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By [Miroslaw] M. Hajdasinsk

The identification of the real internal rates of return (IRR's) of a project is essential for its economic evaluation. The existing methods for the calculation of IRR's are both cumbersome and unreliable, mainly because of their inability to effectively isolate the real IRR's and incapability of discovering multiple IRR's of even multiplicity. In this paper, a concept of the 'cash flow pattern tree used for isolation of the real IRR's of a project is presented. This concept, combined with the Sturm procedure for counting the real distinct zeros of a polynomial within a specified interval, leads to the development of a method and computer program for isolation and calculation of the real IRR's of a project. The method examines whether or not real IRR's exist, and if they do, isolates them within bounded and narrow intervals in a mathematically founded way. The isolated IRR's, whether simple or multiple, are subsequently calculated either directly or by means of an appropriate approximation procedure. Numerical examples assist the development of the method and the corresponding computer algorithm. Because any Net Present Value treated as a function of interest rate can easily be transformed into a polynomial, the method presented also constitutes a method for finding the real zeros of a polynomial.

Jan 1, 1986

By D. Antonov

The physical and mechanical properties of coal play a important role in the planing and design of coal mines. However, due to the complexity conditions in situ and the influence of unknown factors, it is hard for people to evaluate the physical and mechanical properties of coal directly. In this research, uniaxial compressive stress was used to change the attribute of coal samples, and the ultrasonic measure technique was used to evaluate the physical and mechanical properties of coal. The results of laboratory test showed that there was a strong relation between uniaxial stress and velocity of ultrasonic wave. Sensitivity analysis with numerical simulation was used to define the relation between the physical-mechanical parameters of coal and ultrasonoc wave. With the dynamic analysis module of FLAC, three elastic and plastic models were built to model the coal samples. The modeling parameters were changed pro rata, and the correlation of coal and ultrasonic wave properties were summarized and presented. The result from this research will be base for further analysis of caving behavior of coal.

Jan 1, 2010

By L. N. Hill

The classifiers on the primary grinding circuit at Cyprus Sierrita have been upgraded from 0.66 m (26 in) diameter hydrocyclones to 0.84 m (33 in) diameter hydrocyclones. This has resulted in a 4.3 % (11 t/h) (12 standard tons/hour) increase in mill throughput while producing a flotation feed which contains 4.8% less +300 micron (48 mesh Tyler screen size) material. This reduction in flotation feed particle size has increased copper (CU) recovery by 0.8 %. Various grinding circuit relationships were evaluated. These relationships include circulating load versus throughput, horizontal versus vertical cyclone configuration, and the effect of cyclone components on performance. We conclude that the improvements achieved are due to a shift in the overflow size distribution created by a cyclone diameter more suited to our operation, and by eliminating the cyclone capacity constraint in the grinding circuit.

Jan 1, 1994

By T. L. Carstensen

The Miami In-situ mine of BHP Copper is located in Globe-Miami, Arizona. The mine leaches mineralized leach capping over a supergene enriched sulfide deposit, and has produced over 500 million lbs of copper during the last 50 years. The Miami unit has identified several opportunities to enhance and expand in-situ production. A computer block model consisting of strict geologic controls, mineralogy, and metallurgical data was developed to assist in the determination of the leachable copper resource. An understanding of the accessibility and solubility of the resource to leaching solutions and the integration of hydrogeologic and hydrometallurgical information was necessary for completion of this project.

Jan 1, 1997

By Paktunc. A. Dogan, Nand K. Davé

Unsegregated pyritic uranium mill tailings from Elliot Lake, Ontario, with and without limestone amendment, were subjected to column leaching experiments for the purposes of predicting the onset of acidic drainage and the magnitude of metal and radionuclide release under various treatment and control strategies. The unamended tailings produced acidic drainage after approximately one and a half year. The tailings mixed with various grain-sized limestone did not produce acidic drainage during the study period. The tailings consist essentially of quartz, K-feldspar, muscovite and pyrite. The unsegregated tailings amended with very fine limestone displayed the least amounts of pyrite loss whereas those without limestone amendment had the greatest pyrite losses. Predicted onset of acid generation varied from 16 to 75 years for the top sections and in most cases greater than 100 years for bottom sections of the unsegregated tailings with limestone amendments. Unsegregated tailings mixed with fine- and very fine-grained limestone proved to be the most effective in controlling or delaying the onset of acidic drainage under unsaturated conditions.

Jan 1, 2000

By William J. Miles

The markets and applications of Wyoming bentonite deposits are primarily determined by the functional properties of a bentonite ore which results from the unique mineralogy and chemistry of each deposit. Commercial bentonite products contain sodium montmorillonite as the major mineral component, with minor concentrations of accessory minerals such as quartz, opal (silica hydrate), mica, feldspar, gypsum and zeolites. The chemical composition of the sodium montmorillonite influences the functional properties of the bentonite in significant ways. The type and concentration of various accessory minerals also influence the acceptability of the bentonite in each market.

Jan 1, 1995

By Stefan Lorenz, Robert Galler

"The technical lifetime of underground structures does not only depend on the long-term behavior of individual support elements and material characteristics, but also on various boundary conditions, which influence the entire long-term system behavior of the structure. Thanks to the construction of second tunnel tubes and the corresponding cross passages sampling of support materials such as shotcrete, concrete of the inner lining and rock bolts including sheet membranes is possible. To evaluate the stresses and the supporting effects of the tunnel shells, flat-jack tests and different simulations were performed. With these simulations the percentage of the load bearing behavior of the shotcrete shell can be determined. From the results, conclusions for new design approaches for tunnel construction should be generated. New concepts, in which the outer lining is part of the permanent support elements can be considered. This approach would be applicable for conventional as well as mechanical tunneling. INTRODUCTION Tunnels are an indispensable part of modern transport infrastructure. As multi-generation structures their long-term preservation as well as their technical service life is of central importance. The current state of research in the field of durability of structural elements must be considered separately. In almost all areas a prediction of materials and structural components towards lifetime exists. System-wide investigations were rarely performed, so that there is no technical lifetime consideration of the outer lining in systems included. In this study the mechanical behavior of the interface connection in a double shell lining (DSL) tunnel was investigated in laboratory tests. Objective The target of this work is, at first, to create a large database with the lifetime of different structural elements and materials, which may be the basis of durability considerations of tunnels. Secondly, the goal of these investigations is to optimize tunnel designs and their dimensioning regarding to the technical lifetime. For that matter, it is necessary to analyze the selected approaches of the loss of strength and stiffness of the outer lining."

Jan 1, 2016

By E. Oraby, S. Garcia, A. Thurgood, D. Bertoldi, G. O’Malley

Mining and Process Solutions (MPS) most advanced process, GlyCatTM is the only process that can be easily adapted to existing cyanidation plants in the market today whose real advantages over cyanidation are when treating copper containing ores, concentrates or tailings. With such complex material, GlyCatTM requires 70-90% less cyanide addition to achieve the same precious metal extraction. However, GlyCatTM is not simply cyanidation with added glycine. It is a completely different process where the solution chemistry and conditions needed to effectively leach the precious metals are quite different. Downstream however, the process is largely unchanged as the recovery of the leached gold and silver uses existing known processes such as conventional activated carbon or zinc cementation (Merrill-Crowe process). Another advantage is lower SCN, OCN, WAD and no free cyanide in the effluent which can substantially reduce cyanide detoxification requirements and decrease the OHS and ESG risk of the operation. This paper outline some of these differences and presents testwork, piloting and process examples to highlight the advantageous of this new process over conventional cyanidation.

Feb 1, 2023

By B. Mishra, Q. Shi, Y. Zhao, G. Zhao

Shale is anisotropic due to the presence of bedding planes. The anisotropic strength of shale has been extensively studied. However, little attention has been paid to the size effect on shale strength considering the anisotropy. This research uses the discrete element method to study the size effect on the strength of shale under the uniaxial stress state. It is assumed that the anisotropy is caused by bedding planes, while the size effect is caused by randomly distributed flaws. The numerical model of shale comprises three components: shale matrix modeled by bonded particles (2) bedding planes modeled by smooth joints (3) flaws modeled by discrete fractures. The developed model is scaled to different sizes and tested in the uniaxial compression and the direct tension tests. The test result show that the uniaxial compressive strength decreases as the specimen size increases when the loading direction is perpendicular or parallel to bedding planes. The uniaxial compressive strength is determined by the flaws while the bedding planes only play a limited role. However, the size effect on the direct tensile strength depends on the direction of bedding planes. When the loading is perpendicular to bedding planes, the size effect is not prominent. The direct tensile strength is determined by the bedding planes while the flaws have little effect. When the loading direction is parallel to bedding planes, the direct tensile strength decreases when the specimen size increases. The direct tensile strength is determined by the flaws while the bedding planes have little effect.

Mar 2, 2022

By J. B. Davis

Isotope analyses distinguish biogenic sulfur ores from non-biogenic ores, but do not distinguish bioepigenetic from biosyngenetic ores. Sulfur deposits of salt dome caprocks and of bedded Permian evaporites of west Texas, however, are clearly bioepigenetic. Anhydrite, introduced by salt diapirs into geologically younger sediments, is converted biogenically to sulfur and calcite in the presence of petroleum; for example, in Challenger Knoll, a salt dome at a water depth of 3600 m in the Gulf of Mexico. Bedded evaporites of west Texas in association with petroleum show an obvious epigenetic replacement of the anhydrite layers by biogenic sulfur and calcite

Jan 1, 1978

By W. R. VanSlyke

Scrubbing is gaining increasing recognition as a valuable tool in the treatment of Mesabi Range intermediate iron ores. In general, the earliest washing plants included log-washers in their various flowsheets. While log-washers certainly did impart a degree of scrubbing to the crude ore, such treatment bears little resemblance to the type of scrubbing being practiced today. At the time that these early plants were erected, only the true wash-ores were being processd. ("Wash-ores" are defined as crude ores in which relatively coarse chunks of almost completely liberated iron are found in a matrix of loosely-consolidated fine sand.) To treat ores of this type, sizing at approximately 65 to 100 mesh was sufficient to produce a merchantable concentrate. As crudes were being treated in which there was little "locking" of iron and silica, log-washers tended to disappear and large screens and classifiers took their place in Mesabi range flowsheets. The "screening and classification" type of flowsheet 'had its greatest usage in the 1945-55 period, generally speaking. During this same period, many operators found it necessary to supplement the "wash-ore" type flowsheet with heavy-media treatment.

Jan 1, 1959

By J. K. Ahlness

The Bureau of Mines investigated technologies for determining the integrity of in situ leach mining wells. A self-contained trailer-mounted well integrity testing system (WITS) was designed and built to enable rapid testing of well casings for leaks as required by environmental regulations. The WITS utilizes two inflatable packers to seal off the entire casing length or any portion thereof. Water pressure is built between the packers to the desired test pressure, and the presence or absence of casing leaks is determined by monitoring the pressure drop between the packers. A winch and steel cable are used to run the packers in and out of the well. The WITS underwent an industry field test at the Irigaray in situ uranium leaching mine near Buffalo, WY. A total of 37 wells with an average depth of 225 ft (69 m) were tested at an average rate of four wells per 8-h shift with a two-person operating crew. This represents a 75-pct time savings and an 83-pct labor savings compared to the rigid-pipe method previously used at the mine, with which a three-person crew tested an average of one well per shift.

Jan 1, 1986

By B. R. Arvidson

Sharper separation and improved control of the top size increases the fine particle product yield. As the milling circuit recycle stream is reduced, the overall capacity is increased. In some cases, a doubling of throughput is realized, although 25 to 30% increase is more typical. Alternatively, the energy demand may be reduced, although the best economic improvement results from higher capacity. A comparison with a high-pressure roller mill circuit shows that an optimized ball mill circuit retrofitted with the new air classifier has lower energy consumption. The new air classifier features low energy demand and substantially lower maintenance compared to similar equipment. Design and operation of this recently patented classifier are discussed. Several industrial installations will be described.

Jan 1, 1999

By Paul Mitchell, Clive Potter, Miles Watkins

Meldon Quarry is a seemingly rare occurrence of acid rock drainage (ARD) in a quarrying operation.4 With surface waters discharging to a tributary of a salmon-bearing river, it is subject to stringent discharge conditions. The quarry predates effective environmental management, and preventative, control and treatment measures were not implemented until relatively recently. However, retrospectively implementing standard preventative approaches at the site is costly, technically difficult and of uncertain benefit. This paper overviews the recent site history and introduces data from a demonstration by KEECO (UK) Limited of its Silica Micro Encapsulation (SME) water treatment technology.

Jan 1, 2000

By N. Kuyucak

Uranium ores leached with sulphuric acid typically have poor dewatering properties. Applicability of controlled neutralization where gypsum precipitates as crystalline particles, improving dewatering properties of material was examined. Neutralized material was then dewatered using paste thickener to increase underflow density. The objectives are to maximize water recovery due to water scarcity and to produce suitable cemented paste fill material for optimizing underground ore recovery. Work was performed on acidic slurry samples collected after leaching but before the resin-in-pulp uranium recovery. Controlled neutralization greatly reduced volume of neutralization precipitates giving higher densities and improving the dewatering (filtration) properties. As a result it would be possible to increase the water recycled to the mill. Another benefit is that sulphate in the recycled water was reduced to saturation limit minimizing scaling of process equipment. Additional test work is needed; however, Unconfined Compressive Strength results imply that controlled neutralization increases the strength of paste fill and possibly offers opportunities towards a viable backfill option.

Jan 1, 2010

By Andrew T. Zador

The growing demand for energy combined with the need to protect and preserve the environment have become prime considerations in the design of efficient coal handling ports and their associated stockpiles. The transportation system is analogous to a connected chain which originates at the mines and terminates at steel mills or power plants, in which the port and the stockpile reserves are a vital link. Railroad transportation costs can be minimized by rapid discharge of the cars which, in turn, requires that an adequate stockpile system be available. Ocean transport costs can be minimized by having an efficient high capacity ship loading system and sufficient quantities of coal on hand -all of which also requires an efficient stockpile system to meet shipping demands. The connector between the two modes of transportation, therefore, is the port stockyard. It is here at the interface that optimization of land utilization and materials handling equipment results in a total transportation chain that can operate as a smooth efficient system. Multiple origins of coal require the simultaneous handling of large quantities of coal of many grades. Railroad transportation logistics often limit and define the incoming arrival patterns and limited rolling stock often require priority treatment for railroad operations. The physical limitations of prime ocean frontage require that coal stockpiles be built close to residential or industrial areas which entail strict environmental controls. Large capacity, enclosed coal stockpiles for ocean shipping have not yet been considered feasible but may be forthcoming in the near future. Several have been analyzed.

Jan 1, 1978

By J. Kemeny, K. Girdner, M. A. Lowery

A strategy for proactive blast planning to improve the postblast fragmentation size has been implemented at the Phelps Dodge Morenci Mine. This strategy was developed in specific phases that include stabilization of blasting practices, systematic changes in blast design and quantification of the size distribution of blasts. Implementing this new strategy would not be possible without an accurate method for quantifying the postblast fragment size distribution. The Split image processing system is now being used to assess fragmentation size using muck pile digital imaging taken on a daily basis and an online fragmentation analysis system installed at the primary crushers. Drilling and blasting variables and fragmentation size are entered into a database, spatially evaluated in a geographic information system and subsequently utilized for mine planning purposes. Using this strategy, significant improvements have been made in postblast fragmentation and continued improvements are expected in the next several years.

Jan 1, 2002

By D. M. Neil

Road-headers are one of the most popular mechanized excavators used in mining and civil under-ground construction. These machines are primarily used in soft to medium hard rocks. This paper reviews the parameters associated with the application and operation of road-headers and presents a method for estimating cutting performance.

Jan 1, 1994

By C. R. DeGennaro, Yongjun Zhang, J. Bickson, J. L. Carr, Chenming Zhou, J. R. Srednicki, B. Lambie, M. Girman, J. A. Galanko

Between 2005 and 2021, surface mining haul trucks were involved in 54 fatal incidents in the United States [1]. Collision warning and avoidance systems (CXS) can help haul truck operators navigate their route safely. The evaluation of CXS object detection performance for surface mining haul trucks relies on the positional accuracy of the ground truth instrument. As part of a holistic approach, researchers from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) characterized the accuracy of a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) that serves as the ground truth instrument to determine object position and velocity in CXS object detection performance testing. We used precision surveying equipment to establish ground truth points for comparison with GNSS data collected for static positional measurements and reduced-scale straightline vehicle dynamic tests. We conducted these tests with real-time kinematics (RTK) and then satellite-based augmentation systems (SBAS). For the dynamic tests, we measured a distance error of 1.34 m (4.40 ft) using RTK and 1.50 m (4.92 ft) using an SBAS. This research will provide CXS manufacturers and CXS researchers a basis for evaluating the positional accuracy of CXS. Note that we did not evaluate any CXS in this experiment.

Feb 1, 2024

By David Dvorkin, Thomas C. Anderson

INTRODUCTION A major function of the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), Denver Safety and Health Technology Center (DSHTC), Ventilation Branch, is to provide engineering analyses of underground mine¬ ventilation systems for coal, metal, and nonmetal in¬spection departments in accordance with field surveys and data analyses. Health and safety problems such as the control of diesel contaminants, dust, methane, radon, and radon daughters all are dependent upon ventilation. It is necessary for the ventilation engineers at DSHTC to have a complete understanding of the various and highly complex ventilation systems used in the nation's mines. Only through the proper assembly and analysis of data can the engineer determine the causes of prob¬lems and make suitable recommendations. Furthermore, the engineer must have the ability to predict the results of any such recommendations. In the study of the ventilation system at any indi¬vidual mine, it is common practice to collect data on airflow quantities and pressures at key points throughout the mine. However, these data give only a single point¬-in-time view of the system. As the mine develops and progresses, the system undergoes numerous changes; as the mine becomes more extensive, the ventilation re¬quirements increase, and the costs rise. For proper utilization of the available resources, it is necessary for the engineer to have a sound engineering basis for deci¬sions on how best to ventilate the mine. To evaluate the system as a whole, particularly re¬garding possible system changes, it has become necessary to rely on computers to perform the calculations in¬volved in analyzing the network. This chapter sum¬marizes the implementation of such computer capabili¬ties at DSHTC, as well as the services that are available from DSHTC. ANALOG SIMULATIONS AND ANALYSES OF VENTILATION NETWORKS As early as 1954, the US Bureau of Mines (USBM) in Pittsburgh, PA, was using an analog computer as an aid in analyzing ventilation systems. The Mcllroy Fluid Network Analyzer used filament-tube resistance elements and an electrical power supply to simulate mine-ventila¬tion systems electrically. This system is shown in Fig. 1. Analog simulation has proven to be a practical tool, providing fast analyses of complicated problems after the initial setup has been completed. Advancements in electronic technology over the past 24 years have made possible the construction of an analog computer that has streamlined several operating features of the previous machines. The DSHTC Ventilation Branch now has an improved electronic analog computer to assist in the analyses of ventilation systems. General Features As shown in Fig. 2, the analog computer used at the DSHTC Ventilation Branch has three "element" cabi¬ nets, a console, and a printer. The cabinets contain the fan elements and the airway-resistance elements that are used to "program" an analysis problem; each element is independent of the others. The console contains the "patchboard" and the controls necessary to operate the analog computer. The patchboard connects the inde¬pendent elements into the circuit appropriate for simu¬lating the ventilation system. The total system is controlled from a panel on the console, while the value corresponding to each element is set on the individual controls located on the face of each element. The control panel has three visual output displays that give the quantity of flow, the pressure of the output junction with respect to a datum, and the differential pressure across each element. The control panel also allows manual selection of the element to be monitored, or automatic scanning and printing of values for the entire system. Capabilities The analog computer can simulate an existing mine¬-ventilation network. This is accomplished by collecting field data at the mine to give a complete pressure-¬quantity network. Resistance values for each airway branch may be determined from the quantity of flow in the branch and from the pressure differential between the end-point junctions of the branch. The basic rela¬tonship to determine the resistance is expressed as: H=R •Q2 where H is the pressure differential, R is the resistance, and Q is the quantity of air in the flow. After the resistance values are known for all of the airways in the circuit, the elements on the analog com¬puter can be set to the corresponding values. The elements are designed to reflect the basic relationships, with electrical potentials corresponding to pressures and

Jan 1, 1982