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By E E. Hall, C D. Taylor, D S. Yantek

Regular monitoring for methane gas is required near working faces in gassy underground mines where the potential for methane ignitions is greatest. However, high concentrations of methane can also accumulate outby the face where methane levels are monitored less frequently. Wearing a personal methane monitor equipped with an alarm could protect persons working in these outby areas from injury or death due to methane ignitions. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has conducted studies to evaluate methanometers that could be used as person-wearable monitors. For the present study, seven different person-wearable monitors that are not currently approved for underground use were evaluated. This paper describes test procedures used to evaluate performance of methane monitors that could be used underground for continuous personal monitoring of methane. The information in this report provides data that allows the reader to make side-by side comparisons of these instruments.

Jan 1, 2005

By P. L. Drake

This paper comprises a discussion of the role which mineral resources will play in Canada's future export trade and the growing demand for minerals in Canada.

Jan 1, 1979

By M. du Toit

Cromanite?is a new high-strength austenitic stainless steel developed by Columbus Stainless. It contains approximately 19 percent chromium, 10 per cent manganese and 0,5 per cent nitrogen. Cromanite can be welded successfully, but due to the high nitrogen content of the base metal, certain precautions have to be taken to ensure sound welds with the desired combination of properties. Although no matching filler metals are currently available, Cromanite can be welded using a range of commercially available stainless steel welding consumables. Welds produced using E309L, E307, E307Si and E312 filler wires are resistant to hot cracking and the formation of nitrogen-induced porosity, but the hardness, strength, ductility and toughness of the welds are generally inferior to those of the base metal. In applications where full use is made of Cromanite?s high strength, welds with matching strength levels would be required. In wear applications, where Cromanite is used primarily for its work-hardening properties and corrosion resistance, lower strength welds would probably be acceptable. Welds produced using E307 filler metal demonstrate the best combination of properties for use in wear applications. The welds display high rates of work-hardening that would result in increases in hardness and strength when subjected to abrasive or high impact environments.

Jan 1, 1999

The annual report f the Secretary of the Navy for the fiscal year, ending June 30, 1917, but including operations and recommendations up to Dec. 1 of that year, contains the following remark about the activities of the Naval Consulting Board. The members of the Institute who are members f this Board are William L. Saunders, Benjamin B. Thayer, Thomas A. Edison, Thomas Robins, Lawrence Addicks, Joseph W. Richards, W. R. Whitney, assisted by 47 other members f the Institute, in the capacity of associate members of the Naval Consulting Board. During the year, the work of this board, organized and approved by Congress in 1915, has increased very materially in importance and volume, its meetings have been frequent and the work of its individual members has been such in some cases as to occupy almost their entire time in the service of the Government. Some time before the active entry of this country into war the board called a special meeting to which were invited some 50 of the leading scientists and industrial managers, whose special study fitted them to advise on the methods of meeting the

Jan 2, 1918

An approach to underground mining of shallow dipping, thick seam coal is proposed in broad outline. The method is based upon overhand slice and fill, with hydraulically emplaced washery refuse as the filling material. Likely fill behaviour and character- istics are discussed and likely problem/investigational/ research areas defined.

Jan 1, 1976

By J. Chen Kuriyama

One method to store hydrogen effectively involves the use of metal complexes such as the alkali-element aluminum hydrides. The hydriding/dehydriding properties of these materials depend on how to prepare them with different structures and microstructures. The present work focused on a high-energy ball milling technique to produce Ti-doped lithium tetrahydridoaluminate (LiA1H4) and lithium hexahydroalanate (Li3AIH6) powders with nanocrystallites. The phase structures and dehydriding/rehydriding characteristics were investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller measurement, thermogravimetry, and differential scanning calorimetry. The mechanism of dehydrogenation and rehydrogenation was also examined by means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results on the relation between the reversible hydrogen storage and catalysis function of the Ti-doped complex hydride indicate that both the homogenous distribution of Ti+AI nanoclusters and the Ti¬catalyst with Ti e> Ti3+ (Ti0/Ti2+/Ti3+) defect sites play important roles in optimizing the reversible hydrogen storage.

Jan 1, 2002

By John Guilbert

El presente texto describe la historia del descubrimiento y desarrollo del yacimiento de pórfido de cobre-oro Bajo de la Alumbrera. En ese sentido, dicha minera es menos geológica, teórica y está más orientada a más modelos geológicos, puesto que cuando K. Richard finalizaba la exploración y evaluación del yacimiento de Toquepala en la década del 60, Bajo de la Alumbrera estaba siendo descubierta. Asimismo, la minera se encuentra al noroeste de la República Argentina en una región donde ocurre una cadena de yacimientos de cobre, conocida como el "Cinturón Metalogénico de Pórfidos de Cobre". Allí también existe el complejo volcánico llamado "Farallón Negro" que en superficie contiene muchos sulfatos denominados "alumbres", de donde se originó el nombre de Bajo (depresión topográfica) de la Alumbrera.

Apr 26, 1999

By Cam Thomas

The initial application for reflectorless laser technology was for profiling rock faces to determine front row burden and improve flyrock control and airblast. Over the past fifteen years a number of laser systems have been developed for general ground modeling purposes and GPS offsets, but these advances have yet to gain common acceptance in construction, mining and quarry blasting. This paper will outline a number of applications for reflectorless laser technology, including the latest method for rock face profiling, mapping, and 3-D modeling to calculate available and excavated rock volumes. Drilling deviation measurements will be presented in conjunction with rock face profiling to demonstrate how this information can be used to improve blast results. In complicated excavations, the actual quantity of rock excavated for payment purposes and the amount of overbreak can be very controversial. Procedures to calculate these volumes using laser technology will be outlined and comparisons will be made between these results and traditional techniques.

Jan 1, 2003

By Hossein Zarei, Masoud Kashani, Mehdi Safari

The feed of flotation unit in Angouran mine, as a part of Iranian Lead and Zinc National Corporation, contains about 34.26% zinc (about 12% Zn sulphide) and 10.14% lead (about 2% Pb sulphide). The grade of Pb and Zn in the final concentrate (rougher+scavenger), under optimal conditions (200 g/ton PEX, 500 g/ton zinc sulfate, 30 g/ton MIBC and pH = 7.5), was 63.18% and 13.01%, respectively, and the total Pb (sulphide-oxide) recovery was about 19% which included 95% Pb sulphide. The grade of Pb and Zn in rougher concentrate step was about 71.86% and 5.97%, respectively, when PEX (Potassium Ethyl Xanthate) was used as collector. While in the presence of PAX (Potassium Amyl Xanthate), the grade of Pb and Zn in rougher concentrate step was 66.8% and 10%, respectively. Tailing of the galena flotation (with 8.48% Pb grade and 34.92% Zn grade under the optimal conditions) was used as a feed for sphalerite and oxide section flotation.

Jan 1, 2014

By V. Apraxine, J. Lakaye, J. J. Saquet, P. Troch

Union Minière du Haut-Katanga owns concessions for extracting copper and associated metals in the high plateau region of Katanga. The concession is about 188 miles long by 44 miles wide and has three principal areas: Southern area-The Prince Leopold mine is an underground operation from which a copper-zinc sulfide ore is extracted. The mine and associated concentrator are at Kipushi. Copper concentrates are smelted and converted to blister copper at the Lubumbashi smelter at Elizabethville.

Jan 12, 1962

By Burnham E. Field

TAE chemical industry is constantly looking for new materials which either are more resistant to corrosion than those now available or have improved physical properties to meet the requirements of higher temperatures and greater pressures. Attack by acids is-one of the more important forms of corrosion-and in the last few years the development of acid-resistant alloys has been quite rapid. Perhaps the most notable example is that of nitric acid, 'the problem of which has largely been solved by the chromium-iron and chromium-iron-nickel alloys. Sulfuric acid may be handled in lead, iron, or the iron-silicon alloys, depending on conditions. As to hydrochloric acid, no metal or alloy can be called entirely satisfactory for handling. this acid under plant conditions.1 The results of our investigations on the resistance of the nickel-molybdenum alloys to hydrochloric acid have been confirmed by those of Guertler, Rohn, Schulz, Jenge, and others,' but thus far only one such alloy has approached commercial production in Germany; this contains approximately 15 per cent. chromium and 7 per cent. molybdenum with the remainder chiefly nickel. Dr. S. W. Parr, as far back as 1914, developed a complex alloy known as "illium," with a nickel base and containing some molybdenum.3 Dr. Parr was primarily interested in an alloy for lining bomb calorimeters, and while illium does show good resistance to acid it is too expensive for general use. Two United States

Jan 1, 1929

By K. M. Rolls, J. Wulff, D. A. Colling

Solid-solution alloys of the Ta- Ti system containing up to 70 at. pct Ti were melted and fabricated into wire. Steady magnetic-field measurements of cold-worked wires at 4.2°K indicate that the resistive critical field increases smoothly with increasing titanium, reaching a maximum of 93 kG (J = 1 amp per sq cm) for a composition of about 50 at. pct Ti. The composition dependence of the resistive critical field indicates it is largely paramagnetically limited for alloys containing more than 35 at. pct Ti. For cold-worked wires the value of the critical current density, Jc , was found to be insensitive to composition changes for compositions in excess of 20 at. pct Ti. It was observed that Jc could be increased by final-size heat treatment at 400°C without altering the value of- the resistive critical field. Experimental data are used to calculate the electronic specific-heat coefficient and the "upper critical field" for the alloys studied. THE effect and importance of metallurgical structure on superconducting properties have been summarized by Livingston and Schadler.1 Specific work on solid-solution alloys such as Nb-zr2-7 and Nb-Ti5-7 have shown that critical current density (Jc) and superconducting transition temperature are structure-sensitive. Berlincourt et al.6,8,9 in their studies of transition-metal alloys find that Ta-Ti alloys remain superconducting at fields comparable to Nb-Ti alloys. 6,8 Transverse critical current tests of a Ta-10 at. pct Ti alloy10 and longitudinal critical current tests of a Ta-25 at. pct Ti alloy1' indicate that such alloys are capable of carrying high currents at intermediate fields (-40 kG). The work reported in the present paper was undertaken to explore the superconducting properties of further compositions in the Ta-Ti alloy system as well as the structure sensitivity of the superconducting properties. I) EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Alloys were prepared by melting tantalum (Fansteel Metallurgical Corp., 99.96 pct purity) and iodide, crystal bar titanium (Foote Mineral Co., 99.92 pct purity) mixtures in an arc furnace on a water-cooled copper hearth using a tungsten electrode. Melting was accomplished in a purified, gettered argon atmosphere at pressures from 250 to 400 Torr. Each alloy was turned and remelted fourteen times to assure complete mixing of tantalum and titanium. Ex- cessive coring in the cast samples was, nevertheless, observed. This was somewhat reduced by annealing in vacuo at 1000°C for 13 hr. The ingots were then machined to 0.250 in. diam, jacketed in Type 304 stainless-steel tubing, and swaged to 0.140 in. diam. They were then drawn to 0.010-in.-diam wire. Alloys containing up to 70 at. pct Ti were readily cold-drawn to wire in this manner. Later experiments showed that oxygen additions up to -3000 ppm could also be cold-worked into wire. Test samples for superconductivity measurements in the 2-in, air-core Bitter solenoids of the M.I.T. National Magnet Laboratory were prepared from 10-in. lengths of 0.010-in.-diam wire, cleaned of residual wire-drawing lubricant. Current contacts were made by clamping clean copper tubing over both No. 18 current lead wire and the ultrasonically indium-tinned ends of the specimen wire.12 Potential leads of No. 32 copper wire were connected to the specimen by ultrasonic soldering in an indium bath. The potential lead separation was about 4 cm, corresponding to the circumference of the Bakelite rod to which the wire was affixed with half-mil Teflon tape. The final specimen configuration is shown in Fig. 1. Specimens were lowered into a liquid helium bath (4.2oK) in a double solenoid dewar and positioned so that the maximum magnetic field was oriented transverse to the wire axis of the gage section. Measurements were made by passing a current through the specimen at a preset solenoidal magnetic field. The current was increased until a 1-pv potential difference appeared across the gage section (1/4 µv per cm). At low magnetic fields, however, it was not possible to use this criterion because power-dissipation difficul-

Jan 1, 1967

By S. J. Moema, M. G. Maruma, L. A. Mampuru, M. E. Maja

"The most commonly used high-chromium white cast iron (HCWCI) is the hypoeutectic white cast iron that contains 2–3.5 wt.% C and 10–30% Cr. This type of material relies on hard, brittle M7C3 carbides to impart good wear resistance. Due to its good wear resistance, this material has found application in the mining industry and cement industry. However, it has low fracture strength and this challenge led to research aimed at refining the microstructure. This was done by the addition of niobium in the range between 0.1 and 0.6 wt.%. In the as-cast condition, the addition of niobium was found to increase the fracture strength due to the finer eutectic microstructure. The hardness was also found to have increased slightly compared to the reference alloy with no niobium additions. Low fracture strength after heat treatment was observed in the Nb-added HCWCI, which is believed to have been caused by the precipitation of secondary carbides and the transformation of the matrix from austenite to martensitic. IntroductionFor the past few years Mintek has been involved in a project in which a number of alloys have been identified for grinding media applications. The high-chromium white cast iron (HCWCI) alloys were among the alloys researched for this application. The knowledge acquired from the grinding ball media research has now been extended to mill liners, which have traditionally been made of manganese-, chromium- and chrome-molybdenum steels. The replacement of worn mill liners costs the mining industry a significant amount of money and this has led to a need for continuous research to prolong the life of the liners. During milling operations, liner wear has an adverse effect on the capacity of the mill, the energy efficiency and milling efficiency and finally leads to relining, to replace worn liners."

Jan 1, 2016

By S. Sinha, S. Ganguly

"In an opencast mine explosives are used for fragmentation of rock. Inefficient use of explosive energy in an opencast operation produces excessive ground vibration, which is measured by peak particle velocity (PPV). To mitigate ground vibration, it is essential to develop a model to predict PPV. At present empirical models are used. These models are based on only a few input variables, hence they fail to take into account the effects of the myriad factors that cause ground vibration. Due to lack of explicit knowledge about the complex mine blasting system the scope of application of mathematical and statistical modeling techniques is limited. The artificial neural network (ANN) technique is a learning algorithm that can remove some of these limitations and can be applied to predict PPV. In this paper an ANN model is developed for prediction of blast vibration using 248 data records collected from three coal mines with diverse geomining conditions. The correlation coefficient between measured PPV and model output was found to be 0.96 and the average error percentage 11.85. The ANN model output was compared with the output of three empirical models that are widely used for prediction of PPV. The correlation coefficient between the PPV predicted by an empirical model and measured PPV data was 0.63 and the relative error percentage 38.47. This result demonstrates the superiority of the ANN model compared to empirical blast models. By using site-specific structural discontinuities as input the model performance can be further improved. Sensitivity analysis and 3D plotting were used to gain further knowledge about blast-induced ground vibration. IntroductionIn an opencast coal mine explosives are used for fragmentation of coal and overburden. If the explosive energy is not fully utilized it causes blast-induced ground vibration, which may damage nearby structures. Ground vibration is expressed as peak particle velocity (PPV). During different stages of mine planning and operation, it is necessary to use a ground vibration prediction model for blasthole design. Selection of the modelling technique is crucial. Mathematical and statistical modelling techniques have limited application because of the lack of explicit knowledge about the complex mine blasting system. Vogiatzi (2002) highlighted the problem of multicollinearity in case of statistical modeling techniques. Mutalib et al. (2013) stated that mathematical models are unable to capture the nonlinear relationship between several blasting-related parameters due to the complexity of the model input data. However, the difficulty involved in modelling complex blast vibration problems can be removed by adopting an alternative soft computing modelling approach. One of the soft computing techniques is the artificial neural network (ANN). Ragam and Nimaje (2018) developed an ANN model for predicting PPV using six input variables. Kosti et al. (2013) stated that the conventional predictors fail to provide acceptable prediction accuracy. They showed that a neural network model with four mine blast parameters as input could make significantly more accurate on-site predictions. Sayadi et al., (2013), using a database from Teheran Cement Company limestone mines, found that a neural network resulted in maximum accuracy and minimum error. Khandelwal and Singh (2009) developed an ANN model using 150 data records from an Indian coal mine with site-specific rock characteristics and geomining setting. Khandewal and Singh (2007) built a ground vibration prediction model for a magnesite mine using four prediction variables with 20 data records. Kamali and Ataei (2010) predicted PPV in the structure of the Karoun III power plant and dam using an ANN. El Hafiz et al. (2010) evaluated ground vibration predictors using data from a single-station seismograph at a limestone quarry in Egypt."

Feb 1, 2019

By William E. Mead

A regional investigation to find large supplies of potable ground water was carried out at elevations exceeding 12,000 feet above sea level on the Bolivian Altiplano. The program marked the first application of modern ground water search and development technology in the region, and ended a history of unsuccessful exploration efforts to locate important supplies of fresh water from underground sources. Oruro, a population center of 90,000 inhabitants, and its primary supporting industry - mining, both derived major direct benefit from the results of this program.

Jan 1, 1970

Underground testing was carried out by Ingersoll-Rand, Inc., under contract to the Bureau of Mines to determine the effectiveness of a machine-mounted scrubber system for ventilating the face during an extended advance. A continuous miner equipped with an integral flooded-bed dust scrubber system was instrumented with methanometers and Real-time Aerosol Monitor (RAM) dust monitors. Methane and respirable dust data were collected at brattice setbacks of 7.5 m (current operating distance), 10.5 m, and 15 m (blowing ventilation) during production shifts. Results showed that a suitable machine-mounted scrubber system can adequately ventilate the face at brattice setbacks up to 15 m. No deterioration in ventilation performance was observed as brattice setbacks were increased from 7.5 m to 15 m. The scrubber system effectively controlled face methane levels at large setbacks, though respirable dust levels increased as much as 33 pct at the operator's cab at setbacks greater than 7.5 m.

Jan 1, 1986

By R. L. Miller

The potential for recovery of enriched uranium from spent nuclear fuel which has been consolidated into a nuclear waste form was explored in the studies reported here. The waste form of interest is iron-enriched basalt (IEB)--a silicate-based, fused-cast ceramic. IEB samples were prepared containing fuel assembly materials that simulate the core debris of Three Mile Island Unit II;1,2 the nominal composition of the consolidated waste form is given in Table 1. Ore Types The IEB samples, or man-made uranium ores (MMUO), are in two different mineralogical forms. Each MU0 was made by melting the constituent materials and holding at about 1500°C for 1 h. The MMUOs were then heat treated to control crystallization and crystal growth and then cooled to room temperature.

Jan 1, 1983

By G. Molloy

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the value of applying continuous improvement, in particular 5S and standard work, in an underground environment. 5S and standard work are two aspects of Lean manufacturing that have been applied in many industries. At Vale Canada Limited, the focus is to first stabilize the process, commonly through the use of 5S, standard work and other continuous improvement techniques. In parallel with building an engaged workforce, these approaches aim to incrementally stabilize and improve a process. 5S is an employee-driven, systematic methodology to reduce waste in all its forms through attaining, maintaining, and improving workplace organization. Identified as a foundational part of any improvement process, 5S aims to remove wastes that impact on the overall efficiency of the area. Standard work is used to formulate a common approach to how tasks are carried out to ensure consistency. Standardization involves identifying, establishing, and following the best method. The aim is to eliminate the variation that can occur when there is not a pre-defined established standard. Demonstrating the value of 5S and standard work in an underground environment will be achieved by first understanding the overall concept of Operational Excellence and continuous improvement as practiced within our operations. The paper will then cover a real application of 5S and standard work within the underground environment at Thompson, Manitoba.

Aug 1, 2013

By D. J. Parker

Ability to signal the hoisting engineer in shaft mines is of utmost importance from the standpoint of safety and economy. The problem of signalling from the cages and especially from the moving cages has received too little attention from mine operators; however, this problem has been given considerable thought and attention by at least one large metal-mining company in Utah which has devised successful, economical, and safe systems of signalling from the cage whether it is moving or at rest. A Report of Investigations on "Methods used in Utah for signalling mine hoists from moving cages," by C. A. Allen, then a metal-mining engineer in the Bureau of Mines, was issued in June, 1920. As this report contains interesting history of systems of signalling from moving mine hoists, and describes several systems then in use, it is here quoted in full.

Jan 1, 1929

Twelve years ago, Jeffrey Mining Machinery Division of Dresser Industries Inc. developed the 120H HELIMINER. This machine was the world's first fixed-drum continuous miner and soon became the standard among manufacturers of continuous miners throughout the mining machinery industry. This paper will first outline a brief history of continuous miner development, then discuss significant parameters which are essential to a successful continuous miner design, and finally describe a number of specific applications of Jeffrey continuous miners in a variety of materials, such as coal, potash, iron ore, and trona, around the world.

Jan 1, 1978