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By S. B. Castor

Although production generally satisfies demand for rare earths, new markets may make undeveloped resources, particularly those rich in yttrium, more interesting. A Precambrian carbonalite orebody at Mountain Pass, California, has been the world's largest rare earth producer. Minor rare earth production comes from titanium placer mining in Florida and uranium mining in Canada. Prior to operations at Mountain Pass, North American production was mostly from placer deposits that constitute large, low-grade rare earth resources. Newly discovered North American rare metal resources in peralkaline igneous rocks are potential yttrium producers. Most of these resources are in a continent-wide belt of anorogenic magmatic rocks approximately coeval with mineralization at Mountain Pass. Other untapped rare each resources in North America are generally light rare earth-dominated and small or of low grade.

Jan 1, 1991

By Ernest L. Bradley

A positive pressure ventilation system, augmented by a dewatering well curtain and underground longhole drilling, provides effective ventilation and radon control at EXXON Minerals Company's Highland Underground Mine in the Southern Powder River Basin of Wyoming. Testing different types of bulkheads, sealants, and bleeder systems has led to improvements in the basic ventilation system. Continued testing of new or different materials and equipment is expected to lead to further improvement in the ventilation program. Effective training of both miners and supervisors is essential to maintaining and improving ventilation techniques. This paper addresses the ongoing ventilation program and experience to date at the Highland Uranium Mine.

Jan 1, 1979

By William J. Bryson

Just picture, if you will, the hot, lonely and desolate Ochre Mountains west of Salt Lake City. There works a grizzled old miner, his boots worn down, his clothes hang on a body stooped by years of hard labor. His skin is wrinkled and leather toughened by many years in the hot desert sun. His ever faithful burro stands patiently in the shade of a large rock as the tired old miner examines ore samples just acquired that very morning. Suddenly the old man's eyes widen, his breathing becomes rapid. 'Leaping to his feet, with a gleam in his eye, he cries, "Eureka, I'm rich, I've found the mother lode. This is where I will start my digging. " Without warning, the silent wilderness is alive with wild, shouting, charging figures! Frightened the old miner glances about him wide-eyed and pan- icky. His heart sinks, dismayed he now knows all is lost, this is the end. For there leaping from behind rocks and brush papers in hand, are the men from the Department of Interior, Bureau of Land Management, State Mine Inspectors, OSHA, MESA, EPA, OEO, and the never ending list of regulatory bodies related to todays mining industry.

Jan 1, 1975

By John J. Friel

The addition of dolomite to iron ore pellets improves their high-temperature reduction properties primarily by increasing their reducibility and raising their softening temperature. In this study we prepared dolomite-fluxed pellets from three different concentrates; Hibbing, a magnetic taconite, Knob Lake, an earthy hematite; and Carol Lake, a mixture of specular hematite with magnetite. The composition n of the concentrates is given in Table I. The pellets were subjected to standard physical tests and the following reduction tests: low temperature degradation, swelling, softening, and thermogravimetric analysis. Petrographic examination and electron microprobe analysis allowed us to evaluate the effect of composition and firing on the phase assemblage. Further, we were able to interpret the test results in terms of chemistry and microstructure. This approach enabled us to determine which fluxed composition best suited each of the concentrates.

Jan 1, 1980

By H. Dho

Two aromatic-type chelating agents, 1,10 phenanthroline (phen) and 8-quinolinol (quin), were tested as specific depressants for magnetite in the cationic silica flotation of magnetic taconite concentrates. Micro and batch flotation tests, along with zeta potential and adsorption measurements were used. In the presence of a cationic collector, dodecylammonium chloride (DAC), the Fe/phen surface chelate electro-statically repelled DAC, and magnetite was depressed. The negatively charged Fe(quin)2(OH)2-on the magnetite surface attracted the cationic collector and made magnetite floatable.

Jan 1, 1995

By Daniele Martinelli, Rodrigo Winderholler, Daniele Peila

"This paper presents a technical description of an experimental procedure developed for the geotechnical characterization of granular soils conditioned for EPB tunneling using a modified direct shear box. As the main concerning parameters of the conditioned soil mass were their undrained properties, in order to preserve its pseudo-fluid characteristics, a watertight direct shear apparatus was constructed. A comparison between the results obtained under dry, saturated and conditioned conditions is presented. INTRODUCTION EPB shield machines have been used for tunneling excavation in many different types of soils thanks to the use of soil conditioning agents. These modify the properties of the soil into that of a plastic paste, thus permitting the homogeneous flow of the excavated soil from the tunnel face through the bulk chamber, the screw conveyor and finally the conveyor belt. Moreover this technique allows controlling the face pressure and its regulation in the bulk chamber, preventing water inflow when tunneling below the water table. Further advantages are a drop of the cutter head and screw conveyor torque and reduction of the friction between metallic parts and the soil, consequently reducing wear phenomena (Merritt & Mair, 2006; Vinai et al., 2007; Borio et al., 2010; Thewes & Budach, 2010; Herrenknecht et al., 2011; Barbero et al., 2012; Peila, 2014). Several studies have investigated the possibility of conditioning and the chemical materials to be used in different types of soils, mainly subdivided into three groups: cohesionless soils (sand and gravel), silts and clays, and rock masses. This various researches have set up several laboratory procedures for these achievements before and after soil conditioning, as stated in Thewes & Budach (2010) and Peila (2014) (for cohesionless soils), in Thewes & Burger (2005), Hollmann & Thewes (2013), Zumsteg et al.(2012) (for clay), in Peila et al. (2013) and Martinelli et al. (2015a) (for rock mass). Such tests should be simple to execute, reliable and easy to interpret at the in-situ excavation step. The reduction of shear strength is necessary in EPB operations, since it allows an effective transmission of the pressure from the material itself to the front. In some cases the slump is not sufficient to return a reliable result on the shear strength reduction, as in some cases some materials are behaving differently. Therefore this research is aimed to study this aspect more in detail, in order to show the effectiveness of the soil conditioning process on the material to be excavated."

Jan 1, 2016

By C. Caceres

Fibre reinforced shotcrete in combination with other types of support systems is becoming the leading support method for underground excavations, especially those present in low quality rock masses. Sudden or rapid ground support failure can expose workers to safety hazards, damage to equipment and others resulting in production interruptions that will impact the cost of operation. Knowing the peak and post-peak strength characteristics of the support system over time are of major importance. Round Determinate Panel Testing of fiber reinforce shotcrete is the primary test used by the mining industry to determine strength characteristics; however, the tests are costly and significant manpower is required in a mine environment to build, store, handle and test the panels. For these reasons numerical modeling can result in an effective method to produce realistic results. This paper examines the strength characteristics Round Determinate Panel tests and its ultimate application in underground excavations, using Itasca?s three dimensional particle flow code (PFC3D).

Jan 1, 2010

By Dale K. Fields

With today's technological advances in mineral processing equipment, there is an increasing demand for accurate system control. This can only come about through representative sampling. The purpose of this paper is to guide you in the selection of sampling equipment and outline design parameters for the cutters used in dry and wet sampling without adding redundant mathematical probability formulas to your files. Special attention will also be given to the equipment used in conjunction with samplers and sampling systems, such as feeders, crushers, chutes, launders, and controls.

Jan 1, 1979

By Chris Laughton, Bernhard Spoerr

"Tunnel inspections are increasingly needed to ensure that aging infrastructure does not fail in service. To this end the time between inspections is being reduced, the thoroughness of each inspection is being increased to provide for a more detailed assessment of conditions and inventory defects. The conventional Tunnel Report, containing hand-drawn maps and/or photos, and a log describing observed defects and areas of deterioration, is being increasingly replaced by LiDAR generated 3-D surface maps. The data collection process that traditionally supports development of a Tunnel Report is labor-intensive, taking crew-days of engineering effort, and requires partial or full stoppage of tunnel operations. In an urban setting, such multi-day interruptions in service are difficult to countenance for a near-capacity tunnel operation. Under time pressures, the detail and accuracy of the manual inspection process will inevitably be compromised, resulting in a high cost, low quality product. As the tunnel inspection window decreases the argument for incorporating laser scanning in to the inspection process is increased dramatically... The 3D scan technology allows detailed and accurate data to be collected within the tight time frames demanded by the owners and operators of critical infrastructure. Not only does the use of laser scanners improve the 3D accuracy of the data collected, it also, enhances the efficiency and safety of the inspection process, reduces data collection and processing costs and enhances the reliability of results over time. The paper will also demonstrate the value of adding photogrammetric data to the 3D Model to show surface defect discoloration. The accurate and detailed data collected by a combination of LiDAR and photogrammetric techniques provide superior data needed to inform critical asset management decisions related to maintenance, repair and replacement."

Jan 1, 2016

By Charles E. Weaver

A core from the La Camelia attapulgite mine in north Florida was studied in detail to determine the detailed vertical variability and the relations of the various parameters. The structural, textural, mineralogical and chemical data indicate there are two major depositional cycles represented within the minable interval. The sediments deposited during the two cycle differ in detail but in general are similar. The environments of deposition grade from shallow marine to lagoonal to tidal flat to marsh. The sedimentary structure (lamination, burrows, pebble conglomerate), mineralogy (attapulgite, montmorillonite, sepiolite, dolomite, calcite) chemistry (Al, Mg, Fe) are closely related to each other and their nature is determined by the depositional environments. Most of the clay minerals and carbonate minerals are authigenic and are therefore particularly sensitive to environmental differences. The variability and environmental features seen in this core are characteristic of the sediments in the general attapulgite mining area. A detailed understanding of the relationships discussed should be of value in prospecting, mining and processing.

Jan 1, 1972

By Gregory E. Klosterman

American Aggregates Corporation is one of the leading producers of mineral aggregates in the nation. Production is from deposits of glacial sand and gravel and limestone and dolomite bedrock. Annual production from 33 plants is 25,000,000 tons. Land consumption is at the rate of 300 to 400 acres annually. This annual rate of consumption presents a continuing challenge to the exploration and mining personnel to meet the requirements of reserve replacement, mining and land rehabilitation.

Jan 1, 1974

By C. I. Everson

The Elkhorn mining district is located 35 kilometers southeast of Helena, Montana, on the southeast edge of the Boulder Batholith. Geologically the district consists of a folded sequence of Paleozoic limestones and shales which have been thermally metamorphosed and altered by monzonite to diorite intrusives related to the Cretaceous Boulder Batholith. For the most part, the skarns are associated with metasomatic: replacement of calc-silicate hornfels, diorite and marble by iron rich, dark green pyroxene, garnet, sulfides, the district contains excess of 30,000 Kg.

Jan 1, 1992

By V. C. Lo

The major cost in comminution is energy consumption, which can be as high as 50 percent of the operating cost. Improvements in plant operations have resulted in up to a 15-percent reduction in energy usage (kwh/t). These improvements have been made through optimization of grinding efficiency and use of expert model-based control systems. Optimization involves the determination of the levels of the critical operating conditions that result in the most efficient breakage of ore in the mill. These optimal levels are identified through plant/laboratory testwork and computer simulation using advanced process models. Model-based expert control achieves the maximum performance from the grinding circuit by identifying the characteristics of the ore in the mill with an optimal on-line estimator. Using this information, the control system dynamically determines the operating point that will yield the optimal performance. Two industrial applications of grinding circuit optimization and model-based control are presented to demonstrate the power of this new technology.

Jan 1, 1995

By R. J. Clements

The waterway transportation system in the united states consists primarily of the Mississippi river system. With its navigable tributaries, it is 12,500 miles long. This system naturally accesses about 40 percent of the nation. With its connecting railroads and highways, the river system accesses the united states from the Appalachian mountains in the east to the rocky mountains in the west. Within this area is the vast majority of our agricultural, industrial and material resources.

Jan 1, 1984

By Joseph E. Schiller

As part of the Bureau of Mines research on identification of asbestos fibers, a method was discovered for removing asbestos fibers from water. This report describes this process and its theory of operation. The surface charge of amphibole minerals in potable water was found to be negative, and in common with most other silicate minerals, the isoelectric point of amphibole asbestos fibers lies in the pH range 4 to 6. Magnesia is one of the rare oxides with a high isoelectric point of about 11. The surface of magnesium oxide will, therefore, be positively charged in water at pH 6 to 6, while the electric charge an. amphibole asbestos fibers is negative. Because of the electrical attraction of these oppositely charged solids, it was possible to remove negatively charged asbestos fibers from water by percolating water that contained suspended-asbestos through a porous bed of magnesium oxide particles. A bed of 100/200-mesh MgO was added to a glass tube with a cotton plug. Aqusous suspensions of 1 to 10 ppm cummingtonite asbestos (amosite), crocidolite, and chrysotile were percolated through this porous plug of MgO. Even though chrysotile is positively charged below pH 11, MgO is an effective filter medium for removing it. The highly basic MgO appears to cause the chrysotile to flocculate and attach to particles within the bed. Scanning electron photomicrographs indicated that essentially complete removal of the fibers from water was accomplished. Other materials tested as contact filter media and found to be ineffective or only partially effective were sand, calcite, carbon, diatomaceous earth, and cellulose. Acidic alumina collected amphibole fibers but not chrysotile fibers.

Jan 1, 1980

By J. Wiebmer

The two most important influencers of cost-per-ton in an underground mining machine are its productivity (tons/hour) and its availability-utilization (hours/year). Operating cost and initial price have far less impact. This paper reviews a cost-per-ton sensitivity analysis for underground mining equipment and discusses benchmarks for measuring its performance. The conclusion is that miner-supplier partnerships and the Information Age are the two most significant trends in cost-per-ton reduction.

Jan 1, 1997

By B. Salopek

The greatest part of crushed stone, gravel and sand production is extracted through open pit operations, whereas gravel and sand are also partially extracted from riverbeds. Its obvious that such a mining activity provokes some changes in the configuration and environmental characteristics of the region, in the temporary or permament disapperance of vegetable or animal species and in the creation of noise, dust and waste water. However, the above-mentioned mining operations shouldn not have only negative effects on the landscape and land potential, but they can discover and predetermine the potential of the exploited areas for various communal purposes after exploitation (eg. sports and recreation centers, campsites, resorts, fish-farms, etc.). In this paper, the production of construction aggregates in plants located in the vicinity of Zagreb, the capital of Croatia is presented. The advantages and disadvantages of aggregates? production in urban areas in the spirit of sustainable development are discussed.

Jan 1, 2003

By H. Suharyono

A laboratory investigation of flocculation following polymer addition during slurry flow through pipes and in-line (static) mixers is described. Results are presented showing the effects of flow velocity, pipe length, in-line mixer elements and the use of multiple addition points on flocculation performance as measured by settling rate and supernatant turbidity. The effects of agitation and mixing time are shown to be generally consistent with the results of equivalent tests, both batch and continuous, conducted in stirred tanks.

Jan 1, 1995

By T. K. Kim

Iron, cobalt, and nickel in waste ferric chloride solutions were separated from each other by solvent extraction. The iron was extracted from the cobalt and nickel by the use of methyl isobutyl ketone, and then the cobalt was separated from the nickel by the use of a high-molecular-weight quaternary amine dissolved in a solvent of high aromatic content.

Jan 1, 1980

By D. Piper, J. Noble, M. Richardson, J. Wojcik, L. W. Cope

L. Cope Welcome. I am pleased to see so many people interested enough to stay until this last session of the last afternoon of the convention. Of the people on the panel here, everyone has done everything in placer mining, but we have tried to sectionalize it with each one of us taking a particular portion. Any one of us could probably answer any question. I am very pleased to see some well experienced people in the audience. To start the discussion, Joe, can you give us a brief comparison of pit and drill sampling? J. Wojcik They both have their place. If you expect your deposit is something that is going to have widespread fairly uniform grades, then the pits may be the way to go. If you are going to have something you have to trace for several miles down the river valley, you can't do it with pits and do a proper sampling job. C. McLain Joe, the end result of all of this is to go ahead and mine it if it is a deposit. Do you try to relate your drilling results to something in mining itself against the recovery, because the drilling in different types of ground will give you different kinds of recoveries, and mining in the end is what you are going to do? Do you try to relate this to your mining method?

Jan 1, 1992