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By Neal Lee, Braden T. Lusk, Jhon Silva-Castro, Patrick J. Jenks

"Timing and charge sequence are very important for optimized blast design. Traditional nonelectricinitiation systems have moved the industry toward a system of delays consisting of hole-to-hole androw-to-row timing sequences that mimic the application of nonelectric surface delays or dual delayinitiator systems that have been prevalent in the blasting industry for many years. The increasedutilization of electronic detonators allows for the use of Regular Rhythmic Timing (RRT) utilizing onlyone delay between charges and a selected charge firing sequence. The hole to hole and row to row (HHRR) timing method has been utilized for blasting optimization and allows for simplistic changes to the tie in phase of the blasting sequence. When using this traditional timing methodology, for some specific cases related to the number holes and rows, crowding occurs in the delay between charges with subsequent increase in the peak particle velocity (PPV) produced by the blast. This is in contrast to RRT where the timing between the delays remains constant."

Jan 1, 2016

The whole of the iron ore required by the Broken Hill Proprietary Company Limited at the Newcastle Steel Works, and Australian Iron and Steel Limited, at Hoskins' Kembla Works, is drawn from the Iron Knob, Iron Monarch, Iron Prince and Iron Baron deposits situated in the northern part of Eyre's Peninsula, South Australia.The Iron Knob and Iron Monarch deposits are near the township of Iron Knob, approximately 42 miles W.S.W. of Port Augusta, whilst the Iron Prince and Iron Baron deposits are some 18 miles due south from Iron Knob, in another group of leases, the adjacent township being known as Iron Baron.The ore mined at Iron Knob, Iron Monarch, Iron Prince and Iron Baron is conveyed on the Company's 3ft. 6-in. gauge tramway to Whyalla, on the western side of Spencer's Gulf, approximately 45 miles south by west of Port Augusta whence it is shipped to Newcastle and Port Kembla.SHORT HISTORY.The establishment in South Australia of the lead smelting industry at Port Pirie, Dry Creek and Port Adelaide in the...

Jan 1, 1937

By K. Galovich, P. Krivokuca

"Quinsam coal mine is located about 25 km west of Campbell River on the east coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Using continuous miners in a fully mechanized retreat room-and-pillar operation, it produces low sulphur, “super compliance” thermal coal for domestic and international markets at a rate of about 2600 t/d. Currently, 65 people work at the site, including some corporate employees.Opened in 1993, the Quinsam mine had a dismal safety record until 1997. Lost time injuries and medical aids were unacceptably high. In 1998, a change in corporate structure brought a change in safety attitudes; a total and unequivocal commitment to safety as job No.1 by corporate and site management. This commitment was clearly spelled out in a new mission statement, circulated to all employees by the new President and CEO, David Slater: “Safety is job No. 1; Production flows from safety; and Think safety at all times.” As well as re-defining workplace safety practices, QCC tightened engineering controls and enforced strict adherence to mine plans.This paper provides a general background to the mining operation, and describes the safety practices that have resulted in an enviable safety record in recent years, reflected by provincial and national recognition."

Jan 1, 2004

By Jim Lauder, Russ Calow, Ken Maley, Michael Ounpuu, Stuart T. Caverly

"Stuart T. Caverly, Section Head XRF Laboratory, Jim Lauder, Systems Engineer, Russ Stuart T. Caverly, Section Head XRF Laboratory, Jim Lauder, Systems Engineer, Russ Concession Street, Lakefield, Ontario KOL 2HOAbstractOn-stream X-ray analyzers have become an integral part of modem milling operations. The calibration of these instruments is not difficult but must be performed carefully and with consideration for the principles of X-ray spectrometry. A discussion of successful calibration procedures as well as examples of several common mistakes is presented.IntroductionOn-stream X-ray analyzers (OSA) have become an integral part of modem mineral dressing plants. Advances in instrumentation and computer software make the analysis of process streams fast, accurate and precise. Proper instrument calibration that respects the fundamentals of X-ray spectrometry is essential if the data generated are to be reliable. Often the importance of this task is underestimated and delegated to a person with inadequate XRF training. Successful OSA calibration is the result of careful, systematic procedures.On-stream analysis is perhaps the most important tool that has been provided for the concentrator metallurgist. Combined with powerful, low cost PC's and distributed control systems, real-time elemental analysis affords today's metallurgist many opportunities to troubleshoot and optimize his process.Before OSA, operators had to be very experienced if they were to achieve good results. Even with hourly grab samples, most changes in control approach would still be based on visual cues from the circuit and gut instinct. Real-time analyses have changed that completely.The last two decades have seen a persistent drive to reduce production costs. Operations utilizing OSA have been the most successful in this endeavor. Direct benefits from the application of OSA are fairly obvious. Operators are able to make incremental changes in operational parameters (e.g. reagent addition, pH, cell level), and immediately monitor the effects. Variations in the characteristics of the mill feed can be identified and addressed immediately. More progressive operations have linked analyses to control loops to adjust process setpoints ( e.g. reagent additions), and to change them automatically according to formulas based on previous experience."

Jan 1, 1996

By W. R. Crank

[Rock bursts are phenomena associated with mining operations, particularly with deep mining, although they occur throughout a wide rump, of depth, from 600 feel downward. The intensity is usually in direct proportion to the depth, varying from a loosening and sloughing off to a violent rupture, giving rise to the term, "explosive rock." The more or less violent breaking of rock in mine working, tins been variously designated as " flaking," "pressure hoists," "strain bursts," "bumps," "quakes," and "air blasts," which indicate opinions as to cause and effect. The term "air blast" lots probably beat most widely used, and naturally so, as a more or less rapid movement of air often accompanying the more violent phenomena of rock failure. Furthermore, there is an implied if not definitely expressed degree of magnitude in the action designited by a given term and in the cause and character of the action. For example. flaking, pressure bursts, and quakes are terms ranged to indicate action of increasing magnitude; and pressure bursts, strain bursts. bumps, and quakes are ranged according to the cause and character of the action.]

Jan 1, 1929

By Xiaowen Liu

The DSC/TG, IR and XRD analysis were used to characterize the heating phase transformation of illite, which came from Ouhai deposit, China. It was discovered that the dehydration and de-hydroxylation of illite carried out stage by stage during heating. The adsorptive water and layer-inter water were dehydrated from room temperature to 500°C; and dehydroxylated in the range 500°C~800°C. In these stages of process, illite?s layer structure kept almost unchanged. After 800°Cillite began to change into disorder structure. At about 1100°C, the layer structure of illite had been destroyed, and amorphous SiO2 and mullite crystallite appeared. At about 1200°C the structure of illite completely destroyed and mullite crystal phase had become perfect..

Jan 1, 2006

By S. E. Phillipson

Underground mine mapping is a critical component of understanding the controls on ground instability. Many relatively localized examples of ground failure are associated with geologic features, such as faults, joints, compaction zones, or sedimentological transition zones. In contrast, long-running, directional roof falls are associated with regionally directed horizontal stress fields, which are induced by tectonic plate interactions in the earth?s crust. When stress-related features are distinguished from geological features, underground mapping can be an effective method for inferring the direction of horizontal stress at individual mines. Comparisons with data compiled in the World Stress Map confirm that underground mapping can be a valid method for determining the orientation of maximum principal horizontal stress at a variety of scales, ranging from individual mines to an entire mining district or coal basin. Comparisons are presented between the maximum horizontal stress directions inferred by MSHA?s Roof Control Division through underground mapping and the azimuths of maximum horizontal stress in the World Stress Map database for North America?s Pennsylvanian-aged Appalachian, Illinois, Black Warrior, and Arkoma Basin coal fields. The comparison indicates that azimuths are similar for both data sets, even where variations in the direction of horizontal stress are present. It is interpreted that inconsistencies in direction are attributable to near-surface affects such as deeply incised stream valleys, or to fault zones that represent heterogeneities in the crust.

Jan 1, 2009

By Michael J. Atwood

Many buildings in Boston are founded on untreated wood piles, which can deteriorate and lose their structural capacity if groundwater levels are lowered below the tops of the piles, exposing the wood to air in the unsaturated soils that surround the piles. The problem of wood pile deterioration due to lowered groundwater levels in Boston first became evident in 1929 following discovery of rotten piles beneath walls of the Boston Public Library building. Repairs to reconstruct the library building?s wood pile foundations were made in 1930 using pit underpinning methods. Today, more than 80 years later, the subsurface conditions beneath several of Boston?s historic neighborhood areas continue to be plagued with low groundwater levels - regrettably resulting in ongoing deterioration to the wood piles that support some of Boston?s oldest and most beautiful buildings. Pit underpinning is still recognized as the preferred approach to repair wood piles and restore uniform foundation support beneath the impacted buildings. This paper provides a brief historical review of the land filling in Boston through the early 1900s that led to the use of wood piles as building foundations. Also discussed is the impact that groundwater level can have on the long term performance of wood pile foundations and the pit underpinning procedures used to reconstruct decayed wood pile foundations in 1930 beneath the Boston Public Library, and today beneath some of Boston?s oldest buildings. Also included are discussions on engineering controls and permitting requirements that help ensure safety and protection to the workers and buildings during underpinning, and some procedures being used to supplement and improve the loading capacity of the reconstructed foundations and facilitate construction of new useable below-grade space.

Jan 1, 2011

By O. Konovalov, M. Zhuravkov

In report the results of performance of research works on building up of the connected geoecological and geomechanical monitoring system for modelling and study of a state of mining massif in a region with large-scale underground mining works are discussed. The connected geoecological monitoring requires radical change of methodology of carried out works. To carry out modelling and researches it is impossible without construction of the integrated connected information model of region. Basis of construction of information systems and databases for all sections of Earth Sciences is the set of the approaches, among which, for example, methods of remote sounding, GIS- and GPS-technology etc. Computer technologies are basis on the "supercomputer" technology. The results of performance of some researches for regions of excavation of deposits of potash salts in Russia and Belarus are presented.

Jan 1, 2005

By F. X. Spachtholz

"Raw materials industry is crucial for national economy. German mining companies are known for their high degree of resource efficiency based on modern technology and know how. K+S is one of the world’s leading suppliers of standard and specialty fertilizers. In the salt business, K+S, with sites in Europe as well as North and South America, is the world’s leading producer. The mine sites of K+S are distributed all over the world producing mainly potash and magnesium salts and rock salt. Focus is on the sustainable use of the natural deposits in order to stay competitive. For this reason a raw material policy, both national and international, is necessary to ensure access to new mineable deposits which are still available in Germany. Further on, knowing market conditions is a must for sustainable development. At least sustainability and resource efficiency in potash and rock salt mining are achieved by constantly developing new technologies as well as optimizing the organization and improving qualification of workers."

Jan 1, 2011

By I Thin, L Morizzi, C Seymour, G Mungur

Olympic Dam has been investigating mine design options for the South Mine Area (SMA), which will continue using the existing sublevel open stoping (SLOS) method. The SMA is an undeveloped mining area, located south of the existing underground mining areas currently in production at Olympic Dam. The SMA study reached the stage where geotechnical inputs were required for stope design, infrastructure location and ground support forecasts. A large database of geotechnical data was collected to inform open pit designs for the ODX (Olympic Dam expansion) project (resulting from 659 drill holes). This geotechnical data has since been reprocessed to align with design inputs required for the SLOS mining method. The result has been the construction of a preliminary three-dimensional mining rock mass model (MRMM) that has been incorporated into preliminary stope mine design and infrastructure layout assessments, which have taken into account the predicted prevailing ground conditions.As with any model, it is necessary to improve the confidence in its predictability; therefore the model must be calibrated. The preliminary SMA MRMM was no exception. First pass calibration was possible with results from underground geotechnical window mapping from exposed rock mass conditions in the lateral development and surface geotechnical holes for ventilation shafts.The SMA project continues to advance and has started a program of resource drilling. Selected holes have been identified that target data limited areas. This will ensure that the data gaps are infilled in order to maintain the required data density required to improve the model confidence. In addition, further underground window mapping in the SMA will provide ‘mine scale drill hole’ data that can be used to either update the MRMM or as part of planned future calibration. Stope performance data from stopes will provide further valuable data for calibration purposes.The proposed paper will present the process and findings that have been followed in order to establish a well calibrated geotechnical model that can be used with an acceptable level of confidence in the ongoing refinements of the mine design and planning process for the SMA.CITATION:Thin, I, Morizzi, L, Mungur, G and Seymour, C, 2016. Building and calibration of a geotechnical model for sublevel open stope design at Olympic Dam, in Proceedings Seventh International Conference and Exhibition on Mass Mining (MassMin 2016), pp 523–532 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

May 9, 2016

By S. G. Gibbs, A. B. Neely

Jan 1, 1967

By Met M. E

In choosing the subject for my address to you this evening I was actuated by the knowledge that in the past Australian metallurgical problems have been solved by the introduction of extremely interesting processes. Frequently such processes originated in this country, or at least were first adopted here on a large scale.Chronologically there comes to mind the application of chlorination to the Mount Morgan ores from 1888 onwards.Then the application of pyritic smelting to the Mount Lyell ore body in 1896, followed closely by the successful flotation of zinc blendÇ! at Broken Hill, about 1900, and the treatment of the refractory Kalgoorlie gold ores by roasting and cyaniding. With the development of the differential flotation process at Broken Hill came the production of a slime lead concentrate carrying zinc which necessitated the use of a high zinc slag in the lead smelting process. Although previously considered impossible, the necessarytechnique was successfully evolved at Port Pirie resulting in the accumulation of large tonnages of zinc-bearing slag as potential sources of that metal. The past twenty years have witnessed:-(a) The establishment of a flourishing iron and steel industry, with its attendant coking and by-product plant at two centres in New South Wales, namely, Newcastle and Port Kembla.(b) The establishment of an electrolytic zinc process at Risdon in Tasmania.*Presidential Address, Melbourne, 20th August, 1936.

Jan 1, 1936

By F. Baerhold, S. Mitterecker

"Acid recovery is an important process step in pickling and leaching processes. Pyrohydrolysis in spray roasters and fluidized beds is a well-established technology to recover hydrochloric acid, but the hydrolysis in the liquid phase is more and more considered as an alternative new process route. The characteristic features of these three processes will be discussed along with select industry trends. For example, hydrochloric acid based leaching processes for ilmenite and nickel laterite ores produce far larger volumes of waste acid streams than the steel industry. Scaling-up of the spray roasting technology to the highest possible capacity is necessary in order to become more cost effective. In addition, process routes based on ferric chloride pyrohydrolysis allow the production of super-azeotropic HCl (up to 30 wt.%). Finally, the new ECOmode concept optimizes the operation of both pickling lines and the spray roast acid recovery plant. Long term results from industrial applications show that fuel savings in the spray roaster of 25% are easily achieved without additional process steps. An attractive feature is also to upgrade existing installations to higher plant capacities.INTRODUCTION Pyrohydrolysis is the conversion of metal halides into metal oxides at elevated temperatures in the presence of water vapor. Reaction products are a hydrogen halide gas and a metal oxide. The process was originally developed and introduced into the market by ANDRITZ Ruthner in the 1960’s. It has found wide technical application in the field of acid recovery and oxide production. The introduction of this process has revolutionized pickling technology. The use of hydrochloric acid has strongly increased over the last decades, since pyrohydrolysis is available for the total recovery of waste pickle liquors from mild steel pickling, as illustrated in Figure 1.Chloride media are also used increasingly in the metallurgical industry. Oxide production processes for Mg, Co, Ni, and Al have been installed. Processes using hydrochloric acid are known for the leaching of ores as well as for the re-extraction of metals from organic solvents. In both cases the recycling of HCl is of substantial importance to achieve highly economic processes and to reduce waste."

Jan 1, 2016

By Steve Meador

West Virginia's basic coal mining regulatory programs are not unique when compared to Federally approved programs implemented by other coal producing states. In fact, the language in The West Virginia Energy Act governing subsidence mirrors that written in the Federal Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act as well as other states' statutes. Certain legal and administrative issues, how¬ever, combine to make West Virginia's regulation of surface subsidence a singular approach.

Jan 1, 1986

By D. William Tedder

Several bauxite residue sands and muds produced by Bayer plants in the U.S. and overseas have been fractionated using dry and wet magnetic separators. The magnetic sand fractions typically contain about 60 wt% iron and the bulk of the radioactivity in this waste. The muds are more difficult to process than the sands, but some fractionation is possible using a combination of flotation and magnetic separation techniques.

Jan 1, 1984

By A. M. Krzanowski, T. S. Golosinski

"This paper presents results of a study undertaken to determinethe feasibility of mining plains overburdens with bucket wheel excavators. Based on extensive geotechnical testing of overburdens under study, the relations between material geotechnical properties and its cuttability were defined. The properties with the highest correlations to the cuttability werethen used to develop the material diggability classification. This classification may be used for identification of overburdens and coals mineable by bucket wheel excavators.IntroductionLow cost of mining and high productivity can be achieved when mining unconsolidated soils and soft rocks with bucket wheel excavators. As a result this mining equipment will likely be introduced into plains coal mines. At present there are plans to use a bucketwheel excavator (BWE) in at least one mine by the end of this decade. Unfortunately, the performance of a BWE deteriorates rapidly with the increasing strength of mined material. To avoid costly misapplication, material diggability must be defined in advance of an application (i.e. the force required at the cutting edges of BWE buckets must be quantified). Correct definition of material diggability permits reliable selection of a BWE, or may indicate unsuitability of this equipment for a particular application.The reported studyu i was undertaken to investigate the diggability of typical prairie overburdens and thus provide a guidance for likely future applications of bucketwheel equipment. Investigations concentrated on the parts of overburden most likely to create problems for a BWE mining. These are defined in Table 1. At present, thin layers of the two investigated materials (samples K and L) are mined by a BWE in an oil sand mine, after being loosened by blasting."

Jan 1, 1987

By Jean R. Garcia, Paulo J. R. Albuquerque, Renato P. Cunha, Osvaldo Freitas Neto

"Abstract Results obtained from in-situ load tests carried out on drilled displacement piles sunk in a porous, lateritic and unsaturated soil deposit, are analyzed in this paper. Three slow-maintained load tests were performed on deep instrumented piles with a diameter of 0.37 m and around 12 m long. The soil deposit consists of a superficial, silty clay “porous” layer 6 m thick, with an average standard penetration blow count (NSPT) of 4 and cone tip resistance and sleeve friction (qc and fs) of 1.5 MPa and 48 kPa, respectively. Under this layer there is a residual stratum 10 m thick, geotechnically consisting of a “porous” clayey silt with an average NSPT of 7 and qc and fs of 2.4 MPa and 202 kPa, respectively. The water table was reached at a depth of 17 m below ground level. The results of the field load tests yielded a maximum pile load (average for the tests) of 1428 kN, which is twice as high as corresponding experimental values from standard bored piles with similar geometric conditions. Exhumation of one of the tested piles was carried out after the test, in order to check integrity and shaft conditions. Numerical finite element analyses, using the commercially available French Code LCPC Cesar®, were performed in order to back-analyze the geotechnical soil parameters for a post execution pile condition. The results permitted a better understanding of the improvement of the subsoil given the intrinsic execution characteristics of this particular pile. It was also possible to note that drilled displacement piles have great potential to become an economically viable solution in tropical soils, given the enhanced behavior of such piles when compared to alternative (cheaper) techniques. In fact, it has several advantages which should make it a key foundation type in the Brazilian market in the future.IntroductionMost buildings in tropical soils use, as the main type of foundation, deep bored or auger type piles. These types of foundations can be performed in various ways, for example with or without soil extraction, with or without bentonite mud and so on. Two main processes maybe formulated: the first execution process is typified by bored pile types, continuous flight auger piles etc., which do not cause excessive soil displacement during excavation. With respect to the second process, one could mention, amongst others, driven piles (precast concrete or steel), Franki piles and drilled displacement piles, which do displace the soil during excavation by pushing the soil laterally around the hole in order to allow either the penetration of the pile or the excavator auger."

Jan 1, 2014

By J. Kraemer, A. Preusse

In the federal state of North Rhine Westphalia (Germany) small and medium sized companies are beginning to extract the related gas via old shafts or boreholes and to use it as a source for the production of electricity and heat. More than 100 applications for the separate mining right on mine gas had already been filed by beginning of 2002, since mine gas is treated as a mineral resource under the Federal Mining Law. Meanwhile more than 40 mine gas concessions have been granted and first projects are being developed with encouraging results so far. To enhance the applied techniques and their efficiency Aachen University has formed a research team in this discipline. Scope and goals of this research activities are being presented in this paper. Keywords: extraction mine gas, Renewable Energy Act, Ruhr District.

Jan 1, 2003

By Y. X. Tong

The simplicity off Ø=0 analysis has been taken advantage of to evaluate the geotech­nical problems of open caissons, slurry trench walls and piles in Shanghai. Undrained shear strengths obtained by various testing methods are correlated with case record and experimental data. Some problems posed by the construction of tall buildings are briefly discussed. Comments on applications are made to help engineers deal with practical problems.

Jan 1, 2010