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By LUKAS FAHLE, Andrew J. Petruska, JURGEN F. BRUNE, Gabriel Walton, Elizabeth A. Holley

Adverse ground behavior events, such as convergence and ground falls, pose critical risks to underground mine safety and productivity. Today, monitoring of such failures is primarily conducted using legacy techniques with low spatial and temporal resolution while exposing workers to hazardous environments. This study assesses the potential of novel simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM)-based light detection and ranging (Lidar) data quality for rapid, digital, and eventually autonomous mine-wide underground geotechnical monitoring. We derive a comprehensive suite of quality metrics based on tests in two underground mines for two state-of-the-art mobile laser scanning (MLS) systems. Our results provide evidence that SLAM-based MLS provides data of the quality required to detect geotechnically relevant changes while being significantly more efficient for large mine layouts when compared to traditional static systems. Additionally, we show that SLAM-specific processing can achieve an order of magnitude better relative accuracy relevant for change detection than quality metrics derived from traditionally deployed tests would suggest while reducing SLAM drift error by up to 90%. In collaboration with an operating block cave mine, we confirm these capabilities in field tests on a mine-wide scale and, for the first time, demonstrate methods of rockfall detection using MLS data. While more work is required to investigate optimal collection, processing, and utilization of MLS data, we demonstrate its potential to become an effective and widely applicable data source for rapid, accurate, and comprehensive geotechnical inspections.

Aug 16, 2022

Discussion of the paper of L. O. HOWARD, presented at the Salt Lake meeting, August, 1914, and printed in Bulletin No. 91, July, 1914, pp. 1785 to 1790. E. P. MATHEWSON, Anaconda, Mont.-I would like to add a few words of praise on Mr. Howard's work at the Old Dominion. Mr. Howard has given this particular converter shell his personal attention, and the results are shown in the figures given. Similar converter shells, a little different in shape and of about the same size, have been tried in many plants throughout the United States. The results have been highly satisfactory, but there is no shell of the size of the one described by Mr. Howard that has given anything like the results that Mr. Howard's shell has given. I know of larger shells that have given very good service, and are still in operation, and require very little repair. The main thing about the whole process of using the basic lining in copper converting is to keep the temperature within reasonable bounds, particularly not to get the furnace too hot. If it is overheated a little bit, for say half an hour, an entire lining may be ruined. It is very easy to keep the temperature regulated 'if the mass is large. If you have a large mass in your converter you can easily prevent it from getting over-heated, and that is the big argument in favor of the extra large converters. Of course, there is a limit to what a plant can turn out in the way of matte. Very few plants can supply matte sufficient to keep a converter of 20 ft. in diameter in operation constantly, but the 20-ft. converter is very much superior to the 12-ft. converter in easy handling and absolute control of the temperature. I think Mr. Howard is to be congratulated on the excellent showing he has made.

Jan 12, 1914

In 1970, the U. S. Bureau of Mines contracted with Theodore Barry and Associates, a management consulting firm, to perform a one-year industrial engineering study of working-face hazards in underground bituminous coal mines. The field data was accumulated from industrial engineering observations in fifty underground mines. Supporting data for the analysis was derived primarily from the Bureau's fatal accident reports for the years 1966 through 1970. This report, Industrial Engineering Study of Hazards Associated with Underground Coal Mine Production, consists of three main parts: 1) The Fatal Accident Reports Analysis, 2) The Industrial Engineering Analysis, and 3) Multiflow Process Charts and Standard Time Data. The Fatal Accident Reports Analysis (Volume I, Section II) is based upon individual USBM fatal accident reports for 1966-1970. These were read, coded and computerized in terms of 84 significant variables. Cross-tabulations of these variables have been used to identify major underground hazards and to quantify significant causal factors. A very strong relationship was found to exist between fatal accident occurrences and low task experience. This led to a recommendation for formalized training, certification and supervision programs for miners. Victim compliance with federal regulations, mine regulations and supervisor instructions was analyzed, indicating that supervisors provide the most crucial communication link to workers. Thus, every attempt should be made to ensure the competence of immediate supervisors in the industry. Analysis of roof fall variables revealed a fatal propensity on the part of the miners to work under unsupported roof or under support conditions that are marginal. The technical approach to the problem is to make it physically impossible for a miner to work under these conditions; the behavioral approach is to ensure adequate training and develop proper safety attitudes among the miners. The Fatal Accident Reports Analysis revealed a need for normalizing data to interpret the results more accurately.

Jan 1, 1971

By Stuart E. Buckley, C. R. Hocott

The viscosity of the oil in the reservoir is one of the properties that influence its movement through the sand to producing wells. Measurements of viscosity, therefore, are pertinent to problems associated with well behavior and with the estimation of recoveries, and afford an indirect means for partial evaluation of various methods of controlling reservoir behavior. The effect of dissolved gases on the viscosity of crude oil has been determined,ls2 but no data have been published on the viscosity of representative samples of reservoir oils. This paper describes a simple instrument that has been used to determine the viscosities of a number of subsurface oil samples at the temperatures and pressures existing in the reservoirs, and presents the results of the determinations for typical fields. Construction oF the Apparatus The principal requirements of any instrument used for the examination of subsurface samples are that it be strong and simple both in design and in method of operation. Accuracy beyond that of the degree of reproducibility of subsurface Sam-~les from various wells in a reservoir or exceeding that of the common measure-merits of reservoir temperatures and Pressures is not required. Because of the expense of procuring subsurface samples, it is necessary also that the instrument operate on a relatively small fraction of a sample, leaving the remainder for other tests, and that there be few or no failures of the equipment to cause undue delay or loss of a sample. After preliminary experiments with a falling bullet, the results of which were not satisfactory, a simple viscosimeter was built of the rolling ball type first proposed by Flowers3 and later used by several investiga-tor. 5.8 The apparatus consists essentially of a removable, accurately bored cylindrical barrel of 1/4-in. nominal internal diameter, 8 in. long, in which a closely fitting steel ball rolls through the oil with the barrel inclined at a definite angle. The ball makes contact at one end of the barrel with ail insulated electrode, closing an electrical circuit, which actuates a buzzer. The meas-urements consist essentially in determining the time required for the ball to travel the length of the barrel. The details of the construction are shown in Fig. I. The barrel in which the ball rolls was made from a section of 25-caliber blank rifle barrel, specially bored to an exact uniform diameter and polished. The barrel slides snugly into a hole bored in a solid stainless-steel cylinder, an upper external shoulder of the barrel compressing a small spring, and is held in place by a hollow nut. The spring prevents the barrel from seating against the bottom of the bored hole in the cylinder, while narrow external longitudinal slots in the barrel permit fluid to flow around it and through the bottom. The upper part of the recess in the steel cylinder is enlarged to form a tapered chamber, which acts as a reservoir for the oil and affords space for agitation to ensure

Jan 1, 1941

By C. R. Hocott, Stuart E. Buckley

The viscosity of the oil in the reservoir is one of the properties that influence its movement through the sand to producing wells. Measurements of viscosity, therefore, are pertinent to problems associated with well behavior and with the estimation of recoveries, and afford an indirect means for partial evaluation of various methods of controlling reservoir behavior. The effect of dissolved gases on the viscosity of crude oil has been determined,ls2 but no data have been published on the viscosity of representative samples of reservoir oils. This paper describes a simple instrument that has been used to determine the viscosities of a number of subsurface oil samples at the temperatures and pressures existing in the reservoirs, and presents the results of the determinations for typical fields. Construction oF the Apparatus The principal requirements of any instrument used for the examination of subsurface samples are that it be strong and simple both in design and in method of operation. Accuracy beyond that of the degree of reproducibility of subsurface Sam-~les from various wells in a reservoir or exceeding that of the common measure-merits of reservoir temperatures and Pressures is not required. Because of the expense of procuring subsurface samples, it is necessary also that the instrument operate on a relatively small fraction of a sample, leaving the remainder for other tests, and that there be few or no failures of the equipment to cause undue delay or loss of a sample. After preliminary experiments with a falling bullet, the results of which were not satisfactory, a simple viscosimeter was built of the rolling ball type first proposed by Flowers3 and later used by several investiga-tor. 5.8 The apparatus consists essentially of a removable, accurately bored cylindrical barrel of 1/4-in. nominal internal diameter, 8 in. long, in which a closely fitting steel ball rolls through the oil with the barrel inclined at a definite angle. The ball makes contact at one end of the barrel with ail insulated electrode, closing an electrical circuit, which actuates a buzzer. The meas-urements consist essentially in determining the time required for the ball to travel the length of the barrel. The details of the construction are shown in Fig. I. The barrel in which the ball rolls was made from a section of 25-caliber blank rifle barrel, specially bored to an exact uniform diameter and polished. The barrel slides snugly into a hole bored in a solid stainless-steel cylinder, an upper external shoulder of the barrel compressing a small spring, and is held in place by a hollow nut. The spring prevents the barrel from seating against the bottom of the bored hole in the cylinder, while narrow external longitudinal slots in the barrel permit fluid to flow around it and through the bottom. The upper part of the recess in the steel cylinder is enlarged to form a tapered chamber, which acts as a reservoir for the oil and affords space for agitation to ensure

Jan 1, 1941

By P Fuller, A R. Penney

Re-commencement of mining in the Western Zone of Beaconsfield Gold Mine following a seismically-induced rockfall fatality in April 2006 required a change of mining method involving drilling and blasting from specially developed drives in the footwall of the orebody. Broken ore is mucked remotely from ore drives on each level. Support in the footwall drives is required to maintain stability during their development and as stopes are retreated, which increases induced stresses and further seismic events are triggered. The paper outlines the challenges involved and methods used to select the footwall drive support to handle both static and dynamic load demand. The importance of load development in the support system, its displacement capacity, the compatibility of support elements and energy absorption capacity of the support system are highlighted. It is usual in any support selection process to ensure that capacity exceeds demand to create a factor of safety. In this case the demands on the system relate to load, displacement and energy absorption and the support system capacity for each must ensure that appropriate factors of safety for each are achieved. The paper shows how these factors are not independent and that selecting a high factor of safety for load can lead to compatibility problems with support elements in the support system.

Jan 1, 2008

By Gerhard Derge

THE extension of metallurgical control of steelmaking processes has always made it desirable to have some quick method for determining the oxygen content of molten steel. To meet the practical demands of the steel industry, this method must also be simple enough so that the sampling can be done by the regular furnace crew. This requirement was kept in mind continually in the work to be described. An oxygen value is required for proper control, whether it be of a rimming steel or of a fully killed steel. However, two factors have discouraged the development of such direct methods: I. The reaction C + FeO -+ Fe + CO is rapid enough to make the correct sampling of the bath a difficult problem. The most generally accepted means of circumventing this difficulty have been the aluminum-killed bomb test of McCutcheon and Rautio1 and the aluminum-killed spoon test of Herty.2 The theory of these tests is that all of the oxygen in the iron is converted to A1203, which can then be determined by chemical methods. Even when simplified so that the analysis is made by a measurement of turbidity, this method is too slow to be used in routine control. Furthermore, the results obtained have never been entirely satisfactory, and some of the reasons for this will be discussed later in this paper. 2. The ordinary chemical methods of analysis for oxygen in steel are not reliable. The only analysis that seems to possess sufficient dependability to be of value is vacuum fusion,3 and the apparatus and technique developed for this have been too complex and slow for routine work. INDIRECT METHODS Indirect methods of estimating the oxygen have been resorted to in mill practice. Generally these depend upon the chemical equilibria involved. The oxygen in the bath is related to other components in the slag or metal that can be analyzed more readily. These methods have many difficulties in common. Steelmaking processes involve a complicated set of interrelated reactions, all of which tend to approach equilibrium at varying rates. The degree to which any particular equilibrium is approached, is not , well established. Moreover, a proper use of theoretical equilibrium constants requires a more extensive knowledge of the activities of the reactants than we now have. This is well illustrated by the irregularities observed when trying to determine the oxygen in the metal by its ratio to the iron oxide in the slag. Equilibrium relations may be used more readily if they are evaluated by plant experience, but the extent of approach to equilibrium remains an undetermined variable and lack of an entirely satisfactory means of determining oxygen for the calibration is felt keenly. For example, the statistical analysis of the relation between carbon and oxygen4 5 illustrates that even in a single plant wide variations exist under normal conditions of operation. Nevertheless, this is one of the best methods now

Jan 1, 1943

By Hanns J. Billmayer

This report, which covers the period from June 15, 1974 to May 30, 1975, describes the work performed in compliance with the requirements of Contract No. H0242065 and modifications 1, 2, and 3 thereto. The purpose of the original contract was to equip the second shuttle car in the Jewell Ridge No. 12 mine, section 6R, with a refined design canopy and seats. In addition, several refinements and improvements were to be designed and installed at the same location on the cutter and the loader. However, during October 1974 in response to a request from the Technical Project Officer, the contract was modified to eliminate all of the cutter and loader tasks and substitute the design, fabrication, and installation of an improved canopy on the no. 2 roof drill in the above mentioned section of the Jewell Ridge No. 12 mine.

Jan 1, 1975

will be held at COSMOPOLITAN HOTEL DENVER COLORADO June 3,4,5, 1931

Jan 1, 1930

In 1846 a bill was pending in Congress to reduce, or eliminate, the tariff on coal; the debate caused the same writer to visit the mines on the north side of the James River and to write a letter about them to the same paper.' Omitting the political arguments, his account follows: "July 13, 1846. "Early in the morning we rose, washed, combed, and ate a first-rate breakfast, and then went to the Tuckahoe, mined by Messrs. Sneed and Dietrock. Coal was first discovered here sixty years ago, and mined by Colonel Thomas Randolph, the proprietor of the land. They were worked by him for his smith-shops. Since which time they have been worked periodically, up to the war of 1812, when they were abandoned; and recommenced in 1837 under the management of Dr. W. T.- Scott. Subsequently a Company was formed called Tuckahoe Coal Mining Company, which purchased the whole track at a cost of $30,000. They commenced the sinking of a shaft and went as far as 412 feet, and then pitched the fat all into the fire by hauling off altogether in despair. In 1843 Major Sneed went to work at it, and succeeded. I may here remark that Major Sneed has been the pioneer in this business on the North side of the River, and has sunk more shafts than any other man who has pursued this vocation in Eastern Virginia. The difficulties and expense in sinking these shafts are sometimes immense. The coal on the outcrop or surface is not always a guide to where it may be found imbedded many hundred feet under earth and rock. "The Tuckahoe Pits are on the Eastern end of the coal field, within twelve hundred yards of the Canal, and about twelve miles from Richmond. They employ fifty hands and raise some three hundred thousand bushels of coal per year. It is highly bituminous and excellent for the manufacture of iron. The Tredegar and Belle Isle Rolling Mills are supplied with it. It must be good and of the right kind', or they would not use it. These pits are the only. ones on this side troubled-with gas-of course ventillation is necessary. There is not as much water in this Pit as I have found generally in many others, although they have extended their operations to a considerable distance under ground. I have observed in examining the coal mines, that, where they are sunk over four or five hundred feet, they are annoyed by gas, and where there is a less depth they are troubled with water. It is evident, therefore, that water, in the region of these coal fields, does not run through the earth to any extent, even five hundred feet deep, and the farther you go below that the greater the increase of gas. "We next visited William Cottrell's Pits, situated one mile and a half north of this. He employs some thirty hands, and raises from 4 to 500 bushels per day. "T. & R. Crouch's Pits are one hundred yards north of Cottrell's. This firm employ from 80 to 90 hands, and raise from 8 to 900 bushels per day. They are now

Jan 1, 1942

By Susana Marraccini Giampietri Lebrão, Jorge Alberto Soares Tenório, Renato Souza e Silva, Guilherme Wolf Lebrão, Viviane Tavares de Moraes

Os resíduos eletroeletrônicos podem ser compostos por equipamentos ou parte deles, que se tornaram obsoletos, pararam de funcionar ou ainda por apresentar defeitos durante a sua produção. As placas de circuito impresso (PCIs) são peças presentes em equipamentos eletroeletrônicos compostos por materiais metálicos, cerâmicos e poliméricos. Para alguns destes metais já existem processos para recuperação, contudo estes processos baseiam-se em técnicas pirometalúrgicas que podem liberar substâncias tóxicas. A fim de minimizar os impactos ambientais propõe-se o beneficiamento das PCIs através de rota hidrometalúrgica para a obtenção de cobre em solução e, posteriormente fazer a redução do cobre. Para tanto se fez a moagem das PCIs, seguida de caracterização química. Partiu-se para rota hidrometalúrgica em meio ácido e em meio oxidante. A solução resultante de cobre foi reduzida para cobre metálico por reação de redução com ácido ascórbico. Os resultados apresentam recuperação de 97 % de cobre das PCIs com obtenção de cobre metálico.

Oct 11, 2019

By Gláucio Barros Barcelos

Os sistemas de automação Nível 2 da LTQ da Aperam estão em operação a mais de uma década. Esses sistemas foram desenvolvidos sobre plataforma de hardware Alpha Server DS20E e sistema operacional OpenVMS 7.2. Apesar da confiabilidade da plataforma utilizada, atualmente está descontinuada pelo fabricante, bem como o serviço de suporte ao sistema operacional utilizado que também foi encerrado. Com a evolução da tecnologia Intel, apresentando baixo custo de hardware, suporte, manutenção e desempenho, foi tomada a decisão de migração dos sistemas de automação de Nível 2 da LTQ para a arquitetura de hardware Intel e sistema operacional Linux. Esta migração teve como objetivo a eliminação da obsolescência a que os sistemas estavam submetidos. A migração envolveu uma estratégia que minimiza riscos e reduz modificações necessárias nos sistemas de automação envolvidos. Dessa forma, bibliotecas de funções com funcionalidades semelhantes as disponíveis no sistema OpenVMS foram desenvolvidas. Este artigo descreve todo esforço envolvido na migração dos sistemas e os resultados obtidos.

Aug 16, 2017

By Alex Alves

No cenário econômico atual as organizações estão focadas na maximização de resultados para manter a competitividade e posicionamento frente aos acionistas. Isso exige uma busca minuciosa de alternativas logísticas que envolvem toda a cadeia produtiva, desde a aquisição com o menor custo até uma gestão racional dos recursos materiais, consequentemente se exige cada vez mais controle nos processos. Nesse sentido, destaca-se a atividade de recebimento e inspeção de materiais como uma função da administração de materiais, que tem a missão de garantir o abastecimento dos recursos materiais ao usuário na qualidade e tempo necessário. O presente trabalho tem por objetivo apresentar a sistemática de recebimento, controle e liberação de materiais da Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional, partindo de técnicas de recebimento de materiais e inspeção de qualidade, controle de processo através do SAP, lay-out e fluxos para melhoria da qualidade e produtividade do armazém central de recebimento, garantindo a melhoria contínua no processo e níveis de serviço no atendimento ao usuário.

Jul 29, 2018

By Enderson Silva Gomes

A PRAXAIR é uma das três maiores empresas de gases industriais do mundo, com atuação em mais de 40 países e fortemente atuante na indústria siderúrgica. A PRAXAIR possui experiência para fornecer produtos e serviços para todos os tipos de siderúrgica. No Brasil, a PRAXAIR é a controladora da White Martins, maior empresa de gases industriais da América do Sul, presente em nove países do continente. O presente trabalho tem por objetivo mostrar os benefícios do Stove Oxygen Enrichment (SOE), ou seja, o enriquecimento do ar de combustão (comburente) dos fornos regeneradores de altos fornos, visando atingir economias de combustível. O enriquecimento do comburente permite que combustíveis de menor poder calorífico sejam utilizados em substituição de combustíveis de maior poder calorífico, tornando-se disponíveis para aplicações mais nobres dentro da siderúrgica, como a laminação e a geração de energia elétrica. Outro aspecto importante é a redução da queima de combustíveis que antes eram descartados no flare, reduzindo as emissões de carbono para a atmosfera.

Oct 30, 2017

By Claudine Guimarães Leite Cardoso

Em busca do aumento da produtividade em vergalhões é requerido o incremento de pesos das bobinas e velocidade no processo produtivo de laminação a frio do fio nervurado CA60 sendo notada a ocorrência de anomalias durante processamento de telas, a alteração de coloração na superfície do arame. Verificou-se a necessidade de um estudo para a caracterização do produto e modificação no processo decorrente das insistentes falhas nos processos posteriores durante a aplicação do fio prejudicando a produção esperada, assim como a ocorrência de sucata e redução de performance dos equipamentos. Com base na literatura, foram realizados ensaios para determinação de propriedades mecânicas e análise metalográfica cujos resultados se mostraram contrastantes nas amostras descrevendo comportamentos diferentes durante a produção do material. O projeto visa o entendimento do impacto gerado pelo aumento de velocidade de processamento minimizando as perdas de performance na trefilação por travamento de mancais de cassete e posteriores aplicações em ampliados.

Aug 16, 2017

By Clarence O. Babcock

Model pillars of limestone, marble, sandstone, and granite, with length-to-diameter ratios of 3, 2, 1, 0.5, and 0.25 (0.286 for granite), were broken in axial compression to determine to what extent an increase in end constraint increased compressive strength. Radial end constraints of 13 to 23 percent of the average axial stress in the pillar, produced by solid steel rings bonded with epoxy to the ends of dogbone-shaped specimens, increased compressive strength somewhat above that of cylindrical pillars without ring constraint. However, when the results were compared with those obtained by other investigators for straight specimens of several rock types taken collectively, with L/D ratios greater than 0.5, the resulting strengths were not significantly different. Thus, the amount of end constraint produced by the solid steel rings was about the same as that produced by the friction from the steel end plates. In other tests a radial prestress of 3,000 psi or 5,000 psi was applied prior to axial loading by adjustable hardened steel rings to increase the constraint above that obtained for the solid rings. The average radial constraint stress, expressed as a percentage of the average axial pillar stress at failure for the 3,000 psi prestress, was 54.3 percent for limestone, 40.3 percent for marble, 44.7 percent for sandstone, and 23.4 percent for granite. The average radial constraint stress, expressed as a percentage of the average axial pillar stress at failure for the 5,000 psi prestress, was 74.2 percent for limestone, 51.2 percent for marble, 61.6 percent for sandstone, and 29.7 percent for granite. These constraints increased the compressive strength significantly above the strength of straight specimens and solid-ring constrained specimens. These results suggest that large horizontal stresses in orebodies mined by the room and pillar method should increase the strength of the pillars and allow an increase in ore recovery by a reduction of pillar size when major structural defects are absent.

Jan 1, 1969

By Roberto Quadros Menin

Os métodos de simulação estocástica permitem acessar o espaço de incerteza associado à estimativa de atributos geológicos. Esse espaço de incerteza, obtido através da geração de múltiplos cenários equiprováveis, pode ser utilizado para análise de risco e tomadas de decisões, de acordo com alguma função de transferência utilizada. Os métodos de simulação sequencial são amplamente difundidos para a construção destes modelos. Simulação sequencial gaussiana requer que a variável original seja transformada em uma distribuição normal. O método de simulação sequencial direta não necessita de alguma transformação anterior a realização das simulações, permitindo simular diretamente dentro do espaço original dos dados. A metodologia apresentada, neste trabalho, irá abordar as principais diferenças destas duas metodologias de simulação sequencial comparando os resultados. Simulação sequencial Gaussiana tende a reproduzir melhor o histograma, enquanto simulação direta é mais facilmente implementada, pois não necessita de nenhuma transformação dos dados. Os métodos serão ilustrados através de um estudo de caso.

Aug 8, 2018

I found the article most interesting and timely. I consider it imperative that mine case studies like this one are undertaken and published so that the practicing mining engineer and geologist can obtain a better idea of what is the preferred estimation and grade control technique to use, given the site-specific geology, grade distribution, etc. Mining companies, with operating gold mines, need to be encouraged to either initiate such a study in-house or support a research project by financing a graduate student at a local university. The latter method is preferable since it not only provides research support but also an excellent training opportunity for young mining engineers and geologists. Ideally, what is needed is exploration drill-hole, blasthole, and mine production data that can then be used to assess the efficiency of different estimation and grade control methods by comparing the results obtained using the drill/blasthole data with the actual production data. It is hoped that more mining companies will realize that the rewards from this kind of research greatly outweigh the sometimes perceived problem with releasing data to a university. I noticed that the authors used the blasthole data to represent the actual values, the validity of which relies heavily on the two key assumptions with regards to blasthole assays and in-pit ore-waste selection procedures. Could the authors comment in more detail on these assumptions and what criteria they used to check the validity of the assumptions? Since the article was published, have the authors had the opportunity to compare their estimates with the actual production data? It would be interesting to compare other estimation methods with OK and IK. For example, how well did the polygonal method used at the mine compare with the results given in the paper? I would like to mention that B.L. Kwa completed a similar study (Kwa and Mousset-Jones, 1986) using exploration drill-hole, blasthole, and production data from the Alligator Ridge mine in Nevada. The study compared a variety of estimation methods, including IK, and the final results are shown in Fig. 1. The IK method exhibits the smallest difference between estimated and production results and is closely followed by the indicator moving window (Ind MW) method. Reply by Y.C. Kim We do concur with Professor Mousset-Jones with respect to the merit of such case studies performed at a local university. In answer to his request for comment on the validity of the two key assumptions made in our paper, we can only say that these are reasonable assumptions that are very difficult to validate. The assumption of blasthole assays being accurate can be partially validated by a careful analysis of the nugget component of blasthole variograms. The assumption that the in-pit ore-waste selection procedure in use was an effective one can only be validated through comparison between the mine estimates of ounces of gold versus the actual recovered ounces of gold at the mill. Neither one of these two assumptions has been validated to date due to several reasons. For example, the mine went through a change in management since the study. Similarly, no compelling reasons have been presented to perform detailed variogram analysis of the blasthole data. We do, however, believe that the obtained results (i.e., indicator kriging performs better than OK in a highly skewed deposit) will remain the same in relative terms, regardless of how valid these two assumptions may be. The most recent com¬parative study by D. S. Lindsey of the Montana College of Mineral Science and Technology also shows a similar ranking between ordinary kriging versus probability kriging, which is an extended version of indicator kriging.

Jan 1, 1987

By J. Buckle

"Recognition of the diamond potential of the Wawa subprovince was initially determined from regional data using a kimberlite model. The world’s largest stable Precambrian craton, the Superior Province, is considered to be favourable for the emplacement of diamondiferous kimberlite. The Wawa area is located near the intersection of intra-craton structures visible in the regional magnetic data.The Enigma project is located north of the town of Wawa in northern Ontario. From field evidence and background research, it became obvious that in the Wawa area there were at least two potentially diamond-hosting events, Archean lamprophyric volcaniclastics and Proterozoic kimberlites. The host lamprophyric rock does not contain the classical KIM signatures. However, to complicate the Enigma, stream sediment samples within 200 m of the diamond-bearing lamprophyre produced a typical suite of kimberlite indicator minerals.The micro- and macro-diamond content of the Wawa lamprophyric volcaniclastic rocks is typically 0.2 ct/t to 1 ct/t, although it can be higher locally. The economic diamond potential of these Archean dykes, sills and irregular lamprophyre bodies is still under-explored (Kaminsky, 2002, unpubl.). Oasis Diamond Exploration is currently exploring the area using geophysical, geochemical, and geological data."

Jan 1, 2002

Five watersheds, ranging in size from 29 to 49 acres, were selected in East-Central Ohio to investigate the hydrologic and water quality conditions occurring before, during, and after surface mining. Four of the watersheds will undergo surface mining, involving either the Number 6, 9, 11, or 8 coal seams, and one watershed having an outcrop of the Number 6 coal will be operated as a control watershed. To determine the premining hydrologic and water quality conditions (Phase 1), physical information was obtained for each watershed and instrumentation was installed for obtaining hydrologic data and water quality samples. In addition to topographic maps, soils and vegetation maps were prepared. Stratigraphic columns were developed from geologic cores; networks of observation wells and of soil moisture access tubes were installed; and weather stations were established to measure temperature, humidity, wind and solar radiation, and to collect precipi¬tation samples. Field data were collected over a 10-month period for one watershed and for about 8 months on another watershed before surface mining began. The other watersheds continued in the premining data phase. These data were for precipitation, temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, solar radiation, snow and frozen soil, soil moisture, infiltration (rainfall simulator), spring discharge, runoff from watersheds, and ground-water levels. Also, samples of runoff and ground water were obtained for chemical analyses and additional samples of runoff were acquired for suspended sediment load determinations. Over the study period, precipitation was not very representative of the long term averages, but data are available from the control watershed for a representative 7 year period which should prove invaluable in modeling the hydrology of the project watersheds for the premined conditions. Spring discharges (before mining) from the upper aquifer of two of the watersheds averaged only 508 and 652 gallons daily. The proportion of precipitation occurring as surface runoff from the large watersheds ranged from 8 to 36 percent and the peak discharges from 5.86 to 81.95 cfs. Base-flow and runoff water samples from four of the watersheds (unmined conditions) were collected and analyzed quantitatively for 39 water quality parameters. Monthly precipitation samples sediment fractions of the base flow and runoff were analyzed for 22 and 17 parameters, respectively. The average concentrations of the water quality parameters for the watersheds (unmined), except for suspended solids, were as low or lower than the EPA recommended maximum allowable concentrations in drinking water. Several parameters in precipitation equaled or exceeded the levels of corresponding parameters in runoff water. The average concentration of suspended solids in storm runoff ranged from 118 to 1110 mg/l, and for base flow the range was from 44 to 247 mg/l; the higher concentrations were associated with the watersheds exhibiting the greatest disturbance. Iron ranged from an average of less than 3 µg/1 to 228 µg/1. Manganese ranged from less than 41 µg/1 to 334 µg/I. Ground-water systems (unmined condition) are described for the five project watersheds. Each watershed was found to have two major perched aquifers within the top 250 feet. Generally, these perched aquifers involve local flow systems, though flow across watershed boundaries in some areas. Recharge is mostly from local precipitation and discharge is mostly as spring flow, base flow, evapotranspiration, and leakage through the underlying confining bed. Shallow ground water was commonly of the calcium bicarbonate type. Although dissolved-solids concentration was generally 200 to 600 mg/1, brackish or salty ground water was present in several areas. A composite hydrologic model for the project watersheds will consist of separate ground-water, unsaturated flow, overland flow, and evapotranspiration component models. The ground-water model (a modified quasi-three--dimensional U. S. Geological Survey model) operates on a grid network and the newly formulated unsaturated flow model was divided into overlying prismatic elements for numerical solutions. The unsaturated flow model includes provision for incorporating the evapotranspiration model. An available distributed kinemetic overland flow model was utilized. An analyses was made of one of the costs of reclaiming coal mines; the legal and administrative costs of complying with legislation. Such costs borne by coal companies under the Ohio law are thought to be a surrogate of these costs under the new Federal law. Regression analyses were used to relate the legal and administrative costs to acres in the permit and the tonnage of coal produced.

Jan 1, 1978