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By D. W. Park

Artificial intelligence has emerged over the past two decades as an important problem-solving tool including techniques such as expert systems, neural networks, tree classification, fuzzy logic, genetic algorithms, etc. These methods can be employed to solve rock mechanics and ground control problems associated with the highly complex nature of rock masses and ground conditions. A current study at the University of Alabama focuses on development of an artificial intelligence system for real-time interpretation of the data collected from longwall monitoring stations, and development of an early warning system for prediction of undesired conditions and prevention of longwall-mine instability problems. This paper describes a ground control management system using UALSAS (The University of Alabama Longwall Stability Analysis System), which is being developed to facilitate maintenance, on-line analysis, prediction, and includes an early warning system. A detailed framework of computer algorithms and their applications are also discussed. The successful application of these artificial intelligence techniques will contribute to a safer and healthier mining environment.

Jan 1, 1995

By Henry N. McCarl

[The Construction Materials section contains the following Chapters: Aggregates Cement and Cement Raw Materials Crushed Stone Dimension and Cut Stone Lightweight Aggregates Gypsum and Anhydrite Sand and Gravel Insulating Materials-Thermal and Sound Slag Roofing Granules] Mineral aggregates are those natural and manufactured industrial mineral and rock materials that provide bulk and strength in portland cement concrete, bituminous concrete mixes, and plaster or stucco surfaces. They may also provide special characteristics such as thermal and acoustical insulation, weight, surface textures, abrasion resistance, and impermeability to various concrete products and mixes. Most aggregates are relatively inexpensive materials, but despite their low unit value, the tonnages consumed each year in the United States and throughout the" world make mineral aggregates by far the leading industrial mineral and rock materials both in terms of volume (tonnage) produced and value consumed. The major use of mineral aggregates is in concrete. The low cost, high bulk aggregates tend to keep concrete construction costs at levels competitive with other building materials. Other major uses of aggregates include highway and railroad base or ballast materials, graded fill, and various industrial uses such as metallurgical and chemical fluxes and raw materials-these latter uses are often considered nonaggregate uses of mineral aggregate materials. The per-ton value of mineral aggregate materials at the production plant in 1980 and 1981 varied from $2 to $5 for most sand and gravel and crushed stone, $3 to $6 for air-cooled slag, $7 to $20 for expanded slag and expanded clay or shale aggregate, to as much as $165 to $320 for expanded perlite or vermiculite. The expanded lightweight aggregates have been dramatically affected by increasing fuel costs. It is ironic that the specialized aggregates used as insulating materials to conserve energy cost so much more to produce due to the high proportion of energy consumed in their production. The first four parts of "Construction Materials" deal with the utilization of four major mineral aggregate types: Crushed Stone, Lightweight Aggregates, Sand and Gravel, and Slag. While the focus will be on the use of these industrial minerals and rocks, there will also be some coverage of sources, mining and production, especially in those cases where they are not discussed in the Commodity section of this book.

Jan 1, 1983

By Kandipati Sreenivasarao

Ion and precipitate flotation involve adding an appropriate collector to aqueous solutions containing metal ions, to form hydrophobic metal-collector complexes or precipitates that can be removed by flotation. With a better fundamental understanding of the effects of physical, engineering and chemical parameters on the performance, ion and precipitate flotation techniques could usefully complement techniques now available for removing metal ions from dilute solutions. The removal of Cu(II), Pb(II), Cd(II), Cr(III) and Cr(V1) has been studied, using different types of collector, according to the nature of the metal-bearing species. The effects of collector/metal ion ratio, and solution and froth height on the flotation kinetics, bubble coverage by the metal-collector complex, recovery of metal and effluent quality are reported. The observed behavior is related to the solubility products of the metal-collector complexes, which were also determined.

Jan 1, 1994

By R. Das Gupta

Variations in the characteristics of bentonite, magnetic taconite concentrate and system water have been examined to show their effects on pelletizing. Chemical methods have been tried to alter the clay or the system water so as to obtain pellets with desired properties. Those methods include ion exchange and the use of supplemental binders (organic and inorganic).

Jan 1, 1978

By Heric Henrique Souza e Silva, Johne Jesus Mol Peixoto, Natalia Barros Barony, Itavahn Alves da Silva, Weslei Viana Gabriel, Carlos Antonio da Silva, Varadarajan Seshadri

In this work the circulation rates have been determined in a 1:7.5 scale physical model of RH reactor (Ruhrstal Heraeus) and using oil/water and oil/zinc chloride solution to simulate steel melt/slag in the prototype with the objective of evaluating the influence of density and viscosity on the entrainment of oil simulating slag. A technique based on strain gage bridge and particle image velocimetry was developed to assess the circulation rate, as the usual tracer method is not feasible due to the presence of chloride ions in ZnCl2. The critical velocity and critical diameter of oil drops for slag (oil) entrainment in water/oil and ZnCl2/oil systems were estimated using equations from the literature. Due to the difference in density, the ZnCl2/oil system, showed a critical velocity that is 28% higher than the silicone oil/water system while the maximum size of the entrained droplets was about 65% lower than that for water/oil system.

Mar 1, 2017

By Howard N. Egan

EASTERN COAL CORPORATION is located in the heart of the Appalachian Mountain area of extreme Eastern Kentucky, The mountains are of sedimentary origin, and have been deeply eroded by streams as the area has been thrust up during geologic time. There are many seams of coal interspersed between beds of shale and sandstone. While some of the seams are thin, there are a number that can be economically mined. We are mining the Pond Creek, or No. 2 Gas Seam, at a rate in excess of 6,000 tons per day. Our central preparation plant utilizes tromp baths for the plus 3/8" size and Rheolaveur for the minus 3/8" portion. No provision was made to recover the fine coal, which was included with the plant effluent pumped to a 12 acre refuse pond. The pond is impounded behind the coarse refuse dump. This pond rose 15 feet last year. Obviously, no pond could stand many years at this rate. Limited pond space in this rugged area of steep hills and narrow valleys dictated a revised disposal method. Our first thought was that it would be necessary to dry the fine refuse sufficiently to permit inclusion with the coarse refuse, which is hauled uphill by monitor and then trucked to final disposal.

Jan 1, 1967

By Atta Ur Rehman, Kwame Awuah‑Offei

This paper evaluates the effectiveness of similitude theory in predicting the draft of a rubber tire loader’s bucket during initial penetration. The work uses 1:16 and 1:8 scale models of an 18-t capacity load haul dump, scaled with the Buckingham Pi Theorem, to evaluate the prediction of draft and penetration under different operating and different dynamic conditions. The authors hypothesize that the observed relationships between draft and longitudinal penetration and the operating and dynamic conditions will hold true for an upscaled model. Similarly, the authors hypothesized that the results of experiments conducted with the smaller scaled model should predict the draft on an upscaled model. The results show that the relationships between draft and longitudinal penetration and operating and dynamic parameters are similar for both scaled models. Similarly, the draft on the upscaled model, predicted by using the experimental results of the small model, is similar to the measured draft on the upscaled model. The mean difference between the two is 1.71 N with 95% confidence interval of [-3.51, 6.93], which is very good given the average draft is approximately 330 N. Thus, the work indicates that both hypotheses are true for draft. However, the work shows that scaling muck pile particle sizes using the Buckingham Pi Theorem is not adequate to ensure good predictions of penetration. This work provides insights that will help design engineers to acquire useful data on scaled models and use it for various analyses on heavy machinery.

Oct 6, 2021

By W. R. Moorehead

This paper, describing the mining methods and colt at the New Indria quicksilver mine, is one of a series of similar papers being prepared by the Bureau of Mines on various mines in the United States. The New Idria mine lies at an elevation of 3,500 to 4,200 feet in the Coast Range of San Benito County, Calif. The property is accessible by automobile stages from Gilroy or Hollister via Tres Pinos. Tres Pinos, 65 miles northwest of the mine, is the nearest railroad point.

Jan 1, 1931

By Christopher Mark

Successful longwall gate entry design requires control of both vertical and horizontal stresses. Vertical, or overburden, stresses are most severe in the tailgate where they are concentrated by longwall panel extraction. Horizontal stresses, which are generally tectonic in origin, can be highly destructive during the development and headgate phases of longwall mining. The goal of this paper is to present the current state-of-the-art in detecting and controlling horizontal stresses. The information presented was collected through site investigations at 45 U.S. longwalls and an international literature review. The paper begins with a discussion of the present knowledge of regional in situ stress fields in the U.S. A review of available underground stress measurements from coal mines is presented, along with data collected by structural and petroleum geologists. The combined evidence indicates that a persistent ENE-EW trending stressfield is present throughout the eastern coalfields. Experience with horizontal stress in longwall mines is addressed next. The paper focuses on the northern Appalachian region, where the effects of horizontal stress have been most evident. Three case histories are discussed in detail, and the solutions each developed are highlighted. Observations made in the Southern Appalachian, Alabama, and Illinois coalfields are also described.

Jan 1, 1991

By G. M. Evans, S. Mitra, G. J. Jameson, M. M. Hoque, E. Doroodchi, R. Moreno-Atanasio

In this study, the detachment behaviour of 314 μm diameter silica particles from a single 3 mm diameter bubble rotating in a confined cavity connected to a cross-flowing water channel was investigated. The liquid cross-flow generated a rotating flow inside the confined cavity, which was quantified using 2D particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurements. The fluctuating (x-y) velocity components inside the cavity for each cross-flow velocity, U, were then used to estimate the corresponding time/volume average turbulence intensity values, Ti. Turbulence intensity ranged from 9.3-16.2%. In the absence of a bubble, the rotating vortex within the cavity created a pressure field which decreased towards the centre of the vortex; wherein the lowest pressure zone was located at the centre of the cavity. The vorticity into the cavity was found to increase with increasing the turbulence intensity. A bubble, both without and with particles attached, was introduced into the cavity under different flow conditions and its motion was tracked using the shadowgraphy technique. Experimentally, it was found that the bubble-particle aggregate was trapped at the centre of the cavity (low-pressure region) following a spiral trajectory. An interface resolved 3D computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was developed to predict the particle detachment conditions within the confined cavity. CFDpredicted vorticity in the absence of a bubble agreed well with experimental observation. The CFD analysis indicated that the vorticity inside the cavity was not significantly changed when a single bubble was introduced. On this basis, the computed vorticity was utilised in describing the force balance applied to the attached particle. Computationally, it was found that the critical turbulence intensity, beyond which the particle was detached from the bubble, was 14%. This value was consistent with the experimental observation of detachment at Ti at 15.7%, and above, but not at lower values. Keywords: Bubble, particle, turbulence intensity, vorticity, particle detachment, CFD, PIV

Jan 1, 2020

By Y Pan

The recycling of steel is a crucial aspect of the shift toward a sustainable metals industry. The emphasis on steel recycling through the introduction of the scrap based mini-mill concept is also matched with a desire for greater product quality and reduced environmental impact, which, in turn, has generated important innovations. There have been significant advances in the technology for recycling steel over the last 20 years and this paper will provide an overview of these developments and discuss future directions in steel recycling including scrap management, control of tramp elements, electric arc furnace technology and ladle metallurgy.

Jan 1, 2004

By James A. Wasson

This report analyzes the petroleum-production potential of the basal Greenbrier dolomite zone, Sycamore-Millstone field, Sherman District, Calhoun County, W. Va., through the application of certain secondary-recovery methods. The well logs obtained and the core recovered from a well in this formation permitted an evaluation of the productive capability of the reservoir, Approximately 120,000 stb of oil may be produced from a 20-acre five-spot unit at breakthrough if the property is waterflooded. At an assumed limiting producing gas-oil ratio of 20)000 sef/stb, approximately 69,000 stb of oil should be recovered by low-pressure gas drive.

Jan 1, 1967

By Charles C. Myers, Robert M. Doerr

The apparatus described was developed for determining the kinetics of gas - solid reactions at high temperatures by measuring the volume of gas consumed with respect to time . This apparatus consists essentially of a horizontal precision- bore glass tube connecting a small reaction chamber in a furnace to a large constant - temperature reservoir . A drop of mercury in the tube separates the two sides of the system and serves as an indicator that moves at a speed proportional to the rate of gas consumption . The sensitivity of the apparatus depends inversely on both the density of the gas in the system and the cross - sectional area of the tube ; with a tube having an area of 0.079 cm² , the sensitivity for oxygen at 308 ° K and 0.5 atm is 20 cm/mg . The reproducibility of data with the volumetric apparatus is good .

Jan 1, 1964

By Ernest E. Thurlow

"Western Coal" in this paper is limited to those deposits of subbituminous coal and lignite in the States of Montana, Wyoming, and North Dakota. The characteristics of the coal are discussed as well as the history of mining and current mining operations for steam coal. The future of the region is tied closely to the ultimate conversion of coal to oil and gas products. Problems of industrial water supply and environmental considerations are covered together with a brief review of current legislation's actions affecting strip mining.

Jan 1, 1973

By R. E. Legg

This paper gives a brief outline of the mining and milling methods which will be used on the Stirling zinc-lead-copper ores by Stirling Mines, Limited, who have for the past two years been developing the Stirling mine in Richmond county, Nova Scotia, and who will bring the mine into production in November, 1929. No attempt has been made to give the paper a detailed technical character, for the main reason chat, since base-metal mining is something new in Nova Scotia, it is felt that a general description would be preferable before this Society, whose membership is mainly made up of chose engaged in the coal mining and associated industries. Furthermore, as both mining and milling operations will be governed to a certain degree by the experience gained after production commences, there are many points which cannot be definitely stated now. GEOLOGY Before discussing the mining methods, it is desirable to present a general picture of the geology and occurrence of the ore-bodies. The surface rocks in the vicinity of the mine consist of rhyolites of .pre-Cambrian age. These volcanic flows outcrop in very few places, usually along' the beds of creeks or on the shores of the numerous small lakes. Consequently, a detailed geological map is not available. The exploration work carried out to date has revealed a sheared zone extending through the volcanic flows for a distance of over 1,000 feet. Along this zone, there has been a replacement of the rhyolites by a carbonate rock for widths varying from 50 to 230 feet, and it is in this carbonate formation chat the mineralization at a later date took place.

Jan 1, 1929

By E. Lutz, M. Momayez, K. W. Brown Requist

As real-time air quality monitoring becomes more prevalent in US underground mines, it is important to provide the highest data reliability with the fewest possible sensors. Real-time sensors remain costly, and these costs are not exclusively financial; the time required to install, calibrate, and maintain real-time sensors poses a large barrier to widespread implementation. Current atmospheric monitoring systems typically rely on displaying point-specific values. This requires operators to infer real-time airborne contamination distributions. Monitoring and control software utilizing mine ventilation network (MVN) solvers has been implemented in limited cases because of their ability to simulate ventilation systems quickly, but these solvers use a one-dimensional representation of the mine, limiting spatial resolution of estimated distributions. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has likewise been considered as a means to improve spatial resolution, but processing times prevent its use as a basis for monitoring and control. For the real-time monitoring of airborne contamination distributions, we propose a spatial interpolation method that can estimate the distribution of airborne contaminants in near-real time. This method provides a middle ground between fast processing times and increased spatial resolution. With the use of a pathfinding algorithm and optimization through absolute percentage error minimization, this method outperforms spatial interpolation with a Euclidean distance. By providing contamination distribution information to operators, this method and its derivatives stand to outperform current atmospheric monitoring systems.

Apr 16, 2024

By A. Burkert, A. E. Hajj

"An information system has been developed for the use of companies considering developing a new mine which may be liable to secondary sulphide ignitions or by existing operations. The system uses the Comdale X expert system to analyze information about a particular mine. The system will indicate whether the mine is likely to experience ignitions and what precautions can be taken to reduce or prevent their occurrence. The advantage of an information system using expert system and artificial intelligence principles is that it can recommend action when there is an incomplete knowledge of all the system parameters. By interrogation of the user it can determine the state of knowledge and react accordingly. It is considered that such systems could be of significant use in mine planning for new and existing properties, especially where operators have limited expertise regarding secondary sulphide ignitions. IntroductionSulphide ignitions occur in the underground mines of several countries, including Australia, Canada, Finland, South Africa and the United States of America (1·3) and there has been a significant increase in their number and severity over the last decade(2.4). The basic causes of such ignitions are not well understood and man incidents are not reported or documented.Sulphide ignitions can pose a serious threat to the health and safety of mine workers and to the cost and efficiency of the mining operation (1-5). Byberg(6) described the three major problems associated with sulphide ignitions as:1. the force of the initial explosion can endanger workers and equipment;2. the intense heat of the ignition's flame front can endanger workers and equipment and may also ignite combustible material resulting in mine fires; and3. the sulphur dioxide produced by the ignition may be of such quantity and concentration to endanger workers, as was tragically demonstrated at Geco. In this incident in October 1985, a worker was killed at a position 2400 metres from the ignition point of a sulphide ignition at Manitouwadge, Ontario."

Jan 1, 1994

By W. Choi

The present study revealed that the bioleachability of a chalcopyrite flotation concentrate is influenced by the semiconductor properties of CuFeS2. The overall reaction of biooxidation,

Jan 1, 1991

Construction workers may be exposed to hazardous dust containing crystalline silica during site preparation when drilling systems are used. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) found that drill dust could be decreased by using wet or dry dust reduction engineering controls, enclosed cabs, and implementing a dust control program.

Jan 1, 2009

By Zhi Yang, Ahmad Ghahreman, Farzaneh Sadri

Impurity removal is a very important stage of the hydrometallurgical treatment of rare earth elements (REE) processing circuit, which is performed after water leaching of the acid baked REE concentrate. Lime neutralization has a high efficiency in removal of impurities and is the preferred process due to its economic advantage; however, the process has its own problems, such as the production of large volumes of gypsum and co-precipitation of REE with gypsum, i.e. REE loss. This work deals with the effect of several additives (cetryltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), polyvinylsulfonic acid (PVS) and polyacrylic acid (PAA)) on the uptake of REE by gypsum from synthesized acidic solutions. The main purpose of this study is to investigate the changes in the crystalline morphology of gypsum precipitated by the addition of crystal habit modifiers and to determine the crystal changes’ effects on the uptake of REE by gypsum. In this regard, different concentrations (0.2, 2 and 5 g L−1) of above-mentioned additives were studied at room temperature.

Mar 1, 2018