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Devitrification of a glassy volcanic ash equivalent to an alkaline trachyte in composition has resulted in the formation of an interstratified illite-montmorillonite with an 1:1\1 content of 1:4 as the principal clay mineral.A high concentration of potassium ions and a deficiency of magnesium ions favoured the formation of the potassium-bentonite.A poorly ordered mica mineral, equivalent to illite, was produced by weathering of potassic feldspar. Subsequent degradation of the illite through the loss of potassium was responsible for the formation of several interstratified minerals with very approximate 1:1\1 contents of 4: I as minor components.Other authigenic minerals present in small amounts were u-cristobalite, sepiolite, and the zeolite clinopitolite.The non-swelling character of the potassium-bentonite makes it economically unattractive...

Jan 1, 1967

By P. Mbele

Iron ore concentrate is not easily transported to, or processed in, ironmaking plants, therefore it is necessary to agglomerate. This paper will determine the possibility of agglomerating Sishen concentrate into suitable ironmaking feedstock. Pelletizing is one of the conventional and preferred agglomeration processes for iron ore concentrate investigated at Kumba Value-In-Use Laboratories. Sishen concentrate was mixed with binder, and then pelletized using a laboratory pelletizing disc; afterwards the green pellets were indurated at high temperatures to give strength high enough to survive handling and lessen disintegration in the shaft during ironmaking. Sishen pellets have satisfactory physical and metallurgical properties which make them suitable feedstock for the direct reduction processes. These were tested under Midrex shaft operational conditions and performed well, with a metallization of 94.47% being attained.

Jan 1, 2012

By John E. Lens

How much trouble can narrow vertical fissures in bedrock cause on a shallow bedrock site? Enough trouble so end-bearing H-piles range between 8 and 100 feet long in a single pile cap and tiebacks range from 40 to over 100 feet long within a 10 foot wall span. Sloped bedrock surfaces also complicated the tieback installation as the drill casing followed the sloped rock surface while drilling and caused unanticipated bending (and sometimes breaking) of the drill string. Warned via pre-construction rock probes and cores reaching over 80 feet deep at the Winooski, Vermont project site, the design and construction team expected anomalies in pile driving and tieback drilling due to fissures in the bedrock filled with soil and weathered-rock. The degree of abruptness in the variability in the rock surface, and its impact on pile driving and tieback drilling were less predictable. Close monitoring of pile and tieback installation, redesign of pile caps, and lengthened tiebacks overcame these anomalous fissures. This paper shares the lessons learned for overcoming these geologic challenges to benefit designers, contractors bidding the work, and ultimately, the owner, with lower contingencies.

Jan 1, 2006

By A Guinier

RECIPITATION in alloys is undoubtedly one of the most essential phase transformations in metallurgy and, besides, it is a phenomenon of great interest to physicists. It seems then that it can be chosen as a topic for an Annual IMD Lecture. Of course, the subject is a very wide one and I shall discuss here only a very restricted part of it. I should like to show why it is now considered that there is, at the beginning of the process, a stage distinct from the real precipitation, which is the pre-precipitation. We shall be chiefly interested in the atomic structure of the metal in this preprecipi-tation stage. Numerous reviews on this subject have been published recently.', ' The latest was given by H. K. Hardyh t the last meeting of the Institute of Metals in London. One of the most complete articles has been written by the late Dr. Geisler." I should like, at the beginning of this lecture, to pay a tribute to the memory of our friend Arthur Geisler. Some of the ideas which will be developed here are different from those advocated by him. But everybody knows the considerable progress in experiment and in theory which we owe to him and, personally, I deeply feel how fruitful have been the long discussions which we have had during many years. Experimental Basis of the Precipitation Problems Let us recall the essential facts pertaining to the problem of the precipitation. The starting point and the final one are well known. The initial stage is the supersaturated solid solution before quenching. The dissolved atoms replace some of the atoms of the solvent at the points of a definite lattice. It is generally considered that the distribution of the atoms is completely random, and that the lattice distortions are relatively weak. These assumptions are only an approximation. It has now beenproven", that, in some cases, the dissolved atoms have a tendency to segregate to form very small nuclei. These fluctuations of composition are greater than the normal statistical fluctuations in a purely random alloy. We shall see the role played by these nuclei later. The final state is obtained by a very long annealing at such a temperature that an equilibrium is reached in a reasonable time. The alloy is then composed of a matrix which is a saturated solid solution, much poorer than the initial one. Imbedded

Jan 1, 1957

By J. Asfahani

"The Schlumberger configuration used in geoelectrical sounding is slightly adapted here to obtain reliable data for both shallow and deep penetration depths from the same survey. In this configuration, two kinds of current electrode half-spacings are used: the first enables construction of vertical electrical resistivity sounding (VES) curves for shallow depths (<50 m), and the second for depths =250 m. For a given VES location, two field curves are measured and interpreted using two standard approaches. Practical characteristics of such a modified configuration are illustrated with two field applications in Syria. The first aims to characterize the structure of Quaternary and recent deposits in the Al-Ghab depression region, and the second deals with exploration for phosphatic sedimentary units in the Al-Sharquieh mine. La configuration de Schlumberger normalement employée dans les levés géoélectriques a été légèrement modifiée afin d’obtenir des données fiables à faible et forte profondeur durant le même levé. Dans cette nouvelle configuration, deux types de demi-espacements des électrodes sont utilisés : le premier permet le développement de courbes de sondage de résistivité électrique verticales (REV) pour les faibles profondeurs (<50 m), et le second atteint des profondeurs =250 m. Pour une localité REV donnée, deux courbes de champs sont donc mesurées et interprétées grâce à deux approches standardisées. Les caractéristiques pratiques de cette configuration modifiée sont illustrées par deus exemples d’application en Syrie. Le premier vise la caractérisation de la structure des dépôts Quaternaires et récents de la région de la dépression d’Al-Ghab, et le second traite de l’exploration pour des unités phosphatiques sédimentaires à la mine Al-Sharquieh."

Jan 1, 2009

By J. E. House, J. L. Drobnick, R. R. Swanson, D. W. Agers

The paper describes an improved process for the recovery, purification, and concentration of copper values from acidic dump leach liquors. The process employs a new liquid ion exchange material (LIX® 64 reagent) capable of separating copper values from iron and other impurities common to dump leach liquors in the typical pH range of 1.4-3.0. Properties and performance of the reagent are discussed. Design scale-up information for both pilot plants and commercial installations, including preliminary economics, are presented. Economic considerations include the production of electrolytic copper from the purified copper aqueous concentrate. INTRODUCTION Since the commercial acceptance of the liquid ion exchange process in the mineral processing industry, it has been predicted that a wide selection of chemical reagents to efficiently and economically separate many metals in solution under a wide range of conditions would be commercially available. Several years ago, General Mills began a basic research and development program to determine if it were possible to develop a reagent to extract economically metallic ion from existing process streams. Progress toward reaching this objective was reported in late 1963, when development of quantities of LIX -63 reagent, a highly selective reagent for the extraction of copper, was introduced. The properties of this reagent are described in a previous paper.&apos; The development work with this reagent indicated that perhaps the largest potential application for a copper extractant, the treatment of acidic dump leach liquors, would not be economically possible with LIX-63 because of limitations of the reagent to extract copper below a pH of 3.0. The relatively small pH adjustment required with LIX-63 would result in a significant processing cost and the undesirable precipitation of ferric hydroxide from the liquor. This pointed to the need for another copper extractant which would extract copper from dump leach liquors without pH adjustment. General Mills was successful in synthesizing a molecule which does not have the pH limitation of the LIX-63, yet possesses the selectivity-solubility properties required of a metallic extractant. The resulting LIX-64 reagent broadens the pH range from which copper can be effectively extracted and separated from other metallic impurities. Of special significance is the fact that the reagent, LIX-64 was developed by combining the technical requirements of a specific problem in hydro-metallurgy with theoretical organic and physical chemical principles.

Jan 1, 1967

Taking the Presidential chair of the Australasian Institute of Mining Engineers, my first duty is to thank you for the high honour and position you have conferred on me. A position entailing the highest compliment the Institute could bestow on any of its members, and one which I feel my inability to properly fulfil, inasmuch, as you have men in your ranks of the highest scientific training residing on that great continent where the head quarters of the Institute is established, while my engagements here will not permit me leaving this colony but for a very limited period.About six years ago, during the time the mining boom was at its height, there came to this colony from England, Germany, and South Africa, several mining engineers, who in conjunction with the mining engineers here, formed an Institute which we soon found we were not able to maintain. The mining boom gradually died away, and many engineers have left the colony to find employment in other parts of the world. We made overtures to your Iqstitute to take us under your wing, which you were kind enough to do, and the outcome is that you have come over 1200 miles to hold a meeting in New Zealand. The paucity of members residing in this colony does not admit of a large attendance; but we heartily welcome you to our shores and hope you will enjoy a holiday visiting some of the principal mining centres and exchanging ideas, which not only improves our minds, and widens our field research, but also tends to lead to further economic improvements in the extraction of metals the earth contains...

Jan 1, 1903

By W. Lin, M. J. McPherson

When a large area of open gob collapses suddenly, a windblast is produced that can cause considerable damage throughout the infrastructure of a mine. In a few cases, the windblast has been accompanied by ignitions of methane and/or coal dust. This paper describes the conduct and results of laboratory tests involving the compression of mixtures of air, methane and coal dust under a falling weight and while allowing controlled escape of the mixture. The transient responses on pressure and temperature sensors were recorded. In addition to an analysis of those records, the paper highlights those conditions in which ignitions occurred.

Feb 24, 1997

By B. C. Slocombe

A large derelict inner city site was regenerated for use as a distribution warehouse. Difficult topography and soils conditions required the adoption of a combination of specialist geotechnical processes. Particular attention was paid to the preparation of the site, programming and capabilities of each technique as additional soils information became available.

Jan 1, 1989

Previous published papers by Fraser (1), Hey (2), and Stillwell (3), have given respectively, details of:-1. The practice in the pilot plant operated at Zeehan for the treatment of ores from the Rosebery field.2. The design, based largely on the experience gained at Zeehan, of the concentrator built at Rosebery.3. The nature of the orebodies of the zinc-lead lode at Rosebery.Changes and developments, at the Rosebery concentrator, since operations commenced, are now described with particular reference to recent practice.Three concentrates are produced, viz.: a copper, a lead, and a zinc concentrate. The current flow-sheet is shown in Fig. 1. Typical concentrate assays are...THE OREThe ore treated is derived from the Rosebery and Hercules Mines and is, milled in the ratio of, approximately, two parts of the former to one of the latter. The ores from the two mines may be considered as being similar in general character, although the Rosebery ore contains more pyrite. It is from this mine that any increased tonnage is expected. The ore is a mass of fine-grained, intimately associated sulphides, with practically no coarse...

Jan 1, 1949

By K. Bounou, K. Komnitsas

"Risk quantification may be used as a sustainable development index in the mining industry, since it encompasses both economic and social factors. In addition, it may assist in the development of a framework, which is also indirectly related to sustainable development, to prevent accidents and improve health and safety standards. However, risk quantification in the mineral sector involves diverse activities and is considered a very difficult task. Although statistical data report accident severity rates, incident rates and accident frequency rates, none of these allow for accurate risk calculations. In this paper, two risk calculation formulas, which may be used to quantify risk, as well as to identify hazardous activities in a workplace, are proposed. Numerical examples are given based on statistical data available through the MSHA database. Also a combination of a decision/fault/event tree that allows risk quantification is presented."

Jan 1, 2005

The need for legislative reform of health and safety legislation has been recognised in New Zealand for about a decade. Previous legislation did not cover all work places, many areas were excluded from coverage, and there were at least 14 different acts and dozens of sets of regulations dealing with various aspects of health and safety.

Jan 1, 1993

By Y. Zhoa

The surface morphology of materials is of fundamental importance to many surface related applications, such as wetting, friction, reflection, drag, and adhesion. Various approaches for micro/nano patterning atop polymer surfaces have been proposed in recent years. However, a cost effective technique is still highly in demand. In this paper, we demonstrate a novel but rather simple and generic approach for surface micro/nano patterning using shape memory polymers (SMPs). Different types of novel patterns are realized and their 3-D surface features are quantitatively analyzed by a PLµ Confocal imaging profiler.

Jan 1, 2010

By Tristan H. Jones

Beginning in 1987, miniature dataloggers approved by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) were publicly available for sale. The principal among these was the model CR21XQM, manufactured by Campbell Scientific, Inc. These dataloggers had been tested and were deemed permissible by MSHA and thus could be installed in the return air of an underground coal mine. In 1996, production of all permissible Campbell Scientific dataloggers ceased due to lack of sales. Data collection with these dataloggers has been a staple of ground control research in the United States for decades, and, without them, or a replacement, the capability to monitor ground behavior is severely impacted. Since that time, any party requiring a permissible datalogger has needed to borrow one that was purchased during the production years. In order to fill this technology gap and ensure its own data-gathering capabilities, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has developed and refined its own miniature data acquisition system (MIDAS). On February 16, 2010, MSHA deemed the MIDAS to be permissible and approved it for use in the return air of an underground coal mine. The MIDAS is an intrinsically safe, 16- or 24-bit datalogger, compatible with a wide range of resistive, single-ended, and differential-type instrumentation. It contains enough data storage memory to operate for over a year with typical data rates and is efficient enough to do this on a single C-sized alkaline battery for that entire period. It is menu-driven and requires no programming knowledge to operate. It supports wireless or hardwired communication for datalogger setup and data download. This paper describes the design, field and laboratory testing, and capabilities of the MIDAS datalogger. While not as fully -functioned as the CR21XQM, it is the only new permissible datalogger available, and there is intent to make it available to the mining industry for purchase.

Jan 1, 2012

By R. L. Amelunxen

"In January 1983, Gibraltar Mines Ltd. started an exploratory program on Column Flotation with hopes of improving performance of the Molybdenum Cleaning circuit. The encouraging results led to a column test trial in the Bulk Copper Cleaner circuit where the test unit has per¬formed well. A program was undertaken to understand the mechanics of column operation. A year and a half later, Gibraltar is considering the replacement of existing Bulk Copper and Moly Cleaning flotation cells with a fully computer con¬trolled Column Flotation circuit.BRIEF SUMMARY OF TESTWORKInitial testwork was done with a home made 20 inch diameter x 31 foot high column, equipped with a doppler flow-meter at the tail line and automatic level conrol. This loop maintained constant level in the column by throttling the tail valve. This column was placed in a variety of locations around the Moly circuit as shown on Figure 1 a, b. Test re¬sults indicated that the column could achieve much higher grades than the conventional cells, but recovery wise, the performance was low. Spillages from overloaded pump boxes were a common frustration during this time.Column control strategy was reviewed; and, in light of information received from McGill University, changed to conform with the methods that had been employed by D. Wheeler, of the Column Co. of Canada4 and Gaspe Copper Mines3.The column was tested replacing a portion of the bank, figure lc. The results obtained were more or less equal to the circuit. However, as we had Nitrogen gas connected to the column and not the regular cells, the column was kept in service. With the use of Nitrogen in the column, the usual copper depressant, Sodium Cyanide could be replaced with Sodium Hydrosulphide, hence lower operating cost.As time went on, a 10 inch diameter column was added in series to re-treat the concentrate of the 20 inch diameter column with hopes that the copper content would decrease from 0.6% down to 0.3% in order to save on subsequent leach¬ing costs. So far, results indicate there has been some im-provement, hut we are not achieving 0.3% copper. (See figure 1d)."

Jan 1, 1985

By Pupazzoni P. D, Meissner D. C

Incorporating an iron ore pelletising plant, a MIDREX&apos;"&apos; Direct Reduction Plant, and a mini mill, the conversion of iron ore fines to high- quality steel slabs in Western Australia is among the lowest cost routes in the world. The cost and availability of iron ore and natural gas, government support, and proximity to the growing Southeast Asian market all contribute to the competitive position of the area. Owing to the lead-time required, this is an ideal time to develop a new project to supply semi-finished steel to Asia for rolling to a finished product. A project contracted now will start up in about three years, when the market should have recovered.

Jan 1, 1999

By J L. Mauk

The Gladstone Hill area hosts epithermal veins similar to those at Martha Hill, which is less than one kilometre away. There are several vein types in the Gladstone Hill area including (1) pyrite-marcasite, (2) quartz, (3) base metal sulfide, and (4) calcite. Pyrite veinlets formed first, whereas the quartz and carbonate veins formed later. The base metal sulfide vein occurs at depth and is predominantly comprised of quartz and chlorite intimately intergrown with pyrite, sphalerite, galena, and rare chalcopyrite. Platy calcite and massive calcite veinlets were the last vein types to form. Several vein textures occur in the Gladstone Hill area, including colloform and crustiform banding, lattice-bladed, zonal, comb, massive and feathery textures. Crustiform banded veins are the dominant texture and contain variable gold-silver grades. Colloform banded veins consist of ubiquitous quartz and minor chalcedony with gold grades as high as 60 g/t. The lattice-bladed texture forms from the deposition of calcite, which has been replaced in many samples by quartz, indicating that boiling and later cooling has taken place. Unreplaced platy calcite only occurs at deeper levels (&gt;300 m). Zonal and comb textures are preserved in quartz and late-stage amethyst veins. Feathery textures within quartz are commonly associated with breccias and some colloform banding, and with significant Au-Ag grades. &nbsp; The homogenisation temperatures (Th) of primary and secondary inclusions in quartz, amethyst and platy calcite range from 166 to 274¦C, with salinities &lt;1.3 wt% NaCI equiv. The presence of vapor-dominated inclusions and primary fluid inclusions in platy calcite suggests that boiling occurred intermittently throughout deposition. The veins formed under a relatively flat lying paleowater table that occurred 280 - 300 m above sea level. The fluids involved in vein formation were alkali chloride in composition and low in CO2.

Jan 1, 2001

By Budiselic C, Hefter G

The uptake of gold by activated carbon from acid chloride solutions involves the reduction of gold(IIl) to metallic gold. Deposition occurs only on the surface of the carbon at localized active sites at first, and subsequently at less active areas. The rate of uptake depends on the surface area of activated carbon, which confirms results from a recently published study (de Siegel and Soto, 1984). Increased rates of uptake were observed at higher temperatures and lower chloride concentrations due to the decreased stability of AuCI4-, the major gold(IIl) species present. Recoveries of gold approached 100 per cent for a contact time of 60 minutes at 20&#176;C in a well stirred solution initially 5 ppm in gold(III) and containing 0.5 per cent w/v coconut-shell carbon. The presence of 0.25 Mnitric acid or 100 ppm iron(IIl) had no detectable effect on either rate or efficiency of gold uptake.

Jan 1, 1985

By Theresa Y. Schulz

It is interesting to study the noise standards that have been promulgated in the US over the last decade or so. These regulations are likely to have long-lasting impact. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Hearing Conservation Amendment (March 1983) continues to have influence not only in the workplace but in the debate over new regulations. Both the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) and Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) regulatory preamble documents state the desire to be consistent with OSHA. An examination of Table 1, which compares the major components of the three regulations and the 1998 NIOSH “best practices” criteria, depicts the extent to which that intent is met. There has been some regulatory activity in the last decade which may give some hope for evolution and updating based on the wealth of science that has occurred during the last quarter of a century since the OSHA regulation was enacted. However there has also been some “back-sliding” toward more lenient standards. The MSHA noise standard made regulatory progress in September 2000 by emphasizing engineering and administrative controls, followed by personal protective equipment, in the hierarchy of noise intervention. MSHA’s requirement for technician certification (today only available from CAOHC) strengthened the training requirements for audiometric testing in hearing conservation programs and MSHA also added the requirement of dual hearing protection at 105 dB TWA. There were many subtle differences between OSHA and MSHA based on comments and a desire to clarify some of the vague aspects of the OSHA noise standard, and meet the needs of the regulated mining industry. One example pertains to the ceiling for exposures. OSHA says, “no exposures >115 dBA,” which is interpreted to mean no unprotected exposures above that level, giving credit for the assumed effectiveness of hearing conservation programs, hearing protection devices and administrative and engineering controls. MSHA specified that a “P” code1 violation be issued for any protected or unprotected exposures >115 dBA. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) noise standard for railroad operating employees, which went The Modern Evolution of Hearing Conservation Regulationsinto effect February 26, 2007, was expressly based on the OSHA standard but also uses MSHA for comparison. The preamble states that the FRA defers to OSHA as the “primary regulator of noise in the workplace,” but also acknowledges the need for some departure from the OSHA regulation (FRA Preamble II.B). As an example, FRA requires testing at 8000 Hz “because it will allow employers to identify hearing loss sooner.” The FRA rejected MSHA’s hierarchy of noise controls in favor of requiring specific engineering interventions and focusing on appropriate hearing protection which would still allow communication and audibility, and identification of excessive noise through employee-filed “excessive noise reports.”2 Where OSHA has no specific mandate requiring employees to take advantage of the employer-paid audiogram, it has been traditionally a condition of employment and is generally accepted that OSHA-covered workers require an annual audiogram. MSHA addressed this issue in its preamble; however, they made no significant change. MSHA employers are required to offer annual audiograms but MSHA stopped short of requiring employees to comply with annual audiometric testing. The MSHA preamble does allow that mine operators can also make audiometric monitoring a condition of employment. FRA requires employees to

One of the most common critical areas of longwall mining in terms of ground stability are the gateroad and bleeder entries. These critical entries provide much-needed safe access for miners and allow for adequate ventilation required for dilution of hazardous airborne contaminants and must remain open during mining of a multi-panel district. This paper focuses on the stability of the longwall entries subjected to a single abutment load such as bleeders, first tailgate, and last headgate. First tailgate and last headgate are also referred to as blind headgates and tailgates. A study of a longwall district through conditions mapping, support evaluations, and numerical modeling was conducted and evaluated by researchers from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The condition mapping and support evaluations were performed on entries that spanned the previous five years of mining and relied on a diverse selection of supports to maintain the functionality of the entry. Numerical modeling was also conducted to evaluate various support types with further investigation and comparison to the condition mapping. The study demonstrated the importance of the abutment load decay versus distance from the gob edge, the potential for a reduction in material handling related injuries, as well as optimal usage of secondary and standing support.

Jan 7, 2020