Search Documents

By Arthur S. Cornford

According to Arbiter (Reference 1), the ball mill was invented by Brückner in Germany in 1876 and was first used in the United States on ores about 1905. The basic concept was a simple rotating cylindrical drum in which the tumbling action of the charge of material and grinding media resulted in size reduction of the material. Despite the very low mechanical efficiency of this method a number of factors have caused the tumbling mill to remain, by far, the most widely used piece of equipment for mineral grinding. The principal factors influencing this situation have been simplicity of design, ease of manufacture, ready adaptability to familiar material handling layouts and the absence of practical alternatives acceptable to the industry. In the early mills, the material was ground in batches, the mills being charged and discharged through doors in the shell. The shell was supported by means of solid trunnion shafts resting in plain bearings and the drive was accomplished through one of these shafts. In some later batch mills, the mill shell was supported on rollers which were also used to drive the mill. At an early stage, continuous operation was made possible by feeding and discharging the mill through hollow trunnions, the method still in most widespread use. The mechanical and structural design of the early mills was not an onerous engineering task. Norse sense and good practical knowledge were key qualifications. The mill shells had to be heavy enough to withstand the physical abuse they would receive in the field and the bearings had to have low enough unit pressures and sufficient wear retol to ensure several months of operation before the need for replacement occurred. When these requirements were satisfied, stresses developed in the equipment during operation were insignificant and the majority of structural failures were probably due to the use of inferior materials in manufacture. Over the years, the ever present demand for increased productivity has resulted in a steady Increase in the size of units of production equipment, including grinding mills. Arguments have been presented elsewhere, for and against the Idea of a high throughput single line grinding operation as opposed

Jan 1, 1972

By M. P. Miano

Matching the productivity gains of continuous mining machines with the ever increasing performance levels achieved by longwall units has required creative thinking to assure that development is completed in time for uninterrupted longwall production. By using management information systems to coordinate support operations, the most productive planning decisions can be made. This paper focuses on the role of computer technology tools in achieving improved productivity from both longwall and continuous miner sections. The primary emphasis is on the planning process and the methodology developed to guarantee the best allocation of management and manpower resources.

Jan 1, 1993

By A. Visnapuu

The U.S. Bureau of Mines investigated the oxidation of American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) Type 304 stainless steel (SS) during annealing in simulated combustion products from several air-CH4 fuel ratios. Atmospheres representing air-CH4 ratios of 14:1 and 18:1 contained free 02, while atmospheres representing 10:1 air-CH, ratio did not. A Cr203 layer formed on SS samples annealed in atmospheres containing free 0, while a Cr-Fe spinel layer formed in atmospheres with no free 02. The Cr203 layer was adherent and presented a protective barrier to metal diffusion, effectively limiting oxidation of the metal substrate. The Cr-Fe spinel was not protective and allowed the diffusion of Fe through the spinel to the gas-oxide interface where it was oxidized to magnetite, which spalled from the surface. This resulted in thick scale layers on samples annealed in atmospheres containing no free 02, as compared to layers formed on samples annealed in atmospheres containing free 02. These results confirmed and explained industrial operators' observations that thick, smoky (fine spalled magnetite) scales form on SS annealed in low free-02 atmospheres, while thin protective oxide layers form on sheets in atmospheres containing free 02.

Jan 1, 2010

By R. J. Twigg, S. D. Chang

"The production of heavy water, the moderator in a CANDU reactor, is examined following a flow sheet of a typical Canadian plant. The process involves the extraction and concentration of deuterium from natural water through a chemical exchange mechanism with hydrogen sulphide. Consequently, corrosion problems associated with sour environments – the use of hydrogen sulphide - are an everyday problem and have led to the development of a highly refined materials selection and testing program to prevent equipment from failing prematurely.IntroductionHeavy water is a naturally occurring compound in ordinary water and is formed from the combination of two deuterium atoms and one atom of oxygen. Deuterium is a heavy hydrogen atom which has a nucleus of on e proton and one neutron. Hence, heavy water is a combination of heavy hydrogen and oxygen and is chemically known as deuterium oxide. It looks and tastes like ordinary water but it freezes at 3.8°C and boils at 101.4°C. The molecular weight of heavy water is 20 as compared to 18 for ordinary water; the density of heavy water is ten per cent greater than that of ordinary water.Although heavy water and ordinary water exhibit only small differences in their chemical and physical properties, there are large differences in their nuclear properties, the most important of which is the neutron moderating ratio, used to measure the ratio o f the slowing down power to the neutron capture characteristics. For heavy water the ratio is 21000 and for ordinary water it is 50. This high moderating ratio is essential for achieving a high neutron economy. Heavy water is, therefore, chosen as the moderating and heat transport fluid in the CANDU reactor."

Jan 1, 1983

By Rodney L. Williamson

Vacuum arc remelting (V AR) is an industrial metallurgical process widely used throughout the specialty metals industry to cast large alloy ingots. Part of the V AR control problem consists of adjusting arc current to control electrode melt rate which also depends on the electrode temperature distribution. Because the temperature distribution responds very slowly (1-4 hours depending on size and material) to changes in melt power, the melt rate response is history dependent and highly nonlinear. The situation is complicated further because measurement of the electrode temperature distribution is not practical. To solve the problem of accurate, responsive melt rate control. a low order electrode melting model has been developed and incorporated into a V AR process controller. Data from laboratory and industrial tests show that the goal of responsive, accurate melt rate control has been achieved, even when melting under highly dynamic process conditions. Keywords: Vacuum Arc Remelting. Model-Based Control

Jan 1, 2003

By Forrest K. Pence

BENTONITE deposits are known to occur in Texas within the Jackson group of formations. This group represents the uppermost Eocene age sediments found in the coastal plain area of Texas. It outcrops across this area of the state in a narrow band of some 4 to 20 miles width. The outcrop pattern roughly parallels the present Gulf of Mexico shore line and is some 100 miles inland from the Texas shore, Fig 1. The principal bentonite deposits are found in the areas where this outcrop pattern cuts across the south-central Texas counties of Karnes, Gonzales, and Fayette. In these deposits, the better quality bentonite is found in the lower or bottom layers of the volcanic ash deposits in which they occur. Some of these better quality bentonites develop very light colors upon firing and therefore justify their being classified as "white firing." The deposits in Karnes and Gonzales Counties apparently occur in commercial quantity, whereas the white firing strata so far uncovered in Fayette County have been too thin to be classified as yet as "commercial." A study of the ceramic properties of the weathered ash in Gonzales and Karnes Counties was reported in 1941.1

Jan 1, 1949

By K. Krishnapisharody

A mathematical model has been developed to predict the interface dynamics and droplet generation of the buoyant phase in a two-fluid system. The model employs the well-known SIMPLE algorithm for obtaining flow fields and the Volume of Fluid (VOF) method, for interface tracking. The implementation of the model in water-oil systems, where the oil layer is placed above a recirculating water bath, is discussed. The evolution of the water-oil interface leading to the formation of oil droplets is computed realistically.

Jan 1, 2008

By Axel Hultgren

IN ingots of silicon-killed carbon steel made without addition of - aluminum, transparent spherical or nearly spherical inclusions, up to about 0.15-mm diameter, are generally present. They may be glassy or crystallized, wholly or partially. In steels of high carbon contents they consist of silica,4,12 in steels of lower carbon contents arid, in consequence, higher oxygen contents, of iron-manganese-silicate with higher iron and manganese contents the lower the carbon content. Small silicate inclusions, about 0.01 mm or smaller, may occur, just as sulphide inclusions do, in portions that have been the last or nearly the last to freeze,10,12,17 this location being verified by primary etching.10 Hence, it may be concluded that they have separated from liquid steel that has become enriched in oxygen through segregation during freezing. Silicate inclusions with a diameter larger than about 0.02 mm appear, at least in ingots of moderate size, to be distributed at random in relation to the primary structure and therefore may be assumed to have existed as droplets in the liquid steel before freezing started at the point in question. The average size of such large inclusions has been found to increase toward the axis17 and their amount to increase from the top downward in the axial region .2,10 It has been assumed that this accumulation is a result of the droplets being brought down by the slowly settling metal crystals.2 It has been suggested that large silicate inclusions generally form,6 or may form," by coagulation of smaller ones, or by small drops being caught by larger ones during the rising of the latter.9 The occasional occurrence of a large inclusion surrounded by a swarm of small ones has been taken as a proof of this mechanism but, as suggested later, may be explained in another way. It has been pointed out that an inclusion droplet in the liquid steel may grow at the expense of an adjacent one, which implies diffusion of soluble inclusion-forming elements in the liquid steel.15 Further, it has been pointed out that, on cooling in ladle or mold, the metal-silicate equilibrium is displaced in the direction of separation of silicate. Thus inclusions may grow in size and amount.2,3,8,12,13,17,19,20 The exposure of the liquid steel to the oxygen of the air during tapping and pouring, and the consequent reaction, has been mentioned as a source of the formation of inclusions19,20 but this possibility has not received particular attention. Further, the admixture of furnace slag during tapping' or of refractory material from various sources1,20 has been considered. The inclusions due to the latter may be recognized, however, through their resistance to hydrofluoric acid, imparted by the alumina content. Silicate inclusions, are often referred to as. the natural and inevitable product of reaction on adding silicon or silicon

Jan 1, 1948

By D. R. Spears

The Bureau of Mines has investigated the fundamental aspects of shear-flocculation using a rapid, in-situ particle size analyzer. Silica was stirred in the presence of an aliphatic amine to determine the effects of collector coverage, stirring speed, and solids concentration on the kinetics of shear-flocculation. The results showed that shear-flocculation is a two-stage process. In the first stage, mean particle size increased rapidly in the first 1-2 min of reaction; in the second stage, an equilibrium was set up between the rate of floc growth and floc decay. Collector dosage affected the position of the equilibrium by altering the number of surface sites for particle-particle attachment. A minimum stirring speed was necessary for shear-flocculation to occur and was dependent on solids concentration and collector dosage. This speed was the minimum necessary for particles to overcome the electrostatic energy barrier which kept conditioned particles dispersed. Larger particles flocculated more rapidly. At very high stirring speeds, large flocs became unstable, resulting in a narrowed particle size distribution in the slurry.

Jan 1, 1993

By A. D. Hughes

A relatively small area in Malaya, about 200 miles long by 40 miles wide, is the most important source of tin in the world. Some tin is recovered in other parts of the peninsula. Of the tin mined, 98 pct is recovered from alluvial deposits. From 1935 to 1941 the average annual world production of tin was 190,000 tons. The average annual production from Malaya during the same period was 62,000 tons or about one third of the total. Other producing countries, in order of importance, were the Netherlands East Indies 34,000 tons, Bolivia 30,000, Belgian Congo, Nigeria, Siam, Burma, China, and a few others with smaller amounts. The serious shortage of tin during the war period was due to the fact that the Japanese were occupying Malaya, Netherlands East Indies, Siam, Burma, and China which, together, formerly were producing 65 pct of the world supply.

Jan 1, 1949

By W. L. Penberthy, H. J. Ramey

Experimental work on the combustion oil recovery process has consisted of both laboratory and field studies. Although field experiments are the ultimate test of any oil recovery process, they are costly, time consuming and difficult to analyze quantitatively. Laboratory combustion tube experiments can be opertzted far more rapidly and cheaply, but are subject to scaling and interpretation problems. This paper points out some important design problems, operational criteria and considerations in2portunt to interpretation of results. An analytical hcut model of movement of a burning front axiully along a cylinder with heat loss through an annular insulation was developed. The result was used to identify steady-state temperatrrre distributions both ahead of and behind the burning front, with and without heat loss. Results indicate potential operating limitations on the minimum burning front rielocity (or air flux) which may be used for any given combustion tube. Results also enable estimating the effective thermal diffusivity and over-all heat loss from experimental data and thickness of the brnning zone. Resu lts of operation of a combustion tube constructed recently verify this preliminary theory in the region immediately ahead of and behind the burning front surprisinRly well. INTRODUCTION Many field and laboratory studies of the forward combustion oil recovery process have been conducted since the early publications of Kuhn and Kochl and Grant and Szasz2 in 1953 and 1954. In view of the complex and costly nature of this type of investigation, it is not surprising that no complete theory of the nature of the forward combustion Drocess is yet available. However, gross effects are understood well enough that reasonable design procedures are available for planning field operations. Nelson and McNeil 3,4 have published two comprehensive papers concerning design procedures. One major consideration in planning field operations is the fuel concentration at the burning front. Fuel concentration controls air requirements — an important cost factor in forward combustion. Although fuel concentration can be estimated from field test results by various methods, results are subject to great uncertainty in view of natural limitations on experimental observations. Nelson and hlcNeil4 recommend that fuel concentration be determined from laboratory combustion tube studies. Fuel concentration is only one of many important factors which can be studied by combustion tube experimentation. An obvious goal of imporrance must be development of a comprehensive theory of the forward combustion process. If a theory of this process can be established which matches controlled laboratory experimentation, it should be possible to apply this theory to field operating conditions with some confidence. Laboratory combustion tube studies have already yielded important information concerning the combustion process. However, details concerning the design, construction and operation of combustion tubes are rare. Combustion tubes used by various investigators vary in size, length and mode of operation. Therefore, one purpose of this paper is to present considerations important to design, construction and operation of a combustion tube. In regard to previous combustion tube studies, attention is called to Refs. 1 through 9. These references describe a wide variety of equipment types and present a great deal of pertinent experimental data. In general, combustion tubes usually consist of thin-walled stainless steel tubes containing an oil sand pack mounted within a pressure jacket. Provisions have often been made to heat the tube ex tern a lly by separately controlled heaters to reduce heat losses. This step usually permits operation at low air fluxes (air rate per square foot burning front surface) similar to those encountered in field operations. Burning is usually conducted from the air inlet end of the tube to the outflow end. The tube orientation used has been vertical or horizontal. For vertical tubes, burning has been conducted vertically downwards. As a result of laboratory studies, many of the

Jan 1, 1967

By Joseph J. Wallace

1. The Pocahontas No. 3 and Pocahontas No. 6 ere the two most important beds in Mercer County from the standpoint of present production and recoverable reserves. 2. Known measured and indicated reserves in all beds, based on a minimum thickness of 14 inches and 1,800 tons per acre-foot of coal in place, are estimated at 188 million short tons as of January l, 1953. Of this total, 80 million short tons are in beds 28 inches and more thick. Areas in each bed were omitted from the estimate because available data relative to the bed characteristics are too meager to make an estimate that conforms with the definitions of measured and indicated coal adopted for this study. Should future drilling or development prove reserves in these areas, such reserves should be added to the total estimated reserves.

Jan 1, 1954

By Gilligan P

The Selwyn gold-copper operation is wholly owned and operated by the Arimco mining group. The mine is located 150 kilometres south-east of Mount Isa. The primary extraction method for the gold-copper 251 orebody is by sub level open stoping. Secondary extraction is from the mass blasting of the remaining crown and rib pillars. The final mass blast of the 251 orebody occurred in December 1993. This paper details the design and execution of that firing.

Jan 1, 1994

By L. F. Porter, G. J. Dienes

The effect of netltron irracliation on mart ensite transformation in the iron-nickel system was studied by means of electrical resistance and magnetic induction measuremertts. Irradiation lowers the M8 temperature of the allay, causes changes in the electrical and magnetic properties of the high-temperature phase which indicate either an accelemtion of phase separation or a clustering of nickel, and enhances strain recovery on specimens partially transformed to martensite prior to irradiation. Possible mechanisms to account for the effects; are discussed. 1 HERE is a good deal of evidence to indicate that neutron irradiation is capable of affecting phase changes in metals and alloys. While the mechanism of the effect often is not well understood, such studies hold promise of improving our understanding not only of irradiation damage but also of the phase changes involved. To date systematic and detailed investigations have been made of the influence of nuclear radiation on order-disorder transformations in the copper-gold, nickel-manganese, and copper-zinc system, and on precipitation reactions in the copper-iron, nickel-beryllium, and copper-beryllium system.' These solid-state reactions are diffusion controlled and the results can be explained largely on the basis of enhanced diffusion due to the presence of irradiation produced vacancies. Reversion of low-temperature eutectoid phases to the high-temperature phase has been observed in the fissionable uranium-molybdenum and uranium-niobium systems.2 Here it is necessary and logical to postulate a displacement spike mechanism to account for the effect. The only case of irradiation induced diffusionless transformation in metals is the allo-tropic transformation of p to a tin reported by Flee-man and Dienes. 3 They found that neutron irradiation markedly decreases the incubation time for transformation, but the mechanisnl is not well understood. Another diffusionless transformation which one might expect to be influenced by neutron irradiation is the martensite transformation. This transformation is known to be sensitive to strain, structural hardening, and the presence of imperfections.6,7 Since the transformation is diffusionless, one also

Jan 1, 1960

By T. H. North, A. G. Glover, R. J. Pick

"Girth welding operations represent the rate-limiting step in pipeline construction. A joint industry-university program was set up to establish the field welding characteristics of large-diameter, high-strength line pipe.Theoretical work carried out at the University of Waterloo showed that pipe wall thickness and joint misalignment prior to welding has a marked influence on the lifting stresses acting on the root pass of girth welds. Pipe diameter and pipe ovality had negligible effects. Super-position of lifting and residual stress (caused by the fusion welding operation) highlighted regions of the weld bead most susceptible to hydrogen-induced cracking.The field welding characteristics of 1219-mm-diameter, 13.72-mm-wt Grade 483 line pipe were evaluated using a specially designed test rig. The principal test variables were lift height, delay time after root pass deposition, preheat temperature, pipe composition and joint misalignment prior to welding. For any given life, preheat and joint misalignment prior to welding had the most significant effect on cracking tendency.The output of this program has industrial significance and illustrates the beneficial features of university-industry collaboration.IntroductionField welding operations comprise the rate-limiting step during pipeline construction. Crack-free girth welds must be made in a wide range of weather conditions and consequently the field weldability of line pipe compositions directly affects pipeline integrity and construction economics.Pipe-laying practice comprises root bead deposition followed by a skidding operation involving lifting (or lowering) the pipe length onto skid s so that the next pipe length can be aligned prior to welding. Consider pipeline construction using 24.4-m lengths of 1219-mm-diameter , 13.72-mm-wt Grade 483 pipe weighing approximately 10,000 kg. Skidding involves loading a 3-mm-thick root bead by moving the free end of the pipe through vertical distances of up to 700 mm . The likelihood of cracking in these circumstances depends on the inherent crack susceptibility of the pipe composition employed, on the hydrogen content of the deposited weld metal and on how well the joint handles the external stressing caused byskidding."

Jan 1, 1981

By M Dixon, T OÆShannessy

Melbourne Water (MW) is responsible for a section of existing gravity trunk sewer servicing the Melbourne central business district, Docklands, Port Melbourne and other adjacent areas, known as the Melbourne Main Sewer (MMS). MW has determined that the 2.2 km long 110 year old sewer will not adequately service these areas into the future or provide the level of reliability needed. The Melbourne Main Sewer Replacement project (MMSR) involves the replacement of the MMS with a new gravity sewer main and six key manhole shafts, known as the Melbourne Main Reliever (MMR).The majority of the MMR sewer tunnel is situated south of the Yarra River and will be constructed using an earth pressure balance (EPB) tunnel boring machine (TBM) and will be lined with precast concrete segments. The tunnel will be 2.4 m internal diameter and will have a 1.8 m diameter glass fibre reinforced plastic (GRP) sewer pipe positioned within it. This project represents the first large-scale, modern, mechanised tunnel project in MelbourneÆs Yarra Delta Quaternary sediments. There is little precedence known to the authors of similar scale tunnelling projects in these particular geological units. During the recent detailed investigation and design stages of the project, significant effort has been spent on characterising the geotechnical conditions along the alignment and predicting the effects of the new tunnel on the existing environment. Some of the key design issues that have been identified and managed through the design process include short-term surface settlement due to tunnel excavation and the predicted effects on surface infrastructure, potential spalling of the steel fibre reinforced concrete segments under full TBM ram loads and tunnel lining design in geological units with highly variable stiffness.Construction of the new MMR sewer tunnel is expected to commence in mid-2008 with a capital cost of approximately $160 million. Sewer system commissioning is scheduled for completion by early 2012.

Jan 1, 2008

By L. A. Homeniuk, R. Bonnar

"The Fond-du-Lac uranium deposit is located on the northern rim of the Athabasca Basin. The uranium mineralization is, for the most part, confined to the Athabasca Group, which is underlain by pre-Helikian metamorphic rocks of the Western Craton.The deposit is characterized by a remarkable train of mineralized glacial erratics which led to the original discovery. The mineralization is present as a ""high-grade"" core and a diffuse ""low-grade"" aureole. The ""high-grade"" core occurs as a stockwork of steeply dipping pitchblende veins which strike N 50°E. Hematite, siderite and secondary silicate are also abundant. The ""low-grade"" aureole contains uraniferous goethite, argillaceous material and rare carbon buttons. Recent alteration to coffinite has taken place along the margins of pre-existing ore minerals.The ""high-grade"" core is 390 m long and 10 to 40 m wide, and is surrounded by an irregularly shaped zone of ""low-grade"" mineralization with a similar length and a width of up to 350 m.Comparing the Fond-du-Lac deposit to other unconformity-type deposits, several important differences can be noted:1. Ninety per cent of the ore is above the unconformity, in the Athabasca sandstone.2. The deposit is not associated with underlying graphitic rocks or a major structure.3. The clay-rich alteration zone is not extensive around the Fond-du-Lac deposit.Although there are differences with other Athabasca unconformity-type deposits, the high-grade portion below the unconformity suggests a common origin.The ore deposit is postulated to have been formed from uranium-bearing solutions which entered the stockwork of fractures. Following the reduction in part of these solutions by pre-existing carbonaceous matter and pyrite and/or chemical reaction with pre-existing hematite, deposition continued as a result of decreasing temperature and pressure. Subsequently, minor supergene redistribution of the uranium has taken place."

Jan 1, 1982

By L. A. Homeniuk, R. Bonnar

"The Fond-du-Lac uranium deposit is located on the northern rim of the Athabasca Basin. The uranium mineralization is, for the most part, confined to the Athabasca Group, which is underlain by pre-Helikian metamorphic rocks of the Western Craton.The deposit is characterized by a remarkable train of mineralized glacial erratics which led to the original discovery. The mineralization is present as a ""high-grade"" core and a diffuse ""low-grade"" aureole. The ""high-grade"" core occurs as a stockwork of steeply dipping pitchblende veins which strike N 50°E. Hematite, siderite and secondary silicate are also abundant. The ""low-grade"" aureole contains uraniferous goethite, argillaceous material and rare carbon buttons. Recent alteration to coffinite has taken place along the margins of pre-existing ore minerals.The ""high-grade"" core is 390 m long and 10 to 40 m wide, and is surrounded by an irregularly shaped zone of ""low-grade"" mineralization with a similar length and a width of up to 350 m.Comparing the Fond-du-Lac deposit to other unconformity-type deposits, several important differences can be noted:1. Ninety per cent of the ore is above the unconformity, in the Athabasca sandstone.2. The deposit is not associated with underlying graphitic rocks or a major structure.3. The clay-rich alteration zone is not extensive around the Fond-du-Lac deposit.Although there are differences with other Athabasca unconformity-type deposits, the high-grade portion below the unconformity suggests a common origin.The ore deposit is postulated to have been formed from uranium-bearing solutions which entered the stockwork of fractures. Following the reduction in part of these solutions by pre-existing carbonaceous matter and pyrite and/or chemical reaction with pre-existing hematite, deposition continued as a result of decreasing temperature and pressure. Subsequently, minor supergene redistribution of the uranium has taken place."

Jan 1, 1982

By A E Reschke

The high-shear colloidal mixer is generally recognised as the most efficient method of mixing cement based grouts. Only recently however has this technology been applied to the production of cemented rockfill (CRF) for use in underground mines in North America. Traditionally, paddle type mixers have been used to produce the cement based slurries required for the preparation of CRF. While considerable success has been achieved with these mixers, tremendous advantages are attained with the colloidal mixer. The combined effect of the highly efficient mixing action and the ability to mix low water/solids ratios, allows for reductions in the cement content for a given strength requirement. Cement can also be replaced by cheaper fillers such as flyash, resulting in further cost savings. Although large-scale dedicated CRF hatching plants are typical, there is a growing need for mobile plants capable of operating anywhere underground. The compact size and rapid hatching speed of high-shear colloidal mixers has allowed them to be incorporated into skid mounted systems capable of producing and discharging cement based slurries onto rockfill aggregate for the production of CRF. In many cases run-of-mine development waste can be used as CRF aggregate with these slurry plants thereby reducing the cost of waste rock removal. These relatively low cost portable plants have now allowed several mines to economically rccmer isolated pillars and realise positive returns on their investment.

Jan 1, 1998

By Prashanta K. Chatterjee

The planning of an underground coal mine requires a complex blend of technical expertise, experience and subjective design criteria implemented by the mining engineer. Currently the procedure is largely manual and requires considerable resources to generate a single mine plan. Often three or four people are assigned to work in the development of a single draft layout. Evaluation of the layouts is also tedious as it requires many repetitive calculations. The evaluation of layouts developed manually generally attempts to derive a single economically feasible solution. Operational constraints in underground coal mining such as manpower, time, equipment, etc, do not allow the generations of more than one alternative layout. As a result, the first plan is generally the only one considered. Computer-aided mine planning can automate many of the manual procedures and calculations involved in mine planning thus allowing to evaluate many layouts and mining strategies and to select the optimum plan with confidence. An optimized planning procedure will also provide the capability to evaluate mine performance continuously and critically, thereby helping to maximize return on investment.

Jan 1, 1986