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By J. P. Van Dillen

Continuing interest in processes that will effect separations in the fine particle size range has prompted intense interest in the use of high gradient magnetic separation (HGMS) for beneficiation of uranium ores. Some of the uranium minerals are paramagnetic and hence are amenable to concentration by HGMS. This paper presents a brief review of the problems associated with uranium ores beneficiation, a description of the HGNS process, and the effects of the parameters--pulp velocity, field strength, matrix loading and magnetic field gradient on product recovery and grade. Unsatisfactory separation of uranium minerals by HGHS is related to ore specific properties such as lack of liberation, fine dissemination of uranium minerals, uniform distribution of magnetic minerals throughout the ore matrix and interference of micron sized slimes. Experimental techniques to identify and resolve some of these problems are outlined.

Jan 1, 1982

By J. C. Watts

Ball mill grinding circuit control has received increasing emphasis in the past few years due to such factors as declining ore grades, increasing production costs, and advances in analytical devices and minicomputer technology. Since ball mill circuits have been a traditional bottleneck in mineral processing plant throughput, control systems often improve through- put without requiring additional processing equipment. In addition, much of the variability of the grinding product size and consistency is often removed, allowing better process operation downstream. Among the problems which arise in designing and implementing a process control strategy for ball mill circuits are circuit constraints imposed by processing equipment and local management, proper instrument selection, installation and maintenance, and use of calculated or inferred variables for process measurements. This paper discusses these problems and attempts to identify valid approaches to their solution.

Jan 1, 1979

By F. D. Wang

This paper presents an innovative mining method with the application of the water jet. The basic principle of this mining method is to mine a thin panel slice with a water jet system and to allow the roof to deflect elastically and subsequently to be supported by the coal floor without artificial roof support. Through the sequential mining of layers from top to bottom, the entire seam is extracted and the roof rests upon the mine floor. The advantages of this method are that the safety of underground operation can be greatly increased and the surface overburden disturbance will be markedly reduced. . An economic evaluation of such a system is presented for the total cost estimated per ton of coal mined at the face. This evaluation is then compared to that of a continuous mining section utilizing a room and pillar mining method.

Jan 1, 1991

By Kim W. Wright

Introduction Mining operations require maps for each phase of project development. Engineering plans, cross-sections, and isometric drawings are also needed. Maps are used for geologic interpretation, reserve estimation, permitting, property acquisition, site studies, development work, and production. Maps and drawings are essential to mining. They provide needed information. Generating these products, however, requires many manhours. The filing and organization of maps and drawings is cumbersome, due to their size. Major map changes can necessitate the production of entirely new documents and, thus, additional manhours. The volume of maps and drawings generated in the life of a single project can be extensive. For example, some utility companies have data bases containing more than a million individual maps (one reported eight million). These problems were considered necessary evils in the past. Now, with the automation of map and drawing production, improvements can be realized. Computer-aided mapping and design offers a new approach for the production, management, and storage of drawings and maps. This approach promises benefits in time management, productivity, efficiency, and flexibility. In all economic projects, the bottom line is cost reduction. And implementing computer-based mapping and design techniques can lower costs and increase project profitability. AM/FM/CAD/CAM Automated Mapping/Facility Management (AM/FM) and Computer-Aided Design/Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAD/CAM) are becoming buzz words in the engineering world. Most relevant to mining are the concepts of AM and CAD. These terms relate to the application of computers, specifically computer graphic technology, to mapping and design. CAD refers primarily to the design of components and structures in two and three dimensions. But it can apply to the three dimensional modeling of mine workings, ore bodies, and geologic structures AM refers to the automation of conventional map production. AM/CAD systems use computers to store, manipulate, produce, and update drawings and maps in two and three dimensions. Ideally, the calculating capabilities of computers are also used in conjunction with design and drawing generation, offering capabilities not available with conventional, manual mapping and design processes. To better understand concepts associated with AM and CAD applications, the understanding of a few computer-related terms is necessary. Table 1 explains some of these terms. System Features The capabilities of AM/CAD systems are based on viewing transformations. These are the basic, manipulative tools by which AM/CAD packages generate visual representations of data. Examples include the rotation of a three-dimensional object through space, the expansion or contraction of maps to fit a given scale, enlargements of small areas on maps or drawings for detailed viewing, and the generation of cross-sections from three dimensional data. AM/CAD systems incorporate data base management in their architecture. This allows a user to modify, move, delete, or manipu-

Jan 6, 1985

By G. L. Mowrey

In addition to developing various types of coal interface detection systems, the U.S. Bureau of Mines is actively involved in developing a coal rib thickness monitoring system for high wall mining applications. One particular system that appears to show promise uses a ground-penetrating radar system to detect the coal-air boundaries of coal ribs. Based on preliminary laboratory and field tests, results indicate that this method can be applied successfully in highwall mines to maintain a constant rib thickness. The coal seam should be relatively clean in the vicinity of the antenna (e.g., have minimal partings or dirt bands) for best results.

Jan 1, 1995

By O. Akinkugbe

The safe, productive exploitation of coal in multiple-seam situations requires specific design technology. At present, there are two general design approaches that the mining engineer can use to analyze the multiple-seam problem in question, either simple empirical relationships or complex numerical models. Often, the empirical approaches are too general for the specific problem and the numerical models require too much time and expertise for the practicing engineer. In this paper, a new program designed for quickly and easily calculating the stresses, strains, and safety factors associated with basic multiple-seam mining situations is presented. The program implements a simplified, two-dimensional boundary-element method in order to model the complex multiple-seam stress and displacement interactions. The program incorporates automatic coal and gob property generation to simplify the input, and inherently calculates pillar safety factors to enhance the output.

Jan 1, 2004

By D. W. Park

The Longwall Strata-Control and Maintenance System (LoSCo-MS) is a software and data-communication system developed at the University of Alabama. This system integrates real-time shield monitoring, data presentation, analysis and the forecasting of forthcoming events. The main objective of this system is to provide stability information on longwall panels, including excessive shield load, low setting pressure, leg leakage, poor shield performance and imminent maintenance problems. Analyses of various mining and geological parameters were also performed to determine past and present roof characteristics and to forecast roof loading patterns for the following mining cycles, the next periodic weighting, etc. A local coal mine in the Warrior Coal Basin has adopted this system to provide daily evaluation of ground stability and maintenance problems in their longwall panels. Two years of experience with this system is covered in this paper.

Jan 1, 2000

By Robert Sutton, Milan Sjaus

Conveyor pulleys are an important and integral component of a conveyor. Conveyors work in sequence to make up conveyor systems. Each conveyor system is only as reliable as its crudest component. If the pulley fails, then the whole material handling system stops. So what is the effect of this downtime? What are the costs of repair? How much are we willing to pay to solve the problem? What should we spend to prevent an unscheduled shutdown? Do we use the technological improvements at our disposal or do we ignore them to satisfy immediate cost savings? This study will focus on the cost of pulleys relative to the total conveyor cost, the cost of downtime, the maintenance costs and the costs for resolution of the problem. Some philosophic and design concepts are injected for illustration and discussion.

Jan 1, 2000

By Nicholas S. Lynn

Introduction Borne out of the need for reductions in capital expenditure and increased production, several new and innovative carbon systems have been developed for small precious metal heap leach operations throughout the United States. Perhaps the most important aspect of these systems is the carbon column. Though diverse in design, these columns can be categorized into three basic types. The first is known as the gravity flow type or Cortez type. As the name indicates, solution flows via gravity, throughout 4 to 6 columns which are arranged in a normally stepped con- figuration which is conventionally upflow in design. The second type, known as the vertical column, is an arrangement whereby flow is established through pressurization in an upward manner, throughout 4 to 6 columns in a vertically stacked configuration. This arrangement is typically intended for use with small portable heap leach operations and employs a semi-continuous mode thus preventing gravity from occurring. The third type and newest development in carbon columns is an arrangement whereby the solution flows throughout 4 to 6 columns placed in a side by side configuration and pressurized by a single feed pump (Figure 1). A unique aspect to the third type, is that the adsorb and desorb cycles are accomplished in the same column, due to a fixed carbon charge. An in-depth analysis is warranted due to numerous advantages of this arrangement, and is therefore the subject of this paper. Advantages and Variations One advantage to the third type of carbon column is the fact that initial capital expenditures and operating man- power requirements are reduced. Another advantage is that the system can be made fully portable up to a 0.0315 m3/s (500 gpm) capacity. Systems of this nature are operational at several sites. Above this flow rate, the system's portability is one which can be maintained, but disadvantages (i.e. larger diameter carbon column and greater weights) far outweigh the advantages. There are several variations in each of these systems which allow for unique operation. For example, carbon columns made highly portable, can be moved from unitized heap leach operations to central stripping facilities. Although this method has been used in Colorado, transportation of these units has been known to be quite cumbersome. If distances exceed 5 km (3.2 miles) then special front-end loaders are required. This limits heap locations to within 5 km (3.2 miles) of the central processing facility. Another example transports the carbon charge from the heap leach locations to a centralized processing facility; this method is quite effective. For the past 5 years one mine has employed this technique of transporting carbon in 907 kg (1 ton lots), in DOT containers, towed by company pick-ups. This operation uses a vertical column with a 907 kg (1 ton) carbon charge. A third example uses static carbon columns with fixed carbon charges. Carbon Adsorption System The carbon adsorption system (Figure 1) is fed by a single preg solution feed pump. This feed pump pushes the preg solution through all four to six fixed charged carbon columns, which are on line. The sequencing of the carbon columns is achieved using valves. Expansion of the carbon charge is dependent upon the carbon selected. The carbon typically used is a 6 x 12 mesh size, with a nominal flow rate of 0.00135 - 0.00138 m 3/s (22-25 gpm) per square foot of carbon, based on a 40% bed expansion. With 8 x 16 mesh size,

Jan 1, 1987

By Milton E. Wadsworth

Cost effectiveness in gold and silver leaching has centered mainly on reducing or preventing excessive use of lixiviants. In cyanide leaching practice, the active reactants, cyanide and oxygen, present different problems. The activity of cyanide may be adjusted at cost, but oxygen from air, has a fixed, low activity with an equilibrium concentration of ~7 ppm. Consequently, the use of air in agitation and heap leaching presents distinct kinetic problems. The refractory ores are either high consumers of oxygen or tend to immobilize dissolved precious metal-cyanide complexes. Commercial treatment of refractory ores involves oxidation by pressure leaching, roasting or biooxidation prior to cyanide leaching. Chemical reactions important in preoxidation of refractory sulfide ores by pressure leaching and biooxidation are considered. Major emphasis is given to the role of oxygen in heap leaching of oxidized ores.

Jan 1, 1995

By Ellis Brien, O&apos

The fine coal fraction of a coal stream is that fraction which contains particles essentially in the -28 mesh size range. This fraction will normally first appear, in a coal preparation process, as a result of classification to segregate raw coal into various size components for beneficiation. More specifically, it could appear in desliming screen underfiow, classifying cyclone overflow, and in other process circuit components. It's recognized that the top size of this fraction has been determined more by secondary reasons, such as desliming screen area for the heavy medium cyclone circuit, the dewatering equipment for the fine clean coal, or even the stability of the refuse thickener circuit. Benefits, both economic and environmental, gained by beneficiating the fine coal fraction of a raw coal stream are increasing in number, until today, fine coal beneficiation is a necessity in most coal operations requiring any degree of preparation. This is due to some of the following reasons: • In the past it was frequently more economical to discard -28 mesh raw coal sizes than to recover the coal values from them. Today, mining costs have escalated to the point where all coal values leaving the mine should report to the finished product if possible. • Today's mining methods are producing run-of-mine coals containing higher percentages of -28 mesh sizes. This heavily weighs the economic balance in favor of beneficiating this fraction. As much as 25% of the run-of-mine coal from some mines is in the fine coal fraction. Beneficiation is recommended so that clean coal contained in the fraction can be recovered to reduce the loss of coal values. • Existing and pending environmental regulations mandate that solid fuels now consumed in power station boilers contain almost no pyritic sulfur. This form of sulfur appears in raw coal in the fine coal fraction, but can be removed by coal beneficiation. Environmental considerations dictate that every year, more of the fine coal produced for steam generating purposes in the US be beneficiated. To deliberately discard any portion of the fine coal can only add to this cost, not only in the sense that fewer tons will be recovered but, more importantly, additional tonnage will be diverted to the most capital- and labor-intensive section of the entire preparation plant-the fine refuse dewatering section. It is apparent to preparation engineers that dewatering and ultimate disposal of the fine refuse derived from this beneficiation step is certainly the most difficult technical problem presented in the entire plant design. Therefore, any beneficiation procedure which increases the fine coal recovery, or in any manner decreases the tonnage of fine refuse to be dewatered, is going to be cost effective. Since the -28 mesh fraction contains both coal and refuse particles in their finest particle sizes and thus presents the greatest degree of liberation, one would immediately infer that the highest degree of beneficiation would be achieved. This is not the case-the opposite is more likely true. Conventional coal cleaning devices based on specific gravity (such as

Jan 8, 1980

By S. Triantafyllidis

The tailings produced from the Kirki (Agios Filippos) high sulfidation epithermal deposit processing plant are laminated, weakly cemented and their particle size ranges from fine sand to fine silt. They are mainly composed of milling residues of gangue (quartz, dickite/kaolinite, pyrophyllite, illite); sulfides and secondary minerals (jarosite group minerals, butlerite, anglesite, beudantite and gypsum) are present to a lesser extent. They have high Pb and Zn (average 0.75 % and 0.57 % respectively) and low S (1.04 to 2.92 %), Cu, As, Cd, Ni and Sb content (average 248, 163, 59, 27, 20 g/t respectively). Stagnant waters forming small ponds on the surface of the impoundments exhibit low pH and high heavy metal and sulfate concentrations. Negative Net Neutralization Potential (NNP) characterizes the tailings, indicating moderate to high potential for acid generation. Application of the TCLP test revealed that the tailings are characterized as toxic because of the increased solubility of Pb and Cd. On the other hand, As TCLP solubility is very low.

Jan 1, 2006

By Stuart R. Cotterill, Jack D. Nelmark

Introduction Opencast surface mining requires blasthole drilling to achieve mine planning. No single method of mining is right for all conditions. Occasionally, mine planners introduce a project with little regard to drilling and blasting. These costs are usually a significant percentage of total mine overhead. One drilling and blasting method that can be used to reduce overall mine expense is inclined or angle hole drilling. But inclined-hole drilling will not cut costs unless a set of required circumstances is met. Several conditions of mine design indicate the use of angle drilling. Geotechnical problems must first be analyzed. Primary considerations are safety, fragmentation, production, and maintenance. Secondary considerations are, in some instances, reduction in amount of explosives, which lowers blasting costs; reduction of practical fragmentation beyond blasting pattern limits; and reductions in overall costs due to reduced volume of excavation. Future trends in blasthole drilling may include incorporation of drill equipment designed to allow rapid change from vertical to inclined drilling. This will allow the operator to adapt to changing hole requirements with minimal production loss. Another improvement may be the ability to chamber holes at any elevation throughout the hole depth. This will allow more charge to be placed at strategic locations to improve fragmentation. Merits of Drilling Inclined Holes Drilling is performed to create voids for explosives. It is done either to recover minerals or to excavate a volume of earth. The manner of mining or excavation can greatly affect the economics of the overall project. Many innovations and methods have been tried, but the most practical and economical is still drilling holes and using explosives to fragment the material. To break up the material, the practice has been to place charges within the mass. This is done by drilling holes of a specific diameter and depth into the material. The holes are of such magnitude as to develop sufficient energy to break or loosen this material, providing for easier removal. In general, more open or exposed faces must exist to aid material breakage when blasting. Inclined drilling can be advantageous in open-cut mining with highwall depths of at least 24 m (80 ft). A minimum of two faces are open in open-cut mining and the material can be thrown outward to cover pre-mined volume. This cuts cost by eliminating the need to remove or relocate a large portion of material. Sometimes the material is of such a mass that more energy per unit is required to loosen it than can easily be done by blasting vertically. Inclined holes allow a more uniform loading of drilled holes. The unit of energy is raised, so little or no secondary blasting is required. This usually comes about only if the main plan calls for drilling holes deeper than 24 m (80 ft). For shallow holes, spacing and burden can be made closer to allow sufficient energy to blast the toe. If the open face is in only one

Jan 9, 1984

By Y. Guan

The dissolution behavior of silver in ammoniacal solutions with cupric ammine as an oxidant has been investigated using a rotating disc electrode. The rates of dissolution of silver were determined by an electrochemical means as well as a direct measurement of silver ions reported in the bulk solution as a function of time. The variables investigated included stirring speed, temperature, concentration of lixiviants, and pH of the solutions. The rate of dissolution under the conditions studied' was found to be controlled by an electrochemical reaction at the liquid/ solid interface with an apparent activation energy of 48.07 kJ /mole. The rate was found to be a half order with respect to the, concentration of cupric tetra-ammine, Cu(NH3)l+.; The results were explained in terms of a mixed' potential theory.

Jan 1, 1994

By G. T. Adel

As a prerequisite to removing mineral matter from coal by any physical separation technique, the mineral and coal particles must be sufficiently liberated. In the case of the production of superclean (< 2% ash), low-sulfur products, the appropriate liberation size may be less than 10 µm. Unfortunately, much of the liberation data obtained at these fine sizes is only qualitative due to the lack of appropriate instrumentation. In the present work, computerized image analysis has been used to characterize several common eastern U.S. coals. In most cases, it has been found that micronizing of the coal is necessary in order to achieve sufficient liberation for deep cleaning. Liberation analyses of the products from the microbubble column flotation process have been used to distinguish problems in liberation from problems in selectivity, especially as they pertain to pyrite rejection.

Jan 1, 1989

By D. A. King

Monitoring devices have been installed at several mine sites to assess the potential for the development of acid rock drainage (ARD) in waste rock, spent ore, and tailings material. In addition, instrumentation has been designed for monitoring changes in water quality in pit lakes. These devices monitor temperature, oxygen, water movement, and water chemistry in the waste rock pile. This information can be used to evaluate the current and future ARD risk, the effectiveness of caps and covers, and provide information to aid in the design of other reclamation strategies that limit ARD development. The instrumentation includes nested thermistors and oxygen sensing ports, neutron access tubes, heat dissipation units (HDUs), and lysimeters. Many of the monitoring devices can be linked to a datalogger and telemetry systems, enabling monitoring data to be downloaded from the office.

Jan 1, 1997

By G. Baudet, M. Save

Ethoxylated phosphoric ester surfactants were evaluated as collectors for flotation of carbonates from sedimentary phosphate ores, at slightly acidic pulp pH, using sulfuric acid or sodium fluorosilicate as a phosphate depressant. With 12 to 15 carbon atoms in the hydrophobic chain, maximum collecting power was observed for 9 to 10 ethylene oxide units. Only fine carbonates, ranging in size from about 20 to 160 µm or 40 to 200 µm, were effectively removed with phosphoric ester collectors. Utilization of seawater, or water of extremely high hardness, did not detrimentally affect selectivity. Silica, silicates, and residual fine carbonates can be separated in a second flotation stage, with primary amine as a collector. Coarse carbonates are separated by direct flotation of phosphate with fluoride ion as a phosphate activator and primary amine as a collector. In a seawater pulp, fluoride ion was not required. Typical examples of laboratory and pilot- scale test results are given to illustrate capabilities of the various flotation flowsheets.

Jan 1, 1999

By C. F. Giermak

Over a considerable period of time great interest has been shown in selective dry concentration of fine ferromagnetic particles, although it is only recently that new permanent magnetic materials have been made available to permit building of such permanent magnetic separators. It is well known that the conventional drum separator does&apos; not efficiently separate fine materials. The centrifugal force on any drum acts in accordance with the particle size and gravity, which may beat varying magnitude-.opposite to the magnetic force, especially when the material is not closely sized. The Magnetic-Mechanical Separator (MMS) is designed for the concentration of fine, unsized magnetic materials where the percentage composition of magnetics to nonmagnetics, or the nature and texture of the materials, is such that its unique agitation and shake-out action with no centrifugal force provides greater efficiency than is obtainable by conventional magnetic separation equipment. This machine consists of a complete double belt conveyor unit with a premagnetizing Axial Pole Agitating Pulley at the feeding end of the lower conveyor belt and a special agitating concentrator magnet above the lower belt of the upper conveyor.

Jan 1, 1965

By William J. Taylor

Strictly defined, a stull is an inclined or horizontal timber support; a vertically placed timber is defined as a prop. Common usage allows the catchall term "stull" to refer to all such uniaxial mine support, regardless of orientation. Typically a stull is a round wooden column that is wedged in place to provide short-term auxiliary support between sill and back, or between hanging wall and footwall. Stulls may be used exclusively or in con- junction with other support systems such as roof bolts, shotcrete, or cribbing. Stulls are used both as local temporary support in stoping operations and for uniform systematic support installations. Where stoping areas are to be abandoned soon after excavation, stulls may be used to provide temporary support during mining operations. Where controlled caving and subsidence is required, stull supports are designed to fail in a systematic, predictable manner. Wood type is selected on the basis of availability, price, and load carrying characteristics. Coniferous woods are typically used, especially to carry heavy ground loads. Brittle woods are generally avoided because of their tendency to fail suddenly. Gradual yielding failure is preferable to sudden, unexpected failure of the support. Some usage of wood from deciduous trees such as cottonwood and other poplars has been reported in Grants, NM. These stulls reportedly mushroomed as the ground load increased but continued to maintain their structural integrity. Stulls fabricated from structural steel are used in special applications. Adjustable lengths are commercially available in mechanical, hydraulic, and pneumatic designs. The high cost of mechanical stulls limits their use to mining systems where recovery and reuse is possible. End blocking, also called headboards or footboards, uses wood blocks that are placed between the stull end and the ground they are supporting. The blocks are typically 50.8 to 101.6 mm (2 to 4 in.) thick, 203.2 to 304.8 mm (8 to 12 in.) wide, and 381 to 609.6 mm (15 to 24 in.) long. End blocking serves to distribute the support over wider back area. Compression of the end blocking gives visual indication of wall movement prior to failure of the stull. A common application of the stull is in flat-bedded uranium mining during pillar extraction. Many western US uranium mines use a pillar pattern development to delineate the irregular ore pods. After development of an appropriate sized pillar, the ore pillars are then sequentially mined out, leaving the undercut hanging wall or back to cave. Where thickness of the ore is less than 4.3 m (14 ft), stulls are generally used to provide ground control as the pillar is removed in slices. Experience dictates the density of stull placement. In general, the number and size of stulls should be sufficient to resist ground closure and to provide support for drilling and loading operations adjacent to the pillar. Stulls next to the mining face are often lagged 0.9 to 1.2 m (3 or 4 ft) up from the floor (or sill) to confine the blasted ore to a passage next to the pillar. Mucking is simplified by this confinement. Experience dictates whether back control along a mining face requires removal of stulls to allow con- trolled subsidence of the back or hanging wall. Without caving or closure, abutment pressure can create poor ground conditions near the pillar.

Jan 1, 1982

By Boris CARO VARGAS, Bernard Theron

"In early 2014, Nicholson Construction Company was awarded, together with its tunneling sister company Bessac, the Norris Cut Miami Tunnel Project. The 2.5-meters diameter segmental lined tunnel, 1600-meters long, is aimed to replace the existing 54” force main connecting the Waste Water Treatment Plant (WTP) on Virginia Key to Fisher Island. To overcome project challenges such as the highly permeable limestone of the Fort Thomson Karstic Formation (one of the most permeable formation in the World), the project team has developed State of the Art solutions: The TBM was launched with pipe-jacking technique for the first 70-meters and then converted to segment erection mode. It allows substantial schedule savings and drastically reduces the size of the circular launching shaft. The TBM, jointly designed and manufactured by Bessac and Herrenknecht, can convert from slurry to EPB mode within a few minutes. The cutters can be replaced by wet divers thanks to an innovative application in the TBM industry. PRESENTATION OF THE PROJECT The aim of this project is to replace the existing 54-inch force main pipeline which transmitted all sewage collected from Miami Beach, Surfside, Bal Harbour, Bay Harbor, North Bay Village and Fisher Island to the Central District Wastewater Treatment Plant (CDWWTP) to Fisher Island. The existing pipeline consisted of pre-stressed concrete cylinder pipe which is in poor condition in a number of locations and could be subject to sudden failure. An adjacent portion of this existing force main under the Government Cut (North Fisher Island) has already been replaced as part of a previous design-build contract and involved the installation of a 60-inch diameter fiberglass-reinforced mortar pipe installed inside a micro-tunneled casing."

Jan 1, 2016