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By E. Vascotto, S. M. Rupprecht, H. C. Grobler

Shaft sinking survey practices in Southern African mining operations have been refined over many decades to meet the stringent accuracy, safety, and productivity demands of deep vertical excavation. However, much of this specialised knowledge remains poorly documented, and the decline in new shaft sinking projects presents a risk that these proven practices may be lost to future generations of mine surveyors. This paper reviews and synthesises current survey control methodologies employed during shaft sinking operations, with particular emphasis on the establishment and maintenance of surface and underground control networks, shaft verticality control, and elevation transfer. Traditional techniques, such as plumb-wire plumbing systems, steady brackets, and calibrated steel shaft tapes, are discussed in detail, alongside quality control principles and common sources of error affecting coordinate transfer. The paper further examines the integration of modern technologies, including total station resections and LiDARbased laser scanning, highlighting their benefits, limitations, and practical constraints in active shaft environments. By documenting both established and emerging practices, this review aimsto preserve critical institutional knowledge, support consistent survey standards, and provide guidance for accurate spatial control throughout the shaft sinking lifecycle.

Mar 30, 2026

The September General Meeting of the Institute was held in Kelvin House, Johannesburg, on 16th September, 1970, at 3.00 p.m. Mr V. C. Robinson (President) was in the Chair. There were also present one hundred and eighteen Fellows, including Dr J. M. Bereza, H. P. Carlisle, R. J. C. Goode, Dr J. P. Hugo, P. Lambooy, Prof R. P. Plewman, W. W. Malan, Dr J. T. McIntyre, Dr M. D. G. Salamon, L. W. P. Van den Bosch, P. A. von Wielligh (Council Members), A. Bain, G. P. Bennet, D. L. Carson, G. L. H. Diering, M. E. E. Douglas, F. A. B. Fouche, R. Fourie, A. R. C. Fowler, E. B. Gordon, J. S. Hay, G. H. Henderson, S. D. Hill, A. C. Hofmeyr, J. M. Jacobs, A. F. Lee, D. G. Malan, L. J. Prince, W. G. Pyne-Mercier, A. H. Mokken, Dr W. S. Rapson, R. R. Richardson, H. V. Solomon, C. G. Sowry, G. G. Stanley, G. R. Still, D. L. Starkey, D. L. Taylor, E. W. Thiel, I. E. Van Aswegan, M. van Ryneve1d Steyn, N. B. Vinson, H. Wheeler, Dr A. Whillier, R. A .Wilson, C. F. Ziervogel. Forty-two Members including R. C. Bertram, F. Collier, G. C. Currie, O. Davel, J. M. Gosnell, A. Hazell, Dr N. C. Joughin, F. Kleinschmidt, D. Love, R. B. Macgillivray, D. Mather, R. D. R. Munro, R. S. Pearson, J. J. Peisl, T. J. Pole, A. J. Rossouw, R. G. B. Skirving, G. S. Schwartz, K. Stee1e, H. A. G. Slater, A. Taylor, B. A. Thomas, P. L. Vaughan, D. T. Watt, W. Wilson. Nineteen Associates including R. K. Briggs, S. I. Du Preez, P. G. Gaylard, P. H. Hartslief, W. M. Mackay, A. D. Ross. Three Students: V. S. Care, R. J. Drummond, P. J. Pretorius. Thirty-one Visitors including C. P. S. Barnard, D. W. Bosch, M. Bain G. L. Brown, G. D. Behrens, C. Coetzer, D. M. Gilbart-Smith, R. L. Man, Dr G. J. Stander, M. W. L. Steinobel, R. H. E. Thorpe, T. D. van Wyk, P. H. van Zyl, E. Vereecken, J. J. H. Viljoen. Secretary, D. C. Visser. Total present: 215. OBITUARIES The President: "It is my sad duty to announce the death of the following: Bruce Donaldson Crawford, Fellow, who joined the Institute in 1951 and passed away on 29th April, 1970. Donald Joseph Powrie, Life Fellow, who joined the Institute in 1935 and passed away on 22nd July, 1970. As a mark of respect to the memory of the deceased and in sympathy with the bereaved I would ask you all to rise and observe a few moments' silence." MEMBERSHIP The President: "I have much pleasure in announcing that the names of the under-mentioned candidates, having been published in accordance with By-Law 5.2.2, Council has elected them to membership of the Institute in the following grades: Associate: WiIliam Norman Carter. Students: Roman Michael Dabrowski, Sean George Dean Eaton, Alan Philip Stonham Howard, Anton du Preez Roos, Richard Harold Tourle. MEMBERS TRANSFERRED TO A HIGHER GRADE From Graduate to Member: Terrance Alexander Ward. From Associate to Member: Bernard Andre Thomas. "I welcome the newly elected members to the Institute and congratulate the members who had been transferred to a higher grade." CO-OPTION The President: "I wish to advise members that, in terms of clause 3.9 of the Constitution, Mc. H. P. Carlisle had been co-opted to serve on Council." PAPERS FOR PRESENTATION The President: "We have two papers today, and I am first going to call on Dr Stander the Head of the Water Division of the C.S.I.R., who IS well known to many of you for his work and talks on pollution, who has had more than a little to do with this industry, and who has been I would say, of the greatest possible assistance to the mining industry in overcoming the problems of pollution which are so prevalent in industry of this nature. He, Mr Henzen and Mr Funke have written this paper, 'The disposal of polluted effluents from mining, metallurgical and metal-finishing industries, their effects on receiving water and remedial measures.' This is the Water Year, as you know, and it is most appropriate that we should have such an authority to talk to us on this very important topic. I now have much pleasure in asking Dr Stander to introduce his paper." After the presentation of the paper the President said, "Gentlemen, I am sure that you would like me on your behalf, to thank Dr Stander very sincerely for a paper which I think has enabled us to get a completely new slant on the Water Year. There are many people who have put their finger on this campaign and said, it is all a gimmick. There are others-I suppose notably some of the bridge clubs which operate on week-day afternoons in Parkview-who seem to think that this is a quick way of getting early rain. Of course, it is not. This is a most important paper which we have had given to us this afternoon. You probably found it here when you arrived and have not read it-I was very lucky to be able to read it last night, and there is an awful lot of meat in it. For as long as I have been associated with mining in any way, there has been a problem of polluted effluent-of effluents carrying a mineral load from mining, and I think Dr Stander is absolutely right-and, of course, the Commission is right when they say that this is not merely the problem of mine management or mine owners-this is a problem which affects every single human being in this country.

By N. Nišić, A. Cvjetić, V. Jovanović, D. Knežević, D. Nišić

The risks associated with operating water reservoirs and tailings storage facilities (TSFs) are different because of their different purposes, methods of construction and operation, and characteristics of the materials impounded and their flow behaviour. Regardless of the differences, these two types of structures are often put in the same category when it comes to risk assessment and the application of relevant methodologies, which may result in unrealistic outcomes. In this paper we investigate whether it is possible to apply the risk ranking methodology designed for water reservoirs to TDFs and overview the key differences between these two types of structures. We also provide a comparative analysis of the results obtained by conducting a risk assessment of the operation of a TSF, applying the method recommended by the International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD), and analyse the results using the failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) technique. It is concluded that a more realistic evaluation of risk levels can be obtained by adopting a systematic approach to risk assessment in accordance with the traditional risk definition on which the FMEA technique is based.

Nov 30, 2022

By A. K. Raji, E. F. Orumwense, M. O. Ojumu

This research paper introduces a novel passive method for ocean mining using an electricpowered robotic subsea dredging crawler designed to operate in various subsea conditions, including unstructured and rough terrain. The electric-powered robotic subsea dredging crawler is equipped with two driving tracks and features a complex assembly of tank tread chain link, tank tread idler wheels, tank tread sprockets, bronze bushings, motor hub, motor mount, and a 12-volt direct current motor. To evaluate the performance of the electric-powered robotic subsea dredging crawler, it was compared with existing ocean hydraulic exploration crawlers, such as MK3 ROST, in terms of drive performance on an inclined ramp with five angles of inclination (0°, 15°, 20°, 25°, 30°). The experiment aimed to determine the maximum velocity, torque, and efficiency of the crawler at different angles of inclination. The collected data were analysed and plotted using Python, and the effect of the electric-powered robotic subsea dredging crawler’s weight on its driving performance was also considered. The results of this study demonstrate a quadratic relationship between driving performance and inclination angle, which can be used to optimise the electric-powered robotic subsea dredging crawler’s performance for future ocean mining robot drive applications.

Oct 2, 2025

By V. Miguel-Silva, B. C. Afonseca

Drill-hole spacing analysis (DHSA) and optimization are becoming commonplace for uncertainty assessment and management in the mining industry. However, there is no standardized DHSA workflow, and the outputs of certain methodologies are not interchangeable. We group available simulation-based DHSA methods according to their accounted uncertainty into (i) raw uncertainty, assessed by drawing realizations from synthetic data-sets with the drilling spacings to be tested; and (ii) model uncertainty, in which these synthetic data-sets are used to assess the variation between the estimated model and the (unknown) actual value. DHSA workflows available in the literature ignore the differences between both types of uncertainty. Commonly, the DHSA algorithm is chosen without a detailed analysis of its uncertainty output, which may lead to misleading results and suboptimal decisions. While available solutions are based only on assessing raw or model uncertainty, the proposed approach simultaneously analyses both and their relationship for models at different stages of the mine. The integrated analysis results deliver more information to support decision-making than available methods. Principles, practical considerations, and discussions of the advantages of the proposed integrated analysis are presented. The approach is applied to a real gold deposit to illustrate its use.

Jun 2, 2022

By D. N. Golenkov, N. I. Lomaka, A. V. Kozub, T. V. Ignatova, E. V. Shelepov, D. O. Sharkovskiy, A. V. Chanturiya, R. I. Ismagilov

The modern Russian iron ore mining industry is faced with multiple challenges from everincreasing requirements of steel-making, the value of iron ore concentrates, depletion of high-grade ore reserves and complications of the mining and geologic environment’s necessity to process low-grade ores with complex material composition and low valuable mineral content; with finely disseminated aggregates of metal and non-metal minerals responding similarly to processing. The upgrade of the existing operations’ fine wet screening was implemented by Metalloinvest; as well as the design of a process flowsheet for concentration oxide ferruginous quartzites with low concentrating ability. The scientific basis for improvement of low grade ore concentrating efficiency and the upgrade of market product quality is supported by an in-depth study of ore characteristics, application of high performance equipment for separation of fine-grained mineral aggregates and use of depressor selective to ferruginous minerals in the flotation process. The benefits of wet fine screening have been proven by industrial scale tests; as well as the feasibility of significant upgrades in product quality which have been confirmed as a result of the tests. A road-map for the upgrade of an existing process for the concentration of unoxidised ferruginous quartzites deposited in the Mikhailovskoye ore field was developed, based on the industrial scale test of a fine screening process. With reference to the ability for concentration, three major ore types oxidised ferruginous quartzites were defined as a result of comprehensive geological mapping and process sampling: oxidised ferruginous quartzites with good concentrating ability: over Fe67% grade of concentrate with ca. 80% iron recovery; oxidised ferruginous quartzites with moderate concentrating ability: Fe65-67% grade of concentrate with 70-72% iron recovery oxidised ferruginous quartzites with low concentrating ability: below Fe60% grade of concentrate (cannot be processed into desired grade market product). A process flow diagram combining magnetic separation and flotation has been designed and recommended for implementation based on the in-depth research of defined Mikhailovskoye deposit iron oxide types, including grain size, chemistry, petrographic, mineralogy, hematite and magnetite grain size distribution and liberation analysis.

Jan 1, 2020

By C. Birch

"Mineral reserve statements as well as optimizing mine planning require a block model with grades for each mining block. A cut-off grade is determined by considering the mining costs as well as the expected revenue for each block. These grades are estimated using various techniques, but in reality there is uncertainty in the grade values. These uncertainties result in two types of error. A type I error is where material is classified as ore and mined, but the true value is below the cut-off grade and the material is therefore waste. This material constitutes dilution. The type II error is where material is estimated to be below the cut-off grade and is classified as waste, whereas the true grade is actually above the cut-off grade. This material is not mined and the value is lost.This research considers the value of the lost ore and the costs of dilution under various degrees of uncertainty. Simulation using @Risk and mixed integer linear programing (Excel Solver) is used in a financial optimizer model to maximize either profit or net present value. This is applied to four Witwatersrand tabular gold deposits to investigate the impact of block grade uncertainty on cut-off grades.When optimizing for profit, value may be added by adjusting the cutoff grade slightly downwards. When optimizing for NPV, value may be added by lowering the cut-off grade significantly for the lower discounting rates. At higher discount rates, the lowering of the cut-off grades should be reduced, and in some cases an increase in cut-off grade may be required. Each mine reacted differently to the optimization and thus there is no single rule that can be applied across all tabular Witwatersrand gold deposits."

Jan 1, 2017

By R. J. Quevedo, Y. A. Sari, S. D. McKinnon

The large scale of cave mines leads to many challenges, including operational logistics and geomechanics design. In current practice, pillar stability assessment relies almost exclusively on stress analysis. However, stability is also affected by other factors including those related to operational aspects of the mining method, the effects of which are difficult to account for during the design stages. In this paper we present a case study of the application of a machine learning approach to evaluate the influence of these operational factors on pillar stability at the Chuquicamata underground cave mine in northern Chile. Due to the likely multi-factorial damage process leading to collapses and considering the different pillar conditions, a tree-based machine learning method was used and analysed to improve the understanding of the relative importance of the various contributing factors. Unlike stress analysis methods, it does not require any a priori knowledge of failure mechanisms, nor the calibration of associated controlling parameters. The proposed random forest model predicted pillar collapses with 80% accuracy despite limited samples to model from. The main contributing factors to collapses were found to be related to available pillar volume, cave front geometry, and time under abutment stress conditions. The effects and interactions of such factors were also studied, showing that careful and improved control over operational conditions can significantly reduce the likelihood of pillar collapses. These conclusions could not have been obtained from stress analysis alone, illustrating the complementary nature of conventional stress analysis and machine learning approaches.

Mar 14, 2024

By A. Lebedev

Application of dynamic simulation for a base metal processing plant is discussed. The plant receives ore of variable quality from two pits and blending had to be applied to maximise recovery. The plant employs multiple stage crushing, screening, dense media separation, two-stage milling, flotation and further filtration. Stockpiles and bunkers are used in the plant to cater for breakdowns and operating delays, the latter being appropriately incorporated in the model. A detail dynamic simulation model was constructed from the rock face to the filtration plant to assist the plant design, notably with definition of the ore blending method, sizing storage capacity and in-plant conveyors. The plant model was broken down to capital equipment items and various feed types and mass balances were tested to ensure that the production target is met. The dynamic simulation tested the proposed blending method, identified bottlenecks, produced risk profiles for all strategic storage facilities and overall helped minimise the project risks and improve confidence in the plant design. Keywords: Dynamic simulation, ore grade, blending, capacity, risk profile, throughput, utilisation

Jan 1, 2020

By Z-B. Cheng, X-J. Liu

"Intensive mining of shallow coal seams tends to result in severe subsidence of the ground surface. Surface subsidence is a complex dynamic spatiotemporal process that constantly changes as mining advances. With Liangshuijing coal mine as a case study, 3DEC numerical software was used to simulate the development of the moving subsidence field from open-off cut to full subsidence on the working face. The results demonstrate that the formation of a subsidence field is directly related to the coal seam depth H and the extent of the mine workings. Taking the advance distance of the working face as the unit of scale, the process of surface subsidence can be divided into four stages: micro-change (H/ p), the development of surface subsidence (2H/ p), the formation of a movement subsidence field (3H/ p), and dynamic balance (4H/ p). The changing movement of a subsidence field can be fully described by the characteristics of surface subsidence value, curve slope, and the inflection position. The results provide important technical support for predicting surface subsidence and the temporal–spatial evolution features of mining subsidence. IntroductionChina’s coal output was about 3.52 Gt in 2017 (China National Coal Association, 2018), making it the largest coal producer in the world, accounting for almost half of total world coal production. Coal production and distribution play a vital role in the energy industry of China. However, entire overlying strata, from coal seam to surface, are disturbed as a result of long-term, high-intensity and large-scale mining, causing surface subsidence. This results in groundwater loss, surface desertification, vegetation loss, and mud-rock flows. These issues have become topics of common concern throughout society. According to related research results (Liu 2008), the area of surface subsidence caused by coal mining in China has reached about 600 000 ha, some 0.2 ha (and up to 0.42 ha) of surface subsidence for every 10 000 t of coal produced. Surface subsidence disasters not only damage buildings, water conservancy, transportation infrastructure, and farmland, but also cause adverse effects on individual and community lifestyles, environmental hygiene, and economic development. Deterioration of the ecological environment in mining areas has a long history and is very harmful (Lu, 2015)."

Feb 1, 2019

By M. A. Belokrys, F. O. Milovich, D. D. Aksenova, V. A. Ignatkina, V. A. Bocharov, A. A. Kayumov

Copper remains one of the most sought-after metals in the industry. Tennantite (Cu12As4S13) and tetrahedrite (Cu12Sb4S13) that occur in pyrite copper, copper-zinc and polymetallic ores are an additional reserve for increasing technological parameters of flotation. Pyrite mass (85% and more) has similar flotation properties to other sulfide minerals, and imperfection of reagent regime is a common problem that occurs during quality copper concentrate processing. Due to tennantite's and chalcopyrite's differences in flotation properties with butyl xanthate at pH > 10, tennantite often reports to the flotation tails. Hight alkalinity of the medium increases the oxidation level of sulfide minerals, thus increasing the concentration of S2O3 2-, SO3 2- SO4 2-. At processing facilities in the Russian Federation, the concentration of thiosulfate ions in pulp is in the range of 0.5 to 1.5 g/l and higher, which leads to a decrease in flotation activity of the tennantite. The effect of butyl xanthate (as standard), thionocarbamate, dithiophosphate and M-TF (a mixture of dithiophosphate and thionocarbamate) on monomineral (tennantite and pyrite) flotation in the presence of sodium thiosulfate was studied. The variable parameters of the "thiosulfate-collector" flotation complex were thiosulfate concentration (100-900); pH (8-12,5). The scientific methods included contact angle for hydration assessment; TEM for surface studies; UV spectroscopy and iodometric titration for solubility control. Comprehensive studies have established a connection between the concentration of thiosulfate ions and tennantite flotation selectivity. Flotation activity of tennantite is higher at pH 8 with a thiosulfate concentration under 300 mg/l. Pyrite remains active with butyl xanthate under the same conditions. TEM images of the surface films of the collectors on pyrite were acquired at pH 8. The MTF provides the biggest difference in adsorption, wettability and flotation activity between tennantite and pyrite at pH 8 and thiosulfate concentration under 300 mg/l, in comparison with butyl xanthate. The results of the research will be applied to improve selective reagent regimes of tennantite minerals flotation. Keywords: Tennantite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, flotation, sulfhydryl collectors, thiosulfate, adsorption, mechanism, reagent regime

Jan 1, 2020

By B. J. Coetzee, P. W. Sonnendecker

The quality control of a two-stage coal washing process involves several complex components that need to be modelled accurately, to enable autonomous control of the process. The first objective is to develop a method to track the material through the washing process, while ensuring accurate washing prediction models are used. This was achieved through a digital twin model of the Grootegeluk 1 coal processing plant. The model is the amalgamation of manipulating and combining of data-sets from the plant historian, geological wash tables, and mining dispatch servers. This information is then used to control and set the processing medium densities of all 15 modules on the plant, 10 modules in the primary wash and 5 modules in the secondary wash. This controller has been successfully implemented and controlled the plant for 10 days.

Aug 2, 2022

By T. C. Maswanganyi, G. L. Smith, R. C. A. Minnitt

This paper identifies the strategic gaps and opportunities for the South African mining industry’s contribution towards advancing sustainable development. Mineral resources companies are confronted by a range of complex social performance challenges, which largely manifest in sporadic community and labour unrest, undermining the sustainability and profitability of these companies. Integrating supply chain management, strategic long-term planning and sustainability planning is identified as a strategic gap that can contribute towards the sustainability of mining companies, if effectively implemented. Contributing towards sustainable development by the South African mining industry is not merely a voluntary requirement on the industry but a legal requirement in terms of the Minerals and Petroleum Resources Development Act No. 28 of 2002. This Act is legislation aimed at advancing socioeconomic development in communities that host mining operations and in areas that provide labour to the South African mining industry. In contributing towards the advancement of sustainable development in mining host communities, not only will mining companies fulfil a legal requirement in terms of the Minerals and Petroleum Resources Development Act, but they will also prevent negative social and economic impacts in those communities. This paper identifies innovative and cost-effective ways of advancing sustainable development by integrating strategic supply chain management, strategic long-term planning, and sustainability planning.

Dec 15, 2025

By K. Duffy, W. Valery, L. Pyle, P. Holtham

A conceptual scoping study was conducted to investigate pre-concentration options for upgrading ore from an Ag-Pb-Zn deposit. The low grade of the ore would result in only modest economic returns, given current market conditions. Several pre-concentration options were considered. These included: selective mining, crushing and pre-screening (following either standard or high intensity selective blasting), bulk ore sorting, particle sorting, jigging, dense medium separation, or combinations of these approaches. Flowsheets were developed for each option, and the upgrade performance was modelled using Limn to determine mass balances and stream tables. Due to the limited availability of test work data, the models were based not only on what test data was available but also on case study data found in the literature. The Bazin technique was used to derive assay by size data for different streams following crushing. Equipment lists and preliminary layouts were established based on the stream tables, and capital and operating costs were estimated for each flowsheet. This information was used to carry out a preliminary economic evaluation using net present value and sensitivity analysis. In this case, the most economically attractive process was found to be particle sorting; although further benefits may be realised by combining with bulk sorting. This paper describes the methodology used and the key findings of the study. Keywords: Pre-concentration, pre-screening, ore sorting, jigging, Ag-Pb-Zn, particle sorting, bulk ore sorting

Jan 1, 2020

By V. Sheikhzadeh, M. Saghaeian, N. Esmaeili, R. Hejazi, A. D. Ahmadabadi

The main challenges in most low grade iron ore deposits are finding the optimum flowsheet for beneficiation to achieve a final concentrate from both technical and economic viewpoints. Dry preconcentration techniques are being used to assist in reducing the amount of ROM feed to the plant. In this paper the benefits of utilising a dry cobbing magnetic separation technique for upgrading the product of HPGR in a closed circuit with dry screen 4 and 1.4 mm by performing a pilot scale test work was investigated. The experimental test work was done on two sample types of Yogi BIF magnetite iron ore located in Western Australia. Prior to magnetic separation studies, detailed characterisation of the feed materials including physical, chemical, mineralogical and magnetic properties were carried out. Furthermore, the effects of process parameters: drum rotation speed (1.5, 2.5 and 3.5 m/s), magnetic field intensity (1100 and 3800 gauss) and feed size (minus 4 and 1.4 mm) were investigated. The results revealed that sample type1 with 33.90% Fe could be upgraded to 41.51% Fe by using a stage of 1100 gauss dry magnetic separator with 69.12% weight recovery and 84.36% Fe recovery at a size of 4 mm. Also for sample type2, it is possible to increase Fe grade from 29.84% to above 36.68% with 75.58% weight recovery and 90.32% Fe recovery by applying one stage of 1100 gauss dry magnetic separator to a 4 mm size sample. Keywords: Banded iron formation (BIF), pre-concentration, dry cobbing technique, magnetic separator

Jan 1, 2020

1. Book reviews Geostatistics for natural resources characterization, edited by G. Verly, M. David, A.G. Journel, and A. Marechal. Hingham (MA 02043, U.S.A.), D. Reidel Publishing Co., 1984. Pt I: 606 pp. Pt 11: 518 pp. U.S.$135,50 per set. Reviewer: D.G. Krige Magnesium, the international perspective, by Peter King. London, Financial Times Business Information Ltd, 1984. £120. 147 pp. Reviewer: D.G. Maxwell 2. Mintek reports Report M156 A kinetic study of the reactions of certain gaseous sulphur compounds with iron. Report MI57 Reaction mechanisms in the reduction of Winterveld chrome spinel with graphite and carbon. Report MI72 Computer programmes for the control and datamanipulation of a sequential X-rayfluorescence spectrometer. Report MI77 A proposed test for the determination of the grindabi/ity of fine materials. Report MI86 A survey of the erosion, corrosion, and abrasion of material-handling systems in the mining and mineralprocessing industry. 3. New journal Advanced materials & processes, issued monthly by American Society for Metals (Metals Park, Ohio 44073, U.S.A.). CIM conference The combined 24th Annual Conference of Metallurgists and the 15th Annual Hydrometallurgical Meeting will be held in Vancouver from 18th to 22nd August, 1985. Light metals The 8th International Light Metals Congress will take place from the 22nd to 26th June, 1987. These meetings, which take place traditionally every few years, are organized by the Austrian Metals Industry Association, the Austrian aluminium industry, and the University for Mining and Metallurgy in Leoben, in collaboration with the Aluminium-Zentrale Diisseldorf. President of AS&TS* Mr Arthur Woodington Reynolds (Sam) took office as President of The Associated Scientific and Technical Societies of South Africa on 28th November, 1984. Sam Reynolds was born in Boksburg on 27th December, 1930, and received his education at Christian Brothers College in Boksburg and at St John's College in Johannesburg. World mining Sweden, Finland, and Norway expect representatives of all mining countries in May-June 1987 to the 13th World Mining Congress in Stockholm. The Swedish Mining Association, the Finnish Association of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers, and The Association of Norwegian Mines will organize the Congress, together with the International Organizing Committee of the World Mining Congress. Sheet metal The German Group of the International Deep Drawing Research Group (IDDRG) will be organizing the 14th Biennial Congress of the IDDRG on 21st to 26th April, 1986, in Cologne and Munich. Safety in mines The 21st International Conference of Safety in Mines Research Institutes is to be held in Sydney from 20th to 25th October, 1985. ILAF A conferences The Instituto Latinoamericano del Fierro y el Acero (ILAFA) has scheduled the following congresses for 1985. Mechanical testing of materials The Deutsche Gesellschaft fiir Metallkunde, together with the Deutschen Verband fiir Materialpriifung and the Fachhochschule Osnabriick, is holding a course on the methods used for the mechanical testing of materials at Osnabriick from 9th to 11th September, 1985. Mine ventilation The Second U.S. Mine Ventilation Symposium will be presented from 23rd to 25th September, 1985, in Reno, Nevada, by the University of Nevada-Reno's Mackay School of Mines and Division of Continuing Education.

Jan 1, 1985

By C. R. Royal, B. E. Friedland

Energy & Densification Systems (EDS) has developed patented new technology crushing/milling equipment. The EDS Multishaft Mill is a compact vertical mill – utilising high-speed impacts to break down particles with large reduction ratios, low energy consumption and improved liberation. The milling action combines several processes to provide a multitude of output products to satisfy various specifications. Comminution often accounts for more than 60% of the total power consumption on a mine. Two of the key problems to be solved in comminution is to bring down the specific energy required to reduce particle sizes; and to improve liberation or improve the efficiency of the beneficiation and recovery of the required elements. The EDS Mill has shown extensive improvements in both these areas with energy efficiencies up to 75% better than conventional milling equipment and improving liberation beyond the standard beneficiation processes. Conventional comminution equipment requires massive, heavy parts to be moved or rotated, consuming a lot of energy in doing so and not inputting that energy into the breakage of particles. In the EDS Mill, ramping up the relatively small shafts to speed is all that is required. Once at speed, the momentum, together with the minimal amount of constant drive required, means that the energy can be transmitted directly and efficiently into breaking down the particles. The high-speed impacts allow for a shattering effect of the particles and this quickly generates a high ratio of fines. Furthermore, the single impact force breaks particles in a very different manner to conventional compressive force breakage. With compressive force breakage, the particle breaks from point to point. With high-speed impact force breakage, the force tends to migrate through the weakest areas of the particle, which tend to be the mineral boundaries. This, therefore, means that when the particles break, the various minerals are exposed and hence liberated. Keywords: Comminution, high-speed impact, liberation, energy efficiency, novel comminution

Jan 1, 2020

By N. Theron, R. F. Meeser

The global emphasis on conserving energy resources has led to the adoption of hybrid power systems in vehicles. Optimally applied, hybrid systems can save up to 40% on fuel costs. To optimally manage a hybrid vehicle's energy flow it is necessary to know, in real time, all the energy requirements to complete a given route. The energy consumption depends mainly on the vehicle mass, speed profile, and route topography. Of these, the topographic profile is the one factor that is only route-dependent and not influenced by the vehicle or driving styles. The heading vs. distance profile is also an example of a route characteristic not influenced by the vehicle or driving style. In this study the topographic and heading profiles are used to identify routes, and are easily measured by means of digital barometric pressure and compass sensors. Correlations between the current route and previously travelled/stored routes are performed based on their topographic and heading profiles in a point-by-point manner. Above-ground tests were first performed using a road vehicle and six routes to evaluate the system. The system consistently and correctly identified a 20 km route within the first 4 km. It also proved to function correctly in underground tests through the implementation of an instrumented hand-held surveyor's wheel. This system finds direct practical application in optimizing the energy management of an underground hybrid locomotive used by the mining industry in South Africa, but can also be of benefit in applications where route identification is required and using GPS is not feasible.

Jan 26, 2023

Mixed integer programming (MIP) has been used for optimizing production schedules of mines since the 1960s. The major problem in the long-term production scheduling for an entire orebody is that the number of integer variables needed to formulate an MIP model is too large to solve the formulation. This number may reach well over one hundred thousand. To overcome this difficulty, this paper presents two new algorithms to reduce the size of the problem. These algorithms assign an earliest and latest possible start date for each machine placement, eliminating the integer variables that correspond to machine placement before its early start date and after its late start date. A case study based on Kiruna Mine, the second largest underground mine in the world, is summarized in the paper. It shows substantial improvement in the solution time required using the new algorithms. This increased efficiency in the solution time of the MIP model allows it to be applied to Kiruna Mine, with the potential to increase substantially the net present value (NPV) of the project.

Jan 1, 2008

By J. McPherson

In order to add value to South Africa?s gold reserves AuTEK, a joint venture between Mintek and Anglogold-Ashanti, was started in 2000 with the aim of developing new industrial uses for gold. Accordingly gold catalysts are being made in kilogram quantities by Project AuTEK and sold toend users and other interested parties under the trade name AUROliteTM. Although these materials are optimized for use in CO oxidation applications, demonstration of appropriate activity, selectivity and durability in both liquid- and other gas-phase reactions has been shown1. The review below highlights the recent use of these materials, and other gold catalysts, in reactions of commercial interest.

Jan 1, 2009