Search Documents

The most important event in the Institute's recent history is the strategic plan, which was drawn up in 1986 during Henry James's term of office. This plan was formulated at a workshop attended by most of the senior members of Council, and from it has flowed a number of changes that have been introduced over the past four years.

Jan 1, 1990

By J. F. Brand, J. C. van Dyk, F. B. Waanders

"Syngas from Africary’s Theunissen underground coal gasification (UCG) project will be used for power production and synthesis of liquid fuels and commodity chemicals. However, some of the coal components, especially condensable water, oils, tars, inorganic trace elements, and a small fraction of fly ash and particulate matter, make their way to the surface via the production well and can cause adverse impacts on downstream processes. Africary’s standard design incorporates a cold gas clean-up system that relies on relatively mature techniques based on highly effective wet scrubbers and acid gas removal (AGR) systems such as Rectisol®, but with the downside of low energy efficiency and waste water generation. In this paper, novel technologies for removing contaminants and species separation from the hot (T > 300°C) raw syngas are compared. Comparisons are made between supersonic gas separation (SGS), Ranque–Hilsch vortex tube (RHVT), vortex gradient separation (VGS), and inertia vacuum filtering (IVF), and a vortex-based gas separation concept is proposed for UCG applications. IntroductionImpurities in gasification feedstock (coal, biomass, waste, etc.), especially sulphur, nitrogen, chlorine, and inorganic mineral matter, often end up in the syngas and can cause adverse impacts on downstream processes. Africary’s standard design incorporates a cold gas clean-up system that relies on relatively mature techniques based on highly effective wet scrubbers and acid gas removal (AGR) systems such as RectisolR, SelexolR or aMDEAR; but with the downside of low energy efficiency and waste water generation.Hot (T > 300°C) gas clean-up technologies are attractive because they avoid cooling and reheating of the syngas stream. Some available warm gas cleaning technologies include traditional particulate removal devices such as cyclones, candle filters, membranes, and molecular sieves. The warm gas desulphurization process technology developed by RTI LLC (2018) requires hot syngas to remove sulphur and has become commercially ready. Many other hot gas cleanup systems are still under development, given the technical difficulties caused by extreme environmental and operating conditions."

Jan 1, 2018

By Edward J. Hasenohr

Geochemical studies were under- taken in the Breckenridge mining district to test the effectiveness of soil and rock-chip samples in high- lighting known mineralization in the district, and in locating sites of possible porphyry-type mineralization, if such mineralization is present in the area. Soil sampling can be done more quickly and more cheaply, but it does not provide a direct site- specific sample of mineralized rock. In well-developed soils, supergene effects may mask and/or displace primary hypogene effects; and even in places where the soils are poorly- developed, as in the Breckenridge district, the masking effects may be felt. Soil anomalies, if present, likely will be of lower amplitude and more diffuse (widespread) than corresponding rock-chip anomalies. On the other hand, detailed rock-chip surveys are more time-consuming and expensive, even though they yield direct geologic information in addition to the chemical data. The goals of the combined soil and rock-chip programs were (1) to com- pare the data from the two; and (2) test the effectiveness in identifying significant chemical anomalies with respect to the geology of the district, as it is presently understood.

Jan 1, 1982

By J. V. Emmons

It has long been known that the outside skin of tool steel frequently exhibits properties widely different from the interior of the mass.

Jan 1, 1915

By S. P. Narayan

The hot deformation behavior of Pure Mg and Mg-0.29Ce alloy were studied by isothermal hot compression tests in the temperature range of 250 - 500°C and strain rate range of 10-3 - 102 s-1 in a computer-controlled 50kN servo hydraulic universal testing machine (UTM). The results show that the flow stress of Mg pure and Mg-0.29Ce alloy increases with strain rate and decreases after a peak value, indicating dynamic recovery and recrystallization. Process efficiency was increased by nearly 10 to 12% by addition of Ce in Mg. Mg pure exhibits instability zones between 250-275°C at 10 ? 102 s-1 and 400¬500°C at 101 ? 102 s-1 temperatures and strain rates respectively, rest is the safe deformation zone. Wherein, Mg-0.29 Ce exhibits two low efficiency zones from 250 ? 300°C at 10-2? 10° s-1, 400 ? 500°C at 101 ? 102s-1 and high efficiency zone at 450 ? 500°C at 10-3? 10-1s-1. 4D process maps were generated for the above said alloys which illustrate contours of power dissipation and instability in the 3D space of strain rate, temperature and strain.

Jan 1, 2011

By Chai Li-yuan

Anodizing behaviors of magnesium alloys AZ31 at constant applied current, based on the electrolyte solution free of chromate or fluoride, were investigated. The anodizing process was influenced by constituents of electrolyte greatly. Therein, the oxylate salts, which led to the occurrence of the two totally different processes, played a determinant role in anodizing. They were stable and sparking process respectively. The morphology of anodizing film was observed by SEM and the structure of film was analyzed by XRD. During the stable process, a brown thin film was formed, however the sparking process led to the formation of white hard thick film. The functions of some kinds of additives, such as ammonia, glyceryl alcohol and PVP etc were also studied. Some of them had great effect on surface morphology of anodic film and some of them affected stability of anodizing process significantly.

Jan 1, 2006

Roof bolting with resin bonded bolts has been developed extensively in French coal mines. There are three aspects of this development: 1. The reason for and the care used in the development of roof bolting from use as a reinforcement in a classical arched roadway to use as the only support in roadways in ad- vance of the working face (the roadway being reinforced behind the face); 2. The problems encountered and studied, such as choice of boltable roadways and determination of the technical data in designing a roof bolting pattern; 3. Only because roof bolting has been controlled by safety rules, and especially by accurate measurement of strata behaviour, has this system of support been expanded aapidly in France since 1967.

Jan 1, 1971

By Terence H. Fisher

The use of more productive mining equipment, the tendency to longer development and the advent of new mining methods have introduced new challenges to the ventilation practitioner in Western Australia. These new and more productive mining methods have presented specific ventilation problems, that if not properly addressed, present additional hazards to miners. Factors influencing the increased hazards are larger diesel units, the use of series ventilation systems and an increasing incidences of long (single entry) development and production headings where miners could be trapped in a fire emergency. This paper discusses these new ventilation safety challenges, how they have been and are being addressed, and the legislation changes that take cognisance of technological developments.

Jan 1, 1995

By Richard M. Winar

In September of 1988, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) published final regulations that effect owners and operators of underground storage tanks (USTs). These regulation include stringent technical requirements for owners and operators of USTs containing petroleum and certain hazardous substances. The technical requirements effect both new (those installed after December 1988) and existing USTs and include notification; performance and operating standards; release detection, reporting, investigation; release response and corrective action; and closure requirements for out-of-service USTs. The USEPA also published final regulations regarding financial responsibility requirements for owners or operators of petroleum USTs in October of 1988. These regulations require owners or operators of petroleum USTs to demonstrate financial responsibility for the costs of corrective action and compensating third parties for bodily injury or property damage caused by releases from petroleum USTs. Like thousands of other industries, the mining industry must become thoroughly familiar with these new regulations in order to properly manage their UST systems, ensure compliance, and understand other ramifications imposed by these regulations.

Jan 1, 1990

By Tex M. Kubacki

On August 6, 2007, the Crandall Canyon Mine experienced a collapse which trapped six mine-workers. An MW 4.1 seismic event was recorded in conjunction with this collapse. An additional 54 seismic events were detected and located in the vicinity via routine processing techniques during the month of the collapse. Waveformbased cross-correlation detection techniques have been used to uncover 1,328 small, previously undetected seismic events which occurred near the collapse area between July 26 and August 9, 2007. This work has resulted in lowering the magnitude threshold of completeness from ML 1.6 to ML -0.5, a 2.1 order-of-magnitude improvement over standard processing techniques. Event locations have been computed using a double-difference inversion. The spatial pattern of events ultimately helps to delineate the extent of the collapsed area. It is shown that many of the large catalogued events (>ML1.6) tend to be closely followed by numerous (often 20 or more) smaller aftershocks. Cluster analysis of the known catalog reinforces prior work indicating the existence of seismic clustering on the east and west sides of the collapse. Research now demonstrates that it is possible to differentiate events related to the main collapse from those related to the rescue attempt following the collapse. The cross-correlation techniques described herein greatly improve the ability to detect small mining-induced seismic events. These methods may lead to improvements in assessing seismic hazards for conditions similar to those observed at Crandall Canyon preceding the collapse.

Jan 1, 2013

By Michael J. Beus

This paper describes research conducted under the BuMines's Advancing Metal and Nonmetal Mining Technology Program, a major element being the application of new and improved technology to shaft design in deep underground vein-type mines. Two basic design parameters considered in shaft planning are configuration (shape) and ground support. The most common shapes are circular and rectangular. Ground support systems include concrete, timber sets, steel sets, rock bolts, and steel liners. The inherent advantages and/or disadvantages of various shaft designs such as ventilation and fire resistance, flexibility and ground support characteristics are well known. Circular concrete-lined shafts have minimal resistance to air flora and are virtually fireproof, an important consideration in deep hot mines. However, concrete does not yield significantly, and failure conditions and misalignment cannot be easily repaired. Timber-supported rectangular shafts predominate in the Coons d'Alene Mining District with its highly stressed and frequently heavy ground. The sets can be relieved and reblocked when out of alignment. However, the constant maintenance and repair requirements result in exposure to an inherently dangerous working environment combined with excessive operating costs. Obviously a dilemma exists--a circular, concrete-lined opening has many desirable features, provided it is strong enough to withstand the stresses involved. Rectangular, timber supported shafts have proven adequate in the Coeur d'Alenes; however, the implication of increased maintenance and repair requirements on ever-deepening shafts in this district and other similar areas will be an important design consideration in the future. This paper, then, presents shaft-configuration and ground-support guidelines to help remove some of the uncertainty concerning the stresses to be encountered in typical deep vein mining areas.

Jan 1, 1976

By John Sasadi

The mining industry depends upon inexpensive water transportation. Today, large quantities of mined products are transported by ships over oceans, from continents to continents, over lakes and waterways to the ultimate users. Sometimes, the routes these Bulk Carriers travel cover only a few hundred miles, sometimes thousands of miles halfway around the world. Most of the products of the mining industries are relatively inexpensive. A significant portion of their cost to the ultimate users are in the cost of transportation and not in loading and unloading these commodities at the ports of origination or destination. So far, the industry has produced very efficient loading and un- loading installations, but has very little influence over marine transportation or the design of the vessels themselves. Very little was ever published dealing with integrated transportation systems properly correlating all phases of the operation; namely, loading, marine transportation and unloading bulk materials.

Jan 1, 1967

Discussion of the paper of W. A. Forbes, presented at the New York Meeting, October, 1913, and printed in Bulletin No. 82, October, 1913, pp. 2477 to 2514.. SAMUEL K. VARNES,* Steelton, Pa.:-We have a gas-cleaning plant consisting of a, centrifugal dry dust catcher, and two rain-type wet scrubbing towers, 25 by 60 ft. each, for rough cleaning of blast-furnace gas. This plant was put in early in 1910, with the intention of cleaning gas for use in hot blast stoves and under boilers, and was so used for several months. Soon after it went into service, the blast-furnace men complained that they could not get as high blast temperatures as they had obtained when using dirty gas. It was decided to run a series of careful tests to determine if this were true and to what degree the apparent results might be affected by other conditions. About 60 tests were run, covering a period of five months, and at the end we came to the conclusion that it did not pay us to scrub the gas for stoves and boilers. The tests were all run upon a single stove, no boiler tests being made, but the conclusions of the stove tests being applied to the boilers. The furnace burden was practically the same for all the tests and averaged: Per Cent. Daquari and other hard ores 57 Nodules 13 Raw Mayari ore 25 Mill cinder and scale 5

Jan 12, 1913

By John Loui Porathur

Highwall Mining has been recently introduced in India. The first Continuous Highwall Mining extraction in India started operating at Ramagundem Opencast Project-II (OC-II) of Singareni Collieries Company Ltd. (SCCL) in December 2010. A new hybrid empirical and numerical modelling approach has been devised to design web pillars for the initial Highwall Mining sites in India, considering the complex geology, such as existence of thick seams and multiple seams in close proximity. This paper gives the scientific elucidation of a comprehensive design methodology adopted for the above mentioned Indian Highwall Mining sites. The design technology includes web pillar design for multiple seams using hybrid empirical and numerical methods, slope stability assessment, ground movement monitoring, and recommendations for conducting blasting operations in the vicinity of Highwall Mining extractions.

Aug 1, 2013

By Eun Duck Park

The gold catalyst supported on iron oxide was prepared from gold dissolved in aqua regia by a deposition-precipitation method and applied to CO oxidation in the absence and presence of hydrogen. Some characterization methods such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), nitrogen adsorption, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), temperature programmed reduction (TPR), temperature programmed oxidation (TPO), and the pulsed CO chemisorption with temperature programmed desorption (TPD) were conducted to explain different catalytic activities of Au/Fe2O3 catalyst pretreated at different conditions. The particle size of gold was about 10 nm for Au/Fe2O3 calcined in air at 373 and 573 K. For complete CO oxidation, the decreasing CO conversion with a reaction time was observed at low temperatures but its initial catalytic activity can be restored by a heat treatment at high temperatures. This catalyst was quite active for the selective CO oxidation in the presence of hydrogen especially at low temperatures. In the presence of hydrogen, the deactivation was significantly diminished.

Jan 1, 2006

By Steven J. Schatzel, Mark M. Mazzella, Robert A. Kimutis, VASU GANGRADE, James D. Addis, Marcia L. Harris, Mayley Guitard

Researchers from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) evaluated the impact of potential shale gas well breaches and subsequent gas inflow on selected mine ventilation systems of operating longwall panels using a 1:30 scaled Longwall Instrumented Aerodynamic Model (LIAM) and Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) as a tracer gas. A series of tests were performed at 340, 400, and 500 cfm inflow levels utilizing different mine ventilation scenarios. Results suggest that the breached gas can be diluted to meet statutory levels when the longwall panel is adequately ventilated. The results enhance the understanding of the gas inflow and mine ventilation system interaction and provide critical information to the industry and regulatory agencies for improving miners’ safety.

Feb 1, 2024

By R. D. Leitch

Tests have recently been conducted by the Bureau of wines on the ignition hazard of exposing heated filaments of electric mine lam bulbs in an explosive mixture of methane and air. This investigation was undertaken in order to settle a question that had arisen in connection with the safety of miners? electric lamps. For several years, in view of former studies made by the Bureau and reported in Bulletin 524, the fact that the heated filaments of even low voltage, lour candlepower bulbs constitute a danger was generally accepted by the Bureau's engineers. These early tests, as well as subsequent tests, were conducted with Pittsburgh natural was as the testing medium.

Jan 1, 1925

By Alejandro Hales

Para comprender la necesidad del cobre en Chile, es necesario conocer el significado del mineral en la formación socio-política de dicho país. Por ello, el presente trabajo refiere la importancia de producción cuprífera en la economía del país sureño a través de la implementación de un programa basado no solo en el aumento de producción del mineral, sino en la participación del Estado y de la integración de la industria. Asimismo, se realizaron tres programas que complementen esta política de desarrollo. El primero, buscó la expansión del mineral y su inversión, el segundo, se basaba en la implicancia del Estado en la propiedad de las empresas productora y el tercero estriba en la integración de la industria del cobre a la minería nacional y así generar una mejor calidad del mineral mismo. Paralelamente a estos programas se desarrollaron programas de expansión de la pequeña y gran minería, asi como reforzar los patrones de chilenización a la nacionalización en la minería.

Nov 20, 1969

D EC. 20-The spirit of Christmas and good will toward men has managed a few brief appearances on the front pages, welcome relief from man's usual ill-will toward man. A couple politicos did their best to brighten the scene by well-publicized romances. There was a general exodus to Florida to patch up nervous systems, and even the UNO quieted down as Mr. Vyshinsky departed for home via Eastern Germany. Before going he opened up a preliminary bombardment for the worldwide "communist peace offensive," and it is now the duty of the 600 million (according to the Cominform) ideological converts to press home the attack. In Washington, Mr. Lilienthal resigned as Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and demonstrated again the difficulty of government to retain the services of capable men. The President has yet to appoint another victim- possibly someone nicely noncontroversial and timid. So might the critics be appeased, but it would bode ill for the rapid exploitation of peaceful uses of atomic energy, the relaxation of excessive secrecy, wider sharing of developmental work with friendly nations and possible revision of the Acheson-Lilienthal proposals for inter- national control of the atomic bomb.

Jan 1, 1950

By X. -G. Chen, A. M. Nabawy

A novel manufacturing technique for Al-TiB2 nanocomposites has been developed, in which TiB2 nanoparticles were incorporated into liquid aluminum under mechanical stirring and in the presence of a K2ZrF6 flux-wetting agent. The microstructure of the Al-TiB2 nanocomposites was studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The microhardness test was conducted to investigate the strengthening effect of TiB2 on the aluminum matrix. The TiB2 nanoparticles were successfully incorporated and dispersed into the aluminum melt in the presence of the K2ZrF6 flux during mechanical stirring. In the as-cast microstructure, most nanoparticles segregated in the interdendritic regions as a result of particle redistribution during solidification. The addition of 2, 5 and 10 wt% TiB2 nanoparticles increased the composite hardness by 60, 90 and 150% respectively when compared to commercial purity aluminum, indicating that the TiB2 nanoparticles imposed a significant strengthening effect on the aluminum matrix. The role of K2ZrF6 flux agent on the incorporation of nanoparticles into aluminum melt was discussed.

Jan 1, 2014