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By Randal J. Barnes

A system, such as a mine production system or a mine ventilation system which includes the movement of commodities or some material between decision points may, in many instances, be effectively modelled as a network. Mining has often been characterized as primarily a materials handling function. To a great extent this is true, even though it is an over simplification of all the activities involved in a mining operation. Accepting the materials handling characterization of a mining operation permits the extension of the characterization to a flow process. That is, the ore flows from the mining face through the mining phase (excavation & loading, hauling, dumping) through the milling phase (crushing, grinding, recovery) through the smelter phase and finally to marketing. With this concept it is possible to depict a mining operation as a simple network. For example consider an operation consisting of two mines (A and B) with mills at each mine (MA and MB) with the possibility open to treat ore from mine b at mill NB, but it is not feasible to treat mine B ore at MA. The product of both mills is sold.

Jan 1, 1983

By William K. Burriss

Computer technology was applied to solve three problems in the selling of certain industrial minerals to the glass and foundry industries. The computer solutions provide for better service to customers and have helped increase sales. II. Summary Electronic data processing techniques were applied: 1. To automatically and continuously "trace" rail car shipments of bentonite. 2. To aid our sales people in recommending to glass plant purchasing agents which of several possible feldspathic materials is the best value at any of about 100 glass plants and to give guidance on the amount of value difference. 3. To help in locating plant sites for three blending or pre-mixing stations to serve the foundry industry at minimum cost and with maximum tonnage and maximum profitability.

Jan 1, 1968

By W. A. Zingg

Impervious zones in copper waste heaps create a problem in contacting the rock with leaching solutions. These zones are normally associated with compacted layers .formed on the surface of each lift by dump truck traffic and by disintegration of the rock exposed to atmospheric conditions. These layers are usually only a few feet in depth--but, nevertheless, act as barriers to vertical flow causing the leach solution to perch in the heap, Consequently, much of the rock remains untouched and the leach solution breaks out the side of the heap instead of continuing downward to bedrock. One solution to this problem is breaking the hard pans with explosive charges. However, to use explosives means adopting new explosive materials and methods. To use this process successfully requires finding answers to operating conditions inherent to waste heaps. Foremost among these are: (1) type and size of casing that can be used because of limitations brought about by drilling problems, caving and, corrosive conditions; (2) perforating the casing at required levels; (3) an explosive capable of being pumped; (4) obtaining detonation of the, main charges through, the wail of the casing; (5) an explosive with the ability to propagate through the voids of the rubble and one which is not affected by water, acidic solutions, or back pressure conditions from hydrostatic heads; (6) to heave and rupture the compacted zones without chambering or recompressing the waste material.

Jan 1, 1970

By Aurel Goodwin

I chose the title "Let's Clear the Air" for this afternoon's presentation because it has two meanings, the literal and the figurative. Most of you know what MSHA is. Most of you know what MSHA does. And, for the most part, most of you know why. What I hope to accomplish today is to "clear the air" around our health standards, to clarify for you how MSHA views its congressional mandate under Title I Section 101(a)(6), (7), and (9) of the Mine Safety and Health Act. Asbestos, silica, radiation, noise, welding fumes, carbon monoxide, lead, hydrogen sulfide, nitrogen dioxide - the list of physical and chemical hazards encountered in the metal and nonmetal mining industry is as diversified as the industry itself, possibly even more so. In addition, miners are often exposed to several of these health hazards simultaneously.

Jan 1, 1980

By R. A. Wyman

What unusual features are there about finding, winning, and using the industrial minerals of Canada which may be of interest and yet not widely known. Have you, for example, ever wondered where the raw material for those distinctive greenish grey statuettes, so readily recognizable as Eskimo carvings, comes from? Although stone suitable for carving is obtained at several northern locations, in recent years the Federal government, the Quebec government, and one or two private companies have shipped supplies of various rock types from other sources to central distribution points in the Canadian north for the express purpose of providing Eskimo artists with raw materials for carving. Canada is well endowed with industrial minerals, the extent and variety of which may be observed by a perusal of Table 1. In this table, materials currently produced are shown in the left-hand column; materials which are bordering upon economic viability are listed in the middle column; and materials which have been found in Canada in possible exploitable quantity, but for which [ ]

Jan 1, 1970

By R. L. Atwood

This paper discusses the metallurgical and Manufacturing input to Merrill-Crowe plants. Topics treated are pregnant solution chemistry, clarification, degassing, zinc addition, product filtration, accounting, and costs.

Jan 1, 1985

By Alexander Pomerantsev

In recent years, bucketwheel excavators have found wide application in open pit surface mining not only because of their large production capacities, but also because they easily lend themselves to automation. Krupp, Orenstein & Koppel, Buckau-Wolf, Mechanical Excavator, Lauchhammer, Manufacturers in Eastern Europe designed and installed many models of bucketwheel excavators that can excavate any type of materials, could be used in any climate conditions and for any type of technological schemes in open pit surface mining, (Photo I, II and III)

Jan 1, 1979

By W. N. Brown

One of the seemingly eternal problems with which we are frequently faced is that of providing adequate and economical warehousing facilities to store large quantities of bulk product. Seasonal consumption, transportation, marketing, and other factors very often dictate extensive product warehousing requirements for an operation geared for steady, year-around production of a material requiring weather protection during storage. Fertilizers such as potash and urea are examples of such products; the consumption of these materials is extremely heavy in the early spring at which time the materials must be placed in the soil, whereas, for obvious operating efficiencies, production is more or less constant for a given operation throughout the year.

Jan 1, 1961

By Thys B. Johnson

This paper presents a new algorithm for solving the Controlled Flow Mine Ventilation Problem in an optimal manner - minimum power consumption. The use of booster fans and restrictions on the locations of ventilation regulators are dealt with in a straightforward manner. This new approach is based on a common Operations Research algorithm for which there are many fast computer programs available.

Jan 1, 1982

By L. U. Spellman

Atlantic Cement Company's new multimillion dollar, 10,000,000 barrel per year cement plant went into full operation in February, 1962, bringing into reality a new concept in the distribution of Portland cement. The Cerro and Newmont Mining Corporations, well established in the mineral extraction and dressing industry, backed the venture. To take advantage of the, economics inherent in single production units of large capacity, it was necessary to first find a market' capable of absorbing such large quantities. Cement can be economically shipped by rail and truck about 200 miles. Beyond' that radius from the producing facility the freight costs become prohibitive. No single marker area within that radius exists which could absorb such a large volume of cement. However, water transportation provides a relatively inexpensive method of transporting bulk products many times over such a distance. Thus, it was decided to locate the producing facility near a deep water port which had ready access both to the Atlantic Ocean and, just as important, a good source of raw material. An extensive feasibility study was made and the site at Ravena, New York on the Hudson River near Albany was chosen. Here, vast quantities of limestone in the foothills of the Catskill Mountains are found within a short distance of-the deep-water Hudson River.

Jan 1, 1964

By Karl A. Olsson

The Glenharold Mine is a surface mine operated by Consolidation Coal Company. The mine is located approximately 90 kilometers (55 miles) northwest of Bismarck, and 3 kilometers (2 miles) southeast of Stanton in west central North Dakota. Glenharold has a nominal design capacity of 3.0 million metric tons per year (3.3 million short tons per year). With the exception of local coal sales, this production supplies fuel for Basin Electric's Leland Olds generating station, a mine mouth power plant. The mine has 175 hourly and 50 salary employees. The Glenharold reserve extends over 210 square kilometers (80 square miles). The mining area is on a dissected plateau between the broad flat Missouri River flood plain to the north and the gently rolling uplands to the south. Erosion by intermittently flowing streams has produced many narrow, steep-walled, drainage ways. Mining begins at the 6 meter (20 foot) cover line and continues to the economic recovery line.

Jan 1, 1982

By Odin Wilhelmy

Agriculture in the United States today is becoming more and more a business, rather than a way of life. In the light of this, it behooves the farm-supply industries that provide the American farmer with his tools of production--feed, fertilizer, machinery, and the like--to give even greater attention than they have in the past to meeting the needs of the farmer-businessmen they are serving. Increasing competition among the companies that make up these industries merely accentuates this need for better service. An opportunity for such improved service, not yet fully realized, exists in the fertilizer industry today. That opportunity lies in the increased transportation of fertilizer ingredients by water. However, before the benefits inherent in this increased water movement of fertilizers can be fully realized, certain obstacles must be met and overcome. It is the purpose of this paper to outline the nature and magnitude of this opportunity, to point out some of the roadblocks and the steps that can be, or are being, taken to remove them, and to indicate some of the rewards that would logically stem from success in these efforts.

Jan 1, 1961

By H. Colijn

Feeders are used to provide a means of control for the withdrawal of bulk materials from storage units, such as bins, bunkers, silos and hoppers. This control function can only be performed properly as long as the bulk materials flow by gravity to the feeder in a uniform and uninterrupted fashion. A feeder can do many things, but it should never be considered a suction pump: During the past few years various papers have been written and presented on feeders and their application. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9)* It is not the intent of this paper to cover the same ground, and the readers are therefore ad¬vised to consult the referenced publications for supplementary information. This paper will be confined to some specific design criteria of bin feeders, such as feeder load and power requirements. Special attention is given to the basic design criteria of vibratory feeders.

Jan 1, 1968

By Alan J. Michaels

The paper addresses the problem of the high costs of accidents ad how AMAX Inc. - a diversified natural resources company - has managed to control its losses through a tri-thrusted approach of: (1) management commitment, (2) methods of implementation that are tailored to each division or local unit, and (3) a reward system for outstanding performance. Specific attention is focused on the Corporate Loss Prevention Department's "10 Point Program for Loss Prevention Management".

Jan 1, 1981

By M. D. Lawton

Anglo-Rouyn Mines Limited, managed by Rio Algom Mines Limited is a subsidiary of the British-based Rio Tinto-Zinc Corporation Limited. This mining operation is situated in Northern Saskatchewan, 250 miles north of Saskatoon and represents the first base-metal mine of any importance served by this relatively new mining province. The outcrop of Copper-bearing Chalcopyrite was first discovered by prospectors in 1915, but was not mined until 1965 due to the absence of any form of road into the area prior to this latter date. The mine, mill and concentrator were designed to handle 900 tons per day of comparatively hard, abrasive ore containing chalcopyrite with traces of gold and silver. The flow sheet, Figure 1, is, we believe, elementary, designed with low cost in mind and utilises much old equipment from closed¬-down mines. Due to some difficulty in attaining the designed grinding capacity, changes were made in the crusher circuit. This, unfortunately, lowered the crushing rate too much. A series of changes have taken place to re-establish the original crusher capacity of better than 100 tons per hour. In the quest for a better recovery certain modifications have been tested in the concentrator circuit. These steps are discussed in minor detail.

Jan 1, 1970

By T. Yukimasa

Hachinohe smelter, a zinc-lead blast furnace complex with the annual capacity of zinc plus lead of 100,000 tons, had originally treated normal zinc and lead sulfide concentrates. However, it is currently handling a great variety of raw feeds ranging from complex sulfides to oxidic recycled materials in view of resource economy, most of which are unsuitable for zinc electrolysis. This paper reports on some significant efforts recently carried out on improving sintering operation, i.e., the increasing use of secondaries against harmful ingredients like halogens, and the substantial reduction in energy use as the results of various modifications and improvements.

Jan 1, 1982

By Frank L. Peterson

This paper deals with problems of groundwater development in an insular circum-Pacific environment, and is not oriented as such to mining and mineral development. Nonetheless, because a reliable water supply is necessary for most mining and related support activities, and since water supplies are limited in many insular parts of the Pacific Basin, groundwater development is a subject which must be frequently addressed. Because many in the audience may be already familiar with groundwater development for continental environments, I have chosen to deal with groundwater occurrence and development problems which for the most part are unique to insular environments. In such environments, the local geology plays a critical role in determining groundwater occurrence and its suitability for development. The three examples discussed in this paper-Hawaii, Guam, and the Marshall Islands-were selected because they illustrate groundwater occurrence in a wide range of geologic conditions. For example, the Hawaiian aquifers consist primarily of basaltic lavas, while Guam is made up of andesitic lavas and coral reef limestones, and the Marshall Islands are coral atoll deposits. Despite differences in aquifer size and rock types, the principal mode of groundwater occurrence at the three sites is similar; thus, development strategies are also similar. Figure 1 shows the location of the three sites.

Jan 1, 1982

By D. J. Frey

While costs of most commodities and services have increased markedly over the past 25 years, the cost of electricity has steadily declined. One of the reasons for this price decline is the improved efficiencies of generating plants which is shown in Fig. 1. 1,2 Another reason for this is the decline in coal production costs. Efficiencies for the best plant increased from about 32 percent in 1540 to about 40 percent in 1962 and then decreased slightly to 38 percent in 1965. The increase in efficiency for all plants (US average) has been even more notable, progressing from less than 15 percent in 1940 to about 32 percent in 1965. The chief reason for the improved efficiency is the change in operating steam temperatures. These increased about 12 F per year until 1200 F was reached in 1962. At this high temperature excessive corrosion of super-heater and reheater tubes was experienced and steam temperatures were dropped back to 1050 F and even 1000 F in some cases. To successfully compete against other energy sources for generating electricity, this corrosion problem must be solved so that operation at higher temperatures and thus, increased efficiencies will be possible.

Jan 1, 1967

By K. T. Cunningham

The Oakfield, New York Hine of the United States Gypsum Company is a shallow, room and pillar mine developed in the Camillus Formation of Silurian Age on the up-dip edge of the northern Appalachian Basin. The gypsum comes to subcrop beneath a variety of glacial materials and is subject to solution activity by groundwater. A geologic environment unfavorable to mining activity is thus created. Since 1978 seismic studies have been used to supplement core drilling to determine a conservative boundary between normal and questionable mining environments. A single channel seismograph, originally in use, is now replaced by a twelve-channel unit and is used to determine bulk material velocity which is the basis for defining the mining limit.

Jan 1, 1987

By Henry Chajet

Good morning, it is truly an honor to have been invited to speak before you today Before I begin my update on MSHA's activities, I?d Like t o quickly say a few words about the American mining congress and its mission in Washington, AMC is a national trade association representing most of the producers of the nation's metals, nonmetals and coal, we also represent the manufacturers of mining equipment and supplies and the financial and consulting institutions which service the mining industry. It is the diversity of our representation which gives us our greatest strength in our petitioning efforts, the administration and the members of congress know that an AMC position is the result of the careful consideration of a vastly diverse group of mining concerns. Our president, Al Overton, perhaps has the best description of AMC when he speaks of us as "the mining industry's eyes and ears and its collective voice in Washington."

Jan 1, 1981