Search Documents

By AIME AIME

WILBER JUDSON is one of that fairly large group of mining engineers that graduated at an Eastern college, worked his way up in various jobs in the West and in the Latin-American countries, and finally came to New York as an administrative officer of a large mining company. Since coming to New York he has been a loyal friend and counselor of the A.I.M.E., and is now serving a second term as one of its Directors, his first term covering the period 1935-1938. Mr. Judson was born in the capital city of Michigan on July 26, 1880. Probably it was his roving spirit rather than professorial urging that was responsible for the fact that four colleges were responsible for his education: Northwestern, University of Michigan, Harvard (S.B., 1901), and the Michigan College of Mines (graduate study). In his first ten years of professional work he might have been found serving as mine foreman at Catamarca in the Argentine, as superintendent of the Inter Ocean mine at Sunshine, Colo.. as foreman for the Cerro Prieto, Magdalena, Sonora, as superintendent of the Hudson Iron Co. in New York, or as manager of the Dolores mine in Chihuahua for the Mines Co. of America, or in Spain, or in Panama.

Jan 1, 1942

By W. E. Young

This study was made to present the mining methods and costs of a uranium mine typical of other mines in the highly productive Westwater Canyon member of the Morrison formation in New Mexico. Four mining methods have been used at the Section 23 mine: the retreat-room-and-pillar method, a sublevel-slicing method (also called top-slicing), the horizontal-cut-and-fill method, and a modification of the ring-drill method. The application of the methods at this mine and at other mines in the area should be of benefit to operators with similar problems. Ore bodies in the Section 23 mine are irregularly shaped and vary in size, in rock strength, in moisture content, and in uranium concentrations; different mining methods are required and mining costs are not constant. A 6-month period of operation at the Section 23 mine was analyzed and mining costs, not including amortization, depreciation, or Federal taxes, averaged about $6.80 per ton.

Jan 1, 1965

By Christophe Thiébaut

Keywords: Pyrochemistry, Salts Treatment, Distillation The pyrochemical purification of metal generates spent salts. When this metal is an actinide such as plutonium, the slags cannot be discarded and are thus disposed in nuclear facility. In order to handle with these slags, the decision has been taken to reduce stored quantities. The development of a pyrochemical treatment is in progress in the CEA Valduc centre. The feed salt, typically composed of various Pu and Am species contained into monovalent or divalent chloride matrix, is first oxidized to convert the actinides into oxides. Then the chlorides are separated from the actinide oxides by vacuum distillation. Temperatures higher than 750°C for monochloride salts mixture NaCl/KCl and higher than 1100°C for divalent CaCl2 base salts, are required to produce an industrial flow of vaporization. Inactive qualification of the process for NaCl/KCl base salt has been carried out with lanthanide surrogates. Then, a pilot equipment, called distillator has been designed and built for production-scale distillation of NaCl/KCl and CaCl2 oxidized plutonium salts. Industrial flows of vaporization have been obtained with this pilot equipment : about 4 g/cm²/h for NaCl/KCl at 800?900°C and 1 Pa, and more than 1,5 g/cm²/h for CaCl2 base salts between 1000?1200°C at 0.1 Pa. The last step, now in progress, is the integration of the distillator into a glove box.

Jan 1, 2005

By F. Rwere, A. Masasire, P. Dzomba, M. Mupa

Accurate determination of platinum group metals (PGMs) and gold (Au) has always proven to be a difficult task, due to their low concentrations in platiniferous ores. The most common preconcentration technique used in analysis of these metals is fire assay with a flux containing nickel or lead. This technique can be improved by using co-collectors. Here we hypothesise that Fe, Co, and Cu can be used as co-collectors to enhance separation and preconcentration of PMGs and gold by fire assay. To test this hypothesis, geological exploration samples from Siyanda Union Mine (Northam, South Africa) were analysed by an inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES) for PGMs (Pt, Pd, and Rh) and Au. A control sample (certified reference material AMIS 0426) was also analysed by the same technique. The PGM and Au recoveries from the control sample ranged from 83% to 105% for all three co-collectors, with relative standard deviations less than 10% for the control sample and 7% for the geological samples. The PGM and Au recoveries by Fe and Co co-collectors were modestly higher than that of the Cu-collector. These results indicate that Fe and Co are better co-collectors than Cu, presumably due to the loss of analyte when using Cu. Taken together, Fe and Co co-collectors can be viable alternatives for analysis of PGMs and gold using the fire assay method.

Jan 2, 2022

By J Addai-Mensah, W Skinner, K Quast

The efficiency of any iron ore value-adding operation is closely associated with detailed knowledge of the mineralogy, especially in the processing of lower grade and complex ores. There are a number of physico-chemical properties of iron oxide mineral phases (eg goethite, hematite and magnetite) that can be prudently exploited to enhance their processing efficiency. Recent iron ore studies on the upgrading of high-goethite iron ores have highlighted that the knowledge of the various phases of both iron oxide and gangue minerals is critical to the economic processing of these ores. Appropriate knowledge of this kind can lead to better-designed flow sheets for economically viable production of saleable products. With the increasing use of goethitic materials as blend components of iron ore concentrates for steelmaking, this review paper focuses on relevant beneficiation processes and the pivotal role of mineralogy and petrology in producing saleable iron oxide concentrates from ore blends. For goethites, mineral impurities including silica, phosphorus and alumina are very important. Physical separations, as well as those incorporating higher temperatures, have also been included in this review as potential processes to upgrade high-goethite ores.CITATION:Quast, K, Addai-Mensah, J and W, Skinner, 2017. The importance of mineralogy and petrology on the beneficiation of iron oxide ores, primarily those containing goethite, in Proceedings Iron Ore 2017, pp 233–240 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 24, 2017

By R. Owen

An overwhelming amount of data can be collected around the blasting process. This information can include blasting product, pattern design, blast results, and routing. It is only when these data sources are combined in a concise and accurate form that they are of real use in determining the safety and economic implications of each parameter. Two key technological aspects of blasting are drill fleet management (DFM) and size fraction analysis (SFA). As these technologies are integrated as near-real-time measurement and QA/QC tools, the resolution and realization of blasting parameters is significantly increased. The Freeport-McMoRan Morenci Mine has integrated these technologies along with other existing database structures to create a responsive and sustainable tool for reconciliation, forecasting and parameter matching. This ability allows Morenci to customize blast patterns to meet the criteria most critical to each shot, whether the impact is influenced by routing and recovery, equipment maintenance or safety concerns. DRILL FLEET MANAGEMENT The current DFM was stabilized in its current form in mid 2009 after database and hardware maintenance met stability requirements. Currently the system is running on 12 production drills. The system receives pattern layout and is capable of semi-autonomous drilling over the entire district. The fleet is capable of drilling in highly altered intrusive units and hard granites through the range of sedimentary and volcanic units that comprise the Morenci District. The system brings a level of accuracy not achievable with earlier paint-marked patterns. Depth control is also increased along with more consistent wear and maintenance patterns due to semi-autonomous drilling.

Jan 1, 2011

By W. E. Stiles

A method is presented for predicting the performance of water flooding operations in depleted, or nearly depleted, petroleum reservoirs. The method makes use of permeability variations and the vertical distribution of productive capacity. From these two parameters can be calculated the produced water cut versus the oil recovery. Derivations of the mathematical analogy is shown and sample calculations and curves of prediction are presented. Comparison is made of the predicted and actual performance of a typical 5-spot in an Illinois water flood. INTRODUCTION The use of water as a flooding medium in both depleted and "flush" oil reservoirs is gaining greater recognition and acceptance. Many of the shallower fields, depleted by primary production, have been and are being subjected to water injection in order to obtain some part of the large volume of oil remaining after primary production. Some of the earlier water flood installation proved highly discouraging and the value of water flooding was often questioned. Many of these earlier floods were haphazardly selected and developed as little was known of the physical characteristics and contents of the producing formations. The prior evaluation of the flood performance was impossible. During the past decade the development of the required reservoir engineering tools-—core analysis, reservoir fluid analysis, electric logs, fluid flow formulae, etc.—has allowed the engineer to construct and apply the methods which are presently being used to evaluate the economic and mechanical susceptibility of a reservoir to flooding. This discussion will present a method for taking into account the effect of permeability variations in predicting the performance of water floods in depleted reservoirs. PERMEABILITY AND CAPACITY DISTRIBUTION It is generally agreed by most investigators that in a single phase system fluid will flow in a porous and permeable medium in proportion to the permeability of the medium. Producing formations are usually highly irregular in permeability, both vertically and horizontally. However, zones of higher or lower permeability are often found to exhibit lateral continuity. Thus, while structurally comparable stringers in adjacent wells may differ several fold in permeability values, they usually bear resemblance as being part of a general continuous higher or lower permeability section. It is generally agreed that where such stratification of permeability exists, injected water sweeps first the zones of higher permeability, and it is in these zones that "break-through" first occurs in the producing well. It is a basic assurnption of the presently described method that penetration of a water front follows the individual permeability variations as if such variations were continuous from input to producing well. This is admittedly not rigorously true, but can be justified as making possible a simplifying mathematical approach to an otherwise extremely complicated three dimensional flow problem. As a basis for study of the lateral flow of fluids in formations of irregular permeability, the irregularities may be conveniently represented by a permeability distribution curve and a capacity distribution curve. In obtaining these curves, the permeability values, regardless of their structural position in the formation, are rearranged in order of decreasing permeability. If these permeability values so arranged are plotted against the cumulative thickness, a permeability distribu- tion curve is obtained. This curve may then be likened to a "smoothed" permeability profile of the formation. In making comparison between different distribution curves it is convenient to state the permeabilities in terms of the ratio of the actual permeability values to the average permeability of the formation. These ratios termed "dimensionless permeabilities", are used in this paper rather than the permeabilities in terms of millidarcys. The capacity distribution curve is a lot of the cumulative capacity (starting with the highest permeabilities) versus the cumulative thickness. The capacity and thickness are given as fractions of the total capacity and thickness. Mathematically, the capacity distribution is the intergration of the permeability distribution curve. In practice it is convenient to first obtain the capacity distribution curve and derive from it a smoothed dimen-sionaless permeability curve. The method of obtaining the capacity distribution curve is illustrated in the successive column of Table 1, in which capacity and thickness are derived as fractions of their respective totals. If only a small number of permeability values are available, it is generally desirable to smooth the resultant curve. This has been done to give the capacity distribution curve shown in Figure 1. The differentiation of the capacity distribution curve to obtain the permeability distribution curve is shown in Table 2. Here, the capacity values are read from the smoothed curve at intervals of cumulative thickness, and the increments of capacity are divided by the increments of thickness to obtain the dimensionless permeability, K. Due to this stepwise procedure of calculation these premeability values must be plotted at the midpoints of the successive increments of thickness. The curve so obtained from these data is shown in Figure 1. The total area under the K' curve is equal to unity.

Jan 1, 1949

By W. E. Stiles

A method is presented for predicting the performance of water flooding operations in depleted, or nearly depleted, petroleum reservoirs. The method makes use of permeability variations and the vertical distribution of productive capacity. From these two parameters can be calculated the produced water cut versus the oil recovery. Derivations of the mathematical analogy is shown and sample calculations and curves of prediction are presented. Comparison is made of the predicted and actual performance of a typical 5-spot in an Illinois water flood. INTRODUCTION The use of water as a flooding medium in both depleted and "flush" oil reservoirs is gaining greater recognition and acceptance. Many of the shallower fields, depleted by primary production, have been and are being subjected to water injection in order to obtain some part of the large volume of oil remaining after primary production. Some of the earlier water flood installation proved highly discouraging and the value of water flooding was often questioned. Many of these earlier floods were haphazardly selected and developed as little was known of the physical characteristics and contents of the producing formations. The prior evaluation of the flood performance was impossible. During the past decade the development of the required reservoir engineering tools-—core analysis, reservoir fluid analysis, electric logs, fluid flow formulae, etc.—has allowed the engineer to construct and apply the methods which are presently being used to evaluate the economic and mechanical susceptibility of a reservoir to flooding. This discussion will present a method for taking into account the effect of permeability variations in predicting the performance of water floods in depleted reservoirs. PERMEABILITY AND CAPACITY DISTRIBUTION It is generally agreed by most investigators that in a single phase system fluid will flow in a porous and permeable medium in proportion to the permeability of the medium. Producing formations are usually highly irregular in permeability, both vertically and horizontally. However, zones of higher or lower permeability are often found to exhibit lateral continuity. Thus, while structurally comparable stringers in adjacent wells may differ several fold in permeability values, they usually bear resemblance as being part of a general continuous higher or lower permeability section. It is generally agreed that where such stratification of permeability exists, injected water sweeps first the zones of higher permeability, and it is in these zones that "break-through" first occurs in the producing well. It is a basic assurnption of the presently described method that penetration of a water front follows the individual permeability variations as if such variations were continuous from input to producing well. This is admittedly not rigorously true, but can be justified as making possible a simplifying mathematical approach to an otherwise extremely complicated three dimensional flow problem. As a basis for study of the lateral flow of fluids in formations of irregular permeability, the irregularities may be conveniently represented by a permeability distribution curve and a capacity distribution curve. In obtaining these curves, the permeability values, regardless of their structural position in the formation, are rearranged in order of decreasing permeability. If these permeability values so arranged are plotted against the cumulative thickness, a permeability distribu- tion curve is obtained. This curve may then be likened to a "smoothed" permeability profile of the formation. In making comparison between different distribution curves it is convenient to state the permeabilities in terms of the ratio of the actual permeability values to the average permeability of the formation. These ratios termed "dimensionless permeabilities", are used in this paper rather than the permeabilities in terms of millidarcys. The capacity distribution curve is a lot of the cumulative capacity (starting with the highest permeabilities) versus the cumulative thickness. The capacity and thickness are given as fractions of the total capacity and thickness. Mathematically, the capacity distribution is the intergration of the permeability distribution curve. In practice it is convenient to first obtain the capacity distribution curve and derive from it a smoothed dimen-sionaless permeability curve. The method of obtaining the capacity distribution curve is illustrated in the successive column of Table 1, in which capacity and thickness are derived as fractions of their respective totals. If only a small number of permeability values are available, it is generally desirable to smooth the resultant curve. This has been done to give the capacity distribution curve shown in Figure 1. The differentiation of the capacity distribution curve to obtain the permeability distribution curve is shown in Table 2. Here, the capacity values are read from the smoothed curve at intervals of cumulative thickness, and the increments of capacity are divided by the increments of thickness to obtain the dimensionless permeability, K. Due to this stepwise procedure of calculation these premeability values must be plotted at the midpoints of the successive increments of thickness. The curve so obtained from these data is shown in Figure 1. The total area under the K' curve is equal to unity.

Jan 1, 1949

By Baojun Zhao

Primary lead production using the lead blast furnace in conventional practice is carried out using sinter feed. At YMG, China, the sinter plant has been replaced with a lead ISASMELT furnace. The ISASMELT furnace produces lead bullion plus a high-lead slag, which is cast into lumps to provide a suitable feed for the blast furnace. In the present study the relative microstructures and reduction characteristics of industrial lead sinters and synthetic ISASMELT slag in CO/CO2 gas mixtures have been measured and compared. The microstructure and property changes, and the mechanisms of reduction in each case are examined and discussed. The results of the study are used to explain the successful implementation of cast slag feed in commercial ISASMELT- lead blast furnace practice. Key words: lead slag, lead sinter, lead blast furnace, reduction kinetics and mechanisms

Jan 1, 2008

By Brent Blanchard

Dallas/Fort Worth Airport recently took a major step in its fiveyear expansion project with the explosive demolition of the Hyatt Regency Hotel West. Built in 1965, the Hyatt Regency held the distinction of hosting five U.S. Presidents over the years and was reportedly one of the first hotels in the world to be built within an airport’s boundaries.

Jan 1, 2003

By E Westthorp, J Phillips

The detection of ethylene in mined-out ‘goaf’ areas of underground coalmines is an industry standard indicator of accelerated oxidation where the coal temperature has exceeded 100°C. If uncontrolled, this naturally occurring process can lead to spontaneous combustion and catastrophic mine explosions, such as the Moura No 2 mine explosion. Spontaneous combustion trigger action response plans (TARPs) typically use the detection of ethylene as a trigger for definite change requiring immediate reaction, which can include the withdrawal of coalmine workers.Following the completion of sealing of longwall goaves at Crinum North Mine, ethylene was often detected in trace quantities. These trace quantities were below 1 ppm and detected via the bag sampling regime, with the use of a gas chromatograph. Any ethylene detected in these instances was not associated with increased quantities of carbon monoxide to conclusively indicate a heating within the sealed area.Ethylene was only detected in a newly sealed goaf and would not remain present for a period following the sealing. As part of the longwall recovery process, the predominant roof support mechanism during the recovery was the use of timber cribs. It was decided to investigate the possibility of this timber generating ethylene.Preliminary tests were completed by placing timber specimens from several species of Australian native hardwoods in gas bags in air. Over time, some of the samples showed significant levels of ethylene within the bags.CITATION:Westthorp, E and Phillips, J, 2017. Findings from preliminary testing to determine alternative sources of ethylene within sealed areas of underground coalmines, in Proceedings Australian Mine Vent Conference 2017, pp 203–206 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Aug 28, 2017

By A. Redman

Aquatic organisms are sensitive to free cyanide (HCN) though the presence of certain metals that can form stable complexes and thereby reducing both the amount of bioavailable cyanide. Recent work has suggested that consideration of HCN rather than total cyanide can provide the basis for water quality criteria. Cyanide is often present in complex effluents that affect speciation and bioavailability. We have developed a model to predict the speciation of cyanide in complex effluents and have shown that this model can predict the toxicity of metal-cyanide complexes in terms of HCN. This study evaluated available cyanide toxicity exposures with this model to assess the role of water chemistry (e.g., metal-cyanide interactions) on the observed. Toxicity endpoints based on total cyanide ranged over several orders of magnitude for a variety of metal-cyanide mixtures. However, predicted HCN concentrations among these same tests described the observed toxicity data to within a factor of 2. Aquatic toxicity can be well described using HCN though in certain metal-cyanide mixtures toxicity was jointly described by HCN and elevated levels of bioavailable metals. This work was performed in support of an industry-sponsored reassessment (Gensemer et al 2006) of the U.S. EPA water quality criteria for cyanide (EPA 1985) using free cyanide as the basis for the re-calculation. The work presented in this manuscript presents technical support for using free cyanide as the preferred basis for this recalculation.

Jan 1, 2011

By John Brown

Let’s talk about things that you, the driIl boss, the pit boss and the driller can do to eliminate the trend in drilling related accidents that have come to plague our industry in recent years. My paper will focus on reaI issues, problems and solutions that will affect our everyday outlook and attitudes about our jobs and lives. There are some real hard facts we must address if we are going to reverse this terrible killing trend.

Jan 1, 2000

By M. Hermanus

1. INTRODUCTION It gives me great pleasure to extend my warmest greetings to everyone attending the 30th International Conference of Safety in Mines Research Institutes. I would also like to bid a special welcome to all of the international delegates who have travelled to Johannesburg to take part in what surely be a most rewarding session of deliberations. As you come together over next four days, you will have a wonderful opportunity to exchange ideas and information on strategies and practices for the implementation of sustainable patterns of development. The objectives of this meeting are both timely and far-reaching, as countries around the globe work towards the sustainable use of the world resources. Each of you brings a high level of expertise to these deliberations. I know that you will make the most of this opportunity to address the challenges and opportunities to highlight the most innovative and technologically efficient methods of social protection in order to ensure an increase in the quality of life, health, safety and living environment for the peoples of the Africa. Our country, although endowed with an immense and diverse array of mineral deposits, is perhaps best known in the mining industry for the fact that it is the world’s biggest producer of gold. Although South African gold production has declined over the past years and the industry faces serious problems, it is a myth that the South African industry is moribund. There is a new energy coursing through the South African producers which will ensure their powerful presence for many years to come, based not only on their domestic production but also and probably increasingly on their external operations. Africa features prominently in the latter category.

Jan 1, 2003

By W. W. Adams, T. D. Lawrence, D. R. White

"This paper presents the results of the eleventh yearly accident-prevention contest, the National Safety Competition of 1935, conducted by the United States Bureau of Mines. Participating in the competition were 336 mines and Quarries in 37 States. Five mining or quarrying companies, each the leader in its group for having established the best safety record during the year, were awarded the national safety trophies 'Sentinels of Safety.Since these annual contests were begun 11 years ago the scope of the competition has been broadened materially, both as to the number of plants participating and as to the number of man-hours of exposure to accident hazards. Moreover, marked progress in the pre¬vention of accidents has been achieved, as is indicated by an almost constant downward course in the accident-frequency rates for the contest group as a whole during the past 11 years. On the other hand, the accident-severity rates for the group showed an upward trend during the first part of the period and a downward trend during the latter part, except in 1930 and 1934, when two disastrous explosions occurred with heavy loss of life, and in 1935, when there was an increase in the number of fatalities although no major disasters occurred. The accident rate for 1935, both as to frequency and severity, was higher than for 1934.The National Safety Competition is conducted by the Bureau of Mines in the interest of safety in the mining and quarrying industries. This object is accomplished directly through the efforts of the competing companies and their employees to win first place in the competition and thereupon receive well-merited and national recognition for their achievement. Indirectly the purpose of the contest is accomplished through studies by the Bureau of Mines of the fasts contained in the accident reports which the competing companies furnish to enable the Bureau to compute the accident rates that are the basis for determining the winners of the contest.The statistics that constitute the basis for determining the winning companies and the relative standing of all companies are prepared uniformly without regard to the States in which the companies operate, or to differences in classes of accidents covered by State laws relating to compensation for injuries resulting from industrial accidents."

Jul 1, 1936

By Irving D. Cohen

In order to overcome our reliance upon foreign energy sources for both crude supply and finished products, we must realize the goals proposed by Project Independence. In general this involves expanding production of existing and new oil, gas, and coal resources, utilizing and improving nuclear technology and the developing of new energy sources such as solar, geothermal, oil shale, tidal, wind and stimulation techniques. There is a continuing debate, both in the scientific community and the consuming public as to the potentiality of nuclear power generation being cost effective and environmentally and safety conscious. The development of new sources of energy does not occur overnight; it is rather a continuing effort in time and money to achieve the goal of providing energy to an ever increasing demand. The public has been accustomed to the availability of energy whenever and wherever it was needed. The era of "energy gluttony" has begun to fade into the realm of "energy awareness". Unfortunately, it required the action of another country to bring the picture that has been discussed many times in the past by energy suppliers into correct focus. Nevertheless, the public responded by conservation efforts to reduce energy wastefulness. Still, the demand for foreign importation of energy supplies is on the rise. What is our recourse? The largest known unexploited energy resource available in the United States is our coal resources. Moreover, the Department of the Interior has noted that 63 counties in Montana, Wyoming, and the Dakotas hold 60% of the nation's least expensive strip minable coal. This western coal is the most abundant and least costly Fossil Fuel in the United States. It is acknowledged that western coal is an important input in meeting the energy needs of our nation.

Jan 1, 1976

By Miklós Kovács

A new type of the cast in situ piles is introduced. The installation of the new pile is based on a pushing in/gaining back procedure. A temporarily closed tip element with square shaped cross-section being attached to an upper circular shaft tube is vibrated into the soil. The steel armature is embedded. Concrete is poured into the tube and, the whole structure is gained back while the tip is in opened position. The width of the tip is less than or equal to 40 cm. The maximum length of the pile is about of 14 m. Great bearing capacity is resulted from the double soil compaction effect. No spoil is generated and, the pile construction can be controlled. The paper presents the results of four loading test at three sites with some soil data.

Jan 1, 2002

By David A. Bacca

Hydraulically powered submersible borehole dewatering pumps and emulsion/ANFO blends evolved at about the same time and for the same reasons. Mining operators needed safe, efficient dewatering systems and water resistant products.

Jan 1, 1994

The AusIMM is concerned about the longer tem sustainability of the minerals sector in Australasia. Our contention is that the sustainability of the sector is at risk if we do not:   ò encourage more exploration in Australasia by removing impediments and         increasing incentives; ò fund our university and research centres appropriately to increase both our   prospectivity, and our processing efficiencies; and ò manage our human resources better.   This paper will focus on how we can better manage our human resources to assist in ensuring sustainability of the sector in Australasia .   From a production point of view:   Economic output = f (Land, Labour, Capital, Environment) where Land refers to all of the natural resources used in production. As well as land itself it includes water, forest, fisheries, oil, gas and mineral deposits. Labour refers to the skills and capabilities used by humans in the production process. Capital describes all of the manufactured aids used in the process of production1. The challenge for management is to ensure maximum efficiency and effectiveness of labour in the production process whilst maintaining sustainable development.   The 1992 Rio Summit defined sustainable development as maintaining and enhancing:   ò natural capital û defined as all natural resources, both environmental and   those of traditional economic value; ò manufactured capital û made by human kind, including produced goods,     infrastructure and built environment; ò human capital û defined as the health, well being, intellectual capabilities and   spiritual welfare of individuals; and ò social capital û defined as social relations and consultations within and   between societies, their norms and functionality2.   The minerals sector in Australasia has successfully focused on the technical aspects of each of these components of sustainable development with primary attention applied to natural capital and efficient utilisation of manufactured capital. The technical aspects of human capital and social have also been addressed through an emphasis on occupational health and safety and interaction with local communities however I suggest that, to date, insufficient emphasis has been placed on labour (human capital) to maximise economic output1.   It has become increasingly common practice to identify land as natural capital, labour as human capital and capital as physical capital. That is labour has been treated as a commodity rather than an opportunity to create a comparative advantage and this will be the greatest challenge for mine management to show leadership over the next decade of the 21st Century.   This paper will outline characteristics of the sector which are relevant to the management and utilisation of labour, outline the outcomes of recent AusIMM surveys, review the reasons for the current and future anticipated skills shortages, some innovative responses to the challenges and finally, suggestions on how mine management can show leadership.

Jan 1, 2006

By M. F. Goudge

MAGNESIA refractories and magnesium metal are both essential war commodities. The need for magnesium, which had just made its debut as a commercial metal a few years before the outbreak of the present war, is widely known because this new and valuable light metal has already received much publicity. Less widely known but equally important in the war effort are magnesia refractories. They are indispensable to the efficient functioning of the great metallurgical plants producing steel, nickel, copper, and other metals, where, because of their resistance to extreme high temperature and chemical attack, they are used in lining the furnaces, which are operated at a white heat. The demand for refractories in the metallurgical industries rose rapidly upon the outbreak of war, and now, in consequence of the continued great expansion under way in the manufacture of steel, nickel, copper, and other metals, the need for magnesia is greater than ever. Since 1915, part of the Canadian requirements of basic refractories has been supplied from the deposits of magnesitic dolomite in Argenteuil county, Quebec. The products from these deposits are excellent for many uses, but the magnesitic dolomite has too high a content of silica and lime to be used in making a type of magnesia brick required in nickel converters, and in the roofs of reverberatory furnaces used in the copper and steel industries. There is now a large and growing demand in Canada for bricks and shapes for these uses. This demand has always been supplied from the United States. Makers of these products in the United States, in turn, formerly imported most of the necessary high-grade, dead-burned magnesia from Austria and Manchuria. Not only are these sources closed, but refractory chrome ore from the Philippines is no longer available and chrome refractories may have to be in large part replaced by magnesia.

Jan 1, 1942