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By Anthony D. Hammond

The use of geographic information systems (GIS) as a tool to analyze and display data is gathering momentum in the mining industry. Of particular interest is the capability of GIS to link spatial features and tabular data. The application of GIS in underground mining discussed here concentrates on four technical areas. They are land ownership and mineral claims, exploration management, production and mine safety.

Jan 1, 2002

By Mark E. Smith, Gerald J. Gierszewski

Introduction The purpose of this paper is to present a procedure used by the authors for evaluating and designing soil liner systems. This method is particularly valuable in evaluating various treatment schemes for chemically amended soil liners. A tabulation of laboratory test results on various soil types are presented to quantify the effectiveness of certain treatments. A typical liner design program includes developing and proving soil borrow sources, designing the cross-section of the liner system, developing construction specifications, and providing construction services to ensure the intended product is achieved. Material Source Development The first step in designing a soil liner is to identify and evaluate suitable borrow sources within an economical haulage range. This is best done in a two step approach: a reconnaissance level investigation to identify target areas and a detailed evaluation of those targets. Reconnaissance: The goal of the preliminary investigation is to locate potential borrow sources for liner quality soils. This includes all natural materials which can be compacted, chemically treated, or otherwise amended to yield an installed permeability at or below some target value. This requires utilization of all available data sources: Soil Conservation Service, BLM, aerial photos, USGS geologic maps, and project geologist records. The goal at this stage is to locate shallow deposits of favorable soil types. The Unified Soil Classification System provides an excellent first pass grouping. Clays, clayey sands and silts are the most favorable soil types, although silty sands and occasionally clayey gravels can make excellent liners, and are often amenable to chemical modification. The lowest permeabilities are generally achieved with CH, CL and MH soils. Once preliminary targets have been identified using visual examination, laboratory classification tests should be performed to further refine the selection. Testing at this stage should include gradation, plasticity and hydrometer analyses. Additionally, "preg-rob" testing should be done as early as practical. Preg-rob is a phenomenon where gold or silver ions in solution associate with the clay, or other, minerals. When this occurs, a portion of the gold or silver leached from the ore is actually tied-up by the clay and thus a reduces recovery. Testing for this consists of agitating a small sample of the soil in a solution containing dissolved gold or silver, preferably of similar chemical make-up as the solution which will contact the actual liner. The solution and soil are assayed before and after agitation to determine loss to the clay. A reliable estimate of the hydraulic conductivity, commonly referred to as permeability, can be developed from the D10 value by the use of Hezen's formula: K = 100 (D1012 This relationship is limited to soils where the finer particles do not move due to the force of flowing water (i.e.: "hydrodynamic stabilitym)(1). Additionally, the effect of platty particles on permeability is not as predictable as the effect of equidimensional particles. D10 is the sieve opening size at which 10% of the material is finer. Plasticity is also important from several standpoints. Constructability is directly related to plasticity. Very plastic clays and non-plastic silts both tend to be difficult soils, while medium plastic clays and clayey sands are generally very desirable. Post construction performance is also related to plasticity (e.g. swelling, shrinkage cracking, frost heave, etc.). Additionally, low plasticity silts and silty sands generally do not respond well to chemical amendment. Source Development: The result of the reconnaissance evaluation should be an estimate of the relative probability of developing a suitable borrow source within an economical haul distance. Of course, "economical distance" depends on the degree of handling and treatment the borrow material requires, as well as the cost of synthetic alternatives. The purpose of the detailed investigation is to prove out quantity and quality of material sources, and determine design parameters such as degree of compaction, mixing, treatment and thickness of liner. The emphasis of the testing program should be permeability and strength. Strength becomes increasingly important as the slope of the liner and the height of the heap increase. Permeability testing should evaluate the effects of compaction, water content, mixing and chemical treatment where appropriate. The effects compaction and water content during compaction have on

Jan 1, 1987

By G. Bulut

The recovery of copper and cobalt from ancient copper slags from the Küre region of Turkey was investigated. A fayalitic-type of ancient copper slag containing 1.24% Cu, 0.53% Co and 53.16% Fe were subjected to an experimental study. Two different routes were followed to recover the metal values. The first route was roasting the slag with pyrite followed by leaching. The second route was flotation of the slags, roasting of the flotation tailings with pyrite and leaching. The second route was found to be suitable for the treatment of the copper slag studied. In the flotation step, a copper concentrate containing approximately 11% Cu was produced with a 77% recovery while 93% of the cobalt stayed in the tailings. In the roasting experiments, the effects of roasting time, pyrite: slag ratio and roasting temperature on the dissolution efficiencies of Cu and Co were investigated, and the optimum conditions were determined. In the tests, 87% of the cobalt dissolution was observed after one hour of roasting at 500°C with a pyrite: slag ratio of 3:1. The copper dissolution in the tests was 31%. Based on the results of this study, a process flowsheet is proposed for the evaluation of these slags.

Jan 1, 2007

By Luisa Alfieri, Giorgio Fantauzzi, Sergio Notarianni, Spencer Cavagnet, Alessandro Damiani

"The new tunnels of the Copenhagen ""Cityringen"" will be excavated, at Kongens Nytorv square, crossing over the existing M1 and M2 metro lines. After the crossing, the tunnels will underpass the historical building of the Magasin du Nord and adjacent masonry buildings, with a minimum tunnel cover of about 4.5 m. The tunnels have an internal diameter of 4.9m and are being excavated through earth pressure balanced Tunnel Boring Machines in mixed face.The Magasin du Nord estate is characterized by a very complex structure, with different blocks built in different times. An assessment of the condition of the building and its sensitivity to tunnellinginduced ground movements has been conducted through a fully coupled soil-structure interaction analysis; based on the results of this analysis, mitigation measures have been designed.INTRODUCTIONThe Copenhagen Metro Cityringen is expected to be running in July 2019 and will consist of two single tracks in a twin tunnels, each approximately 16 km in length, for transporting up to 243,000 passengers on an average work day. The Cityringen includes 17 underground stations with island platforms, 4 crossover facilities and 3 construction and ventilation shafts. The tunnels is being excavated using earth pressure balanced Tunnel Boring Machines and have an internal diameter of 4.90 m.The intersection with the existing M1 and M2 metro-line will take place at Kongens Nytorv and at Frederiksberg. According to the design alignment, in Kongens Nytorv the new tunnels will pass over the existing M1 and M2 ones; as a result of this, the tunnels will underpass the historical building of the Magasin du Nord and the adjacent masonry building hosting a Mc Donald’s with a minimum cover of about 4.5m.In the framework of Risk Assessment for sensitive buildings, the effects of tunneling-induced ground movements on the Estates ØS0437 (McDonald’s building), ØS0428 (Magasin du Nord) and ØS0004 (Hviids Vinstue) were evaluated. To achieve this goal a fully coupled soil-structure interaction has been considered and the entire excavation process has been reproduced in a 3D model where the abovementioned buildings have been modeled. In this way, a risk assessment analysis was performed evaluating directly the effects of the excavation in terms of settlements and variations of the internal forces as far as the excavation process proceeds. In figure 1, a picture of the construction of Kongens Nytorv station, with Magasin du Nord and Mc Donald’s building on the background, is presented."

Jan 1, 2016

By H. Sato, B. Thornton, K. Nishi, A. Usui

"Northwestern Pacific submarine seamounts are believed to be future marine mining areas of ferromanganese crusts, which contain hi-tech industrial metals, such as Co, Ni, Te, Ti, Pt, and REEs. The Takuyo No. 5 seamount is a member of the Cretaceous super-plume seamounts in the north Pacific, located within a Japanese EEZ (100 nm from the Minami- Torishima Is. or Marcus Is.), and only 300 nm away from the Japan’s Licensed area for exploration of Co-rich ferromanganese crusts under the ISA. This is an on-going program supported by independent academic communities but not a state-run program or managed by private funding.We have observed, sampled, measured, and analyzed the occurrences, distribution, physical properties, and microbiological environments at a selected flat topped seamount named Takuyo No.5 as a model area for scientific study of ferromanganese crusts within the Japanese EEZ. We then characterized crust structures, composition, age, and growth history, resulting in an understanding of the overall nature and distribution of these deposits from wide range of areas, water depths and geological environments. The study started with a ROV (Hyper-Dolphin 3K of JAMSTEC) exploration jointly with universities and national institutions (Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, Japan Oil, Gas, and Metal Exploration Corporation, and Geological Survey of Japan) in 2009 using marine geology vessels, remotely-operated vehicle, an oceanbottom drill machine, deep-tow TV camera, as well as conventional dredges and corers. We have been studying the topography, geology, nature of the bottom material of the seamounts using delicate sampling devices and measurement tools, and characterized the distribution patterns of the metal-rich ferromanganese deposits from chemical, mineralogical, and microbiological points of view."

Sep 1, 2014

A coal mine located in southern West Virginia recently set a world record for daily low-seam coal production using a Cat automated longwall plow system. In a 24-hour period on April 10 and 11, 2014, the Pinnacle Mine longwall produced 32,411 t (35,724 st) from the Virginia Pocahontas No. 3 Seam, in a seam height of just 1.42 m (56 in.) along the 298-m (980-ft) longwall face. The Pinnacle Mine, located near the town of Pineville and owned by Cliffs Natural Resources Inc., an international mining and resource company, operates a Cat Gleithobel GH1600 Longwall Plow System. A previous record was set by this system at Pinnacle in August, 2012 when 29,423 t (32,430 st) were mined in a 24-hour period. The record was set by the same system, mining its second panel after a comprehensive rebuild was performed by Carter Machinery, the Cat Dealer in that area. The rebuild encompassed a complete rebuild of the headgate and tailgate armored face conveyor (AFC) drive, the headgate and tailgate special AFC pans, the stageloader drives and return end, the complete crusher and all gearboxes for the plow, AFC and stageloader. Carter acquired the rights to sales and aftermarket support associated with the former Bucyrus mining products, both surface and underground, in 2013. ?Supporting and rebuilding a longwall plow system was a new experience for the Carter service team,? said Chris Curfman, president of Caterpillar Global Mining Sales and Support Division. ?However, given the record production results attained by the rebuilt system at Pinnacle, it?s obvious that they are up to the challenge of supporting the underground product lines at the same high standards and quality level that they have been delivering for many years on the traditional Cat surface mining products.? Tom Bluth, president of Caterpillar Global Mining Products Division, said, ?Caterpillar congratulates the Pinnacle team for this great achievement. Without their efforts and dedication this record would not have been possible. To safely deliver that kind of output from such a thin seam is remarkable. We have been privileged to work alongside their team to demonstrate the capabilities of Cat longwall mining technology. ?

By J. L. Arola

Since start-up of fluxed pellet production in August: 1987, the Minorca Mine has made a number of process changes to improve pellet quality and productivity. Quality improvements include: 1. Installation of a contraction t:ester. 2. Installation of on-line calcium and silica analyzers. 3. Process autocation changes. Productivity improvements include: 1. A second fluxstone storage bin and feeder. 2. A new vacuum pump and disc filter. 3. A filter aid addition system. 4. Enclosing the filter cake reclaim feeder. 5. A new grate bar cleaner.

Jan 1, 1989

By W. F. Visser

The growing availability of information and data analysis capabilities provides new opportunities for improving the performance of operations. By using real-time measurements and artificial intelligence, it is possible to respond faster to changing conditions, while accurate and timely information permits the rapid evaluation of changes and fast business improvement decisions. This paper presents a blueprint for system alignment, organizational design and management practices to leverage these developments in performance-driven operations management in mining and mineral processing.

By A. Lashagri

This paper presents research results on assessment of environmental impact of digging and loading equipment in surface coal mining. Environmental impact is accessed through the equipment exhaust and dust emissions, and sound level. Exhaust emission is related to carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur oxides (SOx), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Dust generation is expressed through the particulate matter PM10 and total suspended particulate matter (TSP), while sound is presented through the sound pressure level. Modeling of environmental impact of digging and loading equipment is conducted in Microsoft Visual Studio.NET software package. This research is a part of a boarder project on development of software system for the selection of productive, cost-efficient and eco-friendly mining systems, which is sponsored by the Appalachian Research Initiatives for Environmental Sciences (ARIES). The research work presented here may be used by mining professionals to aid in quantifying environmental impact of digging and loading equipment and determinate strategies for reducing its overall impact.

Feb 27, 2013

The day after I reached New York, on January 30th, John Ryan of Anaconda told me where they wanted me to go. Late in 1916 the Russian Czar, desperate for money and supplies with which to carry on his unhappy share In the first World War, sent emissaries to the United States to see if our great mining companies might be interested in trying to find mines and to bring them to production in the millions of acres of the Imperial Estates in Russia and Siberia. It looked like a long chance as no one knew whether or where there might be important ore bodies. Even if they found them it might be a hopeless task to equip them under wartime conditions But the American copper companies had plenty of money and they were used to taking risks. They made a supersecret agreement with the Czar's deputies to send an exploring expedition to Russia at once I never learned the names of the other companies but Anaconda was to man- age the venture. Horace Winchell, then the leading mine geologist In the United States, was to be in charge of operations. Charles Janin, an eminent placer and dredge expert, was to study chances for producing gold and platinum. Though at 33 years of age I was much younger than the others, I was chosen to hunt for copper and other valuable metals. Charles Boynton, a business man who had lived in Russia and had married an attractive Russian woman, was to join the party and carry on any necessary financial or diplomatic affairs. He had gone on ahead to arrange for our reception Finally a graduate student from Ann Arbor named Steinberg was to go along as Interpreter. We soon found out that if his Russian was no better than his English his interpretlng couldn't be trusted too much I knew nothing about the millions of square miles In Russia and Siberia, and even less about what mineral deposits might be found, but I was delighted at the prospect. I was treading on air for the few

Jan 1, 1976

By Jim Britton

Sustained elevated metal and coal prices in 2011 continued to drive mining projects across British Columbia. The province is the top producer of copper, exporter of coal and the only producer of molybdenum in Canada. The province also produces significant amounts of gold, silver, lead and zinc and more than 30 industrial minerals. The total 2011 value of solid metal production is an estimated $8.6 billion and the outlook for 2012 is positive. British Columbia is poised to bring several new mines onstream in the next few years. Construction continues at the New Afton and Mt Milligan copper-gold projects that are anticipated to be open in 2012 and 2013, respectively. The provincial Environmental Assessment Office indicates there are 26 mine proposals in process with three currently under review and 23 in the preapplication stage. The following text briefly describes 2011 metal and coal mining activities in the five regions reported on by the provinces? regional geologists (Fig. 1).

Jan 1, 2012

By Michael MacMillan

The mining industry has always operated under intense public scrutiny. Community expectations, investor pressures, regulatory obligations, and environmental oversight create a uniquely complex communications environment. In recent years, technological change, climate urgency, and geopolitics have reshaped how the industry communicates its role and value. The rise of artificial intelligence in the information ecosystem represents yet another fundamental shift. As AI evolves, an organization’s reputation will no longer be shaped solely through human interactions, media coverage, social activity, or corporate disclosure. Increasingly, public understanding depends on how AI systems interpret and represent company information. These systems influence search results, conversational tools, news aggregation, social discourse, and even investor intelligence platforms. As AI-generated summaries, answers, and narratives become the default interface for stakeholders, they also become authoritative in shaping trust. For mining companies, this creates both risk and opportunity. The organizations that recognize how AI reads, prioritizes, and amplifies information will be better positioned to build trust. Those that remain silent or rely on traditional communication methods may find their reputations being algorithmically defined without their participation. This paper explores how mining companies can proactively engineer their reputations in the age of AI.

Jan 1, 2026

By Otto Schumacher

Shortcut methods are commonly employed for estimating mining costs for prefeasibility studies. Most of these methods, however, are suitable for earliest stage studies or for internal discussion purposes only. The experts at InfoMine?s CostMine division recommend that any cost estimate completed for purposes of significant decisionmaking or for compliance with Canada?s NI 43-101 requirements be completed using a determinative itemized method. The same basic principles apply for an early stage, intermediate stage, or advanced stage estimate. The only difference is in the level of detail and effort employed. ? Based on the results of a completed resource estimate, an itemized cost estimate begins with development of a conceptual mine plan. Using a surface mine as an example, four elements are crucial no matter what level of study is initiated. Basic geometry of the ore deposit and waste material, with a determination of the expected ratio of waste to ore, a reasonable pit slope angle, possibly requiring the completion of geotechnical studies to predict the waste-to-ore ratio with certainty. ? Determination of the assumed ore and waste production rates. ? Locations of all ore stockpiles and waste dumps. ? Segmental haulage distances and gradients for ore and waste.

Oct 1, 2013

By P. Coleman, J. C. Kerkering, S. Iverson

Fault tree analysis is a systematic safety analysis tool that proceeds deductively from the occurrence of an undesired event (accident) to the identification of the root causes of that event. One recurring mine safety problem-a dozer falling into a void over a drawpoint on a coal surge pile-was analyzed using available, inexpensive fault tree programs on a personal computer. The analysis identified basic and intermediate events that led to the burial of the dozer and graphically depicted the interrelationship between these various subordinate events as well as the various chain of events leading up to the primary event. A sensitivity analysis on these probabilities showed which events had the greatest influence on dozer burial in a coal surge pile.

Jan 1, 2001

By J. Alton Burks, Roy C. Bartholomae

The chain conveyor is utilized extensively in underground mining to convey raw ore, especially coal. It is estimated that several thousand loading and continuous mining machines rely on this type of conveyance. Although the chain conveyor is both efficient and highly reliable, its use is generally associated with the production of noise levels that often exceed 105 dBA at the operator's position. Thus, it is one of the most significant contributors to the occupational noise problem experienced by miners in the underground coal mining environment. Conventional engineering noise controls that result in an average reduction of 4 dBA have been previously designed and implemented. However, a novel solution involving a change in conveyor operation has been proposed that takes advantage of two aspects of conveyor noise: 1) conveyor noise has an approximately cubic dependence on conveyor chain speed and 2) due to the damping provided by coal, a full conveyor is 5 dBA quieter than an empty one. An engineering analysis has shown that a significant reduction in the operating noise level of a typical continuous miner can be achieved through the use of an adjustable speed drive automatically controlled by a coal loading sensor that maintains a full conveyor at all times. The potential reduction depends primarily on the mining conditions (coal seam thickness and the presence of either rock or water) and varies from 7-18 dBA. Other benefits to be derived from the use of a variable speed drive include reductions in power consumption, dust, and maintenance costs.

Jan 1, 1992

By S. L. Bessinger

Introduction Extensive testing in the past ten years has shown that where a uniform natural gamma background is present in the strata bordering a seam, the thickness of the boundary coal left in place after mining can be determined by measuring the attenuation of that radiation (Nelson and Bessinger, 1989). Measurements made by the authors in underground mines in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Illinois and Kentucky and by others in Wyoming and New Mexico have shown the presence of such a gamma background (Nelson. 1989). Natural gamma coal-thickness sensors of several configurations have been tested in mines owned and operated by the Consolidation Coal Company (Consol) in Pennsylvania and West Virginia (Nelson and Bessinger, 1988). This paper describes the installation of a natural gamma coal-thickness sensor on an operating continuous miner. Previous tests had shown that the NGB-1000 coal-thickness sensor manufactured by American Mining Electronics, Inc., of Huntsville. AL, is an accurate, mine-worthy instrument. This large gamma detector consists of a sensing head and a control panel. The sensing head contains thallium-doped, sodium iodide scintillating crystal, which is coupled to a photomultiplier tube. The control panel contains the electronic components required for calibration, count conversion and display to the operator. Methods Conditions at a Consol mine in northern West Virginia require that 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 in.) of coal be left at the roof boundary of continuous miner development sections. This roof coal is required because the shale of the immediate roof is friable and unstable. In the past, operators have used a dirt band that is usually visible near the top of the seam as a guide in maintaining the proper cutting horizon. However, this is not always reliable. Earlier observation showed that the actual thickness of the coal left on the roof varied widely; further, it was noted that occasional, accidental excursions into the immediate roof required supplementary roof control measures, such as installation of planks or center bolts. Thus, it was concluded that operators needed a better source of guidance for control of the cutting horizon, and a roof-coal thickness sensor was scheduled for installation. The NGB-1000 sensor was installed on a Joy 12CM10 continuous miner in June 1988. The sensing head was mounted on the cutter boom of the miner, and the control panel was mounted in the operator's cab. Power for the sensor was initially derived from an intrinsically safe battery power supply. Initial measurements with the sensor showed that the calibration was the same as that used in earlier tests at two other mines, indicating the uniformity of the natural gamma background above the Pittsburgh seam. Operating personnel were initially skeptical of the instrument's accuracy, and were hesitant to use its readings as a guide in maintaining a proper cutting horizon. Because gamma attenuation, the instrument's operating principle, is somewhat abstract, attempts to demonstrate the instrument's accuracy by explaining that principle were generally ineffective. It was found, however, that an operator could usually be convinced of the usefulness of the instrument by placing a large piece of coal of fairly uniform thickness over the instrument's sensing head and allowing the operator to see that the instrument reading increased by an amount very near his estimate of the thickness of the piece. The mine was provided with seven battery power supplies and a charging station. The charging station was kept in the lampman's office, and the mechanic on each shift was instructed that he was responsible for two battery power supplies each day: a freshly charged one to be taken in at the beginning of his shift and a depleted one to be brought out at the end. This system worked well for a few weeks, but eventually some battery power supplies were left in use so long that their batteries were discharged too deeply to allow recharging. In addition, transport and recharging of the batteries represented an additional task for the mechanics, who were already very busy. Consequently, a request was filed with MSHA to allow the sensor to be powered through intrinsic safety barriers by an electronic power supply connected to machine power. The permit was granted, and the sensor was connected to machine power. After the sensor was connected to machine power, the only operating problem experienced was occasional failure of cables. A supply of the required cables was made and delivered to the mine so damaged cables could be quickly replaced. Much of the cable damage could be eliminated by slight modifications to the miner during a rebuild, so that cables could be installed in more protected locations. After the sensor had been in operation for about two months, a survey was made to determine its effect on continuous miner operations. In previous research, coal thickness measurements made in 88 locations by the natural gamma method were compared to measurements made in the same locations by observing drill cuttings and by inspections of drill holes with a borescope. That research showed that the gamma method is at least as accurate as the other two methods (Nelson and Bessinger, 1989) and is also much easier to use. The object of the survey described here was not to assess the accuracy of the natural gamma measurements. but rather to determine the effectiveness of the sensor output as a guide for the operator in maintaining control of the cutting horizon. Thus a smaller, hand-held gamma detector

Jan 1, 1992

By Chas. F. Jackson

INTRODUCTION This paper is one of a series dealing with mining methods and costs, prepared and published under the sponsorship of the US Bureau of Mines (USBM) and made possible through the cooperation of many mining companies in the US and foreign countries. The data presented have been obtained from papers previously published by the Bureau dealing with indi¬vidual mines, from the technical press, and from infor¬mation furnished by the mining companies. DEFINITIONS Top Slicing The term top slicing is commonly applied to that method of mining in which the ore is extracted by a series of timbered slices, beginning at the capping; the slice is caved, bringing down the capping to the floor of the slice; the succeeding lower slices are mined up to the overlying mat or gob, consisting of an accumulation of timber from the upper slices and broken capping, which follows the mining progressively downward (Fig. 1). The term has also come to be applied to the mining of ore bodies only one slice thick, by a series of tim¬bered slices one beside the other. The timbers are blasted out, bringing the capping down to the floor, suc¬ceeding slices being driven alongside those already caved (Fig. 2). In USBM classifications of mining methods, top slic¬ing has been placed under the heading caved stopes. The method differs fundamentally, however, from the cav¬ing methods of mining in which the breaking of the ore itself is accomplished by caving action induced by undercutting. In top slicing the ore is broken by the ordinary methods of drilling and blasting, and only the capping is broken up by caving. Main Levels or Haulage Levels Main or haulage levels are the main extraction levels on which the ore is hauled to the shaft. These levels and the shaft constitute the preliminary development of the mine.

Jan 1, 1982

By Bo Hyun Kim, Mark K. Larson

This study was developed as part of an effort by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to better understand rock-mass behavior in longwall coal mines in highly stressed, bump-prone ground. The floor-heave and nofloor- heave phenomena at a western US coal mine could not be properly simulated in numerical models using conventional shear-dominant failure criteria (i.e., Mohr–Coulomb or Hoek–Brown failure criterion). The previous numerical study demonstrated these phenomena using a user-defined model of the s-shaped brittle failure criterion in conjunction with a spalling process in the FLAC3D numerical modeling software. The results of the FLAC3D modeling agreed with the observations of the relative amounts of heave from each gate-road system. However, the FLAC3D model adopted many assumptions and simplifications that were not very realistic from a physical or mechanical perspective. To overcome the limitations of the FLAC3D model, 3DEC modeling in conjunction with the discrete fracture network (DFN) technique was performed to better understand the true behavior of floor heave associated with underground mining in an anisotropic stress field. The effect of stress rotation in the mining-induced stress field was considered by using a different geometry of rock fractures in the coal seam. The heterogeneity of the engineering properties (i.e., cohesion and tensile strength) were also considered by using Monte Carlo simulations. Consequently, the 3DEC models using the DFN technique resulted in predictions of floor heave that agreed with observations of the relative amounts of heave from each gate-road system, but the cause of heave was mainly related to the degree of anisotropy instead of the size of the pillar.

Apr 14, 2022

By G. Bhaskar Raju, S. Prabhakar

The amenability of column flotation for the beneficiation of fluorspar was investigated, and the overall performance of the column, flotation was compared to the performance of the existing conventional flotation cells at the plant. It was estab¬lished that improved grades and recoveries could be obtained by adopting column technology. Acidspar concentrates as¬saying 97% CaF2, suitable for HF manufacturing, can be produced by adopting two-stage column cleaning in place of multistage cleaning by conventional cells. Similarly, metspar concentrates assaying 90% CaF2, suitable for metallurgical applications, can be achieved in a single-stage cleaning by column flotation. This is an improvement over what is now being achieved using the existing conventional rougher and three-stage cleaning cells in the plant. The number of stages, i.e.,four in the acidspar circuit and four in the metspar circuit, including rougher stages, can be eliminated by adopting a three-column configuration. Thus, the cost of production, the complexity of the circuit and the power consumption can be effectively reduced with other attendant benefits.

Jan 1, 2000

What is the preferred electrolytic cell design and why? Hall: Considerable research remains to be done on electrolytic cell design. Studies are presently being conducted to determine optimum voltage and amperage. Zadra cells, which were used in some of the first carbon plants, are efficient when properly installed. Gold and silver are deposited on large-capacity, cylindrical steel wool cathodes. At times high value sludge falls from the cathode to the bottom of the cell. Rectangular cells, which were developed at some smaller operations in Nevada, require less floor space and have some desirable features in that cathodes can be moved and sludge can be removed from cell bottoms without actually shutting down the circuit. In South Africa two types of cells using graphite and diaphragm configurations are being tested. Duncan: The rectangular cell has one problem it's easy for shortcircuiting to occur. If you don't have a good seal on the side of the tank and on the bottom, the solution is going to want to flow around the bottom and sides of the cathodes and you're going to get poor performance in the cell. That is the advantage the Zadra cell has over the rectangular cell. With good sealing, which is a must, you should be able to get a ratio of the value of the solution going in to the value of the solution coming out of 10 to 1. Ken, can you tell me what you're attaining on the Zadra? Hall: At the Homestake gold operation in Lead, the cathode in the No. 1 electrowinning cell is loaded to about 600 ounces when it is moved to the refinery. At this time the No. 2 cathode is moved to the No. 1 cell. The No. 3 cathode is moved to the No. 2 cell and a cathode with new steel wool is placed in the No. 3 cell. In rectangular cells this sometimes is not possible because the loading on the cathode in the last cell may be as high as that in the No. 1 cell. As Don has pointed out this can probably be prevented by good seal design between cathodes. Potter: At the risk of sounding as though I'm straddling the fence, I really believe that either the round cell, as developed by Jack Zadra, or the rectangular cell will do an acceptable job. The Zadra is a fine unit. Leaks are not unknown but there are not very many. However, the rectangular cell is very saving of floor space. Plastics have been greatly improved during the past year or two and there is a very efficient design for the rectangular cell. It would have six cathodes in it and contain about 25 ft of steel wool. The body of this rectangular cell would be reinforced fiberglass plastic but with an integral lining of a high temperature plastic. I think either cell is so efficient and reliable that I would almost be tempted to flip a coin depending on floor space requirements. Either cell can be used to pull a loaded cathode and to advance the lesser loaded cathodes. Don, what is the configuration of your cell? Duncan: The Pinson rectangular cell has dimensions 2 ft wide, 30 in deep, and 10 ft long-long enough to take a dozen cathodes and anodes. We are currently using six of each but are not up to full capacity as yet. It's a steel tank coated with rubber. We have copper bus bars, which brings to mind that the last cathode in the tank, in one instance, was loaded heavier than the first one. That was probably a function of poor contact between cathodes and the bus bar. You can have erosion of the bus bar and if you don't get current flowing into the anode and out of the cathode, the cells will not function properly. Kappes: Just a few comments on cell design. In an alcohol stripping circuit we are running in Beatty„ NV, we are using PVC pipes for all circuitry piping and a commercial polypropylene electrolytic cell. They seem to be working quite nicely. The cell itself has eight cathodes measuring 18 in2. At six gallons per minute flow into the cell, at an average gold content of about 500 ppm, we seem to get good loading on the first three to four cathodes and not much on the end cathodes. At 12 gallons a minute flow we seem to be seeing gold uniformly along all eight cathodes. We are running at quite a high amperage level, about 400 amps into that cell. Gene McClelland, US Bureau of Mines, Reno Research Center (from the floor): I was associated with a company where the packing density of their steel wool cathodes was much too high and created some short-circuiting problems in their electrowinning circuit. I would like to ask the panel if they can recommend a packing density for cathodes in pounds of steel wool per cubic foot. Hall: The weight of steel wool put on one of our cathodes is 10 lb and the dimensions of the cathode are such that density would be about 0.75 lb/ft3. Duncan: I made a rough calculation and I'm estimating about 2 lb/ft3. Potter: In checking over a number of electrowinning operations, I found apparently very satisfactory operation within the limits that have been mentioned. I have come to a figure of about 0.5-1.0 lb of medium grade steel wool per cubic foot packed as uniformly as possible, of course. One consideration in packing is the fact that there should be good contact between the steel wool and the conductor. Operators tend to compact the steel wool more than would be desirable just to try to maintain good contact.

Jan 10, 1981