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By Philip U. Santacroce, James H. Meinholz

One-half of the $607 million Conveyance construction portion of the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District's Water Pollution Abatement Program is completed or under contract. 12,200 m (7.5 miles) of tunnel boring machine (TBM) driven rock tunnel from 2.5 m (8.0 ft) to 9.9 m (32.3 ft) diameter has been completed. This paper presents a review of TBM performance and a discussion of the pertinent geological conditions of the area.

Jan 1, 1987

By H. M. Breza

Recovery of phosphate concentrate at Texasgulf’s Aurora Mine has received increased attention as existing mine and plant production capacity limits are reached. Improved mining techniques and mineral processing of waste streams offer the potential to increase phosphate production without major expansion. Innovative processes are being identified to maximize pit mining recovery and to minimize waste stream losses. This results in more effective use of the phosphate. Texasgulf Inc., is a wholly owned subsidiary of Elf Aquitaine. The Aurora phosphate rock mine and refining facilities are located in North Carolina on the south shore of the Pamlico Sound. Phosphate ore is recovered by open- cast mining techniques. Draglines and other earthmoving equipment are used to uncover and mine the phosphate ore. The mined ore then is slurried and pumped about 8 km (5 miles) to the processing plant.

Jan 1, 1994

By R. F. Shurtz

This paper uses a simple model to illustrate the fact, widely known to information theorists, that the covariogram represents only half the information in the data used to construct it. It suggests and illustrates methods of putting the other half to use in describing mineral deposits. It also identifies applications in which the phase information is not needed.

Jan 1, 1986

By J. Yordan, J. Zinterer

Effective removal of ink particles by froth flotation is of up-most importance in paper recycling. In this study, the potential use of talc particles as carriers of difficult-to-float fine ink particles is investigated. In order to accomplish ink particles removal, the interactions between talc and oily- ink particles in aqueous solutions containing flotation chemicals was studied by zeta potential distribution measurements and with the impinging jet apparatus. The chemical conditions under which talc-ink adhesion occurs are identified and reported.

Jan 1, 2003

By C. Peppin, H. McLoren, D. Bayer

Hecla Mining Company and Master Builders Inc. conducted a study to evaluate the use of admixtures in reducing backfill binder concentrations. Additionally, admixtures were evaluated to help mitigate the occurrence of cold joints in the fill. Initial results demonstrated a 20% reduction of cement was possible while maintaining critical strength and flowability criteria. Admixtures also helped to control the formation of cold joints in backfilled areas.

Jan 1, 2001

By R. Debkowski

The current underground infrastructure of an old monumental salt mine along with using it as a tourist, museum, nature, resort, conference and cultural events place is presented in the paper. At present, mainly in the monumental part of mine, only a small part of the historical chambers, which together with galleries form a tourist route available to visitors. Moreover, the essential activities aimed to make the tourist route more attractive and to change the decor of the underground sites are discussed.

Jan 1, 2006

By Bruce A. Brown

Construction aggregate is the most important nonmetallic-mineral commodity in quantity and value that is produced in Wisconsin. Crushed stone is produced from the Precambrian crystalline rocks and the Ordovician and Silurian carbonates, and sand and gravel is extracted from Quaternary glacial deposits. Dimension stone is quarried from both the Precambrian crystalline rocks and Paleozoic carbonate rocks. Other nonmetallic minerals include industrial sand, lime, roofing granules, terrazzo aggregate, and peat.

Jan 1, 1999

By P. K. Chatterjee

Before coal can be extracted from surface or underground mines, approval must be obtained from state and federal authorities. Permitting is the application process through which such approval is sought. The application includes en environmental impact statement Which focuses on Such topics as subsidence, toxicity of acid mine drainage, pollution levels of rivers and streams, post mining reclamation, and the effect on the hydrological balance of the area. The permitting procedure is extremely time and labor intensive, and requires extensive interdisciplinary knowledge. This paper examines a LISP based permitting procedure which will help to reduce the time taken to prepare and review a permit application.

Jan 1, 1986

By Park. D. W., Y. M. Jiang, L. A. Morley, W. Keeton

Underground room-and-pillar mining operations in the Warrior Coal Field in Alabama frequently suffer instability due to soft floors and thinly-laminated immediate roofs. This investigation concerns a mine that was experiencing ground-control problems with weak floor conditions. Several roof falls occurred locally, and as much as 0.6 m (2 ft) of floor heaves have been experienced. The paper presents the results of comprehensive analyses conducted on floor heave, roof sagging, pillar- penetration and floor bearing capacity using instrumentation and numerical modeling.

Jan 1, 1993

By N. Edmonson

Frasch sulfur production/pricing decisions are based on market demand, less nondiscretionary sulfur supply. Price covers the cost of Frasch production and byproduct sellers accept the Frasch price structure. Large stocks have led Canadian byproduct producers to price aggressively at times, but their near-term drawdown suggests more passive price policies in the 1990s. Expanding continental nondiscretionary supply is combining with sizable Frasch supply increments to weaken prices. Simulations using a market model embodying these structural characteristics indicate that expanding demand may not result in substantial recovery from 1992 price lows before 1996.

Jan 1, 1995

By Allan E. Koski

Michigan is the second largest iron ore producing state in the United States. The Empire Mine, celebrating its 30th anniversary in 1994, is the largest iron ore mine in the state. The Empire Iron Mining Partnership is an iron ore mining, concentrating and pelletizing facility managed by The Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Co., a subsidiary of Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. The Empire Mine is located near Palmer, MI on the Marquette Iron Range in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The partnership includes Inland Steel Co., LTV Steel Co., Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corp. and Cleveland-Cliffs. Mine construction began in 1960. The first pellets were produced in late 1963. Successive expansions in 1967, 1974 and 1979 resulted in Empire reaching a present annual capacity of 8.1 Mt (8 million long tons) of pellets. In late 1993, a milestone was reached with the production of Empire's 152-Mt (150-millionth long ton) of iron ore pellets.

Jan 1, 1994

By C. F. Lee, Bezalel C. Haimson

A 300 m deep test hole at Ontario Hydro's Darlington nuclear plant site, 65 km east of Toronto, was used to determine the state of stress in the Paleozoic limestones (O-22O m depth) and the Precambrian granitic gneiss (220-300 m). The results of the hydrofracturing measurements indicated a state of high horizontal stress along the depth of boring and a consistent orientation of principal stresses in each geologic unit. These results were confirmed by a borehole TV camera survey, and by overcoring tests. The magnitudes and orientations of the measured in situ stresses were used in a feasibility study of siting an underground nuclear plant, and in particular in the geotechnical design of proposed reactor caverns in Precambrian rocks. Their implications on cavern stability under operational and accident conditions were analytically studied, taking into consideration the potential superposition of thermomechanical stresses under loss-of-coolant condition, and the possibility of thermal spalling in the host rock.

Jan 1, 1979

By Frank F. Aplan

Coal flotation offers the promise of a highly effective, large tonnage, low cost means of cleaning fine coal. Unfortunately, it has, to date, not lived up to its promise. Several problems that need to be addressed before coal flotation can achieve its promise are discussed and possible solutions offered.

Jan 1, 1989

By W. J. Cieslewicz

Geologically, northeastern Siberia is a region occupied by a folded belt of Triassic and Jurassic sediments and volcanics. Gold mineralization is of Upper Jurassic age. Most of the stream placers formed during the Quaternary. Placer gold was first discovered in 1916. Between 1930 and 1957, mining was carried out by the "Dal 'stroi," a Russian concentration camp organization. Since 1966, the mines have been worked mechanically. About 10 mining districts are now active, producing, altogether, 110 to 135 t (120 to 150 st) of gold annually.

Jan 1, 1987

By K. N. Han, P. B. Queneau, Bruce W. Cavender

Measures of metallurgical performance, such as recovery rates or mass balances, are frequently based on point estimates of operating conditions in the system of interest. Because the processes being measured are dynamic, a range of uncertainty accompanies each measurement; this uncertainty is reflected in the accuracy with which the calculated result describes the true metallurgical performance. In stochastic modeling, a range of probable values is used in place of a point estimate to describe each variable. The calculated result takes the form of a distribution, delineating both the magnitude and probability of potential outcomes.

Jan 1, 1993

By Ugo Preti, Gianfranco Ferrara, Mark C. Williams, Thomas P. Meloy

Theoretical and experimental lockedness profile curves are the same when the model assumptions are met. They appear different because of the way the data is presented. Continuous theoretical lockedness profile curves present all the data, including the wings of the curves giving them the deep U-shaped configuration. Experimental lockedness profile curves, because of the measurement methods, are discretized, obscuring the wings. If the continuous theoretical curves are discretized, they are similar to the experimental curves. When a float sink test is used to measure an interval of locked particles, the integrated averaging of the separation process obscures the wings of the continuous theoretical curve. To disclose the wings with experimental data, narrow density or measurement intervals must be used.

Jan 1, 1992

By T. S. Mackey

The industrial types, sources, and quantities of US tin residues are identified and the methods of treatment reviewed. The effect of a lower tin price, due to a current major world surplus of tin metal, is mentioned and covered in some detail. The names and locations of over 100 US firms recovering tin residues are listed. Current smelting and refining charges are included to convert the residues into tin metal and alloy. The impact of the complete with-drawal of the LME daily tin price since Oct. 24, 1985, and the collapse of the International Tin Council, which at one time supported the Buffer Stock Manager, are reported with comments.

Jan 1, 1987

By Dr. George W. Annadale, Dr. Adrian G. Chantler

Materials which are likely to produce Acid Rock Drainage (ARV) can be identified with a reasonable degree of certainty. However, it is not currently possible to predict the concentrations of future contaminant discharges with similar confidence. One way of overcoming this problem is to model the uncertainty in knowledge related to estimates of future contaminant concentrations, and utilize this information in a decision model to decide on acceptable levels of expenditure on ARV control measures. The paper presents a risk modeling approach and proposes a decision model.

Jan 1, 1992

By C. L. Karr, D. E. Goldberg

This paper considers optimization of the design and operation of an air-injected hydrocyclone (AIHC) via a genetic algorithm (CAI. The AIHC is a mineral separating device, developed by the U.S. Bureau of Mines, that combines the selectivity of flotation with the capacity and simplicity of hydrocyclones. GA's are search procedures based on the mechanics of natural genetics. Computer results demonstrate the ability of a GA to rapidly locate design and operating parameters that improve AIHC performance. A computer model of the GA-designed AIHC predicts improved recovery over that currently being obtained with an AIHC in operation at the U.S. Bureau of Mines Tuscaloosa Research Center.

Jan 1, 1990

By Bernard J. Reddy

This paper describes in detail the economic forces affecting cobalt supply, demand, and prices. The major factors that will determine the growth or decline in the use of cobalt in each of its applications are discussed. The flows of cobalt from mine to refinery are described on a company-by-company basis. The paper concludes with a discussion of how the characteristics of the supply and demand sides of market interact to determine cobalt prices.

Jan 1, 1986