Search Documents

By L. E. Djingheuzian

IN 1953, Lewis (1) published an article which brought forth a great amount of discussion by grinding engineers. In his contribution to discussion the present writer (2) suggested that, for the most efficient performance of a ball mill, there must be a .definite relationship between Cn, per cent critical speed, and V p, per cent mill volume occupied by the ball charge. Later, he ( 3) was able to publish some grinding data from Wright-Hargreaves milly which appeared to bear out this contention. It is with this view to establishing a fundamental relationship between Cn and Vp that the idea of this Forum was conceived. Accordingly, a questionnaire was prepared and copies of it were mailed to over eighty Canadian mill operators. This questionnaire did not include a question on dilution on the assumption that each mill operator was using the most efficient dilution for his operation, nor was a question on efficiency of classification included since it was thought that the inclusion of efficiency of dassification in the questionnaire at this preliminary stage might render the forum discussion,. while everybody was trying to find his bearings, too unwieldy. However, it is evident that, as discussions develop, this forum will have to define a uniform method for establishing most efficient classification in grinding circuits

Jan 1, 1957

By Siddhartha Roy, Hemant Agrawal, Ram Madhab Bhattacharjee, Devi Prasad Mishra

Heat stress in underground coal mines is a major threat to the health and safety of the miners. Hence, managing heat and prediction of heat stress in advance is essential for maintaining a safe, healthy, and productive underground mine environment. In this study, an extensive ventilation survey has been carried out in three different deep and mechanized underground coal mines. The ventilation survey data are used to develop 3D simulation models with the VentSim™ software to predict the conditions that could cause heat stress in underground mine workings. The developed 3D models predicted well the wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT), a recognized indicator of potential heat stress, with a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.986, 0.994, and 0.993 for Mine-A, Mine-B, and Mine-C, respectively. Moreover, through 3D modelling, the applications of auxiliary ventilation and spot coolers to reduce the wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) for improving the underground workplace environment have been explored. The study demonstrated that auxiliary ventilation and spot coolers can help in significant reduction of heat stress conditions in an underground mine environment. By application of auxiliary ventilation, to increase air volumes, and spot coolers, the WBGT index in mining faces is reduced by 1.2–1.4 °C and 3.9–5.4 °C, respectively. Therefore, it is concluded that the spot coolers are more effective in reducing the heat stress conditions in hot and humid underground mine environments in comparison with auxiliary fan that is used to increase the air volume and velocity. This study opens up a new horizon of 3D simulations for heat stress management in underground mines. The outcome of this study will be useful for the researchers, mine operators, and environmentalists understanding the heat stress contributors and their control in underground mine environment.

May 10, 2023

By Arthur Phillips, E. S. Davenport

The purpose of this paper is to present certain data and observations resulting from a series of experiments dealing with the heat treatment and microstructure of commercial white cast iron and its derivative, malleable iron. In planning the experimental work, particular pains were taken to secure for the tests white cast iron of "normal" composition; i.e., within the composition limits commonly prescribed by manufacturers of malleable castings. A review of the literature leads us to believe that much data of a fragmentary character treating of the graphitization of white cast iron have been of little value, mainly because of the diversity in chemical composition of the materials employed in the tests. Moreovcr, when feasible, annealing periods at least comparable to those of current practice have been adopted. We wish to acknowledge our indebtedness to the members of the research department of the Eastern Malleable Iron Co. for the white cast iron used in the test's and, particularly, for their active cooperation during the experimental stage of the work. In this paper the following subjects will be discussed in the order indicated: Data on the thermal critical points of white cast iron and malleable iron. Changes produced in tensile properties and microstrue.-ture of white cast iron by annealing at different temperatures within the, range, 760 to 1100° C. Relation of thickness of wall section of hard iron to microstructure and tensile properties of malleable iron obtained under normal annealing conditions. Notes on mechanics of graphitization of normal white cast iron as observed in specimens quenched after various periods of anneal at approximately 800" C.

Jan 1, 1922

By Arthur Phillips, E. S. Davenport

The purpose of this paper is to present certain data and observations resulting from a series of experiments dealing with the heat treatment and microstructure of commercial white cast iron and its derivative, malleable iron. In planning the experimental work, particular pains were taken to secure for the tests white cast iron of "normal" composition; i.e., within the composition limits commonly prescribed by manufacturers of malleable castings. A review of the literature leads us to believe that much data of a fragmentary character treating of the graphitization of white cast iron have been of little value, mainly because of the diversity in chemical composition of the materials employed in the tests. Moreovcr, when feasible, annealing periods at least comparable to those of current practice have been adopted. We wish to acknowledge our indebtedness to the members of the research department of the Eastern Malleable Iron Co. for the white cast iron used in the test's and, particularly, for their active cooperation during the experimental stage of the work. In this paper the following subjects will be discussed in the order indicated: Data on the thermal critical points of white cast iron and malleable iron. Changes produced in tensile properties and microstrue.-ture of white cast iron by annealing at different temperatures within the, range, 760 to 1100° C. Relation of thickness of wall section of hard iron to microstructure and tensile properties of malleable iron obtained under normal annealing conditions. Notes on mechanics of graphitization of normal white cast iron as observed in specimens quenched after various periods of anneal at approximately 800" C.

Jan 1, 1922

By Maurice E. Peloubet

This discussion of accounting will describe the statements and the information that the accounting system produces, from the point of view of those who use such systems rather than of those who prepare them and who do the detail and technical accounting work. In any well organized mine, quarry, or other enterprise exploiting a mineral deposit, no matter how small, some clerical and accounting work must be done. Miners and other employes must be paid, supplies must be purchased and issued, and various tax and information returns, which even the smallest enterprise must file, have to be prepared. In this chapter it is assumed that the enterprise has employes of this type and that they understand the fundamentals of record keeping and accounting. It would be impossible here to give sufficiently full explanations to enable a man with no previous clerical and accounting training to set up and operate an accounting and cost system for even the simplest extractive operation. Rather, we shall hope first, to tell the investor and the operator, from the chief engineer or president down to a subforeman, what to expect from the accounting statements and records and how to use this information in his daily work; and second, that it will enable the man with some knowledge of accounting or book- keeping, but with little or no experience in any extractive industry, to set up and operate a satisfactory system for a mine or other extractive enterprise. For readers who wish to go further, the bibliography at the end of this chapter contains many references. T he emphasis has, therefore, been placed on the statements to be produced and the purposes for which they are to be used rather than the underlying books and records. These are, with a few exceptions which will be described later, essentially what might be found in any industrial enterprise and would probably, in the extremely small enterprise, consist of handwritten journals, ledgers, analysis books, payroll books, and stores ledgers. In the larger enterprise, various types of mechanical accounting would be introduced in proportion to the complexity of the operation.

Jan 1, 1964

By E. H. Dix

The work of Merical and other investigators indicates that the phenomenon of age-hardening in alloys of the duralumin type is primarily dependent upon the variation in the solubility of copper with temperature. In addition to copper, however, these alloys contain small amounts of magnesium, silicon, manganese and iron, which may affect the age-hardening either directly or indirectly. The effect of these elements on the solubility of copper and on the manner in which this solubility varies with the temperature is of considerable interest, therefore. The effect of magnesium is of especial interest because apparently it exerts a marked effect on the natural or room-temperature aging of alloys of the type described.2 A series of investigations3 has been in progress in the research laboratories of the Aluminum Company of America to determine the functions * Metallurgist, Aluminum Research Laboratories. f Metallurgical Division, Aluminum Research Laboratories. Formerly with Metallurgical Division, Aluminum Research Laboratories. 1 P. D. Merica, It. G. Waltenberg and H. Scott: Heat Treatment of Duralumin. U. S. Bur. Stds. Sn. Paper 347 (1910). 2 M. Gayler: Constitution and Age-Hardening of Alloys of Aluminum with Copper, Magnesium, and Silicon in the Solid State. Jnl. Inst. Met. (1922) 28, 213. W. Fraenkel: Vergutbare Aluminiumlegiengen. Ztsch. Melallkunde. (1920) 12, 427. E. H. Dix, Jr.: Note on the Microstructure of Aluminum-Iron Alloys of High Purity. Proc. Amer. Soc. Test. Mat. (1925) 26, Pt. 2, 120. E. H. Dix, Jr. and H. H. Richardson: Equilibrium Relations in Aluminum-copper Alloys of High Purity. Trans. A. I. M. E. (1926) 73, 560. E. H. Dix, Jr. and W. D. Keith: Equilibrium Relations in Aluminum-manganese Alloys of High Purity. Proc. Inst. Met. Div., A. I. M. E. (1927) 315. E. H. Dix, Jr. and A. C. Heath, Jr.: Equilibrium Relations in Aluminum-silicon and Aluminum-iron-silicon Alloys of High Purity. Proc. Inst. Met. Div., A. I. M. E. (1928) 164. E. H. Dix, Jr. and F. Keller: Equilibrium Itelations in Aluminum-magnesium Alloys of High Purity. Proc. Inst. Met. Div., A. I. M. E. (1920) 351. E. H. Dix, Jr., F. Keller and R. W. Graham: Equilibrium Relations of Aluminum-magnesium Silicide Alloys of High Purity. Trans. A. I. M. E., Inst. Met. Div. (1931) 404. W. L. Fink and K. R. Van Horn: Constituents of Aluminum-iron-silicon Alloys. Trans. A. I. M. E., Inst. Met. Div. (1931) 383.

Jan 1, 1932

By S. H. Ash

NO MORE important question has come before the coal-mining industry in many places, especially in the anthracite region of Pennsylvania, than prevention of stream pollution by mine drainage. Available information on acid mine drainage in the anthracite region of Pennsylvania indicates that a pollution problem must be solved in any program of anthracite mine drainage. The major problem concerns satisfactory disposal of the daily average mine-water discharge of 327,000 gallons per minute (g. p. m.), or 472 million gallons per day (g. p. d.), containing a free-acid load of 431 tons or a total acid load of 934 tons a clay as H2S04. This report indicates the scope of the problem and gives some suggestions concerning its solution.

Jan 1, 1951

By B. Chalmers, S. Wojciechowski

THE structure of the equiaxed zone of several A1-Cu samples mechanically stirred during unidirectional solidification was examined. The stirring was produced by rotary oscillation of the mold about its vertical axis.' It was found that in Some samples the structure is not of the same type over the whole of the equiaxed zone; it consists of regions with two different etching responses. Fig. 1 shows this structure in a Al-1 wt pct ku sample. The lighter etching regions with a coarse structure form something like a network and the darker etching regions with a finer structure can be observed as the continuation of the coarse structure inside this network. The difference in size and shape of the dendrite branches (they are rounded in the coarser structure) is similar to that found by Williamson and Chalmers in ice crystals solidified in undercooled water: when the amount of undercooling was small, the ice crystals were more rounded and coarser than these solidified with a larger amount of undercooling.' It seems justified to conclude that the observed structure resulted from solidification under different thermal conditions: the coarser structure solidified first out of the "purer" liquid and with a smaller amount of undercooling and the finer was formed later out of solute-enriched liquid under conditions of much more rapid heat extraction. A considerable change in the heat flow conditions at the later stages of solidification can be easily understood by taking into account that the coarser crystals form a continuous network and the amount of trapped liquid is relatively small; hence the contribution of latent heat is much smaller in the later stages of solidification. The difference in structure and etching characteristic reflects a difference in composition between these two regions. It was found that the darker etching re- gions are harder (30.4 to 31.3 HV5) than the lighter etching ones (25 to 26 HV5). A similar type of structure was found in a A1-4 wt pct Cu sample grown by Czochralski method. Fig. 2 shows the structure in the lower part of a sample grown slowly and then decanted by a rapid removing of the sample from the melt. In a few places trapped liquid solidified in the same manner as in the sample shown in Fig. 1.

Jan 1, 1968

By J. R. Martson

The arrangement of the larger furnace at the United Verde smelter, together with the boiler layout and connecting flues, is shown in Fig. 1. The important dimensions are given in the figure, and cross-sectional areas of combustion space, flues, etc., are recorded. The location and extent of the baffling in the boilers also are shown because of their importance in the interpretation of the data. Two boilers serve each reverberatory furnace. They are of the class M-26 Stirling type (rated at 713 boiler hp. each). Steam is generated at 178-lb. gage pressure at a total temperature of 528" F., from feed water at a temperature of 113" F. The feed water is condensate from turbogenerators plus make-up softened by the lime-soda process. The make-up is rather large in amount as it must match the amount of steam consumed in reciprocating blowing engines and the like, which are not served by surface condensers. As a result the boiler feed water has a hardness of 1.5 to 3.0 grains per gallon, but this results in the formation, during six months to one year of boiler operation, of scale only of "eggshell " thickness or less. The boilers are set at the same elevation as the tapping floor of the furnace, which results in the introduction of the waste-heat gases at the top of the front bank of tubes and necessitates the inversion of the usual baffling arrangements. The boilers are equipped with valve-in-the-head soot blowers, which keep most of the dust blown off the surface of the tubes, but it is necessary to supplement the soot blowers by high-pressure air lances, inserted by an attendant through side doors in the boiler setting. Deposits of coal ash and of dust from the furnace charge accumulate in the flues between the reverberatory furnaces and the boilers and this necessitates cleaning of these connecting flues by hand during the greater part of one of the three 8-hr. shifts during each 24 hr. This cleaning operation requires the opening of clean-out doors, which, of course, has some effect on the yield of steam. Revebberatory Furnace Practice The United Verde furnaces are fired with pulverized coal of sub-bituminous type of which the screen and chemical analyses are given in Table 1.

Jan 1, 1934

By Benjamin F. Merembeck

A mutispectral scanner (MSS) obtains remotely sensed data of the earth's surface in vector form, one vector element for each spectral sensing band of the MSS. Data generated by either airborne or orbiting MSS systems are organized in a lattice of scan lines and elements within scan lines. Each element, called a pixel, is represented by an observational vector and corresponds to a relatively small specific area on the ground. The total observations for a sensed scene frequently are in the millions and are composed of a number of populations, each representing a different land form category. Based on samples from the populations, the mean vectors, or spectral signatures, and the covariance matrices for the categories may be estimated. From these, an among category covariance matrix and a combined within category covariance matrix can be found. The total among category variance is the trace of the among category covariance matrix. Canonical analysis finds a linear transformation matrix such that the first transform variable accounts for the maximum possible part of the total among category variance. Similarly, the second transform variable, orthogonal to the first, accounts for the maximum possible part of the remainder of the total variance, and so on. Such transformation often results in over 95 percent of the total variance accounted for in the first three canonical variables, even though the initial number of spectral bands exceeded twenty. Transformation of bulk data into three canonical variates allows color map products to be developed by assigning each variable to a different basic color. Such color products are believed to be more useful for photo-interpretation than color products resulting from any combinations of three of the initial spectral bands.

Jan 1, 1977

By Shianny Cruz Vasquez

Peru is a country with a complex physiography due to the Andes uplift that expose the different ore deposits. Actually Peruvian mining produces a variety of metal commodities and has one of the world’s largest mining. It is the third-largest global producer of copper, silver, zinc and tin. Within Latin America is the largest producer of gold, zinc, tin and lead. The importance of this research was to determine the toxic elements source and the current state of surface water and groundwater all the way from the top until it empties into the Tambo River and assess their, that impact have the toxic contaminants on the environment and the human health of the surrounding Communities and provide a management and decision-making tool to prevent socioenvironmental conflicts.

Sep 1, 2017

By Gary M. Poxleitner

Skip/Hoist ?Vertical Advantage of Hoist ?High capital ?High operating cost Trucks Trucks ?Flexibility of ramp ?Low capital ?High operating cost Conveyor Inclined High capital ?Low Cost to run ?Continuous Production ?High Capacity ?Transfer pointsMax Grade: +32%

Feb 1, 2008

By J. R. Sims

Gold assays from production blastholes in the Mercur Hill Pit were used to delineate known ore zones and to determine how well previous exploration drilling defined these zones. The most important factors causing inadequate ore zone definition were: 1) inappropriate location of drill holes relative to the ore zones, 2) presence of stopes from previous mining, 3) sampling and assaying errors, and 4) smoothing of the ore zone boundaries during ore reserve estimation. Infill drilling strategies were evaluated to determine the efficiency with which a given drill pattern defined the known ore zones. A drilling strategy was developed which improved ore zone delineation when compared to techniques which maintained uniform drill spacing.

Jan 1, 1992

By A. Noble, R. Q. Honaker, J. Werner

Recovery of rare earth elements (REE) from coal-related resources has recently received significant interest due to supply concerns and their key roles in critical industries and defense-related technologies. An integrated flowsheet consisting of sorting, crushing/grinding, physical separation, acid leaching, solvent extraction, and selective precipitation was designed to achieve continuous production of rare earth products from various coal-related resources such as coarse refuse and acid mine drainage. A pilot plant was constructed that enabled continuous testing of the circuitry on a range of different coal-based feedstocks. Despite achieving significant success in producing high-grade rare earth oxide products, low REE recovery values and high operational costs necessitated a re-evaluation of the process flowsheet. This article describes the circuitry improvements that were based on both laboratory and pilot plant test results. Roasting as a pre-leach treatment was found to significantly improve the leaching rate and overall REE recovery values. After roasting West Kentucky No. 13 and Fire Clay coal refuse materials at 600 °C, REE recovery increased by 60 and 40 absolute percentage points, respectively. Rare earth concentration in the pregnant leachate solution (PLS) was increased to around 700 ppm prior to solvent extraction using a staged precipitation method. REEs in the precipitate were re-dissolved, purified, and extracted from the PLS using solvent extraction and selective precipitation to values of around 80%. As a result of the improvements, chemical consumption in the acid leaching and solvent extraction processes was significantly reduced. A techno-economical assessment of the improved flowsheet indicated significant commercialization potential.

By J. W. Howland

To determine their effectiveness in different climate and soil conditions, a demonstration of dozer blades specifically designed for recontouring mine spoil was conducted at an East Texas surface coal mine. The specialized equipment included a 48-foot angle blade, a modified 24-foot "U" blade, a 13-foot deep "U" blade, and a 24-foot grading bar. Both the 4b-foot and the 24-foot "U" blades were mounted in a two-tractor, single-operator configuration. To meet flotation problems common in this mining region, a 22-foot lightweight blade was developed and demonstrated for use on a 400-430 hp tractor. The demonstration involved 1,185 acres and showed a 50% reduction in reclamation costs and a 47% reduction in fuel requirements for this mine site over conventional equipment. Improved equipment, trained operators, good supervision, and improved monitoring techniques contributed to the savings. Procedures and results of the demonstration are presented and analyzed here along with guidelines for application of findings.

Jan 1, 1981

By A Van Kersen, J Hodson

Waihi Gold Mining Co Ltd [WGM], operated by Normandy Mining, has been internationally recognised for its achievements in environmental management at the Martha Mine at Waihi. In a proactive approach to dealing with community concerns regarding blast vibrations on the North Wall cutback, trials were performed using the Cardox System [Cardox], to determine feasibility of achieving economic fragmentation of andesite overburden whilst bettering management levels of 5 mm/s peak particle velocity. Cardox is a non-explosive pressure breaking system which uses high pressure CO2, Results against conventional Ammonium Nitrate/Fuel Oil [ANFO] using a variety of delays showed that conventional blasting techniques could produce marginal fragmentation within the management levels with occasional excursions, whereas Cardox produced the required fragmentation while not registering on the vibration monitoring equipment. Fragmentation to enable normal excavation by a Hitachi EXII00 hydraulic excavator was achieved with a yield of 16m3 per round. The trails indicated that fragmentation with Cardox at the yields required of over 18m3 per round was possible with further product development. The trial demonstrated that non-explosive pressure breaking is feasible and its application warranted where environmental concerns affect the cost-benefit economics of production blasting in sensitive areas.

Jan 1, 2001

By R. H. Schutz

TO ASSIST users in the selection of reliable and satisfactory respiratory protective devices, the Bureau of Mines bas established five schedules of minimum performance requirements for the approval of respirators. The current revisions of these schedules include 130 for self-contained breathing apparatus, 141F for gas masks, 19B and the amendments to 19B for supplied- air respirators, 21B for dust, fume, and .mist respirators, and 23B for chemical cartridge respirators. Copies of these schedules may be obtained from the Bureau of Mines, Publications Distribution Section, 4800 Forbes Avenue, Pitts- burgh, Pa., 15213. Approval tests on respirators are performed only at the request of the manufacturer of the respirator and at his expense. If the deice meets the approval requirements, a certificate of approval is granted on the complete respirator. This certificate states that as long as the respirator is manufactured as originally approved, or in accordance with any changes covered by an extension of the original approval, the manufacturer may advertise and sell his respirator as being approved by the Bureau of Mines. Many industries and regulatory agencies require that respirators approved by the Bureau of Mines he used where respiratory protection is needed. The Bureau of Mines, however, has no regulatory power over the use of the respirators that it approves. It acts as an impartial testing agency to insure the availability of suitable and safe respirators.

Jan 1, 1966

By Sherwin F. Kelly

THE present lull in engineering activities presents an advantageous moment for inquiring into the position now occupied by geophysics in its various fields of application. The recent over-expansion in all lines of work resulted in an uncritical employment of these methods of exploration which was bound to have its harmful reaction. The pendulum has now swung back, producing a decidedly hypercritical attitude toward the new science that had been recently welcomed so joyfully as the panacea for prospecting troubles. The severe retrenchment in exploration has forced upon us a period of waiting and, it is to be hoped, of profitable contemplation. This can well be employed in trying to pass a reasoned judgment on what position geophysics should occupy in the new geological exploration programs that will inevitably ac- company the looked-for industrial recovery.

Jan 1, 1931

THE annual meeting of the Lake Superior Mining Institute was held on Sept. 7 and 8, Crystal Falls and Iron Mountain, Mich., being the principal centers of activity. Members of both institutes began assembling early, and by the evening of Sept. 6, some 60 had already arrived at Crystal Falls. The greater number arrived the following morning, however, and after the usual formalities of registration were attended to, the party were loaded into automobiles and set out on a tour of inspection of the mines near Iron River; some properties were passed through, and some were briefly visited to permit the inspection of any unusually interesting piece of equipment or detail of practice. The last stop of the morning was at the Caspian, Iron River, where the entire party was entertained at luncheon at the Caspian Club House. Both the food and the company were excellent, and as the weather was superlatively good (though the natives of the district modestly declared it was only ordinary autumn weather) the lunch was served on the lawn at the rear of the club, where the green turf, abundant flowers, and music by the band, added to the charm of good fellowship. The degree to which mining men have become addicted to golf was indicated by the large number of plus fours in evidence, whose wearers appeared just before lunch and disappeared immediately afterward.

Jan 1, 1928

By Jarrell C. Grout

The Bureau of Mines has developed a computer program for use in solving nonlinear regression problems. The program is written in a general form so that, regardless of the functional relationship, the unknown parameters may be evaluated by either the Gauss-Newton or the Newton-Raphson methods of iteration. Variances and covariances of the parameters, as derived from the law for the propagation of errors, are also determined.

Jan 1, 1969