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By F. M. C. C. Vieira

The work described forms part of a Safety in Mines Research Advisory Committee (SIMRAC) funded project, currently an ongoing programme of research aimed at providing ?improved criteria, guidelines and the use of numerical models to design mine layouts at depth, so as to reduce seismicity and enhance worker safety?. The entire project deals with a number of distinct, albeit interrelated, research areas such as: subsidence and caving in hardrock, general numerical criteria for layout design, regional benefits of backfill, concrete pillars, strike stabilizing pillars and bracket pillars. This paper will focus on the last two items only. New considerations for the design of both stabilizing pillars and bracket pillar layouts are briefly discussed.

Jan 1, 1998

Comminution is a vital part of minerals extraction, and therefore of the South African economy. The high cost and throughput-limiting nature of comminution forms a strong motivation for research directed at improving the efficiency of the process. Building on a ten year background of fundamental charge motion research, a new formal UCT flotation and communication group has been formed. The group is also moving strongly into the field of milling circuit modelling and simulation, based on close links formed with the Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre (JKMRC) of Australia, and an international collaborative research programme.

Jan 1, 1998

By J. R. Dixon

Gold mining has been undertaken in South Africa for more than a century. A great proportion of that mining has been from the Witwatersrand Basin; a geological phenomenon that has few parallels throughout the world. It has produced some 47 000 tonnes of gold mainly from underground mines, many of which have been truly world class gold mines. The gold mines of the Witwatersrand Basin have dominated world gold production from their inception and their production has been one of the cornerstones of the development of South Africa as a whole. The mines have some very specific characteristics; their sheer size, the depth of extraction, the nature of the orebodies, and their labour-intensive methods. The mines have also been part of the Mining House concept-a concept unique to South Africa. South African production has declined from a maximum of 1000 tonnes in 1970 to 470 tonnes in 1997. This, as a percentage of western world production, has declined from a maximum of 79 per cent (in 1970) to 21 per cent of world production (in 1997). The nineties' have seen South Africa and its mining companies move onto the world stage and face the harsh realities of having to compete in all spheres of business with their aggressive counterparts principally in Australia, Canada and the USA. The fight is for investment funds with the owners looking for the best returns on their money. In his address Roger Dixon will examine the current situation in the gold mining industry and examine the competitiveness of the mines of the Witwatersrand Basin compared with their peers worldwide. He will also discuss some of the fundamental challenges facing South African gold mines in the areas of legislation, technology, industrial relations, and health and safety. The environment in which the mines operate has changed radically in recent years and their ability to respond to these challenges will determine their future existence.

Jan 1, 1998

Various reagents are added to flotation pulps to manipulate the chemical environment in order to create favourable conditions for the separation of the desired mineral from the unwanted gangue. Interactions occur between these reagents and between the other chemical parameters existing in the flotation pulp which complicate the elucidation of the behaviour of the respective reagents. This paper discusses the roles of the main classes of reagents added viz. collectors, frothers, depressants and activators, as well as the interactions between frothers and collectors. A case study reporting synergistic interactions between thiol collectors in the flotation of pyrite at pH = 4 is included. The use of Potassium n-butyl xanthate (PNBX) and a dithiocarbamate type collector (DTC) were tested both as pure collectors and as components in a collector mixture. In the batch flotation tests sulphur recovery and grade, water recovery, rate of recovery and image analysis of the surface froth were used to evaluate the effect of the mixture on the overall flotation performance. Bubble loading tests showed that the use of the mixture improved the efficiency of the particle collection process by bubbles. Thermochemical measurements of the adsorption of the collectors onto the mineral, indicated the formation of different surface products by the two collectors.

Jan 1, 1998

By I. W. van der Merwe

Recently, a new kind of filtration has emerged, namely nano-filtration (NF). It is a membrane-based process which exhibits totally unique separation characteristics for dissolved salts as well as for many non-charged species. By exploiting the particular separation characteristics of this new membrane type, many unique and novel separations have been made possible. The basis for separation by nanofiltration is the negative surface charge of the membrane. This results in rejection of multivalent anions, whilst associated cations are also rejected to maintain electro-neutrality. This peculiar property enables separation of dissolved ions such as sulphate and copper from acid, whilst the acid may be purified for reuse. This paper aims at providing an overview of the principles of nanofiltration, illustrated by particular examples.

Jan 1, 1998

By D. T. G. Emmett

[ ] South Africa, by a wide margin, is blessed with the largest known world reserves of platinum. The optimal use of these resources for the benefit of all South Africa?s peoples is a goal shared by industry, government and all South Africans. The challenge is to grow the industry in accordance with demand growth and thus to manage a long-term stable growth pattern for PGM usage world-wide. Amplats and the South African producers are well able to meet this challenge [ ] South Africa plays a critical role in the provision of Platinum Group Metals for world markets. In fact no other country has the productive capacity nor the geological reserves to supply the world?s platinum needs. The world required some 5 million ounces of Platinum in 1997 and South Africa supplied a full 74% thereof. The second major supplier, Russia provided a further 18% of world demand, primarily as a by-product of nickel production. Amplats satisfied about 37% of total world demand followed by Impala 20% and Lonhro at 12%.

Jan 1, 1998

By H. A. D. Kirsten

Shotcrete has become a strategic component of support in underground mines. The ductility of reinforced shotcrete makes it a safe and economic means of surface support under adverse static and dynamic loads. The ability of ductile shotcrete to sustain load at large deflections enables excavations in squeezing conditions to be stabilized and the safety in excavations subject to rock bursting, to be assured. A Shotcrete Working Group was formed to find the configurations of fibre reinforcement that would give shotcrete the same ductility as when reinforced with mesh. Beams and panels reinforced with various types and lengths of fibre were accordingly tested. A single mix design consisting of river sand, ordinary Portland cement, fly ash, condensed silica fume and gunite dust and segregation suppressant was used. Steel and polypropylene fibre varying in length from 25 to 50 mm were used in nominal contents of 5 % and 0.5% by mass respectively. Beams, panels and control specimens were shot into specially made formers. Suitable mixing procedures were developed for the different types of fibre. The test specimens were shot in a semi-dry mix process. The shotcrete was cured until tested 28 days after shooting. The fibre contents and uniaxial compressive and Brazilian tensile strengths of the shotcrete were determined from the control specimens. The beams and panels were tested in bending in specially manufactured test rigs. The beams were examined for simple supports and fixed ends. The panels were fixed in a manner that simulated underground conditions and were loaded statically under uniform pressure. The beams were loaded and the corresponding deflections measured up to failure. The panels were loaded up to mid-span deflections of 150 mm. The results are presented in the form of load-deflection graphs. The peak loads and ultimate deflections for the fixed end beams were considerably larger than for the simply supported beams for the various types of fibre considered. None of the beams tested, however, were able to sustain load at relatively constant value beyond the peak load. The panel tests showed that 40 mm and 50 mm long steel fibre and 30 mm, 40 mm and 50 mm long monofilament polypropylene fibre reinforcement gave shotcrete the same ductility as mesh.

Jan 1, 1998

By H. Appiah

Small scale mining (SSM) has been going on for a long time in Ghana. SSM was legalized by the PNDC Law 218, 1989. Since then there have been numerous gains from the SSM industry. The SSM is organized locally by the concession owner who engages people to work for the gold which he buys. Small scale miners (SSMs) use crudely made sluices in Ghana and, therefore, their production falls below what is expected. The SSMs work in groups and not as cooperatives, as they do in Brazil and other Latin American countries. Legalization of SSM has curbed gold smuggling considerably because a gold marketing entity is available. SSM poses certain environmental problems like pollution of water bodies and soils by mercury and indiscriminate digging of pits.

Jan 1, 1998

Currently the most widely used formula in pillar design is the power formula, which implicitly assumes a volume effect. This assumption is critically examined, and it is proposed .that a limiting strength value, the critical rock mass strength, be used for pillar design instead. A methodology is provided to determine this value. It is suggested that the effects of geometry on pillar strength are well described by a linear function and the power formula, for w/h ratios less than or equal to about 5. This approach together with the use of the critical rock mass strength, removes the volume effect. Various factors that affect pillar strength are examined. The concept of explicitly determining the stability of each component in the pillar system is briefly discussed. It is proposed that pillar design be expanded to a pillar system design procedure that incorporates the interaction of the pillar, roof and floor strata, and the loading system.

Jan 1, 1998

By R. J. Durheim

Detailed investigations have been conducted into 21 rockbursts which caused damage to excavations in deep South African gold mines, in many instances resulting in the death or serious injury of workers. The objective of this study is to determine the principal factors controlling the severity and distribution of damage, so that strategies to reduce the hazard of rockbursts may be developed. It was found that the source mechanism is often controlled by the mine layout, and regional structures such as faults and dykes; while local rock conditions and support systems strongly influence the location and severity of damage. In the short term the most important lever for reducing the rockburst hazard is the effective implementation of existing rock engineering knowledge and technology.

Jan 1, 1998

By G. B. Quaye

The deep level gold mining environment is characterized by high stresses that give rise to intense mining induced fracturing of the rock mass surrounding the stopes. In a geologically disturbed region where the intensity of mining induced stress fracturing is high, the degree of faulting and/or the frequency of other geological features such as joints may pose serious strata control problems. Unfavourable intersection of these discontinuities namely, faults, joints and mining induced stress fractures tend to divide the immediate hangingwall into unstable keyblocks which, if not supported, may result in extensive falls of ground. Effective support strategies therefore demand detailed investigation of the predominant inclinations and orientations of these discontinuities. The orientations and inclinations of these discontinuities surrounding a deep level stope have been measured. The results are projected onto the lower hemisphere of a stereographic net to determine the factors that contribute to the falls of ground in the stope. The analyses reveal that unfavourable intersection of these discontinuities divides the immediate hangingwall into unstable wedges that may become dislodged between support units.

Jan 1, 1998

By M. G. Senyur

This study aims at investigating the structural characteristics of backfilling material. In this regard, spatial arrangement of solid particles and associated voids in a unit mass of coal mine refuse as backfilling material were tested. The materials were produced from coal mine refuse of Zonguldak Colliery, Turkey. The experimental procedures were developed to determine their void ratio (or its equivalent porosity), bulk density and the shape properties of constituent particles. The orientation fabric and the co-ordination number were the other two fabric elements determined. The filling materials were sieved and their particle size distributions were found. The results obtained by experiments were related to the particle size distribution parameters, namely, the coefficient of uniformity and the effective size. It was concluded that mean value of void ratio is correlated with coefficient of uniformity. The standard deviation of porosity as an index of fabric heterogeneity is clearly correlated to effective size. By an original experiment, the frequency distribution of coordination number was observed as binomial in uniformly graded materials. Also, the co-ordination numbers of test mixtures were calculated by the Marsal method and results obtained showed a good correlation between the minimum particle size and number of contacts per unit area.

Jan 1, 1998

By M. Vandewalle

What separates the support of mining openings from the support of similar civil engineering structures is the fact that mine openings have to survive large deformations as a result of changing stress conditions induced by progressive mining. Steel fibres impart to concrete and shotcrete a high degree of ductility which not only allows the shotcrete and concrete linings to absorb important rock movements but also to increase its bearing capacity by a redistribution of the loads. A range of applications will be discussed technically and economically.

Jan 1, 1998

The Mineral Sector Development Project, sponsored by the World Bank, has been set up to revise the legal, regulatory and fiscal framework for the minerals industry in Tanzania, with a view to attracting mining companies and investors to the country and facilitating future minerals development. One component of this project, the Environmental Management Framework for the Mineral Sector, was awarded to Wardell Armstrong of the UK and ENV Consult of Tanzania. In developing a new framework of environmental regulations, emphasis was placed on developing realistic standards which reflect local conditions and prevailing values. The main corner-stones of this approach are; effective environmental impact assessment procedures; establishment of environmental management procedures; and monitoring and auditing of companies? performance. The favoured approach involves a three-tier framework, as follows: ?Framework environmental provisions within the new Mining Act; ?Regulations covering more detailed environmental requirements ?Guidelines and/or Codes of Practice, which may in future become regulations in their own right. Careful consideration has been given, in developing the framework, to the limited resources likely to be available for implementation to the Ministry of Energy and Minerals and this has influenced the approach that has been adopted. This paper outlines the main components of the environmental management framework and discusses some of the important issues raised by these proposals.

Jan 1, 1998

By B. J. Madden

Over 206 million tons of hard coal were mined in South African collieries in 1996. Some 132.5 millions tons came from underground operations and approximately 120 million tons came from bord-and-pillar workings resulting in between 100 000 and 150 000pillars being formed. Coal pillar design remains a significant feature of South African mining. This paper reviews South African coal pillar design procedures in the light of 90 pillar collapses that have occurred since 1904. It shows that, while the current pillar strength formula is still valid within the original empirical range of Salamon1,cognisance must be taken of local conditions. Current South African coal pillar research is attempting to account for the variations in local conditions with the emphasis on the effect of discontinuities and pillar deterioration. It is suggested that a more holistic approach to pillar design be adopted to include a design methodology that examines the stability of the roof, pillar and floor of the underground workings. Using this approach, deviations from the empirical database used by Salamon and Munro will be incorporated into the design methodology resulting in more stable underground workings.

Jan 1, 1998

By G. Wendel

Uranium is a naturally occurring radioactive material in the earth?s crust. Geological processes have resulted in concentration of uranium into ore mined for its gold content in South Africa. This uranium is present in the form of discrete particles of uranium minerals, generally oxides, which are normally insoluble. Chemical and physical processes during gold mining and extraction, particularly when carried out in conjunction with uranium extraction and sulphuric acid manufacture, act on the uranium minerals and the radioactive decay products of uranium. This may result insignificant accumulations of radioactive materials in certain parts of the process. There are a number of naturally occurring radioactive materials in the earth?s crust, such as Uranium-235, Thorium-232, andPotassium-40. This paper focuses on Uranium-238, together with its decay products, and how they affect the gold mines. Water plays a significant role in the redistribution of radionuclides, both as a physical transport medium, and as a solvent in which chemical reactions take place.

Jan 1, 1998

By F. T. Cawood

?It is in the interest of stability and investor confidence that the healthy and necessary debate on such a (minerals) policy should soon find its way to consensus.? (President Nelson Mandela at the104th (1995), AGM of the South African Chamber of Mines) Inauguration of the new political dispensation in South Africa initiated a dynamic period in the historical development of its minerals policy. The process of substituting the current South African mineral policy framework with an acceptable ?post apartheid? system, started soon after the 1994 election of the African National Congress (ANC) government. The Green Paper on a Minerals and Mining Policy for South Africa released for public discussion in February 1998, calls for radical transformation in mineral rights ownership. A shift towards exclusive state ownership of mineral rights, away from the present dual system of private and state ownership, is the most significant proposal. The current holders of mineral rights, or their nominees, who lawfully enjoyed security of tenure under past and present mineral laws are opposed to this transformation because mineral rights were often acquired at considerable cost. The situation is compounded by poor public record-keeping and passive mineral rights administration over a very long period. This paper represents a summary of the historical developments leading to the current legislative environment and forms the basis for any discussion on which future sculpturing of South Africa?s policy regarding mineral rights can take place. One cannot plan for the future without considering the past!

Jan 1, 1998

To the members of The South African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy We have audited the annual financial statements set out on pages 251 to 257. These financial statements are the responsibility of the institute's Council. Our responsibility is to report on these financial statements. We have conducted our audit in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. These standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance that, in all material respects, fair presentation is achieved in the financial statements. The audit included an evaluation of the appropriateness of the accounting policies, an examination, on a test basis, of evidence that supports the amounts and disclosures included in the financial statements, an assessment of the reasonableness of significant estimates, and a consideration of the appropri¬ateness of the overall financial statement presentation. We consider that our auditing procedures were appropriate in the circumstances to enable us to express our opinion presented here. In our opinion these financial statements fairly present the financial position of the institute at 30th June, 1998, and the results of its operations for the year then ended in conformity with generally accepted accounting practice.

Jan 1, 1998

From 19 November 1996, South African companies will be able to manage the impact their activities have on the environment in terms of international standards. The establishment of a registration scheme for environmental management systems was formally announced by the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) (19 November 1996). At a function held at the SABS head office in Pretoria, Dr Jean du Plessis, President of the SABS, announced the launch of the SABS ISO 14001 registration scheme which is based upon ISO 14001, 'the internationally recognized yardstick for environmental management'.

Jan 1, 1997

By P. N. Vernon

Ausmelt top entry submerged lance technology offers a cost-effective means of carrying out a range of base metal smelting operations with minimum impact on the environment. The system is capable of using a range of fuels depending upon local costs. Due to the intense, localised reaction zone, high energy efficiency is obtained and the physical size of the plant is relatively small compared to that of most competing technologies. Capital cost can thereby be minimised. The furnace is well enclosed, such that fugitive emissions and ingress of diluting air to the gas stream are both minimised. The oxygen potential in the slag can be varied over a wide range such that the system can be applied in both oxidising and reducing duties. Following a general description of the technology, the paper discusses Ausmelt plants already in operation. The application of the technology for the provision of additional smelting capacity, for the improvement of converting operations and for slag cleaning is then described. A brief explanation of how these processes could be applied at southern African smelters is given and the paper closes with an assessment of novel Ausmelt applications for this geographical region, such as zinc recovery from sulphides.

Jan 1, 1997