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By Richard M. Levine

Now that the former Soviet Union has divided into 15 countries, it is necessary to analyze separately the industrial mineral position of each of these countries. Industrial mineral data The former USSR was one of the world's largest producers of industrial minerals and had some of the world's largest reserves. Production and reserve figures, however, must be qualified. Even when these figures were reported by the Soviets, it was not clear that the production figures were for products that would be equally marketable in a competitive market economy. The reserve figures are based on the Soviet system of reserve classification, which is not directly equatable with the US Geological Survey and US Bureau of Mines classifications of economic reserves in market economy countries. The Soviets reserve classification system, in terms of which reserve figures will be given, is based on the reliability of the quantity of the material in place. The Soviet system assigns each occurrence to one of seven categories A, B, C1 and C2 are considered reserves; P1, P2, and P3 are considered resources. Mining in the former Soviet Union was authorized on the basis of the reserves in place in categories A, B and C, which had to be in prescribed ratios. However, the categories A, B and C do not necessarily correspond to Western concepts of material economically exploitable under present market prices with existing technologies.

Jan 1, 1992

By W. K. Utt

This report discusses U.S. Bureau of Mines' research involving modem vehicle position determination techniques in surface mining. The applications would include haul trucks, power shovels, and drilling rigs. Accurate position determination of these vehicles in near real-time is expected to result in safer and more efficient mining operations. The requirements for a vehicle position monitoring and warning system were determined. After screening several concepts, the global positioning system (GPS) and a radar positioning system were selected for further evaluation. A state-of-the-art GPS receiver was taken to a surface mine to assess the feasibility of receiving the satellite signals. A state-of-the-art radar positioning system was evaluated with regard to accuracy.

Jan 1, 1995

By J. R. Parry

Over the past several years, computerized financial models have been an important part of Newmont's strategic planning process. Two applications will be discussed in this paper: a general purpose financial model of Newmont, and a detailed operational/financial model of Magma Copper Company. Newmont?s general purpose financial model was developed using Lotus 1-2-3. It was designed to aid management in assessing the financial consequences of investment and financing decisions associated with long-term strategic planning by simulating the consolidated effect from individual transactions. Not only is the model capable of assessing the sensitivity of specific decisions to changes in the external economic environment (i. e., commodity prices, interest rates, inflation and exchange rates), it can also evaluate the effect from operating and financial decisions, including changing production levels and cost structures at individual operating units as well as simulating several types of transactions, including equity and debt issues, acquisitions and divestitures. The analysis of Magma Copper Company required the development of a detailed operating and financial model of the Company. The model was developed using IFPS in the corporation?s UNISYS (then Burroughs) B7900 mainframe computer and included separate pro forma financial statements for each of San Manuel-Pinto Valley's mines and concentrators, as well as Magma's smelting and refining operations. The outcome of this analysis was the decision to merge Magma Copper and Pinto Valley Copper Corporation, and to recapitalize the new corporation in order to provide funds for a retrofit and expansion of its Arizona smelter and expansions of its refinery and SXEW facilities.

Jan 1, 1989

By Phil W. Welch

At first glance, the similarity between the fine grinding of cement clinker and coarse grinding done in other mineral processing industries may seem remote. However, it is interesting to note that the mill discharge fineness of cement clinker is only 70 to 90% passing 100 mesh and quite comparable to other mineral processing grinds. There is however, a greater dependence of the mill on the air separator in the finish grinding of cement clinker than in other mineral processing industries which explains why a technique to guage the balance between a mill and separator first began in the cement industry. (1) More recently an adaptation of this technique has shown its application to the processing of phosphate rock and is the central topic of this paper. First, an explanation of work done with fine grinding cement circuits seems appropriate together with a few general comments regarding cement. When unground or partially ground cement clinker enters a finish grinding mill, it is subjected to mechanical forces of impact and attrition which gradually reduce it to a range of sizes characteristic of finish cement. That is, a range of approximately 1 to 125 microns. The large proportion of superfine particles relative to the coarse and intermediate size particles is typical of portland cement particle size distribution. It accounts for the workability characteristics of plastic concrete and the early strength development of concrete which is so necessary to its successful use as a construction material. For this reason It is quite evident from quality control tests when a shortage of superfines exists.

Jan 1, 1975

By S. J. Page

The personal dust monitor (PDM) is a combined tapered element oscillating microbalance (TEOM) respirable dust monitor and cap lamp, configured to have dimensions and weight similar to those of a lead-acid miner’s cap lamp battery. The Higgins-Dewell (HD) cyclone design operated at 2.2 L min-1 airflow has previously been reported to have low bias relative to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) convention. Previous reports have described the PDM as meeting the NIOSH Accuracy Criterion. In order to avoid certain analysis anomalies encountered during these evaluations, a different method of establishing the PDM relative standard deviation was employed. Re-analysis of laboratory data for both the early prototype and precommercial PDMs indicates that the PDM still meets the NIOSH accuracy criterion, and that the precommercial PDMs are more accurate than previously reported.

Jan 1, 2011

By Paul F. Ziemkiewicz, Aaron Noble, Christopher R. Vass

The rare earth element (REE) industry has sought to develop ore deposits where geologic processes have produced mineralized zones with commercially attractive concentrations. These deposits are extremely uncommon, particularly in the United States. Given the criticality of these materials and the need for a sustainable domestic supply, the current research seeks to leverage the generation and treatment of acid mine drainage (AMD) as an autogenous process that can lead to concentrated REE resources. 

By B. H. Gardner, S. Serata, D. Dickie

Since 1958, the Sifto Salt Division of Domtar, Inc., has operated the Goderich (Ontario) salt mine in Michigan basin bedded halite, with shafts located on Lake Huron's eastern bank. Initial mining utilized a conventional room and pi1lar pattern. However, roof deterioration developed. Incidence of progressive upward failure of saltback and over1yings ha1ey-do1omite layers intensified with entry aging. Studies were therefore initiated on new mining patterns utilizing the Serata Stress Control Method. Pursuant thereto, three test areas, indicated in the mine plan of Fig. 1, were designed and excavated. Full conversion to Stress Control mining was effected in January, 1983. This paper focusses on the instrumentation work in the third test area. Test Area 3 was designed to validate the excavation geometry of the new stress-controlled main entry system. The testing of that design was accomplished, in part, by comprehensive in situ stress, property, and deformation measurements on the performance of the model main entry section of Test Area 3. The paper describes: (1) the theoretical background of the SPDR/Stress Control Method; (2) specific problems and objectives addressed by the 1983 program of in situ measurements, (3) measurement results; and (4) conclusions drawn therefrom.

Jan 1, 1986

By J. C. Agarwal

A significant portion of the, coal mined by U. S. Steel is beneficiated to upgrade the quality of the resultant coke to meet blast-furnace requirements. Primarily because of degradation from modern mechanized mining methods, a considerable quantity of the coal to be beneficiated is in the 1/4-inch by 100-mesh size range. In the cleaning plants, this coal is usually cleaned on concentrating tables and then mechanically dewatered in solid-bowl centrifuges to 9 to 14 percent water. At some plants, to further decrease the amount of water shipped with coal, and to improve the coking characteristics of the coal at its destination, mechanical dewatering is followed by thermal drying. At U. S. Steel's-Alpheus preparation plant at Gary, West Virginia, approximately 50 percent of the total coal produced is in this fine size range, and two fluidized-bed dryers are used for the thermal drying step. The two fluidized-bed dryers are 14 feet in diameter and were designed by the Dorr-Oliver Company. Although the original design called for a rate of drying equivalent to 37 tons, of moisture per hour, presently they are removing twice that amount. This paper describes, the major problems encountered' in operating these dryers at the present, high capacities and how they were overcome.

Jan 1, 1963

By A. B. Holland-Batt

Following a relatively static period in the 1960s and 1970s when incremental development rather than innovation was the norm for gravity separation, the last 15 years has seen a number of new developments in this area. The paper briefly reviews the traditional gravity separation techniques and then examines the newer developments such as centrifugal separators. Particular emphasis has been placed on novel devices or improvements that offer either better control or improved performance.

Jan 1, 1998

By W. N. McAnulty

Because so many interrelated technical, economic, legal and political factors are involved in evaluation of commercial mineral deposits, it is common practice today to assign such work to a team of specialists including geologists, mining engineers, metallurgists, lawyers, and economic evaluation experts. Each member of the team plays an important role; the role of the geologist is particularly important. The geologist involved with evaluation of fluorspar deposits needs all the geologic and economic training and experience required for evaluation of metallic mineral deposits. Few, if any, industrial or metallic minerals occur in so many geologic environments as fluorite. Fluorspar, and aggregate of rock and mineral matter containing enough fluorite to make a commercial deposit (ore), is somewhat more limited in its modes of occurrence than fluorite, but it too is found in a variety of environments.

Jan 1, 1970

By T. Lupek, S. Plaum

"The execution of classical building services in underground mining operations is more truth than myth. From small concrete foundations for conveyor belts to the construction of huge workshops for large machinery maintenance, nearly every operation requires building services. By creating such fixed facilities, these services ensure the efficiency of the production. A distinction must be made between fixed facilities which directly enable the production and auxiliary facilities which only indirectly support the production. The construction costs of such auxiliary facilities are often roughly estimated because they do not immediately contribute to mineral extraction. The research project ‘Development of a systematic cost-calculation method for building services in underground mines’ seeks to address the question: ‘Can the construction costs concerning fixed auxiliary facilities be neglected e.g. within a prefeasibility study?’ The presentation will show the monetary relevance and significance of these auxiliary facilities and introduce a guideline for cost estimators. PROBLEM DEFINITION The overriding interest of an underground mining operator is to exploit the commodity with the maximal quality by minimum cost and time expenditure. If a new operation shall be installed, it has to promise profitability. Therefore, predictive economic feasibility studies are performed in advance of installation. Herein, all cost expenditure for installation and operation of the future underground mine is determined and compared to the expected income by selling the raw material. The described interest of the mining operator is the starting point of the research project ‘Development of a systematic cost-calculation method for building services in underground mines’. While economic feasibility studies for future operations are focused on the profitable exploitation of raw materials and the efficiency of the accompanying necessary production processes, auxiliary actions are only considered rudimentary. Necessary production processes, as well as auxiliary actions regularly require classical building services, which are normally performed in construction business on the surface in the same manner. By performing building services like masonry or concrete works in underground mines, fixed facilities shall be set up in order to enable or support the raw material production. Production enabling fixed facilities are varying from small concrete foundations for conveyor belts or other infrastructural elements to upstream processing plants situated in the mine workings. While such fixed facilities are essential parts of the production process chain, supporting facilities underground shall increase the efficiency of the mining operation. Workshops, control rooms and social installations are only a few examples for supporting facilities. Those could be situated on the surface as well, but the efficiency increases significantly by installing them underground. Especially supporting facilities are evading from the main interest of the mine operator, since they are only indirectly connected to the production process. The building costs are oftentimes only roughly assumed."

Jan 1, 2017

By Monica Campos, Jose Mujica, Maria Campos

The extraction and processing of metals and other minerals have played an important role in economic, political, and social development worldwide, from the early stages of prehistory to the present day (Gosner, 2020). In other words, mining has been a fundamental part of human civilization, providing the raw materials necessary for technological, infrastructure, and industrial advances. As society progresses, the importance of mining continues to grow, supporting the development of everything from the smallest electronic devices to the tallest skyscrapers (The Importance Of Mining In Modern Society, 2024). The mining industry is closely linked to a country’s economy and activities related to natural resources. The economy of a nation is connected to its extractive industries (Moreira & McMahon, 2014), which have seen dramatic growth in recent years (Pietrobelli et al., 2018). In a context of increasing demand for natural resources, driven by the development of emerging technologies, the expansion of infrastructure, and the foundation of engineering achievements for the coming decades (Importance Of Mining - Minerals Education Coalition, 2024), mining should focus efforts on global development, requiring a comprehensive approach to sustainability that addresses the planet’s needs and protects the well-being, primarily, of the communities and environments where mining operations take place (Figari, 2024). In these areas, diversity and inclusion should be promoted, thus fostering equitable and sustainable development. Speaking of sustainable development, diversity, and inclusion brings us to an interesting topic: the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, which could serve as a key framework for fostering a strong social management culture in mining. The SDGs were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a universal call to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030 (Sustainable Development Goals, n.d.). Companies have compelling reasons to align their actions with the SDGs, as their long-term success depends on healthy communities. This is a major challenge and requires collaborative efforts (Singh & Rahman, 2021). As Fraser (2021) mentions, achieving more sustainable outcomes may involve mining companies and communities working together collaboratively. This research proposes an innovative approach: Inclusive Mining for Sustainable Development, which aims not only to maximize economic profitability but also to promote social and environmental well-being by integrating the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), primarily focused on diversity and inclusion. This can be achieved through the implementation of a key value-added initiative for mining companies: the Creation and operation of a corporate volunteering program aimed at developing and executing inclusive practices to promote gender equality, the inclusion of local communities and indigenous peoples, and accessibility for people with disabilities. This proposal will educate employees and stakeholders about sustainability and promote concrete actions through corporate volunteering to strengthen the mining company’s commitment to community development, improve social relations, and advance toward achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, establishing the company as a global change agent.

Feb 1, 2025

By R. Bishop, J. Baggett, J. Monsalve, N. Ripepi, A. Soni

Technology plays an ever-increasing role in improving the safety and efficiency of mining operations. Laser scanning and photogrammetry are two useful methods for capturing 3D digital representations of real world objects. While both technologies have been applied to the mining industry in numerous ways, the practical applications in an operating underground limestone mine has been tested for this paper, including for visualization and site characterization. Each technology is capable of creating highly detailed geospatial point clouds, but are all point clouds created equal? This paper presents a comparison of a laser scan and photogrammetry of a limestone pillar and addresses the strengths and limitations of each method for creating digital models of operating underground limestone mines. INTRODUCTION The United States crushed stone business is a ~$14 billion per year industry representing 1,430 companies which operate 3,782 mining operations across the 50 states. In 2017 alone, 1.33 billion tons of crushed stone was produced with 76% used predominately for road construction and repairs, but also for the production of cement, lime, chemical and agricultural uses. Over 70% of domestic crushed stone producers source their material from limestone and dolomite deposits, with currently only 82 mines (2%) operating underground (USGS, 2018). Underground mining requires a different technical skillset, and poses great challenges for production that must be both safe and economical. Therefore, there are many risks that an operation must mitigate in order to produce underground limestone. Some of the challenges in underground limestone mining involve geological hazards that are unique to the rest of the industry. The geologic features such as faults and weaknesses can be difficult to assess in a production environment (NIOSH, 1998). The consequences of failure due to improperly designed underground mining ground support systems, such as from a roof failure, are not only life threatening for the miners themselves, but can easily shut down an entire mining operation.

Jan 1, 2019

By Ernest B. Snyder

The word "line" has been used loosely for many forms of the common steel plant flux. For example, many people use the word "lime" for nigh calcium and dolomitic limestone, for high calcium and dolomitic quicklime (also called caustic lime, calcined lime; burnt lime, pulverized and pebble lime) and ;van for clinkered dolomite. Calcium hydroxide, also called slaked lime and hydrated lime, is called "lime" but is seldom used as a flux except when the quicklime air slakes in open boxes or bins. All of the above forms of "lime" are used in the steel plant. Calcium hydroxide is used for water treatment, acid neutralizing, and as a lubricant for wire drawing. All the other limes are used as fluxes in the sintering plant, blast furnace or steel producing furnaces. In the production of self-flux or super-flux sinter, high calcium and dolomitic limestone fines are used. Where quicklime fines are available, they may be added to the sinter mix also. The blast furnace uses both high calcium and/or dolomitic limestone. A few trials have been made using iron oxide stabilized dolomitic lime in an attempt to reduce coke consumption and to increase the production rate. The trials were very successful but would' not be economical, except in periods of coke shortages, with resulting extremely high coke cost and exceptionally high hot metal demand.

Jan 1, 1979

Semiautogenous (SAG) ball mills are being increasingly used today for the coarse grinding of a range of ores, including gold, copper and iron. Larger mines are demanding mills with larger throughputs. This has led to some remarkable developments in mill diameters and installed powers. Conventional design principles - mills with trunnion bearings - have reached their limitations. This article describes one SAG mill with a slide-shoe arrangement and Krupp Polysius' Combiflex twin drive. In August 1997, the world's largest SAG mill with a slide-shoe arrangement was commissioned in Queensland, Australia, operating as a wet mill. The inside diameter is 10.4 x 5.1 m (34 x 17 ft) effective grinding length. The 1.36-ktlh (1,500-stph) SAG mill is driven by two Combiflex drives (twin drives with 2 x 5,500-MW or 7,375-hp installed motor power) in conjunction with a girth gear (outside diameter 11,890 mm or 468 in.). Commissioning of the SAG mill was completed with no notable technical difficulties. The plant runs continuously except for planned maintenance stoppages and process-specific reasons. As this article is written, the machine has been in operation for about 8,000 hours without major problems.

Jan 1, 1998

By P. Huttagosol

The use of computer models to design ultimate pit limits during feasibility study and long range mine planning is becoming a significant practice in open pit mining. One of the problems in determining optimal ultimate pit limits using true optimization techniques has been they require a great deal of computer memory and execution time. In this paper, the maximum closure of a graph, which is a true optimizing model developed by Lerchs and Grossmann, is modified for solving ultimate pit limit problems. By using some properties of the original L&G graph algorithm, the tree configuration can be reduced to only connections between positive ore nodes. The modified algorithm is shown to require less memory and processing time while still yielding an optimal solution.

Jan 1, 1989

By Theodore M. Olson

The Washington State Highway Department consists of seven geographic dis¬tricts. District offices are located in Seattle, Wenatchee, Olympia, Vancouver, Yakima, Spokane and Bellevue. District is covered from the Spokane office, and is responsible for the six counties in the northeast corner of the state (Fig.l). It is bordered on the north by the International Boundary, on the south by the Snake River, on the east by the Washington - Idaho border, and on the west by a north-south line thru Lake Roosevelt. The landslides to be discussed in this paper are at Colfax, Washington, which is located in the southeast corner of the district. The town of Colfax is situated in a narrow valley eroded into the Tertiary volcanic basalts by the Delouse River. The valley walls are steep and generally colluvium mantled. State Highway 1°c, from Spokane to Colfax, descends into the valley from just north of Colfax on a bench cut into the valley wall. The highway department designed a widening project to increase the misting two lane roadway to three lanes, thus providing a passing lane for uphill traffic. The third lane was constructed as a cut section for the entire length. Construction excavation was begun at the top of the hill in silts of eolian origin. Proceeding downhill, excavation encountered three individual basalt flows with two zones of palagonite tuff separating them. The upper palagonite zone was dry, and excavation proceeded across this zone with no mishaps. The lower palagonite zone carried considerable groundwater. As excavation crossed the lower zone landsliding became contemporaneous with excavation, due to removal of toe of slope and saturated conditions. Remedial measures for landsliding consisted of designing shot rock buttresses across the palagonite zone and also the installation of horizontal drains to reduce hydrostatic pressure.

Jan 1, 1971

By Harold F. Yde

Hydraulic tailings fill in the Butte deep level mines was based upon studies made in 1958 by the Anaconda Company Mining Research Department, which published Bulletin No. 35, entitled "Hydraulic Stope Filling". Since then, many things have changed. At the time of the Research Departments study, dry mine tailings were hauled by rail cars from the Anaconda tailings ponds, twenty-five miles distant, to the underground mines' tailings fill plants at the Leonard Anselmo, and Mt. Con Mines. Now, with the installation of the new Weed Concentrator in Butte, tailings is delivered by pipeline to a cyclone at the Kelley Shaft, and stope filling has become more highly automated and streamlined. Presently, mill tailings at approximately thirty percent solids by weight, is pumped from the concentrator, eight thousand feet horizontally and upward, to the Kelley Fill Plant, where they are dewatered and deslimed by three Krebs Model D20B Cyclones, which discharge the material into the cased and grouted mine delivery bore holes at desired densities up to seventy percent solids. The vertical boreholes and four-inch rubber lined Victaulic pipe carry the material downward to horizontal distribution lines, which in turn tap into the stops-filling, three inch, unlined steel Victaulic pipelines. The slurry may travel several thousand feet before it finally discharges into the stope, where it lends support to the mined-out area.

Jan 1, 1969

By Atta Ur Rehman, Kwame Awuah‑Offei

This paper examines the effect of bucket geometry (cutting blade profile, floor profile, and blade thickness), speed, motor power output, and muckpile particle sizes on bucket penetration and draft for rubber tire loaders. The work uses a 1:16 scaled model of a load-haul-dump in full factorial experiments to examine the effect of the variables on penetration and maximum draft. The results show that speed and motor output are positively correlated to penetration and draft; muckpile particle size is positively correlated to penetration and negatively correlated to draft (p < 0.0014). The results show that buckets with a semi-spade cutting nose profile yield the highest penetration (mean 118.30 mm) followed by those with the spade (mean 108.88 mm), which also yield higher penetration than those straight blades (mean 95.19 mm). Bucket floor profile and blade thickness had no significant effect on penetration or draft. Also, we determined that increasing the speed and motor power output, simultaneously, can reduce bucket penetration. Thus, operators should not waste energy for no additional gain or even loss in bucket penetration. Also, the work finds speed and motor power output each combine with muckpile particle sizes to affect bucket penetration. This research furthers our understanding of the effectiveness of different bucket geometries in improving penetration and reducing draft for rubber tire loaders.

Oct 29, 2021

By Elnaz Saminfar, Jae Bateman, Eric Westergren, Mark Trim

This paper presents a case study of two major Australian infrastructure projects that used digital engineering to facilitate design delivery: WestConnex Project (Rozelle Interchange), and Sydney Metro West (Eastern Tunnelling Package). The paper presents project overviews and building information modeling (BIM) execution and focuses on modeling techniques, software utilization, data management strategies and how the digital models helped the design-build team mitigate impacts to schedule by identifying clashes between disciplines before the execution of work. Finally, it demonstrates the positive and transformative impact of digital engineering on the design and construction of large underground infrastructure projects and highlights its role in asset management throughout the project lifecycle.

Jun 23, 2024