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By L. Michael Kaas

The mineral industries are striving to expand their use of the computer's ability to process exploration, geologic, and mining data. Digital plotting programs and devices are continuing to gain wider use for lowering the cost and the time required to produce many types of maps and cross-sections commonly used by mining companies. Mineral engineers and geologists will soon be using a new tool, computer graphics, to greatly facilitate the use of computers to solve a large number of industry problems. By means of cathode-ray-tube (CRT) displays, an engineer can search large files of geologic data; display elevation contours, geologic structures, and ore grades; construct geologic and mining cross-sections; and compute tonnages for mining plans or ore reserve estimates. Examples of both digital plotting and cathode-ray-tube problem solving approaches are discussed in this paper.

Jan 1, 1969

By D. Brion, J. J. Prédali, J. Hayer

The need to grind volcanic-sedimentary ores very finely (d80 < 20 µm) so as to liberate Pb, Zn, and Cu sulfides from their pyritic gangue causes difficulties in selective flotation. The pyrite, which accounts for 70-80% of the mineral content, is insufficiently depressed by the usual pH and NaCN techniques. To determine better depressing methods, the surface evolution of pyrite during flotation was followed by ESCA spectroscopy to compare the stability range in the Eh-pH diagram. Surface iron hydroxide was formed, which is the main pyrite-depressing factor. NaCN appears to play a more restrictive part, since no ferricyanides were detected, except for very small amounts at pH 7.

Jan 1, 1980

Stringent controls now placed on the quality of coal make it important to be able to predict not only the tonnage and the grade of the coal in situ, but also the recovery factory and average grade after the coal has been washed. The established techniques of linear geostatistics (ordinary kriging) can be used to estimate the total tonnage and the grade of the coal in situ, but more sophisticated techniques are required for predicting the characteristics of washed coal. Two approaches are currently being investigated at Fontainebleau. One involves a parametric model of the washability curves and disjunctive kriging. This is described in Armstrong (1980(a) and (b)). The other is similar to the service variable approach used for estimating recoverable uranium reserves. The method is described in this paper.

Jan 1, 1985

By Graham Swan, Ove Alm

In-situ fracture toughness experiments have been performed with a scanning electron-microscope. The rock, Stripa granite, was loaded both in tension and three-point bending using the same size notched plates. Observations, which included crack extension measurements as a function of load, are presented in the form of R-curves. The data does not sup- port the proposition that R-curves can be regarded as independent of specimen configuration for this granite. Typically crack extension was seen to begin at loads of 70-80 % failure load. Tensile specimens showed considerably greater sub-critical crack growth than the bend specimens. Evaluation of the approximate fracture toughness Km for both specimen types produced as expected erroneously low estimates Of KIC, being worst in the case of the tensile specimen. Some crack extension data for Stripa granite using the indirect methods of compliance calibration, fluorescent dye penetrant and acoustic emission are compared. In a material such as Stripa granite it is considered that no single method is without its limitations.

Jan 1, 1982

By Edwin Ludlow

ROUNDING out a year of improved organization, substantial accomplishment and strengthened purpose, the American Engineering Council of the Federated American Engineering Societies held its first annual meeting at the Cosmos Club, Washing-ton, Jan. 5 and 6, Dean Mortimer E. Cooley of the University of Michigan, president of, the Council, presiding. Officers were-chosen, the work of the past year was reviewed and discussed, action was taken on important matters of public and technical service, new financial arrangements were put into effect, committees were named, new policies were sanctioned and old ones reshaped, and a broad and definite program was out-lined for the next twelve months. A leading event of the meeting was a dinner in honor of Herbert Hoover, who, addressing the members of the Council and their guests at the University Club, praised the work of the Committee on Elimination of Waste in Industry as a great and lasting public service, pointed the way for new engineering effort in the public interest, and expressed renewed devotion to the ideals of the Council. Resolutions of appreciation of the service of the Secretary of Commerce were presented to Mr. Hoover.

Jan 2, 1922

By J. C. Miller

In offshore oil drilling as it is done today, accidental blowouts cause considerable damage lo the environment. Public alarm over such accidents has already resulted in a number of legislative proposals which appear to favor the cessation of all drilling on the Federally owned continental shelf. Present concern for the environment and the increasing water depths associated with offshore drilling suggest the desirability of applying underground mining technology to offshore petroleum exploration. If offshore drilling were to proceed from underground accesses to the continental shelf, accidental damage to surface waters would be avoided, and so would the difficulties of exploring in deep or ice-filled waters. The specific approach proposed here is intended as a preliminary to offshore oil exploration in a known field or geologic structure. The end result of this method would be an on-shore vertical or inclined shaft terminating in an operating tunnel or haulageway as shown in the illustrations. From the haulageway, branching access tunnels would lead to drilling compartments. With this arrangement, it appears likely that one operating tunnel could serve all lessees ill a particular unit operation. Although an inclined shaft is not illustrated, this would probably be more practical than a vertical shaft owing to the length of the casings and the character of other equipment used in oil producing operations.

Jan 1, 1971

ON Coal&apos;s Horizon one development rises above all others. That is the swift expansion of output to make Soviet Russia the largest coal producer on earth next to the United States. Few Americans are aware of the speed and extent of that expansion nor of the accompanying creation of a strong, resourceful mining machinery industry, nor of the extent and character of the mechanization of Soviet coal mining. Two initial clarifications are necessary for better understanding. First, we must keep in mind the sharp distinction between the Russian people and the communist Soviet dictators who rule them. The great mass of the Russian people are not members of the Communist Party as people here are Republicans or Democrats. They are not permitted to be members. There are, by various estimates, only 2 to 4 million members of that party in all Soviet Russia. The other 196 to 198 million are the victims of their tyranny and their terror. It is the activity of the Soviet rulers that concerns us here.

Jan 1, 1954

By H. E. Nold

THE raw materials of the ceramic industry are mostly clays. This raw material is ground, water is added and the mixture pugged into a moist, plastic, rather stiff mass. From this mass the desired units of manufacture are made (bricks, hollow building tile, sewer .pipe, etc.). These units are dried; then placed in kilns and heated until the desired degree of vitrification is obtained.1 For firing ceramic ware, two distinct types of kilns are used; namely, periodic and continuous tunnel. PERIODIC KILNS Periodic kilns are those ordinarily seen in a brick plant. They are either round or rectangular. The raw, dried, formed ware is piled or set in the kilns to depths frequently exceeding 10 ft. The kiln is heated until the ware is matured, then gradually cooled sufficiently to allow men to remove the ware; then the cycle is repeated. The time duration of the cycle may be more than two weeks.

Jan 1, 1933

By D. G. Westlake

THE structure observed in thin foils by transmission electron microscopy is not necessarily representative of the initial bulk material. We have shown that hydrogen, originally present in a specimen of vanadium, niobium, or tantalum, can be concentrated by the thinning operation used to prepare foils from the bulk materials.&apos; These foils exhibited domain walls indicative of a tetragonal distortion of the bcc unit cells, probably caused by ordering of the hydrogen in preferred interstitial sites. We believe this ordering does not occur at room temperature in the bulk material which contains less than 1 at. pct H. In a continued effort to prepare metal foils whose hydrogen concentrations remain constant during preparation, we have developed some new chemical and electrothinning techniques for vanadium. Each of the procedures presented in Table I produced foils that were thin enough for transmission electron microscopy. The experiments described below were performed to test the effect of each thinning procedure on hydro-

Jan 1, 1968

By C. J. Bise, E. K. Albert

Mathematical modeling and computer simulation are the two primary techniques used for production analysis of underground coal mine layouts. Oftentimes, however, the selection between these two techniques is not based on an awareness of the level of effort needed for input formulation versus the suitability of the desired output. This paper will review mathematical modeling and two of the more prominent simulators (Virginia Tech&apos;s FACESIM and Penn State&apos;s UGMHS) used in underground coal mine production analysis. A hypothetical section will be analyzed by these programs and, based on the results of the aforementioned study, their advantages and disadvantages will be discussed.

Jan 1, 1985

By Yoginder P. Chugh

Elastic and viscoelastic behavior of three rocks-Tennessee sandstone, Barre granite, and Indiana limestone-was studied experimentally under uniaxial tensile stress. Cylindrical specimens of these rocks, about 1.0 in. diam and 2.0 in. long, were subjected to incremental constant stress history under uniaxial tension. The stress was held constant for a period of 40 min at each stress level. During this period, longitudinal and transverse strains on specimens were continuously monitored. The straintime history at each stress level was analyzed for elastic and viscoelastic parameters of a generalized Burger model. The viscoelastic parameters under uniaxial tensile stress were compared with those under uniaxial compressive stress. The experimental setup, experimental procedure, analysis techniques, and more significant results are described. This limited research effort clearly indicates the importance of the mechanical behavior of geologic material under tensile stresses.

Jan 1, 1975

By R. J. Lutton

Basic features occurring on tensile fracture surfaces in rock are hackle marks, steps, and rib marks. Rib marks define the leading edge of the fracture and indicate that it was free of irregularities. In turn, fractures characterized by these features are believed to have propagated elastically and to be truly brittle. On the other hand, most fractures in rock exhibit hackle marks and steps in a plumose arrangement, indicating a ductile fracture process. Accordingly, the edge of the fracture apparently advances by extending en echelon fingers, each of which is in turn a small plumose fracture. Plastic-like deformation takes place in this zone prior to complete rupture. Some of the propagation is directed sideways and some shearing also occurs in this direction. Such lateral movement contributes little to forward propagation and may make this process particularly sensitive to load rate and duration and help account for greater fracture strengths of materials under dynamic loads.

Jan 1, 1971

By W. E. C. Eustis

During the last year I had occasion, on behalf of our New York copper works, to send to various chemists samples, intended to he accurate, of material which we were buying and selling, and I was astonished to find what differences were reported. After talking over the probable reasons for this with a number of chemists and metallurgists, it was suggested that it would be of real use and some scientific interest to send samples to the different chemists, and take such care in making up the samples that we could feel sure that each chemist had as nearly identical a sample as it was possible to make. After some consideration it was determined to send a mixture which should carry about 50 per cent. copper, and

Jan 1, 1883

By S. K. Bradford

For years past I have traveled in quest of promising mining-properties, over almost impassable mountain-trails to remote places in the mining-regions, usually many miles from an assay-o5ce. If, upon examination, the fornlation and the ore-deposit appeared favorable, a quick determination of the value of my samples was necessary, in order that I might take intelligent action with reference to the acquisition of the property. A journey with my samples to civilized regions often meant weeks of delay, and perhaps loss of opportunity. How many, under similar circumstances, have returned with their assay-results from such a journey, only to find that some audacious speculator had optioned" the property! True, a first payment could have been made and the chances taken on the results; but experience has taught that rich-looking ore is not of necessity valuable. Personally, I would not hazard a ten-dollar bill on any property without first determining by assay the value of the ore. To carry the usual complete assay-paraphernalia over such mountain-trails was impracticable by reason of the loss of time involved, the great expense of transportation (charged -

Jan 1, 1911

By E. D. Williamson

DURING the wartime rush to prepare the glass necessary for the needs of our army and navy, the problem of the temperature control of the annealing kilns became most serious. The narrow limits of strain allowable (all the specifications called for less internal strain than the average of the previously used German glass) made necessary a very exact procedure and the methods had to be used on a much larger scale than theretofore. At the Charleroi plant of the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Co., the members of the staff of the Geophysical Laboratory, which was cooperating with the company, had occasion to study the methods available, and reached a number of conclusions (many of them by no means new except in their application) that may interest and assist those who have to meet similar problems in other fields. The following is a short account of the essential features of the system of temperature control evolved, along with a rather abridged statement of the reasons that led to the adoption or rejection of various schemes.

Jan 8, 1919

By C. C. Hatch, A. L. Mular

The methodology employed to develop a digital simulation of the Brenda Mines Ltd., Peachland, B. C., secondary crushing plant is described. Methodology includes data acquisition, data adjustment, model building, and the construction of a simulator structure. The simulator was utilized to study the effects of secondary and tertiary crusher close side settings, secondary screen opening, plant feed rate, and percent + 1 in. in the feed on the following responses: percent - 1/2 in. in the final product, plant reduction ratio, circulating load ratio, and screen efficiency. Results are presented in graphical form.

Jan 1, 1983

By D. M. Hausen

This study identifies and describes various crystalline phases of the V205-Na20 system, and relates their properties to metallurgical aspects of vanadium production. Phase equilibria and stability ranges of sodium vanadate phases of varying molar ratios of Na20/V205 were investigated in a variety of plant products, ranging from fused "black cakes" (V20 melts) to "salt roast" calcines. Crystalline compounds, Including vanadium pentoxide, V205; sodium vanadyl vanadate, 6 phase, Na2O.V2O5.5V2O5; sodium vanadyl vanadate, y phase, 5Na20.V204.12V205; sodium metavanadate, Na20 .V 05; sodium pyrovanadate , 2Na20 .V205; and sodium orthovanadate, 4Na20.~2~5, have been characterized with the aid of X-ray diffraction patterns, infrared spectra, and optical properties in addition to chemical analyses, as a guide to mineralogical "troubleshooting" of plant problems and processes in vanadium pyro- and hydrometallurgy.

Jan 1, 1984

By W. A. Longacre

IN the geophysical exploration program of the Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Co. on the Marquette Range of Northern Michigan, the vertical intensity magnetometer has been used to obtain magnetic anomaly maps of large areas. A network of magnetic base stations has been established and the relative vertical intensity at each station measured carefully with respect to a prime base. In the search for the relatively nonmagnetic soft red hematite ore, the magnetic exploration is indirect, involving the study of dikes, faults, contacts, and other structural features. It was found that the magnetometer, adjusted to a scale value of approximately 40 ? per scale division, was satisfactory for this type of exploration, although many magnetic anomalies were encountered that required the use of auxiliary magnets.

Jan 1, 1952

By A. J. Nicol

Field experience in uranium has shown it is most economical to ram through a drilling program to obtain maximum footage per drill hour. Drift surveys can then determine the course of the holes. Using this method is generally cheaper than paying the additional cost involved in using the drilling technique and equipment necessary to maintain straight holes. Factors Affecting Direction of Bit Travel: In all rotary-drilled holes there is an interplay of forces or conditions affecting the direction of bit travel. Rarely is a straight vertical hole obtained. One of the major factors is weight on a drill string. In looking at a joint of drill stem it is hard to imagine its being quite flexible, but flexing of the steel increases when many joints are made up together, and even a slight weight added to the upper portion causes a buckling or spiraling effect in the hole. The result is that the bit deviates from the vertical.

Jan 1, 1959

By Sylvain Pirson

THE number of seismograph field crews employed in the active survey of potential oil territories is still on the increase, owing to the ever pending threat of a shortage in the supply of crude oil. It is to be expected that for years to come the seismograph will be responsible for discovering many new oil fields, both in wildcat territories and in deeper formations, and that the seismographic campaign will go on unabated. Yet improvements in instrumental design, in the field and interpreta-tive techniques, are brought about year after year, and lead to the reshooting of areas many times surveyed previously. Notwithstanding the experience gained by the past eight years of active work in reflection seismographic surveys, the results given by this method of mapping deep formations have in many instances been at variance with the information subsequently obtained by the drill. To overcome this shortcoming, geophysicists have used closer spacing of the shot points and closer control of the depth points. The method dis-cussed here is being used actively in the Mid-Continent region and endeav-ors to reduce the interpretation work to a mere mechanical technique, leaving as little as possible to the opinion of the interpreter.

Jan 1, 1937