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By Frank Cook

As in other areas of the country, surface coal mine productivity in the Central Coal Province--primarily Illinois, Indiana, and west Kentucky--has declined steadily since 1969 (figure 1). Productivity, as measured in tons of clean coal produced per man-shift, dropped 35 percent during the period 1969-1975. Unwelcome at any time, this phenomenon is particularly untimely now, when increased coal production is a national goal. The U.S. Bureau of Mines has been working with the coal industry to develop new operating methods and equipment to enable increased productivity and improved reclamation performance in surface coal mining. Several projects have involved identification and evaluation of existing overburden handling and reclamation practices, and development of means to improve operational procedures. Some results of one of those projects, as they apply to the Central Coal Province, are summarized in this paper.

Jan 1, 1977

By B. A. Firth

The presence of misplaced ultra-fine particles has been shown to decrease the separation efficiency of unit operations used in coal preparation. Although the classification of fine coal was considered to be adequate for the needs of the coal industry during the 1970's and 1980's, it has become apparent that further improvements in the yield/ash/moisture relationship achieved by coal preparation plants will require increased efficiency in this size separation step. This paper describes the issues which are evolving in this area, and the capability of current and developing techniques to address the problems which need to be overcome.

Jan 1, 1996

By George F. McIntyre

The subject of this paper is mineral processing chemicals - how they work and where they end up environmentally. First of all, it is necessary to recognize that water is the most universally and widely used chemical used by the mining industry to separate desirable minerals from unwanted wastes, sands, and slimes. Of the total world's water supply, over 97 percent is found in the oceans. Another two percent is tied up in the ice caps, leaving roughly only one percent for us to work with. This one percent is distributed either as ground or surface water and makes up the bulk of all water used industrially. Even with such a small proportion available for immediate use, there appears to be enough fresh water to meet our needs for at least another hundred years. This availability, however, depends heavily on how we handle our waste waters, how we process them, and how we plan for their reuse. Certain governmental agencies have been charged with the task of setting up standards of water quality which must be met prior to environmental discharge. There is even discussion of zero discharge from industrial operations. Due to limited supply and availability, the mining industry has always been forced to reuse its process water or to treat it prior to discharge. Consequently, we are in an enviable position and are presently able to live with the environmentalists demands. To stay on top of the situation, it is necessary to continually concern ourselves with the .effects of changing orebodies and reagents on the final mill effluent. From a process standpoint, it is also important to recognize the impurities of plant recycle water and how they might tend to influence overall operations

Jan 1, 1974

By André Vervoort

After the systematic closure of Europe’s coalfields in the late twentieth century, the emphasis is now clearly on industry’s environmental legacy. One aspect of the latter is the longterm surface movement above abandoned coal mines. The analysis of satellite data shows that the subsidence lasts longer than generally assumed. However, a few years after the flooding of the abandoned underground coal mines, a new phenomenon was observed, i.e., the direction of the surface movement was reversed. The phase of upsidence has already lasted for several decades, and only future measurements will tell how long it continues. A key conclusion is that the regions with maximum subsidence do not necessarily correspond to the greatest upsidence. In other words, buildings and infrastructure are subjected to a different loading from this upsidence than during the subsidence phase. The longterm surface movements have an impact on vulnerable structures in the densely populated regions of the former deep coal mining areas in Europe. These movements create additional damage. This new knowledge is also relevant for mines that are still in operation or future mines that are planned.

Feb 1, 2024

By C. Newman, N. Schaefer

"INTRODUCTION As underground mining continues to operate at deeper depths and in more complex geologic and geometric conditions, there has been an increased demand for higher design standards in ground control safety and stability within the mining industry. Over the past 20 years, NIOSH has developed, validated, and distributed a number of free software packages (ALPS, ARMPS, AMSS, ARBS, etc.) for the safe design of underground coal mines with respect to ground control. While these programs were initially developed on a, “stand alone model,” where all program data resides on an individual or workgroup computer, modern day web applications have begun to migrate toward a, “multiple-tier model,” allowing multiple users to access an application through an Internet connection. webGroundControl provides users with access to NIOSH ground control design software (ARBS, ALPS, and ARMPS) utilizing a web-based three-tier architecture allowing users to easily access ground control designs, perform on-demand calculations, and provide online collaboration between operational personnel and engineers through a web server. Given advancements in cloud computing as well as the expansion of Internet connectivity on the surface and underground, webGroundControl users will be able to access the applications anywhere (where permissible) at any time. As web-based computing technologies continue to advance and cloud computing gains popularity and momentum, there is an industry need to develop Internet based applications for mine and ground control design (Barczak et al., 2016). The purpose of this paper is to introduce and familiarize those in the mining industry with the basic framework and, more specifically, the user-interface of the webGroundControl application. It is expected that the mining industry will rapidly embrace this new product and webGroundControl will be a new paradigm for mining engineering computer applications. APPLICATION ARCHITECTURE With the advent of cloud computing, web-based applications have become more popular with their adoption of multiple-tier, or n-tier, architecture containing independently operating tiers. The three-tier application architecture utilized in webGroundControl (as outlined in Agioutantis and Newman, 2016) contains a Presentation Tier (Web Server), Logic Tier (Logic/Application Server), and Data Tier (Data Server) as shown in Figure 1. While tiers have the ability to be deployed across and operating on multiple servers, webGroundControl is currently being deployed on a single server located on a university desktop computer. The separation of the application into a series of tiers greatly increases the maintainability and scalability allowing for the adoption of new technologies that can be applied to a single tier without redesigning the software package. The Presentation Tier maintains the user interface translating client requests (through a web server) and displaying results (through a web browser). The Presentation Tier allows for on-demand access from multiple users and compatibility with a variety of personal computers, Smartphones, tablets, etc. on different operating systems. The Presentation Tier has been developed with respect to the HTML and JavaScript languages. Through the utilization of CSS, a coding language which describes the style of an HTML document, the webGroundControl display is able to spontaneously adapt to any browser and any screen. The development of the Presentation Tier will be discussed in more detail in subsequent sections of this paper."

Jan 1, 2017

By D. C. Yang

A packed column jig has been developed for sharp separation of fine particles--150 down to 1 micron--having different densities. The packed jig is a column filled with corrugated packing. A slurry of mixed particles is fed into the middle of the column. Water enters near the bottom of the column as both a steady state and a pulsating flow. The pulsating water sets up a jigging action that interacts with the packing causing the dense particles to sink and exit the bottom of the jig and the lighter particles to rise and exit the top of the packed jig. The result is a sharp, environmentally friendly, gravity separation machine with low operating costs. Grades and recoveries of iron ore exceed that of known devices. Grades as high as 95 percent purity with concomitantly high recoveries are common for iron ore concentration. Low silica, sulfur and phosphate are common. This paper is the first to unveil the packed column jig technology in detail and presents its physical model with performance data. The purification of iron ores and coal is the paper's focus.

Jan 1, 1997

By Jerry W. Danni, R. Craig Ford, Kermit C. Benke, Jim B. Finley, Donald D. Runnells

Steady-state water balance models have historically been used in the management of acid drainage at mine sites. Such systems could be more realistically described by non-steady-state conditions. In addition, the evaluation of alternatives for closure and management of acid drainage must consider non-steady-state conditions. Dynamic systems modeling is a method for simulating water management systems, offering flexibility in: (1) simulating either steady-state or non-steady-state conditions, (2) allowing "what-if' scenario testing. and (3) optimization of operation and closure alternatives. A case study is given for acidic drainage management during closure at a heap leach facility that demonstrates the utility of dynamic systems models.

Jan 1, 2000

By P. Asadollahi, M. Invernizzi

"This paper describes the innovative full-face conventional tunnel excavation technology, with its advantages in terms of savings and safety. The full-face approach has been developed throughout the experiences gained in tunnel construction. The innovative design approach is focused primarily on the deformation response of the ground acting first and foremost ahead of the face, which is analyzed, predicted and controlled by pre-confinement of the core. The advantage of this method is particularly evident in difficult grounds. This paper will present the outstanding benefits given by the adoption of the full-face approach in two projects, the “Sochi” and the “Visnove” tunnels. THEORY AND DESIGN ASPECTS OF THE FULL-FACE EXCAVATION The main challenges in tunnel and underground construction industry are gathering the design data from the ground that is being excavated and foreseeing the critical stage during construction, where the materials are in its most critical configuration. These challenges shall be addressed during excavation when the lining and the excavation disturbance have not yet reach the equilibrium. The in situ stresses in the ground are redistributed (forming an “arch-effect”) around the opening, with zones of increased stresses around the walls of the excavation (Figure 1). The distribution of the stresses can be close or far from the excavation profile, depending upon having a ground capable of withstanding the deviated stresses well or unable to withstand them, respectively. In the latter case, the ground will plasticize and deform in proportion to the volume of ground involved in the plasticization phenomenon. When the ground completely cannot withstand the stresses redistribution, it will cause the collapse of the excavation. While in the first case, the arch effect occurs naturally, in the second case, it does occur naturally only when the ground is stabilized properly. In the case of collapse, the arch-effect must be produced artificially operating on the ground prior excavation. The design should be based on the understanding of if and how the arch-effect can be mobilized during tunnel excavation and ensure that is formed by calibrating excavation and stabilization operations appropriately. The arch-effect is function of the medium that is being excavated, the action taken to excavate and the reaction expected following the excavation."

Jan 1, 2018

By S. R. Stine

The Cyprus Thompson Creek Mine is located at 2,286m (7500 feet) elevation in the Central Idaho mountains, 61.16 kilometers (38 miles) southwest of Challis, Idaho off State Highway 75. The Thompson Creek molybdenum deposit lies near the eastern border of the late Cretaceous Idaho Batholith within a complexly deformed sequence of Paleozoic sedimentary rocks. Molybdenum mineralization is contained in a composite biotite granodiorite-quartz monzonite stock considered to be genetically related to the Idaho Batholith intrusive event. The ore is being mined by open pit methods and delivered to the concentrator stockpile with an overland conveyor belt system. The concentrator is designed as a 22,680 metric tons (25,000 ton) per day plant at an average head grade of 0.1% Molybdenum.

Jan 1, 1986

By P. Somasundaran

Previous studies on semi-soluble minerals such as calcite (1) and apatite(2) and sparingly soluble minerals such as quartz (3,4) have given evidence for significant changes in their electrokinetic properties as a function of aging time. Such changes are relevant to mineral processing operations where the crushed ore particles might not have yet reached equili¬brium with the water that it is in contact with. In order that these changes be studied under controlled experimental conditions for long periods unattended or with fairly less intermittant attention, a streaming potential apparatus with an automatic streaming system was constructed. Also, a new streaming potential cell was incorporated into the system so that the effect of temperature, a variable coming into increasing usage in mineral processing operations(5), could also be studied. Conventional streaming cells(6) cannot be safely employed to conduct studies as a function of temperature since they have many glass joints that are prone to leakage, parti¬cularly under pressure, in the course of an experiment. This paper describes the new apparatus and some typical results that have been obtained with it far temperature effects.

Jan 1, 1973

By B. L. Bessinger

Because of a, work stoppage at the Carlsbad plant, IMC faced the challenge of operating a 24-hour-a-day mine and plant with inexperienced maintenance and production crews. This is an underground mining operation, using the room-and-pillar mining- method. The mine was entirely, mechanized with conventional equipment, was hoisting an average of 13,539 tons off ore per 24 hours, and employed a, mine maintenance group of 100 men. The 100-man, mine maintenance group was equally divided between mechanics and electricians. In re-forming this maintenance group, two main objectives were to be achieved (1) a general upgrading off the intelligence level; and (2) the elimination of craft lines for greater flexibility.

Jan 1, 1966

By S. Hodgson

The Red Dog zinc/lead deposit in northwest Alaska is the second largest zinc deposit ever discovered. Being developed by Cominco Alaska with startup scheduled for early 1990, it will ultimately be the largest zinc mine in the Western World. Table 1 illustrates the reserves of the deposit.

Jan 1, 1988

By B. Mishra, K. Savage, T. Evans, A. Noble

"Recent government initiatives and commercial activities have targeted asteroids for in-situ characterization, manipulation, and possible resource extraction. Though emergent technologies may be effective for such undertakings, uncertainties remain concerning the effects a space environment may have on the mechanical behavior of rocks. Various non-destructive rock characterization techniques can empirically predict in-situ rock strength on Earth; however, these techniques must be adapted to account for unique space conditions. In order to mimic one element of a space environment, various rock samples were evaluated after prolonged exposure to low temperatures ranging from -75°C to 0°C. Tests included uniaxial compressive strength, Schmidt hammer, and ultrasonic pulse velocity, while rock types included shale, limestone, and chalk. This data was used to generate a temperature correction for the non-destructive methods and evaluate the accuracy of these methods in predicting strength values. Overall, these results provide insight on the mechanical behavior of rocks at low temperatures and may be used to design robust systems needed for asteroid rock characterization INTRODUCTION NASA and various commercial entities have recently targeted near-Earth asteroids for exploration and scientific investigation to better understand their in-situ properties, mechanical characteristics, and formative processes. In particular, NASA’s Asteroid Initiative encompasses several studies and mission plans that will enable future investigations while vetting technologies that can be applied to deep space exploration. One component of the Asteroid Initiative is the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM). This multi-stage space mission proposes to rendezvous a robotic spacecraft with a large near-Earth asteroid. Upon approach and after landing, the spacecraft will prospect the surface and identify a multi-ton boulder (up to 5 m in its largest dimension) suitable for capture. The robotic spacecraft will engage the boulder, remove it from the parent asteroid, and return the sample to a controlled lunar orbit. Once the asteroid mass is in stable orbit around the moon, astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft will engage with the retrieved asteroid for manned exploration that will include sample collection and geologic prospecting. Launch plans for the ARM robotic craft are expected as early as 2020, and manned explorations of the asteroid mass in lunar orbit are expected to follow sometime in the mid-2020s (NASA, 2015). Overall this mission will demonstrate NASA’s ability to intersect, manipulate, and redirect an extraterrestrial body, while supplying scientific information that is relevant for planetary defense and in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) applications."

Jan 1, 2016

By H. N. Frock

The use of low-angle forward light scattering for measurement of particle size distribution has been described previously.1 Laboratory instrumentation using this technology is used routinely in operating plants for quality control and production control.2,3 Extension of the technique to on-line process monitoring and control has also been undertaken in several important areas. This paper will discuss the application of MICROTRAC R systems to the monitoring of particle size in wet slurry processes and dry powder grinding circuits. Examples of existing installations will be given with emphasis on performance and on-line reliability.

Jan 1, 1979

By M. Hepokoski, M. Klein, L. Yan

"NIOSH research has shown that heat/humidity buildup is a major concern within coal mine refuge alternatives (RAs). These high temperature and humidity levels inside an RA may expose occupants to heat stress. Due to the safety risks associated with testing using human subjects, NIOSH partnered with ThermoAnalytics to create detailed thermal simulation models of RAs with human occupants. The objective of this effort was to predict a miner’s core temperature response and moisture loss in environments that may be encountered in a coal mine RA. These parameters were studied across a range of temperatures and relative humidity values to determine if the current 95°F apparent temperature limit for RAs is reasonable. The results indicated that the 95°F apparent temperature limit is protective, provided that miners are supplied with sufficient water. The results also indicated that the body core temperature did not reach dangerous levels even at an apparent temperature of 130°F. However, the results show that moisture loss increases with apparent temperature. Therefore, if the apparent temperature limit were increased, the water provided in an RA would have to be increased to offset moisture loss. INTRODUCTION The purpose of this effort was to predict a miner’s core temperature and moisture loss (sweating and respiration) in environments that are likely to be encountered in a coal mine refuge alternative (RA). A range of temperatures and relative humidity were studied to determine whether the current 95°F Steadman apparent temperature (AT) limit and 2.25 quart/day water requirements for RAs as mandated by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) are reasonable [1, 2]. The effects of metabolic heat rate (activity level), miner size (height and weight), and pose (sitting or lying) on core temperature and moisture loss were also studied. MODEL DESCRIPTION TAITherm thermal modeling software (ThermoAnalytics, Inc.) was used to simulate humans in RA-like environments within a range of temperature and relative humidity combinations. The TAITherm Human Thermal Model (HTM) predicts the dynamic thermal response of the simulated miners while accounting for clothing, human tissue thermal properties, and active thermoregulation. The following sections describe the HTM in more detail, the thermal model setup for this analysis, and core temperature and moisture loss metrics found in published literature. Human Thermal Model Overview The TAITherm human thermal model was used to simulate the heat generated by the shelter occupants, and to predict the miners’ skin and core temperatures along with their sweat evaporation rates. The thermoregulation model simulates the process by which the body attempts to maintain a constant core temperature by considering the effects of shivering, sweating, and changes in skin blood flow. This model calculates surface and deep tissue temperatures within the human body as described by a surface mesh."

Jan 1, 2017

By A. A. Campoli

A stress control design strategy was developed to minimize the explosive failure of highly stressed pillars, during room-and-pillar retreat mining conducted between stiff immediate roof-and-floor strata. A confined core coal pillar strength model was based on in-mine geotechnical evaluations of successful room-and-pillar and longwall bump control designs. Tributary area and linear shear angle approaches were used to estimate development and gob side abutment pillar loads for supercritical section widths. Subcritical width sections separated by barrier pillars to control stress within total extraction panels were optimized with the boundary element program MULSIM/NL.

Jan 1, 1994

By G. J. Goldberg

Through the early 1980's, surveying at Bingham Canyon required a great deal of repetitive and manual work. The advent of total station surveying equipment provided an opportunity to improve the speed and accuracy of surveying work while reducing manpower needs. An evaluation of total station systems and their ability to meet the surveying requirements of Bingham Canyon culminated in the purchase of a total station system as the mine re-opened in 1986. This paper presents the procedure for evaluating, implementing and using the total station survey system at Bingham Canyon.

Jan 1, 1990

By W. G. Fischer

Trona ore at the Westvaco mine of FMC Corporation has been obtained by room- and-pillar methods since the mine began operation. The flat-lying, 10-foot bed of trona, Na2CO3 NaHCO3 2H2O, is covered by 1500 feet of weak shale and sandstone. Extraction of pillars on the retreat quite often throws large amounts of weight onto development workings. Weak shales in the roof and floor fail rapidly and the mine ribs slough to such an extent that mining often becomes very difficult. When this occurs efficiency goes down, costs go up, and the risk to men and machinery increases greatly. Difficult mining conditions in the early 60's forced a re-evaluation of all presently known mining techniques in bedded deposits. Many room-and-pillar mining plans' were compared with the system in use at that time, but none of them offered a better solution to the roof control problem. Longwall techniques were seriously considered, but machinery was not available that would cut the hard trona seam and still maintain the productivity obtained from room-and-pillar sections. Roof cones troy in the longwall methods appeared to be more satisfactory than that found in room-and--pillar techniques. It was therefore felt that a new technique using the longwall principle and based on rock mechanics should be tried rather than previously known pillaring methods.

Jan 1, 1966

By Harold L. Lovell

Problems associated with fines (minus 6 mm, 1/4-inch) production, preparation, and utilization have long plagued the coal industry and are now more acute than ever. Continuous deep mining systems create more fines which have moisture; content greater than natural levels from dust control spraying and often add substantial levels of mineral matter due to mining selectivity constraints. Frequently, during preparation, more -fines are developed to achieve improved component liberation. Coal consumers often specify small sizes whether for carbonization, combustion, or conversion. Wet beneficiation systems process fines by several' types of unit operations, but usually must also incorporate costly and complex dewatering systems to reduce the moisture content of the products. Existing pneumatic preparation systems are constrained between product equality and yield by the sharpness of separation. These limitations become more severe with decreasing particle size and increasing feed moisture content. Control of particulate emissions, both process and fugitive, during pneumatic preparation, can be forbidding. A pneumatic preparation-process which would overcome these constraints, could be most enticing. The DryFlo system is being evaluated to quantify performance characteristics as regards these constraints.

Jan 1, 1976

By W. H. Schiffbauer

The U. S. Bureau of Mines has been investigating methods and technology that, when applied to existing continuous coal mining machines, may improve production and safety. Toward those goals, a microcomputer network has been designed that provides automated control and monitoring of all mining machine systems using a single twisted pair cable (two conductor stranded wire twisted together to provide a level of noise rejection). The network also provides -connections for intelligent sensors and systems for navigation and diagnostics. The flexibility of the network is demonstrated in that features can be added and removed without redesigning the whole system. A general description of the network's integration to a Joy' 16CM, Joy 14CM, Jeffrey 102, and a custom built auger machine is provided. The microcomputer networks for the Joy 16CM and the Jeffrey 102 have been installed onboard the mining machines and have been extensively tested at the Bureau of Mines test facility. The Jeffrey 102 system has also been tested in an actual highwall coal seam. Both systems have performed satisfactorily. The microcomputer networks for the Joy 14CM and the Auger Miner have been tested and await installation on the respective machines.

Jan 1, 1990