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Falling asleep at the wheel of a moving vehicle is not only dangerous but avoidable. It is implicated in up to 30% of all road fatalities in general and up to 65% of mining incidents involving haulage trucks. These types of crashes normally result in serious injury and/or fatality due to the lack of breaking that occurs. However, when a 300 tonne haul truck has a sleep related crash it is not only the safety of the driver that has a high price but also the commercial impact on the mines? productivity and efficiency. We have been developing our ASTiD technology which stands for the Advisory System for Tired Drivers to seamlessly integrate in to Modular Mining?s Dispatch system to provide real-time early warning fatigue risk management. The benefits being driver shift optimisation, sustained productivity and of course less accidents. By monitoring the drivers alertness levels in real-time using ASTID, the Dispatcher becomes empowered to make critical, management decisions that will ultimately prevent serious injury or loss of life and the driver gets to stop when he needs to and not just when he is supposed to. This paper shows how this integrated solutions works.

May 1, 2011

By Min-Yuan Cheng

Landslides not only cause interruption of road traffic but also cause damage to passing by vehicles and injure people in Taiwan. Due to the budget limitation of government, the overall assessments and maintenance of all road slops cannot be fulfilled. Priority of road for maintenance is a crucial task for road maintenance department to identify. The purposes of this research are to develop an assessment method for the landslide risk and to make strategies to maintain or repair the slopes along mountain roads. To aim both needs to take into account the environmental conditions of the slopes, the engineering measures for stabilizing road slopes, the transportation issues, and the human concerns when dealing with the slopes maintenance along the mountain roads. This study firstly establishes the Landslides Damage Risk Evaluation Model (LDREM) to calculate the risk of slope failure, considering the probability of landslides, temporal probability, spatial impact probability, the value of human life, transportation time increased, and travel cost due to detour etc., and then the loss of life and transportation can be calculated. Secondly, based on the value of risk and the risk evaluation, considering the risk acceptance criteria for loss of life could provide assistance for road maintenance department to determine the priority of mountain roads for maintenance.

Aug 1, 2013

By Donald Brisebois

The mining of high-grade, narrow vein deposits is an important field of activity in the precious metal mining sector. The principle factor that has undermined the profitability and effectiveness of mining such ore zones is the substantial dilution that occurs when blasting with explosives during extraction. In order to minimise dilution, the Thermal Fragmentation Mining Method enables the operator to extract a narrow mineralised corridor, 50 cm to 1 metre wide (according to the width of the vein), between two sub-level drifts. By inserting a strong burner powered by diesel fuel and compressed air into a pilot hole previously drilled directly into the vein, a thermal reaction is created, spalling the rock and enlarging the hole to 80 cm in diameter. The remaining ore between the thermal holes is broken loose using low powered explosives, leaving the waste walls intact. This patented method produces highly concentrated ore, resulting in 400% - 500% less dilution when compared to conventional mining methods. The mining method reduces the environmental affects of mining operations since much smaller quantities of rock are displaced, stockpiled, and treated using chemical agents. The fully mechanised equipment operated by a 2-person team (1 thermal fragmentation operator, 1 drilling operator) maximises the effectiveness of skilled personnel, and increases productivity and safety. The Thermal Fragmentation is currently employed in 3 mining operations in North America.

May 1, 2010

By J. B. Mitchell

Many of the pre-production and plant startup problems that we regard as inevitable are actually caused by poor organizational methods. Traditional methods of organization can be modified to provide clear definitions of responsibility, continuity and depth of involvement of key personnel in order to overcome these problems.

Jan 1, 1966

By Unknown

Diesel locomotives for underground haulage have been used in coal mines in Continental Europe for twenty-five years or more. In Great Britain, it was not until 1935 that permission was granted to use them in gassy coal mines, but since that time they have been employed in increasing numbers both in gassy and non-gassy coal mines and in metal mines. Their use underground in coal mines in the United States is still prohibited and the same was the case in Canada until 1946, when permission was granted to operate a Diesel underground in the Adanac mine of West Canadian Collieries, Limited, at Bellevue, Alberta. The locomotive used here is a 50 h.p. Hunslet Mark II. More recently, a 100 h.p. Diesel was placed in operation for underground haulage at No. 18 Colliery of the Dominion Steel and Coal Corporation, in the Sydney coalfield, N. S. Thus, on this continent, Canada has been a pioneer in the use of these locomotives underground in coal mines and there is no doubt that more and more of them will be employed as time goes on. We feel, therefore, that the following notes concerning their design and performance, which we have received from the High Commissioner for the United Kingdom, will be of interest to our members.

Jan 1, 1949

By C. -K. Fang

"Aging effect on the wear resistance of alumina particulate-reinforced 6061 aluminum matrix composites with a block-on-ring wear tester has been investigated. Specimens with various Al2O3 volume fractions of 0%, 10% and 20% were employed in this work. Experimental results indicated that over-aged monolithic 6061 Al had the best wear resistance, as compared with under-aged and peak-aged conditions. For the composite containing 10% Al2O3, over-aging and peak-aging resulted in similar wear resistance, which was higher than that for underaging conditions. For the composite containing a high volume fraction (20%) of Al2O3, the wear resistance reduced with the increase in aging time. Although longer aging time was favourable to the wear resistance of monolithic 6061 Al, it was detrimental to that for the Al2O3/6061 Al composite with high volume fraction of particles. IntroductionMetal-matrix composites (MMCs) have received attention in many engineering applications because of the demands for high specific strength (strength-to-weight ratio) and specific stiffness, good high temperature capabilities and wear resistance. The manufacturing processes of fiber-, whisker-, and particulate-reinforced MMCs have been well developed (Hosking et al., 1982). Because of the reduction in fabrication cost, the applications of MMCs have been widely extended to light weight-bearing sleeves, calipers, automobile parts (brake rotors, drive shafts, connecting rods, piston rings, and cylinder liners), sporting goods, aerospace components, tanks (wheels, speed brakes, and track shoes) and other industrial applications. Among the three types of metal matrix composites, particulate-reinforced MMCs are promising because of their homogeneous and isotropic material properties and low cost. Additionally, they can be formed using conventional metal processing techniques."

Jan 1, 2003

By R. J. Bowell

Mineralogical controls exert significant control over the extraction of uranium from its ores. Uranium speciation, associated mineralogy, deportment and uranium mineral availability are all factors of consideration when assessing leachibility. This study presents data from laboratory uranium extractions undertaken on several contrasting uranium ores from a wide range of orebodies. The results provide insight into the mineralogical factors of importance when considering uranium extraction. These results are presented within the wider context of geometallurgy and demonstrate how geometallurgical assessment, even at an early stage of mine development, can greatly assist in the design of a suitable extraction scheme.

Aug 1, 2010

By W. W. Rudolph, L. N. Trevani, P. R. Tremaine

UV-visible spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and vibrating tube densimetry have been used in our laboratory to determine equilibrium constants of aqueous species at temperatures as high as 325 °C. The UV-visible and Raman spectra of solutions containing metal complexes and ionized acids or bases can be used to yield formation constants by applying curve fitting methods to resolve the contribution of each species. Colorimetric pH indicators identified by Johnston and coworkers at the University of Texas (Austin) provide an alternative means of determining ionization constants and the pH of complex mixtures. High precision density measurements over the same range yield standard partial molar volumes, which are key parameters for "equations of state" for aqueous species. Examples are given for the copper-ammonia system, simple carboxylic acids, and the iron-sulphate system.

Jan 1, 2004

By Magdy Ibrahim

This paper presents experimental design and development of a low-cost remote sensing hardware designed to support automated site data acquisition for near real-time progress reporting of construction operations. The developed hardware utilizes open source microcontroller equipped with multiple sensors that include 3D accelerometer, GPS, Data logger and Bluetooth. The use of open source microcontroller makes the developed design cost effective; freeing it from the need for costly license fees. Its platform configuration is flexible; enabling the addition of temperature, weight and other sensors, Wi-Fi and Xbee capabilities to suit individual field applications. Pilot tests have been carried out in laboratory and outdoor environments. The results prove effectiveness and robustness of the developed configuration. The paper provides description of the individual components used in the development of this prototype hardware. It also describes the technical characteristics, capabilities and limitations of the developed hardware. The findings of comparison with alternative technologies used for outdoor tracking of construction operations are presented. The comparison is carried out with respect to range, cost and suitability for outdoor environment. The developed hardware is expected to support a wide range of applications including tracking of earthmoving operations, highway construction and onsite resources. As well, it is expected to enhance safety on construction jobsites.

Aug 1, 2013

By Mario A. Morin

Mine design, planning and scheduling is a very complex, iterative process comprising several interrelated and interdependent activities. Understanding how this process works, identifying the critical pieces of information and the decisions to be made is key to initiating business process improvements (BPI) or business process reengineering (BPR) activities. Fundamental to most BPI and BPR work is some form of systems analysis. Structured Analysis is a powerful systems analysis technique that is well suited for modeling and analyzing complex process activities. Through a series of diagrams, this paper presents a vertical slice through the analysis work performed for formally describing the underground hardrock mine design and planning process. These diagrams illustrate how simple graphic constructs can be used to decompose the most complex situations into easily understandable diagrams that facilitate understanding, communication, improvement and reengineering.

May 1, 2002

By Linda C. M. Elliot, Liangxue Liu

"The deposition of tailings under water is considered to be one of the most environmentally promising and potentially cost effective methods to reduce or eliminate acid mine drainage from tailings. One of the concerns of subaqueous deposition has been that metals may leach into the cover waters, thereby increasing aqueous metal concentrations to higher than acceptable limits. This potential was seen to have an even greater possibility for impact when the tailings are deposited under acidic lake water.The following paper summarizes the results of subaqueous tailings pilot column test work conducted to determine the effects of subaqueously deposited tailings on lake water and tailings pore water. Two types of tailings were tested: high sulphide tailings (pyrrhotite concentrate), and low sulphide tailings (end of pipe slime tailings).Data was collected from five columns over a 13 month test period. The results indicated that a stagnant I 000 mm water cover was capable of maintaining the underlying tailings in a reducing condition. The upwards diffusion of pore water resulted in a pH increase in the waters overlying the thickened pyrrhotite tailings and the pyrrhotite tailings with a shallow cover of substrate. A conductivity gradient between the tailings and the water cover caused a diffusion of salts upwards into the overlying water column. Precipitation noted at the tailings water interface may be related to the precipitation of ferric oxyhydroxides, which resulted in a decrease in Fe concentrations noted in the water cover. Other metal concentrations did not exhibit significant increases in the water cover. A sulphate concentration gradient between the tailings and the water cover may have caused the diffusion of SQ4 from the tailings into the water cover."

Jan 1, 1997

By S. N. Rossovsky

"A new method for the hydrometalfurgical treatment of refractory gold arsenosulphide concentrates is presented. Themethod involves a combination of' finegrinding, intensive agitation, flotation, and cyanidation, and consists of leaching of -10u pyrite and arsenopyrite particles in alkaline solution under intensive agitation without the application of costly high-pressure and roasting techniques. Consistent extractions of gold, in excess of 96%, are achieved.IntroductionConventional methods of alkaline leaching of gold arsenosulphide concentrates in an autoclave» and under electrochemical oxidation( 2) require expensive equipment as well as high-cost energy and reagents. In other cases, processing of gold concentrates inelude: ultra-fme grinding, calcination at 200°C to 250°C with the addition of an oxidant (NH4NOJ followed by alkaline leaching of the resulting calcine with hydrogen peroxide, the latter being a complicated method yielding poor extractions of gold (89% to 90%). In this paper, a hydrometallurgical method is described for processing refractory gold arsenosulphide concentrates in which alkaline leaching is followed by cyanidation of the residue."

Jan 1, 1993

By George C. Riley

While the general public has little knowledge or appreciation of either the mining or explosives industries, modern civilization could not exist without them. They are to-day the key industries of the world. In common with many other industries the demands of the war greatly stimulated the production of explosives and the research necessary for such increased production. Production, supplies of all kinds, munitions of all sorts and then again production, practically regardless of cost, were the first reactions to the imperative war demands of the governments of the world. Following the war there was a momentary lull, then first gradually but with quickening acceleration, particularly in a recent slump, the situation was reversed - cost and not production was the dominant factor. Some industries readjusted themselves very rapidly and completely. Others were but partially re-adjusted and others again only carried out the process of deflation in certain departments. The explosives industry in Canada has not only thoroughly deflated itself, but has learned to apply to commercial disruptive explosives, the best, most efficient and most economical methods of manufacturing developed during the war. As a consequence, miners have at their disposal to-day better and more different kinds of compressed energy than ever before in all the long history of mining.

Jan 1, 1925

By H. R. Butler

"The Ontario Division of Inca Metals Company, a Unit of Inca Limited, operates eleven mines, four mills, three refineries, one smelter and one iron ore recovery plant. All but one mine, mill and refinery are located within a fifty kilometer radius of Sudbury, Ontario. A mine-mill complex is located some 100 kilometers west of Thunder Bay on the shore of Lake Shebandowan and a nickel refinery at Port Colborne.During the past 10 years the use of recycled water in our milling operations has increased to more than 95% at each mill. This high degree of water reuse has reduced the (a) need for fresh water and (b) the contaminant level of the downstream aquatic environment. The aggregating of effluents in a common receptor provides a process water having a consistent quality thereby minimizing upsets in mill metallurgy while concurrently improving the operating economies and the downstream aquatic environment."

Jan 1, 1980

By Lutz Markworth, Fernando Parra, Wolfram Jaspers

"The worldwide demand of iron ore and the depletion of the high-purity deposits make it necessary to recover ores in increasingly fine size fractions or low Fe content in the feed material. Impurities for Iron ore processing plants are mainly Silica, Al2O3 and Sulfides.There is a copper processing plant in Chile, which has a high content of Fe in its tailings. These tailings will be re-processed to recover the Fe and to produce a pellet feed concentrate. This challenging flotation process was developed by the customer in his own laboratory. Different flotation technologies were tested. The best results were achieved with the PNEUFLOT® (PNEUmatic FLOTation). For a feed capacity of approximately 600 t/h, a flow sheet of two flotation lines with a reverse two-stage Amine-Silica flotation followed by a single stage reverse Xanthate Pyrite flotation was developed.Because of the two impurities the process control is very critical. Not even the reagent dosing has to be flexible for changes in the feed material; also the flotation cell has to be adaptable. Continuous development of the PNEUFLOT® cell with their specific advantages and the elimination of dysfunctions in the PNEUFLOT® cell have led to a growing demand of this type of equipment worldwide for the iron ore industry within the past years.INTRODUCTIONThe worldwide increasing demand of iron ore is mainly caused by China. This has a major impact on all economics worldwide as the metal price indicates. However, not even the iron ore and steel price, but all other commodities prices and the precious metals prices are increasing by a high percentage. Figure 1 shows the iron ore (pellets) price increase for Fe and the import of iron ore by China. Figure 2 shows the imports of iron ore to China."

Jan 1, 2008

By H. Dundar

The first application of High Pressure Grinding Rolls was in 1985 at a cement plant, for the purpose of capacity improvement. Then various circuit configurations were derived to achieve a reduction in overall specific energy consumption, by transferring more of the grinding required to the HPGR. In most circuit configurations, the recycle of fines is required for effective breakage between the rollers. By increasing the fines amount in the feed material to a specific level within the recycling load, a uniform material bed is created and a higher pressure gradient along the roller width is obtained, resulting in compact flakes, including more fines. The fines recycle results in enhancement of the interparticle breakage. This paper will discuss the effect of the feed size distribution on HPGR performance.

Jan 1, 2012

By C. Lara-Valenzuela, R. Perez-Garibay, F. López-Saucedo, A. Uribe-Salas, L. Magallanes-Hernandez

A relationship between gas dispersion parameters, namely gas rate (Jg), gas holdup (Eg), average bubble size (db) and bubble surface area flux (Sb), with the metallurgical performance (e.g., grade and recovery) has been established.. Results of eleven columns operating at five concentrators of Grupo Pefioles (Mexico), ranging between 1.52 to 3.35 min diameter and performing in the cleaning stages of lead and zinc circuits, are presented and discussed. The results showed that the effect of gas dispersion parameters was consistent and that both, Sb and Eg, correlate well with recovery particularly when the influence of feed pulp density is also considered.

Jan 1, 2009

By W. J. Bennett

WHEN Dr. Horace Fraser, your President, invited me to speak to you today I advised him in confidence that I was leaving my present positions on April 30th. In the circumstances it seemed to me that this audience might prefer to have as its speaker one who wo.uld J1ave a continuing association with the atomic energy programme. Dr. Fraser was kind enough to suggest that my re-marks might he of special interest to you, since I would be able to sum up my views on the atomic energy programme. I hope that I will not disappoint him or you on that score. I am particularly pleased that my last public appearance in my present positions should be at the Annual Convention of the C.I.M. since, as all of you know, a very important part of my work has been in the mining field. As it happens, my first public address on the subject of atomic energy and its raw material -uranium -was made at your Annual Convention in Montreal in April, 1949. It seems fitting that my final address should also be made at this convention -nine years later.

Jan 1, 1958

By A. P. Page, G. E. Alexander, L. L. Sirois, A. A. Winer

A knowledge of the electrical surface characteristics of minerals is all-important in the choice of treatments to up-grade and beneficiate them. At their solid-liquid contacts, there are transfers of ionic species, which for insoluble oxide minerals are the H+ and OH-ions. The adsorption density of these ions can be detected by carrying out potentiometric titrations, and this paper describes the automation of such an apparatus. The details are discussed fully and the validity of the method is demonstrated by flotation tests.

Jan 1, 1969

By D. Moffat

Rio Algom Limited has mined uranium at Elliot Lake, Ontario for 20 years. The production of this energy-generating element results in the need to dispose of low-level radioactive solid wastes and liquid effluents. Because of the wet-temperate climate at Elliot Lake, the liquid effluents are of particular importance. Radium-226 is the isotope which requires most attention, and the current practice for its control is by addition of barium chloride and retention of the resultant precipitates in large settling ponds. Analyses of typical effluents and waste streams are discussed and typical levels of radium-226, thorium-230, thorium-232, thorium-228, lead-2iO, polonium-2iO, and uranium isotopes are presented.

Jan 1, 1979