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By G. Begin

"The expansion undertaken at Selbaie in 1985 necessitated an adaptation and expansion of the equipment maintenance system. This paper relates briefly the stages of transformation of the maintenance administrative structures, work methods and tools. The maintenance in a mechanized mine requires an expenditure level in the order of 20% of the total operating cost of the enterprise. Thus, the maintenance organization was modified to apply more computerized planning and follow-up, and the role of preventative maintenance was further advanced.IntroductionAs far as maintenance is concerned at Selbaie, the scenario described herein is a resume of the current situation. Although positive results have been obtained, this outline is in no way a detailed account of a fail-proof maintenance system.Once zone A-I was put into production, the expansion the mine experienced in 1985 had a direct impact on the equipment maintenance system. As centralized as it was in the beginning, the system is now partially decentralized.The over-all changes to the maintenance department demonstrate the flexibility required by organizations in new situations. In spite of the exceptional results obtained before the expansion, it became evident that both the maintenance and production sectors would have to be combined. In doing so, a more appropriate coordination of maintenance work could be obtained and the maintenance staff would obtain a more detailed knowledge of the equipment in each sector. In addition, by keeping the general and specialized departments centralized, it was possible to offset the negative effect s of a decentralized system, namely too much manpower."

Jan 1, 1990

By C. R. Kerr

"This paper describes the revisions to the heating and ventilating system at the Frood-Stobie mill, which resulted in substantial savings in energy costs.IntroductionInco Metals Company, a unit of Inco Limited, is involved in the mining and processing of nickel-copper ores. The Ontario Division of Inco Metals consists of 10 operating mines, with 5 mines and open pits on a standby basis, and 10 pro- cessing facilities, located in Sudbury, Port Colborne and Shebandowan. In 1980, the Ontario Division's energy expenditures amounted to $87,000,000.Due to the accelerating cost of energy, the Division established an Energy Management Program in 1975 to define, evaluate and implement measures to reduce energy cost and consumption per unit of output by 10% by 1980. This falls in line with the goals set by the mining and metallurgical task force on voluntary energy conservation.To effectively implement the program, Plant Committees were established at each plant and mine area, with an energy management coordinator appointed to coordinate the activities. The Plant Committee's responsibilities include identifying the major areas of energy consumption, isolating areas with large potential losses and determining what action should be taken to improve energy efficiency.Within a five-year period from 1975 to 1980, the Ontario Division has been able to cut its energy consumption by 8.9 trillion BTUs, the equivalent of 1.5 million barrels of oil."

Jan 1, 1981

By Bradford P. Simser

Increasingly sophisticated rock mechanic tools are becoming more and more available for today?s ground control specialist. However many problems are still beyond our ability to explicitly calculate or measure. There is often a gap between the ?art? and the ?science? of rock mechanics. This paper focuses more on the ?art?, giving relatively simple examples of underground observations and micro-seismic records to help explain ground control issues. Ground support techniques such as in cycle shotcrete with high pressure water scaling, mesh and bolting, pumpable resin bolts/cablebolting, and yielding bolts with load spreading straps are discussed. The use of primary/secondary type blasthole sequences in moderate to high stress situations is also discussed with several examples of the micro-seismic response to the stoping. Relatively erratic geology with high material strength contrasts is currently being mined with blasthole methods at Nickel Rim South. Although the mine is still in its? ?early? days, over 1 million tonnes has been extracted and some empirical experience is highlighted with potential longer term issues also being discussed.

Oct 1, 2010

By Michael Chender

Emerging Equity Sources ? Larger IPOs ? China Inc. ? Other sovereign wealth funds ? New funds and higher allocations ? Private equity

May 1, 2010

By H. K. Olsen, B. Thomassen, H. K. Schønwandt, L. Grahl-Madsen, H. Stendal

Abstract-The central part of the early Proterozoic Ketilidian orogen in South Greenland consists of an I-type granitoid batholith transected by four regional NE-SW-trending shear zones. The batholith was probably emplaced during subduction, from the south toward the Archaean craton in the north, in a sinistral transpressional system. A regional sediment sampling program covering 5000 km2 shows a close connection between a gold-mineralized trend and one of the major shear zones within the epizonal facies of the batholith. The gold mineralization is not directly related to the major shear zones, but occurs in quartz-veined and silicified second-order structures. High-grade (up to 114 ppm Au over 6 m) low-tonnage mineralization is found within these second-order structures cutting both amphibolites and granitoids. The mineralization is characterized by negligible or small alteration halos. Gold is associated with various element combinations of enhanced As-Bi-W- Cu, which indicate that the mineralization is mesothermal in origin.

Jan 1, 1995

By H. K. Olsen, B. Thomassen, H. K. Schønwandt, L. Grahl-Madsen, H. Stendal

The central part of the early Proterozoic Ketilidian orogen in South Greenland consists of an I-type granitoid batholith transected by four regional NE-SW-trending shear zones. Thebatholith was probably emplaced during subduction, from the south toward the Archaean craton in the north, in a sinistral transpressional system. A regional sediment sampling program covering5000km2shows a close connection between a gold-mineralized trend and one of the major shearzones within the epizonal facies of the batholith. The gold mineralization is not directly related to the major shear zones, but occurs in quartz-veined and silicified second-order structures. High-grade(up to 114 ppm Au over 6 m) low-tonnage mineralization is found within these second-order structures cutting both amphibolites and granitoids. The mineralization is characterized by negligible or small alteration halos. Gold is associated with various element combinations of enhanced As-Bi-W-Cu, which indicate that the mineralization is mesothermal in origin.

Jan 1, 1995

By W. F. Harkness, D. Hodgkinson

"A non-destructive testing program was established at Crows Nest Resources (C.N.R.), Line Creek mining operation following an in-service fatigue failure of a front wheel spindle on a large haulage truck.This failure identified a definite need for improvements in the ultrasonic techniques used during the mandatory spindle integrity examinations. Initial investigations using common mining industry ultrasonic examination techniques showed that the smallest detectable cracks were 75 mm in length for the spindle types in service at the C.N.R. site. The Initial findings indicated that inadequate inspection technique design was the cause of the poor performance. To improve inspection reliability it was identified that improved ultrasonic techniques were required. Results using designed ultrasonic techniques were encouraging, with the detection of simulated and natural cracks 12 mm long achieved. The cost benefits associated with the extended spindle life, following the removal of these small fatigue cracks, far exceeded those of the expertise and effort necessary to implement and conduct the N.D.T. program.Introduction During 50 years of evolution, non-destructive testing (N.D. T.) has progressed from a laboratory curiosity to a well accepted and invaluable tool used in the assessment of material integrity. Unlike destructive testing, N.D.T. does not deform or render the material useless. Non-destructive tests may involve many applications, from the determination of a corrosion prevention coating thickness to the examination of a raw material for internal and external deformities.Within the mining sector, highly-stressed components will normally have been subjected to some form of non-destructive test during their manufacturing cycle. These tests are used to ensure the component does not contain material flaws whichmay be detrimental to its service performance.While the component may have assured quality when produced, deterioration by fatigue may occur during an aggressive service life. Large dynamically-loaded components such as haulage truck front wheel spindles are , in particular, prone to this service related problem."

Jan 1, 1987

By J. Kochhar, Robert G. Cooper

"The Cape Breton Development Corporation is a federal Crown corporation which was formed in 1968. Initially, the Corporation had two divisions - the Industrial Development Division, whose purpose was to stimulate Cape Breton Island's economy, and the Coal Division with a mandate to phase out the operating coal mines. However, that strategy changed in the early 1970s with the Middle East oil crisis. As a result of that crisis, Nova Scotia Power Corporation adopted an ""off oil"" policy. Today, approximately 700/0 of Nova Scotia power needs are met by generation of electricity from coal. Therefore, since the early 1970s, emphasis has been on the rehabilitation of the Cape Breton coal mining business with the opening of three new mines.Today, Devco is solely a coal mining company which employs 3300 people.Physical DescriptionThe mines operate in the Sydney coal field which is located on the eastern tip of Cape Breton. The Corporation leases the deposit from the province of Nova Scotia and its leases cover all coal from the outcrop to the 4000 ft depth. The seams outcrop along the shoreline and dip beneath the ocean floor at dips varying between 5% and 100%.There are eleven seams, of which three - the Harbour, Phalen, and Hub - have been extensively mined."

Jan 1, 1990

By C. Zangerl, T. Strauhal, S. Perzlmeier, M. Holzmann

"In high mountainous regions, deep-seated rock slides are often observed in foliated metamorphic rocks such as paragneisses, micaschists and phyllites. Given that comprehensive investigations of deepseated rock slides are extraordinary costly and therefore are rare, most studies are related to investigations in the surroundings of infrastructures and human settlements. In the framework of this study there is an excellent opportunity to gain new insights in the fundamental processes and mechanisms of slowly moving deep-seated rock slides from a case study in the surrounding of a large dam reservoir in Austria. New fundamentals for comprehensive slope stability analyses and hazard assessments and sound prognoses focussing on the long-term stability and deformation behaviour of slopes under changing boundary conditions (e.g. impounding of a reservoir) and/or concepts for mitigation measures can be obtained. Within this contribution, geological field surveys, deformation monitoring, geophysical and drilling data were analysed and presented. Based on the compiled and analysed data, some key-properties of the rock slide will be presented, whereby special attention will be given on the geometry and internal structure, the slope kinematics, as well as hydrogeological and geomechanical aspects.INTRODUCTIONIn high mountainous regions, deep-seated rock slides are often encountered in highly foliated metamorphic rocks such as paragneisses, micaschists and phyllites (Agliardi et al. 2012). Critical situations may occur when deep-seated rock slides fail in a rapid manner characterised by very high sliding velocities, and/or when they develop into long run-out rock avalanches. However, many rock slides in foliated crystalline rock masses either do not move at high velocities nor do they accelerate seriously and form extremely rapid slides. Displacement rates in the range of a few millimetres or centimetres per year are common for this type of rock slide (Bonzanigo et al. 2007, Tentschert 1998, Watson et al. 2007). Nevertheless, some case studies show an activity behaviour characterised by acceleration phases reaching velocities of even metres per day. However a slope collapse is not expected and these slopes decelerate to much lower base activities. The trigger for these phases can be manifold and include heavy rainfall and snow melt, initial reservoir impounding and water level fluctuations, changes in the slope’s equilibrium state due to antecedent slow deformation processes, ongoing erosion processes along the toe of the slope, and others (Zangerl et al. 2010)."

Jan 1, 2015

By Chris V. Sellathamby

Condition-based maintenance is replacing preventive maintenance in many industrial operations as a result of gains in productivity. Preventive maintenance is strictly time-based which means that as long as the prescribed time is sufficiently short, failures are prevented. The trade-offs between shorter cycles and increased downtime is a fine balancing act. Condition-based maintenance is gaining momentum as the more cost-effective and green solution to finding the optimal maintenance cycle and improving overall productivity. In the mining industry, various parameters of heavy equipment are monitored continuously to provide feedback for maintenance events. However, strain, shock, and vibration, key factors which lead to yielding and fatigue of metal parts, are not generally monitored by built-in systems, mainly due to the complexity of sensor installation and computational intensity of data processing. Scanimetrics has developed a stand-alone, add-on wireless system for measuring strain, shock, and vibration in heavy equipment and components, the data from which can be directly used to trigger maintenance events. The present system is being deployed in tar sands mining equipment. The system consists of a portable display and control unit, a software platform consisting of data management, sensor instrumentation and data analysis, and wireless strain sensor units, which can be easily installed on equipment. Data from the sensors can be gathered throughout the mine site, processed instantly, and used to generate condition-based maintenance events, improving overall uptime of the equipment and overall productivity of the mining operation.

Oct 1, 2010

By Andre du Preez

Emergency Fall Arrest System Rio Tinto?s Primary Objective: ?To achieve repeatable controlled safe deceleration rates during emergency fall arrest activation (Ontario OHSA Regulations) ?Must operate effectively on mine specified steel shaft guides.

May 1, 2013

By John E. Udd

"Mining research at CANMET is delivered by the Mining Research Laboratories Division (MRL), with facilities in Sydney, Nova Scotia; Bells Comers, Elliot Lake, and Sudbury, Ontario; and Val d'Or, Quebec. This paper gives an overview of the work of the Division as of early 1993. An addendum, at the end of this paper, describes the organizational changes that will take place in April 1994. IntroductionCANMET, the acronym for the Canada Centre for Mineral and Energy Technology, is the name by which the organization founded in 1907 as the federal Mines Branch is presently known. The name was changed in 1974, in order to give recognition to the importance of both minerals and energy technologies in the activities of the Branch. Further reorganizations have taken place since 1987. As a result of these, CANMET has assumed the status of a Sector (equivalent to the Geological Survey of Canada) and has been organized into four branches.The organization as a whole functions in an environment of semi-matrix management. Some of the ""line"" Divisions report to Directors-General for the appropriate branches while other, larger divisions, report directly to the Assistant Deputy Minister.The second dimension of the organizational matrix is composed of a number of ""staff' divisions which report to the DirectorGeneral for Policy and Planning. Each of these Divisions performs a function which is common to all of the ""line"" divisions. For example, the Research Projects Office is responsible for monitoring the range of research activities of CANMET and for recommending allocations of funds for both research contracts and operating budgets. The Library and Documentation Services Division is responsible for CANMET publications and information services. Likewise, the Engineering and Technical Services Division provides support through, among other services, the construction of specialized laboratory equipment."

Jan 1, 1994

By Abhinav Karanam, Lukas Bichler

Yttria Stabilized Zirconia (YSZ) is a promising thermal insulator for high temperature environments due to its thermal stability and chemical inertness. As was demonstrated with other technical ceramics (e.g., Alumina), addition of Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) to a ceramic matrix may significantly enhance the mechanical properties of the composite ceramic. In this work, 8 mol% YSZ with 0.2, 0.5 and 1wt% CNTs composites were prepared via Spark Plasma Sintering process. The densification, Vicker’s microhardness, specific gravity and microstructure evolution of the composites were investigated. The results suggest that the addition of up to 1wt% CNTs to YSZ yielded optimal combination of the studied properties. At higher addition levels, the specific gravity decreased and clustering of CNTs occurred, leading to poor densification and a relative loss of performance.

Jan 1, 2014

By E. Goodwin

"Maclaren Forest Products Inc.Lime is commonly used for the neutralization of acid, and the removal of heavy metals in mine waste waters. However, the precipitation of heavy metals as hydroxides must take place under conditions of controlled pH, to produce minimum concentrations of dissolved metals. An account is presented explaining the concepts applied to lime-treatment processes at Bell Mine during the period of a supernatant discharge to Babine Lake; October 18, 1982to January 25, 1983. IntroductionBell Mine of Maclaren Forest Products Inc., Babine Mining Division, an open-pit copper mine, is located on Newman Peninsula, Babine Lake approximately 65 kilometres northeast of the town of Smithers, British Columbia (Fig. 1).A depressed market for copper metal in 1982 forced a management decision to suspend operations at the mine for an indefinite period from October 3 I, 1982. For some time prior to the mine closing date, mine management was concerned about the increasing level of supernatant in the tailings pond , and its possible effects on the stability of the dam when cycloning of mill tailings ceased. Consideration of these potential hazards led to an application being filed with the Provincial Waste Management for a permit to discharge the excess water to Babine Lake. This large lake, an important link with several significant salmon spawning sites, is a major contributor to the British Columbia commercial fishing industry. Jurisdiction for the environmental affairs in the area is shared by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, the Environmental Protection Service, and the Provincial Waste Management Branch. These agencies were directly concerned in the formulation of discharge permit following joint consultation, and exchange of information with the company on environmental concerns. An approval was finally granted to discharge approximately 1,000,000 cubic metres of supernatant from the tailings impoundment at Bell Mine into Hagan Arm, Babine Lake from October 18, 1982 with a daily discharge not to exceed 9000 cubic metres. Provisions were made that a particular discharge procedure be followed, and that the company would be responsible for setting up a sampling and monitoring program to safeguard the quality of the effluent."

Jan 1, 1986

By Hugh K. Taylor

"With some justification, people have long complained about the indefinition of ore reserves. Perhaps they were led to expect too much; from former and easier definition practices in the once common underground mines with exposed and available assets, where the obsolete term 'ore in sight' was at least partly literal. But such mines have become rarer, and their underground development less affordable. For most projects, valuations and its definitions have thus been advanced from actual to prospective mines, leaving a very wide gulf between 'what is there' and 'what may happen to it'. This brings the double challenges of reduced geological and technical assurance and the protraction of economic uncertainties.This paper avoids the popular field of regional resources, being confined to what may possibly be mined within single or closely grouped deposits. For these, many estimates of tonnage and grade must be made, defined and declared long before assessment of feasibility; and the uncertainties of the latter make it an unsound base for defining the earlier quantities. Despite the best of intentions, implied or inferred promises may proveimpossible to honour.A simpler framework of definitions is suggested, to some extent reverting to an earlier dependence on supporting work rather than on opinions of economic assurance or future events that are more properly the functions of production and cash flow schedules."

Jan 1, 1994

By L. I. Kiss, S. Perron, D. Toulouse, S. Poncsák, A. Perron

Bubbles play an important role in many industrial processes. In a Hall-Heroult cell, used for aluminum production, bubbles contribute to induce flow in the cell. The induced flow is important for the thermal balance of the cell as well as for the distribution and dissolution of the alumina. The existence of the bubble layer does not have advantages only. It increases the voltage of the cell and causes deformation along the cryolite-molten aluminum interface. The role of the anode inclination in the behaviour of the bubble layer as well as in the hydrodynamics of the bath is not clearly understood. In this work, the effect of the anode inclination angle on the bubble driven flow is studied in an industrial scale air-water model. The inclination angle is varied up to 5° from the horizontal. The instantaneous flow field is captured by Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) system. The mean velocity fields were calculated by ensembleaveraging the instantaneous velocity fields measured at different time. The existence of the counter-flow in the interpolar space and the vortex in the side channel has been confirmed. Furthermore it has been observed that the effect of anode slope on the velocity field is weak.

Jan 1, 2006

By Nathan Ferdinands

Outline Overview of Site and Partners ?MeanduMine ?Thiess?GroundProbe Technology ?Work Area Monitor (WAM) ?Software control ?Alarms MeanduMine King2East pit failures ?Background, and Northern Failure ?Southern Failure Recovery and conclusion

Nov 1, 2011

By Arsalan Talebzadeh

Construction -Surface ?First two intake fans constructed in 2007; third fan added in 2008 to reduce resistance in the system. 450 HP fans. ?Excavation for exhaust fans started in 2008. ?In parallel with underground construction in preparation for the changeover. ?Bulkhead in place prior to completion/ commissioning of

Oct 1, 2010

By Kosei Ishida

To achieve renovation work without noise, the authors developed techniques of manufacturing pre-cut interior finishing components for renovation work. In this paper, to achieve the system of pre-cut interior finishing components, the authors describe a measuring method of reinforced-concrete structure by 3D laser scanner and then describe a method of making a design of pre-cut interior finishing components with the polygon model. Using these two methods, the steps of manufacturing pre-cut interior finishing components consist of the following four steps: First, measure the building shape using a 3D laser scanner. Secondly, integrate a point cloud data and retrieve the markings on the floor. Then, create a polygon model of the building based on the point cloud data. Lastly, make a drywall design using a polygon model. To evaluate the technique feasibility of manufacturing pre-cut interior finishing components, the authors have conducted an experiment of the finishing interior work of the drywall. Using pre-cut interior finishing components, the authors have been able to achieve interior finishing work without noise.

Aug 1, 2013

By Eirik Sundvor, Hany Doss, Peter Vogt, Kathleen Crane

"Abstract - In 1989-1990, the SeaMARC II side-looking sonar (11 to 12 kHz) and swath bathymetric system imaged more than 80 000 km2 of the seafloor in the Norwegian-Greenland Sea and southern Arctic Ocean. One of our main goals was to investigate the highly oblique (115°) junction between the Mohns and Knipovich ridges, and to determine, using new morphotectonic data, whether or not this junction is stable or in a state of readjustment. These findings are presented in this paper.Along the northern Mohns Ridge, we observed a highly segmented rift valley undisturbed by transform faults. In contrast to the elevated Reykjanes Ridge, the Mohns Ridge is dominated by deep en echelon fault-bounded troughs, which are bordered by high rift valley volcanoes. These segment boundaries are interpreted to be sites of recent to present volcanic activity, based on their high acoustic reflectivity. The northwestern flank of the Mohns Ridge is marked by shallow quasi-linear ridges parallel to the present orientation of the Mohns Ridge. The orientation and geographic position of these ridges suggest that they were formed at the Mohns Ridge. Only in the northernmost cases are some of these off-axial ridges non-linear. The degree of the non-linearities increases slightly with proximity to the Mohns-Knipovich bend. In addition, because no transform fault was detected between the Mohns and Knipovich ridges, we conclude that the Knipovich Ridge must be obliquely spreading to the NW-SE."

Jan 1, 1999