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By Serge Ouellet

Résumé Six modèles métriques de remblai cimenté en pâte (RCP) ont été suivis durant 120 jours par l?utilisation de deux méthodes géophysiques non-destructives : la résistivité et la micro-sismique. Les RCP étaient constitués de trois résidus miniers et de deux proportions de ciment (3% et 6% en poids). En parallèle, des cylindres de RCP étaient utilisés pour évaluer périodiquement l?UCS. La résistivité augmentait quasi-linéairement de 28 à 120 jours pour tous les RCP investigués. Des variations de résistivité selon le type de résidu et le pourcentage de ciment ont été observées. Une équation empirique a été dégagée entre l?UCS, la résistivité, le temps, la densité relative et le rapport eau/ciment (E/C). La mesure de la vitesse des ondes de cisaillement a permis de dégager une équation mathématique de type exponentielle qui relie la résistance mécanique sans correction préalable par les paramètres de la recette de RCP. La réalisation de ce projet avait pour but de dégager la meilleure approche non-destructive afin d?estimer la résistance mécanique des remblais en chantier minier. Sur la base des résultats obtenus, les deux méthodes utilisées ont donné des résultats probants afin d?estimer la résistance mécanique et les deux méthodes sont donc à même d?être utilisées en chantier souterrain. Abstract Six scale models of cemented paste backfill (CPB) were followed during a 120 days period using two nondestructive geophysical methods: resistivity and micro-seismic. CPB were made up of three mine tailings and two cement proportion (3% and 6% by weight). In parallel, CPB cylinders were used to periodically evaluate uniaxial compressive strength (UCS). Resistivity was increasing nearly in straight line from day 28 to day 120 for all CPB models. According to the tailing type and cement percentage, resistivity variations were observed. An empirical equation emerged from UCS, resistivity, time, specific gravity of tailings and, water/cement ratio. The use of shearwave velocity allowed to identify a mathematical exponential equation related to mechanical strength without prior correction of the CPB?s formula parameters. The purpose of this project was to identify the best non-destructive approach in order to evaluate the mechanical strength of backfill in a mine site. On the basis of those results, both methods gave conclusive results in order to estimate mechanical strength and both methods can be used in underground operations.

Feb 1, 2008

By Han Jie

The results of full scale plate load tests on stone columns on soft clay in coastal areas are presented in this paper. Four load tests were made, two of which were performed on the ground treated with stone columns, one on an isolated stone column and the last one on the untreated ground. For a given stress range, the settlement of the rigid plate, the stress concentration factor, and the excess pore water pressure were measured. It is found that the distribution of vertical stress beneath the rigid plate supported by the composite ground of stone columns is very different in shape from the one by the untreated ground, that the stress concentration factor has a relation with the stress level and time, that the stone columns increase the bearing capacity up to by 2 times, and that the ground stabilized by stone columns is of great advantage to keep the foundation stable.

Jan 1, 1991

Law of the Sea. - The Ninth Session of the Law of the Sea Conference resumed July 28 at Geneva and will run for 5 weeks. The 160-nation Conference began in 1973. Two of the major factors to be discussed are the transfer of technology to the UN-controlled Enterprise or mining authority, and how the 36-member Council will make decisions. As the session completed its third week, delegates expressed little hope of completing a treaty text this year. There was a feeling, though, that substantive issues might be settled so that a treaty text can be completed next year. The Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act signed by the President on June 28, provides an interim regulatory procedure for ocean mining activities conducted by U.S. nationals that may be superseded by a law of the sea treaty.

Jan 1, 1980

By Sidney Katell

This report, covering the period January 1969 through December 1969, is a continuation of a series that began with the publication of Information Circular 7516 in October 1949. It is the 11th in a series of reports prepared in cooperation with the American Association of Cost Engineers. The abstracted articles are concerned with all phases of cost engineering in the field of chemical and petroleum plants and related subjects. They are from the following sources: 1. American Association of Cost. Engineers Bulletin. 2. Bureau of Mines Information Circulars. 3. Bureau of Mines Reports of Investigations. 4. Chemical Engineering. 5. Chemical Engineering Progress. 6. Chemical Week. 7. Coal Age. 8. Coal Mining and Processing.

Jan 1, 1970

By Robert B. Hoekzema

This Bureau of Mines report describes the history, characteristics, distribution, and mineral development potential of 21 lode gold deposits in or near the Chugach National Forest (CNF), AK. It includes findings from a 4-yr (1979 to 1982) mineral evaluation of the CNF conducted by the Bureau and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). This evaluation, undertaken to provide the U.S. Forest Service with mineral resource data for use in making decisions on land use, included site-specific mapping and sampling of more than 200-lode gold deposits. The data presented here were compiled from the findings of this 4-yr evaluation and from existing literature. Fourteen of the 21 lode gold deposits described in this report contain a combined identified resource of 117,750 short tons (st) averaging 0.55 oz/st Au and 0.2 oz/st Ag. Two mineralized felsic dikes in the Summit Lake-Palmer Creek area contain a combined identified resource of 18 million st grading 0.02 oz/st Au and 0.16 oz/st Ag. Identified resources were not determined for the remaining five deposits because of a lack of information.

Jan 1, 1987

By Robert J. Shanley

The computer program, HYBMODE, has been developed to meet the need for a fast and economical method for clustering data points on the sphere. The algorithm used in this development is an extension of D. Wishart's one-level mode analysis. The program can be used to cluster either vectorial or axial data; it is currently being used by the Bureau of Mines to cluster fracture orientations.

Jan 1, 1974

By A. George Stern

The literature dealing with the drilling of oil wells has become extensive during the last few years, and oil men can find much information relating to drilling muds in the technical literature of the petroleum industry. Although large tonnages of clay are used in preparing drilling mud (also known as drilling fluid), almost no information has been published to apprise the clay industry of the types of minerals used, with their requirements and limitations. It is from this point of view that the present report has been prepared.

Jan 1, 1941

By John D. Rockaway

Failure of the mine floor supporting coal pillars frequently occurs when the subcoal strata include "underclays" or other low strength strata. The failure process has been studied to define the response of these materials to applied coal pillar loads and to determine the applicability of bearing capacity analysis to evaluate unsafe conditions. The study has been accomplished through an investigation of both the intact and insitu geotechnical properties of the subcoal strata and through the installation of floor movement monitoring instrumentation. The results of these studies have indicated that both the shear strength of the underclay and the stratigraphy of the subcoal strata must be considered in the analysis. The shear strength was the major controlling factor determining the ultimate load carrying ability of the materials, but the thickness and stratigraphic position of the weak layers influenced the mechanism of the failure process. The methods of bearing capacity analysis were used to define pillar stability that included provisions for taking into consideration a two-layer system. Conditions assumed for a coal mine where a weak underclay overlies firmer strata. The results of the analysis compared very well with observed mine conditions, indicating marginal conditions in areas of the mine which later experienced pillar support failure. In addition, a "heave factor" was derived to predict potentially unstable floor conditions in the mines studied in detail.

Jan 1, 1979

By Shigeru Tsutsumi

The rapid development of transportation facilities in Japan focused the attention of this country on the possibility of converting the existing coal resources (of which there was an abundance) into liquid fuels, for which there was a constantly increasing demand. Previous work had indicated that this could be accomplished by utilizing one of two processes - the Bergius process, in which high temperatures and high pressures were employed to effect direct liquefaction of the coal, and the Fischer-Tropsch process, in which an indirect liquefaction of coal was accomplished by the production of liquid hydro-carbons from hydrogen-carbon monoxide mixtures. This report describes some investigations into the latter process, which was first developed by Fischer and his colleagues in the Coal Laboratory in Muhlheim, Germany, in 1923. By 1932, these investigators had achieved a 60-percent theoretical yield (152 ml. of liquid hydrocarbons per cubic meter of 2H2:ICO synthesis gas) by using a precipitated Co-Th02 catalyst.3/ At the same time (1932), Dr. Kita of Kyoto Imperial University and Messrs. Fujimura and Tsuneoka obtained 145 ml. of gasoline (C5+) per cubic meter of synthetic gas by using a Co-Cu-Th-U catalyst. 4/ This report is a description of the experimental results subsequently obtained at the Fuel Research Institute, Kawaguchi City, Saitama, up to 1935.

Jan 1, 1951

By K. C. Dean

During the course of the investigation of manganese mineral occurrences in the western United States, the Bureau of Mines collected several lots of ore' from properties in the vicinity of Winkelman, Ariz. As none of the ores would be marketable directly, an investigation was made to determine their amenability to concentration by ore dressing. The Geronimo group of claims is in Pinal County, 8 miles west of Winkelman, Ariz. The manganese oxides occur as cementing material in ore zones of conglomerate. Representative samples of a 2-ton lot of ore cut from outcrops of two lenticular deposits were laboratory-tested. Two 1-ton samples from the Benningfield property were similar in physical characteristics but differed in grade. This claim is 11-1/2 miles south of Winkelman and about 1 mile west of the San Pedro River on the south side of Putman, Wash. The manganese minerals occurred as nodules and lenses, replacing limestone, in a capping over a dark, igneous dike. The North Star group consists of five claims on the west side of the San Pedro River 14 miles south of Winkelman. The ore consists of a low-grade, manganese oxide-calcite occurrence interspersed with stringers of higher-grade material and is present as filling in a fissure zone in porphyry. Two samples were obtained by the examining engineer; one sample represented run-of-mine material, the other represented ore from the vein that could be hand-sorted or selectively mined.

Jan 1, 1952

By J. Mackintosh Bell

External trade strongly influences the well being of all nations. In the modern economic mechanism, no country is so well endowed that it has not to import commodities from others and to export its products in turn to make good its deficiencies, to rectify or improve its financial structure. From the standpoint of international commerce, Canada is strategically well placed. On the south she is bounded by the richest country in the world. On the east she faces the Atlantic, on the west the Pacific. On both coasts there are fine harbours to which lead great lines of railway that span the continent. Canada is now fifth among the exporting nations of the world. For disposal abroad, she has enormous quantities of primary commodities and substantial amounts of manufactured goods as well. But she is far from being self-sustaining. She is unusually dependent on foreign trade, not only because of the commodities she has to sell but because of the lack of many essential articles she does not or cannot produce. To Canada, external commerce is vastly more important than internal trade. The wealth of nations is decided by their ability to produce more than they need, to sell more than they buy, and to build up favourable balances resulting from trade or services. With few countries, however, are returns perennially satisfactory. Fruitful periods are followed by leaner years. In times of prosperity foreign credits are increased, monetary systems strengthened, reserves accumulated to withstand recurring days of strain. Today, the foundations of financial systems are being re-examined, "dogmas hitherto accepted as canonical are being questioned" . It is not only in Europe and America that men search for illumination in problems arising from monetary restrictions.

Jan 1, 1933

By Eugene H. Skinner

The 7-mile Flathead Tunnel, located in the central Salish Mountains of northwestern Montana, was constructed between 1966 and 1969, With the contract awarded April 19, 1966, drill and blast tunnel excavation began September 30, 1966, and was completed June 21, 1968, in 488 tunnel-driving days, Peak advance was 66 feet per day. On June 27, 1969, all tunnel concrete lining was completed. Average wall and arch concrete placing rates exceeded 1,700 cubic yards daily, with nearly half of the concrete placed during a severe winter season. Major cost savings in concrete tunnel lining were achieved through a value engineering clause in the contract. Achieving consistent results and high rates of placement in concrete lining ranked equal to ground control in overall tunnel problems. Ground control problems exceeded expectations and were of continual concern throughout excavation, One support collapse in the tunnel and one portal slide condition developed during construction. Critical surface geologic exposures were largely obscured; only a portion could be accurately projected underground, An instrumentation program to gather basic data on rock defamation near the heading face for support purposes was a pioneering effort. The Flathead Tunnel was placed in service on November 7, 1970.

Jan 1, 1974

New GSP Trade Status Approved.--President Carter, by Executive Order effective March 30, has approved Generalized System of Preference treatment for imports of nonferrous metal products and other imports from Ecuador, Indonesia, Zimbabwe, Uganda, and Venezuela. As of May 2, Afghanistan and Ethiopia will be taken off GSP status. Under the Generalized System of Preferences, certain imports from developing countries are provided duty-free treatment. A country can lose its GSP status if its shipments of the product exceed $41.9 million or more than 50% of total U.S. imports during the preceding year. However, the President can waive the 50% rule in cases where total U.S. imports of an item in 1979 were less than $1 million. Certain nonferrous imports from Mexico, Peru, Chile, and Zambia are already covered by GSP. Hearings April 10 on International Tin Agreement.--The Fifth International Tin Agreement of which the United States is a signatory, which entered into force on July 1, 1976, will expire on June 30, 1981. A negotiating conference for a Sixth International Tin Agreement will be held under auspices of the United Nations at Geneva from April 14 to May 16, 1980.

Jan 1, 1980

By Benoît Demers

Dans ses opérations de traitement de concentré de zinc, l?usine de Zinc Électrolytique du Canada à Valleyfield génère un résidu minier appelé « jarosite ». Jusqu?en 1998, le jarosite était transporté hydrauliquement dans des bassins construits en argile. Le jarosite sédimenté possède une consistance très molle (impossible de circuler à pied sur le résidu consolidé) avec une eau interstitielle acide contenant des teneurs élevées en métaux. Ces caractéristiques particulières au jarosite rendaient très coûteuses la construction et la fermeture des bassins de résidus. En 1998, Zinc Électrolytique du Canada a implanté un nouveau procédé, développé chez Noranda, dont le principal objectif était de stabiliser chimiquement et physiquement le jarosite. Un nouveau concept de déposition a été élaboré pour le nouveau résidu minier appelé « jarofix ». Les grandes caractéristiques du nouveau procédé et du concept de déposition sont : ? Le jarosite est lavé et déshydraté à l?usine avec un système de filtre; ? De la chaux, du ciment et de l?eau sont ajoutés pour former le jarofix; ? Le jarofix est transporté par camions jusqu?à l?aire d?accumulation; ? À l?aire d?accumulation, le résidu est géré selon un concept d?empilement. L?élaboration du concept d?empilement et de l?aire d?accumulation devait tenir compte des caractéristiques de déposition du jarofix, de sa résistance à l?érosion hydrique et éolienne, de la gestion de l?eau de ruissellement, de la faisabilité de construire les digues de ceinture en utilisant du jarofix durci et de la nécessité de restaurer progressivement l?aire d?accumulation. Le déchargement du jarofix se fait à partir d?une rampe qui progresse avec une pente ascendante pour développer un front de déversement de plus en plus haut. La hauteur du tas de jarofix atteindra 30 m au centre du site. L?aménagement initial de 1998 a inclut une digue d?amorce de 3 m de hauteur, une rampe de déversement de 8 m de hauteur et un bassin pour la gestion de l?eau de ruissellement. Les propriétés du jarofix consolidé dans l?aire d?accumulation sont déterminées annuellement. Le jarofix durci possède la consistance et la résistance d?une argile très raide. Sa conductivité hydraulique est similaire à celle d?un silt et il résiste bien à l?érosion éolienne. Après trois années de déposition, la température du jarofix au milieu du dépôt demeure élevée. Le jarofix durci est facile à excaver et à compacter, ce qui en fait un excellent matériau pour la construction des digues de ceinture en périphérie du site.

Nov 1, 2002

The mineral Industry, following the economy as a whole, experienced little growth in 1992. However, with modernized plants, efficient workforces, and lower operating costs, the industry is well positioned to take advantage of possible improvement in the national economy during 1993. In addition to the significant 1992 events highlighted below, important events, trends, and issues within individual mineral industries are addressed in the commodity sections that follow. The value of processed materials of mineral origin is estimated to have been about $310 billion in 1992. The value of U.S. raw nonfuel minerals production in 1992 is estimated at approximately $32 billion, a 3% increase over 1991. The value of domestic minerals production has increased in all but 4 of the last 32 years.

Jan 1, 1993

By Keith L. Harris

The performance of the world economy improved significantly in 1984. Real world output!/ grew 4.3% (compared with 2.6% in 19831, the highest since the 4.4% increase recorded in 1978 (table 1). The output of industrial nations rose 4.9%, while that of the developing nations rose 3.7%. The United States and Japan had the largest increases in output of the major industrial nations, with respective increases of 6.8% and 5.8% (table 2). The components of real output with the most significant growth in the industrial countries were gross fixed investment (9.2%), consumer expenditure (3.1%), and public consumption (2.5%) (table 1). Industrial output, as measured by industrial production indices, has returned to about the 1980 level for most of the major industrial nations (table 2). Exceptions to this were industrial production in Japan and the United States; Japan's industrial production rose steadily throughout the 5-yr period and is now more than 16% above the 1980 level, and the industrial production index for the United States reached 11 1.2 (1980=100.0). Real total domestic demand grew at 8.7% in the United States, more than double the rate of Japan, which, at 4.0%, had the second-largest growth. Average demand for all industrial countries was up 5.1%. During 1984 the U.S. dollar showed great strength on international markets, contributing to large current-dollar negative net exports of goods and services and even larger negative net exports of the merchandise sector. While growing U.S. imports helped spread the benefits of the recovery, they also led to a widening of current account imbalances and growing trade tensions throughout the world.3/, 4/

Jan 1, 1985

By J. N. Van der Merwe, D. P. Roberts

The two components of pillar design formula being used in South Africa are pillar strength and pillar load. While considerable effort has been directed to the determination of pillar strength, the other half of the safety factor equation, the load, has not received the same amount of attention. The load acting on pillars has always been calculated using the Tributary Area Theory (TAT). This paper summarises the recent studies on coal pillar loading using various numerical models. It concludes that although there are meaningful differences under certain circumstances, there is still a compelling argument to use the TAT in coal pillar design. Les deux parties composantes de la formule de conception de pilier généralement utilisée en Afrique du Sud sont la résistance de pilier et la charge de pilier. Tandis que des efforts considérables on été dirigés vers la détermination de la résistance de pilier, l’autre moitié du facteur de sécurité n’a pas reçu la même attention. La charge agissant sur les piliers a toujours été calculée avec la Théorie d’Aire Tributaire (TAT). L’étude présente résume les études récentes sur la charge de pilier de charbon utilisant des modèles numériques variés. La conclusion est que bien qu’il y ait des différences significatives selon les circonstances, il y a toujours un argument puissant pour utiliser le TAT dans la conception de pilier de charbon. Die in Südafrika für die Auslegung von Pfeilern verwendeten zwei Formelkomponenten sind Pfeilerstärke und Pfeilerbelastung. Während beträchtlicher Aufwand zur Bestimmung der Pfeilerstärke gemacht wurde, wurde der anderen Hälfte der Sicherheitsfaktorsgleichung nicht die gleiche Aufmerksamkeit gewidmet. Die auf die Pfeiler wirkende Last wurde immer unter Verwendung der Tributary Area Theory (TAT) berechnet. Diese Arbeit fast neuere Studien betreffend der Belastung von Kohlepfeilern unter Verwendung verschiedener numerischer Modelle zusammen. Die Schlussfolderung ist, daß obwohl unter bestimmten Vorraussetzungen bedeutende Unterschiede existieren, nach wie vor ein bezwingendes Argument besteht TAT in der Kohlepfeilerauslegung zu verwenden.

Jan 1, 2003

A compilation of papers presented at The Second WVU Conference on Coal Mine E1ectrotechnology in Morgantown, West Virginia on June 12 -14, 1974. Papers cover areas of electric power, electronic communications, detection and location of trapped miners, and electronic sensors and monitoring systems.

Jan 1, 1974

By R. W. Hodder

"Archean lode gold deposits of both vein and chemical sedimentary types typically have major enrichments of certain rare elements, including Au, Ag, As, Sb, B, W, Se, Te and Bi, coupled with low or negative enrichments of the more abundant and mobile base metals, Cu, Pb and Zn. On the other hand, in massive base metal sulphide deposits Au, Ag, Cu, Zn and in some instances Pb are all enriched by a factor of 200 to 2000 t:'Jf'1pared to background and there is no large separation of gold relative to the base metals.The fluids from which gold was precipitated in veins were at temperatures of 320 to 480°C, at lithostatic pressure, had significant C02, and Na """" K; whereas the fluids which generated base metal deposits were at 250-300°C, at hydrostatic pressure, had C02 < < H20 and Na > > K.Many lode gold deposits are characterized by K, C02 and Si additions to their enveloping rocks, whereas base metal deposits typically have a fixation of Fe, Mg, Si and S in footwall rocks. Lode gold deposits may also have a relatively large halo of low-temperature oxidative, sadie spilitization in enclosing volcanic rocks, where seawater has later streamed into cooling stocks or flows that have initially acted to focus gold mineralizing fluids along thermal contraction fractures. The submarine environment is one hydrologically appropriate for the mixing of two initially independent hydrothermal systems, and the blending of their separate characteristics. Hence, lode gold and base metal massive sulphide deposits appear to be products of two distinctly different crustal and hydrological regimes. The former involves a high-temperature, high-pressure discharge of fluids which probably were generated during dehydration accompanying burial and progressive accumulation of volcanic-sedimentary sequences, with an additional influence of marine water in the near-sea-floor environment. The latter represents thermally driven convection of ocean water at lower temperatures and under hydrostatic conditions.Auriferous fluid systems with only minor base metal content could plausibly be generated during dehydration accompanying burial and metamorphism, when the water-to-rock ratio is low and halogen availability is limited by crustal abundance (- 60 ppm Cl). These two factors may constrain the uptake of the abundant base metals into fluids, but the solubility of rare elements is not constrained by limited fluid; and preferential uptake of Au along with other rare elements may be promoted if such elements compete more successfully for the limited halogens than the base metals, and/or have an alternative complexing agent such as CO or C()j-."

Jan 1, 1982

During the second quarter of 1983, the economic recovery showed further strength abetted by the performances of consumer spending, residential investment, and the slowing down of inventory reductions. Real gross national product (GNP) increased from the first to second quarter at an annual rate of 9.2 percent, compared with 2.6 percent from the fourth quarter of 1982 to the first quarter of 1983 and an overall 1.9- percent decrease in 1982. Total industrial production increased 1.8 percent in July, and productivity as measured by output per man-hour increased 1.3 percent between 1982 and the first quarter of 1983 (table 1). Especially noteworthy .was the performance of real consumer durable goods expenditures, which increased at an annual rate of 32.0 percent from the first to the second quarter (about half of the increase consisted of automobile sales) and real consumer spending, which increased between these periods at an annual rate of 9.7 percent. Residential investment increased at an annual rate of 76.1 percent between the first and the second quarters,1/ and private housing starts by about 38,000 units in both March and May.

Jan 1, 1983