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By J. Nalaskowski

A study of the interfacial properties of the basal plane and the edge surfaces of talc is described in this paper. The isoelectric point measured at the two different crystallographic planes by the streaming potential method was found to be similar and exists at about pH 3.0. In the case of the edge surface the zeta potential increases at higher pH values which can be attributed to the hydration of magnesium ions at the edge surface. The atomic force microscopy (AFM) colloidal probe technique was used to measure interaction forces. For such experiments a 20 um talc particle was attached to the AFM cantilever and forces between the edge of the talc particle and two different crystallographic planes of talc were measured at various pH values. These measurements, while being qualitative due to the poorly characterized contact area, show differences between the properties of the base plane and edge of the talc and correspond to the results from streaming potential measurements. Finally, the differences in the hydration of the basal plane and the edge of talc are revealed from molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The basal plane of the talc is much less hydrated than the edge, as can be seen from the water density distribution functions, which correlate quite well with the contact angle measurements at the basal plane surface and the edge surface of the talc sample.

Jan 1, 2006

By Gerald Stolarczyk

The Radio Imaging Method (RIM) is based upon electromagnetic (EM) wave propagation in the coal seam waveguide. The radio geophysics theory underlying RIM was developed by Hill of the national Institute for Science and Technology (Hill, 1984). Recent advances in radio geophysics instrumentation have increased operating range in the coal seam waveguide to almost 3,000 feet. This paper describes RIM longwall panel reconnaissance scans and tomography results.

Jan 1, 2006

By S McEachern, J Lowe

An important issue currently facing the mining industry in Australia is the management and cost to the industry and other stakeholders of entry into and exit from towns and their communities. These costs can be environmental, social, economic, political or reputational. The ability of companies to engage the trust of stakeholders, including: communities, governments and investors, is critical, and corporate reputation plays a significant role in this. For the industry to secure a long-term and sustainable future, it must have the technical, business and reputation assets to proceed in a cost-effective, environmentally acceptable and socially supportive way. This research assesses reputation as a critical competitive issue for mining companies, as technology and information make mining more predictable; the physical and human assets of mining companies are less likely to be the critical resource in a Resource Based View model of competitive advantage. The proposition is that in mining today, reputation as it facilitates day-to-day operations, regulatory zeal and access to new mine sites will become the rare, inimitable and valuable resource for mining companies. This paper reports on an ongoing research program to evaluate the impact a mining companyÆs reputation(s), with its various stakeholder groups, has on a companyÆs ability to sustain competitive advantage. Integral to this study is to develop an understanding of the relationships between mining companies and their stakeholders, and the importance of corporate citizenship polices to reputation and hence to corporate sustainability. Through the identification of the drivers of reputation for the various stakeholder groups, a model of reputation formation will be developed and also reputation measures for the mining industry in Australia. The preliminary findings of this research, the results of an industry focus group conducted with representatives from regional mining operations, are reported. The industry focus group was designed to enable a better understanding of who are the main stakeholder groups and how they regard mining companies and to inform the second stage of the research project a Delphi Study of the drivers of reputation by stakeholder groups. The aim of this research is to further the understanding of the relationship between corporate citizenship, reputation and performance in the mining industry, thus assisting companies to strategically manage their corporate citizenship investments.

Jan 1, 2006

By D. du Plessis, R. Stobbs

The Canadian Clean Power Coalition (CCPC) was created in 2001 to protect and enhance Canada’s vast coal and other carbon-based resource wealth, and to ensure that environmental public policy decisions recognize that these resources are a Canadian asset, not an environmental liability. To achieve its mandate, CCPC has undertaken to demonstrate technologies for use in new coal-fired power plants to control air emissions including carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulphur dioxides (SOx), mercury (Hg), and particulates (PM). The first phase of the demonstration project assessed three existing technologies for coal-fired power plants that reduce all emissions, including CO2, to levels equivalent to or below that of gas-fired power plants. The technologies considered in this phase included integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC), ‘oxyfuel’ combustion, and amine scrubbing of pulverized coal. These technologies were evaluated with three coal types: Eastern bituminous, western sub-bituminous, and lignite coals. This paper presents the studies, conclusions concerning the capital and operating costs of these technologies, the cost of electricity produced (with CO2 removed), and the cost per tonne of CO2 avoided. It also discusses the potential for using captured CO2 for enhanced oil recovery, and possible technology enhancements for improving the competitiveness of gasification of low-rank western Canadian coals. The second ongoing phase of CCPC’s work includes the design and construction of a commercial-scale plant to demonstrate the feasibility of integrated gas combined cycle (IGCC) and/or polygeneration technologies and the potential for using the CO2 generated for enhanced recovery of conventional oil.

Jan 1, 2006

By Robert Hopler

This article, advocating having employees whose specific job would be to fire blasts in underground coal mines in llinois, was written 5 years prior to the establishment of the U.S. Bureau of Mines, and 2 1/2 years before the worst month in U.S. coal mining history, when 692 miners were killed in three separate explosions in December 1907. Obviously something had to be done to improve safety in the use of explosives, and having dedicated shotfirers was a good first step.

Jan 1, 2006

By Bill Kyslinger

In underground mining, machine design is predominantly dictated by mine conditions and individual customer desires. In partnership with Boart Longyear Poland and KGHM, J. H. Fletcher & Company was tasked to design and manufacture a single-boom, single operator drill module for installation of 1.2 meter expansion bolt in a 1.6 meter height mine. The objective was to produce a machine to provide ergonomic improvements for the operator while working in the mine environment. This dictated the requirement for a small easily controlled, maintenance friendly design with a remote operator?s control station. The selected design method was to use starter and finisher drill steels. This combination, requiring a number of mechanized machine motions, provides the ability to drill the required depth in the specified mine height. To accomplish the task from a remote location, a conscious decision was made to employ current technology in the form of small pressure compensated hydraulics and electronic controls. The result of the design method is a modular assembly with each sub-component designed to be replaceable and adjustable independently from other machine components. The low profile remote roof bolting module is made up of six major sub-components. Each major component is painted a different color to help the operator make the visual connection from the drill module to the operator?s control/display monitor. The Stabilizer (White) secures the module between the mine top and floor. The Drillhead (Orange) produces the drilling rotation and torque but also must slide out of position to allow the machine to manipulate the drill consumables. The Drill Steel Carousel (Blue) holds and indexes the starter and finisher steel from position to position. The Manipulator Arm (Green) moves and guides the drill steels and drill consumables from position to position during installation. The Roof Reference Guide (Yellow) locates the mine roof and guides the drill steels and drill consumables into position. The Linear Bolt Carousel (Purple) holds the drill consumables. The low profile remote roof bolting module allows the operator to drill and install a roof bolt manually or automatically with the push of a button. This design substantially reduces the operator?s exposure in the mine environment, as well as inherent pinch points and rotary hazards. Positioning the operator safely in the confines of the air conditioned cab.

Jan 1, 2006

By Kelvin K. Wu

A coal waste disposal dam failed on Buffalo Creek near Saunders, West Virginia, on February 26, 1972. This accident resulted in the loss of 125 lives, left over 4000 people homeless, and resulted in millions of dollars in damage to several downstream communities. As a result of this tragic event, major changes occurred in the mine waste disposal practices used by the U.S. coal industry. This paper summarizes changes in U.S. coal-waste disposal practices in the nearly 35 years since the Buffalo Creek dam failure and identifies safety issues that need to be addressed for continued improvement. While many organizations and individuals have played roles in the improvements that have occurred, this paper focuses on the role played by MSHA and its predecessor agencies.

Jan 1, 2006

By M. Gouet-Kaplan, J. A. Finch, S. Gélinas

Methylisobutyl carbinol (MIBC) and methoxy polypropylene glycol (Dowfroth 250) bubble thin films were characterized by composition and thickness determinations, using FT-IR spectroscopy and UV-Visible spectrophotometry, respectively. The infrared investigation indicates that the role of frother molecules in creating bubble thin films is based on their effectiveness in inducing H-bonding reorganization of the surrounding free water molecules into a coherent network. From UV-Visible interference patterns, it is found that MIBC forms films with a measured critical end thickness of less than 160 nm, compared to 612 ± 30 nm for Dowfroth 250. The observed values of the free water layer thickness are comparable at 5.65 ± 0.28 µm for MIBC and 6.75 ± 0.34 µm for Dowfroth 250. A higher stability of an MIBC bubble over a Dowfroth 250 bubble is related to the different polarization and orientation of the molecules sustaining the boundary surface water network. The findings are used to explain the different action and associated froth characteristics of the two common industrial frothing agents.

Jan 1, 2006

By N. E. Idenyi

The effects of compositions and firing temperatures on the physico-mechanical properties of blended Nsu fireclay and Nkalaha redbrick clay have been investigated. The clay samples were compounded according to the following ratios: 10:90, 20:80, 30:70, 40:60 50:50, 60:40, 70:30, 80:20 and 90:10 in the order Nsu: Nkalaha respectively, and test samples made and fired at 9000C, 10000C 11000C and 12000C. The properties tested for were the modulus of rupture, porosity, shrinkage, apparent density, water absorption and bulk density. From the results obtained, it is inferred that the blends have a maximum service temperature of 11000C, with the 30: 70 blend presenting the best characteristics. A conclusion is drawn to the effect that the blend could be adapted for the production of ceramic earthenware, electrical porcelain pin insulators, cement manufacture and for refractory linings where temperature requirements are less severe.

Jan 1, 2006

By S McKnight, L Koroznikova, S Hall

Mineral sands represent an important new resource being developed in the Murray Basin, including parts of western Victoria. This paper will outline a simple methodology for mineral sands characterisation, developed as part of the AMIRA-managed project P777 æThe Development of Heavy Suspension Techniques for High Density Separations (Replacement of ClericiÆs Solution)Æ. This project is currently sponsored by three multinational mining companies (De Beers Consolidated Mines, Iluka Resources Limited and Rio Tinto Limited) and is developing an innovative laboratory mineral characterisation procedure that will allow the replacement of the currently employed highly-toxic chemicals.Mineral sand resources almost always contain more than one valuable (and relatively heavy) mineral. Titanium minerals are found with a large range of titanium contents, giving rise to density variation and often subjective mineralogical descriptions. Companies tend to rely on laboratory heavy liquid separation in the evaluation of samples arising from exploration, mining or metallurgical processes. Unfortunately, there are only a limited number of high density (æheavyÆ) liquids and these tend to be more toxic as their density increases. Low-toxicity inorganic solutions, based on tungsten compounds, have been developed that can be utilised at relative densities (RD) up to 3.0. However, beyond this value currently only organic liquids can be used. Diiodomethane (methylene iodide) having a relative density of 3.31 is commonly used; however, this presents significant health and safety hazards. Mixtures of thallium formate and thallium malonate were found in the early 1900s by Clerici to provide liquids having specific gravities between 4.0 and 5.0, hence æClericiÆs solutionÆ. For the characterisation of the heavy components of mineral sand deposits (eg anatase sg 3.9, rutile sg 4.2, ilmenite sg 4.4 û 4.7 and zircon sg 4.6 û 4.8) there is currently no heavy liquid alternative to ClericiÆs solution. ClericiÆs solution is highly toxic and testing is now conducted by very few laboratories worldwide with costs reflecting the chemical costs (though extensive efforts are made to recover and reuse the liquid, plus the requirement of its removal from the mineral samples), the infrastructure costs and health and safety regimes (eg blood testing of exposed staff, inventory management). A simple laboratory technique of density fractionation is being developed, employing suspensions of fine tungsten carbide particles in lithium heteropolytungstate (LST) solutions, that can replace ClericiÆs solution in the evaluation of fine mineral sands samples (eg -250+150 microns). The developing methodology that can achieve low-cost, low-toxic separations at relative densities above 5.0 will be outlined and the comparison of results with ClericiÆs solution presented.

Jan 1, 2006

By J. M. Sabio, A. W. Stalberg

Keywords: Pyrometallurgy, furnace, calcium carbide, acetylene, Newcastle The manufacture of calcium carbide in Newcastle, South Africa, was started in the late 1950s by a company called South African Carbide, at the Ballengeich site. In 1978, this operation was bought by the forerunner to the present AECI Ltd, a large producer of commodity chemicals at the time. Production continued at this site until 1992. In the meantime, Karbochem, an operating division of Sentrachem Ltd, was also manufacturing carbide in Newcastle, as a building block for the manufacture of synthetic rubber. In 1990, the Karbochem calcium carbide operation was closed down. In 1992, the AECI carbide business and the Karbochem production facility were amalgamated, and production continued under the Karbochem name. In 1997, the Dow Chemical Company bought the holding company of Karbochem, and the carbide business continued operations until 2003. In June 2003, the business was sold to a management consortium as SA Calcium Carbide (Pty) Ltd. Later, in October 2004, 100% of the shares were acquired by the Andina Group. Today, the Andina Group, consisting of SACC from South Africa, CIL from UK, and ANDINA from Argentina, has become a global leader in the manufacture and supply of calcium carbide and calcium silicon, ferro silicon 75% and derivatives, recarburizers with low nitrogen content, acetylene, carbon black, micro-silica, and silicon metal. The production facilities at Newcastle comprise a 52 MVA submerged arc furnace of a closed design, carbon monoxide gas recovery, recovery of fine raw materials via a hollow electrode system, and an extensive computer-controlled process. These all enable an efficient state-of-the-art operation. The downstream processing facilities consist of screening and drumming facilities, milling facilities, an acetylene generation plant, and an acetylene carbon black plant. Clearly, SA Calcium Carbide (Pty) Ltd has a long history of supplying quality calcium carbide to the industries that it proudly serves.

Jan 1, 2006

By Mark Van Kleek

CONTENTS ?The Falcon C ?Data from a Production Trial ?Methodology ?Scale-up ?Test Results ?Circuit Configurations ?Conclusion

Jan 1, 2006

Arrow Energy NL has been operating a number of coal seam gas wells in the Darling Downs region of Queensland. At the time of writing this paper, the region is enduring an extended drought period. The local aquifers are depleting and have not been significantly recharged in over a decade. The local communities (both rural and townships) are struggling to obtain water. Currently, coal seam gas (CSG) operators (under licence) draw water from the coal seams as part of the gas production process and the majority of operators choose to evaporate this water, as it is characteristically brackish to saline in quality and as such must be contained. Although the water produced from one CSG operator is not sufficient to drought-proof the greater area of the Darling Downs, there is potential to supply smaller local areas and contribute to the sustainability of these communities. This paper outlines the work completed by Arrow and its local community partners on the Darling Downs to date, and discusses the application of the produced formation water for:stock watering in feedlots, as a feedstock for coal washing, as a potable water supply for Dalby, as an agricultural water supply for cotton farming, and use as a medium for growing salt-water fin fish.

Jan 1, 2006

By M Warnken

Major cities are not only the focal point for AustralianÆs work, leisure and homes, they also are the focal point for the flow of resources into the built environment, motor cars and transportation and urban consumables. The steady increases in æstockÆ and waste generation, in line with GDP growth, means that cities will become the mine sites of the future if the inherent value is recovered from these materials at end of life. The urban waste stream can be characterised as containing approximately nine per cent hydrocarbon-based materials; 57 per cent biomass-based material; 28 per cent fully mineralised materials that are inert, five per cent metals and less than one per cent of problematic materials that are potentially hazardous and toxic. In order to convert these wastes into value added inputs into the economy, a number of technological interventions are required. These æurban waste mining techniquesÆ revolve around source separation and material streaming. One issue that needs to be overcome when determining which mining technique to implement, is identifying the option that will deliver optimal value, both from a financial and a sustainability perspective. The difference between embodied energy and calorific value is a case in point. Highest net resource value (HNRV) is a concept that can assist in choosing between different resource recovery options. The assessment can be done at a strategic level, or can be used to work out material specific issues. For example, used tyres can be recovered for their energy content at an approximate cost of $120 per tonne, whereas mechanical processing of used tyres can deliver a net benefit of $192.

Jan 1, 2006

By Padmavathi V. Sagi

In this paper, effect of cyclic loading on the behavior of a long, flexible, unrestrained vertical pile loaded laterally in soft clay is examined. For cyclic loading, the analysis is carried out using a new method for the construction of p-y curves and for static loading conditions, p-y curves proposed by Dewaikar and Poonam (2005) are used. An iterative analysis is employed with secant modulus approach using a matrix method known as moment area method developed by Sawant et al. (1994). For pile top deflection of 20% of pile diameter, the load values are computed for both static and cyclic conditions. The comparison of results with the field test results reported by Matlock (1970) shows a good agreement. A parametric study is further carried out to examine the effect of load eccentricity, pile embedment length, diameter and the number of cycles on the pile response. The results of this study are discussed in the paper.

Jan 1, 2006

Keywords: Pyrometallurgy, Wits University, research Wits Metallurgy celebrated its centenary in 2004. The department has been at the forefront of education and research and has contributed greatly to the metals and minerals industry, both in South Africa and abroad, in terms of human resources and knowledge generation. A significant number of industry and academic leaders worldwide are Wits Metallurgy graduates. Since its early beginnings, pyrometallurgy has always been part of the curricula and research offered by the department. Pyrometallurgical activities started to expand tremendously from the middle of the 1960s, especially by the formation - together with Mintek - of the Pyrometallurgy Research Group, which continues its internationally recognised research activities today. The research efforts have been concentrated on problems associated particularly with ferroalloy, steel, stainless steel production, and PGM/Cu-Ni sulphide smelting. In recent years, research has been further expanded to physical modelling of pyrometallurgical reactors. Almost all of the specific research projects were handled from a fundamental point of view, and hence a large number of MSc(Eng) and PhD degrees were achieved by candidates under the supervision of the Pyrometallurgy Research Leaders. Moreover, a significant portion of the research results were published in internationally recognized journals and conference proceedings. Among these, Infacon and the Molten Slags, Fluxes and Salts Conference series are worth mentioning. The studies from a fundamental point of view include thermodynamics, phase equilibria, transport phenomena, kinetics, and process dynamic aspects of high temperature processes and systems, both in the solid and liquid states.

Jan 1, 2006

During operations, mining and metallurgical processes may generate effluents such as tailings water, acid mine drainage (AMD) and seepage and process acid streams. Depending on the type of ore and the metallurgical process, these effluents may contain one or more toxic compounds (eg acidity or alkalinity, cyanide, ammonia and/or nitrate, heavy metals, total suspended solids (TSS), sulfate) in elevated concentrations requiring treatment before their discharge to the environment or recycle/reuse in the process. Natural oxidation of sulfide minerals present in mining wastes (eg tailings and waste rock) at mining sites may generate AMD, which is characterised as a low pH, high acidity effluent containing heavy metals and sulfate. If generation of AMD cannot be controlled and/or prevented, AMD needs to be collected and treated for neutralisation of acidity and reduction of metals and TSS to meet regulated water quality standards. It is important to note that some of these compounds may persist in run-off from mine sites, even after the mine and processing facilities are decommissioned. Treatment of mining and metallurgical process effluents can be accomplished by means of various physical, chemical and/or biological methods. The mode of process application may vary from the use of either specifically designed, controlled and automated facilities or passive systems. Lime neutralisation and precipitation is the most common method used in the mining industry to treat AMD. To reduce the problems associated with disposal and long-term storage of the resulting sludge, the use of a high-density sludge process (HDS) has become a preferred option. The use of other chemical reagents, waste or by-products from other industries, and biological sulfate reduction methods can also be considered as viable options for site-specific situations. Recently, several passive treatment systems have been designed and successfully operated, even in the cold North American climate. This paper will discuss available options and provide insights for selecting a suitable method for a given situation using case studies from projects conducted by Golder Associates around the world over the last decade.

Jan 1, 2006

This symposium is dedicated to the lifetime achievements of Professor H.Y. Sohn. It covers the scientific fields, processing routes and investigation techniques in which Prof. Sohn has worked during his career and is based in the equally important three topical areas: Principles, Technologies, and Industrial practice. Professor Sohn was General Chair of the very first TMS Fall Extraction and Processing Symposium in 1983 in San Francisco which led to the Annual such symposia as this International symposium. Furthermore, the theme of that symposium was sulfide smelting, which is also included in this symposium. [ ] Professor Sohn was born in a beautiful dynastic capital Kaesung, Korea on August 21, 1941. He received his B.S. degree in 1962 from Seoul National University, M.Sc. in 1966 from the University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, N.B., Canada, and his Ph.D. degree in 1970 from theUniversity of California at Berkeley all in Chemical Engineering. After working as a Research Associate at the State University of New York at Buffalo and as a Research Engineer at Du Pont?s Engineering Technology Laboratory, Dr. Sohn joined the Department of Metallurgical Engineering at the University of Utah in 1974 and currently holds the ranks of Professor of Metallurgical Engineering and Adjunct Professor of Chemical Engineering.

Jan 1, 2006

By Frank Rausche

Without doubt, driven piles are the most economical deep foundation element for a nearshore environment, providing for high bearing capacities and stiffness, quick installation times, assured quality by simple monitoring and inexpensive dynamic load testing during restrike testing. However, when the pile top elevation is several meters below water surface, questions often arise as to the most reliable and economical pile installation method. Frequently encountered, yet relatively expensive, solutions include driving inside a dewatered cofferdam, driving long piles that are later cut off below water surface, or using an underwater hammer. Arguably, the most economical solution is driving the piles with a follower or chaser. However, many foundation engineers shy away from this solution because of the uncertainty associated with the transfer of energy through the interface between follower and pile, the associated potential driveability problems and maybe the limited fatigue life of the follower. This paper will demonstrate how the driveability of a hammer-follower-pile-soil system should be analyzed prior to installation and how to model the pile-follower interface both for steel and concrete piles. As an example, results will be presented which were obtained for both steel pipe piles and precast concrete piles, driven by a single-acting diesel hammer through a steel follower for a pre-construction test pile program in Venice, Italy. While analysis of the steel pile-follower system was straightforward, for the concrete piles, the presence of a soft cushion material whose material properties changed continuously posed some difficulty. Pile Driving Analyzer® measurements and CAPWAP® analysis yielded not only realistic stresses and transferred energy values in the pile, but also reasonable model parameters for further use in a pure wave equation analysis. As a side note for clarity, the dynamic measurements and analysis results herein presented are based on the GRLWEAP and CAPWAP software. GRLWEAP is commonly used all around the world for the preparation of pile driving jobs. The program either yields a bearing graph that relates bearing capacity and pile stresses to blow count or set per blow or it predicts blow counts and pile stresses as a function of pile penetration. These results allow the contractor to estimate driving time and select an economical hammer and driving system for a safe and efficient installation. CAPWAP on the other hand is the analysis of choice once a pile has been installed and records of pile top force and velocity have been acquired during installation or during a restrike test. CAPWAP is a signal matching program which calculates for one particular impact (for example at the end of driving) the static and dynamic soil parameters. Its final results include the calculated resistance distribution, the complete stress history in the pile and also a simulated load set curve. The CAPWAP calculated dynamic soil parameters can also be used in a Refined GRLWEAP analysis to generate a calibrated bearing graph."

Jan 1, 2006

By L. St-Georges

In aerospace and transportation industries, severe problems are related to fatigue failure. Aluminium is frequently used in these industries to optimize the solidity and minimise the weight of the structures. Nevertheless, the fatigue life of aluminium alloys is limited and specific efforts have to be made to reduce the vibratory stresses in the mechanical parts. When riveted, the life of the sheet metal structures can be increased compared to welded structures, due to the energy dissipated by the friction between the rivets and the sheet metal and the sheets themselves. In the past decade, a new tool was developed to assemble aluminium structures; the friction stir welding. With this new technique, fatigue life of the aluminium welded joints can be increased by a factor from two to ten. However, less energy can be damped by the friction between the components and increased vibratory stresses may occur. In this investigation, the potential of the friction stir welding to create damped aluminium sheet metal structures is evaluated.

Jan 1, 2006