Search Documents

By N. T. Lowe

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Spokane Research Laboratory (SRL), investigated a means to evaluate the potential impact of surface conditions above underground mines on emergency response activities. Recent events have highlighted the need to conduct critical emergency operations on the surface above underground work areas. Accessibility and usability of the surface, such as the ability to drill holes or deploy seismic monitoring or through the earth communications systems, are an important consideration for emergency response planning. This paper identifies critical surface conditions such as: surface waters, valley fill, highways, railroads and significant structures that must be considered in emergency response planning and in the conduct of emergency operations as they relate specifically to the seismic detection of trapped underground miners. Results of case studies indicate a need to consider the impact surface conditions may have on emergency response capabilities.

Jan 1, 2009

CAPTAIN JOHN H. BALLAMY John H. Ballamy, Captain on the Regimental Staff of the 103d Engineers, was killed near Fismes, on August 9, 1918. Captain Ballamy was born at Plymouth, Pa., in 1886 and graduated from the High School of that town in 1903. In the following year he began work as a coal miner, and at the same time began the study of mining engineering in the evening and any other spare time. He continued this diligent and energetic practice for many years. For sixteen years he continued in the employment of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad Company's coal mining department, first as a practical miner, next as rodman on the survey corps, of which he soon became chief, then draftsman and mining engineer in the company's office. In January, 1916, he was promoted to the position of district engineer in charge of mining engineering work. He became a member of this Institute in September, 1917. CAPTAIN JOHN H BALLAMY. Captain Ballamy's military experience began at the same time as his engineering practice. He was a charter member of Company A, Engineers, N. G. P., which was organized ten years ago. He saw service on the Mexican border as First Lieutenant of this Company, and remained in that position until November, 1916. In July, 1917, he was again called into service and was sent to Camp Hancock, Ga., with the 103d Regiment of Engineers. Before joining this regiment he attended a school for officers at Fort Sill, Okla., where he received special training in field fortifications. In December, 1917, he was commissioned Topographical Captain on the Regimental Staff, and in April, 1918, preceded his regiment by about six weeks to France, where he again attended an officers' training school. He rejoined his regiment on July 15, near Chateau Thierry and was killed near Fismes on August 9, 1918.

Jan 11, 1918

By Jack Kadlecik

This final technical report describes the concept feasibility study, testing, design and development effort which went into. The quick opening enclosure access cover and flame path tolerance checking system. A detailed definition of the explosion-proof multiple start threads is shown for two (2) sized electrical enclosures.

Jan 1, 1972

By Caroline B. Chapleau, Mélanie Proulx, Claude Bazin, Gaétan Lavoie

"Quebec Cartier Mining operates a pelletizing plant in Port-Cartier, QC. Grinding, agglomeration and pellets induration are the three main steps in the preparation of iron oxide pellets. In 1998, following different recommendations, the company increased the speed of one of its ball mill in order to increase the grinding efficiency of the machine. As expected, the increased speed lead to an increase of the power draught, which did not produce the expected increase of fineness of grind, neither its allows to increase the mill throughput. The change of behaviour of the mill could hardly be understood by comparison of discharge size distribution at initial and modified mill rotation speed. On the other hand, the use of the selection function from a population balance model provides an insight of the changes that occurred in the mill. This paper reviews the various steps required for the estimation of a grinding mill selection function. Results of the calibration to Quebec Cartier grinding mills show that the increase in the mill speed leads to higher rate of breakage of coarse particles, at the expenses of less efficient breakage of medium and fine size particles. In the case of the studied mill, breakage of coarse particles was probably not the critical step of the mill operation. INTRODUCTIONOre size reduction is the major energy consumption step in any mineral processing operations (Austin et al., 1984). Size reduction is required to either liberate valuable minerals from the gangue minerals in which they are imbedded, or to increase the specific surface of the ground material. Plant engineers continuously face the challenge to find grinding machines, operating conditions or grinding circuit flowsheet configurations that could improve the size reduction process at lower energy or m6dia consumption."

Jan 1, 2000

By Yun-tao Xin, Yu Yi, Kang Yan, Gang Li, Xiao-dong Lv

This study investigated the selective removal of arsenic from high-arsenic dust in alkaline systems and the effects of different leaching conditions. The results indicated that the liquid–solid ratio, NaOH concentration, and sulfur dosage had a significant influence on the process. The leaching efficiency of arsenic reached 99.57%, while that of lead was as low as 0.03% under appropriate conditions. In particular, the addition of sulfur can effectively promote the leaching of arsenic and reduce the dissolution of lead in the solutions. An artificial neural network was used to model the leaching process. It consisted of a back-propagation artificial neural network model with a “6–10–2” structure that could effectively simulate and predict the value with more than 99% accuracy. Based on the difference in weights of the different parameters in the neural network model, the relative importance of the parameters related to arsenic and lead leaching efficiency was obtained, which followed the order of NaOH concentration, liquid–solid ratio, sulfur dosage, temperature, time, and stirring speed.

Jul 29, 2021

By V. V. Lvov, L. S. Chitalov

"The purpose of the research is intensification of physico-mechanical ore properties determination for ball grinding processes in comminution circuits. The research presents comparative studies aimed at intensification of Bond Ball Mill Work Index (BWi) determination, such as testing technique of Ahmadi and Shahsavari, Berry and Bruse, Gharehgheshlagh, Horst and Bassarear, Kapur, Magdalinovich. The subject of the research is a test procedure of apatite-nepheline, copper-nickel, gold-sulfide and iron ores for the Bond ball mill index. The Bond Ball Mill Work Index for the material firstly was determined by standard Bond test methodology. Two the most promising testing techniques - Ahmadi and Kapur testing techniques - were modified. For the Ahmadi technique it was proposed to pay attention to the circulating load, which should be stabilized on the value of 250% as fast as possible. Two methods were put forward to quicker stabilize the circulating load. For the Kapur technique it was proposed to use empirical coefficients, which is determined especially for the apatite-nepheline, copper-nickel, gold-sulfide and ores. The modified Ahmadi and Kapur techniques require no more than two cycles of ball grinding to determine BWi (while normally 6-8 cycles are required) and less than 5 kg of initial feed. The suggested modified Ahmadi and Kapur techniques allow to intensify the physico-mechanical ore properties determination for ball grinding processes and BWi test costs considerably, which makes them useful for mass sampling and monitoring strength properties of ores entering a concentrating mill. INTRODUCTION When designing concentrating mills, the choice of the technological scheme for ore pretreatment, particularly the type, quantity and size of the main process environment, the determination of optimal grinding conditions and the calculation of equipment load are carried out by preliminary studies of grinding in semi-industrial or laboratory-scale plants. Semi-industrial tests on full-scale plants provide the most reliable information for calculating specific loads for equipment. However, this requires a significant amount of ore samples, a high labor costs and the pilot plants. Thence the most researchers performed grinding tests with small laboratory equipment using small ore samples."

Jan 1, 2018

By William C. McBee

Sulfur concretes have been developed by the Bureau of Mines as construction materials with physical and mechanical properties that suit them for use in acid and salt corrosive environments where conventional concretes fail. Mixture design methods were established for preparing sulfur concretes using different types of aggregates and recently developed mixed-modified sulfur cements Bench-scale testing of the sulfur concretes has shown their potential value. Corrosion resistance, strength, and durability of sulfur concrete are superior to those of conventional materials. Field in situ evaluation tests of the sulfur concretes as replacement for conventional concrete materials are in progress in corrosive areas of 24 commercial chemical, fertilizer, and metallurgical plants.

Jan 1, 1983

By T. J. Otto, I. D. Ungerer, G. C. Lindeque, T. J. van Heerden

Anglo American Kumba Iron Ore (Kumba) continues to implement technologies focussed on improving safety and productivity; this forms part of the groups FutureSmart Mining initiative. The paper provides insights into the implementation of three technology solutions that improves the productivity of heavy mining equipment (HME). Enhancements to the short term mine planning (STMP) process, the effective use of a fleet management system (FMS) and the deployment of drones or Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) are discussed. The implementation of these and other technologies contributed to a 13% and 22% increase in the overall equipment efficiency (OEE) of the primary HME at Kumba’s Sishen and Kolomela mines respectively. Four key success factors (KSF) are highlighted namely that Kumba’s technology implementation drive is a key enabler to the company’s strategy, has a strong focus on value-add, is underpinned by a holistic and integrated implementation approach and is people-centric.

Sep 1, 2021

Reconnaissance geochemical exploration in the vicinity of low angle detachment faults which bound the core of the Paparoa metamorphic core complex yielded Au up to 14 ppm, with 35% of greywacke, granitoid and quartz vein samples in the northern range exceeding the 0.01 ppm detection limit. Au is associated with Ag, As, Sb and Cu anomalies consistent with epithermal-type mineralisation. The Ag and Cu anomalies also distinguish this mineralisation from older, mesothermal Au deposits widespread in the Ordovician 'slate belt' greywackes, which comprise much of the upper plate of the core complex. Baryte, molybdenite, fluorite and stratiform U mineralisation in the northernPaparoa Range may also be related to hydrothermal activity along the detachment fault zones.

Jan 1, 1995

By JOHN A. FULTON

THE Comstock Lode is in Storey County, Nevada, and extends in a north and south direction through the towns of Virginia City and Gold Hill, with a total length of 4.27 miles. Its mines have produced silver and gold to a known value exceeding $400,- 000,000 since 1859, when the work first began. More than $126.000,000 was paid in dividends by the mining companies, although much more than this was probably realized from the ore, because many milling companies were independent companies owned by the directors and superintendents of the mines. The milling companies' contracts called for an extraction of only 65 per cent and, as much of the ore was worth $100 a ton and up- ward, they must have recovered substantial amounts for their own accounts over and above this guarantee. Gold was discovered in the spring of 1850 by a party of Normons bound for California. The discovery was made at the mouth of Gold canyon near Dayton, on the Carson River, about 10 miles south of Virginia City.

Jan 1, 1929

By Stephen P. Holt

In the fall of 1946 and spring of 1947 the Bureau of Mines put down five inclined diamond-drill holes totaling about 3,100 feet of bore to test for the possible eastward extension of the Royal Princess ore deposit in Jo Daviess County, Ill. Attention of the .Bureau was first directed to this property by the Illinois State Geological Survey. The history of production of the Royal. Princess mine and reports as to the size and nature of the deposit were considered justification for investigating the trend of the mineralization. This report describes the work done by the Bureau of Mines and presents the data obtained.

Jan 1, 1948

By L. C. Graton, Joseph Murdoch

I. Introduction......................... 26 1. The Relations of Scale in Geologic Work........ 26 2. General Characteristics of Copper Sulphide Ores..... 29 3. Scope of Present Study................. 31 11. Description of the Important Minerals............ 36 1. Pyrite....................... 36 2. Pyrrhotite....................... 41 3. Chalcopyrite...................... 41 4. Bornite........................ 40 5. Covellite....................... 50 6. Chalcocite....................... 52 7. Enargite...................... 59 8. Tetrahedrite and Tennantite.............. 61 III. Conclusions.......................... 62 I. Introduction. The Relations of Scale in Geologic Work. Many features of human accomplishment rest upon the possibility of representing natural objects on a scale of different magnitude from the actual one. Most drawings, for example, are of very different scale from that of the object depicted, and indeed are useful mainly 011 this account. More important than the question of mere convenience, however, is that of meeting the physical limitations of vision.' Thus, a mural

Jan 1, 1914

By Chris Rule

This paper tells the story of the rapid commercial application of stirred milling technology at Anglo American Platinum?s many Concentrators. The first stirred mill ? a 10 000 litre IsaMillTM; the largest at the time, was commissioned in late 2003. The project development work was presented at SAG 2001. This operation was ?proof of concept? and vindicated the decision to scale up the technology; allowing a rapid and extensive roll-out of mainstream regrind mills as well as several further flotation concentrate regrind mills, over the next six years. Currently 23 stirred mills are in operation with 64 MW of installed drive capacity ? this paper describes the projects? roll-out and the significant results achieved to date. Many operational problems have been solved along the way, some of these will be described. The introduction of the technology has seen a step change in metallurgical results and progressively decreasing operating costs.

Jan 1, 2012

By K. R. Griffin

Explosions in underground coal mines have been a serious safety concern since the advent of mining; despite significant technological advances, they are still occurring. Parameters such as barometric pressure, geological changes, and changes in ventilation can contribute to an explosion. These factors can be monitored with available and developing technologies to create algorithms that predict when explosions are more likely to occur. This paper reviews current underground atmospheric monitoring systems and related regulations around the world. In addition, suggestions for improvement and implications for explosion prevention are discussed.

Jan 1, 2011

By Robert Blickensderfer

Tungsten alloys with high-temperature strength properties, comparable to the best of alloys recently developed by others, were produced by a new process called here the oxyreaction process. The process involved additions of a powder of a reactive metal compound, ZrN, ZrW2, or HfW2, to a base metal powder, tungsten, which contained some oxygen. The powders were blended, compacted, sintered, and extruded. During sintering, diffusion and internal oxidation occurred to produce reactive-metal oxide particles and solid solutions. A dispersion of oxide particles could be precipitated by heat treating. The oxyreaction process circumvents many of the agglomerating and coarsening problems encountered in the current methods for dispersing a stable oxide in a metal. Oxyreaction strengthening results from solid-solution strengthening and from dispersion strengthening produced by the reactive metal and its oxides. At a test temperature of 1,650° C, the alloys prepared from WW, had tensile strengths up to 70,000 psi and stress-rupture lives up to 142 hr at 10,000 psi stress; the alloys prepared from ZrN powders had tensile strengths up to 80,000 psi and stress-rupture lives up to 27 hr at 10,000 psi stress. Tensile strengthening in the alloys was attributed to Zr in solid solution or to Zr-O-W structures too small to be observed in an electron microscope replica. Stress-rupture life was attributed to a dispersion of submicron Zr02 particles which precipitated and grew to 0.05-to 0.2-micron size during the test. Tensile strengthening and stress-rupture life were dependent upon both the zirconium and oxygen contents with the maximum occurring at roughly 0.9 atomic pot Zr and 0.9 atomic pot 0. Studies of the details of the oxyreaction process were made on the W-ZrW2 alloys and three general steps were determined: (1) The reaction of 0 in tungsten powder with ZrW2 to form relatively large Zr02 particles; (2) the dissolution of remaining ZrW2 into the W matrix and partial internal oxidation to form ultrafine but sparse zirconium oxide particles and possibly to establish Zr-O-W structures; (3) the development of ultrafine Zr02 particles during high-temperature aging.

Jan 1, 1971

FREQUENTLY the Survey Department is caIled upon to estimate the quantity of material in various dumps, dams piles, etc... and in the carrying out of this work various methods may be employed.The method used will vary according to the particular case in hand, and factors such as accessibility of the top of the dump, steepness of its sides, height, and the condition of the material to be estimated. A certain amount of "give and take" must be adopted in the treatment of small local cavities and mounds.In all cases it is desirable that the surveys made should be tied on to the lease surveys for the purpose of location, and that all levels should be reduced to the mine datum. It is also desirable to obtain levels of the original surface before deposition of the material to be estimated. If these have not been obtained beforehand, levels and transfers round the top will be the next best. If space is availabIe, flat surface is chosen as a site for the dump, etc. This is of the utmost importance in those cases where the material will have to be...

Jan 1, 1925

By Richard J. Mainiero

The Bureau of Mines conducted research to evaluate the optimum design for a rock-breaking explosive charge that could be fired unconfined in a gassy or dusty coal mine without the danger of igniting the flammable atmosphere. Charges of various shapes, with and without cavities, were tested in a gallery using 3-by 3-by l-ft concrete blocks as simulated boulders. For these tests the optimum charge, in terms of cost, weight, and convenience in handling, consisted of a flat l-1/2-lb charge of permissible explosive seven-eighths of an inch thick and 7 in in diameter encased in a l/2-in thick layer of fine salt (NaCI). This work demonstrated that it should be possible to produce an inexpensive explosive rock-breaker charge that would be safe to use in underground coal mines.

Jan 1, 1982

By R. R. Sayers

The contemplated use of dichloro-difluorco methane in domestic and commercial refrigerating appliances and in air-conditioning equipment for public buildings and possibly homes, brims attention to the health hazards involved in a wide potential exposure of the public to vapors of another new product, and for the first time to vapors of an organic fluorino compound. The objective in the development of this new refrigerant, however, has been the mitigation of health and explosion hazards in automatic refrigeration, and accordingly these factors have been given primary attention. Early in the development, the Bureau of Mines as requested to make a laboratory study of the toxicity and potential hazard, and it was ca the oasis of the results is of this work and the results of a preliminary investigation made in another laboratory6 that the compound has been selected for commercial use. The investigation conducted by the Bureau of Mines is still in progress, enough information has been obtained to indicate the order of the toxicity and the magnitude of the health hazards involved in the use of dichloro-difluoro methane as a refrigerant. The following is a summarized report of the work completed to date:

Jan 1, 1930

By S. Titkov

At present, Russia is engaged in processing, 3new plants of hard-to-process potash ores with increased content (up to 10 - 12%) of insoluble impurities (insoluble residue ? I.R.). This required additional research to improve the process of potash ores flotation. Based on the study of the effect of dispersive properties of frother and its flow rate on the efficiency of aliphatic amines with different length of the hydrocarbon radical (as sylvite collector) there was showed the possibility to apply high molecular amine with length of hydrocarbon radical C20 ? C26 by normal temperature of circulated plant salt solution (saturated solution KCl ? NaCl ? H2O). There was designed and tested in plant conditions the modified amine collector with the length of the hydrocarbon radical C16 - C26, improving flotation of Sylvite under normal temperature of circulating salt solutions at potash flotation plants. There was made the study of the influence of the hydrocarbon radical length of alkylmorpholine on the Halite flotation from intermediate products of sylvite recleaner flotation with different content of I.R. (silicate-carbonate slimes), at normal and elevated temperature of salt solution. On the basis of the application of modified alkylmorpholine for Halite flotation, there was developed the process of further beneficiation for the intermediate products of sylvite recleaner flotation from potash ores with increased content of insoluble impurities, which can eliminate the circulation of the intermediate products in the process flow sheet of sylvinite ore processing and increase the KCl recovery into the finished product. Keywords: flotation, potash, halite, alkylamine, alkylmorpholine

Sep 1, 2012

By John R. Benham

The Bureau of Mines examined the Bear Canyon RARE II area in 1982. The area has no identified mineral deposits. The few claims that were located in the study area are devoid of any workings. No concentrations of economic minerals were found in the samples taken. There are no mineral, geothermal, or oil and gas leases in the area; the nearest oil well is 10 mi (16 km) east. The nearest mining operation was the Ruby Gold Placer worked in 1914, 7 mi (11 km) southeast (Hart, 1966, p. 45); the Pliocene Paso Robles Formation which contained the gold does not extend into the area. SETTING The Bear Canyon RARE II area covers 19.7 sq mi (51 sq km) or 12,600 acres (1500 ha) in west-central California. It lies in the Santa Lucia Range 10 mi (16 km) southwest of King City and adjoins the southeast side of the Ventana Wilderness. It is 10 mi (16 km) from the Pacific Ocean. Primary access is by the San Antonio River road on the Hunter Liggett Military Reservation, which parallels the area's southern border. Further access to the area's interior is by jeep and foot trails.

Jan 1, 1983