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By Larry A. Haas

Carbonyl sulfide (COS) was decomposed to sulfur and CO in a silent electrical discharge. A threshold of about 4 kv at 60 Hz was required to dissociate the gas in a laboratory ozonizer at 790 torr with electrode gaps between 1 and 5.5 mm. Above the threshold value, the reaction rate increased with increasing voltage with helium or nitrogen diluent. With the latter diluent, higher voltages had to be applied to obtain the same yield in the 4-to 12-kv range. The COS decomposition rate increased with COS concentration, but a saturation value was reached at about 10 pct COS. The reaction rate decreased at low linear gas velocities as obtained at lower gas flows, larger electrode gaps, or larger reactor volumes. Increasing gas temperature also decreased the decomposition rate. The presence of solid adsorbents such as quartz wool, bauxite, or charcoal had no significant effect on the reaction rate. The addition of S02 did not affect the COS decomposition rate, but small amounts of water decreased the reaction rate. Over 50 pct of the COS was decomposed at room temperature and atmospheric pressure in a l7-kv ozonizer using a gas containing 0.9 pct COS in helium flowing at a rate of 0.3 liter/min. The average current was less than 5 ma. This method has possible application in eliminating the toxic air pollutant, COS, which is generated in petroleum refineries and in processes involving reactions between sulfurous and carbonaceous materials. Carbon monoxide that is formed can be further oxidized to CO2 after the collection of elemental sulfur.

Jan 1, 1972

By James C. Barker

Unverified reports of rare earth element (REE) concentrations in gold placers and radioactive mineral prospects in the Zane Hills were investigated by the U.S. Bureau of Mines as part of the Alaska critical minerals program. REE is reported to occur in dredge concentrates at the Hogatza mine and up to 1.2 pct REE was previously analyzed in alkalic syenite (bostonite) dikes marginal to the pluton. In addition, numerous thorium-rich veins, explored for their uranium content but unevaluated for REE, occur on the western margin of the Zane Hills. The Bureau mapped and sampled all of the reported or suspected REE occurrences. Dredge concentrates contain abundant uranothorianite, a mineral species which incorporates cerium subgroup REE. Bostonite dikes occur in conjunction with a multi-phased zoned alkalic intrusion, however, no significant REE concentrations were found. Thorium-rich veins contain nil to 0.5 pct Y but resource potential is limited by this relatively low grade, the ultimate low tonnage potential, and the lack of uranium as a major economic element. The Zane Hills exhibit attractive exploration targets for uranium deposits, primarily in a sedimentary form. Gold may be found peripheral to the pluton in both placer and lode deposits. Resource potential of REE, however, appears limited to a placer by-product of REE-Zr-Ti that is recoverable only during large scale gold placer mining. Placer exploration of the lower Wheeler and Dakli Creeks is suggested.

Jan 1, 1991

Assuming that a gold ore has been effectively ground to ensure maximum economic liberation of gold, the circuits that will have the most effect on the successful operation of a gold plant will be that of the leaching and carbon-in-pulp circuit (CIP). The reagent and utilities operating costs associated with leaching, adsorption, elution and regeneration would typically make up some 15% of total operating cost, whilst the capital costs associated with these areas is about 16% of the total. Although not largest (capital and operating costs associated with comminution are generally dominant) these items represent a significant proportion of capital and operating cost. Much more importantly, these plant areas represent the primary gold recovery process and their technical and operational efficiencies will have a significant impact on overall plant efficiency. The objective during process design of these sections is thus to develop a design which provides maximum technical and economic efficiency and which is robust to potential changes in ore throughput, mineralogical characteristics and head-grade. Experience has shown that, particularly for longer life and higher-grade projects typical of the South African underground gold mining industry, small changes in recovery and efficiency have a significant value over the life of the project.

Jan 1, 1999

Operational effectiveness is fundamental to any operation, becoming highly topical in those experiencing less than optimal output from their fleets. It is all encompassing aiming to identify those factors that could be improved within production and suggesting solutions in order to optimise the existing fleet and obtain the greatest capital return on expenditure.Argyle Diamond Mine (ADM) is a large open cut diamond mine located in the East Kimberley region of Western Australia, approximately 180 km south of Kununurra. It is owned and operated by Rio Tinto on a two week on/two week off roster fly-in/fly-out from Perth or drive in/drive out from Kununurra. Through benchmarking the operation between January and June 2002, a study was undertaken allowing identification of areas falling below target. Following this, analysis of annualised hours and production downtimes were undertaken to quantify the potential gains of improvements in these areas. Strategies were then identified as stated in the 2002 mine plan, in operational effectiveness meetings, and by staff members. This project aimed to maximise direct working hours through determination of the main issues hindering performance. External and internal factors were considered and a continuous improvement program (CIP) was developed. The CIP aimed at internal site-based improvement teams to identify and implement solutions for improvement on a day-to-day basis.

Jan 1, 2003

By H. Richard Eisenbeis, Donna M. Watkins

Many technical professionals (tp)* desire to occupy upper level management positions. But career paths for most scientists and engineers do not extend beyond their specific disciplines. This is unfortunate. Our technical frontiers are expanding so rapdily that it is difficult, if not impossible, to make sound top management decisions without understanding the technical complexities involved. Technical professionals often are not considered for upper level management positions because they lack the managerial and interpersonal skills necessary to become successful administrators. You've heard this before, but a key component of these skills is the ability to communicate. Technical professionals are often unable to communicate as well as they should with nontechnical professionals and nonprofessionals within the organizations that employ them. Communication is important for managerial success Communication is the network of interactions whereby knowledge and understanding are conveyed from one social set to another (Flippo and Munsinger, 1982). In order to be successful, managers must not only be "good" communicators, they must be "effective" communicators as well. Good communication occurs when managers are able to formulate and transmit their messages in such a way that they are received and understood. Effective communication goes one step further: It occurs when recipients accept messages as legitimate and respond to these messages in the manner desired. Before promotion into upper level positions, managers must have developed organizational skills (planning, decision making, organizing, and controlling) and interpersonal skills (directing, influencing, and motivating). Applying these skills effectively is difficult without a highly refined ability to communicate. Effective communication, then, is basic to managerial success. Nowhere, perhaps, has the importance of being able to communicate effectively been emphasized more than in Mintzberg's landmark study of managerial roles (Mintzberg, 1973). Mintzberg's results indicate that executives typically averaged 36 written and 16 verbal contacts a day. These contacts were both important and trivial. They generally occurred in a random manner. Time spent on each varied. Scheduled meetings averaged over an hour. Desk work, telephone calls, and unscheduled meetings required an average of 15 minutes or less. Why technical professionals have difficulty communicating Three reasons why technical professionals do not communicate well are: • The work motivational patterns and personal attitudes of technical professionals are not conducive to effective communication. • Students in technical professions are not encouraged by educational institutions to develop their communication skills. • Organizations do not insist that all technical professionals be able to communicate in the language of business. The work motivational patterns of most technical professionals are indicative of internals and high achievers (Hunt, Salisbury, and Whittington, 1968). As internals, they believe they control their own destinies. As high achievers, they believe that task accomplishment is a primary indicator of success. To ensure a task is completed in the manner desired, tp's attempt to structure and define work situations so they alone are responsible for results. TPs consider the task accomplished when they, and perhaps other tp's, are satisfied with the results. From the tp's perspective, the task may have been completed. From a communication standpoint, two other factors may apply. First, solving the problem required very little interaction (and thus, communication) with others. Second, the tp's, considering the task accomplished, have little concern for how their "technical" answers will be translated to nontechnical persons needing

Jan 8, 1987

By P. L. Swanson, F. M. Boler

The U.S. Bureau of Mimes conducts research at the Galena Mine, Wallace, ID, with the aim of mitigating the effects of rock bursting. Destress blasting is commonly used as a stress control technique at the mine. A digital seismic array and an array of borehole pressure cells (BPC's) had been installed near the site of a stope undergoing mining and periodic destressing. The instrumentation was being monitored at the time of a destress blast of the 46-99 stope. No significant seismic events occurred coincident with the destress. However, the destress was followed by a 21/2-week period of increased seismic activity, including two damaging events on February 7, 1990, at 034500 (hour, minute, and second) and 122020 Pacific standard time. BPC measurements indicated coseismic ground pressure changes on the order of 200 to 300 kPa associated with the damaging events. Fault plane solutions and dislocation models established that stress changes induced by the event at 034500 may have been significant in promoting the occurrence of the event at 122020. Theoretical investigations suggest that applying knowledge of the existing stress field, an understanding of rock burst mechanics, and fracture mechanics principles can improve destress effectiveness.

Jan 1, 1993

By J. Daavittila, P. Jokinen, M. Honkaniemi

In the latter part of the 1980?s Outokumpu Chrome in Tornio, Finland, was in a situation when its twenty-year-old ferrochrome plant was becoming inefficient to sustain economically sound production. The company made extensive studies on the then available processing methods to find out the best possible processing route. As a result the whole plant was practically rebuilt and expanded. When equipment was proven in practical operation an application for FeMn production was developed. Now when Tornio FeCr-plant is considering the expansion the same type of exercise is to be performed with today?s challenges, which will be discussed in the paper. These challenges include increasing costs or decreasing quality of raw materials, increasing energy costs, stricter environmental regulations and demand of better working conditions. The possibilities to respond to these challenges will be discussed in the paper. The future and continuing development with FeCr includes the better utilization of process dusts and a lower consumption of energy. By adapting the latest automation tools to better control of the process even higher efficiencies can be achieved with present technology. New processes are considered for development in the future and some possible technologies will be described.

Jan 1, 2004

By M. E. Tyrrell

To promote greater use of abundant domestic raw materials in the manufacture of synthetic mullite, the Bureau of Mines has undertaken a comprehensive investigation to determine the effects of the impurity oxides TiO2, Fe203, and alkali on physical properties of sintered mullite-forming mixtures. The first part of the report presents the results of work covering a major area within the mullite study; namely, the effect of impurity oxides on volume stability, one of the outstanding characteristics of mullite refractories. The volume stability of 20 compositions in each of 3 alumina- to-silica ratios, which blanket the range commonly found in purchase specifications, has been determined following procedures of Navy Specifications B-15606 A for Grade A high-alumina refractories. Results indicated that so long as 5 percent of impurities are combined approximtely in the proportions of 3 percent Ti02, 1 percent Fe203, and 1 percent alkali, sintered mullite-forming compositions in the almina to silica range tested will be volume stable. A permissible tolerance of one-half per- cent in each impurity oxide provides a range that includes values common in the natural minerals from which sintered mullite may be made. Within the total range of 5-percent impurity mixtures, a greater number of volume-stable compositions were obtained by increasing the alumina-silica ratio.

Jan 1, 1962

By Linli Wu

During the measurement of contact angle, a misty band was observed near the substrate. Hsien-Nan Ho and Shinn-Tyan Wu thought this was because the oxygen atoms on the interface migrate to the droplet surface to form an oxide band near the substrate. But from our experiments misty band appeared before the drop reach to the substrate. Theoretically speaking, the oxygen partial was the same everywhere in the vacuum furnace. So there was no condition to provide enough oxygen forming oxide. This appearance would be explained more reasonably with the optics principle. Most reflected light would be absorbed by the substrate and the light cannot reach the observation area, so the misty band formed.

Jan 1, 2006

By F. Hassani

This Paper describes a sudden spill of rock waste used for backfilling from a waste pass at one of the underground mine in Canada thus causing a major failure/accident. The mine operator immediately launched a detailed investigation to understand the causes of this accident and develop procedures to prevent any recurrence of such events in future. The investigators from McGill University were invited to collaborate with the engineers at the mine to examine this accident. The events leading to the accident were studied and appropriate measurements were taken and samples of the waste material was collected for further test and analysis. The field visit and the interview of the witnesses allowed a detail documentation of the events. The sequences of events related to the incident together with the experimental results obtained in the course of the investigation is detailed. The waste material was characterised in the laboratory with regard to its behaviour in the presence of water. This information is then discussed and the failure mechanism involved in this accident is identified. The full recommendation as well as the immediate operational measures implemented by the mine to prevent future occurrence of such events are discussed and presented.

May 1, 2003

By Vernon K. Garrett, Gerhard Sauer

INTRODUCTION Generations of tunneling engineers had to fight not only against bursting rock and squeezing ground but also against the destroying power of water. Intrusion of groundwater into the tunnel opening affects the stability of the tunnel support system, reduces the safety of the traffic inside the tunnel, induces corrosion of installed equipment, and provides for creeping currents at electric facilities. Aware of these problems, engineers of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority and their consultants opened the way for a new approach in sealing a tunnel. It was made possible by accepting a new method of tunnel construction scarcely applied in the U.S. before. This new technique, the New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM), provided the basis for the successful installation of a PVC-membrane between two separated shells of tunnel lining, and the carefully directed drainage of groundwater. Beside of the economic benefits already attained by applying the NATM for tunnel construction, the Authority now saves millions of dollars otherwise necessary to maintain the tunnel during its lifetime (Garrett, 1986; Setzer, 1986). But there is a large number of leaking tunnels built according to conventional methods, some of them facing severe problems jeopardizing the safe utilization of these structures. Recently developed methods indicate that even those tunnels can be rehabilitated without extensive costs by draining and sealing them afterwards. A road tunnel in the Austrian Alps provides the scene for a major attempt to convert one of those leaking tunnels into a dry structure.

Jan 1, 1987

By H. G. Denkhaus

Please allow me the temerity to reply to your reply to my contribution as follows: A fracture is brittle if plastic deformation is absent or, conversely a fracture is ductile if plastic deformation is present. Consequently, brittleness is specified by the degree of plastic deformation at fracture. This is the generally accepted definition. If other material properties (e.g. the quorient or the product of the uniaxial compressive and tensile strengths) under certain conditions are influenced by brittleness, or brittleness by them, these should not be called brittleness. If the one or the other author does that, he simply uses imprecise language. Even your remark, that ?Inyang and Pitt (1990) stated that the ratio of the compressive strength (sc/st) is directly proportional to brittleness?, confirms that the two quantities are not considered the same. For example:? The well known definition that a material is linear?elastic if the strain is directly proportional to the stress?does not mean that stress (measured in MPa) and strain (measured in %) are the same thing.

Jan 1, 2003

By Mostafa Mossaad, Ali Helwa, Manal Salem

Support of excavation (SOE) design practice tends to model SOE elements using two-dimensional (2D) analyses to avoid the complexity associated with three-dimensional (3D) analyses. Such practice overlooks soil arching in the horizontal plane and prevents designers from accounting for elements such as capping beams as part of the statical system. This study simulates square excavations supported by cantilever slurry walls in dry cohesionless soil using 2D and 3D finite element (FE) models. First, side support wall behavior is compared from 2D and 3D FE models for variable excavation length to depth (L/H) ratios. Second, the effect of slurry wall lateral bending stiffness on wall behavior is studied by modeling the wall using plate element with isotropic and anisotropic wall stiffness. Finally, the sensitivity of cantilever wall behavior to the presence of capping beam is illustrated. The study concludes that unbraced excavations with L/H ratios greater than 5 almost resemble plane-strain conditions. Slurry walls are better simulated in 3D FE models by dividing the plate element into discrete panels or by assigning anisotropic bending stiffness to the plate element. Finally, the presence of capping beam affects the behavior of cantilever walls resulting in reduction of deflections and redistribution of bending moments. INTRODCUTION Support of excavation (SOE) design practice ranges in complexity from conducting simple hand calculations to performing three dimensional numerical modeling depending on several factors among which is the geometry of the design problem. This paper addresses walls that are designed using numerical modeling, and discusses the factors governing the choice of the most suitable modeling approach. It has been believed for a while that modeling excavations using 2D numerical models would lead to a more conservative solution, which turned out to be incorrect in specific cases. This paper attempts to describe cases where 2D finite element modeling could be on the conservative side and other cases where it could be less conservative than the more complex 3D modeling.

Jan 1, 2018

By P. J. Rider

Diamond Value Management?s objective is to achieve $/ton revenue improvement across De Beers group mines. The respective %improvement contributions are measured against targets set by each of the operations. Degree of target achievement is measured via a maturity model at each operation. DVM comprises seven elements. It spans several value chain facets and various collaborative projects are conducted under its umbrella. New technologies in De Beers are also evaluated from a DVM perspective.

Jan 1, 2003

By Alan Zeni

Blind shaft drilling equipment has not changed substantially since the 1970s. Since it resides in a niche market between conventional shaft sinking and raise boring, the relatively small demand has resulted in some stagnation of development. In the 1990s the technology found a larger foothold in foundation and deep piling work for civil construction. WIRTH GmbH from Erkelenz, Germany has been servicing this market for many years with pile top drilling rigs and tools. Frontier-Kemper Constructors, Inc. recently entered into an agreement with WIRTH to develop a new generation of large diameter blind drilling equipment more specifically aimed at mining needs. The, recently completed, DHI-240 is the first rig to apply the most recent technology. This machine made its commercial debut in the fall of 2008. A description of the technology and a short case study of the first project will be described

By John Hoelle

Coal mines in southern West Virginia, south-western Virginia and eastern Kentucky have experienced coal bumps at least since 1933. Most of the bumps have occurred due to high cover, strong roof and floor strata and stress concentrations due to the mining sequence. A longwall mine in eastern Kentucky first experienced coal bumps on the tailgate side of the longwall face in 1989. The bumps continued until 1996. The bumps were the result of: Thick overburden up to 2200 feet Strong roof and floor (strata strengths up to 25,600 psi UCS and elasticity modulus up to 4,800,000 psi Previous over-mining in places Sandstone channels Not all characteristics occurred simultaneously. The bumps produced seismic events recorded up to 4.3 (Richter scale magnitude), and damaged pillars that were up to 147 by 152 feet in size.

Jan 1, 2008

By Po-Ming Lin

Stress has a significant effect on the stability of pillars. In order to get an accurate picture of pillar stability, one needs information not only on the primary Stress distribution but also on all the Subsequent Stress changes as time passes. Sonic methods are some of the fastest, most economical and least destructive means of stress prediction. The wave propagation velocity has long been applied to the investigation of the upper mantle and crust stress. Recently, it has also been applied to the prediction of rock bursts and to mine site investigations. Another parameter for investigating stresses in rocks is the attenuation coefficient. Attenuation has been observed to be more sensitive to stress changes than wave velocity; however, the measurement of attenuation is more difficult than that of wave velocity. In this paper, the mechanism of sonic attenuation in rock is reviewed. Both the velocity and the attenuation of sound waves in five different rock types under various stress fields were examined in the laboratory. It was found that for a specific rock type the relationship between the velocity ratio and stress, as well as that between the attenuation coefficient ratio and stress, can be expressed by simplified second order polynomial equations.Research showed the attenuation coefficient to be more sensitive to stress change than the velocity ratio. A field investigation method was proposed using a Schmidt hammer as a repeatable energy source. Initial trials appeared to show that monitoring by the wave attenuation method gave more repeatable data than monitoring wave velocity.

Jan 1, 1984

By Hossein Aminian, Daniel Hodouin, Claude Bazin, Claude Jacob

"Solvent extraction followed by electrowinning (SXEW) is an economical option for the processing of low grade and oxidized copper ore. Phenomenological models were developed to simulate the copper solvent extraction and the electrowinning processes. The two models were linked together to make a SX/EW simulator. The simulator is used to predict the operation of the mines Gaspe pilot plant put in operation in 1996. Results confirm the potential of the simulation that would subsequently be used for student training, process optimization and to assess the performances of control strategies.INTRODUCTIONSolvent extraction followed by electrowinning (SXEW) has become in the last two decades a key process for the recovery of copper from solution obtained by leaching low grade copper ore. Several operations have been commissioned in North and South Americas in the last decade (Arbiter, 1994). In Canada, Gibraltar Mine (Scott, 1991) operates a SX plant followed by electrowinning (EW) to produce copper cathode from leached low-grade ore dumps. From 1996 to 1997 Mines Gaspe operated a pilot plant to test the economical feasibility of leaching an oxidized copper ore, followed by solvent extraction and electrowinning of copper. Despite copper SX/EW processes have the reputation of being low cost operations, plant engineers should always look at way to make the plant more efficient. Process models provide an economic platform to learn, control and ultimately optimize the operation of a plant.Several models have been independently proposed to simulate the SX process (Cadman and Hsu, 1970; Medina Gomez, 1980; Wilkinson and Ingham, 1983; Garcia et al., 1988; Aminian et al., 1997) and the EW process (Bryson, 1981; Barton and Scott, 1992; Barton and Scott, 1993). However few papers, if any, deal with the integration of the two process models into a single simulator of a SX-EW plant. This paper describes the development of an integrated simulator for the SX-EW process and shows some steady-state simulation runs of an actual SX-EW pilot plant. The paper consists of four sections. The first section shows the general layout and principles of operation of a SX-EW plant.The second section describes the SX model while the third section deals with the process model used for the copper electrowinning process. The last section shows how the two process models are linked to simulate the operation of the Gaspe pilot plant."

Jan 1, 1999

By C. Carlson, W. Muir

"The oxygen demand of the complex lead-zinc-iron feed at the Cyuro Anvil concentrator was determined denendent on the cyanide ion con-contration of the pulp. By redistribution of the cyanide [ ] the grinding circuit in direct proportion to the amount of surface area created, a more activated flotation feed in obtained.Monitoring the oxygen demand of the flotation feed and grinding mill discharge has proved useful in diagnosing metallurgical problems day to day operation."

Jan 1, 1976

By Nino Catalano

The combination of two top levels of cross-lot braces designed and installed to act as a truss, and vertical post-tensioning of the panels allow the unbraced excavation of a 36' span. Philosophy of Excavation Support System The excavation of interest is for the cut-and-cover box sections of the southern approach to the Third Harbor Tunnel, which is part of the Central Artery/Tunnel project in Boston, Massachusetts. The 60' deep excavation is located very close to an existing building which is supported by piles, as shown in Figure 1. Therefore, it was necessary to minimize ground movement which may damage the building.

Jan 1, 1994