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By A. G. Pathan

Rock and soil mechanics investigations were carried out in block VIII at Thar Coalfield, Pakistan. Most of the strata were mainly composed of sand, with an average content of 67.68 %. Laboratory studies of rock and soil samples from drill hole GT-01 revealed that the strata in block VIII are very weak with an average uniaxial compressive strength of 3.59 MPa, an average tensile strength of 0.68 MPa, an average Young?s Modulus value of 0.234 GPa, an average cohesion of 129.19 KPa, and an average friction angle of 55.47°. Slope stability analysis, based on a probabilistic approach, was carried out using Slide-V software. Monte Carlo simulations have been applied to investigate the probability of failure in the slopes of an open pit lignite mine in block-VIII. From the slope stability investigation, it was found that the probability of failure is 0 % at a slope angle of 16°.

Aug 1, 2013

By K. S. Raja, B. McNall, B. Pesic

"High-level radioactive wastes are stored in large underground storage tanks made of low-carbon steel. The wastes consist of concentrated solutions of sodium nitrate (NaNO3) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH), and the radionuclides 137Cs, 99Tc, and 90Sr. The corroding steel microenvironment may produce localized reducing or oxidizing conditions that affect the solubilities of the species such as Tc(VII) and Tc(IV), which in turn modifies the kinetics of corrosion of the storage tank. To understand the influence of technetate ions on the corrosion of steel, electrochemical polarization studies of A 537 steel samples were carried out in 1 M NaNO3 + 0 .05 M S r(NO3)2 + 0.1 M NaOH with and without addition of HReO4 at different temperatures (24 – 85 °C). The concentration of HReO4 was varied from 0.014 – 0.04 M.INTRODUCTIONAqueous processing of spent nuclear materials generates a large amount of high-level radioactive wastes. The wastes are primarily salt solutions of sodium hydroxide and sodium nitrate which also contain fission products such as 137Cs, 99Tc, and 90Sr. Among the high level radioactive fission products, Tc-99 is of great importance because of its high concentration, long half-life (2.1 x 105 years), high solubility in geologic waters as technetate, and rapid diffusivity through the geologic systems. The solubility of technetate ions varies depending on the oxidizing conditions prevailing in the storage containers. High level radioactive wastes are stored in single shell or double shell tanks made of low carbon steels such as ASTM type A15, A516-70 and A537. Most of the available literature on corrosion of steel in simulated radio active waste environments pertains to nitrate induced stress corrosion cracking (Subramanian & Mickalonis, 2005). The corroding steel microenvironment may produce localized reducing or oxidizing conditions that affect the solubilities of the species such as Tc(VII) and Tc(IV). Corrosion of steel and formation of Fe(II) and Fe(III) will affect adsorption and reduction of Tc species. The radioactive species can irreversibly be sorbed on the steel surface by oxidation of Fe(II) to more stable Fe(III) and fixed as less soluble Tc(IV)/Fe(III). The solubility of Tc species is also affected by other factors such as dissolved oxygen, local pH, temperature etc. How the corrosion behavior of steel will be affected in the presence of Tc species is not clearly understood.Cartledge (Cartledge, 1960) demonstrated that passivation of iron can be achieved in the presence of oxygen along with suitable inhibitor ions/molecules of the general formula XO4 n-, such as pertechnetate (TcO4 -). The pertechnetate ion is univalent. Since it is derived from a strong acid, no buffering action can be expected from this ion. The redox potential of the reaction (1) is 0.738 VSHE (Pourbaix, 1974)."

Jan 1, 2012

By N. Dobrin, R. Sheinman, Y. V. Kokotov, L. N. Braginsky

Increasing the production of a Mixer-Settler unit requires either increasing flow rates or increasing extractant concentration. The mixers still have to ensure complete emulsification and to maintain high values of specific interface surface area in order to provide a high rate of mass transfer. Theoretically, an increase in mixing intensity can support increased flow rates without reducing extraction efficiency. Unfortunately, conventional pump mixers and mixing systems create small droplets that do not separate easily. As pumping action and mixing intensities are increased, the quantity of small droplets increases. We describe the development and industrial application of a novel mixing system for efficient mass transfer without forming significant quantities of small droplets, targeting both high mass transfer rate and low entrainment values.

Jan 1, 2014

By G. J. Arseneau

Mineral resource statements are reported as tonnage and grades. While great care is placed on generating a reliable estimation of grade, the determination of bulk density for resource estimation is often overlooked. Often mineral resource statements are prepared using a simple average value of bulk density. While a simple average estimate of bulk density can be appropriate for some deposit types, an over simplistic estimation of bulk density can result in serious errors in tonnage estimates and consequently to an over or under estimation of metal content. The construction of a reliable bulk density model requires an adequate bulk density database in order to develop a good understanding of the variability of bulk density with grade and geology. A reliable bulk density database is also essential in determining the appropriate modeling technique to minimize the errors in mineral resource statements caused by incorrect bulk density determinations. This paper summarizes bulk density measuring techniques and draws on examples from various deposit types examining the basic principles of bulk density modeling and domain construction for each deposit type. Examples are presented of simple bulk density domains and more complex grade variable bulk density domains with a discussion of best approaches for minimizing errors in density estimation.

Aug 1, 2013

By M. Dupuis, V. Bojarevics

It is well known that horizontal current density in the metal pad contributes greatly to the generation of MHD driven bath-metal interface wave. It is possible to compute very accurately the metal pad current density using a very detailed finite element model [1], but a MHD model must be compatible to this level of mesh refinement and to recalculate the current distribution at each time step, including the full busbar supply system. The accuracy of the instability prediction of the cell depends on the accuracy of the metal pad current density calculation. This study presents the comparison of the metal pad current density calculation of the detailed finite element model and the MHD-Valdis model for different metal pad heights and ledge thickness. It also presents the corresponding cell MHD stability predictions.

Jan 1, 2006

By Jorgen Elbrond, Yve Lizotte

"A mathematical procedure for determining the underground mining level layout which minimizes the total costs of excavation and haulage is described. This procedure has the advantage over previous graphical procedures of being easily amenable to microcomputers. The paper demonstrates through examples how the procedure can be applied to minimizing discounted costs of level layout as well as providing the optimal location of a production shaft.IntroductionIn recent years there have been numerous publications in mining journals concerning the minimization of mine haulage costs. With the rapid escalation of energy costs during the last decade it is not surprising that several studies applying queuing theory, simulation and mathematical programming to mining related transportation problems have been successfully undertaken. Because of the increasing availability of various sizes of computers these techniques have gained considerable popularity as evidenced by the numerous commercial packages presently being marketed.The publications concerned with haulage cost minimization are generally concluded along the lines of ' ... haulage costs at production rate x will be minimized by assigning y units to location z...'. Details about the route followed and whether it guarantees a minimization of costs are seldom considered. Route data has to date been manually resolved and used for input to developed programs. It would appear that no program has been developed to date which simultaneously minimizes costs by both fleet assignment and routing network resolution.Another important factor in transportation problems is the investment cost associated with the routes; road construction costs or, in the case of underground levels, drift excavation costs. Except for special cases the transport network which minimizes haulage costs only will not provide a minimum excavation cost solution.Zarnbo(1) illustrates by graphical and mathematical procedures how central 'facilities' can be located to simultaneously minimize investment in the transport network and haulage costs. Unfortunately these procedures and others recently applied to mine haulage problems do not provide solutions to the generalized problem. Also because these procedures are geared to graphical solutions and hand computations whereby certain possibilities can be 'visually' eliminated, they can be tedious to program and present storage capacity constraints with current microcomputers."

Jan 1, 1985

By Gilles Tremblay

The legacy of orphaned/abandoned mines, with their associated environmental liability, human health concerns and the financial costs of clean up is a serious issue facing Canada. In 1999 and 2000, a number of stakeholders put forth requests to Mines Ministers to establish a joint industry-government working group, assisted by other stakeholders to review the issue of abandoned mines. The Ministers supported this initiative and asked that a multi-stakeholder workshop be organized to identify key issues and priorities. The Workshop on Abandoned Mines, held June 2001 in Winnipeg, developed consensus, guiding principles and recommendations that were presented at the Mines Ministers? Conference, September 2001. Ministers agreed on the importance of a large-scale program for the rehabilitation of orphaned/abandoned mines sites. A multi-stakeholder Orphaned/Abandoned (O/A) Mines Advisory Committee was formed and a plan was developed to study various issues relating to the implementation of remediation programs across Canada. Three task groups were formed to address the following key areas: Information Gathering; Community Involvement; and Barriers to Collaboration. The presentation will include a summary of the results of the three projects and the future work plan for the program.

Nov 1, 2002

By M. T. Shehata, R. W. Revie, M. Elboujdaini

Environmentally assisted cracks in linepipe steels are initiated either as a result of stresses in combination with environmental effects, as in stress corrosion cracking (SCC), or as a result of trapped hydrogen in the steel, as in hydrogen-induced cracking (HIC). To understand better the mechanism of the crack initiation process, key metallurgical and environmental elements that can affect the cracking phenomena were investigated and are reviewed in this paper. The complexity of both cracking phenomena results from the dependence of SCC and HIC on multiple metallurgical, mechanical, and environmental parameters that may all influence both crack initiation and propagation; e.g., composition, microstructure and non-metallic inclusions in the steel, applied stress, water chemistry in the field, and ionic concentrations in the groundwater near the pipe surface to name a few for SCC. In addition, for HIC phenomena, one can add the concentration of H2S in the fluids transported in the pipe as well as concentration of CO2, pH, etc. In this paper, cracking of linepipe steels is analyzed critically, with particular attention to the crack initiation process. The paper is divided into two parts: The first part covers SCC and the second covers HIC.

Jan 1, 2005

By James Ball

The paper describes a new type of pump and related apparatus specifically designed to dredge sea-floor minerals from very great depths. The principle of operation of the dredging system is explained, and the factors which determine the equipment size and the power required for varying mining rates and depths of water are discussed. An estimate of the capital and operating cost of a commercial-scale mining system is presented.

Jan 1, 1968

By L. M. Dwarkin, D. F. Coates

Crows Nest Industries Limited adopted roof bolting in 1963 to improve roof control and to extend continuous miner utilization in one mine. Bolting was held back because anchorage tests gave inconsistent results. The time lapse between mining and bolting was suspected as a cause, and so a test entry was driven and sections of it were bolted as part of the work cycle in addition to the normal timbering. This paper presents the results of the instrumentation of test entries and discusses the utilization of the data to improve mining procedure.

Jan 1, 1967

By Francis Perron

The Directive 019 on mineral industry, which was officially adopted in 1989, is the main tool used by the Quebec Ministry of Environment for the environmental evaluation and control of mineral exploitation projects presented for approval. This document contain the environmental guidelines which must be met by all the mineral companies during and after exploitation. The Directive 019 also contain all the information required by the Quebec Ministry of Environment in order to fully analyse the environmental impacts caused by the mineral projects proposed to the Ministry for approval. The proposed modifications of the Directive 019 cover many new topics that were not addressed in prior editions, these include : water recirculation, groundwater protection, tailings management and post exploitation environmental controls.

Nov 1, 2002

By A. Elsayed

Lightweight metals such as magnesium show potential in replacing aluminum alloy castings for engine cradles, cylinder heads and transmission cases. Unfortunately, magnesium alloys are susceptible to entrapping oxides and other impurities during casting that hinder strength and ductility. The current study examined various filter sizes and configurations with the aim of improving the mechanical properties of permanent mould cast AZ91E. The unfiltered casting had a yield strength, tensile strength and ductility of 93.3 MPa, 153.3 MPa and 2.2 % respectively and increased to 96.5 MPa, 167.0 MPa and 3.1 % with the use of a fine mesh filter within the well of the mould. The increased strength and ductility was likely due to the filtered castings containing fewer inclusions on their fracture surfaces as compared to the unfiltered castings.

Jan 1, 2011

By J. E. Dutrizac

The dissolution of low-iron sphalerite, (Zn,Fe)S containing 0.08% Fe, in ferric sulphate-sulphuric acid media was investigated using closely sized fractions of crushed sphalerite crystals and sintered disks made from the crushed crystals. Linear kinetics are observed, and the predominant reaction products are ZnSO4, FeSO4 and elemental sulphur. The leaching rate increases systematically with increasing temperature, and the calculated apparent activation energy is 56 kJ/mol for the sized sphalerite and 54 kJ/mol for the sintered disks. The relatively high apparent activation energy suggests that the rate is chemically controlled, a conclusion supported by the insensitivity of the rate to the disk rotation speed. The rate increases as the 0.22 power of the Fe(SO4)1.5 concentration, and as the 0.22 power of the H2SO4 concentration. However, in the absence of ferric ions, the rate increases more significantly with increasing H2SO4 concentrations, and relatively rapid rates are observed in solutions containing >0.5 M H2SO4. In 0.1 M Fe(SO4)1.5-0.3 M H2SO4 media, the measured rate decreases with increasing sulphate concentrations, added as Li2SO4. The rate of dissolution of low-iron sphalerite is promoted by dissolved copper concentrations as high as 800 mg/L. In contrast, dissolved silver, even in the 0-2 mg/L concentration range, significantly retards the dissolution of the low-iron sphalerite.

Jan 1, 2008

By S. E. Kesler, C. M. Moore, J. C. Van Loon

The possibility that chlorine and fluorine form complexes with ore metals, thereby having a strong effect on the mobility of these ore metals during late magmatic and hydrothermal processes, suggests that the abundance of chlorine and fluorine in igneous rocks could be used to distinguish intrusions that have generated ore deposits. The simplest and most economical measure of this chlorine and fluorine is the water-leachable chloride and fluoride that is released from fluid inclusions in the rock during crushing of the sample. In order to evaluate the possible use of this technique, measurements of water-leachable chloride and fluoride were made with selective ion electrodes on samples from nine intrusive complexes. There does not appear to be any simple relation between the abundance of chloride and the presence of mineralization. Fluoride values in mineralized intrusions appear to be higher than those in barren intrusions.

Jan 1, 1973

By Y. Hayashi, A. Fuwa

To analyze zinc vaporization kinetics of zinc smelting slag in the ISP furnace, reduction reaction rate of zinc oxide from ZnO-FeOx-CaO-SiO2 slag system with CO-CO2-Ar gas mixtures has been measured by a therm o-gravim etric apparatus at various ZnO content, Pco, and temperature. The reduction rate was measured under a chemical reaction control in the initial three minutes where surface zinc content can be assumed constant. Through the reaction rate dependency analysis on ZnO contents, Pco and temperature, discussion has been made on its reaction mechanistic information in terms of rate coefficient, adsorption/desorption mechanism and activation energy.

Jan 1, 2008

By Loui Geoffroy, Philippe Gaultier, Martin Piotte, Claude Coache, André Drouin

"Automatic driving at high speed of an underground truck was tested at Brunswick mine in September 1995. Modifications to the truck included: a remote interface to control actuators, front and back video cameras to follow a roof mounted optical guide and proportional hydraulic controls on the steering.The mathematical model of the hydraulic system was adjusted using least square regression. The steering data, used in calculating the regression parameters, were acquired from the moving truck. The automatic steering control used three measured variables: lateral deviation, angular deviation and steering angle. Lateral deviations are obtained using the cameras, which are in continuous view of the guide, while steering angles are acquired from an extensiometer placed at the articulation point of the vehicle. Gain scheduling was used to compensate for vehicle speed and available hydraulic flow. Non-linear characteristics of the modeled hydraulic system were offset using open loop compensation.Speeds up to 23 km/h in forward direction and 13 km/h in reverse were achieved deviaduring continuous testing along one of the mine’s production drifts. Proportional steering was essential in achieving high speeds, as it enabled more precise positioning of the vehicle’s steering direction while reducing the abuses on cylinder and cylinder pins via diminished oscillations about the optical guide at high speeds."

Jan 1, 1997

By Jan W. Merks

The objective of metrology in mineral exploration is to derive unbiased confidence limits for masses of metals contained in reserves and resources. Sets of test results for gold and silver determined in pairs of interleaved bulk samples give unbiased confidence limits for the central value of each metal. The same sets of test results show how to verify spatial dependence by applying Fisher?s F-test to the variance of a set and the first variance term of the ordered set. A significant degree of spatial dependence gives a higher degree of precision for the central values of gold and silver. Plotting variance terms of an ordered set against the variance of the set and its lower limits of asymmetric 99% and 95% confidence ranges gives a sampling variogram. Sampling variograms put in plain view where spatial dependence in sampling units or sample spaces dissipates into randomness. The application of statistical methods to test results for sets of ordered core samples within boreholes, and for sets of ordered ore volumes within profiles, plays an important role in defining reserves and resources.

Oct 1, 2009

By M. Reda

Erosion corrosion is acceleration in the rate of corrosion attack in metal due to the relative motion of a corrosive fluid and a metal surface [1]. The increased turbulence caused by pitting on the internal surfaces of a tube can result in rapidly increasing erosion rates and eventually a leak [2]. Engineers and scientists in different disciplines have worked for many years on methods of complete protection from flow induced corrosion or partially reducing corrosion of this type, and they have proposed or applied different countermeasures [2]. The accident at the Surry-2 nuclear power plant (USA) and other similar incidents have once again disturbed the scientific-technical community. This has forced the plant operating personnel and the management to undertake wide-ranging measures in order to discover on time, assess, and monitor such cases. In these extreme cases, protective coating and even metallic bulk material coating (the substrate itself) may suffer considerably from mechanically induced damage [2]. At high velocities, the "leaching out" dissolution reaction of particular, for example, steel elements at the solid-liquid interface become the rate determining step. One practical example for the difference between erosion corrosion and flow induced corrosion is the famous steam eruption from a Japanese [3, 4] nuclear power plant cooling system at the pressurized water reactor (PWR), turbine and in the condenser-steam generator connecting pipe. The rupture occurred in the carbon steel pipe connecting the condenser and steam generator. The damage occurred in the easily eroded/corroded carbon steel at a vulnerable location downstream of an orifice plate, In general, when there is significant reduction in pipe thickness through erosion/corrosion, distinctive patterns are visible, but those patterns were not observed in this case, Thus one can speculate that another phenomenon is possibly controlling, Fluid flow within pipes reduces the pipe thickness leading to an eventual rupture, The thickness reduction mechanism is erosion/corrosion, One example is "cavitations corrosion", Erosion and corrosion occur at the same time, and it is difficult to determine which one is dominant, Therefore, the term, "erosion/corrosion," is used [5]. In the atomic energy field, the terms "Flow Accelerated Corrosion" and "Flow Induced Corrosion" are also used. It is the purpose here to show that during flow induced corrosion a different mechanism may possibly be operating and in some cases it can be different from the well known erosion corrosion. Another example is fretting failures in early Canadian nuclear steam generators which was thought to be due to excessive vibration caused by high.

Jan 1, 2010

By P. G. Lazenby

This paper describes the latest instrumentation improvements in the INPUT Airborne E.M. System, particularly the new electronic signal-processing techniques. Several anomaly examples illustrating these techniques are shown.

Jan 1, 1973

By M. Abumiya, N. Onodera

Stabilization of arsenic via the precipitation of large-sized scorodite (FeAsO4·2H2O) particles usually involves the use of expensive autoclave systems operated under high temperature and pressure conditions. Alternatively, DOWA developed a novel scorodite synthesis process (DMSP®) wherein the Fe(II) ions in solution containing As(V) ions were oxidized by O2 gas under atmospheric pressure. In this process, crystalline scorodite particles were formed via the formation of a gel-like precursor containing Fe(II). Based on this concept, in this study, we have demonstrated the synthesis of scorodite particles by the addition of Fe(III)-containing solution to the experimental solution containing Fe(II) and As(V) ions, without the O2 gas oxidation process. Ferric sulfate (Fe2(SO4)3) was used as the source of Fe(III) ions. Results indicate the precipitation of scorodite particles, comparable to that of the O2 gas oxidation method.

Jan 1, 2014