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By F. Habashi

Chile is at present the largest copper and rhenium producer and was before World War I the largest nitrate producer. She is also an important producer of lithium carbonate and molybdenum oxide. An important event in the history of the country is the Pacific War of 1879-1883 in which she acquired the northern provinces initially belonged to Bolivia and Peru. In 1888 Chile annexed Easter Island. The Chilean mineral and cultural history is briefly reviewed together with the people who contributed to her development. The present report is the result of a number of academic and industrial visits to Chile during the period 1992 to 2009.

Jan 1, 2011

By Kyle W. Charlton

The Bureau of Mines utilizes special testing methods for the analysis of underground mine atmospheres for use during or after mine disasters and fires. These methods depend upon drawing sample gas to the surface through multiple tube bundles with the subsequent analysis of grab samples or the automatic analysis by often remotely located instruments on a continuous, 24-hour basis. During cold weather, low ambient temperature causes condensation and freezing of condensable vapors in the sample which can result in delayed response times or complete blockage of the sample line. This report covers research and resulting development conducted by the Bureau of Mines to produce a reliable method to selectively remove condensable vapors and particulate in the sample gas stream under worst-case field conditions. The effort resulted in two prototype systems which have greater field utility than originally anticipated. The innovative project resulted in two patent applications submitted through the Bureau of Mines.

Jan 1, 1981

By J Whittle

This paper describes what is involved in carrying out a comprehensive optimisation of a long-term operating schedule for a mining complex. It details the data that must be assembled and discusses the different approaches to optimisation and what limitations they put on the variables and constraints that can be handled.CITATION:Whittle, J, 2014. Not for the faint-hearted, in Proceedings Orebody Modelling and Strategic Mine Planning Symposium 2014 , pp 3–6 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Nov 24, 2014

By Samuel P. Polack

This report reviews investigations to determine the fire hazard in coal mining when using flammable petroleum hydraulic oils to actuate mining equipment and summarizes research by the Bureau of Mines and industry on fire-resistant hydraulic fluids. Tests were established to evaluate fire resistance and the necessary characteristics to assure adequate service when fire-resistant fluids are used to replace petroleum hydraulic oils. The research was conducted in the laboratory and field trials under actual operating conditions in underground mines. Bureau of Mines Schedule 30 became effective December 17, 1959; the first approval was granted on February 18, 1960, and the twelfth was granted on March 17, 1961. The approvals include nine ready-mixed (by the producer) fluids and seven concentrates to which water is added by the user according to instructions from the producer. Seven synthetic-type fire-resistant hydraulic fluids submitted by two producers are also approved. Over 100 coal mines are now using water-in-oil emulsion-type fire-resistant hydraulic fluids in varying degrees from a trial in one machine to all the hydraulic equipment in an entire mine.

Jan 1, 1961

By J. S. Coffman

Wyoming is estimated to have more than 700 million tons and Utah more than 2.5 billion tons of +10 percent P2O6 phosphate rock considered to have some future economic potential. In Wyoming, the +24 and +18 percent P205 rock potential resources total nearly 250 and 450 million tons, respectively. In Utah, the +31, +24, and +18 percent rock total approximately 33 million, 222 million, and 2.2 billion tons, respectively. These resources are all located above the local drainage levels and do not include latent resources. All of the mining and beneficiation of phosphate rock in the two States is done by San Francisco Chemical Co. The facilities include open pit mines at Vernal, Utah, and Leefe, Wyo.; an underground mine in the Crawford Mountains, Utah, and beneficiation plants at Leefe and Vernal. One of the principal markets for the phosphate rock is Western Phosphates, Inc., fertilizer plant at Garfield, Utah. Recent exploration and development has been under-taken by different companies in the Southeastern Wind River Range, Sublette Range, and Crawford Mountains. The facilities at Leefe and Vernal are in the process of expansion. Some of the areas of western Wyoming contain vast quantities of phosphate rock in minable units, but, because of their remote location, are classed as latent areas. In these areas, there are estimated to be about 700 million, 2 billion, and 3 billion tons of phosphate rock in the +24, +18, and +10 percent P205 grade classes, respectively. The Snake River Range of Idaho and Wyoming is also estimated to contain roughly 21, 106, 177, and 214 million tons of potential resources in the +31, +24, +18, and +10 grade categories, respectively. This area also contains a large amount of latent rock in the more remote areas.

Jan 1, 1967

By G. V. Campbell, O. T. Holdsworth, M. G. Nelson

A senior design project is required by all accredited mining engineering degree programs. Often referred to as the capstone of a student’s education, this project is expected to include all the important components of the preliminary economic assessment of a mineral prospect, including orebody modeling, grade and reserve estimation, selection of mining and processing methods, preliminary mine design, access and utilities, environmental compliance and reclamation, and financial analysis. Two of the authors (Campbell and Holdsworth) completed a senior project in 2021. They analyzed the Akie zinc deposit located in Canada. This paper summarizes the economic analysis portion of that project. The two primary objectives of this economic analysis were risk reduction and integration of economics and engineering. Addressing risk is important as risk is one of the primary concerns in mining investments. Risk reduction was the primary concern through the entirety of this economic analysis. Integration of financial analysis and engineering design was the first component of a risk reduction design. This allowed for financial and engineering design to be optimized in conjunction with one another. This produced benefits from both a financial and an engineering prospective. From a market, economic, and financial risk perspective, risk was reduced by forecasting multiple metal price scenarios, and then addressing the Akie project’s economic viability at each price point. Lastly, risk was address through consideration of nontraditional financing options. The project also sought to minimize financial and human capital risk, by proposing mutually beneficial cooperative social relationships and favorable work, schedules. Description of that work is not included in this paper.

Mar 2, 2022

By P A. Kirsch, A Hine

Mining is a major global industry that requires the moving of considerable volumes of earth and rock (overburden) to win the valuable ore prior to mineral extraction and processing. As a result of this process, new landscapes are created, both extracted voids and overburden piles, as well as infrastructure for management of mine operations, wastewater, tailings, other raw materials, transportation and extreme rainfall events. Resource companies must develop and obtain regulatory approval for detailed plans that manage this displaced material through all phases of the life-of-mine and rehabilitate the site at the time of closure (including landform stability, revegetation and ongoing management).Individual mine sites operate in long time frames (ten to 50 years), with several mines often operating in the same region, generating cumulative overburden volumes and heavily altering the original landscape. These impacts are universally framed as a negative consequence of the industry, especially by modern society that values natural (and some agricultural) landscapes as pristine and almost sacred. Overburden and tailings are also seen as a problem, and are a significant business cost to mining practice.This paper looks to investigate perceptions of mining and post-mining landscapes, questioning the aesthetically driven emphasis on the ‘natural’. It proposes instead an opportunity to reframe the way we look at overburden and landscape impacts from mining, exploring the possibility of imagined post-mine landscapes unburdened by traditional aesthetic expectations. These landscapes, to be conceived by regional stakeholder roundtables, have the capacity to be built by regional mining consortia as a foundation for sustainable post-mining economies.Post-mine regeneration offers both the motivation and the basic materials to create an altogether new environment from a blank slate. Few circumstances allow the opportunity to truly explore a re-envisioning of the land on a huge scale, and the possibilities merit serious consideration.CITATION:Hine, A?and Kirsch, P?A, 2014. Dreams of futures past – curating post-mining landscapes, in Proceedings Life-of-Mine 2014 , pp 121–138 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 16, 2014

This section presents highlights of world economic and mineral industry performance in 1982, a year characterized by continued recession, and selected 1983 forecasts of economic indicators of importance to the mineral industry, some of which indicate a modest improvement in the economies of the United States and Western Europe. The U.S. Economy in 1982 In 1982 U.S. gross national product (GNP) in current dollars increased at a rate of 4 percent, but GNP adjusted for inflation (real GNP) declined at a rate of 1.8 percent. Yearend 1982 real GNP was at roughly the same level as in 1980 (table 1). Thus no growth in real terms had taken place in the United States during the 1980-82 period.

Jan 1, 1983

By G. W. Jones, R. E. Kennedy

"INTRODUCTION In the manufacture, storage, transportation, and use of combustible gases and vapors, explosion hazards, which at times may be present when air becomes mixed with the gases and vapors, become of primary importance. Such conditions are especially dangerous where large volumes of gaseous atmosphere are involved, because an explosion under such circumstances is capable of doing tremendous damage to both property and personnel.Because of its interest in safety in the mining and allied industries, the Federal Bureau of Mines has investigated, and published results dealing with, the explosibility of various types of combutible atmospheres. The explosion hazards of natural gases have received attention, and results giving the limits of inflammability and ignition temperatures in air have been determined and published. 4/ Other investigations have shown how explosions of natural gas-air mixtures may be prevented by the addition of nitrogen and carbon dioxide. 5/Because of the increased demand for crude oil for war purposes, the application of secondary-recovery methods of stimulating oil production have received considerable attention during the last few years. The process consists in the injection of natural gas into partly depleted oil wells to cause the oil in the sands to flow into producing wells and so increase the amount of recoverable oil. 6/"

Feb 1, 1945

By J. W. Miller

Depletion of coals most suitable for metallurgical fuel has made necessary a general survey of coking coal reserves in the United States. These investigations were begunn 1948 at the joint request of the Munitions Board, Department of Defense, and a number of coal companies. This report, which is one in a series, by counties, describes the preparation characteristics of the coals of Harlan County, Ky. From these data it is possible to determine: (a) Which coals, either as mined or after beneficiation by conventional preparation, are chemically suitable under present standards for producing metallurgical coke, (b) Which coals require special and more intensive treatment in preparation than is now practiced; and (c) Which coals cannot be considered to be potential sources of metallurgical fuel regardless of preparation.

Jan 1, 1955

By Peter M. Watt

The objective s of this paper are: (a ) to examine and discuss the burdens we place on our extractive industry; (b) to compare the levels of taxation in Canada with those in other countries; and ( c) to suggest certain broad parameters within which our taxation policies may be made more rational and stable. Among the burdens identified are taxation, the ownership and use of our resources, environmental issues and the rather emotional issue of so-called 'super profits'. Finally, the paper will address certain broad but key areas of policy which need attention and agreement if our tax system is to be made more rational. Such areas include: whether and if so why the extractive industry should be given incentives;. what circumstances, if any, justify a 'higher' than normal' level of taxation, and, ?if the concept of economic rents is a justifiable one, how might a basis for them be established which recognizes the fluctuating value of much of the industry's output. Note: The paper was written before the 1977 Federal and Provincial budgets were presented. Consequently, the paper does not reflect any changes proposed in these budgets.

Jan 1, 1977

Atlas Copco is one of the worldÆs leading providers of industrial productivity solutions (Atlas Copco, 2009). Furthermore, the company spans 160 markets and held 34 000 employees at the end of 2008. The company is organised under three ætechniquesÆ whereby the Construction and Mining TechniqueÆs business division is located within +rebro, Sweden. This paper is aimed at briefly facilitating information on how the company and more specifically, the Construction and Mining Technique is run. Also, by sharing my experiences, this paper is intended to encourage and motivate students currently studying for a degree relevant to the minerals industry, to apply for this extremely beneficial scholarship. Through a number of presentations relating to the various divisions, products and aftermarket services of the company, I came to realise that Atlas Copco extends beyond simply selling equipment suitable for the mining and civil industries. This tour through Sweden also contained highlights of visiting the Underground Rock Excavation factory, Surface Drilling Equipment factory and Secoroc divisions. I was also fortunate enough to participate in a tour of the LKAB mine in Kiruna. In addition, time was allocated to less industry related activities, and I was able to go dog sledging, sip vodka cocktails out of ice glasses at the Ice Hotel and enjoy traditional Swedish foods of moose and reindeer. Most important and memorable to me; however, was the ability for employees of Atlas Copco to speak of the company and their products with such passion and enthusiasm, which truly made this a motivational and unforgettable experience.

Jan 1, 2009

Jan 1, 1962

By Y Shougu

Many mine accidents will affect the mine ventilation system when they occur. At present, there is a lack of monitoring means to capture the occurrence of accidents in time by monitoring the ventilation system, so as to take emergency measures to reduce the loss of personnel and property. Pressure wave is an elastic wave existing in air. Most accidents in mine will cause obvious changes of pressure wave. It is an innovative idea to monitor the occurrence of accidents in mine by measuring pressure wave. The development and functions of the pressure monitoring device and related software are introduced in detail. The pressure wave monitoring test is carried out in San Xavier underground mining laboratory, and the D-wave and S-wave waveform data are collected. The waveform characteristics are analysed, and the main frequency distribution of the pressure wave is found to be within 1 Hz by using FFT. At the same time, the influence of the propagation distance of the pressure wave on the waveform is analysed. The propagation velocity of D-wave and S-wave are roughly calculated, and they are 279.6 m/s and 397.3 m/s respectively. S-wave is slightly faster than D-wave. Although there are errors and uncertainties in the test, the test verified the feasibility of the existence and collection of pressure waves in the ventilation roadway, and provides a method for the future study of the propagation of pressure waves in the mine ventilation system.

Oct 12, 2022

By Howard N. Eavenson

AN analysis of the bituminous coal situation by an authority who traces the production, mining, safety, markets and labor trends in comparison with other fuels. BEFORE 1918 the production of coal experienced a steady growth, with slight recessions in ouput in only twelve years (1837, 1841, 1852, 1855, 1861, 1874, 1876, 1889, 1894, 1905, 1909, 1914), and in each of these cases the loss was recovered in the following year and the increase continued. In each decade the output was doubled. Prices, while not high, allowed some profit. In 1918 during World War I, an output of 580 million tons was reached and with the exception of 1923 this total was not again reached until 1942, in World War 11. Losses of output in this period were much greater than ever before; in 1932 the total was 270 million tons less than in 1918 or 1923, and the loss after 1923 was not recovered until 1942. The greatest output was 631 million tons in 1947.

Jan 1, 1950

By M I. Roberts

As Australia’s mining industry painfully retrenches, mining executives and managers strive to remain viable by seeking significant productivity increases directly through process improvement and indirectly by improving leadership and workplace culture, the most powerful determinant of productivity. Culture is the combination of people’s attitudes and behaviour, together with leadership values and focus.Comprehensive new and automated data collection and management systems promise much for improving productivity, yet despite rapid advances in measurement and sharing of data, the use of data can reduce productivity unless behavioural aspects are considered and designed as part of implementation. This is because systems drive behaviour that in turn shapes attitudes to determine culture.Experience from many mine sites and other industries in three countries confirm that the most powerful drivers of people’s behaviour are the Measurement-Analysis-Reporting system and business leadership.This paper discusses fundamentals of practical, statistically valid process measurement, analysis and reporting systems before discussing associated leadership considerations for sustained improvement in safety, productivity, employee retention, leadership, accountability and commercial returns.The key to productivity improvement is improving core processes and important support processes. In turn, the key to process improvement is identifying the major process components and their interaction by measuring and then analysing their variation and level of performance. Understanding variation is often neglected yet is usually highly significant. It is essential that the fundamentals of statistically valid yet practical process and data analysis are understood and incorporated into system design to ensure productive, informed behaviour.The design and use of Measurement-Analysis-Reporting systems influences behaviour most profoundly and determines people’s effectiveness. Behavioural aspects are detailed by focusing on six primary drivers of human behaviour and five basic systems for managing businesses. These are integrated in a seven-step process and productivity improvement methodology that combines statistical, analytical, systems and behavioural factors.The paper includes development, implementation and tracking of a project plan for improving management and leadership systems to drive aligned behaviours. This key leadership responsibility is essential for improving performance to get the most from capital while providing people with the opportunity to develop greater autonomy, which is essential for self-discipline, responsibility, initiative and accountability.CITATION:Roberts, M I, 2015. Integrating measurement, systems and leadership to build safe, productive cultures, in Proceedings Third International Future Mining Conference, pp 73–82 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Nov 4, 2015

By R. L. Dunsmore

Introduction If one had been called upon to describe petroleum oil refining seventy-five years ago, he could have acceded to the request quite satisfactorily in about fifteen minutes. Fifteen years ago, an hour and a half would have been sufficient to give a general idea of oil refining, and of the equipment used for this purpose. Today, so extensive has been the research into all phases of the refining and manufacturing of petroleum products, and so rapid the strides in improvement in technique and equipment, that I doubt if a week would suffice to give an adequate outline of ail the ramifications of present-day oil refining. I propose to only 'hit the high spots', dealing particularly with the equipment and methods employed at the Imperoyal refinery, which you are to visit. Crude oil, the refiner's raw material, contains essentially only two elements, hydrogen and carbon. These are not present in the free state but are combined in various proportions as 'hydrocarbons'. A given crude oil is not made up of just one hydrocarbon, but of myriads; some solid, others liquid, and still others gaseous at atmospheric temperature and pressure, ail dissolved one in the other. Moreover, the nature and the relative amounts of the several hydrocarbons vary very considerably in crude oils from different sources. That is, a 'crude' from Oklahoma will contain hydrocarbons not present in crude from Mexico, and is different again from the Venezuela crude. Not only this but oil in a certain well in, say, Peru may be differently constituted from that in a well half a mile distant from it.

Jan 1, 1931

By A T. Spathis, M G. Wheatly

Some preliminary dynamic pressure data were obtained from several charges detonated in a tunnel situated in massive granite rock. The context of the work is the potential for desensitisation of explosives, failure of detonators, and sympathetic detonation due to the close proximity of inter-hole and inter-deck explosive charges to each other. Dynamic pressures were measured using piezoelectric gauges in water-filled 45 mm diameter holes adjacent to the charges. Some of the first arrival peak pressures were noisy, and although not fully resolved, may be due to reflections and the physical arrangement of the transducers and their size with respect to the monitoring holes. The estimated peak pressures were between 0.1 to 8.7 MPa at approximate distances of 2.8 to 0.8 m, respectively. Further work is planned with gauges that are disposable, have a higher pressure range, and can be used within a few borehole diameters rather than the piezoelectric gauges used in the present work.

Jan 1, 2016

By Paul R. Thomas

The Bureau of Mines evaluated the impact of the depletion allowance upon the economic availability of copper from domestic deposits. The potential long-run percentage depletion deduction, cumulated over the life of the properties, was estimated at approximately $2.5 billion for producing properties and up to $11.7 billion for nonproducers. The income transfer, in the form of higher Federal income tax payments if the allowance were repealed, was estimated at $1.5 billion for producing properties and up to $8 billion for nonproducers. The percentage depletion allowance, through its role in determining Federal income tax liability, was found to be very significant in affecting profitability. Repeal of the allowance could result in major domestic copper availability reductions at all price levels, now and in the future, as a result of reduced profit margins for current producers, and postponement of development decisions for nonproducers. It was demonstrated that a 50-percent reduction in the percentage depletion rate applicable to copper would also result in a significant decrease in profitability for nonproducing properties. For producing properties, the percentage depletion rate on copper was shown to be less significant than the income limitation that is placed upon the total amount of the depletion deduction. Repeal of the minimum Federal tax provision was shown to be significant in enhancing profitability for both producing and nonproducing deposits. The report concludes that the percentage depletion allowance operates as an important method of capital recovery and production incentive.

Jan 1, 1982

By E. A. Schmidt

The Thompson Creek molybdenum deposit is located in the Bayhorse mining district about 20 air miles southwest from Challis, Idaho. Cyprus Mines Corporation began exploration on the property in 1968, and at present is in the pre-production stripping phase. Molybdenum mineralization is contained in a late Cretaceous (88 m.y.), composite, biotite granodiorite-quartz monzonite intrusive complex. The complex intruded carbonaceous argillites, causing local silicification and hornfelsing of the sedimentary rocks. The main portion of the orebody is unconformably overlain by up to 1000 ft of Challis volcanic rocks (49 m.y.). Surface mineralization and related rock alteration can be recognized over a 2500- x 8000-ft area extending northwesterly from the discovery outcrop. Molybdenite occurs in a network of subparallel quartz-biotite-muscovite-orthoclase veins and veinlets within the intrusive rocks. The zone of +0.020/0 Mo mineralization outlines a steeply dipping tabular configuration in the main orebody and gradually changes into a hood-shaped configuration along strike to the northwest. The overall grade [ ] of the deposit is controlled by the abundance of the quartz- molybdenite veins and veinlets in the intrusive rock. Very little disseminated mineralization is present, and no economic mineralization occurs in the argillaceous sedimentary rocks. Muscovite, biotite, and orthoclase/microcline define three alteration zones that conform with the overall zone of mineralization. The upper alteration zone contains dominantly muscovite and sericite associated with quartz veins. The central zone contains coarse biotite and locally orthoclase and microcline. Molybdenite is most abundant within this zone. The lower zone contains thin envelopes of orthoclase/microcline around quartz veins. Based on about 313,000 ft of drilling and 8592 ft of underground development work, computer-derived ore reserve calculations indicate 200 million tons averaging 0.1 1% Mo at a 0.050/0 Mo cutoff grade with a waste to ore stripping ratio of about 3:l.

Jan 1, 2013