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By Eric Jackson

The presentation describes the operation and field test results of a seafloor massive sulphide prospecting system. The prospecting system is deployed from a work-class ROV, and it features a new and innovative electromagnetic ocean floor conductivity sensor. It also includes magnetometers, a multibeam sonar, and subsea cameras. The prospecting system has been used in two exploration campaigns - one in the territorial waters of Papua New Guinea (PNG) in 2007 and again in 2008 in both PNG and Tonga waters. The 2007 campaign used the prototype sensor, and the 2008 campaign used a Mark II version. Correlations between drill core samples and EM conductivity results are excellent. New prospecting system data will be used to help plan future core drilling locations. The presentation discusses the principle of operation of the EM conductivity sensor, discusses improvements made in the EM sensor and the overall prospecting system, and shows exploration results. Keywords: seafloor massive sulphide, geophysics, ocean floor, subsea, electromagnetic, conductivity, magnetometer, multibeam, core drilling

Jan 1, 2008

By L. Yan, T. Lutz, J. Noll

"Mine disasters, such as fires and explosions, can create a hazardous atmosphere due to the generation of carbon monoxide (CO). After a mine disaster, contaminated mine air can enter the refuge alternative (RA) as miners enter. Most built-in-place (BIP) RAs use an air delivery system to provide an unlimited supply of breathable air through a borehole which also serves to purge contaminants. In order to determine what levels of contaminants enter the RA, researchers from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) conducted testing in NIOSH’s Pittsburgh Experimental Mine using groups of 5, 15, and 30 subjects entering the RA. The experiment used sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) as a tracer gas that was released into the air outside of the BIP RA to establish a uniform concentration. After the human subjects entered the BIP RA, the SF6 levels inside the RA were measured to quantify how much of the tracer gas entered the BIP RA. In tests conducted while the borehole air supply was left off as test subjects entered, interior contaminant levels were less than 3% of the exterior concentration. In tests conducted with the borehole air supply activated as test subjects entered, the interior contaminant levels were measured at less than 2% of the exterior concentration. Considering a mine disaster can result in 10,000 ppm of CO in the mine atmosphere, these percentages indicate that unhealthy CO concentrations that may lead to headaches, dizziness, and loss of judgement can occur in a BIP RA. This information will help mines make decisions concerning air locks, air delivery systems and a determination if purging mechanisms are necessary. INTRODUCTION The Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act of 2006 (MINER Act) was enacted in the wake of three mine explosions/fires that claimed 19 lives that year. Intended to help improve underground coal mine accident preparedness, the MINER Act includes provisions that target mine safety issues in areas such as emergency response planning, adoption of new technology, training and education, and enforcement of mine safety standards (MSHA, 2006). Section 13 of the MINER Act specifically directs the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to provide for research into the effectiveness and viability of RAs for underground coal mines. This mandate culminated in the 2009 adoption of changes to the 30 CFR mining health and safety regulations, requiring underground coal mines to provide RAs capable of maintaining a life-sustaining environment for persons trapped underground. Such RAs can be either pre-fabricated or BIP shelters. The regulatory changes also include provisions establishing requirements for Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) approval of RAs and their components, and among these provisions are numerous criteria for providing a safe, breathable atmosphere within RAs."

Jan 1, 2018

By Harry C. Oussoren, James C. Miles

A new seven kilometer long subway line is being constructed through dense glacial soils under a major thoroughfare in Toronto. Eductor, deep well and vacuum wellpoint systems are being used to lower the water levels by as much as 16 metres for the construction of the twin tunnels and associated structures. The design and performance of the dewatering systems will be described. Unanticipated difficulties and their solution will be presented.

Jan 1, 1999

By M. A. Reinsel

New technology for removal of nitrate from low-temperature waters has been developed. Typical results from the first operational-scale system (operating at a metal mine in Montana since January 1996) are over 90 percent nitrate removal at a flow rate of 130 gpm and a water temperature of 12°C. The system also operated successfully at flow rates as high as 300 gpm and water temperatures as low as 2°C. The ABC is advantageous because it is: a) cost-effective to design, construct and operate, and b) effective at cold water temperatures. The system can be designed for a variety of flows, nitrate concentrations, water temperatures and water qualities.

Jan 1, 1998

By J. J. Kellar, W. M. Cross, H. Du, C. D. Struckman, D. A. Boyles

Silane coupling agents have been used in the filler industry for years. One particularly unique feature is the ability of the coupling agents to enhance the adhesion between filler and polymer matrices. This paper will review the use of coupling agents for polymer matrix composite applications and discuss a new approach to coupling agent chemistry, namely, direct formation of a silicon-carbon non-hydrolyzable linkage between glass and coupling agent. The grafted silane monolayers were evaluated by infrared spectroscopy to ascertain their surface coverage and relative stability. Finally, composite specimens were fabricated and their mechanical properties were compared with traditional silane coupling agent treatment.

Jan 1, 2003

By B. Ni, J. D. Robertson

A new radioactive tracer method for the measurement of airflow in inaccessible airways was developed. The method can be used in situations where studies of the mine-ventilation system are not possible using conventional flowmeters (anemometers). The method was tested in the ventilation laboratory at the University of Kentucky and in the US Bureau of Mines Experimental Underground Coal Mine and was utilized in leakage, dilution and flow-velocity measurements.

Jan 1, 1998

By Robert L. Akright

The Sumich (Victorine) gold mine is located in the Toiyabe Mountain Range on the east side of Victorine Canyon, a north-trending branch off Kingston Canyon in the northwest quarter of Section 27 and southwest quarter of Section 22, T16N, R43E, in the southern end of Lander County, Nevada (Fig. 1). HISTORY Discovered in 1862, the Victorine reached a peak of development between 1872 and 1887. The "Victorine" and "Morning Star" lode mining claims, located on the outcrop of a prominent auriferous quartz vein, were patented in 1869 and 1891, respectively. 1, respectively. Gold ore was mined underground in adits driven, on the level, directly into the side of the mountain. Ore brought to the surface was trammed about 457 m (1500 ft) south on a track constructed along the contour to ore bins. From this transfer point, the ore was moved by aerial tram to the bottom of the canyon then hauled by horse-drawn wagon to the mill located about 3.2 km (2 miles) east down Kingston Canyon. Exact details of the milling process used on the Victorine are lacking, but old reports mention water-driven stamp mills, amalgamation, chlorination, and cyanidation. Gold and silver mill products are reported to have been sent to England for final refining. High-grade gold values of 103 g/t (3 oz per ton) remaining in mine walls and on outcrops, attest to the lack of success in treating the Victorine ore in the early mills. The Victorine mine may have been worked sporadically after 1887 with little success. In 1934, control of the property was acquired by William P. Moloney, an attorney from Marion, OH, who also control- 1 led an interest in the successful Goldacres mine in Lander County, NV. This property was studied, sampled, and metallurgical tests were done in 1934, but no development resulted from this work.

Jan 1, 1990

By Frank H. Blair

A study of paleogeography and paleo-environment, coupled with modern geochemical techniques and geologic inference, points to the presence of unconventional platinum group metal deposits in domestic and foreign ultrabasic terranes. During the laterisation of the tectonized and serpentinized mafic and ultramafic rock units, onshore winds provided abundant low temperature chloride to the laterite-saprolite profile. Here, an environment formed where gold, silver and platinum was dissolved, transported and redeposited. Changes in climatic conditions have helped preserve the redeposited metals in fossil laterites. The definition of "unconventional mineral resources" used here is taken from the Cameron Volume of Unconventional Mineral Deposits published by SME-AIME in 1983: "Unconventional mineral resources represent materials of possible economic importance that occur in geological or physical environments that have not been successfully exploited for the particular mineral." (van Rensburg, 1983). Chromite-rich rocks worldwide contain high platinum group metal concentrations. This feature is found in ophiolitic sequences, Alaskan-type ultrabasic complexes or statiform intrusions. Association of platinum group metals with chromite has received much attention. The reason for that associa¬tion, however, is not clear. Much has been written about how and where the platinum group metals occur. It is known that they are present in the spinel lattice, as solid solution elements in sulfides and as discrete platinum group minerals. This article outlines the reasons geologists should be looking at lateritic terranes to determine the feasibility of searching for undiscovered, low-grade platinum group metals amenable to openpit, bulk mining. Laterite-saprolite horizons could contain significant platinum group metals and location of anomalous values on the surface and in the weathered profile can lead to discovery.

Jan 1, 1993

By Arnolfo A. Valdivia

Prior to 1971, there were several clinical trials to evaluate programs for early detection of lung cancer. Among these, the Philadelphia Pulmonary Neoplasm Research Project,(3) the Veterans Administration Study published by Lilienfeld,(7) and the controlled trial of the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan showed an overall five year survival rate of 8% for newly detected cases (the same as the national statistic for unscreened patients). In 1971, the National Cancer Institute initiated three randomized, controlled mortality studies using lung cancer screening of persons at high risk (male smokers over 45 years old). The studies are being conducted at the Johns Hopkins University Hospital, the Mayo Clinic, and the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. The studies have slightly different designs in the combination of sputum cytology and chest x-rays. At the Mayo Clinic the study group is offered screening with sputum cytology and chest x-rays every four months, whereas the control group is advised to have an x-ray and cytology every year. No reminders are sent, and it is believed that only about 20% of the control group is screened. At Johns Hopkins and Memorial, both experimental and control groups are offered annual chest x-rays. The experimental group is additionally offered sputum cytology every four months.(5) At present all of the programs show that screening can detect cancers that are undetectible by other means. However, at this time mortality rates in the control and experimental groups are not significantly different in any of the three studies. OUR PROGRAM Our clinic is located in Grants, New Mexico and we provide most of the pre-employment physical examinations for the mines operating in the Grants area (Kerr McGee Nuclear, Homestake Mining, United Nuclear, Western Nuclear, and Ranchers). In the examinations, we obtain the previous mining history of the worker, a chest x-ray, a sample of sputum for cytological examination, and a blood sample. We also provide routine annual physical examinations of the workers, with special interest in the detection of bronchogenic carcinoma. In the early seventies, we did not have a definite surveillance program. We did not know whether we should have a program like the one started at Memorial or like the one started at the Mayo Clinic. After long consideration, we decided to have a program that does not demand a sputum cytology and chest x-ray every four months, but that allows as many chest x-rays and sputum cytologies as needed to diagnose lung cancer as early as possible. We believe that, if a screening method for cancer is to be optimally effective, it must detect the process at stages early enough for curative therapy. We order a test depending on the age of the miner, the race, the mining history, the smoking history, the radiation exposure levels, and the results of the previous chest x-ray and sputum cytology. With the help of the computer, we have a list of all the miners who should be watched closely because of age, race, mining history, smoking history, radiation exposure, etc. Examination of the miners is performed at our clinic, where all the records are kept. The sputum is collected there but examined in Grand Junction, Colorado, by Dr. Geno Saccomanno. There are two ways to collect sputum. The best way is to collect three consecutive morning samples. For this, we need the cooperation of the miners. They have to follow these instructions and mail the bottle containing the sample to Grand Junction. "Instructions for obtaining a good cough specimen" The enclosed plastic bottle contains a preservative solution, so do not empty out the liquid in it. When you go to bed, place the plastic bottle at your bedside where it will be handy in the morning. When you first get up in the morning (before breakfast) try to cough up some "phlegm" from deep in your chest, and spit it into the liquid in the bottle. Try coughing several times. If you have difficulty coughing, try inhaling deeply the steam from a teakettle (or home-type inhalator). Keep the amount of saliva (ordinary spit) that you put into the bottle along with the cough specimen as small as possible. Do not collect the "phlegm" or mucous that comes from the back of your nose. Put the cap back on the bottle, and shake it vigorously for two minutes. If the amount of material you have coughed up is quite small, then keep the bottle at your bedside for three or four days, and each morning try to add another cough specimen. After obtaining your cough specimen, repack the bottle in the mailing container, and attach the enclosed mailing label. It does not require any postage stamps. Unfortunately, some miners "forget" to mail the sample and end up with an incomplete physical examination. To avoid this some companies, like Homestake, request that we obtain the sample in our clinic by forcing cough and expectorant with a nebulizer machine. This method does not give as good a sputum sample as the previous one, but we do get a sputum sample for every miner. The policies of different companies, in regard to annual physical examinations are different. All

Jan 1, 1981

By Robert W. Bartlett

Pretreatment of sulfidic refractory gold ore by biooxidation in coarse-crushed ore heaps is a promising new technology, especially for low-grade ores that cannot afford pressure leaching or roasting. An algebraic equation for determining the economically optimum biooxidation of the sulfide minerals in the ore is provided that is based on the empirical biooxidation rate constant for the ore, the project's financial discount rate, the ore grades of both refractory and non-refractory gold, and the gold price. Then, the economically optimum duration of bioheap pretreatment, t$, is determined from its logarithmic relation to the optimum fractional extent of ore biooxidation, F$, through the ore's biooxidation rate constant. In doing so, it is assumed that the ore is adequately crushed and amenable to bioheap pretreatment and that the cumulative oxidation of the ore with time is known from ore testing so that the rate constant can be determined.

Jan 1, 1995

By I. G. Ediz, D. W. Dixon, W. M. Fidler

In this paper a new method for the arresting of tunnel explosions is presented. In the proposed technique, the on coming explosion is detected by a pressure sensitive device by a pre-determined rise in static pressure. The sensor then triggers a mechanism which causes the explosion door to be closed in a specially constructed concrete barrier zone. The doors are of a special construction and consist of perforated steel plates that allow part of the blast wave to be transmitted but do not allow the passage of the flame. A number of design parameters have been identified, including: the likely amplitudes of the transmitted/reflected pressure waves that would govern the explosion door pressure loading; thickness of the perforated steel packages; perforation dimensions; heat transfer across the door and other factors.

Jan 1, 1995

By Xinming Lu

In this paper, we use a new kind of fan charateristic curve instead of the common quadratic function, and give the existence and the uniqueness of the solutions to the ventilation network controlling equations, so that the existence and the uniqueness of the solutions for the natural air distributting problem can be conveniently given. We also give a conjugate gradient method with the global convergence to solve the equations having the unique solution. Because we adopt a very efficient technique of one dimensional search (or linear search) in this method, the method can quickly solve a lot of problems, especially in large scale problems. The second part of this paper is the establishment of the model of the constrained quadratic programming for the measurement adjustment of mine ventilation network. We give the algorithm to solve this model as well. The two algorithms given above have been realized in the mic-computer MC-68000 with Fortran codes, and the numerical results are satisfactory.

Jan 1, 1991

By E. Wiewiorowski

A new technology for recovery of metals from spent catalysts containing aluminum, cobalt, molybdenum, nickel and vanadium was developed. The catalysts are decomposed in two consecutive pressure leaching steps. Sodium aluminate-sodium hydroxide systems are lixiviants in both leaching steps. Selective extraction of molybdenum and vanadium is achieved in the first leaching step. The leach liquor is processed for separation and recovery of these two metals. The residue from the first leaching step is further processed in a second leaching step where alumina is solubilized. The residue from this operation is a nickel-cobalt concentrate. Alumina is separated from the second stage leach liquor by precipitation; the depleted liquor, a sodium aluminate solution, is recycled to the first and second leaching step. This technology has advantages over other approaches for the recovery of metals from spent catalysts because no solid waste is generated.

Jan 1, 1988

By M. C. Fuerstenau, J. J. Fitzgerald

Aluminum silicate hydrosol synthesis and characterization are discussed. Plausible polymeric aluminosilicate species are presented together with their effect on electrokinetics of selected minerals and flotation response of various ores. The addition of aluminosilicate hydrosol to porphyry and oxide copper ores and to a tungsten ore resulted in enhanced flotation recoveries ranging from about 1.5 to 5 percent. A significant portion of the nation's mineral resources are presently lost in the form of particles with very fine grain size. In the case of copper, for example, approximately 225 million tons of ore are concentrated by flotation per year in the United States. Total losses from porphyry ores are generally 15 to 20 percent with half of these losses being finely-divided copper sulfide minerals which do not respond to flotation. The additional 5 to 10 percent loss is the result of copper oxide minerals which are not floated. The losses of copper sulfide minerals are thought to be due in part to the lack of appropriate dispersion of the finely-divided solids less than 20 microns in size. To effect dispersion in flotation systems, sodium silicate is commonly added. Enhanced dispersion effectiveness is achieved when polyvalent metal salts are combined with sodium silicate. Since originally described by Patek (1), numerous workers have explored the utility of metal silicates. Makrousov (2), Belash et al. (3), and Eigeles (1950) (4) showed the applicability of these reagents to calcite/apatite and fluorite/calcite ores. Mercade (5, 6) reported depression of calcite in the presence of 3.33/1 mole ratio Al/Si hydrosols prepared from Type N sodium silicate (Si02/Na20 ratio 3.22/1) and 1% A12(SO4) 3•18H20 solutions. He importantly observed that the colloidal precipitates did not play a significant role in dispersion and depression but that the soluble species were responsible for this action. Patented work by this author described metal silicates used to depress calcite in scheelite flotation using 1% metal salt (FeSO4•7H2O, CoSO4•7H2O, etc.) and 5% Type N sodium silicate solutions to produce hydrosols with Si/Fe or Si/Co ratios of 8.79/1. Aluminum (III) ion systems were less effective as depressants than the iron and cobalt systems. Yang (8, 9) has studied metal silicate sols for use in the flotation of lithium and ultra-fine hematite ores. Using 10/1 Si/Fe mole ratio hydrosols prepared from 2% ferric nitrate, Fe(NO3)3.9H20, and 5% Type N sodium silicate solutions, solutions, he showed that the hydrosols either modify the slime particle surfaces or are adsorbed on the slime particles preventing anionic collector adsorption. In a subsequent patent, Yang also reported the use of these hydrosols as dispersants for beneficiation of lithium ores. Recent studies of aluminum silicate hydrosols in the flotation of chalcocite, chalcopyrite and scheelite have been reported using Si/Al dispersants prepared from 5% Type N sodium silicate and 0.1 M aluminum chloride (A1C13.6H20) solutions. Dispersant properties were shown to be dependent upon the method of synthesis, supernatant pH, and the hydrosol Si/Al mole ratio. Polymeric soluble species in these hydrosolsupernatants have been proposed as the active dispersant species. Aluminosilicate hydrosols are synthesized by the general reaction scheme presented in Figure 1. Commercial sodium silicates are available with ratios of SiO2 to Na20 of 1.60-3.25. The sample which is most frequently employed is Type N whose ratio of Si02/Na20 is 3.22/1.00. Gel filtration chromatography and NMR studies have shown that these sodium silicates contain numerous species of molecular weight from 325-2,000 gm/mole. Monomeric, oligomeric and higher molecular weight linear polymeric arrangements of these structures are found in these solutions.

Jan 1, 1989

By F. Mauviel, J. Bernard, G. Herrouin, J. P. Lenoble, C. Charles, B. Taine

Manganese nodule projects were quite fashionable during the 1970s. At the beginning of the 1980s, low metal prices led to an almost complete reduction of such activities; however, the Law of the Sea incited the countries that signed it to build a strategy for this ocean resource. Gemonod was created in France in 1984 with a four-year mission. This paper presents the results of its program devoted to the technical and economic studies of nodule exploitation. A commercial mining system is presented. The nodules would be collected by a self-propelled miner and lifted hydraulically through a rigid pipestring. A complete optimized scenario has been built taking into account offshore mining, ore transfer at sea, transportation and processing to analyze the profitability of the project. Considering an average conservative basis for metal prices, after a deep analysis of the market, the return rate of investment of the project appears fairly interesting. These results are new and are explained in comparison with previous foreign studies. These results must not hide the innovative nature of the project nor the associated risks. This is why a mining pilot is required and has been specified by Gemonod.

Jan 1, 1991

By Peter H. Grimley

It is important to realize that lending institutions have a very different risk-profile from that of an equity investor. For bank financing, a feasibility study must address the concerns of the lender and these can be summarized under the four 'PI Is: Project, Performance, Product and People. Generally, feasibility studies focus on the measurable project risks associated with a new venture, but frequently insufficient emphasis is placed on key risk areas such as ore grade and metallurgical recovery. Before accepting full or even partial non-recourse risk, financial institutions will demand evidence that the project was constructed according to specifications and within budget and that its Performance within agreed limits has been demonstrated. Product risk should be discussed in detail in any feasibility study. For industrial minerals, penetration of the market can be critical to success and for commodities with volatile prices, the sensitivity of the cash flow to a range of prices should be carried out. Methods of reducing price risk such as long term contracts or, in the case of gold, forward selling should be carefully evaluated. The People risk is rarely discussed in feasibility studies, but can be a key element. Few projects turn out to be faithful copies of the study and the ability of the operator to identify

Jan 1, 1988

By Kim W. Wright

Introduction Mining operations require maps for each phase of project development. Engineering plans, cross-sections, and isometric drawings are also needed. Maps are used for geologic interpretation, reserve estimation, permitting, property acquisition, site studies, development work, and production. Maps and drawings are essential to mining. They provide needed information. Generating these products, however, requires many manhours. The filing and organization of maps and drawings is cumbersome, due to their size. Major map changes can necessitate the production of entirely new documents and, thus, additional manhours. The volume of maps and drawings generated in the life of a single project can be extensive. For example, some utility companies have data bases containing more than a million individual maps (one reported eight million). These problems were considered necessary evils in the past. Now, with the automation of map and drawing production, improvements can be realized. Computer-aided mapping and design offers a new approach for the production, management, and storage of drawings and maps. This approach promises benefits in time management, productivity, efficiency, and flexibility. In all economic projects, the bottom line is cost reduction. And implementing computer-based mapping and design techniques can lower costs and increase project profitability. AM/FM/CAD/CAM Automated Mapping/Facility Management (AM/FM) and Computer-Aided Design/Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAD/CAM) are becoming buzz words in the engineering world. Most relevant to mining are the concepts of AM and CAD. These terms relate to the application of computers, specifically computer graphic technology, to mapping and design. CAD refers primarily to the design of components and structures in two and three dimensions. But it can apply to the three dimensional modeling of mine workings, ore bodies, and geologic structures AM refers to the automation of conventional map production. AM/CAD systems use computers to store, manipulate, produce, and update drawings and maps in two and three dimensions. Ideally, the calculating capabilities of computers are also used in conjunction with design and drawing generation, offering capabilities not available with conventional, manual mapping and design processes. To better understand concepts associated with AM and CAD applications, the understanding of a few computer-related terms is necessary. Table 1 explains some of these terms. System Features The capabilities of AM/CAD systems are based on viewing transformations. These are the basic, manipulative tools by which AM/CAD packages generate visual representations of data. Examples include the rotation of a three-dimensional object through space, the expansion or contraction of maps to fit a given scale, enlargements of small areas on maps or drawings for detailed viewing, and the generation of cross-sections from three dimensional data. AM/CAD systems incorporate data base management in their architecture. This allows a user to modify, move, delete, or manipu-

Jan 6, 1985

By Y. H. Kim

A simulation procedure has been developed that realistically portrays aggregate growth and disintegration for particular types of floc structures in water and wastewater treatment processes. The procedure requires local dissipation rates and specification of an interaction distance between colliding particles. A principal difficulty encountered in polymer flocculation, however, arises from changes in conformation of adsorbed macromolecules. Therefore, in systems where polymer flocculation occurs by bridging, dynamic changes in the particle size distribution depend upon the interaction of nonlinear. stochastic hydrodynamics with particles whose growth results from a number of concurrent and sequential random processes.

Jan 1, 1988

By Jozef Descour, Kazunori Nishioka, David M. Neil

Designers, engineers, and contractors are using three-dimensional seismic tomography for geotechnical site investigations and during tunnel excavation for hard rock and soft ground applications. Utilizing multiple types of seismic signals produced by a TBM, drill, or impact breaker, the reflection of different velocity features are processed into a holographic image of the actual structure to be encountered. The Mill Creek Phase 3 alignment in Cleveland, Ohio, was imaged to define existing conditions along a 1,200-ft section of a proposed 6.1-m (20-ft) diameter CSO tunnel and, specifically, a zone of expected anomalous conditions where drilling was inconclusive. In Japan, Kajima Corporation used TRT™ to image a number of tunnels including the Fujikawa and Kanaya tunnels in a combination of methods to map structural features along the alignment.

Jan 1, 2001

By Paul D. Tomlingson

Part one of this two-part series covers conceptualizing and developing a maintenance information system. It explains what information is necessary to manage such a system. Next month, part two will discuss using this type of system with administrative information, including error and absentee reports as well as open work files. Introduction There is no doubt that quality, timely, and accurate information can make a solid contribution to maintenance cost reduction objectives. Yet, despite obvious benefits, methods being used to acquire information systems are proving costly, frustrating, and often unsuccessful. Those needing the information are disappointed. Mine managers, hoping to reduce costs with quality information, are instead seeing no system, no savings, and massive spending on information endeavors of questionable benefit. Options Any software vendor will happily sell you his program. Numerous mining organizations, having "gone to the cleaners" themselves, will gladly make their programs available to help cover huge trial and error development costs. Any package can only be a generalization. Any program bought from some other organization must undergo numerous modifications to make it work properly. In the process the initial cost is doubled. Many mining maintenance organizations do not know how to go about the task of conceptualizing, developing, installing, and effectively using a maintenance management information system. Consequently, many have hedged their primary responsibility of specifying what information they want, how they will get it, and how they will use it effectively. Into this void have jumped many who claim they can help. But some may not understand the special information needs of maintenance in the mining industry. By default, the whole scene of maintenance information systems has become confused and in need of clarification. A Starting Point Four broad phases are used to organize the steps by which maintenance acquires an effective maintenance management information system and initiates its use. Conceptualization is an identification of needs, factors that influence development, and an assessment of support for the system. Development is a plan of action for bringing the conceptualized information system to life. Consideration is given to the practical aspects of collecting field data, processing it, and converting it into useful information. Implementation consists of those actions by which the newly developed system is integrated into the organization and put in the hands of its personnel so that its value can be derived. Use addresses the means by which personnel use the information to accomplish maintenance improvement objectives. These phases are preceded by establishing the need for the information system. They are followed by a requirement to measure its success (Fig. 1). Conceptualizing the Information System Responsibilities - The information system user must acquire the system best suited for its use. A step-by-step process is essential to avoid many serious problems than can easily occur. The most important step is to clearly identify its objectives and lay out a course of action to achieve those objectives. The major reason for the failure to achieve information objectives is not carrying out this responsibility. Maintenance cannot delegate the task to data processing. It can obtain technical assistance but it must retain responsibility. Nor can maintenance purchase

Jan 7, 1985