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By J. A. Halt, E. Larsen

"The Sydvaranger magnetite mine closed in 1996 due to low iron ore prices and was reopened in 2009. The flowsheet has remained more or less as in the old plant, based upon two grinding steps followed by magnetic separation. The magnetite is free of harmful elements and should be attractive on the high quality market. This requires a concentrate containing less than 2% SiO2, which previously was achieved by amine flotation. Amine was preferred because it could be used with sea water. The use of amine is now restricted by the Norwegian Climate and Pollution Agency. Therefore, testwork to replace cationic with anionic flotation was done. Activation of quartz with Ca or Mg ions prior to anionic flotation was shown by research from 1960 to 1980 to be effective under laboratory conditions. The old research results have been followed up in order to make a commercial process for Sydvaranger. Calcium activation works excellently with all Sydvaranger ores, including the ones containing amphibole minerals, but Ca activation requires the high and not environmentally friendly pH of 12.4. Magnesium activation at pH 10.5 is a little more challenging, because the maximum concentration of MgOH+ is about 100 times lower than that of CaOH+. Fortunately, the major impurity in the main Bjornevatn orebody is quartz, which responds well to Mg activation. The process does not appear to depend much upon water quality, as the silicates may already be activated during grinding and magnetic separation in recycled water. The new process is environmentally friendly, as only well-known household reagents are used; oleic acid or tall oil, dextrin, sodium hydroxide and magnesium chloride at pH 10.5.IntroductionThe processing plant of Sydvaranger Gruve AS (SVG) is located in the port town of Kirkenes in the northernmost part of Norway, 10 km by rail from the high-grade deposit of Bjornevatn. This plant has been able to beneficiate magnetite ore to up to 99.5% purity, as described by Sandvik and Malvik (2001). Using the magnetic properties of the ore and making the most out of its enviable liberation characteristics, the original plant consisted of ball mills and 600-mm magnetic separators. The plant was shut down due to market conditions in 1996 but reopened in 2009."

Jan 1, 2015

By J. S. Ross

The significance and role of industrial minerals in Canada differ from those in the United States, The smaller Canadian industry has recently become well diversified and self-sufficient in most commodities, However, it depends on exports, principally to the United States, for much of its market, Imports are small, but imports of several basic products manufactured from industrial minerals are large. This nation is a leading world producer of asbestos, gypsum, sulphur, nepheline syenite, titania slag, potash and barite. It has reserves in asbestos for at least 30 years enough potash to supply the current world's needs for 2,000 years and sulphur reserves for 40 years of current world demand, One of the ilmenite deposits contains enough titania to supply the current world demand for at least, 25 years.

Jan 1, 1964

By E. Watkins, S. J. Schatzel, V. Gangrade, K. M. Ajayi, Z. Khademian

Longwall-induced deformations could jeopardize the mechanical integrity of shale gas well casings positioned in the abutment pillar of a longwall mine. The in situ and induced fracture networks surrounding the gas well could provide pathways for gas flow into the mine creating safety concerns. Hence, this study by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) develops a discrete fracture network (DFN) model to characterize the fractures in the overburden based on geomechanical analyses of mining-induced fracture apertures at a study site in southwestern Pennsylvania. The apertures from the geomechanical model are used to develop a stochastic DFN model of the site in fracture flow code (FFC). Multiple realizations of the stochastic DFN model that replicate potential fracture geometries are simulated, and the fracture permeability is compared with field measurements. A maximum field measurement of 5.03 × 10− 12 m2 (5080 mD) and 3.82 × 10− 13 m2 (386 mD) was estimated over the abutment pillar at the Sewickley and Uniontown horizon, respectively. The results show that the average permeabilities from the DFN model agree closely with the field measurements. In addition, the comparison of all the field measurements and 100 DFN realizations show the model is representative of field conditions. These findings provide critical information regarding fracture characteristics in the overburden, which will further be used to predict potential shale gas flow to the mine in the event of a casing breach for an unconventional gas well.

Jun 17, 2022

By Pawan Bharadwaj, Wim Mulder, Thomas Tscharner, Guy Drijkoningen, Rob Jenneskens

"The Earth’s properties, composition and structure ahead of a tunnel boring machine (TBM) should be mapped for hazard assessment during excavation. We study the use of seismic-exploration techniques for this purpose. We focus on a seismic system for soft soils, where shear waves are better and easier to interpret than compressional waves, as has been shown over the last decade. The system is intended to be deployed on the machine’s cutter head, with a few seismic sources and sufficiently many seismic sensors to tackle spatial variability and noise characteristics. An important property of the newly developed system is its ability to process data with very little human interaction. Images need to be available in near real time, without human interactions slowing down the imaging process. This can be achieved by employing Full Waveform Inversion, which minimizes the difference between modeled and observed data. Because this method may suffer from local minima in the cost function if the data lack low-frequency information, we employ a dedicated seismic source that can generate sufficiently low frequencies for the relevant length scales. With data acquired in a number of field settings that mimic realistic TBM configurations, we show that the designed seismic system can successfully look ahead of the TBM and offers a valuable capability to support decision-making during tunnel excavation. INTRODUCTION While excavating a tunnel with a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM), the geology and the ground conditions along the planned tunnel trajectory need to be investigated in order to safely and efficiently carry out the underground operations. This entails detecting the occurrence of boulders, foundations, pipes and faults, necessary to prevent hazards and time-consuming delays in the tunnel boring operations. In order to facilitate ground prediction ahead of a TBM, techniques as used in seismic exploration can be deployed. Two components common to seismic-exploration techniques are data acquisition and processing, the latter including inversion. We will discuss each of these for the application to tunnel excavation with TBM, in particular for soft soils."

Jan 1, 2016

By Paul Dean Proctor

The world's population by 2000 A. D. may approximate 6.5 billion and the United States' 304 million. South Asian population increases between 1970 and 2000 A. D. will be triple the projected population of North America. Such anticipated dramatic and probably traumatic increases in world population yield grave concern for the standard of living in the world and the United States. The people of the United States currently consume 32 percent of the world's energy and similarly large percentages of the world's mineral raw materials. With only 6 percent of the present world's population and slightly smaller percentage by 2000 A. D., much expanded world-wide production of energy and raw materials will be required to maintain even a standstill living standard. A minimal 2 percent increase per year in the standard of living in the United States and a 4 percent increase elsewhere in the world, beyond the demands of the estimated population increases, suggest the magnitude of the increased need for energy-mineral raw materials and the possible crises the world will face in these areas by 2000 A. D. Mineral engineers and scientists with broad educational backgrounds will be required in greatly increased numbers to help alleviate, and possibly avert, expected energy-mineral raw materials shortages of the next millenium. Explorationists, mineral engineers, commodity economists, environmentalists, city, county, state, and federal mineral materials planners and coordinators, and metallurgists will be among those most needed. AIME membership in the second century of the Institute's history will contribute directly to this personnel pool.

Jan 1, 1971

By Warren D. Stanford Stanford

Introduction The Sleeper mine is a near-surface gold mine located in a remote area 56 km (35 air miles) northwest of Winnemucca, NV (Fig. 1). The deposit was discovered in 1984 by an Amax exploration geologist. Favorable drilling results led to feasibility studies and metallurgical testwork. Final evaluation of the mine potential proceeded very quickly. The project received Amax board approval in July 1985. Eight months later, the process plant was fully operational. The first gold ($1 million) was shipped one month later, in March 1986. Total plant capital was $27 million. Payback was achieved in six months. The Sleeper mine was expected to produce 1.6 t (53,000 oz) of gold and 1.3 t (41,000 oz) of silver annually. However, the ore body exceeded all expectations. Production for the first 10 months of operation amounted to 4 t (128,000 oz) of gold and 2.9 t (94,000 oz) of silver. Direct cash operating costs are in the $1.77/g ($55 per oz) range. Amax is actively conducting exploration nearby for additional reserves to extend the mine's life. (See update on page 242.) Geology The Sleeper gold deposit is located on the northwestern flank of the Slumbering Hills and in the Awakening Mining District. Rocks exposed in the vicinity of the deposit are interbedded siltstones, sandstones, and limestones of Triassic age. They are overlain by latite lava flows and tuffs of Tertiary age. Dikes and sills of latite and andesite intrude the sedimentary rocks. Quaternary deposits of mostly sand with minor gravel and clay cover a pediment containing the gold deposit. The sedimentary and volcanic rock units have been transsected and offset by extensive north- northeast trending faults and less abundant northwest trending faults. Both fault systems fractured and prepared the ground for subsequent invasions of mineral-bearing hot spring geothermal waters. The hot spring systems produced widespread hydrothermal alteration and gold mineralization at silicified centers near feeder fault structures. The deposit is hosted by siltstone and latite that have been hydrothermally brecciated. The main breccia is elongated north-northeasterly. The hydrothermal breccia zones appear to dip steeply to the west. Gold mineralization consists of native gold and electrum deposited in two or more high-grade quartz-breccia veins. Lower grade gold mineralization occurs

Jan 4, 1987

By A. B. Cecala

An evaluation was recently performed on a district recirculation system at a trona mine in Granger, Wyoming. A 1.52m (5 ft) diameter, 37.3kw (50 hp) vane axial fan was installed in a crosscut between the intake and return airways and recirculated approximately 31.4 m'/sec (66,578 ft'/min) of air back into the intake. This amounted to a recirculation factor of approximately 20 pct of the return air. This air was part of the primary ventilation to three different continuous miner sections at operating distances of between 6l0m (2,000 ft) and 1,829m (6,000 ft) from the recirculation fan. The mine environment was constantly monitored for respirable dust, methane, and carbon monoxide in the operating sections and in the main intake and return entries. In addition, air samples were taken with and without the recirculation system during the evaluation and analyzed using gas chromatography. The results of this study showed only small increases in dust, while all other mine contaminants remained at such low levels that it was impossible to determine any relative changes from the recirculation system. Because of this, a brief SF. tracer gas analysis study was subsequently performed to more precisely determine an increase in a mine contaminant with the recirculation system.

Jan 1, 1991

By B. J. Timmons

An initial point that I would like to make very emphatically?and as our title might erroneously suggest for those of you old enough to remember . . . Peter Harben and myself do not intend to shoot ourselves in the foot. We derive our livelihood from a number of aggregate, industrial and other minerals producers, both here in the United States and outside. This paper, therefore, is a fence-straddler or for information purposes (we hope) only, rather than any "fur or agin" stances. In essence, some of you may consider it a U.S.G.S. publication! In fact, we hope that it serves to inspire aggregates producers to do some radical thinking, to promote introspection, and to that end it would benefit both domestic and foreign producers. The title could be shortened into a brief question of "Aggregates Travel?" with an emphatic no for the answer. In the past, the success of a construction materials venture depended upon your ability, through siting, to provide the customer f.o.b. the job site, a product at the lowest possible cost.

Jan 1, 1987

By J. Marbeau

In this paper, a geostatistical study of the North Butte roll type uranium deposit is presented. The geostatistical procedure applied takes into account the varying direction of the roll front for reserves calculations. For variogram calculation, the roll front is unfolded thereby allowing estimation of the variogram in directions parallel to and perpendicular to the roll front. Variograms calculated in unfolded space show strong directional anisotropies consistent with the anticipated configuration of the deposit.

Jan 1, 1991

By B. Mishra, K. Savage, T. Evans, A. Noble

"Recent government initiatives and commercial activities have targeted asteroids for in-situ characterization, manipulation, and possible resource extraction. Though emergent technologies may be effective for such undertakings, uncertainties remain concerning the effects a space environment may have on the mechanical behavior of rocks. Various non-destructive rock characterization techniques can empirically predict in-situ rock strength on Earth; however, these techniques must be adapted to account for unique space conditions. In order to mimic one element of a space environment, various rock samples were evaluated after prolonged exposure to low temperatures ranging from -75°C to 0°C. Tests included uniaxial compressive strength, Schmidt hammer, and ultrasonic pulse velocity, while rock types included shale, limestone, and chalk. This data was used to generate a temperature correction for the non-destructive methods and evaluate the accuracy of these methods in predicting strength values. Overall, these results provide insight on the mechanical behavior of rocks at low temperatures and may be used to design robust systems needed for asteroid rock characterization INTRODUCTION NASA and various commercial entities have recently targeted near-Earth asteroids for exploration and scientific investigation to better understand their in-situ properties, mechanical characteristics, and formative processes. In particular, NASA’s Asteroid Initiative encompasses several studies and mission plans that will enable future investigations while vetting technologies that can be applied to deep space exploration. One component of the Asteroid Initiative is the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM). This multi-stage space mission proposes to rendezvous a robotic spacecraft with a large near-Earth asteroid. Upon approach and after landing, the spacecraft will prospect the surface and identify a multi-ton boulder (up to 5 m in its largest dimension) suitable for capture. The robotic spacecraft will engage the boulder, remove it from the parent asteroid, and return the sample to a controlled lunar orbit. Once the asteroid mass is in stable orbit around the moon, astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft will engage with the retrieved asteroid for manned exploration that will include sample collection and geologic prospecting. Launch plans for the ARM robotic craft are expected as early as 2020, and manned explorations of the asteroid mass in lunar orbit are expected to follow sometime in the mid-2020s (NASA, 2015). Overall this mission will demonstrate NASA’s ability to intersect, manipulate, and redirect an extraterrestrial body, while supplying scientific information that is relevant for planetary defense and in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) applications."

Jan 1, 2016

By G. V. Henderson

The San Gabriel Valley contains some of the richest and most extensive sand and gravel deposits in California. Operating quarries within the San Gabriel area mine more than 15 million tons of high quality aggregate per year. This represents about 45 percent of the total mined in the greater Los Angeles area, one of the nation's largest aggregate markets and producing regions. Popular opposition to continued aggregate production in the San Gabriel Valley is high, especially in the city of Irwindale where 40 per-cent of the city's property is made up of "excavated holes," some 150-200 feet deep. Reclamation of 70 years of mining is now an almost impossible task. Zoning regulations have the effect of depleting these vast reserves rapidly by changing the definition of total reserves to include only "legally minable reserves." All but two or three of the aggregate mines now operating will be depleted or zoned out of business by the year 2000. Some studies indicate that there will be no aggregate mining operations by 1995. Recent studies show a drastic change in land use patterns within this valuable mineral resource area over the past 20 years. The San Gabriel Valley is a classic example of the lack of adequate regional planning with regard to urban development in MRA's and represents a "too little, too late" effort by local government and industry.

Jan 1, 1978

By Gordon Clark, Basar Arioglu, Zlatanic. Sanja, Nasri Munfah, Togan. Tolga

"The 13.2 m external diameter double deck Istanbul Strait Road Tube Crossing is one of the most challenging underwater tunnel projects in the world. Subjected to 11 bars of hydrostatic pressure, variable geology, and being in a very active seismic area, the execution of the project required innovative solutions, sophisticated construction techniques, and prudent risk management approach. The 5 km tunnel consists of 3.4 km TBM bored tunnel, 1 km twin NATM tunnels, and cut and cover sections. The project is being delivered in a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) contract in a public-private partnership. The technical challenges, coupled with financial and commercial risks required the implementation of sophisticated risk management tactics including the provision of Independent Design Verification. Presently, the project is in its advanced stages of construction with a recent successful TBM breakthrough on August 22nd 2015. The paper presents the technical challenges of the project from the design, construction, and risk management aspects and provides the status of the construction. PROJECT BACKGROUND The $1.245 billion Istanbul Strait Road Tunnel Crossing project, dubbed the Eurasia Tunnel, is one of several major infrastructure projects being implemented in the Republic of Turkey in a public-private partnership approach. The project provides a direct and easy connection between the Anatolian (Asian) side of Istanbul and the heart of its historical district on the European side across the Bosphorus Strait which connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara. Upon its completion in 2017, the project will improve connections to a wide network of motorways on both sides, increase capacity across the Bosphorus by 100,000 vehicles a day, reduce congestion and save motorists an average of 45 minutes of commuting time in each direction, and bringing significant economic benefits to the city and the region; it will ease traffic across the strait, reduce congestion, decrease pollutants and emission while maintaining the historical silhouette of the city. Figure 1 provides a general view of the project location and alignment. The overall project consists of three parts totaling 14.6km. Parts 1 and 3 consist mainly of widening existing motorways, providing connections to existing roads, reconstructing local bridges and underpasses on the European and Anatolian sides respectively. Part 2 is the tunnel crossing across the Bosphorus; it is the most complex part of the project with the greatest challenges and risks. Part 2 is 5.4 km long consisting of 3.4 km of 13.2m external diameter TBM bored tunnel under the Bosphorus Strait, 1-km of twin NATM tunnels on the Asian side, cut and cover transition boxes in the Asian and the European sides and depressed approaches on both sides. In addition, this segment includes the toll plazas, ventilation buildings, and the tunnel control and maintenance facilities."

Jan 1, 2016

By Saul J. Escalera

Mechanisms involved in the depression of the sulfides: pyrite, chalcopyrite, galena and sphalerite with potassium permanganate have been investigated. Flotation tests were conducted using potassium amyl xanthate, Z-6, and pine oil in the absence and presence of potassium permanganate at around pH = 6. 5 naturally yielded by the sulfides in the pulp. On the basis of crystal chemistry considerations, the amount of xanthate adsorbed by the sulfides depends on the amount of sulfur and metal ions present on the surface; thus, the avidity of the sulfides for xanthate should increase in the order: sphalerite C chalcopyrite 4 galena 4 pyrite, and the ease of depression response to the permanganate action should be in the same order. Depression of the sulfides in the system occurs primarily due to the removal of the collector ions by the permanganate ions to form manganese dioxide and dixanthogen according to the reaction: 3 M(RX)2 + 2 Mn04 + 4 H20 2 ? MnO2 + 3(RX-XR) + 3 M+2 8OH where M represents the metal ion, RX the xanthate ion and (RX-XR) the dixanthogen molecule. Results seem to indicate that the permanganate ions play a triple role in the system: (1) they convert xanthate ions into dixanthogen, (2) they further oxidize the mineral surface and (3) if present in excess, they may oxidize the xanthate beyond the dixanthogen stage with the formation of CO2, H20 and SO4. All sulfides, except for chalcopyrite, showed a depression response in the order predicted regardless of the order of addition of xanthate and permanganate reagents. Chalcopyrite did not depress as easily; this behavior may be due to the avidity of the colloidal MnO2 to adsorb Cu+2 ions on its surface, this would destabilize the colloid making it coalesce with the formation of a layer of precipitated MnO2 on the surface of the mineral. The presence of this layer would prevent further action of the permanganate ions on chalcopyrite.

Jan 1, 1970

By Diler Katircioglu-Bayel

This study aims to investigate the effect of combined mechanical and ultrasonic milling on the size reduction of talc. Firstly, the talc sample was wet ground in a stirred media mill for five different times (30, 60, 90, 120, and 150 min), and the optimum result was subsequently achieved with treatment by ultrasonication. The effects of amplitude (20, 35, and 50 μm), solid content (2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10%), and sonication time (60, 120, and 240 min) on the sizes of the final product were investigated. The pre-milling by wet grinding caused a decrease in the grinding resistance of talc. Sequential ultrasonic treatment, which was applied to the talc sample, generated smaller particles in comparison to those acquired by stirred media milling alone. Experimental results were assessed based on the product particle size (d10, d50), reduction ratio, and specific energy consumption. Submicron particles prepared by ultrasonic treatment were perfectly stable compared to stirred media milling alone as investigated in terms of particle size. In addition, the effects of mechanical and ultrasonic milling on structural properties of talc particles were characterized by XRD analysis.

By A. Moergeli, Philip Sander, John J. Reilly

"Estimating and managing the costs of complex infrastructure projects – in the planning/design and construction phases, for both owners and contractors – has been a challenge for decades. The more complex and technologically advanced the project, the greater the uncertainty, including potential risks that are important to owners and contractors, such as:• Cost risks to owners – meeting budget and schedule, maintaining public credibility.• Cost risks to contractors – profit, consequences of loss, impacts to reputation/future work.This concern has been addressed in various ways by the underground construction industry for some time (Reilly, 2001). In particular, while significant advances have been made in cost estimating for the planning and design phases (Reilly et al., 2004), that are important to agencies and political decision-makers, it is not apparent that these advances have been widely adopted for construction cost estimates. The reasons for this may relate to lowbid considerations – any method that tends to increase the contractor’s cost estimate, by including risk or likely costs, could lead to an erosion of the contractor’s competitive position – if others are not similarly required to include such costs.Different cost estimating methods produce different levels of information. Specifically, there is a large difference in the character and depth of information if a deterministic (quantities times price plus a contingency) and risk-based cost methods are used. It is this difference in character and depth of information that is the reason that risk-based cost estimating has potential value for owners and contractors. Figure 1 presents hypothetical cost results from deterministic and risk-based methods and illustrates some of these differences.In Fig. 1, the results for deterministic and risk-based cost estimates are given related to the potential profit or loss for a typical project. As is evident in this example, there is significant potential for costs to be realized that are higher than the proposal/bid value estimated using a deterministic approach, with a 15 percent probability of a loss. There is a 30 percent probability that the project will have a reduced profit. There is a 55 percent probability that the project will return a good profit. Using a risk-based approach, it is possible to better recognize this potential outcome in the bid phase and, as a consequence, develop a strategy to:"

Apr 1, 2016

By M. Misra

The dielectric properties and flotability of different ranks of Argonne Premium Coal samples are presented. The flotability of different ranks of coal are correlated with the dielectric properties and intrinsic moisture (or bound water) content. Measured dielectric properties of as-received coals and other constituents are incorporated into a mixture equation to calculate the dielectric properties of bound water present in the different ranks of coal. The nature of bound water present in low-rank hydrophilic coals is significantly different from that present in high-rank hydrophobic coals. The water molecules present in low-rank lignite have an oriented dipole-dipole interaction and are tightly bound to the surface. For high-rank coals, the water molecules are not bound to the surface and have a randomly distributed clathrate ice-like structure. Controlled thermal treatment can modify the structural nature of bound water present in low-rank hydrophilic coals and increase their flotability.

Jan 1, 1990

By K. A. Natarajan, S. Usha Padukone

"An industrial waste liquor having high sulfate concentrations was subjected to biological treatment using the sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) Desulfovibrio desulfuricans. Toxicity levels of different sulfate, cobalt and nickel concentrations toward growth of the SRB with respect to biological sulfate reduction kinetics was initially established. Optimum sulfate concentration to promote SRB growth amounted to 0.8 - 1 g/L. The strain of D. desulfuricans used in this study initially tolerated up to 4 -5 g/L of sulfate or 50 mg/L of cobalt and nickel, while its tolerance could be further enhanced through adaptation by serial subculturing in the presence of increasing concentrations of sulfate, cobalt and nickel. From the waste liquor, more than 70% of sulfate and 95% of cobalt and nickel could be precipitated as sulfides, using a preadapted strain of D. desulfuricans. Probable mechanisms involving biological sulfide precipitation and metal adsorption onto precipitates and bacterial cells are discussed.IntroductionIndustrial effluents from hydrometallurgical and mineral processing operations often contain high sulfate and metal concentrations posing significant disposal problems, which require urgent solution to avoid serious environmental contamination. In such waste liquors, sulfate and heavy metals such as cobalt, nickel, zinc and iron originate from the chemical or biological oxidation of exposed sulfide minerals. Reduction of sulfate and precipitation of toxic metal ions from industrial wastes is essential from the viewpoint of environmentally acceptable waste disposal and recovery of associated strategic metals.Many of these heavy metals are essential for metabolic activity of bacterial cells at low levels. But they exert toxic effects at concentrations encountered in polluted water. Removal of toxic metals through biological reduction of sulfates from industrial waste waters have been practiced for several decades. Metal remediation through common physicochemical techniques such as oxidation-reduction, chemical precipitation, filtration, electrochemical treatment, evaporation, ion exchange and reverse osmosis processes is expensive and not suitable in the case of voluminous effluents containing complexing organic matter and low metal concentrations. Further, strong and contaminating reagents are used for desorption, resulting in toxic sludge and secondary environmental pollution. Biotechnological approaches can be more efficient and cost effective for detoxification of such effluents. Biotreatment/ bioremoval offers several advantages over conventional chemical and physical treatment technologies, especially for diluted and mixed contaminants. Biological detoxification, which involves the use of microbes to detoxify and degrade environmental contaminants, has received increasing attention in recent years (Iwamoto and Nasu, 2001). In addition, valuable metals can be recovered from metal sulfide sludge (Boonstra et al., 1999)."

Jan 1, 2015

"INTRODUCTION Twin Metals Minnesota (TMM) (operating as a joint venture between Duluth Metals and Antofagasta PLC) assumed control of the property in 2010. Amec became involved with the project in 2011 and in 2012 incorporated additional drilling in order to update historic resource estimates. The Maturi geological model and resource estimate was updated in 2014 to incorporate additional information obtained during 2013 and 2014 drill campaigns. In 2017, Amec was purchased by the Wood Group and is now known as Wood. Geology The Twin Metals Minnesota (TMM) Maturi, Maturi Southwest, Birch Lake, and Spruce Road properties are located in northeastern Minnesota (Figure 1). This talk discussed the Maturi deposit only, although all four deposits share similarities. The following geology is summarized from Peterson and Severson (2002).Maturi lies within the Superior Province of the Canadian Shield which is exposed in central and northeastern Minnesota and extends northward into Ontario. In eastern Minnesota, the Midcontinent Rift System developed during crustal scale extension in the Mesoproterozoic Era. The rift system is traceable, as exposures of mantle-derived tholeiitic to subalkaline mafic lava flows, intrusives, and rift-filling fluvial sedimentary rocks, and in the subsurface as a gravity anomaly (high), from the eastern end of Lake Superior, arcing west across the lake basin, and extending south-southwest to northeastern Kansas. Intrusion of the Duluth Complex, circa 1,108 - 1,099 Ma, was related to rifting and is co-genetic with the North Shore Volcanic Group mafic volcanic rocks that form the hanging wall of the Duluth Complex to the east. Cu-Ni-precious metals (PM) mineralization including Pt, Pd, Au and Ag within the Duluth Complex is hosted by mafic to ultramafic intrusive rocks that are part of the overall intrusive complex. The Duluth Complex is defined as a more or less continuous mass of mafic to felsic plutonic rocks that extends northeastward for more than 170 miles (275 km) in an arcuate fashion from Duluth nearly to Grand Portage in Minnesota. It is bounded by a footwall of Paleoproterozoic sedimentary rocks and Archean granite-greenstone terranes (Peterson and Severson, 2002), and a hanging wall largely of comagmatic anorthosite, rift related flood basalts, and hypabyssal intrusions of the Beaver Bay Complex. Mineralization is hosted in the basal mineralized zone (BMZ) of the South Kawishiwi Intrusion (SKI). The SKI magmas intruded sub-horizontally between hangingwall Anorthositic Series (AN) rocks and footwall granitic rocks of the Neoarchean Giants Range batholith (GRB). The Maturi local geology and the deposit footprint (shaded orange) is shown in Figure 2."

Jan 1, 2018

By James J. Komadina

INTRODUCTION Newmont Gold Company's Rain operations are located in Elko County, Nevada, approximately 9 miles southeast of the Town of Carlin.The property was submitted to Newmont Exploration Limited in 1979 and underwent development drilling over the course of the next four years, culminating in the completion of a project feasibility study in October 1986. Initial project scope included development of an open pit mine, an 815,000 DSTPY heap leach, a 572,000 DSTPY mill (Mill No. 3), and associated support facilities. Approval to proceed was given by Newmont Gold Company management in June 1987. Detailed engineering began in early July, followed immediately thereafter by procurement of major equipment components through various second hand sources. PROJECT DESIGN Keep It Simple In early August, Newmont Mining Corporation, parent company of Newmont Gold Company, became the takeover target of an "investor" group headed by T. Boone Pickens. Details of the ensuing events have been well documented by the press; suffice to say their impact on this project was material and required immediate flowsheet changes. Project design throughputs were increased to 1,000,000 DSTPY and 760,000 DSTPY for the heap leach and mill, respectively, in mid- September. These changes caused major project headaches as all general arrangement drawings had been approved and structural steel as well as concrete contracts were in place. Additionally, ground breaking was to commence in two weeks time! Rain project management assembled shortly after the announced changes, to devise an engineering and construction strategy capable of handling these new business conditions. The project had been justified using a gold price of $325 per ounce with a forecasted overall cash cost per ounce of $230. Hence, strict control of capital expenditures was necessary to maintain development economics. Mill start-up had also been moved forward one month, to August 1, 1988. To meet an already ambitious schedule, construction techniques needed to be simple and proven as most of the facilities were planned for erection during winter at a site with design criteria of -40F and 90 mile per hour winds. Perhaps the most critical factor requiring consideration was that of personnel. Newmont Gold's revised business plan called for corporate-wide production increases from 587,000 ounces per year in 1987, to 1,400,000 ounces by mid- 1989. Labor requirements were forecasted to grow from 900 employees to over 2,100. This fact, in combination with the rapid growth of Nevada's gold industry, led to the expectation that turnover of operating personnel would be extremely high. It was concluded that, to meet cost, time, and operational goals, the necessary strategy could be succinctly put - "Keep It Simple." Mining/Metallurgical Factors The Rain deposit consists of three interconnecting mineable shapes with host rocks ranging from 90%+ barite to a highly silicified jasperoid. Due to a limited number of mining faces in the first two years, in-pit blending

Jan 1, 1990

By D. S. Yantek, L. A. Alcorn, M. J. Lowe, H. E. Camargo

U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) studies show that 43.5% of surveyed coal preparation plant workers had noise exposures exceeding the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration permissible exposure level of 90 dB(A). Sound levels around vibrating screens in these plants often exceed 90 dB(A). NIOSH is currently developing noise controls for horizontal vibrating screens. To characterize noise sources, NIOSH researchers performed sound pressure level (SPL) measurements on a vibrating screen at their Office of Mine Safety and Health Research laboratory in Pittsburgh. The results show that the entire screen contributes to noise below 1 kHz, and the vibration mechanism housings are most significant above 1 kHz. Constrained layer damping (CLD) treatments and an enclosure were used to reduce mechanism housing noise in this range from 1-10 kHz. These were evaluated using sound power level measurements according to ISO 3744. The CLD treatments reduced the A-weighted sound power level by 3.1 dB in the 1 to 10 kHz one-third-octave bands. A panel-on-frame vibration mechanism enclosure using various types of panels further reduced the A-weighted sound power level from the CLD configuration in the 1 to 10 kHz one-third-octave bands by 3.7, 4.0, and 3.9 dB for aluminum, steel, and Dynalam™ panels, respectively. The combination yielded a 7 dB reduction from baseline in A-weighted sound power for the same frequency range.

Jan 1, 2011