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By Arthur B. Steiker

Digital simulation was used to model a proposed underground' train system. The trains are to haul ore from numerous loading points beneath the production area of the mine to a central underground dump location, and then return to the mine. The purpose of the simulation was to aid mine engineers in studying various alternatives and configurations regarding track layout, crusher (dump point) specifications, dispatch procedures, fleet size, and train length, among others. The simulation' model can also be used to study the same aspects of existing haulage systems. To accommodate a wide and initially unknown range of system designs, a modular model structure was developed with major components devoted to track routing, train movement, loading process, dumping process, and dispatch. Key statistics tabulated were number of trains dumped during a simulated week, queueing delays in the mine and at the crusher, crusher utilization, cycle time, and percent of time for each: activity (loading, moving, dumping, etc.). The simulation results were instrumental in identifying a train system design which would reduce queueing delays and meet production goals with a minimum of trains and track mileage.

Jan 1, 1982

By Fathi Habashi

SOLVENT EXTRACI ION involves two operations: 1) Extraction The metal values in the aqueous phase are extracted by agitation with an organic solvent immiscible in that phase. The two phases are then allowed to separate; the aqueous phase is discarded or recycled and the loaded organic phase saved.

Jan 1, 1970

By Frederick K. A1lgaier

The Bureau of Mines' Denver Research Center initiated a subsidence research program in 1978. The short ten goals of the program were to determine practical methods and equipment for measuring subsidence and demonstrate these methods by monitoring subsidence at several mines having mining, geologic and topographic variables typical of those encountered in the western United States. Data from the monitoring program would be supplied to cooperating mining companies and used by the Bureau to accomplish the long term objective of developing and validating subsidence prediction techniques applicable to mines in the West. Subsidence monitoring is being conducted at five mines in Colorado and Utah with substantially different mine plans, mining methods, depths of cover, and topography. The monitoring procedures used at each site are similar and include designing the monitoring network layout, installing the subsidence monuments, initial and periodic surveying of the monuments, and processing the survey data. The network layout, surveying methods, and types of monuments vary according to the conditions at the individual sites and the type of data being collected.

Jan 1, 1982

By L. K. Lepley

A marine sonic sub-bottom profiling system and a hovercraft were used in an engineering geophysics survey of the tailings being deposited at the Mercur gold mine. Detailed density sections with vertical resolution of one meter were desired for computations of strength, permeability and potential self-compaction. The logistical problems of conducting a geophysical survey and in collection of geotechnical soil samples from an active tailing impoundment was solved by using the amphibious hovercraft for towing and transport on the impoundment. The "chirp" sonic system produced continuous, real-time geophysical cross-sections with vertical resolution of ten centimeters showing possible trapped gas. The hovercraft provided a platform over water, ice, slurry, and solid beach for collection of geotechnical information and physical samples.

Jan 1, 1994

By Vincent R. Bovino

Introduction Only a person fresh from an information vacuum could not know the status of this nation's economy. The inability of the US to compete in the world marketplace is manifested in many industries, from shoes to computer chips, from cars to copper. What industry will next fall prey to world competition? Perhaps the question should be, what insustry will next fall prey to declining productivity? American industry is being forced into an era where the focus must be on productivity, quality, cost control, and competition in the world marketplace. It is approaching a change that could rival the American Industrial Revolution. The future of the US is bright only if it can increase productivity by trying different and new ways to manage its businesses and people. Unlike the easy successes during the 60s and 70s, success in the decades ahead will depend on an ability to compete in the world market. Any operation can achieve unlimited productivity by developing the resources within its employees. As an industry, mining has harvested the earth's resources. As an industry in trouble, it now has to learn to tap human resources to release the energy and creativity in each person. Recently, I worked with a mining operation to reopen a mine and implement a different management approach. The extensive changes resulted in a 50% reduction in cash cost of producing silver (from $0.40 to $0.19/g or from $12.50 to $6 per oz). Thus, an unprofitable mine became an attractive business venture without technological changes or significant capital infusion. The operation is union-free, in spite of being in a highly unionized area. The mine implemented a real productivity improvement process called "gain-sharing." Employees now recognize their individual success is tied to the success of the business. They recognize the day of the free lunch is over for mining employees. This paper will explore three areas related to productivity: • some of the unspoken "whys" of the mining industry's paralysis and how management has caused unproductiveness in mining operations; • major components of a productivity improvement process; and • characteristics common to companies with successful productivity plans. Unspoken whys When things go wrong, everyone tends to point a finger at someone, anyone. This industry has blamed every conceivable person, corporate group, government agency, foreign government, and private group for its failures. The fault finger will not work anymore. Nobody is listening. It is a characteristic of winners in management to assume responsibility for less than acceptable performance. Excellent people tend to blame others less for problems. Everyone involved in mining should shoulder part of the blame for the industry's illness. Is the problem low prices or our high operating costs? To regain our status in the world marketplace and increase our productivity, we need to painfully and honestly talk about our mistakes.

Jan 3, 1986

By Wayne W. Murdy

Since 1993, Newmont has been actively growing through the development of three major foreign mining operations with a fourth under construction. The first project, Yanacocha in Peru began operating in October 1993 at a time when political and business risk in that country was considered high. In 1995, Newmont began operating the Muruntau Joint Venture in Uzbekistan, the first of its kind in the CIS. In early 1996, Newmont started operating the Minahasa mine in Indonesia. Now, in early 1997, Newmont is undertaking the construction of a $1.9 billion project in Indonesia and is completing a feasibility study with our partner for the development of a gold operation in Mexico. All of these projects have been considered "risky" by most standards, and Newmont has been very successful in all of them through risk mitigation programs including utilizing strong and successful in-country partners, concentrating on developing a strong national workforce with minimal expatriate employees, utilizing World Bank, EBRD and IFC financing and building and maintaining strong ties with host governments. This paper describes in more detail, some of the risk mitigation programs that Newmont has used to successfully grow the company through development of major foreign mining operations.

Jan 1, 1997

By Thomas P. Kwiatkowski, John S. Anderson

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) has undertaken an under-ground transit project to extend public transportation service from downtown Boston to the South Boston Piers area. This new system, known as the Transit way, will connect existing subway lines to this area which is comprised of approximately 300 acres, in light of the potential for 21 million square feet of development by 2010. This system includes construction of a concrete immersed tube tunnel crossing of Fort Point Channel. The crossing will be accomplished in the highly congested setting of down-town Boston and will be located just to the north of the famous Boston Tea Party ship exhibit and amid major Central Artery Construction activity. The most recent concrete tube constructed in the United States was in 1962. The Fort Point Channel Crossing will employ current design and construction methods commonly utilized in the Netherlands, Australia, Hong Kong and elsewhere. This paper will present the design philosophy, planning, and evaluation of alternative crossing methods which led to the selection of the concrete immersed tube tunnel and construction techniques envisioned for this particular application.

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 Alfredo Valdivia, Jesus Schabib, Vojtech Gall, William Cao, Curt Cicileo, Andrew J. Thompson

"The East Side Access Project (ESA) involves the construction of geometrically complex underground structures including a large number of caverns and bifurcations. Initially conceived as dual lined structures with either traditional concrete or shotcrete final linings (SFL), construction economy, advances in concrete placement technology and scheduling among others led to a wide use of what is referred to as freeform or pneumatically applied concrete (PAC) for the construction of tunnel final linings. PAC is a method of applying concrete without using formwork, where a wet mix concrete is pneumatically installed to encase reinforcement to full lining thickness. PAC has been widely adopted at ESA well beyond initial expectations. The paper addresses the design and construction aspects of the PAC method and contrasts it to traditional SFL lining placement. The experience made provides guidance for future PAC and SFL applications. THE EAST SIDE ACCESS PROJECT AND USE OF FREEFORM CONCRETE The Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) currently transports commuters from Long Island into Manhattan, terminating at the already congested Penn Station on the west side of Manhattan. Once completed, the ESA Project will provide LIRR commuters direct access to the east side of Manhattan underneath Grand Central Terminal. The ESA Project will help alleviate the congestion at Penn Station, which currently accommodates New Jersey Transit, Amtrak, and LIRR lines; reduce travel time for LIRR passengers traveling to the east side of Manhattan and facilitate connections to the New York City Transit (NYCT) Subway System and Metro North Rail Road. The construction includes mining and lining of new tunnels and facilities under Manhattan and Queens. The tunnels run from Queen’s Sunny Side Yard through the existing 63rd St. Tunnel, underneath Manhattan’s Park Avenue until termination at 37th Street. Differing types of tunneling methods and final lining systems are being used depending on the ground conditions, geometry and size of the excavation, site constraints and functional requirements. Mining of the Queens segment of the ESA Project involved soft ground tunneling by pressurized face tunnel boring machines, cut and cover construction, and conventional tunneling. The Manhattan segment of the ESA Project involves mining in hard rock by tunnel boring machines, drill and blast, and road header."

Jan 1, 2016

By Ki Chun

Optimizing ore processing requires a thorough understanding of not only the process itself but the economic constraints which influence business decisions. No single modeling technique is able to model all the different processes running in today's mines. The solution then is to use a number of different model­ing techniques, each competing with the others to best correlate the data. Among these modeling techniques are: Neural Networks, Genetic Algorithms, Fuzzy Logic, Crisp Logic, Statistics, First Principal Models, and System Identification models. Once a model has captured the behavior of the process, a numerical optimization determines the optimal operating point and set point parameters. A single step is then taken in the direc­tion of the optimal location by changing all the process parame­ters to the setting recommended by the optimization system. As the process begins to re-stabilize, the models are updated, the new optimal determined and another step is taken in the direction of the optimum. Through the use of multiple competing models integrated into a numerical optimization the process can achieve the optimal running condition even if the ambient conditions fluctuate dynamically.

Jan 1, 1998

By Richard L. Gordon, William A. Vogely

In this chapter, the principles that determine the procedures selected to transform minerals in the ground into usable commodities are re¬viewed.a I argue here that straightforward mod¬ification of the modern general economic theory of production suffices to meet the practical needs of a mineral economist. Therefore, the chapter is largely a review of the general economic theory of production to which is added discussion of the special prob¬lems of the exhaustibility of mineral resources and the economics of finding and developing economically recoverable minerals. In many cases, propositions applicable to all industries are reviewed because they are not treated ade¬quately in prior texts. In the discussion, use is frequently made of basic concepts of differential calculus widely used in economics. However, this is supple¬mented by simpler verbal and graphical treat¬ments, so that those either untrained in the calculus or, as is often the case, whose skills have grown rusty, can still follow the discus¬sion. Where the argument depends critically on the mathematics, this is noted and the justifi¬cation for including the material is provided. In addition, an appendix outlines the critical mathematics and reviews some of the numerous books published that provide the most readable available introduction to the subject. Further¬more, mineral industries examples are used to suggest the relevance of the theory. THE RELEVANCE OF THE ECONOMICS OF PRODUCTION Three basic steps are involved in establishing the relevance of economic analysis to mineral ¬industries decision making. First, the general theory of production must be defined, and its relationship to the simpler models of production stressed in economics textbooks must be noted. Second, the critical modification-considera¬tion of the problems of discovering and devel¬oping mineral deposits-must be developed. It turns out this too involves a special case of the general theory of production. Third, the concept of an economics of exhaustible resources must be explored sufficiently to suggest why its practical relevance is doubtful (or at least far smaller than the numerous writers on the subject seem to believe). The present approach is heavily influenced by post-1945 developments in economic anal¬ysis. Particularly since World War II, economic theory has drastically changed its scope. First, stress has increased greatly upon viewing the economy as a network of intertwined markets known technically as the general equilibrium system.b In this view, not only is the economy viewed as an integrated system, but critical con¬cepts are viewed somewhat differently than was previously fashionable. Specifically, in general equilibrium models, the concepts of supply and demand are rejected as central concepts in favor of a distinction be-

Jan 1, 1985

By H. W. Hitzrot

Introduction Mechanical classifiers consist of a settling tank with parallel sides and a sloping bottom equipped with a mechanism which continuously agitates the pulp and removes the settled solids. The functions served by mechanical classifiers include the following: (1) allow the particles larger than the desired size to settle in the tank and provide an overflow product with a minimum of oversize particles, (2) produce an overflow product of sufficiently high solids content to meet the requirements of the subsequent processing steps, (3) agitate the pulp and permit separation of the entrapped undersize particles so they can report in the overflow product, and (4) drain and remove the underflow solids from the settling pool. Various types of mechanisms have been used to agitate the pulp and remove the settled solids, which include: (I) endless belt and chain drags, (2) reciprocating rakes, (3) helical flights mounted on a rotating shaft which extends through the settling pool, (4) helical flights inside of a rotating drum which contains the classifier pool, (5) troughed conveyor belts forming the settling pool in the concave curve of the belt closely following the tail pulley, and (6) low-speed impellers agitating the underflow settled in the apex of cone-type mechanical classifiers.23 The principal use of mechanical classifiers has been in closed¬-circuit wet grinding; however, this application has been widely displaced over the past few decades by the hydrocyclone. The hydrocyclone installation, including its feed pump, offers lower capital costs and requires less floor space. Nominally it produces an overflow prod¬uct of higher solids content, compared with a mechanical classifier, for comparable classification size up to 400µm (35 mesh). However, these advantages of the hydrocyclone are being gained at the sacrifice of some of the advantages of the mechanical classifier. The mechanical classifier requires less power and has lower maintenance costs than the hydrocyclone and its feed pump. The underflow product from the mechanical classifier can have a higher solids content and contain less entrapped undersize particles than the comparable product from the hydrocyclone. Consequently, it is capable of operating at a higher classification efficiency. A reduced circulating load24, 25 results under these conditions in a closed-circuit grinding application. Other applications for mechanical classifiers include desliming, dewatering, and washing operations. Sand-slime separation may be achieved using one or more stages of mechanical classifiers. Typical applications would include washing and deslimining of concrete aggre¬gate or sand; glass sand; abrasives; oyster shells; phosphate rock; iron, nickel, and chromium ores; alumina; zeolites; solar salt; and precipitates from chemical processing. As an example for the latter, Bitzer26 recommended the use of mechanical classifiers for countercur¬rent cementation-in-pulp of copper from the leach liquor. Similarly, mechanical classifiers are used in uranium processing27 for separation of the barren sands from the pregnant leach solution. Depending on the particle size and the effectiveness of the sand¬slime separation, the sand product from mechanical classifiers may be drained to solids content approaching 84%. Thus, mechanical classifiers are frequently used as dewatering equipment for various applications, such as: 1) Make a product having suitable solids content for subsequent transport by belt conveyor. 2) Provide a drained product to reduce cost of drying. 3) Provide a drained, washed, heavy sand product for return to the circuit. 4) Recover fine values from dilute plant effluents from coal, sand, phosphate-rock, and iron-ore washing plants and from steel-mill flue¬dust scrubbers. 5) Drain residual reagents of a preceding process stage prior to conditioning with reagents of different characteristics, e.g., cationic¬anionic flotation of phosphate rock, iron ore, etc. Design and Operating Features The proper selection of mechanical classification equipment re¬quires that the properties of the solids and liquid are adequately de¬fined. The following descriptive information regarding the solids is desired: feed rate, chemical and physical composition, density, tem¬perature, size analysis, and desired separation size. For the liquid used, the following data would be needed: feed rate, density, viscosity, pH, and temperature. Settling Area. The pool area required to permit a particle larger than the separation size to settle depends on the density and shape of the particle and on the density and viscosity of the pulp within the classifier pool. These criteria of the solids and pulp determine the settling rate which, in turn, determines the settling area required. Determination of the settling rate by long-tube batch tests can be used to calculate the settling area. A theoretical approach for estimat¬ing the settling area requirements is discussed in Chapter 1, Classifica¬tion Theory. This procedure can be used when neither test data nor empirical data from similar operations are available. Data on settling-area requirements and settling rates have been compiled by the manufacturers of mechanical classifiers. The approxi¬mate settling area required for a particular separation size can be estimated by using the curve shown in Fig. 65. This curve applies for closed-circuit grinding applications. For dilute velocity classification in open circuit, desliming, the length of the overflow weir, W, multiplied by the weir's mean distance from the feed opening, E, is used as the design criterion, instead of the settling area, in sizing the classifier. The area requirements, W X E, for dilute velocity classification can be expressed in terms of volumetric flow, Q, and settling rate, Rs, as follows: W x E = Q/(18.06 Rs) where W and E are feet, Q is gallons per minute, and Rs is inches per second. Overflow Weir. The hydraulic head, and thus the velocity at which the overflow crests the overflow weir, is one of the factors controlling the particle size of classification. Consequently, the length of the overflow weir must be designed to provide the overflow velocity which allows the particles larger than the desired size of classification to settle in the working area of the pool. Obtaining the necessary

Jan 1, 1985

By D. O. Murchu

Outokumpu Tara Mines located near Dublin, Ireland is Europe's largest producer of lead and zinc concentrates. To reduce dewatering costs and to improve environmental and working conditions, elimination of the lead concentrate thermal dryer was required. This paper describes the development and implementation of the pressure ceramic technology at Tara to replace a conventional vacuum filter/oil-fired dryer system. In 1996 the pressure ceramic filter dewatered 66,600tonnes of lead concentrate, producing a cake at 6 % moisture. Substantial operating cost savings have been realized. Commissioning of a second pressure ceramic filter to handle over 300,000 tonnes/year of zinc concentrates is scheduled for the first quarter of 1997.

Jan 1, 1997

By Z. Sample, S. Kaushik

"INTRODUCTION Industries around the globe have been making significant advancements in recent years due to innovations in automation technology. With the implementation of modern automation technology, professionals in process automation or plant operations can expect significant and exciting change, and the mining and mineral processing industries are no exception. From 2000 to 2010, the International Council on Mining & Metals (ICMM) reported that an increased output and increased value of most metals has resulted in a rise in global metal and mineral process industries from $214 billion to $644 billion. [1] Since most productivity increases in mining and mineral process industries have been achieved through the ability to process lower grade ores with improved efficiency and larger equipment, these industries have begun to adopt advanced automation and control technologies. Despite a growth slow-down, the mining and mineral processing industries are poised for continued and sustainable growth and development due to an increasing demand for energy minerals and emerging technologies requiring minerals and metals previously not demand. However, as these industries becomes more automated, new challenges are arising on the horizon. DEMOGRAPHIC TIME BOMB John Payne from BP is credited with first using the term Demographic Time Bomb to describe the upcoming crisis in the process industry in finding experienced operations personnel. From a survey of 912 mining professionals, Stratum International found that a mere 0.4% of senior level candidates were between the ages of 25 and 34 and a similar proportion aged over 75 years. This indicates that there is both a deficiency of young skilled workers and a skilled workforce that is retiring earlier than the previous generation. Combined with data published by the US Department of Labor stating that the median age of the mining workforce is approaching 50 years old, this implies that these skilled mining and mineral process professionals are an aging population with irreplaceable knowledge and experience that are expected to retire in the next 5-10 years. While it is projected that the labor pool will be sufficient to fill open positions, the real question is if this young workforce will have necessary skill sets and experiences."

Jan 1, 2015

By L. Adler

A systematic, balanced and inclusive formulation of the vast input data for mine design is presented. Since the quality of this statement severely influences subsquent design it is extremely important to senior mining engineers and the profession-at-large. If unfocussed, chaos can result along with serious ommisions. The basic categories, each a traditional one are: 1) Natural Conditions (geology and geography), 2) Company Capabilities (monetary and managerial), 3) Public Domain (regulations, contracts, good will, etc.) and 4) State of Art (mining engineering professionalism). To further reduce the data additional organizing principles were used: the distinctions of mining (vs. civil) engineering, proceeding from the general to particular, the basic engineering dimensions, and separating dependent from independent variables. The results are a unique and unified corpus, which anticipates the mine design procedure.

Jan 1, 1987

By M. Hardy, K. Nielsen, M. Ramey

American Soda, LLP has commissioned the first solution mine for recovery of naturally formed sodium bicarbonate (nahcolite) from low-grade deposits using high-pressure, high-temperature injection fluid. This project, known as the Yankee Gulch Project, was commissioned33 years after discovery of the deposit and followed an intensive four-year feasibility study that included a full-scale pilot test. The nahcoliteis co-mingled with oil shale and is impermeable. Solution mining is achieved by a combination of thermo-mechanical cracking and dissolution. Elevated temperatures are required to initiate the thermally induced cracking and to enhance solubility of the nahcolite, which is highly temperature dependent. This paper will provide an overview of the development of the project from discovery, characterization, pilot testing, permitting and commissioning, with emphasis on the solution mining aspects.

Jan 1, 2003

By R. J. Smith

Hornestake's Mclaughlin Mine is the first commercial application of pressure oxidation pretreatment of gold prior to cyanidation. Inherent to the autoclave process are several liquid/solid separations. Flocculant consumption represents a significant portion of the consumable reagent costs at McLaughlan. This paper focuses on the efforts of the Operating, Metallurgy and Engineering groups to improve thickener operation and minimize flocculant consumption. An operating philosophy incorporating feed solids control, increasing flocculant dilution water and minimizing flocculant solution shear has resulted in a reduction in 1986 flocculant costs of $0.054/t ($0.06 st) versus 1985 costs. Additional changes are projected to result in a further cost reduction of $0.20/t ($0.22/.st) in 1987.

Jan 1, 1988

By A. K. Sinha

Despite the tremendous efforts and costs incurred by the industry and regulatory agencies to prevent premature roof failures in underground mines, roof falls continue to occur frequently due to the very unpredictable geological conditions and dynamic nature of mining operations. In fact, roof falls continue to be the largest contributor to coal mine fatalities. The failure of a mine roof generally occurs following a prolonged, gradual degradation in its physical conditions. An electronic mine roof monitoring system has been developed and tested in operating mining sections. It monitors mine roof degradation on a continuous basis. The field test results are presented and discussed.

Jan 1, 1987

By Vernon R. Shorter, Wayne N. Clark

Introduction Coal is the US's largest indigenous fossil fuel resource and is used to power 57% of this country's electrical generation (NCA, 1986). Congress, however, is focusing its attention on the acid rain issue and public sentiment is leaning toward further curtailments of SO2, NO, and particulates from utility and industrial coal-burning facilities. The Cool Water plant has proven that integrated-gasification-combined-cycle (IGCC) technology can reliably produce economical electrical power while limiting SO2, NOx, and particulates to a rate of only one-tenth of the federal New Source Performance Standards for coal-fired plants. Process water requirements at Cool Water are 40% less than those of a conventional coal-fired utility plant equipped with flue-gas desulfurization units for stack gas scrubbing, thus reducing waste water treatment requirements (Clark and Shorter, 1985). The IGCC technology employed at Cool Water has now been demonstrated to efficiently convert coal to electricity in an environmentally superior fashion. The Cool Water Coal Gasification Program is an unincorporated California association of six partners whose commitment is proving that the integration of gasification with combined cycle power production (IGCC) is commercially viable and environmentally safe. The 120 MW Cool Water plant began commercial production on June 24, 1984. The Program is operating it for a five-year commercial demonstration period. The Program is about halfway through this period. Much of that which was intended to be proven is now fact. In this mid-term assessment, the authors report that the com-

Jan 2, 1987

By N. R. Hasenmueller, V. Rajaram, R. K. Leininger, D. D. Carr

The content of the paper by V. Rajaram does not fulfill the expectations of the title. But Rajaram submitted the article in October 1983, and he could not have foreseen the numerous developments that would occur before his paper was published more than two years later. Nevertheless, Rajaram failed to mention the interest in oil shale development in southern Indiana beginning in late 1979 and continuing through the present as a result of special financial encouragement of three oil shale projects in May and August 1984 by the Indiana Energy Development Board and the Indiana Corp. for Science and Technology. A session at the 1985 Eastern Oil Shale Symposium in Lexington, KY, Nov. 18-20, 1985, gave the current status of oil shale developments in the eastern United States. Speakers at this session reported on the three Indiana projects. First, Gary D. Aho, Cliffs Engineering Inc., spoke on a feasibility study by Cliffs Engineering and Allis Chalmers for a site-specific pilot plant using the Allis Chalmers process. The plant site is in Clark County, IN, on property of the Midwest Energy Resources Co. The project is funded by $240,908 each from the Indiana Energy Development Board/Corp, for Science and Technology (EDB/CST) and the US Department of Energy (DOE) and $120,454 from the corporate sponsors (total $602,270). Completion is scheduled for mid-1986. Next, Edwin M. Piper, Stone and Webster Engineering Corp., discussed the American Syn-Crude/Indiana Oil Shale Project. This effort followed the completion of two smaller projects funded by the Indiana EDB/ CST: "Testing of Indiana Oil Shale in a Petrosix Pilot Plant" (total funding by EDB/CST at $50,000) and "Assessment of the Petrosix Process for an Indiana Shale Oil Plant" (total funding by EDB/CST at $100,000). The status at the time of the report at the Oil Shale Symposium was that a request for an extension of time for securing nonfederal support had been submitted to the US Synfuels Corp. The proposal included building an 11-m (36-ft) diam retort in south-eastern Indiana to process the New Albany Shale and to produce 366 m3 (2300 bbl) of shale oil per day by the PETROSIX process. The Indiana EDB/CST had contracted with Stone and Webster at $401,100 from EDB/CST and $245,835 from Stone and Webster for activities to advance the project in the negotiations with Synfuels Corp. At the time of the report, this project was the only eastern oil shale proposal that was still on the agenda of the Synfuels Corp. As a result of Congressional action in late December 1985, federal support from the Synfuels Corp. is no longer possible. Finally, Victor H. Carr, Eastern Shale Research Corp., described his firm's project, which is jointly supported by DOE ($227,749) and the Indiana EDB/ CST ($73,850) and is entitled "Feasibility Study to Determine Suitability of an In-Situ Process to Recover Hydrocarbons from Eastern Shale." An area in Scott County, IN, had been chosen, but not a specific 9 x 15-m (30 x 50-ft) site. One burn of a small in situ retort is contemplated as part of the project. Besides these three projects, several reports on shale research were presented. Joseph Damukaitis, American Syn-Crude Corp., reported that a pilot plant using the hydrogenation-extraction (H-E) process (described at the 1984 Eastern Oil Shale Symposium) was 94% built and would go through shakedown with oil shale but would then shift mechanical devices to process coal mine waste. Current status of research on the HYTORT process was then presented by Raymond C. Rex, Jr. Oil shale beneficiation research at the University of Alabama/Minerals Research Institute was reported by R. Bruce Tippin. Scott D. Carter discussed continued research on fluidized-bed retorting of shale at the Kentucky Center for Energy Research Laboratory. Carl E. Roosmagi of DOE, Morgantown, reported on the oil shale research at the Morgantown Energy Technology Center (METC) laboratory. Henry J. Gomberg, Ann Arbor Nuclear Inc., discussed "Radiation Combined with Donor Solvents for Extraction and Up-Grading of Kerogen." Aurora M. Rubel and coauthor Eileen Davis presented results of research at the Kentucky Center for Energy Research Laboratory under the title "The Effect of Shale Particle Size on the Products from the Bench Scale Fixed Bed Steam Pyrolysis of Kentucky Sunbury Shale." Lastly, Maria Rockwell, Technical University of Nova Scotia, presented "Processing and Up-Grading of Low Grade Nova Scotia Oil Shale for Potential Use." A review of shale oil prospects by Gerald Parkinson in Chemical Engineering for Feb. 3, 1986, covers both western and eastern projects and includes a report that the US DOE is funding a few relatively small projects; most of the fiscal 1986 budget of $12 million for shale oil is for fundamental research. Projects include a $3.2 million three-year contract with Hycrude Corp. (Chicago) for development of the HYTORT process and a $1.2 million three-year contract with the University of Alabama's Mineral Resources Institute on beneficiation of eastern oil shale by froth flotation. The report incorrectly states that current projects include a total investment of $466 million in a pair of 18-month technical and economic feasibility studies for proposed projects in southern Indiana. The correct figure is $468,657 [$240,908 for the Cliffs Engineering/

Jan 1, 1987