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By Byron M. Bird

JIGGING is the stratification of a mass of solid particles in upward pulsations of water or in alternating upward and downward pulsa¬tions. The stratification usually is effected in a rectangular open¬top container having a perforated bottom through which the pulsations of water are applied to the materials to be separated; in separating coal, to a mass of coal and refuse. Jigging usually is a continuous process involving three steps: (1) the reception of the raw coal, (91) the stratification of the coal and refuse so that the refuse settles to the screen plate, and (3) the overflow of the cleaned coal and the withdrawal of the refuse collected on the screen. The jig is the most universal washer ever devised. It is handling in practice a wide range of closely sized coals and ores, mixed sizes of coal from 8-in. to 0 through %-in. to 0, and mixed sizes of ores down to %3 O-in. to 0 and even smaller. It is treating materials ranging in specific gravity from that of gold at 19 to that of coal at 1.30. It is handling feeds in which the proportions of high-gravity materials range from 90 per cent or higher, as for some iron ores, to 10 percent or less for some coals. It is handling feeds containing all shapes of particles-round, rectangular, and flat. It is handling simple separation problems and difficult separation problems. Thus, it is an almost universal separating device. One might add that it has been one of the most misunderstood types of washers, from both a theoretical and a practical point of view. Although con¬siderable progress has been made in coal jigging in the past 10 years, the jig probably has more unexplored possibilities than any other type of washer. In this chapter the object has been to treat the jigging process in a practical manner and to give information that will help the reader to improve his particular operation. Inasmuch as performance data from operating plants would contribute little of value, none has been given. Instead, the emphasis is upon jigging principles as a foundation for attacking the problems that arise. These principles are in reality tenta¬tive conclusions from research in the field of jigging during the past 10 years and most of this chapter should be regarded as a progress report on an investigation still under way.

Jan 1, 1943

By A. Sutton-Pratt

The African continent has been the most prolific producer of gold since mining began. Although most of this gold has come from South Africa, other countries have also been important contributors in the past. There is currently little production outside South Africa, Ghana and Zimbabwe, but the gradual globalisation of the industry over the past decade has resulted in growing interest in the region which bodes well for its future development. An outline is given of prospects and activity (or lack of it) in South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Madagascar, Botswana, Namibia, Zaire, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Zambia, Malawi, Angola, Congo, Central African Republic, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia, Sudan, Chad, Libya, Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Gambia, Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Togo, Benin, Niger, Nigeria and Cameroun

Apr 1, 1996

By Eric Pirard

Theoretical studies carried out on shape analysis supply mathematical tools to analyze the influence of grain shapes on ore beneficiation. In the case of statistic images like those encountered in applied mineralogy parametrical and harmonical analysis methods are used. It is important that the shape parameters are adapted to the specific processes involved in ore beneficiation, while remaining easy to manipulate. The inertia parameters are considered in the scope of granulometric and gravimetric processes It appears that they are able to distinguish between the resulting products where very popular shape parameters are not. The measured statistics are analyzed through discriminant analysis procedures in order to estimate the importance of morphological differentiation and the aptitude of shape parameters to account for this.

Jan 1, 1989

By Shuie Li, Taibai Li, Tao Hu, Zhongjie Wang, Xiang Ge

As one of the main power sources, lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) will continue to be applied on a large scale in the future market. Commercialized LIBs cathode materials contain various valuable metal elements including Li, Co, and Ni. The development of green and efficient recycling technology is essential. Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have recently emerged as a new class of green solvents that could potentially be applied for the LIBs recycling industry due to their capability to leach the active materials without the introduction of environmentally hazardous reagents as used in conventional hydrometallurgy process. Considering the rapid progress, a critical review focusing on the progress and fundamentals about the overall efficiency has practical significance for the further advancement of this field. Herein, we briefly introduce the overall process of using DESs for LIBs recycling and specifically focus on the efficiency of each step. Current fundamental understandings and new experimental approaches to enhance the efficiency of the leaching process, the extraction process, and reusability are summarized. We expect this review article to inspire scientists to use DESs as powerful tools for advancing the frontiers of LIBs recycling.

Jul 30, 2022

By P Moser, P Schimek, F Ouchterlony

This paper summarises the findings of 27 model-scale bench blasts in magnetic mortar, which were conducted from 2011 to 2014 at the blasting site of the Montanuniversitaet Leoben.The aim of the study was the investigation of the influence of blasthole delay times in small-scale bench blasts on the face characteristics and cracking damage created in the surrounding rock, which affects the fragmentation in subsequent rows.The test specimens or blocks, which were produced out of magnetite concrete, were roughly 1:100 in scale to normal bench blasts. The confinement of the testing blocks at the sides and back ensured the similarity to normal bench blasts with regard to the wave transmission into the surrounding rock. The specimen contained three or four rows with five blastholes each and were shot row by row, with virgin (undamaged) material in row 1 and increasingly damaged or preconditioned material in the following rows.The tested delay times varied between 0, 28, 73 and 140 µs, which corresponds to 0, 0.4, 1.0 and 2.0 ms/m of burden.The evaluation of the material properties showed that the use of magnetite concrete eliminated the inhomogeneous behaviour of rock, but some unexpected differences of the individual production cycles were still detected.The characteristics of the bench after each blast was evaluated along three horizontal lines out of a 3D model of the bench face. The tested delay time sequences of the virgin (first row) and single preconditioned blasts (second row) produced more overbreak for longer delays, while the third-row shots resulted in a smoothened surface independent of the chosen delay.The introduced damage after every blast was evaluated by an observation of irregularities on the newly blasted bench face. The visible cracks at the top of the testing blocks were documented and divided into several crack families according to their angle, length and origin. The remaining block was broken out of the blasting site after blasting, cut into several horizontal and vertical slices and dye penetrant spray was used to visualise the cracks created. Some of the detected crack families showed an influence of the delay time. The calculated mean crack density and mean crack intersection density showed that longer delays resulted in a higher degree of damage.The fragmentation results were well reproduced by the basic three-parameter Swebrec function. The observed improvement of fragmentation in the second- and third-row blasts was linked to the preconditioning of the burden for the following row while blasting the actual row. With the exception of the simultaneously initiated blastholes, the blasts showed coarser fragmentation for the shortest delays, while the longest delays generated the finest fragmentation.CITATION:Schimek, P, Ouchterlony, F and Moser, P, 2015. Influence of blasthole delay times on fragmentation as well as characteristics of and blast damage behind a remaining bench face through model-scale blasting, in Proceedings 11th International Symposium on Rock Fragmentation by Blasting, pp 257–266 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Aug 24, 2015

By Robert L. Kranz

The U.S. Bureau of Mines (USBM) has been monitoring and studying seismic activity associated with mining in the Coeur d'Alene silver district of northern Idaho. New statistical methods of studying the stope-scale (1-to l00-m) seismicity at one Idaho silver mine are used in this report (part 1) and its companion (part 2). This report deals with methodology and its limitations. The recent concept of fractals and their seismological use is discussed and applied to mining-induced seismicity. Three types of fractal studies are addressed: spatial analyses (including temporal changes of spatial patterns), temporal analyses, and size analyses. Other statistical measures of mine seismicity are also addressed: event mean location, inter-event distance distribution skewness, temporal coefficient of variation, nearest neighbor and next event statistics, and event location planarity patterns. Each of the methodologies discussed (fractal and nonfractal) is presented using sample data from two stopes in the mine. It is shown that stope-scale, mining-associated microseismicity has a fractal nature. The usefulness of demonstrating fractality (scale invariance) for predictive or descriptive purposes depends on recognition of the factors affecting the calculation of fractal dimensions. Several methodological traps are illustrated that can lead to an incorrect conclusion.

Jan 1, 2010

By Henrik Saxén, Mikko Helle, Hamid Ghanbari

In this study, a process integration approach in a primary steelmaking is investigated to evaluate future operation concepts of a steelmaking site considering sustainability issues. Mathematical programming is used to study the integration of the steel plant with chemical units for utilization of available off-gases in the system, and carbon capturing and sequestration unit. Different industrial carbon utilization options are considered to find the best route of development. A multi-period optimization model is developed based on site-wide mass and energy balances by considering the availability of the fuels and by-product gases and their consumption in the production system and a conceptual polygeneration system. The objective is to reach maximum economic profit while environmental aspects of integrated system are considered for different fuel systems, alternative blast furnace reductants and implementation of new process technologies. The model can provide useful information concerning techno-environmental and economic aspects for decision-making and can estimate optimal operational condition of current and future primary steelmaking under alternative scenarios. The results of the work illustrate the potential to develop steelmaking towards more sustainable operation in the future.

Jan 1, 2015

By Darren Medd

Kumtor Gold Company (KGC) currently operates the 500,000 tonnes per day Kumtor open pit gold mine located in the Issyk-Kul region of the Kyrgyz Republic at an elevation of more than 4,000 m. To supplement the open-pit mill feed with high grade underground ore from outside the current pit limits, KGC started pre-production design and development of the underground mine for the SB ore zone in late 2006. The initial phase of pre-production development consists of exploration and haulage declines which, upon completion, will provide ventilation and access to the underground mine. Design and construction of these declines presented many challenges to the project team considering the mines unique location at high altitude, the limited experience with Western underground mining techniques in the Kyrgyz Republic, and the impact of the nearby Davydov glacier and resultant ground conditions. Completion of the exploration and haulage declines was undertaken jointly by KGC and mine contractor, J.S. Redpath Limited (Redpath). The initial phase of development including several ground falls provided detailed information on geotechnical ground types and conditions that were useful in determining the overall mine design and methodology for production. This paper covers the various aspects of the design and construction process of developing the declines under the glacier, minimizing the likelihood of further ground falls, and the journey of both KGC and Redpath which led to the successful breakthrough between the declines on 01 July 2012.

Aug 1, 2013

By I. Çinar

Cappadocia is not only a region of Turkey with historical and touristic importance. During the cutting and processing of volcanic tuff, quarries in this region release large amounts of tuff into the environment that is viewed as waste. The release of this waste constitutes an economic loss and contributes to environmental pollution. However, through experimentation with deformation, weight per unit of volume, water absorption, uniaxial compression strength, modulus of elasticity, and point load strength index, volcanic tuff and marble dust composite materials can be produced for use in the building sector. In this study it was observed that, as the percentage of volcanic tuff dust in the mixture increased, the water absorption rate of the material increased, and uniaxial compression strength and point load strength decreased. The produced composite samples used in this study were kept for a predetermined number of times per day, and no deformation in the surface characteristics of the materials was observed. In a statistical parameter analysis, averages, variances, standard deviations, coefficients of variation, and skewness coefficients were calculated. Covariance changes between experimental parameters were also determined. In this study, two types of volcanic tuff dust, that is, yellow and red, were produced during the production of tuff-marble dust composite material. When the percentage of either type of volcanic tuff dust was increased, an increase in water absorption was observed. It was also observed that when the percentage of volcanic tuff dust was increased, uniaxial compressive strength and point load strength decreased. Furthermore, the physical and mechanical properties of the materials obtained by mixing different colored tuff powders and marble powders in different proportions were evaluated using statistical parameter analysis.

Mar 5, 2025

By Hanry Guillén

En la Compañía Minera KOLPA, se analizó el comportamiento de sus operaciones unitarias por el período Marzo - Agosto 2016, en el cual se identificaron procesos asociados a los ciclos de perforación y voladura, bajo los términos de variabilidad NO ESTABLES NI SOSTENIBLES, los mismos que ameritaban medirlos, analizarlos, mejorarlos y controlarlos a fin de adoptar decisiones que conduzcan a operar la mina en términos de calidad y excelencia.

Sep 1, 2017

By Donald Thompson, Jessie Bonner, Ileana Tibuleac

Predicting ground motion from complicated mining explosions is important for mines developing blasting programs in regions where vibrations must be kept below certain levels. Additionally, predicting ground motion from explosions in complex 3D media is important for source size estimation for nuclear treaty monitoring. Both problems have been addressed under the development of a new series of programs including: 1) Generalized Fourier Methods to generate synthetic seismograms (Green’s functions) in 3D media for a moment tensor source implementation and 2) MineSeis3D, a program that simulates seismograms for delay-fired mining explosions with a linear relationship between signals from small size individual shots. To test the programs, three-component seismic recordings of three production shots at an iron mine in northern Minnesota were compared to synthetic waveforms in 3D media. Comparison of the observed and synthetic waveforms shows promising results. The shape and arrival times of the normalized synthetic and observed waveforms are similar for most of the stations. The synthetic and observed waveform amplitude fit is best for the vertical components in the mean 3D model but not as promising for the transversal components. The observed effect of spall on the waveform spectra was weak in the case of fragmentation delay-fired mining explosions. Commercial applications of the code could provide data needed for designing explosions that do not exceed ground vibration requirements posed by the United States Department of Interior, Office of Surface Mining.

Jan 1, 2005

By Bowler Jonathan, Lorraine Kent, Tereza Crisu, Stuart Walker, Nicholas Lightfoot

"It has been the practice in Europe to extract the most economic seams first: taking the seams sequentially, top down, to avoid operating within the fractured strata formed by the subsidence trough above previously mined coal seams. In the 1990s, the UK coal industry found itself at a number of sites having to operate over one or more previously mined seams. This led to specific geotechnical challenges with respect to maintaining economic, safe and stable rectangular roadways with rock-bolted support.Within this paper, the current challenges and mitigation strategies of overmining in the UK are described following the completion of a -three-year European Commission-funded project in 2015. The challenges and mitigation strategies are related to:• A case study with overmining of older workings of variable geometry;• Numerical modeling for overmining layout and support design; and• A case study site planning mine layout when considering future overmining.INTRODUCTIONAt the first case study site, case histories were examined for a mine operating at a depth of approximately 700 meters where five longwall panels were extracted above workings 35-40 m below. The overmining of various extraction geometries below led to challenging conditions in areas of high vertical stress concentration. It was found that results from one longwall panel could be suitably used to predict behaviour in a subsequent panel. The experience was used to update previously existing guidelines on the positioning of roadways in relation to subsidence troughs. Existing guidelines recommended that only as a last resort should longwalls be planned to retreat over narrow pillars, or from solid ground into a subsidence trough. Existing guidelines regarding the layout of overmining panels are conservative, and new work indicates that such multi-seam geometries are possible with appropriate support management strategies."

Jan 1, 2016

By N Clarke, J Hunt, A Barros, L Keeney

The Gramalote orebody is a large low-grade gold deposit situated in the San Roque municipality, 124 km north-east of Medellin in Antioquia, Colombia. It is jointly owned by AngloGold Ashanti (AGA) and B2Gold and is currently in Feasibility Study phase. In 2013 AGA requested CRCORE to undertake a preliminary study of the potential application at Gramalote of pre-concentration by screening, part of the Grade Engineering suite. 160 samples of coarse assay rejects (-3 mm) were tested and showed one of the strongest responses seen worldwide to that time, suggesting that about 70% of the gold could be recovered into 40% of the mass. This was seen as potentially markedly improving the Gramalote economics. A large-scale testing program was implemented on site to follow up these results. A total of 18 samples of 17 t each were mined along a pre-existing exploration adit. A complex test flowsheet allowed size fractions to be generated from the as-received material as well as after crushing to 53, 23 and 3 mm, all from the same head sample. The procedures were designed after carrying out a heterogeneity study to measure sampling errors. The coarser size fractions were designed to study the effect of crushing on upgrade response and predict the response on open-pit run-of-mine ore. The finer size fractions were designed to investigate means of predicting the upgrade response across the orebody. The large-scale testing closely confirmed the average upgrade response as predicted from drill core assay rejects but found that only the -53 mm crushed material accurately predicted the upgrade response of individual samples. Ore geochemistry was able to usefully distinguish samples with good and poor response. A small study on drill core suggested that, for Gramalote, fine crushed material distinguishes vein associated and disseminated values but not other factors that control actual outcomes.

Nov 10, 2020

By RAYMOND M. LARSEN

The area covered by this paper is the same as that covered in 1944. Colorado, Montana, Utah, and Wyoming are included in the discussion and statistics, and brief mention is made of activities in the adjoining states, except Nebraska and New Mexico, which are considered separately (see pp. 187-189). The other adjoining states, North and South Dakota, Arizona, Nevada, and Idaho, have had virtually no oil or gas production, except in the gas field of Cedar Creek. Montana, which extends into North Dakota; the Pierre field in South Dakota, where gas is produced and separated in gas-water wells, and the abandoned Payette area in western Idaho. Seven gas wells were drilled in North Dakota, but no wildcatting was reported. Several unsuccessful wildcats were drilled in South Dakota, and some were continuing at the end of the year. Activity in Idaho and Nevada was negligible.

Jan 1, 1946

By C. J. Bise

One area of study for the Coal Mine Injury Analysis project was to illustrate how loss control can be used as a foundation for mine safety training. After an initial review of the principles of loss control, the instruments often used for worker/worksite appraisal, such as incident reporting, analysis, and investigation, workplace observation, worksite inspection, and safety audits and checklists were evaluated for their effectiveness. The findings were then applied to the continuous-miner worksite at several mines to modify the techniques for use in a highly dynamic man/machine work environment. Before the information gathered from the review of the various continuous-miner worksites was presented at the annual retraining sessions at five mines, a trainability analysis procedure was developed to separate training shortcomings from those problems resulting from improper equipment design or unsatisfactory working environments. Also, several microcomputer-based training programs were developed to aid in conveying the loss-control concepts to the trainees. Finally, the results from the implementation and evaluation of the loss-control-based training programs were documented, including the complete training script for one of the case-study mines. The procedures outlined in this study will aid mine training specialists in developing focused, pro-active accident-prevention strategies and training programs that are based on sound loss-control principles.

Jan 1, 1993

By E. Scheepers

Within a phosphorus producing submerged arc furnace it was found that the continuous fluctuation of the furnace between a flowrate-driven state (high throughput) and a thermodynamic-driven state (low throughput) caused both techniques to have similar overall, predictive abilities and resulted in a linear, ARX-type, adaptive prediction model as the model of choice. Secondly, this pre-diction model was developed, tested and then shown to have a reasonable, 8-hour-ahead predictive accuracy (R2, coefficient of determination) of 30% (±6%) on future Pslag values. This inherent relationship exists because, at the precise moment of a Pslag prediction, the furnace already contains the metallurgical memory (input variables to the linear model) needed to ensure that some predictive possibilities will always exists - all as a result of the long residence times in the furnace. Residence time, however, is not a directly adjustable variable but rather a fully dependent variable and a function of an array of interconnected and interactive variables. In fact, this applies to virtually all input variables, reemphasising the importance of innate metallurgical memory. Thirdly, predictive control possibilities were explored by simulating the set-points of two fully independent variables used by operators to control the process: the ratio of fixed carbon-to-P2O5 and the ratio of silica gravel-to-pellets. This linear, predictive control model showed only a slight improvement with an 8-hour-ahead predictive accuracy of 35% (±7%). This highlights how ineffective current adjustments are in optimally steering the process and how difficult even incremental improvements in feed-forward and predictive control can be. Finally, it is shown that fundamental design-, sampling- and process restrictions currently associated with the process will always limit the predictive and especially control accuracy or meaningfulness of any dynamic model. These restrictions include the size of the furnace resulting in long residence times, 8-hours sampling intervals, an extremely complex and interactive process and a 16% spatial analyses variation on the Pslag values ? the very value that the model is to predict. The point is made that, given the current status quo, even the perfect dynamic prediction model can not improve on an 8-hour-ahead prediction of 30% (±6%). This barrier can only be pierced with e.g. tidier and more frequent sampling regimes and other upfront capital investments, a decision that becomes a cost accounting exercise and that can only be taken by the management structure. An investment demanding ever-increasing attention is CFD software and it?s potential to shed more light on the complex interactions within the furnace.

Jan 1, 2014

By William O. Vanderburg

This paper gives the results of a reconnaissance of the mining districts in Pershing County, Nev., made from March 9 to April 1, 1936. During the field work nearly all of the mining districts in the county were visited, and considerable data were obtained on active and inactive properties. The report covers the location of the various mining districts, nature of the deposits, information on past

Jan 1, 1936

The epizonal Ag-Pb-Zn vein deposit at San Bartolome is characterised by a base-metal sulphide assemblage containing the spectacular development of interpenetrating, bladed networks of pyrrhotite which have been replaced by marcasite and pyrite. A similar assemblage displaying the same crystal habits and textures are also a diagnostic feature of the Sn and SnAg deposits ofBolivia. On this basis, it is reasonable to conclude that both deposits were formed from fluids of similar nature and origin. Although no economic accumulation of Sn is known in San Bartolome, further comparison of the geologic setting, age, mineralogy, fluid inclusion data and magmatic association of this deposit with the Bolivian systems has highlighted additional similarities consistent with a hypothesis that more extensive Sn mineralisation might exist in the San Bartolome area.

Jan 1, 1995

By Valentín Pamo

El presente trabajo describe los procesos y equipos que permiten la extracción de metales preciosos de la refinería de Ilo en condiciones agresivas, obligando a investigar materiales resistentes a la corrosión. Asimismo, se presentan alternativas que aseguren la continuidad de las operaciones en el proceso productivo de dicha refinería.

Sep 9, 2007

By S. T. Johansen, B. T. Løvfall, T. Rodriguez Duran

In this paper we develop a physics-based model for lining erosion in steel ladles. The model predicts the temperature evolution in the liquid slag, steel, refractory bricks, and outer steel shell of the ladle. The flow of slag and steel is due to forced convection induced by inert gas injection, vacuum treatment (extreme bubble expansion), natural convection, and waves caused by the gas stirring. The lining erosion takes place by dissolution of refractory elements into the steel or slag. The mass and heat transfer coefficients inside the ladle during gas stirring are modelled based on wall functions which take the distribution of wall shear velocities as a critical input. The wall shear velocities are obtained from computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations for a sample of scenarios, spanning out the operational space, and a model is developed using curve fitting. The model is capable of reproducing both thermal and erosion evolution well. Deviations between model predictions and industrial data are discussed. The model is fast and has been tested successfully in a ‘semi-online’ application. The model source code is available to the public at [https://github.com/SINTEF/refractorywear].

Apr 16, 2024