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By G. H. Sedahmed, S. A. Nosier, M. H. Abdel-Aziz, A. A. Mubarak, M. A. El-Naggar, E. G. Abdel-Aziz

The performance of a rotating fixed bed reactor in recovering copper from industrial waste solutions by cementation is studied under various conditions. The rotating fixed bed is made of stacked woven steel screens to take advantage of two features of screens: the ability to present large area per unit volume and their ability to promote high turbulence. Variables studied are initial CuSO4 concentration, bed rotation speed, mesh number of the screens and bed thickness. The presence of baffles was found to increase the rate of cementation. The data were correlated by a dimensionless mass transfer correlation suitable for the design and operation of large scale cementation reactors.

By G. H. Sedahmed, S. A. Nosier, M. H. Abdel-Aziz, A. A. Mubarak, M. A. El-Naggar, E. G. Abdel-Aziz

The performance of a rotating fixed bed reactor in recovering copper from industrial waste solutions by cementation is studied under various conditions. The rotating fixed bed is made of stacked woven steel screens to take advantage of two features of screens: the ability to present large area per unit volume and their ability to promote high turbulence. Variables studied are initial CuSO4 concentration, bed rotation speed, mesh number of the screens and bed thickness. The presence of baffles was found to increase the rate of cementation. The data were correlated by a dimensionless mass transfer correlation suitable for the design and operation of large scale cementation reactors.

By John F. Gamble

Paper 1?South African experience with asbestos-related environmental mesothelioma: Is fiber type important? Neil White, Gill Nelson, Jill Murray The purpose of this review was to illustrate the importance of the type of asbestos in environmental mesothelioma. South Africa is a logical place to assess fiber type. The three major types of asbestos (crocidolite, amosite and chrysotile) were mined (all asbestos mining stopped in 2002) in South Africa. The association between asbestos and mesothelioma was discovered in South Africa. The occupational literature indicates high mesotheliomagenic potential for crocidolite, less for amosite and less still for chrysotile. Since South Africa has been a major source of crocidolite, relatively high rates of mesothelioma in the mining population is not surprising. High rates of mesothelioma due to environmental exposure is surprising, except perhaps when the authors? point out potential sources for community exposures (e.g., mine tailings used for road surfacing, golf courses, brick and plaster making; insulation in residential ceilings; children playing on fiber-rich waste rock). The authors? reviewed four studies reporting on mesothelioma cases and their sources of exposure and fiber type. Overall 23% of the known cases were attributed to the environmental (not occupational) exposure and about 90% were due to crocidolite asbestos. The proportion of environmental mesothelioma is considerably higher than in Western Australia where crocidolite is also mined. There the overall rate of environmental mesothelioma is about 6% (and less than 1% from residence in a crocidolite mining area).

Jan 1, 2007

By Michael E. Berndt

Asbestos first became an issue to Minnesota?s iron industry when it was revealed that mineral fibers similar to those in Reserve Mining?s tailings were being found in drinking water for several communities that used Lake Superior as their primary water source. This discovery turned what had largely been an environmental court battle into a case concerning public health. The courts listened to much conflicting and uncertain scientific testimony on the size and distribution of the mineral fibers and on the potential health effects imposed by them. In April 1974, the plant was ordered to shut down by a federal judge but the company quickly appealed the decision. The appeals court granted a stay and ultimately ruled that the plant?s closure could not be justified based on the unknown health effects of the mineral fibers since the consequences of such an action would have immediate and severe social and economic impacts. The plant was allowed to continue operation, but ordered to abate emissions to air around the plant and to switch to a land-based tailings disposal system. Much of the scientific uncertainty and public concern over mineral fibers in Minnesota?s taconite industry remain today. ©2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Keywords: Minnesota; Iron ore; Taconite; Asbestos; Amphibole; Reserve Mining; Tailings; Mesabi Iron Range

Jan 1, 2007

By Jack Magtoto, Lysa Voight, Tom Martin, John Forero

SUMMARY Commitment by all parties to partnering goals established early in the contract aided Affholder, Inc. in constructing 2,360m (7,700') of soft ground tunnel in Rancho Cordova, CA. Despite two zones of known contamination, encountering a zone of loose cobbles and boulders in a matrix of flowing sand, some perched water tables and a flooded tunnel after 2 upstream safety plugs failed, the Contractor finished the work 33 days early and only 1.91% over his original bid.

Jan 1, 2007

By R. W. Carn, D. Vincent

Environmental Considerations With significant increases in bulk coal movements through terminals, operators are under constant social and political pressure to reduce or remove environmental pollution problems incidental to their operations. To meet these requirements, both equipment manufacturers and terminal designers are endeavoring to design equipment and systems with stringent environmental controls. The most challenging environmental problems facing coal terminal designers and developers are terminal siting restrictions, dust control, and noise abatement. Terminal Siting Finding a suitable site can be a difficult problem because of public concern over coal dust or the impact of a terminal on the surrounding community or natural habitat of the area. Often the only suitable flat land available for terminal development is on a tidal estuary or salt water marsh with great environmental value. In many cases a period of four to six years of full environmental and social assessment has been needed. A recent example of such difficulties is the expansion at Roberts Bank, British Columbia, where environmental impact assessment studies and their public review took almost six years from initial expansion applications until the time of approval. Dust Control Modern coal terminal dust control techniques usually consist of water sprays at strategic locations to suppress dust. The application points include rail car or barge dumper, main conveyor transfers, perimeter sprays around stockpiles, stacker/reclaimer, ship-loader transfers, and loading spout. The water sprays may include a chemical wetting agent or surfactant to reduce the water requirement and increase effectiveness. Recently there have been advances with development of effective micro foam agglomerating agents. In these systems, a micro foam with very small bubble sizes is sprayed into the coal stream. The foam fills the interstices between coal particles and wets the coal fines. These systems have proven to be very effective and usually one application before stockpiling and one upon reclaiming will markedly reduce the coal dusting. Stockpile perimeter sprays can be operated either manually or at the sophisticated terminal, actuated by a computerized control system that senses key environmental conditions such as humidity, precipitation, and wind velocity. Most modern terminals collect the drainage from the stockpile area, remove the solids in settling basins, then recirculate the water to reduce water requirements and effluents from the site. Dusting of long-term storage stockpiles can be reduced by spraying the piles with chemical resin or latex binding compounds to seal the surface. These compounds also can minimize erosion of the pile by rainfall. Dust collection with air evacuation systems and cyclone or wet scrubbers can be used at key areas such as rail car dumpers, main conveyor transfers, and ship-loader spouts. The trend in dust control is away from dust collection since most dust collectors are high maintenance items requiring good operator supervision and servicing. Coal handling conveyors are usually open and uncovered. However, in areas requiring special attention they may be covered or even completely enclosed. Dust generation from terminal roads is often a significant amount of the total dust emitted from a terminal. To reduce this dusting, roadways where traffic is heavy can be paved or sprayed by water trucks. Speed limits can be enforced and use of tracked mobile equipment for stockpile handling rather than rubber-tired loaders is encouraged by authorities. Noise Abatement Terminals located close to residential areas are often faced with noise control problems. Noise can be one of the most difficult environmental problems to solve. Usually, use of electrically-powered equipment is encouraged to reduce noise levels. Rail car dumper houses can be totally enclosed to reduce both dust and noise emissions. Diesel locomotives can be fitted with special muffling devices. Green belts of trees surrounding a terminal or the ap-

Jan 7, 1983

By LaTasha R. Swanson, Jennica L. Bellanca

Proximity detection systems (PDSs) for mobile machines have the potential to decrease injuries and fatalities. Early adopters of the technology have identified some challenges, which present an opportunity to explore and improve the integration of mobile PDSs in underground coal mines. The current research study applied the task-technology fit framework to investigate the fit between mobile PDS technology and mining relative to health and safety, from the perspective of leaders at two coal mines. Quantitative results from the study show that mine leaders evaluated mobile PDS favorably for training and ease of use, system feedback, user authorization and experience, and less favorably for safety, compatibility, task completion, and reliability. Qualitative results reveal specific task, mine, and system characteristics that may have influenced leaders’ evaluations. The study includes considerations and suggestions for safe technology integration

By LaTasha R. Swanson, Jennica L. Bellanca

Proximity detection systems (PDSs) for mobile machines have the potential to decrease injuries and fatalities. Early adopters of the technology have identified some challenges, which present an opportunity to explore and improve the integration of mobile PDSs in underground coal mines. The current research study applied the task-technology fit framework to investigate the fit between mobile PDS technology and mining relative to health and safety, from the perspective of leaders at two coal mines. Quantitative results from the study show that mine leaders evaluated mobile PDS favorably for training and ease of use, system feedback, user authorization and experience, and less favorably for safety, compatibility, task completion, and reliability. Qualitative results reveal specific task, mine, and system characteristics that may have influenced leaders’ evaluations. The study includes considerations and suggestions for safe technology integration

By David Mast, Irwan Halim, Seung Han Kim

Nowadays more infrastructure tunnel projects are procured using design-build method. In this environment, the Owner’s engineer would typically provide performance requirements for the design-builder, and the Contractor’s designer would work with the contractor to design the tunnel lining based on the Contractor’s means and methods and manufacturing process. This paper will describe the typical requirements provided by the Owner based on its design objectives, and the means and methods by the Contractor that would significantly impact the design. Project examples and recommendations for Owner’s requirements will be provided that can optimize the design and still achieve the Owner’s performance objectives.

Jun 13, 2021

By Thomas C. Shapiro

This is the second in a series of articles on microcomputers and applications in the minerals industry. The first article (ME, Feb., page 129) discussed microcomputer terms and concepts. This article will discuss software for geology and mining. The third article will cover plant, administrative, and geotechnical software applications. Introduction Geology and exploration are areas where computers have a natural fit. Large volumes of data need to be tabulated, evaluated, and made into maps and reports that allow geologists and management to make a decision on a project or mine. Until recently, the programs that performed these tasks were cumbersome and not user friendly by any stretch of the imagination. Learning time to become an expert in these programs typically would be six months or more. The computers needed to run these programs are expensive mainframes. Several years ago, the use of minicomputers became popular because of their lower cost. Programs were adapted to fit these smaller machines and became friendlier. With the advent of micros, many programs. were rewritten and used the screen capability more effectively, thus providing a real advance in user interface. Programs and Price The definition of micro, mini, and mainframe is becoming blurred. For the purposes of this article, micro refers to either an eight- or 16-bit computer, costing less than $10,000 and, more typically, under $5,000. Mini refers to a 16- or 32-bit computer that typically costs more than $25,000. Mainframe refers to a 32-bit or larger computer that costs more than $250,000. There is a large gray area between micros and minis, and minis and mainframes. Technology and prices are changing so fast that the traditional definitions have become almost meaningless and price has become a better guide. With the arrival of the minicomputer, costs for hardware began to fall, but the programs have tended to remain unfriendly. In some cases, the minicomputer acted as a front end to the mainframe. Cost of both the programs and minicomputers could easily run a minimum of $70,000. A total cost of $200,000 would not have been out of line. The average geologist and company would have a great deal of difficulty justifying such a purchase. The advent of the microcomputer has changed all that. For $3,500 to $5,000, one can buy a 16-bit micro and a printer. Plotters with six pens are available for $2,000 that will produce a 280- x 430-mm (11- x17-in.) map. For several hundred dollars, software is available to act as a word processor, an economic spread sheet, or to perform ground water calculations. In fact, some programs are available for free. Some of these programs are relatively easy to learn. In addition, programs are being developed daily that are easy to use. More importantly, large programs that once ran only on mainframes are being converted

Jan 3, 1984

By E. Nickel

"Bi- and multilateral banks as well as export credit agencies in the OECD countries, but also numerous commercial banks, last year committed themselves to compliance with the World Bank’s standards. These environmental and social guidelines, also known as the Safeguard Policies, are the strictest international standards in the area of financing of major investment projects. The Safeguard Policies are procedural and quality guidelines by means of which socially and environmentally relevant impacts can be taken into account in the planning and implementation phase of a project. Objectives of the Bank Safeguard Policies are to ensure that environmental and social issues are evaluated in decision-making, to reduce and manage risk of projects and programs, and to provide a mechanism for consultation and disclosure of information. They are often referred to as the "10+1 Safeguard Policies," since ten of the guidelines address environmentally and socially relevant issues, while one guideline is exclusively concerned with public participation ("Public Disclosure"). In the presentation, the transparency of risk management measures and emergency response plans in pipeline projects will be discussed as an indicator of sustainability. The discussion is to be carried out on the basis of the results of an evaluation of several major pipeline projects, which have been financed at least in part by multilateral banks over the past few years. The controversies surrounding some of these projects due environmentally and socially relevant impairments connected with the investments have also been addressed by the Extractive Industry Report of the World Bank. Pipeline construction was the investment type chosen for the examination to be presented here, since pipelines frequently start in remote, unspoiled regions, and their routes often cross various natural zones and areas with various social structures. The question of safety during construction and operation of the line is always central to these projects; not only for the responsible authorities but also for other societal groups involved, such as environmental associations."

Jan 1, 2005

By Kevin Beirne

Most people involved in the mining industry are familiar with student-industry co-op work-study programs. Many colleges and universities have used them for years. Northern College’s Haileybury School of Mines student co-op program adds a new dimension of productivity to the college and the mining industry. The college is located in Hailey-bury, Ontario, Canada. An example of the program’s success is the school’s relationship with Sabin Metal’s SMC (Canada) Ltd.’s McAlpine Mill in Cobalt, Ontario. Students gain practical knowledge and experience while industry gains an eager-to-learn worker. And many of the college’s advanced research services are made available to industry to supplement their own capabilities. The McAlpine Mill was established to provide custom milling of slags and ores. It also recovers metal values from other products of the primary and secondary precious metal industries.

Jan 1, 1999

By Ryan C. Stephan, Christopher Mark

"Some of the weakest roof in United States coal mines is found in the Illinois Basin. Historically, the Illinois Basin has also suffered from high rates of unplanned roof falls and rock fall injuries. During the past decade, however, roof fall and rock fall injury rates have fallen dramatically, and are now lower than the national average. Several technologies are responsible for the improvement. Roof screen was rarely used ten years ago, but a number of mines now use it on a regular basis to prevent rock falls and rock fall injuries. Other roof skin control fixtures and work practices have contributed as well.The reduction in roof falls is also directly attributed to enhanced intrinsic roof support. Stiffer primary bolting patterns have reduced the magnitude of roof spalling and roof sag. They have also helped create a more intact beam that is able to be suspended from longer cable bolts. Cable bolt design methodology has also contributed to this reduction in roof falls. Some early cable bolt applications were unsuccessful because they employed as few as two cable bolts per intersection. This paper describes a methodology for estimating rock loads for support design.ROOF FALL TRENDS IN THE ILLINOIS BASINAlthough the Illinois Basin has a long history of poor roof conditions and high rates of unplanned roof falls and rock fall injuries, recent data indicates a change in the trend. Roof fall rates are determined by dividing the total number of non-injury roof falls by the total number of hours worked underground. The data is considered for 200,000-man hours. While the Illinois Basin was once a coalfield experiencing roof falls at nearly twice the national average, it is now at or below the national rate. Figure 1 indicates the trend over the past 20 years. In 2008, the Illinois Basin mines experienced 5.06 roof falls every 200,000-man-hours, compared to only 0.75 in 2018.There has also been a significant reduction in the rate of rock fall injuries in the Illinois Basin coal mines, as shown in Figure 2. In 2008 there were 1.48 rock fall injuries every 200,000-man-hours, compared to only 0.43 in 2018.ILLINOIS BASIN COAL ROOF GEOLOGYThe roof rock in the Illinois Basin has been studied in the past to understand the primary causes of roof failures (Molinda et al., 2008; Thompson, 2010; Molinda and Mark, 2010). Rusnak and Mark (2000) evaluated 10,000 laboratory strength tests from 800 rock units and concluded that for shale, siltstone, and sandstone, the strength of the Illinois Basin variety was less than half that of the same rock types in Central Appalachia (Figure 3). A study of Coal Mine Roof Rating (CMRR) measurements in more than 200 US coal mines also found that weak roof was predominant in the Illinois Basin (Mark and Molinda, 2005)."

Jan 1, 2019

By Jacob Carr, Christopher C. Jobes, Chenming Zhou, LaTasha R. Swanson, Jennica Bellanca, Jingcheng Li

Magnetic proximity detection systems (PDSs) are used with continuous mining machines (CMMs) to protect miners from striking and pinning accidents. Generators are used in a PDS to create magnetic fields covering the space around a CMM. The PDS determines the proximity of a miner relative to the CMM based on the magnetic flux density detected by a miner-wearable component (MWC) and simultaneously alerts the miner and stops the motion of the CMM if the miner is within a proximity that creates a striking hazard. A stable magnetic field is essential to the accuracy of the proximity calculations performed by the PDS. This paper presents the results of a systematic study of the magnetic influence of two types of steel structures found near a CMM— the body of the CMM itself and the wire mesh used for roof and rib control. The results show that the steel of the CMM body can change the magnetic field distribution and also alter electrical parameters of a PDS by changing its generator current. The study also shows that, depending on the distance between the wire mesh and a generator, the magnetic field can also be altered.

By Jacob Carr, Christopher C. Jobes, Chenming Zhou, LaTasha R. Swanson, Jennica Bellanca, Jingcheng Li

Magnetic proximity detection systems (PDSs) are used with continuous mining machines (CMMs) to protect miners from striking and pinning accidents. Generators are used in a PDS to create magnetic fields covering the space around a CMM. The PDS determines the proximity of a miner relative to the CMM based on the magnetic flux density detected by a miner-wearable component (MWC) and simultaneously alerts the miner and stops the motion of the CMM if the miner is within a proximity that creates a striking hazard. A stable magnetic field is essential to the accuracy of the proximity calculations performed by the PDS. This paper presents the results of a systematic study of the magnetic influence of two types of steel structures found near a CMM— the body of the CMM itself and the wire mesh used for roof and rib control. The results show that the steel of the CMM body can change the magnetic field distribution and also alter electrical parameters of a PDS by changing its generator current. The study also shows that, depending on the distance between the wire mesh and a generator, the magnetic field can also be altered.

By Wendy M. Brunner

A 70% excess of mesothelioma, an asbestos-related cancer, has been reported among men in northeastern Minnesota, where iron mining has been the major industry. The Minnesota Department of Health has studied iron miners who developed mesothelioma to identify possible sources of asbestos exposure. A database of all Minnesota residents diagnosed with mesothelioma between 1988 and 1996 was linked to a database of approximately 72,000 current and former Minnesota iron-mining employees to identify cases who had ever worked in the mining industry. The job histories of the cases were examined to determine if any of their jobs could have involved exposure to commercial asbestos. Seventeen individuals diagnosed with mesothelioma in Minnesota between 1988 and 1996 were found to have worked in the iron mining industry. Of the 15 for whom adequate work histories were available, 14 had identifiable sources of exposure to commercial asbestos in jobs held both inside and outside of the mining industry. The time between employment in these asbestosexposed occupations and the diagnosis of mesothelioma is consistent with the 20 or more year latency period that has been observed in other studies of this cancer. © 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Keywords: Mesothelioma; Asbestos; Iron miners; Taconite; Epidemiology; Case series

Jan 1, 2007

By James J. Brady, Joginder S. Bhore, Robert B. Gordon, Jimmy W. Honeycutt

The authors of this paper have a combined construction experience of 70 years. They have served as engineers and managers on projects throughout the United States and Canada. Approximately 50 shafts have been sunk under their direct and daily participation. Several shafts have been selected from each of their experiences and have been briefly summarized here. SHALLOW SHAFT SINKING Sinking shallow shafts in highly urbanized areas adds an additional set of problems to those encountered in normal sinking operations. During the time between July, 1975 and early 1981, a series of shafts were sunk for The Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority. All of these were located along the "A" line, starting soon after the route departed from its path along Connecticut Avenue, proceeding to Wisconsin Avenue and then along Wisconsin Avenue to the city line at Western Avenue. (See WMATA System Map, Figure 1) The first three shafts were subcontracted from Morrison-Knudsen & Associates, Contract A9a, in July, 1975. They were: Albemarle Street - 27'6" diameter, 78'O" deep Brandywine Street - 30'6" diameter, 88.6' deep Ellicott Street - 33'0" diameter, 110'0" deep

Jan 1, 1985

By Brooke T. Mossman

Asbestos fibers are highly fibrous silicate fibers that are distinguished by having a large aspect (length to diameter) ratio and are crystallized in an asbestiform habit that causes them to separate into very thin fibers or fibrils. These fibers are distinct from nonasbestiform cleavage fragments and may appear as thick, short fibers which break along cleavage planes without the high strength and flexibility of asbestiform fibers. Since cleavage fragments of respirable dimensions have generally proven nonpathogenic in animal studies, little data exists on assessing well-characterized preparations of cleavage fragments in in vitro models. The available studies show that cleavage fragments are less bioreactive and cytotoxic than asbestiform fibers. © 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Keywords: Asbestiform; Cleavage; Fibers; Fibrous

Jan 1, 2007

By G. R. Robinson

Aggregate resources consist of sand and gravel, and crushed stone. They are large-tonnage, bulk-minable mineral commodities that are used in construction and industrial activities (Tepordei, 1999, 2001).Rates of aggregate production, use and mine permit approval in the mid-Atlantic region differ by population density. These rates are influenced by economic and human factors, such as demand, costs, land availability and community opposition. In some areas, the local availability of aggregate is limited. This is due to the lack of suitable local source materials for aggregate, the loss of potential high-quality aggregate resource production sites by preemptive land development and restrictive zoning (resource sterilization), and the difficulty of developing and permitting production sites for aggregate.

Jan 1, 2004

Using a series-model of an automotive short range radar sensor (SRR) and a recently completed experimental radar system, field tests have been performed in a surface mine. It was examined, to what extent low-cost electronically scanning radar sensors can provide useful data for assistance systems on large scale mining machines. Simple sensors are useful for anti-collision safety zones or hopper car automation. The more complex and sophisticated experimental radar system using digital beam-forming can clearly detect and map the contours of trenches and slopes. The overall promising results refer to many more potential applications for electronically scanning radar in surface and underground mining as a reliable alternative to mechanical laser scanners.

Jan 1, 2007