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By Justin Cardwell, Alyson Cartwright

"Grade estimation is the cornerstone of longrange mine planning. Pit designs, metal recovery, mining costs, reserves calculations and reporting are all dependent upon a reliable grade model. If the geology is poorly understood or the interpolation methods and parameters have been haphazardly constructed, then massive financial losses will be the inevitable outcome. Therefore, a properly trained geologist must use all of the appropriate tools available including deposit knowledge and advances in modeling technology to construct the most geostatistically and practically sound long-range block model.Certain deposits, such as the sedimenthosted deposits at Tenke-Fungurume, require an interpolation method that best suits the style of mineralization. In 2014, Hexagon Mining developed a tool in MineSight called dynamic unfolding (MSDU) that has the potential to improve upon previous Euclidean-based interpolation methods. MSDU utilizes the nonstationarity of a folded grade trend to more accurately construct variograms and improve interpolation results based upon a modeled three-dimensional surface.Geology overview. The sediment-hosted Tenke-Fungurume mining district is located in the southeastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Fig. 1). The rocks within the district are primarily dolomites and shales from the lower half of the Roan Supergroup that were mineralized by ascending pregnant copper and cobalt rich brines within a massive sedimentary basin (Cailteux et al., 2005) (Fig. 2). These oxidized brines likely found a fluid channel in the porous RSC unit. The surrounding rock units provided a redox boundary for copper and cobalt precipitation along organic rich beds, forming a massive stratabound deposit that was later broken up by several subsequent tectonic events (Dewaele et al., 2006)."

Jan 1, 2015

By Robert Moore Lewis

Extensive exploration is being undertaken throughout the world in search for heavy minerals, particularly rutile and other titanium minerals. The federal government is sponsoring research involving rutile ores and recovery of stockpile-grade concentrates from domestic sources. Producers are being forced to turn to deposits with a heavy mineral content as low as 0.50% (essentially rutile and zircon). The North Carolina State University Minerals Research Laboratory investigated the possibilities of recovering heavy minerals from the amine tailings of the Texasgulf Inc.'s phosphate plant at Aurora, North Carolina. One laboratory beneficiation procedure using gravity, electrostatic and magnetic processes, resulted in the recovery of 78.7% of the heavy minerals in the amine tailings. Based on this percentage recovery and the present rate of phosphate mining, approximately 13,000 tons per year of heavy minerals (principally ilmenite and zircon) with a potential value of approximately $1,045,000 (1977) could be recovered. The economic potential for recovery of these heavy minerals appears to be favorable. A flotation procedure for up-grading the heavy minerals content in the amine tailings has been developed at the Laboratory, which could allow for concentration of heavy minerals and storing them in tailings area other than main tailings for future processing.

Jan 1, 1978

By L. H. Michaud

An existing mining company plans to extend their surface coal mining operations in central Pennsylvania. Although the proposed site contains pyritic material, the results of the acid-base accounting for the site show an overall NP:MPA ratio of 4.26:1 for the entire site. The pyritic material is, however, associated with the lower of the three seams to? be mined. If traditional dragline mining methods were used, this would result in the acidic material being placed at the top of the spoil piles, exposing it to air and water, and therefore to the formation of Acid Mine Drainage (AMD). Further concerns are associated with the fact that the alkaline material is not distributed evenly over the mine site. In order to prevent the formation of AMD, the company has proposed to mine the area using Truck/Shovel mining methods. This technique offers a more flexible alternative for cut sequencing and for the selective placement of waste material. Working with the Department of Mineral Engineering at The Pennsylvania State University, a mine plan was developed for this site. This plan results in the layering of the alkaline and acidic spoil in order to achieve an overall net alkalinity in all spoil areas. Mining of this site should therefore not result in the formation of AMD.

Jan 1, 1994

By Feng Liu

"With seven new applications for plans of work for exploration in the international Seabed Area approved by the Council during its twentieth session of the International Seabed Authority, 26 total approvals have been made by the Council up to date. Among them, three contracts were made with COMRA. On 8 August 2014, China Minmetals Corporation submitted another application to the Authority for approval of a plan of work for exploration for polymetallic nodules in the Area, which is also sponsored by the Government of the People’s Republic of China.China is one of the main contributors to the international seabed regime. The Presentation will describe China’s activities in the Area, such as exploration, technology development, environmental protection and policy making.JIAOLONG is a submersible with capacity of 7000 meters. JIAOLONG’s sea trials were carefully made in 4 years, from 2009 through 2012 and it successfully dove to a depth of 7062m in June 2012 at Mariana trench. A so called "Test Application Phase" started thereafter, and is planned to last for 3-4 years. Two cruises and 4 legs have already been made since then. A wide-range of findings were obtained during dives in South China Sea, and in COMRA’s Exploration Contract Areas for polymetallic nodules and cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts. This presentation will reveal the colorful findings."

Sep 1, 2014

By Carl G. Consalus

The Kemmerer Coal Company's Sorensen Mine is located approximately 7 miles Southwest of the Town of Kemmerer, Lincoln County, Wyoming. The coal it produces is delivered via conveyor directly to Utah Power and Light's Naughton Steam Generating Plant. The Plant went on the line in the spring of 1963 and the Sorensen Mine has been producing coal since February of that year. In this period, approximately 2, 000, 000 tons of coal have been delivered to the Plant. Present Sorensen mining operations are being carried out in the upper seams of the Adaville Formation. The formation contains, in some places, up to 30 coal seams of varying quality and thickness. Thirteen seams are considered major and are given numbers; the rest are considered splits off of the major seams and are so named. The lowest seam stratigraphically is the No. 1, or Elkol seam. So far, it has not been committed to power production but is being held in- reserve. It is the thickest seam with 80-90 feet of coal as its average thickness. The other major seams vary from 10-50 feet thick, with most of the seams averaging 17-26 feet of thickness. Each major seam has been opened at least once' to obtain a true gross sample of the coal's performance in the Plant.

Jan 1, 1967

By E. W. Lindroos, Fred D. DeVaney, R. L. Bennett, R. W. Hernlund, W. R. van Slyke, W. F. McDermott, C. U. Keranen

INTRODUCTION Iron is the world's most widely used metal and constitutes about 5% of the earth's crust. Iron ores are found widely distributed throughout the world. Because of its wide occurrence and relatively low value, an iron ore to be merchantable must contain a relatively high percentage of the metal to be considered as a source of iron. Few ores containing less than 25% iron would be considered as ore unless they existed in large amounts and could be concentrated very cheaply. The grade of the ore, the ease of concentration, and the transportation cost to market are fundamental considerations deter- mining its worth. Iron never occurs as a natural metal except in meteorites. Most iron ores occur as oxides, and to a lesser degree as carbonates. A small amount is recovered as a byproduct from iron sulfides. Iron ore must be reduced (oxygen removed) to metal for use. Iron is marketed in many forms and combinations, such as pig iron and a great variety of steels. Iron is practically never pure as marketed but contains varying amounts of carbon, phosphorus, sulfur, and alloying elements such as nickel, chromium, etc., all of which affect the physical proper- ties of the end product. Please note that in this section all analyses ore on a dry basis and all tonnage figures are on a long-ton basis of 2,240 lb unless otherwise noted.

Jan 1, 1985

By Gordon F. Revey

In underground construction and mining work, situations occasionally occur where hard rock or concrete must be excavated at locations near critical structures or utilities. Fearing damage from blasting, contractors and engineers often explore the viability of using mechanical methods or expansive concrete to facilitate the excavation work. However, for moderate to large excavations, the prolonged duration and high cost of using these methods is often impractical. In these situations, under the right conditions, controlled blasting and blast-management methods can be used to speedup the work and lessen costs. The process of determining whether or not blasting is practical is often complex, particularly when risks are high. In this paper, general methods of conducting blasting risk evaluations and outlined and considerations for blast design and risk management are reviewed. This paper also includes three blasting case histories demonstrating how these techniques were used at recent projects. In the first case, a cautious blasting program was developed to facilitate the removal of concrete and rock within a large section of an active mineshaft. The second case involved critical blasting to excavate a dry lake-tap connection between a tunnel and a shaft at the Southern Nevada Water Intake No. 2 project in Henderson, Nevada. The third case history describes how novel blasting methods were used to carefully drop a 2,721,500-kg (6,000,000-lb) concrete caisson into a1.2-m (4-ft) rock socket at the Detroit Outfall No. 2 project in Detroit, MI.

Jan 1, 2001

By Chee Theng

"What do you think are the most important topics in mineral processing today? It is a question that begs to be asked when more than 100 of some of the best and brightest in Colorado mineral processing and their invited guests are gathered in one room. They are there for the 66th Annual Colorado MPD Meeting held at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs: three days of finely curated talks and social events where participation was strong, and information was exchanged and connections forged in a relaxed, informal atmosphere.Water, tailings and social licenseNot surprisingly, water management, with the associated issues of tailings and social license, was high on the minds of those present. The Mount Polley and Samarco tailings dam failures have had repercussions across the industry. “There are big challenges with respect to tailings, and social and environmental pressures to find better ways to treat them,” said Steve Hearn of Huntsman Corp., a view echoed by Bob Kilborn of Kilborn Group LLC. Metso Minerals director Keith Butler said, “Water conservation is a key issue today. Many mining activities are now located in remote areas, so it has social and economic impacts on mining operations.” For Brian Olson of Samuel Engineering, wastewater and reclaimed-water treatment is interesting.Fittingly, the first talk of the meeting was on dry stack tailings by Michael Blois of Takraf USA, who went over both the advantages and disadvantages. “The average now is over one tailings dam failure a year,” Blois said, “and that is one too many.” But the technology may not be the right fit for all projects. In his talk on the KSM project, Jay Layman, president and COO of Seabridge Gold, showed how it isn’t practical for KSM and how Seabridge reached the decision on a cyclone sand tailings managementfacility as the preferred management strategy.The luncheon keynote also dealt with a tailings pond spill, but of a different kind. Bob Schafer, chief executive of Eagle Mines Management, spoke on the federal missteps that led to the spill into the Animas River from the Gold King Mine, a mine that had been a dry mine throughout its life and up to the 1990s."

Jun 1, 2016

By A. E. Halim, J. F. Brune

Debate continues over whether barricading in refuge chambers is a good strategy to survive entrapment emergencies in underground coal mines, in particular fires and explosions. Unlike U.S. coal mines, Australian coal mines are not required to use refuge chambers and, instead, have adopted a strategy that focuses on instructing and training miners to self-escape to the surface. This paper analyzes the merits and problems of using refuge chambers or self-escape to the surface to manage emergencies in fires or explosions in an underground coal mine. We found that using refuge chambers may not be the best strategy during extensive fires or when multiple explosions occur. In these situations, mine rescuers are unlikely to be able to extract miners who are sheltered in chambers and, conversely, self-escape may save more lives than sheltering. Chances for successful self-escape are further improved by regular, externally assessed training such as the level 1 emergency exercises required in Queensland, Australia. These exercises put pressure on mine operators to ensure and maintain the effectiveness of their emergency management system.

By M. Rancourt, J. Levay, D. K. Murphy

INTRODUCTION The LG-2 project is one element of the La Grande Complex, an integrated development of hydro-electric potential being constructed in north-western Quebec by the James Bay Energy Corporation. The project is located on the La Grande River about 65 miles east of Fort George on the James Bay coast and 600 miles north of Montreal. It comprises a 525 foot high dam, 81,000 feet of dykes, spillway and river diversion works and a 16 unit underground powerhouse that will have an installed capacity of 5,328 MW. The power installations at LG-2 represent approximately half of the total potential for the complex. When completed in 1982, LG-2 will rank as the largest underground powerhouse in the world. Studies and site explorations for the project were begun in 1971, construction commenced in 1973 and the roll date for the first machine is scheduled for February, 1980. GENERAL ARRANGEMENT OF POWER INSTALLATIONS As shown in Figure 1, the power installations are located on the south bank of the river about 4 miles downstream from the main dam. The general arrangement of the complex is presented in Figures 2 and 3. The intake structure consists of 2 groups of 8 gated intakes separated by a central service area. Sixteen 26 foot diameter in-

Jan 1, 1976

By Raj K. Singhal

Canada is a world class producer and exporter of minerals and mineral products. Canadian open-pit mines are highly mechanized and use state-of-the-art equipment and support technology. During the past few years, productivity improvements at Canadian open-pit mines have been achieved by taking advantage of larger equipment, in-pit crushing and conveying, truck dispatch systems and electronic management tools. The most recent developments are related to hydraulic transportation and the application of global positioning systems (GPS). Mine planning has become computerized. Environmental issues are dealt with in all phases of planning. Equipment modifications are pursued with vigor to keep the equipment functioning in the hostile Canadian north. In 1997, the mining and mineral processing sector employed 370,000 Canadians, contributing $26.2 billion to Canada's gross domestic product (GDP). The value of production of the Canadian mineral industry, including coal, amounted to $19.1 billion in 1997. Gold remained Canada's leading mineral with production valued at $2.8 billion. This was followed by copper ($2 billion), coal ($1.9 billion), zinc ($1.6 billion) and nickel ($1.9 billion). [ ] Synthetic crude oil from oil-sands mining operations in Alberta represents an important part of Canada's petroleum production. In 1997, the value of synthetic oil production was $2.87 billion. Canadian oil-sands mining has contributed significant technology developments in Canada.

Jan 1, 1999

The mining industry is an important economical factor in Vietnam. Mining is presently being conducted at about 60 locations and at over 1000 mines. Petroleum extraction and coal mining are the most important parts of industry though metals such as zinc, tin, chromites, iron are also extracted. Last year the sector produced 20 million tons of crude oil, 26 million tons of coal and 500,000 tons of apatite. In particular, Vietnam is one of the world?s largest producers of anthracite, and it is one of the top producers of ilmenite and zircon in the Asia-Pacific region. The government intends to increase the mining production on all levels, however, at present one can observe adverse impacts of the mining activities on the natural environment such as insufficient waste dump rehabilitation, occurrence of acid mine drainage, mining subsidence and emissions as well as lack of appropriate water treatment facilities. This paper describes the current mining situation, future perspectives, the major environmental challenges of the country and approaches to solve these problems. Particular emphasis will be given to the research project ?RAME ? Research Association on Mining and Environment in Vietnam?, a venture carried out by universities, research centres and industry. This project is worked out in collaboration with the national Vietnamese coal and industrial minerals company VINACOMIN.

Jan 1, 2006

By Yonghong Qin, Songbo Ma, Qi Zhang, Peng Gao, Jianwen Yu

Herein, the coal-based reduction was proposed to utilize the ferronickel slag of Jingchuan company. An excellent index with metallization rate of 99.22%, iron grade of 77.91%, and iron recovery of 92.79% was obtained at carbon addition coefficient 2.0, reduction temperature 1573 K, reduction time 60 min, the particle size of coal and ferronickel slag − 2.0 mm, and CaO content 15%. The 2FeO·SiO2 was reduced to Fe and SiO2 with the increase of temperature. The CaO could promote the reduction of iron oxide. Most of the sulfides (Fe, Cu, Co, and Ni) in the sulfonium were reduced to metal. The reduction degree increased with the reduction time and reduction temperature. The higher reduction temperature represented the higher peak value of reduction rate and the shorter time of reaching the peak value. The isothermal reduction process included three stages: early stage, middle stage, and late stage. The mechanism function were f(α) = 1/2(1 − α)3, f(α) = 3/2(1 − α)4/3[(1 − α)−1/3 − 1]− 1, and f(α) = 4(1 − α)[− ln(1 − α)]3/4, respectively. The activation energy of three stages was 183.498 kJ·mol−1, 420.077 kJ·mol−1, and 656.619 kJ·mol−1, respectively.

May 24, 2022

By Wang Xuewen, Bao Qingbao, Xie Jiacheng, Yan Zewen

This study puts forward a virtual memory cutting method based on the prediction of AFC shape. The integrated key technologies include the generation of virtual teaching cutting curve, the height adjustment strategy of front and rear drum, cutting height adjustment strategy, the reciprocating cycle of cutting technology and so on. Through the two algorithms, SVM and ELM, the form of the next working cycle can be obtained by rolling prediction using the form information of AFC in the first several circulations. Based on the obtained dynamic fluctuation of the form in the vertical and horizontal working faces, the position and cutting information of the shearer during its operation can be controlled and predicted in advance, the memory cutting template can be adjusted and modified in time. Employing this method, the more stable, accurate and timely memory cutting of the shearer under the uneven coal seam could be realized.

Aug 16, 2021

By Milka Madahana, John Ekoru

For efficient management of operations, mining companies are required to be able to predict potential scenarios for main market factors. Competitive advantage and value creation are established through managing the value chain well. The mining value chain is usually faced with challenges from various shifts in commodity markets as well as ongoing uncertainties. Therefore, there is a need for accurate analysis of data from the markets, for the prediction of commodities, for instance, Precious Group Metals (PGM). The main objective of this research work is to apply machine learning methodologies with the aim to identify patterns and trends in the Precious Group Metals, and thereafter analyze and predict the future trends of these markets. Numerous machine learning models are applied to a dataset consisting of 15 years of daily price for eight precious metals namely Platinum, Palladium, Rhodium, Ruthenium, Osmium, Indium, Silver, and Gold. The results reveal the patterns and trends within the data sets and that different machine learning methods could be suited for the prediction of market prices for each of the PGMs. The application of an amalgamation of various machine learning methods may result in more accurate predictions of the PGM markets. Accurate prediction of market prices for PGMs will possibly result in unlocking untapped sources of value in the mining industry.

Jun 25, 2023

By J. Seifert, L. Hunter, P. W. Conrad, S. Rosenthal

"The goal of the protocol for reclaiming in-pit tailings ponds to exceed federal and state regulations was to develop a series of steps that can be followed to design, operate, and reclaim a tailings disposal pond that will develop into grazing land with a wetland for open pit sand mines in warm dry climates. By incorporating a wetland into the reclamation design, the post mining land use gives back to both the wildlife as a source of water as well as providing for a diverse range of post mining land use including but not limited to livestock grazing and ranch land use. An example design was completed using this protocol to demonstrate how the protocol can result in in a well-designed, reclaimed tailings disposal pond. BACKGROUND In an industry plagued with decaying historic mine sites, the public’s perception of mining appears to be poor. While modern mines are closely monitored and generally managed by ethical professionals, history still influences how the public perceives the mining industry. From collapsing abandoned underground workings to historic tailings dam failures, the failure to account for the environment in the past seems to affect public perspective on mining today. In a 2013 “Opinion Former Survey,” a survey conducted through interviews with a diverse range of stakeholders in various gold companies, it was noted that the most serious challenges facing the mining industry were environmental concerns and the permitting challenges associated with them (Council). In another article, this time focusing on Australian citizens and their perspectives of the mining industry, it was found that the majority of those surveyed had a big concern over the environmental impacts of mining especially when it comes to water quality and quantity (Scan). The statistics portrayed in these articles illustrate that today’s mining engineers needs to make more of an effort to change the public’s perspective of mining by being more environmentally aware. These engineers should be continuously asking themselves what they could be doing better from an environmental perspective to ensure that history is not repeated and that natural resources are used as efficiently as possible."

Jan 1, 2018

By H. W. Breathitt

World demand for phosphate rock has increased significantly in the past fifteen years. Prior to the early 1960's, most of the world production was obtained from Florida, North Africa, and Kola. As the 1960's arrived, new mines in North Florida and Eastern North Carolina, as well as expanded production in the Western United States, .increased domestic production. Many new mines overseas have also become significant. This includes countries such as Senegal, Togo, Israel, Spanish Sahara, and Jordan. Limited production, often as by-products, has been noted in South Africa, Brazil, and other countries. In recent years, and even recent months, we have learned of many new areas being considered as potential sources of phosphate rock. This includes Australia, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Colombia, and Brazil. Many other developing countries have discoveries and are considering their new deposits, often with difficult beneficiation problems, as potential sources of phosphate. These factors all relate to expanded world, population and the demand for more fertilizer products to produce food. In this paper, four areas of the world with different types of phosphate deposits are briefly reviewed to contrast the ore beneficiation problems to Florida procedures--long considered the "standard" of the industry, at least for most of the United States' domestic production. Agrico has three large operating mines in Florida with total production capacity exceeding seven million tons per year. Here, pebble phosphate (+14 mesh material) is produced without the use of flotation, whereas all of the material finer than 14 mesh is subjected to flotation beneficiation to upgrade into high grade concentrates.

Jan 1, 1977

By Sean Hunter

Artificial Intelligence has a long history but is currently coming strongly into focus with new advancements. This leads to questions many people are asking: what exactly is AI, how can it be used effectively in mining operations, and what foundation is required to make AI implementations successful? In mining, many AI applications exist, from drill pattern optimization to predictive maintenance. However, many implementations struggle due to data integration challenges. Mining operations generate large amounts of data from many sources, such as fleet management systems, drill sensors, process control systems, and laboratory results. Unfortunately, this data often exists in silos where it’s difficult to get it out, making AI applications unable to leverage it. Worse still, tools that use AI don’t always provide their data back to the system, creating even further data silos. All these problems make it hard to take advantage of the data at the mine, slowing down and reducing the effectiveness of AI. This paper presents a comprehensive approach to organizing mining data using an AI-ready knowledge graph system. We will first explore the evolution of AI in mining, from early expert systems to modern machine learning applications. Then, we will detail how a knowledge graph can integrate business context, operational data, and AI models into a cohesive system that enables more effective AI implementations across mining operations. The proposed method has been developed considering both the unique data challenges faced by the mining industry, while also considering best practices learned from the AI field at large. By following this approach, it’s possible to better utilize existing data, getting higher quality and more complete results faster, and in a way that’s reusable and composable.

Feb 1, 2025

By James A. Commins

Accurate engineering predictions of energy needs for pollution control equipment used in surface mining operations is critically important to sound management selection of control alternatives. This paper will describe a procedure for evaluating two control alternatives with different energy needs. Three steps are involved: an analysis of the pertinent regulations, a determination of the size distribution of the particles being emitted, a calculation of the energy needs and costs of the candidate control systems as a function of these regulations and emission characteristics. The principal air pollutant to be controlled in surface mining operations is particulates, or dust, some of which is already on the material introduced into the primary crusher and other dust which is generated by the various steps in the subsequent processes. The requirement for control stems both from regulations concerning workers at the operating site, and the community surrounding the operations. In order to speak quantitatively about the need for control we will use regulations that pertain in Pennsylvania although it must be borne in mind that such regulations vary according to juristiction.

Jan 1, 1975

By M. Deutsch, E. González, M. Williams

"There is uncertainty in ultimate pit limits due to geologic variation and unpredictable economic landscapes. In this work we show how this uncertainty affects the ultimate pit and how it can be analyzed to improve the mine planning process. A stochastic framework using geostatistical simulation and parametric analysis is used to model the effects of geologic and economic variation on ultimate pit limits and overall project economics. This analysis is made possible by a new, highly efficient pit optimization implementation which can be automated and set up to calculate ultimate pits for hundreds of different scenarios in a matter of hours. Quantifying ultimate pit uncertainty early in the mine planning process allows mining engineers to make informed decisions regarding infrastructure placement, and to mitigate the possibility of incurring substantial costs relocating critical mine facilities. INTRODUCTION The mining industry is increasingly concerned with the effects of risk and uncertainty. Uncertain prices, unpredictable global markets, and unknown foreign exchange rates can alter the economic viability of a mining project in substantial ways. This economic uncertainty is compounded by geologic uncertainty. The extent and quality of any given deposit cannot be fully measured and is not known before consequential decisions must be made. These two sources of uncertainty are responsible for the majority of deviation between what happens during operation and what was initially planned. Understanding and explicitly quantifying this uncertainty will lead to better decision making and allow mining engineers and investors to be aware of what may occur. It is unrealistic to believe that one model, estimated from sparse measurements, is enough to capture both geologic and economic uncertainty and allow for optimal decisions. The entire breadth of uncertainty should be considered, as both upside and downside risks have large impacts on the investment potential and operational efficiency of mining projects. The workflow presented here uses Monte Carlo simulation and parametric analysis together to explicitly analyze the breadth of geologic and economic uncertainty as it applies to ultimate pit calculation and long range mine planning."

Jan 1, 2015