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By Arif Emre Dursun

The aim of this study is to present hazard classifications of location, type, and causes of accidents in Turkish coal-extracting industries using Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). In this study, fatal mine accidents were analyzed by pairwise comparison and weighting, and the most important hazards were identified by determining the effective main and sub-criteria among location, type, and causes of accidents. For this purpose, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd level hazards consisting of location, type, and causes of accident were determined by using the data of fatal mine accidents in underground and open-pit coal mining in Turkey between the years of 2010 and 2020. And then the data were categorized, and each category was prioritized using the AHP technique. According to the weights calculated by AHP, the most dangerous main criteria at 1st level hazards in underground coal mining is ventilation operations (0.363), while the most dangerous sub-criterion at 2nd level hazards is firedamp explosions and other gas accidents (0.409). On the other hand, in open-pit coal mining, the most dangerous main criteria at 1st level hazards are slopes and benches (0.575), while the most dangerous sub-criterion at 2nd level hazards are landslides (0.429).

Dec 30, 2023

By Eduardo Oliveira Magalhães

Otimizar o consumo dos insumos energéticos e coprodutos é uma tarefa de suma importância na busca de competitividade das usinas siderúrgicas. O gás de alto forno é um importante componente dessa matriz energética e a maximização do seu consumo reduz sensivelmente os custos com a compra de outros combustíveis. Nesse cenário, o controle de nível dos gasômetros, equipamentos existentes nas siderúrgicas que exercem um papel fundamental na distribuição desse gás, não é trivial. Distúrbios e variações entre geração e consumo dificultam o desafio de manter a segurança operacional e ao mesmo tempo otimizar o consumo. Procedimentos operacionais e técnicas convencionais de controle não são suficientes para evitar perdas com a queima desse gás nas tochas de segurança (flares) dos altos fornos. Esse trabalho apresenta um caso real do uso de técnicas de controle preditivo MPC (Model Predictive Control) e regulatório para a distribuição em tempo real do gás de alto forno para os principais consumidores na Vallourec Tubos do Brasil em Belo Horizonte.

Jul 30, 2018

By John Plecash

This paper comprises a general outline of all of the developments, including the history, geology, mining, milling, power and transportation installations, at the gold mining operation of La Luz Mines Limited and the copper mining operation of its wholly-owned subsidiary, Rosita Mines Limited, both located in north-central Nicaragua. The low-grade, gold-bearing ore-bodies of La Luz Mines, contained in highly fractured and folded Lower Cretaceous sedimentary rocks, were from 1909 to 1928, mined and treated by primitive methods by the La Luz and Los Angeles Mining Company. The abandoned property was acquired by La Luz Mines Limited in 1936, and was equipped with modern machinery and put into production in 1939. Between 1939 and 1948, the daily rate of production was in-creased from 300 tons per day to 2,-000 ton per day. The ore reserves available for open-pit mining were depleted in 1954. Since then, the entire production has come from under-ground operations.

Jan 1, 1963

By Irving Hartmann

As part of the continuing effort by the Bureau of Mines to promote mine safety, research work is being conducted at the Experimental coal mine, Bruceton, Pa., on the prevention of coal-mine explosions and on other mine-safety problems. The principal subjects studied during the past 2 years are briefly described in this paper. Although at present these problems are relevant particularly to the mine layout and to high-speed mining practices in numerous American coal mines, it is hoped that the findings will prove interesting and useful also to our European research colleagues. Some of the investigations treated here will be presented in greater detail in forthcoming Bureau of Mines reports. 1. UNDERGROUND STORAGE OF COAL CUTTINGS The seams in mist American bituminous-coal mines are undercut, shear-cut, or top-cut before blasting. The cuttings arc generally loaded out with the balance of the coal. However, in some mines it is not economical to load and remove cuttings from the mine. This applies especially if the cut section of the seam is of appreciably lower grade than the rest of the coal, or if the cut is made partly into an adjacent stratum that is high in incombustible content. In such mines the cuttings are sometimes stored in random heaps in rooms or other areas, along the ribs of mine entries, or in layers on the floor of rooms or entries.

Jan 1, 1956

By S. A. Levy, J. D. Wood, J. F. Libsch

A study of the preparation and characteristics of a sevies of Fe-C-N alloys has been conducted. X-ray, microhardness, and metallographic data from a series of single-phase alloys produced by controlled nitriding of carburized foils are reported. The existence of a, y', and E carbonitride has been confirmed and it has been found that y' is the hardest of these three phases. These results have been used to interpret the structures observed in nitrided steels. ThIS paper represents the second phase of a three-part study concerning combined nitriding and induction hardening. The first part' reports the engineering properties (depth hardness, fatigue, corrosion, and tempering resistance) obtained when seven different steels were subjected to the combined surface hardening treatment. The present paper concerns the nature of a series of single-phase alloys prepared by controlled nitriding of carburized foils. The objective was to simulate the various layers present in the as-nitrided steels. A third paper will report data concerning induction hardening of the foils and will attempt to set forth a mechanism for the high hardness obtained with the combined treatment. Studies of nitriding generally fall into three categories. The first were performed with bars using conventional nitriding procedures, thus yielding a nitrogen gradient and a series of phase layers near the surface.2-6 Such studies were complicated by the presence of the nitrogen gradient, for it was difficult to correlate microhardness and X-ray data with chemical composition. There were always complications due to penetration of the X-ray beam which yielded data influenced by underlying layers. Similar difficulty was experienced in taking hardness readings on a tapered specimen or in isolating various layers by machining. A second group of investigations was primarily concerned with establishment of regions in the Fe-N7,9,10 or the Fe-C-N phase diagram.8 These were performed with powder specimens which were nitrided in am-monia-hydrogen mixtures to produce a series of single-phase specimens. Unfortunately, the powder specimens were not amenable to either microstruc-ture or microhardness study. The third was essentially a compromise of the first two. Bose and Hawkes," using 0.005-in.-thick iron foils, were able to obtain microhardness, microstruc-ture, composition, and X-ray data on Fe-N alloys of eutectoid composition by equilibration in ammonia-hydrogen mixtures at 1290°F. To obtain a better understanding of the nitriding process and the characteristics of the phases in ni-trided plain carbon steels, the present investigation was undertaken. The investigation was patterned after that of Bose and Hawkes with the exception that nitriding was performed at 930°F (below the eutectoid temperature), as in the case of conventional nitriding. In addition to gaining some understanding of the source of high hardness of nitrided and induction-hardened steels, found in a previous study,' this investigation was concerned with the possibility of controlling the phases present in a nitrided case through the use of ammonia-hydrogen mixtures. Knowledge of the properties of each phase and the conditions necessary for its production could make it possible to avoid undesirable surface layers in nitriding. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Specimen Preparation. A specimen thickness of 0.005 in. was selected to insure that a uniform nitrogen concentration could be obtained in a reasonable length of time by equilibration in an ammonia-hydro-gen atmosphere. The starting material was a vacuum-cast ingot of pure iron, the major impurities of which were: C, 0.003 pct; 0, 0.014 pct; S, 0.004 pct; N, 0.003 pct.* 'Compositions are quoted as weight percent except as noted. The ingot was heated to 1500°F in a nitrogen atmosphere and forged to a slab 0.25 in. thick. The material was then reduced to 0.005 in. by alternately cold rolling and annealing in a nitrogen atmosphere at 1600°F. This material was divided into five groups of specimens which, after carburizing, yielded the following carbon contents: 0.003, 0.28, 0.36, 0.46, and 0.74 pct C. The carburizing was performed by the Leeds and Northrup Research Laboratories, using a controlled "carburizing potential" which yielded a uniform carbon concentration throughout the cross section.

Jan 1, 1970

By D Walker, A Tsvetkov, P Voigt, O Kloiber-Deane

The GPM Gold Operation has been employing an Albion Process™ plant at its Sotk (Zod) gold mine in Armenia since 2014. Long term data from the operation is now being published for the first time. The data presented includes concentrate throughput, as feed to the Albion Process™ plant (tonnes per day), sulphur grade in concentrate (% S), total sulphide sulphur oxidation in the Albion Process™ plant (% SOx) and gold recovery from Albion Process™ plant residues (%). The data provides a basis for evaluation of the effectiveness of the commissioning, ramp up and operation of the Albion Process™ plant. Notwithstanding the impact of a slower concentrator commissioning than expected, the plant demonstrates Series 1 behaviour on McNulty ramp up curves, indicating successful commissioning and fast ramp up. Interrogation of the data and operational experience indicates that this successful operation is a result of a process that is flexible, robust and stable, one that was designed well based on solid testwork results and pilot plant trials during the study phase undertaken by Glencore Technology and Core Resources, and where the local operators were provided with appropriate training in operation of the plant. CITATION:Voigt, P, Walker, D, Kloiber-Deane, O and Tsvetkov, A, 2018. Ramp-up and long-term performance of the Albion Process™ plant at GeoProMining Gold Armenia, in Proceedings 14th AusIMM Mill Operators' Conference 2018, pp 339–350 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Aug 29, 2018

This is the second of a series of reports on properties of commercial motor fuels made pursuant to a cooperative agreement between the Cooperative Fuel Research (C.F.R.) Committee and the Bureau of Mines of the Department of the Interior. The first report gave data on motor gasolines sold during the winter of 1935-36.3/ These gasoline surveys report results of inspections, in oil-company laboratories, of samples of gasoline obtained by representatives of oil companies from service-station pumps in marketing areas throughout the country. In the present survey are presented inspection data on 239 samples of regular-price gasoline, 166 samples of premium-price gasoline, and 157 samples of third-grade gasoline, a total of 562 samples collected during the summer of 1936.

Jan 1, 1937

This is the second of a series of reports on properties of commercial motor fuels made pursuant to a cooperative agreement between the Cooperative Fuel Research (C.F.R.) Committee and the Bureau of Mines of the Department of the Interior. The first report gave data oil motor gasolines sold during the minter of 1935-36.3/ These gasoline surveys report results of inspections, in oil-company laboratories, of samples of gasoline obtained by representatives of oil companies from service-station pumps in marketing areas throughout the country. In the present survey are presented inspection data on 239 samples of regular- price gasoline, 166 samples of premium-price gasoline, and 157 samples of third-grade gasoline, a total of 562 samples collected during the summer of 1936.

Jan 1, 1937

By E. T. Bowers

Pneumatic conveying of coal underground is not widely used in the United States, although it is becoming increasingly popular in Great Britain, the Federal Republic of Germany, and South Africa. The question of safety has been raised repeatedly: Will the system be prone to dust or gas explosions, and, if so, can it withstand such occurrences safely? The work reported here was done under a Bureau of Mines contract and deals with the safety aspects of pneumatic transport of underground coal, as well as the hazards inherent in more conventional haulage systems. Included are three designs for different applications of pneumatic haulage: off-loading a continuous-mining machine on a room- and-pillar section, vertical hoisting through a 1,200-ft shaft, and off-loading a tunnel-boring machine driving a 2,000-ft tunnel.

Jan 1, 1985

By Lance R. Barron

Over the past decade, the U.S. Bureau of Mines (USBM) has studied longwall gate road stability at four mines in the Book Cliffs and Wasatch Plateau Coalfields of Utah. These operations are characterized by multiple-seam mining, abruptly varying cover depths to 914 m (3;000 ft), and massive rigid, sandstone units in the main roof or floor. Such conditions encourage severe bumping, roof instability, and occasional floor heave problems.' Various gate road configurations have been employed to alleviate' these problems. Although the mines have comparable basic conditions, the lithologies and qualities of the immediate roof, floor; and seam ate different in each mine and often vary in a single mine. Gate road systems that mitigate hazards in one mine may prove inappropriate in another or for different areas of the same mine. This report relates the geology of the coalfields; describes the location, geologic setting, specific mining conditions, operating history, and the USBM field study and results or conclusions for each mine; summarizes the relative performance of the gate road systems; and emphasizes the need for site-specific geotechnical data to evaluate gate road conditions and performance.

Jan 1, 1994

This report is the 21st in a series summarizing research and technologic work on coal and related investigations by the Federal Bureau of Mines - the Chard of the series published on a calendar-year basis 2/ Subject publica¬tions of the Bureau during 1956 are cited, and pertinent Bureau work is described briefly. The most effective method of conserving our important coal reserves is through improved technology of production and utilization. Associated problems form the program of the Bureau.3 4 5 6/ Potential production is depend¬ent on a knowledge of the quantity and quality of the reserves, and the Bureau continues to contribute information on this subject. Many problems are being studied that relate to improvements in current production, including mining methods and health and safety measures. Preparation of mined coal is necessary for its most efficient utilization. Preparation by conventional methods is being studied, as well as the development or new methods. Fundamental studies on the structure and properties of coal are necessary to insure full advantage of the special qualities of different coals. Controlling factors in the efficient use of coal in combustion, carbonization, gasification, and direct and indirect hydrogenation of coal are being studied continuously, and new processes are being investigated. The many advances in all these fields are discussed.

Jan 1, 1959

By J. Bruce Clemmer

[Gypsum is one of the most important nonmetallic c minerals, as is indicated by the fact that the United States consumed approximately 3,500,000 tons of natural and calcined gypsum in 1937. The building trades were the largest users required 2,520,000 tons of calcine for production of plaster, wall board, tiles, block, and various other insulating and building materials. The glass and ceramic industries and other manufacturers required an additional 126,000 tons. The balance was used in the uncalcined condition as retarder in Portland cement and or agricultural purposes.]

Jan 1, 1941

By T. Haubold, K. Ortner, T. Jung, D. Roth-Fagaraseanu, C. Mattern

Application of integrally bladed disks (blisks) is of increasing interest in compressors of aero engines. Blisks are preferred due to their potential for size and weight reduction, for increased performance and for reduced manufacturing costs compared to conventionally bladed disks. Erosion of the blisk aerofoils in service reduces engine performance, and can result in short shop visit cycles. This significantly increases the life cycle cost of these components, particular when considering that eroded aerofoils can't be exchanged easily for blisks during refurbishment. Shop visit cycle times can be extended and maintenance costs can be reduced through the application of an effective protective coating. The ongoing development of an erosion resistant coating and deposition process suitable for coating complex blisk geometries is described here. The coating is a multilayered W /TiB2 system exhibiting superior erosion resistance compared to known single- and other multilayer concepts. A modified sputter process is used to enable coating even of blisk geometries with shadowed surface to competitive recurring cost.

Jan 1, 2006

By William Catron

This paper is one of a series being prepared by the United States Bureau of Mines on mining methods, practices, and cuts in the various reining districts of the United States. The mining methods described are those used in the mines of the Cananea Consolidated Copper Co., a Mexico corporation whose holding company in the United States is the Greene Cananea Copper Co. The mines are at Cananea, Sonora, Mexico, 25 miles directly south of the international boundary, approximately in 31° nor to latitude and 110 to 130° west longitude. Cananea is connected with the boundary towns of Naco and Nogales, Ariz., by a standard-gage railroad.

Jan 1, 1930

An independent contractor is defined by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) as ?any person, partnership, corporation, subsidiary of a corporation, firm, association or other organization that contracts to perform services or construction at a mine.? Contractors that perform specific types of work are required to report the number of employees who work at coal mines and noncoal mines.

Aug 1, 2009

By R. E. Mussler

As part of an overall goal to develop technology that can maintain an adequate supply of minerals to meet national economic and strategic needs, the Bureau of Mines is evaluating a method for selectively extracting nickel and cobalt from low-grade domestic laterites. The method involves electrowinning to recover the metals in pure form; therefore, preliminary laboratory-scale electrowinning tests were conducted in both a nondiaphragm and a diaphragm cell to determine the effect of variables on energy efficiency under controlled conditions. Electrolytes were generally reagent-grade sulfate solutions that were prepared to simulate electrolyte that could be obtained by stripping nickel-and cobalt-rich solvent extraction reagents. Limited tests were conducted with electrolyte generated from laterite leach solutions. Electrical energy consumption in a nondiaphragm cell was 2.06 kwhr/lb Ni with the cell operated at 50° C, a cell feed of 90 g/l Ni, a pH of 3.5, an extraction of 3.2 g/l, and a cathode current density of 20 amp/ft2. The energy requirement decreased with increasing concentration and temperature, and increased with increasing. extraction and current density. At 50° C, energy consumption in the nondiaphragm cell was 21 pct greater than in the diaphragm cell, but it was only 5 pet greater at 65° C. For this reason and because of overall cost considerations, operation at 65° C with the nondiaphragm cell was preferred. Smooth sheets of cobalt were obtained by electrowinning in a nondiaphragm cell at selected temperatures from 50° to 85° C and with cobalt concentrations from 55 to 87 g/l. The energy consumption (1.48 kwhr/lb) was 22 pet lower with a cobalt concentration of 75 g/l and a cell temperature of 65° C than with a cobalt concentration of 55 g/l and a cell temperature of 50° C.

Jan 1, 1981

By Robert L. Stephens

"It can be argued that one of the most important property of any material is cost, since this property detennines the applications for which a material can be considered. Despite growing demand and production for commodity metals such as copper, nickel, zinc, lead, and tin, the cost of these metals has been steadily decreasing in real terms. The only way that metal miners and producers can remain financially viable in the long term is by continuing to lower their cost curve through the implementation of new metals production technologies. This paper reviews technological developments in the production of copper, nickel, zinc, lead, and tin that have or threaten to redefine the cost curves for these metals.DisclaimerThe opinions expressed in this paper the author's, and are not necessarily those held by the author's employer, Cominco Ltd.IntroductionThis meeting will discuss many novel technologies and processes for producing metals and materials with specific properties that will enhance the applications ranges for the material or will allow entirely new applications to be developed. However, in every real-world case, the cost of the new material or process is an important property that determines which applications the material or process can be used in. Other properties that are important depend on the applications.A recent press report (1) discussing the potential replacement of aluminum radiators with copper radiators in pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles provides an interesting example to reinforce the importance of cost in materials selection. In this case, the displacement of aluminum by copper is being considered because of the more favorable heat dissipation characteristics of copper. Heat dissipation has become more important due to the development of hotter-burning V-8 and V-6 engines. For this application, engineers also consider cost, weight, size, durability, and manufacturing process. The report stated that the development by the International Copper Association (ICA) of the ""CuproBraze"" manufacturing process for heat transfer products was an important development. This technology produces 845 radiators that weigh less, are more uniform in quality, and are potentially more compact. They are also expected to cost less in high production quantities than copper units produced in the past, last three to four times longer than soldered copper radiators, and the process also eliminates the use of lead solder from the manufacturing process."

Jan 1, 2000

By William Paxton Hewitt

Mineral deposits of western Utah and eastern and central Nevada have produced in excess of $8,500,000,000 since 1871. Through 1965, Bingham Canyon had produced over $4,600,000,000 and seven other camps over $100,000,000 each, principally from base metals. In addition, they yield iron and uranium ores; contain the world's largest beryllium reserves; and have produced the United States' most important gold discovery in 25 years. The area is famous for its silver production and its bonanza-type precious metal deposits, but such production has become unimportant. The area's greatest producers of metallic wealth are base-metal deposits in limestones and porphyry-type copper ores. In contrast to silver's decline, gold production has been rising-the result of by-product operations at Bingham Canyon. The area also contains gold deposits in which the gold is so finely disseminated it is not recoverable by panning. The area's gold ores frequently are associated with realgar, cinnabar, and carbon. The ore deposits generally are attributed to Tertiary intrusives,* but, at Mountain City, they may be related to Paleozoic volcanism. Mountain City has yielded rich chalcocite from quartz-pyrite-chalcopyrite bodies in siliceous sediments. Regional stratigraphy and structure are difficult to interpret, 69 per cent of the area being obscured by alluvium or volcanics. In general, central Nevada consists of chert, shale, silty sandstones, lavas, and pyroclastics; eastern Nevada and western Utah of many alternations of limestone, shale, and sandstone. Central Nevada has been structurally active since late Devonian. Although granitic stocks may have intruded eastern Nevada and western Utah prior to the Cretaceous, these areas remained quite stable until affected by the Laramide Revolution. Precambrian exposures, occupying 3 per cent of the area, have not been important hosts. However, the question is raised as to whether Precambrian carbonates, properly situated with respect to invading mineralizers, might yet prove to be important. This paper describes 16 precious metal camps, 6 limestone replacement districts, 2 silver-base metal vein deposits, and 9 miscellaneous types and discusses briefly the 11 * Some ores, as at Ely, are associated with intrusives of. Cretaceous age. major camps that are described in detail in this Volume.

Jan 1, 1968

By E. R. Palowitch

This report is the result of a series of coal-cleaning tests using a dense-medium cone-type washer. Detailed results are given for 2 tests using a magnetite medium and 4 tests using a pulverized-refuse medium. Approximately 120 float-and-sink tests and over 500 separate chemical analyses were made in conjunction with these tests. In these tests higher recovery efficiencies and sharper separations were obtained when using a magnetite medium, especially on coal sizes below one-half inch. When sizes above 1 inch at low specific gravities of separation are cleaned, the pulverized refuse medium compared favorably with the magnetite medium.

Jan 1, 1956

By D. van der Westhuizen, H. Krieg, M. Kruger

In the field of Fischer-Tropsch synthesis catalysts, cobalt, platinum, and aluminium are the primary metal constituents of the conventionally used cobalt catalyst. While platinum recovery remains a focal point in this field, a recent endeavour by a South African company emerged, which aimed to recover cobalt and aluminium from spent Fischer-Tropsch synthesis catalysts for potential use in the agricultural sector. This study aimed to optimally separate cobalt and aluminium from spent Fischer-Tropsch synthesis catalyst for this purpose. It further leverages the OLI database to predict metal speciation during solvent extraction to aid with experimental planning. Shake-out tests were conducted to determine optimal separation. conditions, which were validated using three distinct methods: (i) evaluating the experimental error, (ii) comparing results with similar research, and (iii) validating results against the OLI database. The investigation revealed the pivotal role of the aqueous pH yielding effective separation at pH 3.13 ([H2SO4] = 2.5 × 10−4 M) when using 20 vol.% CYANEX 272 and 50 mol.% pre-neutralisation. Effective cobalt scrubbing was achieved with 50 g/L Al at pH 2.8, while successful stripping required 1 M H2SO4. Competitive interactions between complexing aluminium and cobalt species were observed when contacting with CYANEX 272 at a pH < 4. Equipment design analysis for a targeted separation efficiency of 87% dictated the necessity of two mixer stages and a settler measuring 1.5 m × 1.5 m × 6.0 m (height × width × length). This settler would ensure sufficient residence time for gravity separation at a flow rate of 10 m3/h.

May 27, 2025