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By D. L. Passmore

The development of microcomputer software that provides an analysis of pit-specific accident and production data for the mining industry is seen as a vital component in a total loss-control system. The Mine Injury Reporting System (MIRS) allows users to access accident and production data prepared by the Health and Safety Technology Center of the Mine Safety and Health Administration of the United States Department of Labor for any particular state and to generate a simple, yet informative, report.

Jan 1, 1988

By Thomas S. Kovach

In today's competitive energy market, every effort must be made to assure the lowest possible production cost. 'rhi s. paper describes the cooperative effort between the coal producer and the utility customer to develop and install a fully integrated mine information management system at a 2.5 million tpy lignite mine in east Texas. A description of each item of the modules is included along with the problems encountered during development and how they were corrected. The system configuration is also described.

Jan 1, 1989

By Doug Halbe

GOLD MINES AND PRODUCTION Peru is generally known as a major world producer of silver, copper, lead and zinc; but in recent years it has also become a world class gold producer. In 1995 Peru was the 12th largest producer of gold in the world: 56,499 kg, or 18 million ounces. Much of this production comes from Yanacocha, operated by Newmont Mining Co, and owned jointly by Newmont; Buenaventura Mines, a Peruvian-listed company; and the International Finance Corp.

Jan 1, 1997

By F. Repmann

Waste-dumps originating from the mining industry constitute a serious environmental problem if they are not properly rehabilitated. Industrial and domestic sewage sludge from waste water purification plants on the other hand constitute a problem of environmentally acceptable disposal as these residues contain a large number of potential contaminants. The current project aims at developing an integrated methodology to rehabilitate the mining waste-dumps by the use of sewage sludge so that the two mentioned problems will be solved at once.

Jan 1, 2002

By R. W. Williams

Consequent on the development of digital computers the importance of analog simulation as a means of studying engineering problems has diminished in recent years. The general-purpose nature of a digital computer ensures its applicability to a wide range of tasks whereas an analog simulator is confined to the one specific use for which it was designed. Nevertheless the analog technique remains attractive in its application to certain aspects of the study of mine ventilation networks, for reasons which will now be developed.

Jan 1, 1980

By K. J. Shoop, S. J. Ripke, T. C. Rao, T. C. Eisele

This study investigated the use of a 7.6-cm inside diameter, 344.2-cm-tall horizontally baffled column to reduce the ash content of a low-sulfur bituminous coal. Tests were carried out to determine how the baffled column responded to changes in feed rate, reagent dosage and feed quality. The tests were also carried out to compare the columns performance to a conventional column installation in an operating plant. In this paper, the results of this investigation are reviewed and discussed.

Jan 1, 1999

By Brad Grothen, Lok Home

The choice of TBM type is never easy, but it becomes especially challenging when faced with a hard rock tunnel with expected high water flows and pressure. Slurry Shield tunneling has a long history of being used in these conditions to minimize the risk, though this method has brought with it other risks along with cost considerations. At recent projects around the world, another method has been proven to effectively manage these project risks without utilizing Slurry Shield tunneling: Shielded, NonContinuous Pressurized (NCP)-TBM tunneling in rock with a comprehensive grouting program. In this paper, the authors will analyze the use of Shielded NCP TBMs at projects around the world as compared with slurry shield tunneling in rock under water pressure. Recommendations will be given in order to establish a clear picture of the optimal tunneling method.

Jun 13, 2021

By Wolfgang Baum

The objective of this presentation is to demonstrate the utilization of process mineralogy to improve the plant performance of a large gold-silver operation. From raw ore to tailings, from concentrate to off-gases, nearly all aspects of the recovery process have benefited from the mineralogical work. The involvement of a process-oriented mineralogist on a routine basis permitted the plant to "unlock" the reasons for process problems and to take corrective measures such as adjusting and modifying the mill circuit and the process parameters. Process mineralogy has also been of substantial value for the selection and operation of equipment. This resulted in a more cost-effective operation with improved precious metals recovery and better by-product quality. Specific modifications made in recent years are largely related to mineralogical factors, particularly the inherent precious metals mineralogy and alteration characteristics of the ore.

Jan 1, 1998

By R. L. Beatty

The Bond International Gold (BIG) Colosseum Gold Mine was discovered in 1865, but no recorded production occurred until the 1930's, with production approximately 19k9 (615 oz) of gold. The mine was closed in 1942 as a non-essential industry during World War II. The property was acquired by Dallhold Resources in mid 1986. Construction of a 1.1 million Mt carbon-in-pulp, cyanide mill started in November, 1986, and was completed in September, 1987. Minable reserves are estimated to be 9,560,831Mt (10,539,000St), with an average grade of 2.1 g/Mt (0.062 oz/st). This paper describes a general view of process flow and plant equipment, as well as a look at the maintenance and operational problems encountered in the fist six months of operation.

Jan 1, 1989

By Jeff Schwoebel, Arcy, D&apos Horner

The Deep Coal Seam Project is a multi- year, large-scale research and development effort between the Gas Research Institute (GRI) and Resource Enterprises, Inc. (REI). The project is being conducted at the Red Mountain Site, a multi-well test site located in the southeastern portion of the Piceance Basin near Collbran in Mesa County, Colorado. The project objective is to develop the drilling, reservoir evaluation, completion and production technology required to produce gas from a thick, deeply buried coal seam. To understand the parameters controlling gas production, project efforts are focused on the Cameo "D" coal reservoir which lies at a depth of about 1707 m (5,600 ft) at the test site. This paper overviews the drilling, testing, completion, and production techniques used on the 1, 2 and 3 Deep Seam wells and implications for resource development.

Jan 1, 1987

By Hayati Karaman, Tevfik Güyagüler

In this paper fires due to spontaneous combustion in Middle Anatolian Lignite mine (OAL) which is the first fully mechanized underground lignite mine in Turkey, are studied. Since the installation of mechanization (1986), due to spontaneous heating, four panel fires namely, A01, A02, A03 and A04 have broken out. During these fires, the concentrations of carbon monoxide, methane and the velocity of air are measured continuously by the Micro Minos Environmental monitoring system. For each fire, the environment where fire has started is examined and the possible causes of the fire are investigated. Also the precautions taken to extinguish the fire at different stages are described and the importance of the early detection of mine fire are discussed together with the limitations of the monitoring system and the practical difficulties observed during the fire.

Jan 1, 1995

By H. Hejny

The objective of the project is to construct and operate a pan-European underground drainage and minewater management research centre, which would be the hub for data gathering and dissemination in real time of new data to users for analysis and interpretation, as well as serving as a model for consistency, for other centres at key water management sites throughout Europe which would feed data in real time through the hub. The data from the centre will be essential for informing River Basin Management Plans arising from the EU Water Framework Directive, which is an important driver for the project. The implementation of this Directive sets out a requirement for all Member States to develop River Basin Management Plans for all water resource systems. The facility would be a major contribution to sustainable water management in Europe.

Jan 1, 2007

By P. M. May, J. S. Solis, G. T. Hefter

Chemical speciation plays a critical role in many areas of gold processing. These include the formation of HCN in plant liquors, interference by copper in the extraction efficiency of gold, the recovery of adsorbed gold, and the behaviour of plant effluents in the environment. Thermodynamic modelling provides a cost-efficient method of rationalizing and even predicting of chemical behaviour. Unfortunately, because thermodynamic data for cyanide complexes are of poor quality and few are known under hydrometallurgical conditions. Such models are currently of limited use. This paper describes recent work on the thermodynamics of cyanide complexes of a range of metal ions. Data will be presented on the stabilities and enthal­pies (heats) and entropies of formation of a variety of metal ion species determined by potentiometry and calorimetry. Particular emphasis will be placed on the Cu(I)/CN- system.

Jan 1, 1995

By Paul A. Lahti

Independence Mining Company, Inc. (IMC) has for the past several years processed refractory gold ores at its Jerritt Canyon operation near Elko, Nevada. The ore is typical of those of the Carlin Trend and is refractory due to physical encapsulation of gold in carbon, pyrite, and arsenopyrite. It is also "preg robbing" due to the contained organic carbon that acts as a gold adsorber. Refractory ores require some form of pretreatment before cyanidation to enable economical recovery of gold. The metallurgical facility at Jerritt Canyon is unique in that it consists of two distinct pretreatment methods for the recovery of gold: a chemical process utilizing chlorine and a pyro-metal­lurgical process employing oxidative roasting. This paper pro­vides a comparison of the two methods highlighting flow sheets, pretreatment operation detail, performance comparisons, and pertinent environmental data.

Jan 1, 1996

By M. García-Vásquez

In Peru, the third destination in worldwide exploration based on expenditure, mining conflicts have spread dramatically over the last decade. Mining companies need to create new initiatives to avoid social conflicts and strengthen the social capital needed to keep mining in a country with proven mineralogical riches. This document provides information about a research project that explored the opinions and experiences of a resource many times overlooked by companies: the human resource. Over 30 surveys were conducted among professionals working at mines in the Peruvian mining industry, in different departments and from different organizational levels. Mining employees acknowledged that they play an important role in the development of company-community relationships and gave their impressions about initiatives implemented by international mining companies in Peru. Mining employees also provided their recommendations to succeed in a location where cultural differences have not been properly considered.

Jan 1, 2011

By M. Shriwas, F. Calizaya

"Controlled recirculation may be considered as a beneficial means in mines of cold climate, where heating of air is required, and in deep or extensive mines, where cooling of air is required. Controlled recirculation can be designed by proper sizing of the booster fans with respect to main fan. Intuitively, it seems that the buildup of methane at the face will cease when a steady state condition is attained, and also that, at that same time, the maximum concentration at the face will remain same as in the return air. This supposition is proved by mathematical analysis that considers uniform mixing of methane in air in successive cycles of recirculation. This study includes two scenarios to show the effect of controlled recirculation on methane concentration in a sample network. Firstly, when recirculation crosscut exists near the working face; secondly, when recirculation crosscut exists away from the working face. The later scenario shows lesser buildup of methane concentration than the former one. INTRODUCTION The controlled recirculation is designed purposefully to allow a partial fraction of used air that increases the air velocity due to increased quantity of air and consequently allows effective dilution of contaminants to improve local ventilation condition at the working face. It can be designed by proper sizing of booster fan with respect to main fan in a ventilation network. Controlled recirculation may be categorized as crosscut, in-line or combined system based upon the configuration of the booster fan locations in a district ventilation network. Research on controlled recirculation has shown numerous benefits of controlled recirculation especially in deep or extensive underground mines, where further heating or cooling is required (Calizaya 1990; McPherson 1993 and Jones, 1987). However, fear of buildup of concentration has misled the mining communities to view the controlled recirculation as a hazard and deprived the mining industry to derive benefits from recirculation. Intuitively, it seems that the buildup of methane at the face will cease when a steady state condition is attained, and also that, at that same time, the maximum concentration at the face will remain same as in the return air. This supposition is proved by mathematical analysis that considers uniform mixing of methane in air in successive cycles of recirculation. This study includes two scenarios to show the effect of controlled recirculation on methane concentration in a sample network. Firstly, when recirculation crosscut exists near the working face; secondly, when recirculation crosscut exists away from the working face. The later scenario result shows the less buildup of methane concentration than former scenario result."

Jan 1, 2016

By J. Pereyra, M. DeMarco

"INTRODUCTION It can be vital that bolted joints holding subassemblies together remain secure. Bolts should resist the loosening effects of vibrations and dynamic loads yet need to be easily removable during maintenance. When a threaded fastener is subjected to vibration, the rapid movement causes a lowering of friction against the threads and a subsequent loss of preload. The loss of preload allows the fastener to vibrate loose and possibly fall out. As the diameter of fasteners increase desired preload becomes increasingly more difficult to achieve. Input torque requirements for achieving proper bolt preload is exponentially related to any given fasteners diameter. This means that specialized tooling or bolting practices are usually required to attempt the tightening of fasteners to reach their required preload. Traditional methods can cause problems with joint integrity and do not provide consistent bolt load across the bolted surface. BOLTED CONNECTIONS A failed critical bolted joint can lead to high maintenance costs, machine downtime, and risk to worker safety. Control of the clamp load in a bolted joint is vital. However, when faced with a problem joint, it is not surprising that the design engineer will not have an answer if asked about the clamp load. Torque calculations must always be based on the existing conditions that often are vague. Unless all parameters are correct, the calculation will be unreliable. Examples of parameters are: • Thread condition of the fasteners • Hardness of contact surface • Material (steel, aluminium, copper, etc.) • Extra friction from a locking fastener • Extra friction from an adhesive • Lubricant on the thread • Type of bolt head (flanged, regular or serrated) • Surface coating of the bolt • New or reused fastener During tightening, bolts are subjected to both tensile and torsional stress. The total stress in a bolt can be calculated using the formula: Total stress = vsx2 + 3txy2 In order to maximize the desired tensile stress (sx) it is vital to minimize the torsional stress (txy). Tensile stress (clamp load) is achieved when the bolt is axially elongated. Unwanted torsional stress (twisting) in bolts arises during tightening due to thread friction. High thread friction increases torsional stress and causes yielding at lower clamp load levels than normal. A lubricant is necessary to minimize the malign torsional stress. However, many commonly used bolt-locking systems are based on increased thread friction (deformed nuts, adhesives, etc). To minimize thread friction and concurrently safely secure the joint has often incorrectly been considered impossible. The use of locking systems that increase thread friction is the single most common reason why the full capacity of bolted joints is not utilized. The following example illustrates the problem."

Jan 1, 2015

By A. D. Hammond

"INTRODUCTION Vanadium deposits in Arizona are distributed all across the state, from the rim of the Grand Canyon to the Tombstone mining district in the southeast corner of the state (Figure 1). The combined past production of vanadium from Arizona and New Mexico ranks second nationwide, after deposits in the Colorado Plateau In the northeast corner of the state, in the Carrizo Mountains and Monument Valley of Apache and Navajo Counties, vanadium was produced as a by-product of uranium in deposits of the Salt Wash and Shinarump members of the Morrison and Chinle formations, respectively. The production took place between 1943 and 1970. Another source of vanadium in Arizona occurs in vanadate deposits associated with supergene enrichment of base-metal vein and replacement deposits. The most important vanadate mineral is vanadinite, a chloro-vanadate of lead. Presently, there are no primary mines of vanadium in the United States. In 2012, a small production of vanadium pentaoxide (V2O5) was reported as a by-product of uranium at the White Mesa uranium mine in Utah1. This paper describes vanadate deposits in Arizona with emphasis in three districts, namely, the Mammoth, Globe-Miami and Banner districts.VANADIUM EPIGENETIC DEPOSITS: VANADATES Almost all vanadium epigenetic deposits occur as vanadates in oxidized zones of lead, zinc and copper veins and replacement deposits. Vanadinite, descloizite and mottramite are the most common minerals in vanadate deposits. Descloizite is a vanadate of lead, zinc and copper. Wulfenite, a molybdate of lead is also present. These minerals replace supergene base-metal minerals, form crusts on faces of open cavities, or are inter-grown with residual clays in pockets. The vanadium content in vanadate deposits is believed to have been leached from the country rock by ground-water and transported through porous rocks until precipitating as a relatively insoluble vanadium compound or until the solution evaporated. Precipitation was brought about by local concentrations of cations of divalent lead, zinc or copper. Lead is a constituent part of almost all of vanadate deposits and the vanadium pentaoxide (V2O5) content in vanadate minerals seems to have a direct correlation with the content of lead in the hypogene mineral. Vanadate deposits are restricted almost entirely to the oxidized parts of vein or replacement deposits. It is rare that oxidized zones extend past 100 ft from the surface. Vanadate deposits are largely restricted to tropical and temperate zones and regions of dry climate. Arizona and New Mexico have the largest concentration of vanadate deposits in North America."

Jan 1, 2015

By Annan Cook

J.R. Atkinson, office engineer to Kennecott Copper Corp., summarized data on the Mineral Park area [Wallapai (Chloride) Mining District, Mohave County, Arizona, Fig. 1] and submitted it to the New York office in 1950. He recommended an examination. Weston Bourret, a Kennecott geologist, accompanied by B.S. Butler, the well known former US Geological Survey geologist, examined the larger of two hydrothermally altered areas in Mineral Park that same year. Bourret recommended that the property be optioned and mapped. Georges Ordonez, Kennecott's chief geologist, after a field examination, agreed with Bourret's conclusions At the end of the summer of 1951, Annan Cook (another Kennecott geologist) accompanied Ordonez to the property prior to starting a mapping program. At Ithaca Peak, the structure, alteration, and reddish-brown coloring in leached cavities-hematite, jarosite, and goethite with minor copper staining - made an interesting target. The Peak, which has since been mined, was a Laramide quartz monzonite porphyry grading into quartz porphyry, penetrating Precambrian rocks. Turquoise had been mined from several workings on the Peak. Surrounding the central area of alteration, but mainly to the northwest, there were many long-abandoned underground workings mined for zinc, lead, gold, silver, and copper. To the west of Ithaca Peak within the main area of alteration, surface evidence of a chum drill hole suggested interest in the disseminated mineralization probably prior to World War II. A topographic and geologic survey of the altered Ithaca Peak area was initiated by Cook in September 1951. He was assisted by Richard Vosburgh, field engineer, and by four geologists: Charles Goddard, III, Donlon LoBionda, Keith Martin, and A.T. Stone. When Cook returned to New York, Vosburgh was left in charge. Mapping continued and diamond drilling took place during the winter of 1951-1952. Drill sites were selected entirely on the basis of surface geology. Five drill holes, including a flat hole, located around the flanks of Ithaca Peak, averaged about 183 m (600 ft) in length. A sixth hole caved at less than 60 m (200 ft). The best values obtained were in the first hole (-45°): 90 m (300 ft) averaged 0.62% copper and 103 m (337 ft) averaged 0.041% molybdenum. In another hole, 43 m (142 ft) averaged 1.09% copper and 0:023% molybdenum. The values of copper and molybdenum in these two holes were generally higher than in the remaining holes, although molybdenum values were always around 0.024% or better. The New York office decided, however, to abandon the project even though the remaining field crew of three had recommended more drilling.

Jan 1, 1991

By Simon T. Johnson, Robert J. Fowell

The application of roadheading and drag tool equipped machines requires an assessment of both cutting performance and tool consumption. Neither parameter can be assessed purely from compressive strength and tool consumption is often neglected, at a cost to the project. Results from in-situ monitoring show that a measurement of relative abrasivity using the Cercharscratch abrasivity test provides a basis for the assessment of tool consumption. This can be modified by also considering the effects of the machine specification and the rock mass quality.

Jan 1, 1986