Search Documents

By Rudrajit Mitra, Erik Hulthén, TOBIAS HARTMANN, ELISABETH CLAUSEN, Aarti Sörensen

There has been an ongoing debate on how to transform engineering education to better prepare students for today`s professional world that is characterized by increasingly complex problems and challenges that engineers are tasked with upon entering the industry. Within the conceive–design–implement–operate (CDIO) framework, entrepreneurship education presents a valuable pedagogical approach to foster the necessary skills of the students through integrated, hands-on, active learning experiences. While numerous publications have addressed possibilities of how experiential, problem-based, project-based and active learning can be integrated into engineering curriculum, there has been hardly any attention on mining engineering with respect to adopting this approach. This paper will address the possibilities of integrating entrepreneurship education into mining engineering programs in particular. This paper will enhance and foster discussion among academics from mining engineering on how to integrate elements of entrepreneurship education on a course, program and departmental level to infuse value creation experiences across the curriculum.

May 25, 2022

By Mitsutaka Hino

The contents of gangue minerals, such as A1203, P205, crystalline water and so forth in the iron ore imported to Japan tend to increase year by year, Though the increments of such gangue contents are approximately 0.1-0.2 mass%, some problems for the blast furnace operation in ironmaking process have already been reported, In order to clarify the mechanism of harmful effect caused by the small increment of gangue minerals, mainly A1203, on the blast furnace operation, the dripping behavior of FetO-CaO-SiO2-AI2O3-MgO slag from the iron funnel, which simulated the micro-porosity in sinter ore, has been observed with the wide range of basicity, Al2O3, FetO and Mgo contents. The effect of MgO on the dripping behavior of slag has been summarized in this paper, It was found that the addition of 2mass% MgO resulted in large increase of hold-up on the most of the conditions. When FetO content was less than 20mass% and the basicity was lower than 0.8, MgO lowered the hold-up even if the slag contained 10mass% Al2O3. Every slag hold-up showed the minimum at the basicity of less than unity on the conditions of constant FetO and A1203 contents. This trend became remarkable when the slag contained 2 mass% MgO.

Jan 1, 2003

By K. Moxham, A. Smit, R. Pickering

Since the early 1970s research has been ongoing to develop a cost-effective way of continuously mining the narrow reef, hard rock, typical of South African gold and platinum mines. In the late1980s it was shown that impact ripping was a practical solution for the deep gold mines. In March2001 Lonmin and Sandvik agreed to co-operate in an endeavour to design and manufacture a prototype narrow reef mining machine with the ultimate aim of producing such a machine on a commercial basis that would enable Lonmin to create a safer and more productive environment within its mines and for Sandvik to enhance its leading position as a supplier of a new generation hard rock cutting machine. This paper describes the developed technology, the current progress of the delivery of the required objectives and the optimum mining layout for the roll-out of the mining method.

Jan 1, 2006

By James Paone

Land utilized by the mining industry from 1930 through 1971 amounted to 3.65 million acres, or 0.16 percent of the land mass in the United States. Land reclaimed during the same period was 1.46 million acres, or 40 percent of the land utilized. This report includes data on land use for wastes from underground and surface mining, for wastes from mill operations, and on subsidence. Data on land use and reclamation were obtained from operating companies, mining organizations, appropriate State agencies, and others concerned with such activities. The 10 leading States in land used for mining in 1971 were, in decreasing order, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Ohio, California, Florida, West Virginia, Illinois, Minnesota, and Indiana. Mineral commodities accounting for a major portion of land use are, in decreasing order, bituminous coal, sand and gravel, stone, copper, phosphate rock, iron ore, and clay; for coal, these commodities are produced principally by surface mining operations. Reclamation over the 42-year period was largely on lands utilized for surface mining of bituminous coal. New surface mining methods, particularly for coal, incorporate some form of land restoration.

Jan 1, 1974

By Glenn Buchana

El presente texto señala algunos aspectos técnicos y comerciales del dragado del depósito fluvial. Para ello, es necesario conocer el origen y desarrollo del depósito fluvial. El depósito fluvial es una masa de grava superficial, la cual es producto del desmoronamiento y erosión de rocas sólidas que contienen partículas o pepitas de oro, diamante, estaño, platino u otros minerales valiosos que proceden de las rocas o de las vetas. Entre los tipos de depósitos aluviales tenemos: depósitos aislados pequeños y poco profundos, los depósitos de mediana profundidad, depósitos profundos y los marinos. La explotación se realiza a través de tres sistemas: draga cortadora de succión, la dragalínea de cangilones y la planta de tratamiento flotante.

Nov 1, 1979

By Xuanxue Mo, Zengqian Hou

"Abstract -Yidun Island Arc in Sanjiang Region is one of the important Kuroko-type volcano­ genic massive sulfide deposits (VMS) districts in southwestern China. Tectonically, the region is situated in the eastern portion of the Tethys orogenic belt, and is a late Triassic extensional island-arc. The island-arc underwent earlier arc construction, intra-arc rifting, later arc construction and back­ arc spreading during its evolution and formed a complete trench-arc-basin system, i.e., the Ganzi­ Litang suture zone, forearc basin, outer arc, intra-arc rifting zone, inner arc and back-arc basin from east to west across the island-arc.Kuroko-type VMS deposits and occurrences discovered so far are limited to within the intra-arc rifting zone of the Yidun Island Arc and tend to occur in groups or clusters distributed in separate fault­ bound basins; e.g., Zengke, Gacun and Xiangcheng basins, in which submarine volcanic rocks, especially bimodal volcanic suites, were extensively developed. The VMS deposits formed in the waning stages of volcanic eruption in the late Triassic and are hosted in the uppermost section of acidic volcanic rocks (rhyolitic-dacitic) within a bimodal suite. The orebodies are associated with these host rocks: rhyolitic-dacitic pyroclastic rocks and exhalites and chemical sedimentary rocks.Ali VMS deposits in Sanjiang are of the Zn-Pb-Cu type. The architecture of the deposits is two­fold, consisting of concordant lenses and layers of massive sulfides and an underlying discordant stockwork. Ali deposits show metal zoning. The hydrothermal alteration related to mineralization is strong and asyrnmetrical, and is found dominantly within the stockwork zone and host rocks surrounding the ores. There are two alteration patterns: (1) chloritization - sericitization - silicification from outer sides to core of the alteration pipe; and (2) silicification + sericitization - silicification + carbonate from the lower to upper part of the alteration pipe_The mineralization temperatures of ore-forming fluids vary in the range 200°C to 335°C. Thermal evolution of the fluids displays temperature profiles that first increase and then decrease with progression of mineralization processes. The majority of black-ore minerais (Groups I and II) formed during intensifying stages of hydrothermal activity, and the majority of serni-yellow-ore minerals (Group III) formed during a thermal maximum . There followed the formation of fine-grained black-ore minerals (Group IV), which interacted with barite layers during decreasing temperature phases.Oxygen and hydrogen isotope studies show that the sources of ore-forming fluids for the Kuroko­ type VMS deposits are two-fold: seawater and magmatic hydrothermal solutions, represented by the Kuroko deposits in Japan and Kuroko-type VMS deposits in Sanjiang, respectively. In the latter case the hydrothermal solutions reacted with host rocks and mixed with cold seawater percolating downward, and circulated through volcanic rocks resulting in development of alteration zones and formation of ore minerals in Kuroko-type VMS deposits."

Jan 1, 1993

By Washington Luiz Mafra

Every year the conventional direct reduction processes ? Midrex and HYL III ? increased their market share in the world steel production, even though they are only economically feasible in countries where natural gas is available at competitive prices. In this context, the new Midrex projects are based on large reactors (Megamod - 1.5 to 1.8 Mt/y of DRI), reduction temperatures of the metallic burden up to 850oC, with bustle gas temperatures between 960oC e 1050oC. Thus, the requirements of metallic burden performance, as well as the evaluating methods, usually based on ISO standards, need to be reviewed. It is well known that the standards usually applied to quality evaluation do not reflect the performance of metallic burden inside the reactors. This paper describes the different methods of evaluating the disintegration under reduction of DR pellets based on ISO 11257 standard. This is the most important method used by pellet producers and customers for evaluating DR feedstocks. The different methodologies tested to evaluate the disintegration under reduction had varying results, evidencing the relevance of the method and the quality of the pellet. Nevertheless, validating the method in an industrial reactor is still fundamental.

May 1, 2007

By K. K. Kelley, W. W. Weller

Heat capacity measurements of akermanite ( Ca,MgSiO ) , cordierite (Mg2A14 Sig018 ) , gehlenite ( Ca₂Al₂ SiO ) , and merwinite ( Ca ,MgSiO ) were conducted over the temperature range from 50 ° to 298.15 ° K. The entropies at 298.15 K ( expressed in cal / deg mole ) were evaluated as follows : Akermanite , 50.0 ± 0.5 ; cordierite , 97.3 ± 0.9 ; gehlenite , 47.4 ± 0.4 ; and merwinite , 60.5 ± 0.5 . All four compounds have positive entropies of formation from their constituent oxides at 298.15 ° K ; the values range from 4.6 cal /deg mole for akermanite to 10.1 cal / deg mole for cordierite .

Jan 1, 1963

By Zhi-xiang Cui

Effects of flux, vulcanizing agent and reductant on slag cleaning in new-type slag cleaning furnace (Φ3.6 × 8.1 m) were investigated under the conditions including smelting temperature of 1200 and 1250 °C, settling time of 30 and 60 min, and Fe/SiO2 of 1.7–1.9. The results show that addition of SiO2, B2O3 or CaF2 into original copper smelting slag can improve settling separation effect. Though no effect on copper recovery, addition of FeS can provide heat required by reaction with oxygen and reduce copper dissolution in spinel phase and slag. Copper content in discarded slag can be controlled at 0.26% under the optimum comprehensive conditions with ratio of oxygen to natural gas of 1.6.

By Zhang Chuanfu, Tan Pengfu

"A thermodynamic model is developed to predict the distribution behaviors of Ni, Co, Sn, Pb, Zn, As, Sb, Bi, Au and Ag in copper pyrometallurgical process. In this model, as more as 21 elements (Cu, S, Fe, Ni, Co, Sn, As, Sb, Bi, Pb, Zn, Au, Ag, 0, N, C, H, Ca, Mg, Al, and Si) and 72 compounds (in fayalite-slag-making system) or 74 compounds (in ferrite-slag-making system) are considered. Accessory-element behavior is studied for two types of slag , fayalite and ferrite, and two levels of oxidation. The allowance is also made to account for physical entrainment in the melts.-Model simulations are carried out to study the effects of controllable process parameters such as feed composition, smelting temperature, degree of oxygen enrichment and volume of oxygen enriched air. The model can be used in copper flash process, Mitsubishi process and Noranda process. The predictions by the present computer model are compared with the known industrial data from Gui Xi Smelter in China, Home Smelter in Canada and Naoshima Smelter in Japan and excellent agreement between calculations and industrial data is obtained. In this paper, the effects of oxygen enrichment, matte grade, smelting temperature, and types of slag on accessory-element behavior among matte, slag and gaseous phase have been elucidated.I . IntroductionThe presence of trace quantities of minor elements such as As, Sb and Bi in copper significantly reduces its ductility, electrical conductivity, and lowers its thermal conductivity. Embrittlement of copper also occurs due to impurity-phase precipitates at the copper grain boundary interfaces. They deteriorate not only the electrical conductivity of copper but its workability in hot working."

Jan 1, 1998

By Carlos Rabanal, Levi Guzmán

"The concern regarding grinding media consumption rates is as old as the invention of the tumbling mill. Over the years many materials and grinding media shapes have been tested. Through all this, steel grinding balls have proved to be the most effective media for comminution in tumbling mills. There have been several approaches to be able to the wear of the ball charge in any given mill, all of them based on limited empirical evidence. The mining industry still utilizes the Bond Abrasion test that was developed in the 1960´s. As shown later in this publication, this approach shows error greater than 60%. More recently, in 2007, Radziszewski from Mc Gill University has proposed a different total grinding media wear model; this model is based on decoupling the effects of the abrasion, corrosion and impact wear mechanisms. Also in 2007, Benavente, at the time with Moly-Cop Peru, presented an empirical model relating both ore properties and operational conditions that would affect the wear performance of the grinding media. For the database referred in this article, Benavente’s model shows an average error of ± 12% which represents a higher degree of improvement in comparison with previous approaches. The current paper presents recent research conducted by Moly-Cop Peru to further improve the capability of the empirical model originally developed by Benavente to estimate grinding media wear rates. The work performed included extensive determinations of the Bond Abrasion Index for different types of ores, collected at industrial grinding applications where the corresponding operational information was made available. The results of the research enabled us to build a more robust and confident model for estimating the grinding media wear rate. The average error of this new model is in the order of ± 9% which is a significant improvement over the models previously described."

Jan 1, 2014

By Meimei Zhang

In the overall open pit mine planning process, mining phase design is a strategic driver in guiding and constructing the block extraction sequence and determining the annual net cash flow distribution. Mining phase design should obey some practical constraints, such as ?minimum mining width? and ?flat mining phase bottom?, to allow space for haul road development and truck and shovel access on each bench. However, these practical mining phase design requirements are not taken into account in all first-cut mining phase design methods and post-processing is always required to convert an impractical design to a practical one, resulting in a potentially significant loss of Net Present Value (NPV) relative to the first-cut impractical designs. In this paper, we present a method using a meta-heuristic algorithm ? Simulated Annealing ? to enforce those practical constraints in determining a mineable phase design whilst ensuring minimum NPV loss.

Oct 1, 2009

By VERITAS

THE most concentrated industry of major character in the United States is that of the Ford Motor CO., which is to say Henry Ford. Its sole function is to supply the public with a cheap motor car which it does to the extent of two million or so per annum. In doing this, a relatively small profit per unit is multi- plied to an enormous aggregate per annum and has resulted in the creation of one of the greatest industrial fortunes of the world. The industrial and sociological consequences of .this are bound to be immense. On the physical side the production of two million automobiles means the consumption of two or three million tons of materials, chiefly metals, in the 'direct form of the finished product', and a huge additional tonnage of coal and other things that ,are consumed en route, and also the labor of many thousands of men. In the development of a business on this scale it was but natural that the Ford Motor ,Co. should seek to supply itself with the raw 'materials it needs, and they being so largely coal and metals the company is brought into close contact with the mining and metallurgical industries. It is a huge consumer of - steel. It is the fourth largest consumer of copper. It is a large consumer of lead, tin, aluminum and zinc. The mining and metallurgical industries have, therefore, good reason to learn to know Henry Ford, his personality, his thoughts and his policies.

Jan 1, 1924

By Sandra Penttinen

To assist blasting professionals with the creation, documentation, and appropriate methodology to standardize the data collection of the pre and post blast investigation process. Penttinen Associates will present a logical non-technical presentation focusing on: Why pre-blast surveys SAVE How to prepare for pre-blast inspections What to do in preparation of pre-blast inspections The creation of an industry standard all-inclusive pre-blast document Establishing pre-blast inspection operational standards Preserving the data.

Jan 1, 2001

By Paul E. Rosten

This paper describes some of the latest improvements that have been incorporated or planned by the Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Company to reduce operating costs and improve pellet quality. The Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Company operates and manages mining, beneficiation, and pelletizing operations in Michigan, Canada, and Western Australia. This paper deals with the grate-kiln pelletizing operations at Republic, Humboldt, Tilden, Empire, and Pioneer in Michigan, and the Adams and Sherman in Ontario, Canada. Table I characterizes .each operation in regard to location, ore type, pellet capacity and date that pellets were first produced. All of the operations with the exception of Pioneer and Tilden, utilize downdraft-two-pass grate cycles of drying followed by preheating. Pioneer utilizes an all-downdraft, three-pass grate cycle which consists of three drying zones followed by the preheat zone. The Pioneer and Tilden cycles have been described previously. (1) (2)(3) Tilden utilizes a three-pass grate cycle with a stage of updraft drying, followed by two downdraft drying stages. Recuperation systems which supply hot gases to a drying zone from second stage cooling were designed and furnished for Tilden I. Tilden II will be identical. Empire IV will also be furnished with a recuperation system. The Adams grate-kiln system was retrofitted with a recuperation system. This paper will summarize some of the efforts that are in effect or planned for grate-kiln pelletizing systems to (1) reduce operating and maintenance costs, (2) reduce energy requirements, (3) improve product quality, and (4) meet environmental standards.

Jan 1, 1977

By K. Hasselwander, K. Knabel

"A significant area of Outotec’s business involves fluidized bed roasting. With several decades of experience, more than 300 reference plants and strong R&D capabilities, the company provides several industries with optimum processing solutions. Applications include oxidation and sulfation of sulfides found in copper, pyrite and zinc concentrates. Gold production and de-arsenifying roasting are also within this scope. This paper describes the latest furnace developments and includes novel trends. Moreover, hot and wet gas cleaning systems are examined focusing on unit operations related to the removal of components such as dust, SO2 for sulfuric acid production, fumes, halides, Hg, hydrocarbons, nitrous oxides and metals.INTRODUCTIONGenerally, when defining roasting processes, it can be stated that the respective primary pyrometallurgical reaction is exothermic, of gas-solid nature and relates to a value solid product. These processes are a key focus within Outotec’s scope and include: (i) dead roasting (ii) sulfating roasting (iii) partial de-arsenifying roasting and (iv) two-stage, de-arsenifying roasting.Dead roasting involves the oxidation of a given sulfide, thus allowing for a subsequent leaching process, and has been applied to producing ZnO. Dead roasting of pyrite has also been extensively utilized with a primary goal of producing sulfuric acid. In contrast, sulfating roasting involves converting a sulfide to its sulfate, enabling a selective sulfation of components, such as Cu or Co, and their separation from ferrous components during leaching (produced sulfates are soluble). Partial roasting involves partially oxidating the metal sulfide to its oxide with the simultaneous production of gaseous As4O6, which is handled during gas cleaning. The solid product, containing hardly any As, is rich in S and can be fed to a respective smelter (e.g. in the case of Cu). Alternatively, if the production of oxide is required, a dead roasting step is added after the partial roasting step, with the overall process considered as two-stage roasting."

Jan 1, 2012

By John F. Kearney

After World War II Canada?s fledgling iron ore mining industry developed along the ill-defined Quebec / Labrador border near what became the town of Knob Lake and later renamed Schefferville. For about twenty-five years from 1954 to 1982 Schefferville was the epicenter of Canadian iron ore mining and the foundation of the Iron Ore Company of Canada. In about 1982 it all stopped, shut down, the miners moved away leaving behind a mining camp and a ghost town that have sat idle and almost deserted for the past twenty five years. The story looks set to change with new plans to re-establish the former mining operations in the historic mining camp. This paper outlines the proposal to reactivate the direct shipping iron ore operations in the Schefferville mining camp, and specifically the properties in Labrador owned or optioned by Labrador Iron Mines Limited (?LIM?), a wholly owned subsidiary of London Stock Exchange listed Anglesey Mining plc. The Schefferville mining camp is located about 1,000 km northeast of Montreal. There are no roads connecting the area to southern Labrador or to Quebec. Access to the area is by rail from Sept Iles to Schefferville, or by air from Montreal and Sept Iles.

May 1, 2007

By J. de Bakker

It hardly needs to be repeated that if coal is to continue as America’s premier source of cheap energy, it is absolutely necessary that the carbon dioxide from its combustion somehow be sequestered. A promising method proposed to accomplish this is the “indirect” carbonation of serpentine in a concentrated magnesium chloride brine. Indirect carbonation could be also applied to precipitate magnesium in lateritic nickel processing: this would not only solve magnesium-control problems in laterite hydrometallurgy, but also reduce its energy requirements and create CO2-sequestration credits. Fifty-five percent of the electricity generated in the United States comes from coal-fired power plants, and American coal reserves can last over 500 years at 1990-level consumption1. Coal is therefore both abundant and cheap: it could (and in fact probably will) continue to be an affordable source of energy, both for producing electricity and as a feedstock for liquid hydrocarbon production by Fischer-Tropsch reactions. As a result, it is important to find a workable method of permanently sequestering CO2.

Jan 1, 2007

Mine drainage and mine reclamation are topics of major interest to the mining industry, federal and local governments, and the general public. This publication and its companion three volumes are the proceedings of a conference held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, April 24-29, 1994. There were twelve sessions (69 papers) that dealt with mine drainage, including modeling, geochemistry, prediction, treatment, control strategies, characterization, hydrology, and case studies. These sessions comprise volumes 1 and 2. The six sessions (34 papers) that dealt with reclamation and revegetation of disturbed lands are included in volume 3. Volume 4 includes the six sessions (34 papers) that dealt with such topical issues as fires at abandoned mine sites, subsidence, hydrology, mine wastes, and policy. Poster session presentations are represented by 49 papers and 92 abstracts that have been placed in the back of volumes 2, 3, and 4, consistent with the subject of that volume.

Jan 1, 1994

By Richard L. Fowler

Study and development of sensing techniques and sensors were performed to aid shuttle car drivers in detecting obstacles and in guiding the car along the face haulage route. Microwave, acoustic, and optical sensing techniques were considered as part of the feasibility study for obstacle detection. Various guidance techniques, including wire-following and rib-ranging were investigated. Active optical sensing was selected for obstacle detection to obtain the beam coverage and sharp angular cutoff characteristics required within the packaging limitations defined by the shuttle car configuration. Rib-ranging guidance was selected to achieve a completely self-contained shuttle car system which responds to the existing mine geometry without need for wires, stripes, or other path defining devices. Extensive hybrid computer simulation runs were performed to evaluate various guidance techniques during the feasibility study. Subsequent simulation runs were performed to establish parameter values for the rib-ranging guidance system. The obstacle detection and guidance system was designed, fabricated and installed on a standard shuttle car. The system satisfied all applicable permissibility requirements of Schedule 2G. An experimental permit was issued to Bendix for operation in an underground coal mine. System evaluation tests were performed first above ground at the Bendix Research Laboratories. The simulation model was validated by these runs. Final testing was performed underground in an operating mine with an experienced shuttle car driver. All sensors successfully demonstrated the predicted performance capability during underground face haulage tests. Dust did not impair system performance and lens cleaning was not required during working shifts. Further development is required to achieve the desired obstacle detection performance. Closed loop steering control with manual override is recommended for the lateral guidance system. The guidance system should be an invaluable aid to low-coal shuttle car drivers where continuous mining machines are utilized.

Jan 1, 1973