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By T. Dlokweni, M. Bester, C. Koegelenberg, I. Basson

Certain degrees of safety, economic, and financial risk are implicit in any mining operation. At Thabazimbi Mine, slope stability was one of the major sources of risk, largely due to data uncertainties. Consequently, a risk-based approach in slope design was followed. On 6 June 2015, a slope failure occurred in Thabazimbi Mine’s Kumba pit, involving approximately 65 million tonnes of rock failing into the pit and the valley below. Although the failed mass moved rapidly and resulted in a run-out distance of approximately 900 m, controls had been put in place to successfully evacuate all personnel. Risk assessment during the onset of failure supported the decision to not compromise the safety of personnel in any way, leading to unavoidable equipment loss. This contribution presents the failure as a case study in the context of a risk-based approach to slope design as well as the importance of implementing geotechnical controls to effectively manage slope instability risk. Furthermore, a comprehensive back-analysis was performed, on a fully constrained 3D model, utilising 3DEC software, to gain insights into the failure mechanism. In conclusion, lessons from the Thabazimbi slope failure are valuable as they demonstrate the importance of following a risk-based approach in slope design to effectively manage safety and financial risk in open pit mines.

Sep 1, 2025

Ore from the Hill 50 Gold Mine, consists essentially of pyrrhotite, with minor amounts of pyrite, chalcopyrite, galena and gold, replacing "jaspilite." The gold is associated with the sulphides as shotty particles. About 8 per cent. of the particles are less than '0.010'mm.The Hill 50 Gold Mine, at Boogardie in the Murchison goldfield, about 300 miles north-west of Kalgoorlie, was first operated in 1898. From 1898 to 1917 it yielded 20,000 short tons of ore for a recovery of 6,225' fine oz. gold, equivalent to a recovery grade of 6.22 dwt. gold per ton.The present company since the beginning of its operations in September 1936 to June 30, 1954, produced 811,081 short tons of ore for a recovery of 242,554 fine oz. of gold, equivalent to a recovery grade of 5.98 dwt. gold per ton.The grade of ore (recovery grade) has shown a remarkable variation with depth. From the 120 ft. Ievel to the 300 ft. level, it averaged about 7.5 dwt. Au per ton. Below the 300 ft. level it declined, and from 300 ft. to 400 ft. averaged 4.9 dwt. per ton, falling further with increasing depth to about 4.5 dwt. per ton at the '600 ft. level.On the 820 ft. level the grade improved sharply to about 14 dwt: per ton, and this grade has persisted down to and on the 1060 ft. level.The orebody has been described by Finucane (1953) as a series of lenses of finely banded jaspilite conformably enclosed by greenstones. The jaspilite is tightly folded and faulted and intruded by dykes of felspar porpnyry.Mineralization is practically restricted to the jaspilite.

Jan 1, 1955

By L. Xinghua

Limonite is a general term for a group of amorphous iron oxide and iron hydroxide materials. It is considered as one of the very refractory iron ore types due to its wide variation in chemical composition, iron content, moisture content and easily sliming in the course of comminution. Iron grade of test sample is 25.48%, the iron minerals are mainly limonite; and the gangue minerals consist of quartz and feldspar in majority, secondarily silicate minerals. In this test work, high intensity magnetic separation (HIMS)-cationic reverse flotation and magnetic roasting-low intensity magnetic separation (LIMS) tests were conducted on limonite ore. The test results show that the concentrate with iron grade of 50.97% and recovery of 68.50% can be obtained by HIMS-cationic reverse flotation technique; while using magnetic roasting-LIMS technique, the better concentrate indexes of iron grade of 60.36% and recovery of 89.71% are achieved, and the iron grade of tailing is only 4.42%. Therefore, the magnetic roasting-LIMS technique is a better suitable method for beneficiation of low-grade limonite ore. Keywords: Low-grade limonite; Mineralogy; HIMS; Cationic reverse flotation; Magnetic roasting; LIMS

Feb 27, 2013

By J J. Batchelor, J B. Metson

Titanium (ilmenite) concentrate was extracted from a New Zealandilmeno-magnetite deposit. Tailings from the existing processing line at the Waikato North Head ironsand concentration plant were used as a raw material feed. The titanium bearing mineral extracted was defined as intergrowths of ilmenite and hematite in the size range below 150 um. The Owen-Honda equation was used to determine the conditions forilmenite/hematite magnetic separation. Three distinct regions of magnetic field strength for the mineral separation have been defined. Theoretical estimates from this calculation have been confirmed experimentally. Ilmenite concentrate was obtained using medium field magnetic andelectrostatic separation. The final material contains 40.6 - 42 per cent TiO2 and 39.1 - 39.8 per cent Fe (total). The actual yield from extraction was about seven per cent of the Zircon, leucoxene and monazite were found as byproducts of thetitanium concentration process. Preliminary experiments have shown the viability of industrial zircon benefication.

Jan 1, 2000

By L. B. Berger

Studies showing the effect of mixing hot exhaust gases with tie intake air of a four-stroke-cycle Diesel engine are described. The results indicate a marked increase in carbon monoxide in tip exhaust gases, a decrease in oxides of nitrogen, and no significant effect on aldehydes. The increase in carbon monoxide was greater at higher fuel-air ratios and was caused partly by the increase in fuel-air ratio end partly by the decrease in oxygen concentration resulting when exhaust has was added. The application of these results to the use of Diesel engines underground is considered.

Jan 1, 1940

By Rossiter W. Raymond

(Canal Zone Meeting, November, 1910.) THE death of Professor Blake removes the oldest of American economic geologists and mining engineers, and deprives this Institute of one of its, earliest and most illustrious members. To many of us it brings a personal loss also, the loss of a friend. William Phipps Blake was born June 21, 1826, in New York City. -His father, Elihu Blake, was a surgeon-dentist of eminence, a direct descendant of William Blake, who settled in the Massachusetts Bay Colony about 1630. He was prepared for college at private schools in New York, and entered the Sheffield School of Yale, where he was graduated as Ph.B. in the chemical course, class of 1852, the first graduating-class of the institution. In the same year he became chemist and mineralogist of the New Jersey Zinc Co., and chemist of chemical works at Baltimore, Md. In 1853, lie started the Department of Mineralogy of the World's Fair at New York City. In 1854, 1855 and 1856, he was mineralogist and geologist of the United States Pacific Railroad Surveys of Williamson, Pope, and Whipple, and for the War Department at Washington. His writings, during this period comprise reports on the geology and mineralogy of California and other parts of the Southwest, and constitute well nigh the earliest scientific accounts of the regions described. One of them. was a translation of the Resume and Field Notes of Jules Marcou, of Whipple's expedition. From 1856 to 1859, he was engaged in explorations of the geology and mineral deposits of North Carolina, :and other parts of the country. In 1859, he became editor and proprietor of The Mining Magazine. This was a monthly periodical, founded in 1853 by W. J. Tenny, who conducted it until 1858, when it passed into the hands of Thomas McElrath, a New York publisher, and appeared in May of that year as The Mining and Statistic Magazine, with the name of

Sep 1, 1910

By Marco Fellin, Van E. Komurka

Significant cost and construction benefits were obtained from performing a bi-directional static load test prior to construction on the Russell Street Bridge Replacement project in Missoula, Montana. The project utilized 24 drilled shafts to support two three-span bridges across the Clark Fork River. A bi-directional static load test (“BDSLT”) was performed on a large-diameter production shaft to demonstrate construction methods and confirm design assumptions. Subsurface conditions consisted of gravel with sand to a depth of 20 feet (6.1 m), underlain by gravel with sand, silt, cobbles, and occasional boulders. The test shaft had a nominal diameter of 5.9 feet (1.8 m), and an embedded length of 75.5 feet (23.0 m). The geotechnical engineer of record and the BDSLT test engineer collaborated to optimize the BDSLT jack assembly location within the test shaft, determine appropriate instrumentation locations, and plan the test protocol. The maximum applied test load was 10,707 kips (47.6 kN). Significant benefits were obtained from performing the BDSLT test, including 1) reducing each production shaft’s length by using a higher LRFD resistance factor allowed by having performed the testing, 2) using test-determined unit shaft resistances to evaluate and accept two production shafts that may have otherwise required remediation, and 3) providing the Montana Department of Transportation (and other designers) with increased presumptive unit resistance values in the gravel/cobble/boulder deposits. PROJECT DESCRIPTION The project was constructed in Missoula, Montana for the Montana Department of Transportation (“MDT”). The original bridge was approximately 60 years old, and consisted of a two-lane, 420-foot-long (128-m), four-span, riveted steel plate girder design spanning the Clark Fork River. The bridge was due for replacement owing to its deteriorated state, and the need for increased traffic volume capability afforded by a four-lane structure. HDR was the structural engineer. The preferred bridge alternate was a 459-foot- long (140-m), three-span, welded steel plate girder design. The new bridge was designed to meet current standards in accordance with MDT bridge design and AASHTO LRFD criteria. The new bridge was constructed in phases to keep traffic open during construction.

Jan 1, 2019

By B. B. Bucky

THIS investigation was carried on by means of models and the applica-tion of the principles of similitude to determine the effects of props, props and cribs and sand filling in longwall mining. The geologic structure and rate of face retreat were kept constant and the only change introduced was in the method of support. It is not felt necessary to repeat a description of apparatus, or to explain the fact that a scalar model made in all parts of the same material as the prototype will behave similarly to the prototype when rotated at speeds such that the centrifugal force is as many times the gravitational force as the prototype dimension is a similar linear model dimensions. The reader is referred to earlier papers1,2 for further information regarding these statements. All models were made of sandstone and were as in Fig. 6. They are composed of a 3/16-in. ore body bed A, overlain by a 3/16-in- bed B, a 3/8-in, bed C and two 1/8 -in. beds D and E. The model was rotated at ±2350 r.p.m. equivalent to a model ratio of 1268. It was worked back 1/4 in. at a time before being replaced in the centrifuge and again rotated. Table 1 gives model and prototype dimensions occurring in this discussion, the prototype dimensions being 1268 times the model dimensions. Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 were taken while the model was rotating at 2350 r.p.m. One was taken for each face retreat of 26.4 ft., but for obvious ,reasons all are not presented. Fig. 1 (A-E) shows the behavior of this type of structure with face retreats of 26.4 ft, and no artificial support. Fig. 2(A-E) shows the behavior of this type of structure where breaker and face props were used. The props were exceptionally strong, being of steel 1/8 in. square in cross section, and capped with 1/16 in. ± of soft wood and paper, to allow for roof deflection. The face props were

Jan 1, 1939

By Dirk Bergmann

During the spray forming process, a continuous molten metal stream is atomized by impinging high speed inert gas jets. In the generated spray cone, the resulting metal droplets are rapidly cooled by the huge temperature difference to the surrounding gas phase and thereby partly solidified during flight. After a certain flight and residence time inside the spray cone, the droplets impinge onto the solid substrate and form the product (deposit) by compaction. Material properties of this preform strongly depend on several process parameters and especially on the thermal and kinetic state of the deposited droplets at the point of impingement. Smaller droplets may cool very fast due to their low mass and impinge onto the product in a completely solidified state as solid metal powder particles. Larger droplets with big mass contain a higher amount of thermal energy and impact during the state of phase change or still as completely liquid. It is obvious, that a certain amount of liquid content in the droplets is needed for forming a homogeneous deposit. Therefore, the thermal history of metal droplets during flight in the spray cone is of great importance for overall process modelling and control. Modelling the effects of the impinging droplet mass on the formation and heat balance of the deposit, the thermal conditions of the droplet stream need to be temporary and spatially averaged at different locations. Averaging may be achieved in different ways, giving alternative results. A first method is averaging over the droplets total enthalpy which consists of the thermal content and the remaining latent heat of fusion within the droplets. A second method may yield the average over the heat content and the solid fraction separately. Results of these two methods depend on the application and the kind of information which one wants to achieve and show some deviations, which will be discussed in terms of consolidation and energy conservation of the deposit.

Jan 1, 1999

By H. Reed

The precious metal mining industry in Nevada handles and generates a certain amount of hazardous materials and waste on a regular basis. These products range from processing material additives to wastes from laboratory testing, heap leaching, and hydrocarbon treatment and disposal. The volume of materials and wastes is dependent upon the amount of ore processed. Handling, treatment and disposal is dependent on the type of material handled and the waste generated. Owing to the health and safety concerns and due to the existing regulations that control handling and disposal of hazardous materials and wastes, the mining industry is obligated to comply with all applicable requirements for proper handling of these products. Plus, in an effort to minimize any impacts from this effort, the industry is continually looking for alternative methods to accomplish these requirements and to also minimize costs. This paper will discuss the general, and in some cases the specific conditions, by which the industry is coping with the issue and efforts to minimize any impacts from handling, treatment and disposal for hazardous materials and wastes. The subject of compliance with the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) requirements and bio-treatment of wastes and other technologies will be discussed.

Jan 1, 2001

To reduce the respirable dust generated by auger-type continuous coal mining machines. The Approach: Use water sprays close to the cutting bits on the auger so that coal fragments are thoroughly wetted as they are formed to prevent dust dispersal into the ventilating air. How It Works: The "wet auger" system of dust control uses water sprays distributed on both shafts of auger type continuous miners. This approach has been tested underground by personnel of the Bureau's Twin Cities (Minn.) Mining Research Center on a Wilcox Mark 20 continuous miner, in a cost sharing contract with Buchanan & Sons Coal Company, Inc. Personnel of the Interior Department's Mining Enforcement and Safety Administration collected dust samples and analyzed the data. A test machine was fitted with six sprays on each auger (see Fig. 1). Water flow rates from 8 to 12 gpm at pressures from 90 to 120 psi, or about 8 gallons per ton of coal mined, were required. At these rates of water usage, mining personnel experienced no problems with work-

Jan 1, 1974

The Menominee Range of northern Michigan was a major producer of direct shipping iron ore for nearly a century. When the last underground mine on the Range ceased operation in 1978, it marked the end of an era. For since the start of mining in the early 1880's the district has gone through a Lull cycle from the start-up of mining through close-down. During this period over 200 million long tons of iron ore were produced and shipped from nearly 100 mining operations. This development and production spanned the time from when the United States advanced from an essentially rural-agriculatural society through the industrial revolution and into the beginnings of the computer and space age. There are many lessons that can be learned from such a rich history. This report attempts to provide ouch a lesson. Through the use of case histories, deficiencies in past mining practices and mine closure procedures that have resulted in current mine related problems are documented. These problems -an be grouped into three areas; 1) subsidence 2) hydrological or drainage problems and 3) problems related to inadequate mine shaft sealing and capping practices.

Jan 1, 1983

By J. C. Gerdeen

It is of upmost importance to keep the size of the program to a minimum for the computer being used. One way is to reduce the size of the data bank by adjusting the large common array A in the main program (page, line 32) and the statement following the assignment of A. The current value of A is 35001 and is optimized for the UNIVAC computer with 5,000 words of useable storage. Another way to reduce the required storage is to overlay the program. That is, to have in the computer only the subroutines which are being used. In large finite element codes, overlays or segmentation of the program is a necessity. The code presented here has three levels of segments and are presented graphically in the tree in Figure D-1.

Jan 1, 1976

By Frank K. McIntosh

Bauxite was first discovered in Tennessee, at Chattanooga, in 1906, during the construction of' the McCallie Street tunnel through Missionary Ridge. Several years later, bauxite was found in sinking a well on the Perry or Isabella Stewart property. These and other deposits furnished a substantial tonnage for the abrasive and chemical industries during the years 1906 to, 1920. The search for domestic sources of war material prompted by World War II brought the Tennessee bauxite deposits to the attention of the Bureau of Mines. During the summer of 1942, James S. Cullison and E. Godwin, geologists of the United states Geological Survey, made a survey of the bauxite deposits of the area. In August 1942, Harold B. Ewoldt, a Bureau of Mines engineer, accompanied by the Geological Survey party visited the area and a drilling program was prepared. Drilling was started in November 1942 and continued until March 1943. A total of 2,519.5 feet in 38 holes was drilled on three properties.

Jan 1, 1949

By R. V. Taborelli, P. B. Bucky

This investigation was carried on by means of models and the application of the principles of similitude to determine the effects of props, props and cribs and sand filling in longwall mining. The geologic structure and rate of face retreat were kept constant and the only change introduced was in the method of support. It is not felt necessary to repeat a description of apparatus, or to explain the fact that a scalar model made in all parts of the same material as the prototype will behave similarly to the prototype when rotated at speeds such that the centrifugal force is as many times the gravitational force as the prototype dimension is a similar linear model dimension. The reader is referred to earlier papers1,2 for further information regarding these statements. All models were made of sandstone and were as in Fig. 6. They are composed of a 3/16-in. ore body bed A, overlain by a 3/16-in. bed B, a ?-in. bed C and two ?-in. beds D and E. The model was rotated at + 2350 r.p.m. equivalent to a model ratio of 1268. It was worked back ¼ in. at a time before being replaced in the centrifuge and again rotated. Table 1 gives model and prototype dimensions occurring in this discussion, the prototype dimensions being 1268 times the model dimensions. Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 were taken while the model was rotating at 2350 r.p.m. One was taken for each face retreat of 26.4 ft., but for obvious reasons all are not presented. Fig. 1 (A-E) shows the behavior of this type of structure with face retreats of 26.4 ft. and no artificial support. Fig. 2(A-E) shows the behavior of this type of structure where breaker and face props were used. The props were exceptionally strong, being of steel ? in. square in cross section, and capped with 1/16 in. ± of soft wood and paper, to allow for roof deflection. The face props were

Jan 1, 1940

By P. B. Bucky, R. V. Taborelli

This investigation was carried on by means of models and the application of the principles of similitude to determine the effects of props, props and cribs and sand filling in longwall mining. The geologic structure and rate of face retreat were kept constant and the only change introduced was in the method of support. It is not felt necessary to repeat a description of apparatus, or to explain the fact that a scalar model made in all parts of the same material as the prototype will behave similarly to the prototype when rotated at speeds such that the centrifugal force is as many times the gravitational force as the prototype dimension is a similar linear model dimension. The reader is referred to earlier papers1,2 for further information regarding these statements. All models were made of sandstone and were as in Fig. 6. They are composed of a 3/16-in. ore body bed A, overlain by a 3/16-in. bed B, a ?-in. bed C and two ?-in. beds D and E. The model was rotated at + 2350 r.p.m. equivalent to a model ratio of 1268. It was worked back ¼ in. at a time before being replaced in the centrifuge and again rotated. Table 1 gives model and prototype dimensions occurring in this discussion, the prototype dimensions being 1268 times the model dimensions. Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 were taken while the model was rotating at 2350 r.p.m. One was taken for each face retreat of 26.4 ft., but for obvious reasons all are not presented. Fig. 1 (A-E) shows the behavior of this type of structure with face retreats of 26.4 ft. and no artificial support. Fig. 2(A-E) shows the behavior of this type of structure where breaker and face props were used. The props were exceptionally strong, being of steel ? in. square in cross section, and capped with 1/16 in. ± of soft wood and paper, to allow for roof deflection. The face props were

Jan 1, 1940

By K Evtiminova, G Jobson, M Nolte, S Meik

Chelopech Mining EAD (CMEAD) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Dundee Precious Metals Inc (DPM) and operates the Chelopech underground mine and processing facility located in Bulgaria. The final product sold is a flotation concentrate containing copper minerals with associated gold and silver. The increase in production from 0.6 to 1.0 Mt/a by 2009 occurred with the original (1975) secondary/tertiary crushing, and primary/secondary ball mill circuits. As part of the mine/mill upgrade project to 2.0 Mt/a, a new single stage semi-autogenous (SAG) mill and ancillary equipment was installed, replacing the original circuits, with commissioning occurring during the first half of 2011. Aspects of the design, commissioning and operation of the new comminution facility are the subjects of this paper.An extensive program of comminution characterisation test work was completed in 2004/2005, which indicated moderate hardness and competency characteristics. The characteristics were considered suitable for a range of comminution approaches which were assessed with respect to power requirements and capital and operating costs. Retention of the existing primary crushing facility, and installation of a new single stage SAG mill located within the existing mill building, was selected as the design for the expansion.An extended ramp-up schedule for the overall concentrator upgrade turned out to be necessary as the comminution and flotation circuits were completed prior to several downstream unit processes (concentrate filtration and tailings thickening), which were required to reach the design mill feed throughput rate on a sustainable basis. This resulted in the opportunity to gradually increase the SAG mill ball charge as necessary, to obtain the throughput corresponding to the various downstream processing constraints.A relatively fine cyclone overflow stream particle size distribution is a feature of the Chelopech comminution circuit that has not been fully overcome with increasing ball charge conditions. However, design throughput has been met even under the finer product size conditions and will be consistently achieved following the commissioning of two further process improvement projects scheduled for late 2012.CITATION:Jobson, G, Nolte, M, Evtiminova, K and Meik, S, 2012. The modernisation and upgrade of concentrator operations at the Chelopech Mine, Bulgaria - Design, installation and operation of the 250 tonnes per hour comminution circuit, in Proceedings 11th AusIMM Mill OperatorsÆ Conference, pp 325-332 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Oct 29, 2012

By Wayne Hilgedick

Peabody Coal Company is the nation's largest producer of coal and is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. In 1978 Peabody divisionalized its operations to establish more responsive and effective mine management. Peabody Coal Company's Arizona Division operates two large surface mines, the Black Mesa and Kayenta Mines. Both are located in northeastern Arizona, approximately 30 miles from Kayenta, Arizona, on the Navajo and Hopi Indian Reservations. The Black Mesa Mine produces 4 to 5 million tons of coal per year and the Kayenta Mine produces 7 to 8 million tons per year. Coal from the Black Mesa Mine is transported 274 miles by coal slurry pipeline to the Mohave Generating Plant located on the Nevada/Arizona border at Bullhead City, Arizona. This plant is jointly owned by Southern California Edison, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Nevada Power Company and Salt River Project Agriculture Improvement and Power District.

Jan 1, 1983

By M. E. Ryan, C. L. Hoebbel, E. J. Haas

DISCLAIMER The findings and conclusions in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Mention of any company or product does not imply endorsement does not constitute endorsement by NIOSH. ABSTRACT It has been suggested that effective disaster prevention and response in mining requires that elements of emergency management be incorporated into everyday operations, planning, and decision-making, much in the same way that the industry approaches routine risk management. Since Congress passed the MINER Act in 2006, the newly mandated structural and technological advancements in mine emergency response preparation have been made and are apparent, but measureable improvement in mineworker emergency preparedness is difficult to ascertain. To begin exploring whether measurable indicators of mine workforce preparedness can or should be addressed within a risk management framework, NIOSH researchers examined the datasets from two separate research efforts—one which measured the organizational safety climate and self-reported safety performance, and the other which measured individuals’ perceptions of their own self-escape competency. INTRODUCTION In response to the mine disasters in 2006, the United States Congress passed the Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act (MINER Act), which strengthened existing regulations [30 CFR, Part 48] and introduced new provisions to improve mine emergency response. Since that time, new technological and structural features, such as mandated redundant communication systems, personnel tracking systems, and lifelines in primary and secondary escapeways, have been installed in underground coal mines across the country. Additionally, mine operators are required to develop emergency response plans, provide adequate supplies of breathable air throughout the mine, provide more frequent and realistic expectations training, and are required to immediately notify the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) in the event of an accident. While the structural and technological advancements in emergency preparedness are readily observable and easily measured, levels of individual mineworker preparedness remain difficult to assess. There is a general consensus that deficiencies in competence in the non-routine tasks required for individual miners to effectively respond to a mine emergency likely remain (e.g., National Research Council [NRC], 2013), and NIOSH research continues address this concern (Haas, et al., 2015; Hoebbel et al., 2018). To maximize an operation’s capacity to effectively prevent disasters and/or respond to emergency events, it has been suggested that individual and emergency management efforts be incorporated into everyday operations, planning, and decision-making in much the same way organizations manage routine risks to health and safety (Haddow et al., 2017). To the authors’ knowledge, the mindful intersection of routine risk management policies and practices and emergency prevention and response readiness have yet to be empirically studied within the mining industry.

Jan 1, 2019

The information age has definitely arrived and in fact has only begun to affect our business processes. Traditionally mining companies have been innovators and leaders with technology, but applying information technology systems to machines directly working on the mining extraction process poses challenges to those introducing the technology. Caterpillar is now presenting machine guidance and information systems for dozers, graders, blast hole drills, shovels, excavators, wheel loaders and trucks. These systems simply increase the flow of real information in real time and deliver it to the end users who can make informed decisions that effect real productivity gains and at the same time eliminate the role of the middle manager who used to monitor and control these activities. Technology also offers cultural changes that appear intangible, but offer significant gains to those that implement technology. Critics state that these intangible benefits are still available to traditional processes, however these intangible elements are never identified nor managed without the introduction of technology enhanced processes. The benefits of these technologies are real and dramatic, existing users offer impressive testimonials, but still the technology can be disproportionate in the time it takes to introduce to an operation. Caterpillar finds that senior to executive management needs to be a part of the technology introduction, to coordinate all departments and set technology strategies.  

Jan 1, 2000