersoll-Rand 300M and Gardner-Denver RB83M stopers, used for back stoping. Breasting down is done with Gardner-Denver S83FM jacklegs. The back stoping rounds are 0.9 to 1.8 m (3 to 6 ft) and the breast stoping rounds 1.5 to 3m (5 to 10 ft). Blasting: For stope blasting DuPont Tovex 100 watergel with fuses and igniter cord is used primarily. Approximately 60% of the blasting is done with am¬monium nitrate-fuel oil (ANFO). For development headings and shaft sinking, DuPont Drivex watergel with Ensign Bickford Nonel Primadet primers is is used. Mucking: Broken ore is removed entirely by slusher in the stopes. These are mostly 3.7-7.5-kW (5-10-hp) Ingersoll-Rand air-powered or 7.5-37.3-kW (10-50-hp) Ingersoll-Rand electric-powered. In the horizontal de¬velopment headings Eimco 12B and 21 and Atlas Copco LM-56 overshot mucking machines and a 0.76 (1 cu yd) hydroelectric Wagner HST-1 LHD (load-haul-dump) unit are used. Rockway for Extraction: The cribbed chutes (Fig. 7) are nearly vertical and hexagonal in shape and are made of spaced 152 x 203-mm (6 x 8-in.) timber, reinforced with varying weights and sizes of angle iron, depending on wear requirements. Rectangular cribbed chutes are used where ground pressure is not a problem. Cribbing is added in 2.4 or 3-m (8 or 10-ft) extensions accord¬ing to the floor height (whether timbered or untimbered). See Figs. 8 and 9. Backfilling: Backfilling is done with hydraulic sand consisting of classified mill tailings at 65% solids. The fill contains approximately 20% 325-mesh fines. The tailings are pumped 3353 m (11,000 ft) at 50-55% solids 22.7 dry t/h (25 dry stph) with a duplex piston pump. Cycloning increases the tailings density to 65% solids. Fill storage is in a 998-dry-t (1100 dry st) agi

Jan 1, 1982

By Yanxu Shen, Cheng Liu, Zhijie Chen, Hao Chen, Huimin Gao, Zijie Ren

Fluorite, a kind of critical non-metallic minerals, is the primary source of industrial fluorine. Sodium oleate (SO) is commonly used as the collector of fluorite ores. However, because of its some features (such as the low solubility, high solidifying point, and poor dispersion of SO) at low temperatures, it profoundly inhibits its collecting ability as well as the flotation performance. Herein, we have developed a low-temperature-resistant collector for the efficient flotation separation of fluorite from quartz. The advantages and disadvantages of the SO and sodium petroleum sulfonate (SPS) were analyzed by comparing the performance under different temperature conditions. The results of flotation tests suggest that SPS exhibited much better collecting performance than SO under low temperature. The flotation mechanism of the two collecting agents were further analyzed by contact angle measurements, zeta potential measurements, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and flotation kinetics. The results indicated that both collectors can selectively undergo electrostatic and chemical adsorption with fluorite, with no adsorption on quartz surface. The sulfonic acid group in SPS is a hydrophilic functional group, which has a relatively higher solubility in water. Therefore, the water solubility of SPS is better at low temperatures.

Sep 30, 2021

By J. W. Davis

In the last few years major industrial companies have begun to realize the importance of Reliability as an enterprise strategy that, properly implemented, will improve financial performance. Typical results of an effective Enterprise Reliability Strategy include a 20% -50% reduction in maintenance cost accompanied by a 5% - 10%increase in real production capacity, with no capital investment in production equipment. One factor fueling the race to acquire and implement enterprise reliability is the pressure for companies to be increasingly cost-effective and competitive in global markets. In a recent study, Asset Productivity: The Next Wave, the Boston Consulting Group (BCG)stated that, “In order to compete for funds, companies must offer investor returns that are competitive with other opportunities. Alternative investments such as dot-com and others with non-traditional business models have raised the bar.” (APDF version of the study can be downloaded at www.bcg.com). BCG views asset productivity as the most powerful mechanism for increasing shareholder return. The author believes that the most effective way to increase Fixed Asset Productivity is to maximize asset utilization by increasing the Reliability of the Assets and the associated processes. Developing and implementing an ERS requires significant effort and knowledge. Most companies have difficulty finding a sufficient supply of these valuable commodities to implement an ERS Program internally. Many companies also struggle with figuring out how to get started and what direction to proceed.

Jan 1, 2003

By Eugie Kabwe

Rock bolts are components of tunnel support structures and their efficacy in reinforcement requires the appropriate estimation of the bolt pre-tension. However, cases of ineffective rock bolt application due to loosening are common which leads to the potential failure of the support structures, thus negatively affecting the tunnel stability. The effective employment of pre-tensioned bolt within support structures requires an appropriate installation tension as a result of sufficient bolt head/nut pre-load. Henceforth, this paper presents a load indicator washer (LIW) capable of withstanding assigned static loading as well as provides an appropriate pre-tension. The different LIW breadths are numerically analysed in the finite element code (ABAQUS) to estimate deformation when a designated 60-kN pre-load is applied. The numerical simulation employs a bi-linear isotropic hardening constitutive law governed by the von Mises yield criterion. The simulation also considers the nominal temperature of the nutLIW-rock bolt connection. Therefore, a long-term relaxation effect on bolt pre-tension as a result of stress relaxation is neglected. The compressive force required to achieve the LIW-predetermined deformation is the bolt pre-tension. It is drawn from the simulation results that the 1.5-, 2.0-, 3.0-, 3.5-, and 4.0-mm-thick LIWs are completely flattened when subjected to 28-, 42.5-, 65-, 76-, and 88-kN pre-load respectively.

By Bhaskar B. Thapa

The design of the Caldecott 4th Bore, located along State Route 24 in Oakland, California, is based on the principles of the New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM). Typical NATM initial support design practices used in Europe were adapted for this project to account for U.S. conditions and requirements, such as degree of experience with NATM construction, the prevailing contractual environment, and preferences for contractual simplicity. Key design features are: (1) support selection criteria based on ground behaviors and ground conditions; (2) a prescriptive design with allowance for support adjustments based on observations during construction; and (3) organization of support requirements into only four major support categories, while permitting some adjustment for variations in ground behaviors and conditions using a few subtypes and additional support measures.

Many mining operations generate seismic signals. They come from blasting and from underground mine failures such as rockbursts, longwall first caves, coal bumps and pillar collapses. Traditionally, seismic motions have been of concern on a local scale because they could create damage to structures at the mine site or at neighboring locations. Recently, there has been much interest in the Comprehensive Nu-clear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). It prohibits any kind of nuclear explosion, anywhere. So distinguishing signals of mining operations from a possible nuclear explosion becomes important. An international monitoring system (IMS) is being implemented to verify the Treaty when it is ratified. It includes a large number of seismic stations capable of recording signals at regional (200 to 2,000 km or 124 to 1,240miles) and teleseismic (more than 2,000 km or 1,240 miles) distances.

Jan 1, 2000

By D. R. Wilburn

This summary of international mineral exploration activities for 2008 draws upon available 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 by the mineral industry based upon these data. Two types of information are reported and analyzed in this annual review of international exploration for 2008: 1) budgetary statistics expressed in U.S. nominal dollars provided by Metals Economics Group (MEG) of Halifax, Nova Scotia (Metals Economics Group, 2008a, b), and 2) information on regional and site-specific exploration activities that took place in 2008 and compiled by the USGS. The MEG information summarizes planned company budgets for worldwide exploration activities in 2008, primarily for precious metals (gold, platinum-group metals and silver) and base metals (copper, lead, nickel and zinc). MEG includes information on additional mineral commodities only where it is available. Information on uranium exploration was included in the MEG overview for the first time in 2007, although this information was not included in the USGS analysis. The MEG survey methodology was changed in 1999 to include companies with exploration budgets between $100,000 and $2.9 million, as well as those companies included in prior studies whose anticipated budgets were above $2.9 million. MEG estimates that its post-1999 surveys cover at least 90 percent of world nonferrous nonfuel mineral exploration budgets. The 2008 survey is reported by MEG to cover an estimated 95 percent. Companies that chose not to participate in the MEG study, private companies that do not publish data, and government-funded exploration activities make up the majority of the remaining 5 percent. MEG included 91 more companies in its 2008 survey than it did in 2007 USGS compilations of site data described here primarily include nonfuel minerals, with an emphasis on base metals, diamond and precious metals. Analyses are based on information provided by USGS mineral commodity and country specialists and by other USGS scientists, as well as industry contacts and trade journals.

Jan 1, 2009

By G. Budge

In the extractive industry the term ‘continuous improvement’ (CI) usually means procurement of the latest state of the art equipment. This is generally perceived as the only way to add further value to the supply chain, with the driving philosophy of increased tonnage to dilute operational costs. However, not all market places can facilitate this approach. RJB lives in a fiercely competitive market and has targeted the standard efficiency drivers of rationalisation and stock management with a vengeance; and also operate CMMS (Computer Maintenance Management System), RCM (Routine Condition Monitoring)and CBM (Condition Based Maintenance) methodologies. Ultimately though, these systems are only as good as the people who operate and manage them and to add further value without procurement, people must be re-introduced back into the operation. Through TPM (Total Productive Mining), that is what RJB have set out to do.

Jan 1, 2001

By Diane Jones, Jeremy Spearman, Tom Matthewson

Requirements for minerals are on the increase globally and the deep sea offers a potential source of essential materials. Extracting these minerals from what is considered an environmentally sensitive area, and one about which little is still known, is a challenging activity, which needs careful consideration and an appropriate environmental impact assessment to be carried out. Extraction of material from the deep sea beds can cause disturbance or damage to benthic communities; impact on mobile marine species such as fish, mammals and reptiles; cause increases in suspended sediment and sediment deposition onto potentially sensitive areas or potentially release contaminants which were previously bound to the sediment. This paper discusses the potential environmental issues surrounding extraction of deep-sea deposits using aggregate dredging techniques and how those issues can be appropriately assessed. In particular issues of suspended sediments, plume transport, water and sediment quality and underwater noise impacts on potentially sensitive species and habitats will be explored.

Sep 1, 2014

By G. T. Daware, M. J. Chaddha, S. P. Masurkar, P. G. Bhukte, A. Agnihotri

JNARDDC has evaluated bauxite deposits of India from the geo-technological point of view. During the evaluation studies, it was observed that bauxite deposits are associated with saprolite resources. During bauxite mining, various low-grade materials such as saprolite, laterite and low-grade bauxite are generated. These materials typically have low-alumina, high-iron oxide and high-silica content. Owing to their inferior quality, these materials cannot be used for alumina production and hence remain unutilized at the mine site. For the present study, the saprolite samples were collected from the Western Ghats bauxite deposits in India. The sintering studies were conducted on saprolite granules using a variety of parameters. The sintered granules were characterized, and their properties determined. The test results showed that bulk density, apparent density, porosity and refractoriness (PCE 1645–1659 °C) of the aggregates were within the range of refractory specifications. The feasibility tests carried out at the refractory industry indicated that the developed aggregates are suitable as refractory material and can substitute for calcined clay. Currently, high-purity clay resources used in the refractory industry are limited and fast exhausting; therefore, the industry is likely to face an acute shortage of raw materials, which will become more critical in the future. Therefore the sintered granules (aggregates) developed from saprolite, which is a mining waste, provide a low-cost, eco-friendly solution for the fast-exhausting resources of the high-purity clays. The developed process may change the Indian bauxite mining scenario because saprolite may substitute as a potential raw material for the refractory industry.

Apr 12, 2021

By Peter B. Dowden, Robert A. Robinson

Boulders, frequently found in tunnels excavated through soils, can pose major problems for full face TBMs in terms of slowing or halting the tunnel advance, cutter damage, and abrasive wear. The paper aims to consider the problem as a whole, from the geological characteristics of boulder sites, to the appropriate physical design of theTBM, and its operation in boulder-laden soils. In addition, visualization of boulders and other subsurface obstructions by seismic methods and ground penetrating radar are reviewed. The paper will assist the construction planner in assessing the risks and preparing appropriate specifications.

Jan 1, 2001

By Paul A. Roy

The North Shore Connector Project for the Port Authority of Allegheny County constructs twin Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) tunnels through cohesive soils and rock beneath the Allegheny River and a narrow city street in Pittsburgh, PA. The tunnel alignment includes an historic building on shallow foundations, modern buildings on deep foundations, and an office building constructed directly over the alignment during the design of the tunnel sections. This paper provides an overview and update of the general site conditions, TBM tunnel design, and support of excavation for the TBM launching pit. Deformation limits, ground improvement, monitoring and mitigation plans are also discussed.

Jan 1, 2008

By R. Heiser, J. Vendetti, B. P. Connor, E. J. Haas

"DISCLAIMER The findings and conclusions in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Reference to specific brand names does not imply endorsement by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. ABSTRACT Health and safety indicators help mine sites predict the likelihood of an event, advance initiatives to control risks, and track progress. Although useful to encourage organizations to work together, executing such risk assessments comes with challenges. This paper focuses on one trona mine’s experience in the development and implementation of a field level risk assessment program to help its entire organization understand and manage risk to an acceptable level. Through a transformational process of ongoing support and communication, Solvay Green River fostered a culture of trust and safety grounded in risk assessment, safety interactions, and hazard correction. The application of consistent risk assessment (RA) tools was critical to create a participatory workforce that not only talks about safety, but actively identifies energies that contribute to hazards and potential incidents. In this paper, reflecting on the mine’s process of RA implementation provides examples of likely barriers that sites may encounter when trying to document and manage risks. As discussed, consistent efforts to establish a participatory risk management program are worth the initial struggle to ultimately reduce incidents. INTRODUCTION Work-related health and safety (H&S) incidents often account for lost days on the job, contributing to organizational/financial and personal/social burdens [1-2]. Accompanying research demonstrates that risk and ambiguity around risk contribute to almost every decision that individuals make throughout the day [3-4]. In response, understanding individual attitudes toward risk has been unquestionably linked to predicting H&S behavior [5]. Although an obvious need exists to identify more comprehensive methods to assess and mitigate potential hazards, some argue that risk management is not given adequate attention in occupational H&S [6]. Additionally, research suggests that a current lack of knowledge, skills, and motivation are primary barriers to mitigating workplace risks [3-6]. Therefore, enhancing knowledge and awareness around risk-based decisions, including individuals’ abilities to understand, measure, and assign levels of risk to determine an appropriate response, is increasingly important in hazardous environments to predict and prevent incidents. This paper focuses on tailored approaches to field level risk assessment (FLRA), measurement, and common barriers to participating in such activities. The authors use a trona mine in Green River, Wyoming, as a case study to illustrate how the organization overcame widespread and site-specific challenges to implement a proactive risk management program. By discussing the mine’s tailored FLRA program, this case study contributes to the literature by first, providing examples of critical components that need to be in place to ensure successful risk management and second, context for continuous quality improvement that can foster a higher level of trust and empowerment on site."

Jan 1, 2017

By Wendy M. Brunner

A 70% excess of mesothelioma, an asbestos-related cancer, has been reported among men in northeastern Minnesota, where iron mining has been the major industry. The Minnesota Department of Health has studied iron miners who developed mesothelioma to identify possible sources of asbestos exposure. A database of all Minnesota residents diagnosed with mesothelioma between 1988 and 1996 was linked to a database of approximately 72,000 current and former Minnesota iron-mining employees to identify cases who had ever worked in the mining industry. The job histories of the cases were examined to determine if any of their jobs could have involved exposure to commercial asbestos. Seventeen individuals diagnosed with mesothelioma in Minnesota between 1988 and 1996 were found to have worked in the iron mining industry. Of the 15 for whom adequate work histories were available, 14 had identifiable sources of exposure to commercial asbestos in jobs held both inside and outside of the mining industry. The time between employment in these asbestosexposed occupations and the diagnosis of mesothelioma is consistent with the 20 or more year latency period that has been observed in other studies of this cancer. © 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Keywords: Mesothelioma; Asbestos; Iron miners; Taconite; Epidemiology; Case series

Jan 1, 2007

1. Paper1?Identification and enumeration of asbestos fibers in the mining environment: mission and modification to the federal asbestos standard Arthur M. Langer Asbestos-related disease is increased with cumulative exposure (the concentration of asbestos in the air and duration of exposure). The maximum duration is assumed to be a working lifetime so federal agencies control cumulative exposure by limiting the airborne concentration of asbestos fibers equal to or greater than 5 lm in length. Air samples are collected in the environment of interest by entraining the airborne particulates including fibers on membrane filters and then counting the number of fibers using phase-contrast light microscopy. In addition to length, the fibers must have a length to width ratio of at least 3 to 1. This ratio is also referred to as the aspect ratio. Some counting strategies placed an upper limit on the fiber width restricting the counting to respirable fibers. Airborne asbestos is controlled by monitoring a sub-population of the airborne asbestos. No asbestos fibers shorter than 5 lm or fibers of any length having widths less than the resolution of the light optical method are counted. In the non-occupational environment, the Environmental Protection Agency requires the use of analytical transmission electron microscopy and fibers and counting fibers with lengths of 0.5 lm or greater and aspect ratios of 5 to 1 or greater are counted. The permissible exposure limit for asbestos has been reduced by more than 120-fold since 1969, when the standard was 12 fiber/ml and the current monitoring methodology was developed. The manufacturing and mining worksites are regulated by two different federal agencies and the asbestos exposure limit was higher in the mining environment until recently (Mine Safety and Health Administration 30 CFR Part 56, 57, and 7, Federal Registry, February 29, 2008). Currently the permissible exposure limit (PEL) is the same in both types of workplace and it is 0.1 fibers per milliliter (fiber/ml) over an 8-h shift as a time-weighted average (TWA). A milliliter (ml) is equivalent to a cubic centimeter (cc) and sometimes this standard is reported as 0.1 f/cc. As the phase-contrast methodology was used to monitor lower exposures and environments, other fibrous mineral particulates were incorrectly characterized as asbestos. These occurred in talc deposits and taconite ores from the Eastern Mesabi Range.

Jan 1, 2008

By Steve Kral

Improved metals and other commodity prices have caused the mining industry to open new mines, re-evaluate development opportunities at potential mines and increase production at existing ones. This sense of renewed optimism is being seen at operations and development projects around the world. Except in the United States. The regulatory structure there has not allowed the domestic industry to share much in mining’s resurgence. It can still take up to 10 years to permit a new mine. And, while Clinton-era regulations regarding mill sites have been put on hold, existing mines that wish to expand operations still face significant regulatory and environmental hurdles. But things may begin to improve in the United States.

Jan 1, 2005

By F. B. Henderson

1.0 PROLOG Since the "end" of the Cold War, revolutionary new research and commercial remote sensing capabilities are being developed that will dramatically change the way we map the earth and address its environmental problems. The technology challenge is not the growth of new environmental remote sensing technologies themselves. It is, rather, how these new innovative observing systems can be accepted and used to the benefit of both the regulatory and the mining communities in the light of present concerns about unknown risks of discovery and liability. The basis for this paper is an unpublished technology primer prepared for the industry-government Workshop on Advanced Measurement and Site Characterization for Mining Impacts held at Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado, July 14-17, 1997

Jan 1, 1999

The Canadian mining industry is one of the strongest in the world. Not only does the country produce a sizable amount of minerals and metals, Canada plays host to hundreds of global mining companies, large and small. The country, for the most part, recognizes the importance of natural resource development, particularly mining, to its economic well being. Like any country, though, there are federal and provincial regulations on the books that the industry takes issue with. But there are also certain economic incentive programs in place to encourage exploration and mine investment. And, unlike the industry and the United States government, the Canadian government and mining industry appear to have a reasonable working relationship.

Jan 4, 2010

By Martin Herrenknecht

The world?s growing population and rapidly proceeding urbanization are boosting an enormous demand for new and high-capacity infrastructures to secure the mobility of goods and people. Densely populated areas face the challenge to provide efficient traffic infrastructure, such as a modern public transportation system. At the same time, the maintenance and modernization of supply and disposal structures for water, sewage, energy and communication are also essential. Additionally, supra-regional transportation routes such as long distance water diversion schemes are the challenges for the future. All these projects are as demanding as they are characterized by a tight time schedule.

Jan 1, 2010

By Anthony B. Szwilski, Dalip Sarin, Richard D. Begley

This paper will present the results of an analysis of several abandoned coal mine projects and includes field data for over a dozen different reclamation projects recently completed in the state of West Virginia. The analysis was performed with the objective of summarizing and or classification of the environmental consequences with reference to the characteristics of the mining facilities (surface, underground, etc.). The analysis also addressed the itemized cost of remediation with respect to procedures, environmental concerns and time. The results of the analysis are that each abandoned coal mine site in West Virginia have/had many unique features and in most cases include a combination of environmental concerns that complicate comparisons. The study also revealed that the abandoned mine land program for mines abandoned prior to 1977, that is being financed by a tax on the production of coal, has produced many benefits for the state of West Virginia. This grant program administered by the Office of Surface Mining, has resulted in a high quality methodology of remediation that has been successful for many years in greatly minimizing and/or eliminating environmental concerns from abandoned coal mines.

Feb 24, 1997