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By C. Strachan

This paper presents an evaluation of tailings dam incidents from the 1994 USCOLD Tailings Dam Committee report. Comparisons are also made with water storage dam incidents from USCOLD reports and recent tailings dam incidents. The evaluation results show that tailings dam incidents are due to a number of factors including overtopping, static and seismic instability, seepage and internal erosion, and foundation conditions, and that no particular type of tailings dam or operational condition is more susceptible to incidents. In addition, the results confirm that tailings dams should be located, designed, operated, and reclaimed with a thorough knowledge of site conditions, mill operation, site monitoring, and tailings characteristics.

Jan 1, 1999

The Port Kembla Copper (PKC) copper smelting facilities were commissioned during 2000. Numerous difficulties were encountered during the commissioning such as multiple reactor tuyere line failures, absorbing acid tower refractory collapse, and Noranda Reactor and Mitsubishi Converter process control problems. These problems are described along with the actions taken to overcome them. Process development is described particularly for the Mitsubishi Converter and Acid Plant.

Jan 1, 2002

By Edwin R. Walker

The old adage, " Necessity is the mother of invention," is fully borne out in the case of the device described in this paper. About four years ago the firm of the writer received instructions from Sir John Hawkshaw, C. E., and I. Wolf Barry, Esq., C. E., to construct and erect three large Guibal fans for ventilating a portion of the Metropolitan and District Underground Railway, of London. On account of the cost of coal and the very limited space for boilers, it was arranged that the fans should be driven by gas-engines. Those who have had experience with Guibal fans will be aware that as each blade or vane passes the lower edge of the shutter a pulsatory action takes place. When the fans above mentioned were set to work, the pulsation or vibration of the immense volumes of air discharged was so great that it caused a corresponding vibration of the window-sashes, doors, etc., of the surrounding buildings; and this was so unpleasant that the shopkeepers and others near obtained an injunction against the railroad company, compelling it to stop one of the fans. The work was by this time out of our hands, and we only casually heard what had taken place, learning also that, in addition to this injunction, another was threatened in the case of the second fan, and that the railroad company had thus far escaped the enforcement of this threat by agreeing to run the second fan at a few short stated intervals only during each day. In considering the case, it occurred to us to incline the lower edge of the shutter, instead of making it parallel with the axis of the fan,. by which means we thought that the waves of air might be broken

Jan 1, 1891

The total estimated production of coal in the United States during the first century and a quarter of mining is shown in Table 20. This is the total of the production of the various states already shown in the various tables, and is believed to be the first statement of this sort made. No such table prepared from limited data can be accurate, but it is the writer's opinion that the totals shown are less than those actually produced. It was thought that this study would enable a reasonably accurate account of the movement of coal down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers to be written. The searches made have shown that at this time the data do not exist from which such a study can be made, but some of the facts collected may be useful to future students.

Jan 1, 1942

The 70th Annual Meeting of the Minnesota Section of SME and the 58th Annual University of Minnesota Mining Symposium were held April 22-24, 1997, in Duluth, MN. About 450 attended both. The Fifth Annual Trade Expo, held during the meeting, was attended by a record 80 exhibitors. An SME short course on materials handling preceded the meeting. Iron-mining and the steel industries highlighted the meetings. Specific topics in the keynote addresses and technical sessions primarily concerned iron mining, iron- ore processing, product (taconite pellet) transportation and the steel market. Although the iron mining industry held center stage, several papers outside of iron mining were also presented. Iron mining in Minnesota contributes $1 billion to Minnesota's economy. According to the Iron Mining Association of Minnesota, more than 20,000 state jobs rely on the industry. Minnesota's iron mining industry came through tough times in the early 1980s, mostly because of worldwide competition. However, the industry has shown significant improvement in the last 15 years. A large share of the steel industry's competitiveness in the late 1990s is due to cost and quality improvements in the taconite mines. The taconite industry has become more productive, largely through the application of new technology. Since the early 1980s, Minnesota's taconite mines have nearly doubled the number of tons per worker-hour. Most of the taconite reserves in the United States are located in Minnesota's Mesabi, Vermilion and Cuyuna iron ranges. The Mesabi range alone contains an estimated 24. Gt (23.6 billion long tons) of mag- netic taconite. Since the 1950s, when taconite production first began, 1 Gt

Jan 1, 1997

By N. W. Johnson

Mount Isa Mines Limited (Isamine) has process control computers in the major surface plants -- lead smelter, copper smelter, lead/zinc concentrator, and copper concentrator. HP computers are used to implement the more complex stabilizing control loops and control schemes aimed at optimizing plant performance. The choice of control strategies is discussed with particular reference to long-term performance in metallurgical plants. These control schemes must be understood by the process metallurgists who are responsible for the performance and initial fault finding. Major emphasis has been placed on the ability of the control systems to handle most of the common plant upset conditions as well as providing improved performance under normal operating conditions. To illustrate the approaches adopted, the lead/zinc concentrator crushing system and the process bag- house control system for lead smelter off-gas handling are reviewed in detail. The improvements in both of these areas resulting from control systems implementation are discussed.

Jan 1, 1984

By S. G. Kumar

The performance of nickel based high temperature materials is directly related to their microstructure, which is controlled by the various processing steps. Nickel base alloys are melted and refined by a variety of processes that include Vacuum Induction Melting (VIM), Vacuum Arc Remelting (VAR) and Electroslag Remelting (ESR). The limitation of VIM is that the metallrefractory reactions lead to the disintegration of the crucible and hence contamination of the product due to macrosegregation. This macrosegregation is alleviated to some extent by controlling the solidification in VAR. The main attraction of ESR is its ability to produce a clean product by controlling the deleterious inclusions. In recent years Electron Beam Melting (EBM) is emerging as an alternative to the VIM, VAR and ESR. This paper reviews the current status of these processes and outlines the scope for further improvements in the processing technology.

Jan 1, 1993

By J. -P. Tshibangu, E. Lefebvre

ABSTRACT : The Tournai’s region in Belgium is characterized by outcrops of limestone that were mined out long ago by different companies for cement and crushed materials. The region is densely populated and the vibrations generated by blasts in the quarries are of big concern. The occurrence of electronic detonators and development of computer sciences brought a new expectation in controlling the vibration level and, hence, carry out bigger blast operations. In this paper we present the results of two experimental blast programs that have been carried out by the Nobel explosive Belgium Company on the Gaurain-Ramecroix quarry to understand the effect of the delay on the vibrations generated in the neighborhood. The first program has been implemented during the early use of electronic caps in Belgium (1996) by performing some unit shots. An attempt to model the effect of the production blasts by the hybrid method (Hinzen 1988) gave promising but poor results compared to infield measurements. A new program (more than ten blasts) has been implemented in 2006 in which the delay and blast firing sequence (i.e. the order in firing adjacent holes in a row) have been changed; a new attempt is made to build unit signals by deconvolution and then try to model production ones. A comparison of the two approaches is made.

Jan 1, 2008

By V. I. Lakshmanan

Crystalline Flake Graphite is a strategic mineral. Since 1954 nearly all North American consumption has been imported from offshore. The Bouthillier Project in Quebec, Canada, is Orrwell Energy's bid to enter the market. Milling of flake graphite is considered easy, yet more problems have been encountered in flowsheet and plant design than in most other minerals. A fresh approach to existing technology was taken, giving results that are highly satisfactory. The key to graphite liberation without flake deterioration is found to be in autogenous grinding. In addition to producing marketable coarse graphite by such autogenous grinding, flotation and tabling, super purity fines can be produced using repeated regrinding, elutriation and flotation. This paper discusses the design of a 500 TPD plant based upon the results obtained from bench and pilot plant studies.

Jan 1, 1984

By John Gross

THE method of measurement of surface on quartz particles was given in a previous paper.1 With such a method the relation of surface produced in crushing quartz can be compared to the work in crushing without recourse to sieve sizing or microscopic measurement. In crushing, the work input must be known with a fair degree of accuracy. With crushers, rolls, ball mills, and similar apparatus the measurement of the work in crushing is subject to possible errors, due to friction in .the transmission as well as in the machine itself. Moreover, relatively large quantities of material must be crushed to get an average figure. In the selection of a method of crushing, simplicity in design and operation was desired and this was most readily obtained by the use of a free-falling body. A description of the apparatus embodying this principle is given herewith. THE CRUSHING DEVICE The apparatus used is shown in Fig. 1 and in cross-section in Fig. 2. The material to be crushed is placed in the crushing chamber C in the steel mortar M. The mortar is 3 in. dia. by 3 in. high. Two mortars are used, one having a crushing chamber 1-in. dia. by 1/2 in. deep, with a capacity of 4 g. of quartz, the other having a crushing chamber 1 ½ in. dia. by 3/4 in. deep, with a capacity of 12 g. of quartz. The position of the mortar is adjusted by means of three centering screws A. The steel plunger P, which fits neatly into the chamber, is placed on top of the material to be crushed. Plungers of different lengths were tried and as they were found to give practically identical results the length adopted was equal to the depth of the chamber.

Jan 1, 1928

By Zhang Zhenyu, Wu Xinxia

The blasting quarrying technology of rock material of rock-fill dam is one of the more complex problems in the field of engineering blasting at present. The Kuz-Ram model is not suited to predict fragmentation distribution under the geology condition of Tianshengqiao(TSQ) fist-step power station. The modification of kuz-Ram model is discussed. With reference to the idea of model establishment of Kuz-Ram model and according to the results of experimental blasting in-situ, two fragmentation prediction models-TSQ-1 and TSQ-2 model are presented which are adapted to the particular condition of rock material querying blasting of rock-fill dam with concrete facing of TSQ first-step power station. The rapid judgment method of qualified grade material and the method of optimizing blasting parameters are also presented in this paper.

Jan 1, 1998

By M. K. Boateng, K. Awuah-Offei

"Language barrier in a workplace affects workers’ productivity and safety. The objectives of this paper are to: (1) review the various approaches for breaking language barriers among miners; and (2) analyze the costs and benefits of these approaches, and make recommendations on the way forward. The authors achieve these objectives by reviewing the current approaches in breaking language barriers among miners. The review reveals that some of these approaches can be expensive with less benefits. Thus, it is concluded that mining companies should carefully select the optimal approach to break language barrier. INTRODUCTION Multi-national mining companies have expanded their operations into non-traditional mining destinations to grow and meet market expectations. For instance, Newmont Mining Corporation has about 14 operations and projects located in Africa, Asia, Australia and America (Newmont Mining Corporation Operations and Projects, 2015). Similarly, Freeport-McMoRan operates about 14 mines in North America, South America, Southern Asia, and Africa (Freeport-McMoRan Inc., 2015). Some mining companies have also attracted expatriate workers into their workforce. For example, Ma’aden, the Saudi Arabian mining company, in its 2013 annual report states that 34% of its total employees are expatriates (Ma'aden, 2013). Expatriates constitute a key source of skilled labor and facilitate skill transfer. The success of many international operations relies greatly on expatriate performance (Erbacher, D'Netto & Espana, 2006). Even companies that do not expand their operations into other foreign countries still have to deal with language barriers due to changing language demography of the country and the areas from which labor is sourced. For example, the language composition of the workforce and languages used in South African mines is diverse with miners proficient in Afrikaans, English, Zulu, Xhosa and others to varying degrees (Research Focus (Pty) Ltd, 2011). As a result of these trends, most mines today operate with a multinational workforce. This means cultural differences, including language barriers, exist among the miners. Marschan-Piekkari, Welch and Welch (1999) emphasize the fact that language problems become prominent as companies internationalize and grow their operations into more countries. According to a survey by Forbes, language barrier affects operations. For example, business owners acknowledge that language proficiency may promote a safer work environment (Rubin, 2011). A research has shown that language and cultural barriers in a workplace contributes to reducing workers’ productivity, increasing accidents, and hurts employers’ ability to recruit, hire and retain workers (Morris, 2002). Hence, mines are making efforts to break language barriers in their operating environments. Ma’aden, for instance reported in 2013 that 1,506 of its employees received training in English as a second language (Ma'aden, 2013)."

Jan 1, 2016

By Luis de Montreul

El presente texto describe la mineralogía del oro que comprende sus asociaciones con otros minerales metálicos, relaciones con las gangas no metálica, granolometría, abundancia y las características textuales de los minerales. Para ello, es vital conocer la selección del método de tratamiento a emplear para obtener una óptima recuperación del oro.

May 1, 1986

By Andrew A. Blair

The increased importance and value of chemical analysis in connection with metallurgical operations is largely, if not entirely, due to the increased accuracy of the analytical methods used for the quantitative determination of the foreign elements always associated with the metal operated upon. This applies especially in the working of iron and steel, and to the determination of the amounts of such elements as phosphorus, carbon, and silicon. The influence of greater or smaller amounts of these elements upon the physical properties of iron and steel will be better understood when the proper experiments shall have been made upon samples whose chemical composition is known with almost absolute certainty. From the present standpoint of analytical chemistry, it is easy to see that at least one reason for the failure of many attempts to solve this problem, is the inaccuracy of the analytical methods used. Even at the present time the frequent want of agreement (over and above the unavoidable error due to manipulation) between chemists working on the same sample, leads one to think that there is still at least a choice in the methods used. It is true that very frequently a faulty method in the hands of a skilful analyst may be made to give corroborative results

By Richard E. Sabaski

The demand placed on the mining industry in the past 15 years for increased production, coupled with lower grade ore and higher cost capital, has resulted in a noticeable increase in grinding mill sizes. The pressure to increase mill size continues. During the mid sixty's and early seventy's, ?larger? conventional ball mills were in the range of 13 - 16-1/2 f t. diameter (4 - 5 m) increasing by the mid 70's to 18 ft. (5.5 m) diameter. At the same time, autogenous mills expanded from 24 - 32 ft. (7.3 - 9.1 m) to the present 34 and 36 ft. (10.b and 11.0 m) diameters. These size pioneers of 16-1/2, 18, and 36 ft. diameter mills from Allis-Chalmers have been free from structural problems, because they were analyzed, modeled, designed, and field tested to meet the challenge.

Jan 1, 1981

By M. Verri

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Jan 1, 2009

Brigadier R. S. G. Stokes of Sherborne, Dorset, is the oldest surviving member of the South African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. He joined in 1904 and has been a member for 77 years. Book review Sittig, M. Hand book of catalyst manufacture. Park Ridge (U.S.A.), Noyes Data Corporation, 1978. The detailed information in this book is based on patents issued in the U.S.A. that deal with catalysts and their commercial technology. Project management The South African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy is to hold a Colloquium on Project Management in the Metallurgical Industry in March 1980. Ingenieurs-in-opleiding in die weermag Op 'n onlangse vergadering van die Suid-Afrikaanse Raad vir Professionele Ingenieurs is daar besluit om kwytskelding van jaargeld aan geregistreerde ingenieursin- opleiding wat tans met hulle tweejaar nasionale diensplig besig is, te verleen met dien verstande dat.... Engineers-in-training in the army At a recent meeting of the South African Council for Professional Engineers it was resolved that a remission of annual fees would be granted to registered engineers in- training who are doing compulsory two-year national service, provided that.... Processing of fine particles The Society of Mining Engineers of AIME is organizing an International Symposium on Fine Particles Processing, which is to be held in Las Vegas from 24th to 28th February, 1980. Economics of precious metals International Precious Metals Institute announces a Special Course for all interested in economic aspects of today's precious metals.

Jan 1, 1979

THE CHAIRMAN (DR. A. R. LEDOUX).-If there ever was a question in the mind of anybody as to whether there are some mining engineers, I think if they would look in the door tonight they would decide there are. We meet here tonight not only to enjoy a smoke and other incidentals which are permitted us in these days, but with a more serious thought in our minds, because that flag, with its 540 stars, only begins to show the number of our membership that are serving the country. We are thinking of them, and when we consider how many of those men are also citizens of one or another of our allied countries, we can imagine that many are tonight thinking of us and perhaps have received, even at the front, notices of our annual meeting and are wondering what we are doing tonight; so our thought this evening will be going out to them, going out to those of our number who are serving in the khaki or in the blue, or in other activities denied to some of us for one reason or another; but, gentlemen, there is one thing we will do now, we will rise and sing together r the Star Spangled Banner. Gentlemen, not only are American citizens here tonight, not only representatives of our country on the Speakers' platform, but. there are representatives of our Allies, and we are going to have the privilege of listening to one or two of the latter, a citizen of the great British Empire and a citizen of France. We will first have the pleasure of hearing Capt. Hodder-Williams. He has been loaned to us to take charge of training Columbia University students, after two years or more in the trenches, and lie carries with him the only German thing in this room, a German bullet in his shoulder. That has not affected either his spirit or his

Jan 4, 1918

By Ray Walton, Ron Colquhoun, Ken Thomas, Dwayne Fentie, Barney Burke

"The new Roasting Facility at Barrick’s Goldstrike Mine in Nevada, U.S.A. was developed to process 12,000 tons per day of refractory gold ore. The process consists of crushing, dry grinding, roasting, extensive gas purification, calcine quenching and leaching in the presence of activated carbon. The new plant is integrated into the existing Goldstrike facility, treating ore from both open pit and underground sources.The process design, procurement, construction and commissioning of the Roaster facility was performed successfully over a 3% year period with peaks of 400 engineering personnel and 950 construction personnel supporting the project. The US$330,000,000 project was completed ahead of schedule and under budget. The commissioning was well planned and proceeded smoothly through a rapid start-up to achieve all primary goals within three months of the start of processing of ore.BACKGROUNDAs early as 1992, Barrick’s Goldstrike Mine, located north of Carlin, Nevada had indications of the ore becoming ever increasingly carbonaceous in nature. As the open pit and underground exploration programs proceeded to step out over the years that followed, the accumulative amount of carbonaceous refractory ore and tons had become significant. By 1997, 29 million tons of double refractory carbonaceous ore containing an estimated 11.6 million ounces of gold had been identified. By 2000 the resource had increased to 14.3 million ounces."

Jan 1, 2001

By Jason J. Crowder

Presentation Outline ? Introduction ? Costs of ground support and rehabilitation ? Why post-failure rock mass properties are necessary ? The Rock Mechanics Problem ? Present State of Modelling and Instrumentation in Mining ? Case Study Background ??Williams Mine ? Deriving Parameters for Modelling from Instrumentation ? Results from Case Study ??Back Analyses ? Discussion of Research Impact t Summary

May 1, 2006