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By D. Dodgen, L. Larrimore

Electric utilities depend heavily on coal as a major fuel source for power generation, annually producing more than 85 million tom of ash, boiler slag and FGD (flue gas desulfurization - "scrubber") materials as by-products. Utilities and others who bum coal have traditionally disposed of these by-products in ponds or landfills. However, in the last 10-15 years there has been a greatly increased emphasis on beneficial utilization of these materials by the producers themselves as well as by customers who purchase the by-products. Regulatory, cost and technical performance issues currently impact the use of coal ash and other coal combustion by-products (CCB).

Feb 24, 1997

By Lewis V. Wade

This report provides background information concerning a mine roof simulator currently being considered by the Bureau of Mines. The simulator is a mechanical device with the ability to simulate the forces and displacements associated with mine roof over an area 20 by 20 feet. The topics covered in the report include a conceptual description of the system, definition of system capabilities, discussion of how such capabilities were decided upon, description of available control modes, and a comparison between the mine roof simulator facility and similar facilities existing elsewhere.

Jan 1, 1974

By Thomas J. Peters

In 1987, at the request of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Bureau of Mines studied the 15,174-acre Sleeping Giant study area, including the 6,112-acre Wilderness Study Area (MT-075-111), in order to evaluate its identified mineral resources. The study area is located in Lewis and Clark County, MT, about 30 miles north of Helena. Sleeping Giant Mountain trends west-northwest from the Missouri to the eastern crest of Little Prickly Pear Canyon (the route of Interstate 15), and has several summits over 6,000 ft. Geologically, the area is in the Disturbed Belt, and a large block of Middle Precambrian metasedimentary siltstone and underlying shale has been thrust northeast over younger, sedimentdry volcanic and intrusive rocks.

Jan 1, 1988

By John Smyth

Mining through in panel entries and the full face recovery method has been successfully practiced at U.S. Stwl, Mine 50. Suppat of the cut-through entries and recovery room is critical. Traditionally, concrete crib or fly ash cement backfill has been utilized. However, these traditional methods are not feasible at Mine 50 due to the difficulties of the plow face mining through these types of support. Recent development of new cable support systems provides an option for cut-through entry support. Mine 50 and Jennmar Corporation personnel have worked together to design and apply the cable systems in the cut-through entries and full face recovery room to eliminate standing support. To date, a number of full face recovery rooms and cut-through inpanel entries have been successfully mined. The results indicate that the cable systems combined with high capacity shields, have provided sufficient capacity to support the roof. Utilizing the Jennmar Finite Element Analysis (JFEA) computer program (Stankus and Guo, 1996), an analysis of the stress and roof deflection changes as the longwall gradually cut through was conducted. From the finite element analysis data, a supplemental support plan was designed. The history and experiences at Mine 50 are presented. Based on the case experiences and modifications made to the finite element analysis, an improved design criteria for future use has been formulated.

Jan 1, 1998

By Hai Rong

EH-4 Electrical conductivity imaging system has been playing an important role in prospecting, looking for water resource, and determining coal mine gob boundary by virtue of its significant advantages such as collection of large volume of data, light weight, fast analysis, high-precision, and low cost. However, it has little application in determining the overburden failure zone and development of water flowing fractured zone and bed separation space in complex extra thick coal seam conditions. In order to confirm the overburden failure range and evolution of water flowing fractured zone and bed separations in complex extra thick coal seam conditions the panel 63005 of Laohutai coal mine in China was selected for study in this paper,. EH-4 magnetotelluric method was used to determine the overburden failure zones and bed separations in the overburden. Theoretical analysis and numerical simulation were employed to verify the EH4 survey results. The results show that the failure height in the overburden of the three coal splits was 120m to 170m before panel mining, and increased to 150m to 220m after panel mining. The overburden failure height was on average 7.4 times the equivalent mining height in complex extra thick coal seam condition of Laohutai coal mine when the sand backfilling and fully mechanized top coal caving methods were employed. After mining of panel 63005 started, bed separations were found on the hanging wall and footwall of the F18 fault where water bodies existed. The results obtained in this research not only provide a theoretical guidance for safe mining at Laohutai coal mine but also serve as a reference for predicting and preventing water inrush accidents for coal mines under similar condition in China.

Jan 1, 2014

By W. B. Dancy, A. Adams

Laboratory test work on heavy liquid separation of sylvite from halite is reported. Numerous tests were run on sylvite ore sized in the ranges of 4x20 mesh, 10x65 mesh, 8x100 mesh, -8 mesh and -10 mesh with heavy liquids in the range of 2.05 to 2.15 sp gr. From the test results, it was concluded that, with the type of ore under study and a size in the range of -8 mesh, a recovery as high as 90% could be achieved with a product grade of 70% KCl. However, a final product at an acceptable recovery cannot be made with one pass, and the float must either be further processed with heavy liquids or dried and sent to a conventional froth flotation circuit. Potash ores occurring in this country consist essentially of sylvite and halite plus minor amounts of magnesium sulfate salts and montmoril-lonite-type clays. Recovery of potash minerals from evaporite ores in the North American potash fields is accomplished almost exclusively by use of amine flotation. European practice involves froth flotation as well as solution-crystallization processes. Laboratory and pilot plant test work has been reported in Europe and the U. S. on the application of heavy media separation to potash ore beneficiation. Work was probably discontinued because of lack of ore with the required very coarse liberation characteristics (1/8 to 1/2 in. liberation size). Sylvite, with a gravity of 1.99, and halite, with a gravity of 2.17, appear to be ideal for separation by heavy liquids, which are now available in gravities from 1.59 to 2.95. This paper reviews preliminary results obtained from laboratory test work on heavy liquid separation of sylvite from halite. TEST WORK The heavy liquids used in the tests under discussion were chlorobromethane, with a specific gravity of 1.923, and dibromethane, with a gravity of 2.490. These liquids, completely miscible, were combined in the proportions needed to give a mixture having the desired specific gravity. Feed for the laboratory tests was mine-run ore screened to the desired mesh sizes. In conducting the tests, the sample was fed at a constant rate into a stream of heavy liquid and the mixture directed into a small separatory vessel. The float overflowed into a collecting pan while the sink collected in the bottom of the separatory vessel and was removed at the end of the test. Approximately 500 g of feed constituted a charge. Pulp density of the feed was kept low to prevent particle to particle interference in separation. With feed in the range of 8x100 mesh, a pulp density of under 10% solids by weight was found advisable. With coarser feed the pulp density could be carried as high as 15% solids. Time of separation was very rapid. In the case of 4x20-mesh material, separation was effected in 15 to 30 sec; with -10-mesh feed, separation required about 1 to 2 min. SPECIAL EQUIPMENT Since heavy liquids are toxic to varying degrees, all separatory work was carried out in a standard laboratory fume hood. It was noted that complete removal of fumes was not being effected; therefore the hood construction was modified, resulting in a completely satisfactory arrangement for heavy liquid test work. In the interest of safety, details of this fume hood are reported here. Unlike most fumes, heavy liquid fumes tend to settle and flow like water, rather than to rise like a gas. Working on this assumption, a standard water drain was installed in the hood. Across the front of the hood a 1-in. barrier was constructed. In the rear of the hood a false back was installed, with an adjustable sliding door on both the bottom and top of this panel. As shown in Fig. 1, the exhaust fan pulled a vacuum behind the barrier, sucking the heavy fumes from the bottom of the hood. Another addition was the drying box, shown to the right of the hood. This is simply a box covered on top with hardware cloth and connected by a 6-in. inlet to the hood. Sample trays made of fine mesh wire filter screens were found ideal for drying samples. With this arrangement, air flowed completely through the sample and all fumes were drawn into the hood. In use, it was found effective to cover with a

Jan 1, 1963

By Katsunori Yamaguchi

A new technique for the removal of tramp-elements from steel scrap has been required from the viewpoint of saving energy and protection of environment. In order to obtain fundamental information on the removal of copper, tin and zinc from molten iron, the extraction method by using of phase separation in the liquid Fe-Pb-C system was investigated at 1453K A mixture of iron, lead and carbon melted in a carbon crucible separates into two phases of lead and iron containing carbon. The compositions on the miscibility gap in' the Fe-Pb-C system are 95A%Fe-4.5%C-0.l %Pb and 99.9%Pb-0.1 %Fe. The distribution ratios of copper, tin and zinc between the lead and the iron phases, Lx=[masso/uX in molten Pb]/(masso/uX in molten Fe), are 2.2, 2.2 and lA, respectively. Seventy percent of copper and tin from iron scrap can be eliminated with comparable lead addition. Gold, silver and palladium are enriched in the lead rich phase, on the contrary platinum and rhodium are more distributed to the iron rich phase than to the lead phase.

Jan 1, 2003

By Roshan B. Bhappu

Although the economic importance of recovering copper by leaching of mine work dumps from open-pit operations has been realized for some time, serious attempts to understand and to improve such operations through scientific research has been made only in recent years. This progress report covers the results of chemical, physical, and biological studies pertaining to the dump leaching process and discusses salient features and parameters that may be helpful in improving such operations.

Jan 1, 1968

By Eugenio Thiers

El presente trabajo señala la utilización de carbones andinos en la industria metalúrgica. Los países de la región andina como Perú, Bolivia y Ecuador contienen carbones coquizontes de buenas características, pero con bajo poder aglutinante. Por ello, se busca ampliar las posibilidades de su uso a través de la producción de metales. La producción se distingue en dos alternativas: primaria y secundaria. La primera incluye extracción minera, procesos de concentración mecánica, fundición y refinación, mientras que la segunda, se basa en la recuperación de materias primas a partir de la chatarra. Así también su uso principal de extiende a la siderurgia y afines.

Sep 1, 1985

By Jr. Kirschner

An abandoned waste impoundment located within a portion of the Kellogg, Idaho Superfund site constitutes a field research area for studying the feasibility of recovering heavy metals in-situ from unsaturated mine and mill wastes. A prototype in-situ leaching cell has been evaluated using liquid-phase tracer tests and other hydro-geologic tests prior to introducing a lixiviant. The results of the tests suggest that: (1) the cell can be operated excursion-free with a low-density lixiviant at an injection/withdrawal rate of approximately 0.32 l/s; and (2) each hydro-geologic unit is highly heterogeneous at the different scales studied.

Jan 1, 1993

By R. A. Young

Zinc metal production in the operating plants in the United States during 1948 was approximately equal to that of the year 1947, although new developments during the year assure higher output in 1949, if economic conditions are favorable. In the Western plants, the man-power shortage was almost completely overcome and new capacity has been or is in the process of being added to three plants; thus by December of 1948 daily zinc metal production had risen to the highest point since May of 1944 despite strikes in one large primary smelter and in one secondary plant.

Jan 1, 1949

By D. W. Alexander

In 1993, CONSOL began investigating new methods of permanently filling coal mine shafts, which after ventilation is stopped, may contain a potentially hazardous atmosphere. Fill materials such as fly ash/cement can be pumped, are non-combustible and non-incendiary but tend to flow into the mine entries. A non-flowable mixture has been developed that minimizes the volume of fill used. The paper presents our recent shaft filling experience including fly ash material properties, mix designs, field problems, placement success, and gas testing techniques.

Jan 1, 1996

By Luis Noval Noval García

El objetivo de la ventilación es desarrollar una atmósfera saludable, segura y apta para la realización del trabajo por parte del personal. En ese sentido, el presente texto señala los gases como problemas comunes presentados dentro del ambiente minero tales como asfixia por anoxia (caso de inhalación) intoxicación, envenenamiento y muerte (letal) e inflamación y explosión (Productos). Para eliminar estos riesgos se debe eliminar las causas a través de una buena ventilación. Asimismo, es necesario conocer las propiedades de los gases, disponer de equipos para detectar su presencia y procurar los medios para eliminarlos.

Sep 1, 1984

By D. R. Wilburn

This summary of international mineral exploration activities for the year 2005 draws upon available information from literature, industry and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) specialists. It provides data on exploration budgets by global region and mineral commodity and identifies significant mineral discoveries and exploration target areas. It also discusses government programs affecting the mineral exploration industry and presents analysis of the mineral industry based on these data. Two types of information are reported and analyzed in this annual review of international exploration for the year 2005. They include budgetary statistics provided by Metals Economics Group (MEG) and information on regional and site-specific exploration activities in 2005 compiled by the USGS.

Jan 1, 2006

By N Haque, S Northey

Water in mining, mineral processing and metal production on a life cycle basis has been at the top of agendas for various industries, government agencies, research organisations, academic institutions and communities. As a result, a number of water footprint assessment methodologies have been developed. However, their practical applications in mining and mineral processing industries with specific case studies are still rare.A key objective of the Minerals Down Under Flagship is to contribute to the long-term sustainability of the Australian mining and mineral industries. Researchers in the Mineral Futures theme have developed robust assessment methods to evaluate the impact of mining and minerals technology development on the environment. The future of mining and the mineral industry is strongly linked with its sustainability - better water management strategies will need to be implemented.Life cycle assessment (LCA) has been a recognised method for measuring the environmental impacts of products, processes and services. It provides a scientifically sound method of comparing products and processes using a common basis and identifies so called æhot spotsÆ and opportunities for reducing environmental impacts. The water footprint of mining, mineral processing and metal production using an LCA basis is still scarce in the literature. Research methodology is now being applied in detail for copper, gold and nickel. A primary focus has been the relationship between ore grade and water use for which mathematical models are being developed. These types of models provide inputs for LCA of mining and mineral processing plants and can identify water saving opportunities through scenarios and process route analysis.CITATION:Northey, S and Haque, N, 2013. Life cycle based water footprints of selected mineral and metal processing routes, in Proceedings Water in Mining 2013 , pp 35-50 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Nov 26, 2013

By Wilfredo A. Lyons

La formación geológica del distrito minero de Castrovirreyna-Huachocolpa está constituída por derrames y piroclásticos de composición andesítica, cuyos volcánicos se encuentran asentados sobre formaciones paleozoicas y mesozoicas altamente plegadas e instruídas por cuerpos ígneos de dimensiones batolíticas. En esta perspectiva, el objeto del texto radica en describir la formación estructural de las minas del distrito e indicar el movimiento relativo de las diversas fracturas del área. El sistema de fracturas se divide en tres grupos: el primero tiene orientación WNW - ESE; el segundo NE - SW, y el tercero, NNE-SSW, los cuales cuentan con características y orientaciones definidas, respectivamente. El origen de las fracturas responde a fuerzas de impresión prientadas NE-SW que formó un sistema de grietas cuyos esfuerzos de cizallamiento se encuentran ubicados a un ángulo menor de 452 a dichas fuerzas y son paralelas a las fuerzas de compresión.

Aug 20, 1965

By M Stevens, M P. Simpson, J L. Mauk

The Karangahake deposit was the second largest producer of gold-silver bullion in the Hauraki Goldfield, New Zealand. New mapping of a 2 + 3 km (6 km2) area demonstrates that hydrothermal alteration surrounds productive veins. Wallrocks proximal to veins are intensely altered and alteration decreases toward the margin of the system.   At Karangahake, distinct zonation of adularia, calcite, epidote, illite and illite-smectite surrounds gold-bearing lodes with unaltered rocks containing magnetite and plagioclase occurring on the margins. Adularia, illite, illite-smectite, and calcite zonation defines hydrothermal alteration extending 2 km to the east of productive lodes. Epidote and adularia zonation occurs proximal to veins. The adularia zone compares well to potassium/thorium studies conducted in the area. Illite zonation is well developed to the east of the veins grading into interstratified illite-smectite containing 5 to 40 per cent smectite 1.5 km from the Maria Lode. Calcite is restricted to the east of the study area occurring in 18 per cent off surface samples. Less altered rocks containing plagioclase and magnetite occur distal to veins. The magnetite occurrence compares well to aeromagnetic studies conducted in the area.   Adularia and coexisting adularia and albite indicate the host rocks were highly permeable. Epidote, illite, illite-smectite and previous fluid inclusion evidence implies temperatures graded from >240¦C in the core of the system to approximately 150¦C on the periphery. The alteration association of quartz, adularia, calcite, pyrite, chlorite, illite and illite-smectite reflects a near-neutral to weakly alkaline water. Calcite occurrence and the absence of zeolite imply the fluid contained significant dissolved CO2.

Jan 1, 2005

Flotation of Phosphate Gangue from Magnetite Fines - Non-Ionic Surfactant as Atrac Collector Modifier

Sep 13, 2010

By H. Simonsen

Risk assessment consists of a search for the answers to: ?What can happen? ?How likely it is that it can happen? ?What are the consequences if it does happen? Perhaps the most important aim of risk analysis is to predict the likelihood that a planned profit will be achieved over a given period of time. A typical risk model employed for this purpose includes a stochastic connection between the dependent variable of an expression that describes a process and independent variables represented as random quantities. The output will be a probabilistic distribution. The uncertainties in a planned mining operation include: ?Commodity market characteristics, particularly price ?Ore reserves and mineralogical composition ?Mining method ?Process performance ?Capital and operating costs ?Schedule duration ?Economic environment effects. The processes employed in the probabilistic estimation of a project?s outcome include both Monte Carlo simulations and simulations where variable correlation is considered important. The risk model, once developed and tested, provides a framework for a rational approach to risk analysis and the testing of alternatives.

Jan 1, 1999

By J. D. Allen

In the coal preparation plant at U.S. Steel Corp.'s Concord mine in Alabama, the product moisture was reduced from about 20% to 9% through the development of a workable flowsheet for dying the clean coal. Some of the high points of the conversion of the Concord washer from vibrating screen dewatering to centrifuge drying are presented in this article. The coal preparation plant at the United States Steel Corp.'s Concord mine near Bessemer, Ala., began operations in June, 1950. The basic cleaning circuit consisted of a Chance cone for cleaning the 2-in. x 3/8-in. fraction and concentrating tables for cleaning the -3/8-in. coal fraction. Dewatering of the final product was accomplished with 35-mesh vibrating screens. However, because Concord coal is very friable with 85% passing 3 mesh and 25% passing 28 mesh (Fig. I), a considerable quantity of fines passed through the dewatering screens. To recover these fines, the dewatering screen effluent was sent to two 70-ft-diam hyd rose para tors from which the underflow returned to the dewatering screens and the overflow went to a 175-ft-diam thickener for water clarification, as illustrated in Fig. 2. As might be expected, there was considerable recirculation of the -35-mesh coal in this system. This degraded the coal and led to higher moistures. It also resulted in a fines bleed-off of plant water and thickener underflow to a fine-coal settling pond. In 1961, vacuum filters were installed to supplement the screens and to recover the fine coal lost in the bleed-off. The above system resulted in a product moisture of about 20%. Further reduction to approximately 11% was accomplished by drainage from railroad cars during transit to the coke plant. Control of the moisture at unloading was poor because of variations in operating levels and railroad car availability, but since the Concord coal constituted a relatively small percentage of the over-all coal mix at the coke plant, its high moisture and fluctuations did not seriously hamper coking operations. Early in 1964, however, the proportion of Concord coal was increased with a resulting increase in the moisture of the total coal mix, and this caused difficulties in the coke plant. The increased participation of Concord coal also brought about a shortage of railroad cars which raised the moisture content to a point where the coal became almost impossible to handle. In an effort to alleviate this problem, U.S. Steel initiated a research program to develop a flowsheet for reducing the moisture to approximately 10% and to determine whether the resulting product would be satisfactory for the coke plant. Under this program, an experimental flowsheet for evaluating both a vibratory centrifuge system and a solid bowl centrifuge system was drawn up as shown in Fig. 3. A horizontal vibratory centrifuge was installed to reduce the moisture in the dewatered coarse coal, and a four-cell, flotation machine was installed to clean the -65-mesh portion of the 3/8-in. x 0 table raw coal feed. Several shortcomings in the above circuits were apparent. For one thing, large quantities of repulping water were required. Furthermore, since about half of the flotation feed was of a size consist that could have been cleaned on the tables, these circuits would result in an unnecessary increase in reagent costs and facilities. Maintenance of the hydro separators and pumps for pumping the underflow to the filters,

Jan 1, 1969