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The statistical nature of the variability in detonation times of pyrotechnic delays is discussed, and how to evaluate the probability of required detonation intervals is shown. Some methods (analytical and stochastic) are given for designing blasts to ensure that any adverse effects on the variability in the delays is taken into account and minimised. Using computer models of blasts, detonation simulations can be used to check the initiation sequence for the probability of sequence reversals, indicating areas of high blast damage potential. Charge consumption rates, which relate directly to the resulting vibration levels, can be examined for their susceptibility to variation from delay variability. Models that synthesize vibration waveforms for production blasts, when taking delay variability into account, indicate the difficulty in vibration level prediction.

Jan 1, 1992

By Fabiano Mendes

Processos industriais de carbonização são tecnologias maduras e operam há mais de 7 décadas. Contudo, o sistema integrado de produção de ferro primário e aços a base de biomassa como fonte de energia e termorredutor, mesmo sendo a alternativa ambiental de menor impacto existente, chega a seus limites tecnológicos, ambiental e econômico, ameaçando a sua sustentabilidade. O grupo Vallourec buscou o processo Lambiotte como base tecnológica para desenvolver seu ambicioso projeto de carbonização contínua, em substituição ao processo artesanal de fornos retangulares de batelada, utilizados atualmente. O esforço experimental de mais de meia década, com a adaptação e profunda reengenharia do processo Lambiotte, que é o que melhor representa esta classe de reatores, para que ele atendesse as condições brasileiras e o uso das espécies de madeira da família dos Eucaliptos culminou no desenvolvimento do processo de carbonização continua Carboval, que demonstrou sua plena capacidade, para atender aspectos econômicos, sustentáveis e de qualidade siderúrgica do carvão vegetal produzido.

Aug 17, 2017

By Lawrence W. Teufel

A method to determine in situ stress directions and magnitudes from anelastic strain recovery measurements of oriented core has been used to determine the principal horizontal in situ stresses in the Rollins Sandstone in a deep well near Rifle, Colorado. The principal horizontal stress directions were determined directly from the principal horizontal strain recovery directions. The principal horizontal stress magnitudes were calculated from the principal strain recovery magnitudes, overburden stress, and Poison's ratio of the rock using a viscoelastic model. The accuracy of the in situ stress directions and magnitudes determined from anelastic strain recovery measurements was substantiated by a direct comparison with open-hole hydraulic fracture stress measurements. The anelastic strain recovery method predicted the magnitudes of the maximum and minimum horizontal principal stresses to be 54.5 MPa and 51.9 MPa, respectively; with an azimuth of N63ºW ± 8º for the maximum horizontal stress. The hydraulic fracture stress measurements yielded maximum and minimum horizontal principal stress magnitudes of 49.6 MPa and 46.8 MPa, respectively. The azimuth of the maximum horizontal stress ranged from N50ºW to N70°W.

Jan 1, 1984

A banquet, attended by 467 members and visitors, was held at the Wanderers Club, Johannesburg, at 8 p.m. on Friday, 21st March, 1969, to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the founding of the Institute. Introduction of Dr Carel de Wet R. C. J. Goode (President) Dames en here: Ons het 'n aantal vooraanstaande gaste in ons midde vanaand en mnr Maxwell sal u later meer van hulle vertel. Dit is my aangename plig om u voor te stel aan sy Edele, die Minister van Mynwese, van Beplanning, en van Gesondheid, Dr de Wet en sy gade, mev de Wet. Sy Edele Dr de Wet het geen bekendstelling nodig nie-alhoewel hy ons minister vir slegs die afgelope twee jaar is, het hy reeds talle funksies van ons Mynbedryf bygewoon en het baie vriende gemaak onder ons. Hy het homself baie bemind onder ons gemaak toe hy Wes-Driefontein onlangs besoek het om hulle ondersteuning en aanmoediging aan te bied in hulle uur van nood. The Honourable Dr de Wet was born in the Free State. He is a grandson of that very famous general Christiaan de Wet, who caused so much pain to the British forces and for so many months so successfully eluded them in the Transvaal and Orange Free State. He was educated at both the Pretoria and Witwatersrand Universities. He first practised medicine at Boksburg and then moved to Vanderbijlpark, so you see he has an early association with gold mining on the Witwatersrand, and in moving to the Vereeniging-Vanderbijlpark district he became closely involved in our coal mining and metallurgical industries. South Africa's first steel was poured from a l0-ton open hearth furnace belonging to the Union Steel Corporation in Vereeniging in 1913. Dr de Wet has been mayor of Vanderbijlpark and for several years has been their member of parliament. More recently, the Honourable Dr de Wet has filled with great honour that most important office of Ambassador for the Republic of South Africa in London. At present he wears two hats, in that he is Minister of Planning and of Health, but more important is his cloak, that of Minister of Mines, which I trust offers him the greatest comfort. To fulfill these three arduous tasks must demand of him a terrific devotion to duty, and in doing this he carries on that loyal tradition of service to his fatherland so evident in his grandfather. Dames en here, dit is vir my 'n groot genoeë om Sy Edele Dr de Wette vra om 'n heildronk in te stel op die Instituut vir Mynwese en Metallurgie. Toast to the Institute of Mining and Metallurgy Dr the Honourable C. de Wet (Minister of Mines): Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, Mr President you have introduced me gracefully to this distinguished company and I am appreciative of your remarks. I am fully conscious of the responsibilities that devolve upon me as Minister of Mines in a country where mining makes so vital a contribution to economic progress and development and has, in fact, laid much of the foundation on which our present proud edifice is built. The achievements of the mining and metallurgical industry in its diversified activities arouse feelings equivalent to paternal pride, but let me speedily add that in considering any family relationship that may exist, the Minister of Mines should not be regarded in the role either of a fairy godmother or an indulgent father.

By Hill G

The Boddington Gold Mine (BGM) is managed by Worsley Alumina Pty Ltd (Worsley) and is located 110 km south-east of Perth, Western Australia. The gold mine, which has operated since mid-1987, was originally constructed to treat 3 Mtpa of gold bearing oxide ores, has subsequently been expanded to treat 7 Mtpa and is presently one of the largest gold producing operations in Australia.During 1990 a Supergene/Basement Plant was constructed to treat 250 000 tpa of copper supergene and hypogene ores and basement ores which contain significant gold grades and which are encountered at the lower levels of the existing oxide orebody. The SupergeneBasement Plant has the versatility to treat a wide range of ore types, producing both gold bullion and copper-gold concentrates. It is a stand-alone facility adjacent to the existing 7 Mtpa gold plant.

Jan 1, 1992

By K. Meshinchi Asl

In this study the effects of T4 and T6 heat treatments on microstructural characteristics of AZ91 alloy containing Rare Earth elements have been investigated. Formation of intermetallic Al1 1RE3 needle shape particles which have a good thermal stability reduces both formation of ß(Mg17A112) and discontinues precipitation in AZ91 alloy which are dominated at the grain boundaries and are responsible for poor mechanical properties specially in elevated temperatures. For AZ91-RE samples both T4 and T6 heat treatments led to a continuous precipitation of ß particles at the grain boundaries after aging. However, in AZ91 samples (with no Rare Earths) precipitation was discontinuous at grain boundary areas. This type of precipitation is one of the main reasons of poor mechanical properties of this alloy at elevated temperatures.

Jan 1, 2007

By A. Saigal

A finite element analysis based investigation using DEFORM software was undertaken to model the extrusion of 15% alumina and 15% silicon carbide reinforced aluminum metal matrix composites. The study dealt with predicting the extrusion load as a function of ram displacement and initial billet temperature. The finite element simulation was also used to determine the maximum extrusion load, temperature distribution, maximum temperature, strain rate, velocity and stress distributions in the billet during the hot extrusion process. The constitutive equation used was of the type: Z = E exp(Q RT) = A{sinh(ao-)}" where Z is the Zener-Hollman parameter (temperature compensated strain rate), s is the strain rate, Q is the activation energy, R is the gas constant, T is the absolute temperature, a is the flow stress and A, a and n are constants. Based on the work of Davies et al and McQueen and Konopleva, the values of Q (KJ/mol), a (MPa-1), n and A for aluminum 6061 composites reinforced with 15% alumina and 15% silicon carbide used are 181, 0.024, 4.15 and 1.33x10'2 and 233, 0.052, 2.60 and 1.26xl0'4, respectively. Even though the individual parameters are quite different, it was found that the predicted maximum extrusion load, temperature distribution, maximum temperature, strain rate, velocity and stress distributions are quite similar and differ by no more than 1-2 percent between the two composites indicating that the deformation behavior is primarily controlled by the matrix material and is not a function of the type of reinforcing ceramic particulates.

Jan 1, 2004

By R. T. Hukki, A. M. Gaudin

Previous work on the principles of comminution has shown: (I) that the surface produced is proportional to work input (Rittinger law,1a-3); (2) that there is regularity to the weight distribution of the fragments according to size.4-10 In this paper it is brought out that the surface on the fragments is distributed in definite and simple relation to size. The experimental work has involved: I. Construction of an apparatus capable of measuring the surface of mineral fragments independently of the chemical composition of the fragments and independently of the site of the surface; 2. Refining the methods available for measurement of particle size; 3. Designing and building a crusher capable of operating on very small quantities of mineral, if necessary on single crystals, and in such fashion as to minimize handling losses of material. Complete experiments have been carried out with massive quartz and individual quartz crystals. partial experiments, lacking surface measurements, have been made with glass spheres, galena, sphalerite, fluo-rite, salt and coal. Introduction The existence of regularity in weight distribution with size was noted many years ago, especially by A. 0. Gates;' the subject was also studied in detail by one of us.6 In the latter paper it was shown that rocks can be divided into two classes: homogeneous rocks, which show no preferential breaking, and heterogeneous rocks, which show preferential breaking at the grain size of the rock. It was shown, furthermore, that the fragments obtained by rupturing a homogeneous rock occur (in the fine range) in such abundance as to permit the writing of a relatively simple equation to relate the weight retained on a screen to the screen opening. With screens of which the openings are in constant ratio, the weight retained, w, is related to the screen size x by the equation w = Cxm [I] In this equation C and m are experimental constants. A plot of weight retained against particle size is a straight line of slope m if the scales for x and w are both logarithmic. In the fine range, the slopes of the size-distribution graphs plotted according to the method described above vary within a limited range. An inspection of a number of size-distribution data by various experimenters indicates that the slope very seldom exceeds 1.0, but is usually greater than 0.7. More recently, schuhmann8 proposed a method of charting that has so many advantages of its own that it has been used primarily in this work. For fine particles Schuhmann has found that the data are represented by the equation (x)m k [2]

Jan 1, 1947

By A. M. Gaudin, R. T. Hukki

Previous work on the principles of comminution has shown: (I) that the surface produced is proportional to work input (Rittinger law,1a-3); (2) that there is regularity to the weight distribution of the fragments according to size.4-10 In this paper it is brought out that the surface on the fragments is distributed in definite and simple relation to size. The experimental work has involved: I. Construction of an apparatus capable of measuring the surface of mineral fragments independently of the chemical composition of the fragments and independently of the site of the surface; 2. Refining the methods available for measurement of particle size; 3. Designing and building a crusher capable of operating on very small quantities of mineral, if necessary on single crystals, and in such fashion as to minimize handling losses of material. Complete experiments have been carried out with massive quartz and individual quartz crystals. partial experiments, lacking surface measurements, have been made with glass spheres, galena, sphalerite, fluo-rite, salt and coal. Introduction The existence of regularity in weight distribution with size was noted many years ago, especially by A. 0. Gates;' the subject was also studied in detail by one of us.6 In the latter paper it was shown that rocks can be divided into two classes: homogeneous rocks, which show no preferential breaking, and heterogeneous rocks, which show preferential breaking at the grain size of the rock. It was shown, furthermore, that the fragments obtained by rupturing a homogeneous rock occur (in the fine range) in such abundance as to permit the writing of a relatively simple equation to relate the weight retained on a screen to the screen opening. With screens of which the openings are in constant ratio, the weight retained, w, is related to the screen size x by the equation w = Cxm [I] In this equation C and m are experimental constants. A plot of weight retained against particle size is a straight line of slope m if the scales for x and w are both logarithmic. In the fine range, the slopes of the size-distribution graphs plotted according to the method described above vary within a limited range. An inspection of a number of size-distribution data by various experimenters indicates that the slope very seldom exceeds 1.0, but is usually greater than 0.7. More recently, schuhmann8 proposed a method of charting that has so many advantages of its own that it has been used primarily in this work. For fine particles Schuhmann has found that the data are represented by the equation (x)m k [2]

Jan 1, 1947

By Nord L. Gale

Lead, zinc, copper, silver, cadmium and many other heavy metals which are potentially hazardous if released into the environment in wastewater discharges have been of considerable concern to governmental agencies, industry and the general public. In response to this concern, an interdisciplinary research team at the University of Missouri has been funded by the National Science Foundation-RANN program to study trace contaminants associated with the production of lead for the past eight years. Seven modern mines in close proximity to two lead smelters in the forested Ozarks of Southeast Missouri are the largest source of lead in the world and in 1976 alone produced 504,095 short tons of lead, 82% of the United States total production. This new and rapid industrial development in a sparsely populated. rural forest region has offered a unique opportunity for studying the impact of trace metals and for developing improved techniques to control detrimental effects. Research on the wastewater discharges and two methods of biological and recycle control are discussed in this paper. Although the two mine-mill complexes investigated in this study have many similarities, the differences between the two are substantive and warrant separate examination.

Jan 1, 1977

By Engineering Staff

"This paper briefly describes the surface mining operations at Smoky River Coal Limited (formerly McIntyre Mines Limited, Coal Division) near Grande Cache, Alberta. Geology, mining methods, equipment, manpower and reclamation and environment topics are discussed. Introduction Smoky River Coal Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of McIntyre Mines Limited of Calgary, Alberta, produces a high quality, low sulphur, low volatile bituminous coking coal from its minesite located at west central Alberta, approximately 20 km from the town of Grande Cache and 360 km west of Edmonton (Fig. I). Most of the coal property is contained within a 30 km long by 20 km wide block lying in a northwest-southeast direction in mountainous terrain. Elevations vary from 920 m above sea level ·at the plant·site on the Smoky River to 1,600 mat the upper levels of current and proposed mining operations. A total of 11 coal seams have been identified. Only two seams, No. 4 Seam and No. 10 Seam are currently considered of major commercial value. These seams are recovered by both surface and underground mining. Approximately 650Jo of the plant feed coal is obtained from a conventional shovel/truck surface mine; the balance is mined underground by room-andpillar methods. Background In 1921, McIntyre Mines Limited acquired some 26,300 hectares of coal leases at Smoky River. Since then the leases were explored intermittently by different companies including McIntyre. In the mid-l 960s exploration activities increased and several feasibility studies were completed. Development of the area was undertaken by McIntyre in 1968 and, in August of the same year, a long-term contract was signed with a consortium of Japanese steel mills for delivery of 2 x 106 t of clean coking coal for 15 years commencing in 1970. Production was focussed on underground mining, using longwall methods."

Jan 1, 1985

By John H. Bell

R. B. T. KILIANI, New York, N. Y.-I wish to present some figures based upon actual observation extending over a few months time which seem to prove the author's conclusions. It is a comparison of two machines operating on the same ore, in the same plant, one taking the undersize of ½ -in. screen and the other taking the undersize of 8-mesh. Each of the machines was first operated as a pebble mill, with flint pebbles, in open circuit, then with metal pebbles in open circuit and, finally with metal pebbles in closed circuit. For the first case, the percentage of oversize on 48-mesh, Tyler screen, in the discharge, varied, in the mill taking ½ -in- feed, from 37.2 to 19.9 per cent. The second mill, taking the 8-mesh feed, had a variation in oversize on 48-mesh, from 36.8 per cent: to 0.5 per cent.; so it is seen there is considerable variation in these figures. I have computed the tons per kilowatt-day reduced through 48-mesh for each machine under each one of these conditions, giving 6 sets of figures. The first of these I called 1.0 and determined the ratio of the others to this.. In the snipe way, I figured the relative mechanical efficiency according to Kick's law, using' the figures given by Mr. Taggart in his paper, for ordinal numbers of the Tyler screens. I have also figured the efficiency in mesh-tons per horsepower according to Gates' method by plotting the screen analyses of feed and product and multiplying the area by a constant dependent on the scale used. The commercial efficiency of tons per kilowatt-day reduced through 48-mesh checks very closely with the efficiency by Rittinger's law, within 1 per cent. except in one case. By Kick's law, the efficiency checks fairly closely, within about 5 per cent., with the commercial efficiency of the mill grinding feed, but when we start to grind a finer, 8-mesh material, and especially grinding very fine; with a

Jan 4, 1917

By W Jahn Archer

El rendimiento de extracción de mineral de cobre en Mufulira aumentó durante el periodo de 1971 - 1973. Por ello, los experimentos iniciales se concentraron en tratar de comprobar las potenciales ventajas de un tiempo de flotación prolongado, de forma que se incremente el rendimiento en cobre. En ese sentido, el texto señala las mejoras en los circuitos de flotación a través de la instalación de una celda de flotación DAVCRA en el circuito triturador. Dicha celda se intercaló con el circuito central y en el circuito de residuos.

Jul 1, 1976

By Lucio Fabio Cassiano Nascimento

A determinação dos parâmetros cinéticos de cura de uma resina polimérica, bem como do compósito de matriz polimérica constitui importante ferramenta científica e tecnológica para processos industriais. No presente trabalho foi utilizada a técnica de calorimetria diferencial de varredura (DSC), prevista pela ASTM E698, com taxas de 5, 7,5 e 10°C/min para determinação da energia de ativação “E” (kJ/mol), fator pré-exponencial “Z” (min-1) e o tempo médio para alcançar 50% de cura “t1/2” para o epóxi puro e para o compósito reforçado por fibras de malva, em temperaturas variando na faixa de 25ºC a 100ºC. Os resultados mostraram que o tempo médio de cura de 24h, utilizado para a produção de placas de resina epóxi DGEBA-TETA ou compósitos de epóxi reforçados com fibras naturais, pode ser reduzido consideravelmente.

Oct 30, 2017

By P. C. Benedict

"The Island Mountain mine is at the southeast end of Island mountain; across Jack of Clubs lake from the Cariboo Gold Quartz mine.; The orebodies consist of quartz veins and pyritic replacement deposits in limestone. To December 31; 1944; there has been mined 296; 273 tons of quartz-vein ore averaging about 0.34 oz. gold a ton; and 101; 002 tons of sulphide ore averaging about 0.83 oz. gold a ton; a total of 397; 275 tons averaging 0.46 oz. From this; 175; 985 fine oz. of gold and about 26; 450 fine oz. of silver were recovered; having a value of $6; 510; 521.More than 95 per cent of the production has come from a band 500 feet wide along the contact of the Rainbow and overlying Baker members and extending about 100 feet into the latter. Evidence that the Rainbow belongs stratigraphically above the Baker is presented later in this paper. Both members are most variable lithologically, and individual beds and whole series of beds pinch out in short distances. In part, at least, this is due to squeezing out incidentally to intense folding. No section can be claimed with assurance to be really representative. However, both memb.ers are composed predominantly of quartzitic rocks. Both contain argillaceous quartzite, argillite, limy quartzite, limy argillite, limestone (marble), and minor amounts of highly ankeritized rocks believed to be igneous sills possibly originally approaching diorite in composition."

Jan 1, 1954

By D. C. Carter

"The Nova Scotia Department of Mines and Energy located a drillhole at Riverside Corner, Hants County, Nova Scotia, to examine the stratigraphy, structure and potash potential of the Kennetcook River gravity low. This evaporite-related gravity anomaly is one of the largest virtually unexplored gravity anomalies in Nova Scotia. The drillhole intersected a structurally complex sequence o flower Windsor Group ('B' Subzone) evaporites. Downhole geophysical wireline logs were used, in conjunction with detailed lithological descriptions, to interpret the structure and stratigraphy of the sequence. Similar application of total gamma ray, density, caliper and neutron-neutron log responses allows stratigraphic correlation of Windsor Group carbonate marker units separated by up to 35 km in Cape Breton. This work confirms the value of downhole geophysical logs as a tool in the exploration of evaporite deposits regardless of the presence or absence of high quality core. INTRODUCTIONThe exploration methodology for evaporite (specifically salt/potash) deposits in eastern Canada (and worldwide) is relatively simple: identify a negative gravity anomaly within a favourable geological setting, Windsor/Cordroy Group sediments in eastern Canada, and drill it (Anderle, 1980). Although this is an obvious oversimplification of the necessary expertise in the planning and complet ion of an exploration program, those familiar with potash exploration drilling can attest to the risks and expense, in terms of time and problems , associated with the location and drilling of diamond-drill wildcat holes. Potash exploration programs in eastern Canada, their results and inherent difficulties, have been documented by Anderle et al. (1979), Cooper (1981), Dekker (1982), Carter and Boehner (1986), Carter (1988) and Carter and Anderle (in prep .).Downhole geophysical wireline logs have become an important tool in the stratigraphic and structural interpretation of evaporite sequences in eastern Canada and, in many cases, represent the only information recovered or the only information available due to the drilling method (rotary) and/or the long term instability of evaporite cores. This paper documents examples of downhole geophysical log responses which, combined with detailed lithological examination of drill core, or in the absence of core, are used in the interpretation of the complex lithology and structure of a deformed evaporite deposit. Geological and geophysical data from the Nova Scotia Department of Mines and Energy (NSDME) Riverside Corner 85-1 drillhole are presented here as a partial case history and prime example of the use of this method to interpret the complex structure of an evaporite deposit. Drilling of NSDME Riverside Comer 85-1 was conducted in late 1985and early 1986by the Department (Carter and Boehner, 1986) under a program to assess the potash potential of selected areas of the province as part of the Canada-Nova Scotia Mineral Development Agreement 1985-89. A reinterpretation of a portion of the available data from two exploration drilling projects on Cape Breton Island in the Canso-Bras d'Or area is also presented (see inset, Fig. I). Several drillholes have intersected the Windsor Group evaporite sequence in these areas and the available geophysical logs are a valuable tool in the interpretation of the structure of the deposits. However, no attempt has been made to present or discuss the detailed geological investigation and comparison of these two deposits. They are presented here as an example of the reinterpretation of existing data and their application to stratigraphic correlation and structural interpretation of complex evaporite deposits. Further work is necessary to document the stratigraphic and structural correlation of these two areas."

Jan 1, 1989

By S. P. Kinney

The Department of the Interior has recently investigated the atmospheric conditions in tunnels of the Union Pacific Railroad in Utah and Wyoming , by observations made from the cabs of freight locomotives . This work was conducted by the Bureau of Mines at the request of , and in cooperation with , the Union Pacific Railroad Co .. and was brought about by several accidents to members of engine crews while passing through tunnels , from pollution of the tunnel air by exhaust gases from freight locomotives . The object was to determine the cause of gassing accidents , by examining into composition of the air in locomotive cabs while passing through railroad turmels ; to learn the effect of these conditions on the engine crew; and to provide a means of protection for the men so exposed . Gas samples and temperature readings taken in the cabs of locomotives were used in studying the atmospheric conditions to which the locomotive crews were exposed . The symptoms and the physiologica effects produced in men exposed to the atmospheres encountered were studied . The pulse rates and body temperatures were taken , and the determinations of the carbon monoxide content of the blood were made . Various methods for the prevention of gassing and for the protection of men therefrom were considered and tested , among which were the use of mechanical devices for deflecting the smoke away from the engine cab, and the use of various types of gas masks and breathing apparatus . While this investigation is a part of the safety work of the Bureau of Mines in connection with hazards from atmospheres containing carbon monoxide ( CO ) , the results are of particular value to railroads operating steam locomotives through tunnels , and are also valuable to other industries where atmospheres having poisonous gases or of a high temperature and humidity may be present . The results may be summarized as follows :

Jun 1, 1923

By João Luís Aguiar de Abreu

A aplicação de vidros planos com eficiência energética está aumentando de forma significativa no mercado mundial. A performance energética, bem como as propriedades estéticas, cor, reflexão e transmissão, são os motivos pelos quais estes vidros são aplicados na construção civil. Estes vidros planos com eficiência energética são produtos constituídos por uma lâmina de vidro tipo Soda-Cálcio revestida por filmes finos em escala nanométrica. Tais filmes finos são em sua maioria constituídos de ligas metálicas, metais puros e materiais cerâmicos, como óxidos e nitretos. As propriedades físicas e químicas de cada camada afetam diretamente as propriedades ópticas e a performance do produto. Este trabalho tem por objetivo o estudo das propriedades ópticas de filmes finos de Nitreto de Silício, depositados por Magnetron Sputtering Reativo sobre substrato de vidro Soda-Cálcio.

Oct 30, 2017

By Robert E. Kirby

The potash mine and refinery of AMAX Chemical Corporation is located 26 miles east of Carlsbad on the north end of the potash producing areas. This property was developed between 1949-1952 and production of muriate began in August 1952. Two shafts, located 400 feet apart, were sunk to the ore zone 900 feet below the surface. A 15-foot diameter ore hoisting shaft equipped with a 1000-ton ore pocket, crusher and automatic skip loading equipment plus a 20-foot diameter service shaft with a curtain wall for exhausting air were provided. Sylvinite production to date has been from the first ore zone, stratigraphically, the lowest of ten identified mineralized zones in the salt section. This first ore zone has been the top producer of Muriate of Potash over the years. In our area we do have some very marginal mineralization in the third ore zone some 35 feet above the first. We have not mined from this seam as yet but we are investigating the economics very closely with access slopes and an experimental mining panel. Our ore seam is generally flat lying but does have local gentle rolling with grades from 2% to 5%. The mine was designed and developed from the beginning with conventional mining practices and rail haulage from the mining section to the ore pocket. As mining progressed in the early years, production increased from less than one million tons annually to a maximum of 3,935,000 tons in 1964. Efficiency also kept pace with the increasing production and continually improved until the efficiency of the production crews reached an average of 100.3 tons per manshift in 1964.

Jan 1, 1974