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By S. E. Khalafalla

In support of its goal to maintain an adequate supply of minerals to meet national economic and strategic needs, the Bureau of Mines has investigated a novel hydrometallurgical system with sulfur dioxide. Differential leaching with dissolved SO2 of manganese, nickel, and cobalt from their hydrous oxides was found to be very rapid and efficient--almost instantaneous and quantitative. In this method a given weight of mixed oxides previously ground to minus 200-mesh is slurried with a leach solution containing a specified quantity of dissolved SO2 for 10 minutes at room temperature and ambient pressure. An empirical leaching parameter, R, is defined as the ratio of the number of SO2 moles in the leaching solution to the weight of the metal oxide charge. Plots of the variation of metal extraction with the ratio R generate a series of sigmoidal-shaped curves, each of which is characteristic of a specific metal extraction. A threshold value of R is required to initiate the leaching of a given metal from the mixed oxides. Once this threshold is reached, the metal recovery can increase to more than 95 pct in very short times. For increasing values of R, the extractability of various metals by SO2 follows the order: Mn > Ni > Co >> Fe, Al, Cu. Differences in the threshold R values permit a variety of metal separations to be made simply by adjusting the quantity of SO2 in the contacting solution. Success in this leaching system depends upon comminuting the sea nodules to less than 0.149 mm (100-mesh). Above this critical size, leaching is slowed due to the inaccessibility of inner particle reacting groups to the SO2 leaching agent. This results in nonselective extraction and less extraction of preferred metal values. At or below 0.149 mm, leaching by SO, is possible with all its attributes of selectivity, sensitivity, and rapidity. Leaching with HC1 solutions of the same pH level as dissolved SO2 yielded mixed, slow, and incomplete metal extractions. This observation rules out any interpretation based on hydrogen ion as the leaching agent. The leaching curves resemble the complexometric titration curves of heavy metals with specific coordination species.

Jan 1, 1981

This report describes the activities and publications of the Bureau of Mines Health and Safety Research and Testing Center, Pittsburgh, Pa., for the fiscal years 1960-65. It includes a discussion or work being conducted on roof control, dust explosions, ventilation, health, coal mine fire control, and electrical-mechanical testing, and an abstract of each paper published during the report period.

Jan 1, 1966

By Ben Sosewitz

The subject of rapid excavation tunneling is one that is extremely important to the people in the Metropolitan area of Chicago. My personal observation is that it is also extremely important to the urban communities around the U.S., to many local and state governments, and to the public officials who are deeply concerned about state affairs and taxes. The Metropolitan Chicago area is in fact, (as are 40 other major urban areas in the U.S.) confronted at the present time with a very serious combined sewer overflow, drainage and pollution problem which accounts for an estimated 40% of the pollutional load on its waterway system. In response to this the District has to date spent some seven millions of dollars in an attempt to find the most economical solution available for the elimination of this problem. This study included extensive investigations of the geological strata, the quantity and quality of storm runoff to be dealt with, and the various methods of storage and treatment available. It has considered solving the overflow problem by a concept involving a series of tunnels, rock tunnels, shafts and storage areas which will collect, retain and subsequently treat that portion of the combined sewer overflow which can be handled in the most cost-effective and economical way, consistent with following the federal and state standards - with which we at the present time agree in principle.

Jan 1, 1997

By J Siliézar

The Ernest Henry Mine (EHM) is situated 38 km north-east of Cloncurry in the Mount Isa – Cloncurry mineral district of northwest Queensland. The EHM orebody is an iron oxide copper gold deposit with an average grade of one per cent copper, 0.5 g/t gold and 23 per cent magnetite, with current reserves of approximately 88 Mt.The copper concentrator is a single line plant with a nominal throughput rate of 1300 tonnes per hour. An average of 350 000 tonnes of concentrate is produced each year containing around 100 000 tonnes of copper metal and 120 000 troy ounces of gold.In December 2009, Xstrata Copper announced approval of a $589 M investment to extend the life of EHM to at least 2024, through the transformation of open pit mining operations to a major underground mine together with the construction of an associated magnetite extraction plant.The EHM magnetite plant extracts the magnetite from the copper concentrator’s tailings stream. It will produce approximately 1.2 Mt of magnetite concentrate per annum at full capacity for export to Asia, making EHM Queensland’s first iron ore concentrate exporter. Construction of the magnetite extraction plant commenced in July 2010 and was completed in January 2011.This paper gives an overview of the development of the EHM magnetite extraction plant flow sheet from the early mineralogy and laboratory test work through to the plant commissioning and early operation of the base plant. It has a major focus on the commissioning learnings from the plant start-up and includes a review of the operational performance of the plant versus original design and expectations.

Jul 11, 2011

By Hugh D. Pallister

Alabama probably has the most extensive deposits of high-grade flake graphite in the United States and was the largest producer during World War I. Therefore, with the outbreak of World War II, users of flake graphite turned again to Alabama to supply their requirements. Flake graphite is the most important ingredient contained in graphite crucibles used in melting crucible steel and special alloys essential for war purposes. Early in World War II the Army and Navy placed flake graphite on the list of critical war materials. During World War I, when the supply of Ceylon graphite (then in demand) was cut off, large quantities of flake graphite were produced in Alabama, and about 40 mills were built. Most of these were abandoned after the war when imports of the cheaper Madagascar flake (which gradually replaced Ceylon graphite) began to reach this country. With the beginning of World War II, the Madagascar supply was cut off', and consumers were again compelled to look to domestic sources for their supplies. They found only one small mill in operation, that of the Ceylon Graphite Co. in Coosa County, Ala. The Bureau of Mines made a preliminary examination of the Alabama flake graphite deposits in 1940. Samples were taken and tested at the Southern Experiment Station at Tuscaloosa.

Jan 1, 1948

By C. G. Buttleman, W. C. Brice

In Minnesota, reclamation of active aggregate mining sites is primarily regulated through local permits issued at the county, township, or municipality. However, for abandoned or depleted aggregate mining sites, a responsible party for reclamation is often no longer available. Since 1995, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has reclaimed several abandoned aggregate sites using innovative public/private partnerships and emphasizing native plant materials. The purpose of these projects is to demonstrate cost effective reclamation methods that can be utilized by both aggregate operators and local government and to promote mine planning and resource identification as it relates to reclamation.

Jan 1, 2000

By D. R. Tesarik

As part of its research program to investigate ways of improving resource recovery and reducing subsidence, researchers from the U.S. Bureau of Mines placed instruments in the B-North ore body of the Cannon Mine, Wenatchee, WA, to monitor cemented backfill and rock deformation during mining. The vibrating-wire gauges proved to be reliable and versatile, and approximately half of the instruments are providing data after 2 years of use. A two-dimensional, finite-element model was used to analyze the Cannon Mine's multilevel bench cut-and-fill mining method and predict rock and backfill displacements. The model accurately predicted rock displacements, but the predicted and measured displacements in cemented backfill had a correlation coefficient near zero, indicating that the model should only be used to predict rock displacements and not backfill displacements. A finite-difference model was also used to evaluate the stability of a cemented backfill pillar. Results can be used to conservatively predict backfill stresses, but on-site observation of pillar failures coupled with in situ measurements are needed to make more accurate predictions. An ongoing evaluation of the mining system has indicated that filling the primary stopes tight to the back with cemented backfill allowed these pillars to carry overburden loads soon after the cemented backfill was placed.

Jan 1, 2010

By Elmer R. Kaiser

Industry Adopts Research: Seventy-Ave years ago Thomas A. Edison began in a modest way and with limited funds to gather about him men of various talents to form the first industrial research laboratory. His laboratory at Menlo Park, N. J., became famous for many discoveries and inventions, but possibly the most important of all may yet be the industrial research laboratory itself. Today, private industry operates 2500 research laboratories in which 135,000 persons' are directly and indirectly creating new processes and products and improving old ones, as well as developing new information to help keep the fountain of knowledge from running dry. In this change-making function, the scientific personnel comprises 41 pct; the technical personnel 26 pct; and the balance, 33 pct, nontechnical. The term "industrial research" has become so broad as to include almost everything beginning with the search for and discovery of the laws governing the properties of matter and energy to the development and testing of processes, methods, and equipment. These classes of investigation commonly merge so that no sharp boundary can be traced between them. The National Research Council therefore defines industrial research as "the endeavor to learn how to apply scientific facts to the service of mankind."' Currently, expenditures for research by industry are variously estimated at between $450,000,000 to $700,000,000 a year,' or about twice the expenditure for 1940. The President's Scientific Research Board" estimated that the national research and development for 1947 (excluding atomic energy) was as follows: A few companies spend as much as 5 pct of their gross receipts for research, but 1% to 2 pct is considered a good proportion by many." Shortages: Commendable as is the record of growth and accomplishment of science in industry, it is only a beginning. America and the rest of the world have merely sampled the fruits of industrial research; most industries have yet to make research the key to their future. A top research consultant, T. A. Boyd, of General Motors, states ". . . perhaps 90 per cent of all companies still have no research laboratories."Y or example, of more than 17,000 manufacturing concerns whose gross sales exceed $500,000 a year, less than 2500 have research laboratories. A still smaller proportion of the 184,230 manufacturing establishments in 161 industriese have or could afford their own research facilities. Yet, the small and mediurn-sized com,panies with less than 250 employees each, produce one half of the dollar volume of manufactured products.' How are these companies to participate in and share the benefits of research? Boyd gives two reasons for the inadequate number of laboratories in industry: Many people still do not appreciate the importance of research, nor understand its tremendous potentiali-

Jan 1, 1951

By Elmer R. Kaiser

Industry Adopts Research: Seventy-Ave years ago Thomas A. Edison began in a modest way and with limited funds to gather about him men of various talents to form the first industrial research laboratory. His laboratory at Menlo Park, N. J., became famous for many discoveries and inventions, but possibly the most important of all may yet be the industrial research laboratory itself. Today, private industry operates 2500 research laboratories in which 135,000 persons' are directly and indirectly creating new processes and products and improving old ones, as well as developing new information to help keep the fountain of knowledge from running dry. In this change-making function, the scientific personnel comprises 41 pct; the technical personnel 26 pct; and the balance, 33 pct, nontechnical. The term "industrial research" has become so broad as to include almost everything beginning with the search for and discovery of the laws governing the properties of matter and energy to the development and testing of processes, methods, and equipment. These classes of investigation commonly merge so that no sharp boundary can be traced between them. The National Research Council therefore defines industrial research as "the endeavor to learn how to apply scientific facts to the service of mankind."' Currently, expenditures for research by industry are variously estimated at between $450,000,000 to $700,000,000 a year,' or about twice the expenditure for 1940. The President's Scientific Research Board" estimated that the national research and development for 1947 (excluding atomic energy) was as follows: A few companies spend as much as 5 pct of their gross receipts for research, but 1% to 2 pct is considered a good proportion by many." Shortages: Commendable as is the record of growth and accomplishment of science in industry, it is only a beginning. America and the rest of the world have merely sampled the fruits of industrial research; most industries have yet to make research the key to their future. A top research consultant, T. A. Boyd, of General Motors, states ". . . perhaps 90 per cent of all companies still have no research laboratories."Y or example, of more than 17,000 manufacturing concerns whose gross sales exceed $500,000 a year, less than 2500 have research laboratories. A still smaller proportion of the 184,230 manufacturing establishments in 161 industriese have or could afford their own research facilities. Yet, the small and mediurn-sized com,panies with less than 250 employees each, produce one half of the dollar volume of manufactured products.' How are these companies to participate in and share the benefits of research? Boyd gives two reasons for the inadequate number of laboratories in industry: Many people still do not appreciate the importance of research, nor understand its tremendous potentiali-

Jan 1, 1951

By John Starkey

"During the period June 2007 to March 2007, John Starkey of Starkey & Associates (Starkey) worked in Russia for High River Gold, supervising the engineering design work that was being done at the IRGIREDMET Research Institute, in Irkutsk Russia. The work entailed moving the Newmont No. 4 mill from Elko, Nevada to Berezitovy, a mine site north and west of the city of Skovorodino, in the Amur Region of Siberia. This was a grass roots project and required construction of all phases of the infrastructure and process facilities that are associated with a 5000 t/d open pit mine and CIP mill.During the course of this engineering design exercise, many aspects of doing business in Russia were encountered, with regard to laws, norms, and business practices. This paper discusses many of these findings. Also by living in Irkutsk, many observations on Russian life and social customs were made and these merit discussion from a general interest point of view.Prior to going to Russia, another engineering and ore testing firm (TOMS) had approached Starkey to find out if Starkey could assist them in upgrading their SAG ore testing procedures to Western standards in order to offer their clients turnkey projects, that included reliable SAG and AG grinding. TOMS was aware that Starkey had invented the SPI test but did not know that the SAGDesign test had by then been fully developed and was being offered commercially as the most accurate way in the world to design new grinding mills. They were also unaware that this new testing method had been patented by Outokumpu (now Outotec) and that this method allowed them access to a design method, through Starkey, that would lead to a manufacturer’s guarantee (by Outotec) of throughput and grind for any new semi-autogenous or autogenous grinding circuit, with or without ball mills.When Starkey started working at IRGIREDMET in June 2005, they also made a request to add a design method for SAG mills that would be considered acceptable to Western clients. From these requests, presentations were made in Russian to both institutes and each decided to join the SAGDesign Consulting Group as satellite members and buy a SAGDesign test mill to use with their Bond Ball Mill Work Index mills, to provide SAGDesign testing services. To complete the service, contracts have been put in place for Starkey to use these results to design new grinding equipment and to train engineers at TOMS and IRGIREDMET how to do this work.Starkey also undertook to train engineers at both labs to go into the field and to take the samples for SAGDesign testing programs. It is here where the SAGDesign testing service upgrades other grinding test programs because the samples to be used for design are professionally chosen, and the results will be much more likely to produce a satisfactory design. Starkey is a mining engineer and is uniquely qualified to do this task. This and the SAGDesign test are the key components that lead Outotec to offer a performance guarantee for mills designed by Starkey."

Jan 1, 2008

By Harry Siewert, Tom Milner, Jack Stickney

"LocationThe Gibraltar mine is located in central British Columbia (NTS 93B/9W), 362 km north of Vancouver. Access is provided by 20 km of paved road from McLeese Lake, which lies 45 km north of Williams Lake on Highway 97. Latitude and longitude of the mine are 52° 30' and 122° 16', respectively.The total area of the McLeese Lake site is approximately 1700 ha (4200 acres). This includes the orebodies, dumps, surface drainage collection system, plant site, roads and tailings ponds.Brief Description of OperationOre is mined by open pit methods and is concentrated using conventional crushing, grinding and flotation processes. Copper and molybdenum flotation occurs at an average rate of 40 000 tons per day. Tailing is discharged to an impoundment area and the water recycled as process water. Additional copper is extracted from the waste dumps using sulphuric acid as a leach solution followed by solvent extraction and electrowinning.HistoryExploration by Gibraltar began in 1964, continuing until late 1970, at which time it was announced that the property would go into production. Construction started in early 1971, with initial production in March 1972. Target capacity of 30 000 tons per day was achieved by the end of March and is currently at 40 000 tons per day.Ore reserves as of January 1, 1998 were 184 384 000 tons grading 0.31% Cu and 0.010% MoS2."

Jan 1, 2000

By B. W. Moore

The U.S. Bureau of Mines investigated the separation of heavy rare-earth elements (REE) in an ion-exchange process. An ion-exchange column consisting of two sections, a loading section and a separation section, provides high levels of REE loading and good REE separation with an expected processing cycle of less than a month, while current ion-exchange technology requires more than 5 months. A different resin is used in each section: sulfonic resin in the loading section and iminodiacetic resin in the separation section. The separation section is further divided into two segments: the first conditioned with NH4 and the second with acid. Erbium is loaded onto both segments of the separation column as a retaining ion. Bands of mixed REB eluting between separated bands of pure REB were recycled directly to the column. Without mixed-band recycle, over 80% of the REE eluted from the column was separated into fractions with 99% purity of each element; with such recycle, the percentage of separated elements can be increased to around 90%.

Jan 1, 2010

By G. R. Elliott

Foreword The office of the Supervisory Mining Engineer, a branch of the l. Federal Government, is financially interested in no oil company and has no stock to sell. This office, however, is deeply interested in the proper and efficient development of Canada's natural resources. The people of Canada are interested in the petroleum development in Turner Valley for two principal reasons: As represented by the Department of the Interior, they are the largest owners of petroleum and natural-gas rights in the field; As a nation, they are vitally interested in the development of petroleum and natural gas as a national asset, and therefore, also, in all productive property, no matter who directly controls the leases. As has been stated by Mr. Charles C. Ross, Supervisory Mining Engineer, "The Department, being responsible for the administration of these public resources, necessarily requires regulations to protect them from abuse by lessees. Our portion of this responsibility is to record a complete history of all drilling operations and to see that proper drilling methods are adopted to prevent damage and wanton waste of the valuable natural resources under discussion." Not only does our position necessitate an impartial and a judicial viewpoint, but, being day by day in touch with all operations in the western provinces, we are uniquely situated to comprehend both individual and general problems.

Jan 1, 1930

By P E. H Gregg, R B. Stewart

Reclamation field trials commenced in 1985, two years before the granting of the Mining Licence. The level of pasture production on varying soil depths (0 cm, 5 cm, 15 cm and 25 cm) overlying both tailings and oxidised waste overburden was assessed.   After seven years, the rate of increase of N, C, P and S, losses of Sand P and pH changes were investigated on the plots where grass seed was sown into bare tailings. It was determined that on these plots it would take approximately 24 years to reach the original carbon and nitrogen levels at the mine site. Further tailings trials have been initiated to investigate alternative land use options for the tailings dam. Growth increases of 73% occurred in native species growing directly in tailings, and growth increases of 78% occurred in tailings amended with compost over the first six months. Pasture trials on tailings with and without a compost amendment have also been initiated. Research has commenced to investigate the restoration options for acid producing pit slopes. The early field trials have been put into practice with the restoration of oxidised waste on the tailings embankment. This is progressive with approximately 16 ha restored to productive pasture at present. Yields compare well with those of the most versatile and productive soils types investigated in baseline studies of the area before the tailings dam was constructed.

Jan 1, 1995

By James F. Devine

This Bureau of Mines report describes tests conducted at three sites to determine if, and to what extent, a vertical presplit fracture plane placed between a blast point and detection point will reduce vibration levels. Statistical analyses indicate that the presplit fracture plane did not reduce the vibration level.

Jan 1, 1965

By Lina Ospino Ballesta, Oscar J. Restrepo Baena, Juan Diaz Martínez

Artisanal and small-scale underground gold mining in Colombia plays a significant role in the country’s economy, but it faces persistent occupational hazards that threaten worker safety. Despite mining economic contributions, outdated technologies, limited risk management practices, and insufficient regulatory enforcement have led to recurring workplace accidents, many of which have been fatal. This study presents a systematic review of mining-related accidents over the last decade. Through geo-referenced analysis, high-risk municipalities were identified, and the frequency of accidents was correlated with the mining legal status and operational practices of these municipalities. The findings underscore the urgent need for evidencebased interventions that are tailored to the country’s unique mining context. Ultimately, this research contributes to the global discourse on mining safety by highlighting practical pathways to reduce occupational risks and promote safer, healthier workplaces in resource-constrained environments.

Feb 22, 2026

Judicious placement of a range of geotechnical instruments was employed at the Tasmania gold mine, Beaconsfield, Tasmania, as a key strategy in the monitoring of rock mass conditions over the past four years. The range of instruments employed included vibrating wire stress-meters and hollow inclusion cells to monitor changing stress conditions, resistance wire and multipoint borehole extensometers to monitor the impact of stress changes on the integrity of the rock mass, and instrumented cable bolts and threadbar bolts to monitor the static and dynamic impact of rock mass changes on the installed ground control system. Initially the monitoring was of a qualitative nature, monitoring change from the time of installation. The value of the output was considerable when considered in relation to the ongoing seismic record which was also being monitored. It was clear from the seismic record and the monitoring results that stope blasting was the primary trigger for changing rock mass conditions. However, it was unclear how well observed behaviour was reflecting conditions anticipated by elastic numerical modelling. The latter had predicted significant stress increase in the near field of man-access footwall development. Qualitative monitoring and visual inspection did not support the modelling prediction, and this led to a program of quantitative measurement being undertaken. Measurement of the absolute stress condition in the backs of footwall development immediately adjacent to monitoring hollow inclusion cells provided the benchmark for tracking quantitative stress change. The program provided insight into the evolution of principal stress field magnitude and orientation in relation to rock mass change observed with extensometers and instrumented ground control elements, as well as providing a degree of calibration between the elastic numerical modelling and the virgin stress field. Calibrated monitoring data has also provided a useful benchmark for finite element modelling which is to be used for future mine-wide design.

Nov 25, 2010

[In selecting deposits of exploration projects, tabular deposits or large mineralized masses are favored because they may be explored systematically and because they afford the best opportunity for blocking out reserves in advance of mining, whereas irregular, small pipes and scattered]

Jan 1, 1941

[In selecting deposits for exploration projects, tabular deposits or large mineralized masses are favored because they may be explored systematically and because they afford the best opportunity for blocking out reserves in advance of mining whereas irregular, small pipes and scattered]

Jan 1, 1941

By K White, R Hardie, J Merritt, B Kirsch, R Lucas

Constructed stream diversions are a common element of mine sites across Australia. A review of constructed stream diversion performance in the Bowen Basin funded by the Australian Coal Association Research Program (ACARP) in 1999 found over 80 per cent of constructed stream diversions failed to meet regulator and operator expectations. Since that time, improvements have been made in the assessment, design, monitoring and management of constructed stream diversions. Fundamental to these improvements has been the development of a better understanding of the regional stream systems and efforts to replicate the natural stream processes in the function and operation of constructed stream diversions.This paper discusses the history of constructed stream diversions through the Bowen Basin in central Queensland recorded in the outcomes of a series of ACARP funded research projects. Further, the paper reports on the outcomes of a current ACARP funded project that has reviewed the success or otherwise of constructed stream diversions in the region. The assessment has compared the performance of diversions that have been designed to replicate and provide for ongoing stream geomorphic processes with those diversions that were designed and built prior to the development of these design improvements. Based on these investigations we have identified design and construction successes and issues requiring further research and management attention.CITATION:White, K, Lucas, R, Hardie, R, Merritt, J and Kirsch, B, 2013. Challenges and opportunities for constructed stream diversions in the Bowen Basin, Central Queensland, in Proceedings Water in Mining 2013 , pp 73-82 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Nov 26, 2013