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By C. L. Glorioso

As an introduction and credentials for our talk, let me take a moment to introduce you to Wimpey Worldwide and specifically to Wimpey Minerals, USA, Inc.

Jan 1, 1995

By Arnold P. Szaj

There is no startling revelation to the fact that the mining industry as a whole is generally moving toward the use of larger equipment to process ores in quantities far greater than what was even considered a decade ago. Trucks and shovels have led the way in extra large machines and many other manufacturers have followed suit in the development of so-called "supers" in their line of equipment. In order to keep pace with the industry, crusher manufacturers have also enlarged the size of their equipment. There is now on the market, a Gyratory crusher capable of accepting a 72" diameter piece of ore. Primary jaw crushers have also increased in size. It is inevitable, therefore, that larger secondary cone crushers would also be required to complement the other equipment used to process these large quantities of ore. This super-size secondary cone crusher is the SYMONS 10 Ft. Cone Crusher. Until 1973, the largest cone crusher built was the 7 Ft. Extra Heavy Duty crusher, which is currently used in the majority of the mining operations throughout the world. The 10 Ft. crusher, when compared to the 7 Ft. Extra Heavy Duty Crusher, is approximately 1-1/2 times larger in physical dimensions; three times heavier; will accept a maximum feed size which is approximately twice as large; and will crush at approximately 2-1/4 times the rate of the 7 Ft. machine at identical closed side settings. It will be the largest cone crusher built in the world. At the present time, Rexnord's Nordberg Machinery Group has accepted an order for two 10 Ft. Standard cone crushers to be delivered to an iron ore mine in South Africa in early 1975.

Jan 1, 1973

By Alistair James, Mo Shahsavari, Leon Botham

Recent catastrophic failures of heap leach facilities have revealed fundamental weaknesses in prevailing design paradigms, modeling toolkits, and oversight practices that continue to treat heaps as static, free-draining earthworks despite compelling evidence to the contrary. The core proposition advanced in this paper is that heap materials are intrinsically dynamic: their structure, permeability, and shear strength evolve under the sustained influence of irrigation, climate, and geochemical reactions, and these timedependent changes can precipitate abrupt transitions from granular stability to flow-like failure. Drawing on investigations of recent failures at Çöpler Mine in Turkey and Eagle Gold Mine in the Yukon, alongside earlier incidents in Peru, Arizona, Nevada, and Chile, the analysis identifies a recurrent sequence driving catastrophic behavior: progressive weathering elevates fines and suppresses permeability; drainage systems designed for initial conditions become overwhelmed; pore pressures rise heterogeneously within the heap; and static liquefaction initiates rapid mass movement with long runout. Current guidance, including ICOLD and ANCOLD frameworks and ASTM testing standards, provides a necessary foundation but is tailored to tailings and conventional soil mechanics. These documents offer insufficient direction for characterizing timedependent material degradation, quantifying rheology of weathered ore, and modeling post-failure mobility. To address this deficit, the paper proposes an integrated framework combining enhanced characterization, multi-physics numerical modeling that couples hydro-geochemical processes with large-deformation mechanics, and comprehensive monitoring with Trigger Action Response Plans. The conclusion argues for a heap-specific standard that embeds these elements from concept to closure, aiming to materially improve safety performance and reduce the likelihood and consequences of future failures.

Feb 22, 2026

By N. K. Dumakor-Dupey, G. B. Sakyi-Addo, K. J. Bansah

"Artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) occurs in many countries around the world, and provides a source of livelihood to many impoverished local people in areas where it occurs. This paper reports the role of female participants and reasons why they engage in ASM. Field visits were made to 12 ASM sites located in the Tarkwa Mining District of Ghana to conduct interviews with male diggers and female participants. It was observed that over 100 women between the ages of 18 and 50 participate in ASM for survival. They engage in ASM largely because they have no alternative employable skills and income sources. These female participants depend on ASM to sustain the lives of their dependents. INTRODUCTION Artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) conventionally involves use of rudimentary tools (such as picks, shovels, chisels and hammers) to exploit precious minerals and metals from the ground. It has been a major source of livelihood to many impoverished local people for more than a century. In many instances, it is the only source of income to indigenous people who have no alternative employable skills. The World Bank estimated that more than 100 million people around the world benefit from ASM which largely occurs in developing countries in Asia, Africa, Oceania, and South and Central America (World Bank, 2013). Cobalt, which is used in lithium-ion batteries to power cellphones, laptop computers, and electric vehicles, is largely produced by artisanal miners in Congo (The Washington Post, 2016). In Sudan, ASM is a significant contributor to the national economy, accounting for about 85% of total gold extracted yearly from 2010 to 2015 (Ibrahim, 2015). Also, according to the Embassy of Sierra Leone in Washington DC, USA, 90% of mineral export in Sierra Leone can be attributed to thriving artisanal diamond mining in the country (Sierra Leone Embassy, 2016). In Ghana, the ASM sector was recognized by government as a multimillion industrial activity, and through a series of initiatives, it was legalized by promulgating the Small Scale Gold Mining Law of 1989 (PNDCL 218). Presently, artisanal mining is widely practiced in two forms: licensed (registered), sometimes referred to as formal ASM, and unregistered (informal or illegal) operations, popularly called “galamsey”, a name believed to have been derived from “gather and sell” by ancient miners who could not communicate in the English language with European/British miners. The ASM sector in Ghana, like other countries, has seen a rise in female participation over the years. A report by the International Labour Organization (ILO) indicated that women account for about 15% of total workforce in ASM in Ghana, and up to 50% in Africa (ILO, 1999). Other researchers have also estimated women participants in ASM to be between 30 and 70% in Africa (Hinton et al., 2003a; Hinton et al. 2003b; Hilson, 2002). Presently, there is no reliable data from Ghanaian authorities on number of females engaged in ASM. However, data obtained from 15 ASM sites suggest that at least 40% of the employees are women. It is expected that a similar trend exists across ASM operations in Ghana."

Jan 1, 2017

By Chunhui Zhang, Enton Bedini, Jiang Chen, Fengchao Yang, Hang Dong, Xiaoyan Chen

The alteration formed by the reaction of ore-bearing fluid and wall rock is often used as an important prospecting indicator, resulting in the dilution or enrichment of metals or related trace elements. A variety of rock-forming and metallogenic elements have been analyzed in regional stream sediments so that the relationship between the ore-bearing altered rock and the change in the geochemical elemental content can be obtained. Therefore, by using appropriate models, such as matched filtering, the abundance of the distribution of wall rock alteration, similar to the discovered deposits, can be modeled by using the distribution of geochemical elements in the region, and the areas with high distribution abundances are usually favorable prospecting targets. The alteration types related to gold mineralization in the Baiyun gold deposit are potassium feldspar alteration, silicification, pyritization, sericitization, and chloritization. In this paper, the geochemical data of the Qingchengzi ore field (1:200,000 and 1:50,000) have been used to form geochemical images through rasterization. In the three sections of the Baiyun gold deposit, binary-coded curves have been formed, revealing the differences in geochemical elements in stream sediments between altered rocks and the rocks surrounding the Baiyun gold mine. Among them, Au, W, and Mo are enriched elements, while Sn, Zn, and Hg are depleted elements. Several gold deposits are found in the predicted altered rock area by using the matched filtering method during fieldwork, which shows the effectiveness of the method.

Dec 30, 2023

By Zhibiao Guo, Jinglin You, Dongshan Yang, Yuanxin Zhao, Yuhui Li, Jingwei Gao

By utilizing collapsed gangue to create gob ribs, roof cutting and roadway maintenance (RCRM) technology enables coal pillar-free mining, presenting a novel approach. Due to their inherent structure, faults, which are common geological formations, can lead to various hazards, including fault sliding and significant deformation of roadways. In this study, a selfdesigned underground engineering simulation test device is utilized to imitate the cross-fault mining of the 11,101 working face in the Qipanjing Coal Mine (East). The objective is to examine the behavior of the surrounding rock and stress evolution. Generally, the experimental findings demonstrate that compared to the return air roadway, the RCRM roadway experiences a 3.3% decrease in maximum coal rib stress. This suggests that the implementation of this technique can effectively alleviate the stress on the surrounding rock of the roadway. The maximum coal rib stress, lateral pressure of the gob rib, and maximum deformation of the roof near the fault of the RCRM roadway are 11.3%, 25.6%, and 86.1% greater than those of the conventional geological conditions, respectively. The roadway deformation is negatively impacted by the fault structure. Based on experimental data and field measurements, a discrepancy in the maximum roof deformation between the test and field monitoring results under typical geological conditions is 8%. This indicates a favorable alignment between the test results and the real-life scenario. In conclusion, the proposed targeted control technique is implemented in the field by integrating the mining invariant equation and gangue volume expansion equation. This not only validates the effectiveness of the technology but also offers valuable insights for the future utilization of RCRM technology under comparable circumstances.

Feb 20, 2024

By M. N. Nabighian

Utilization of x-ray diffraction data for mineral identification has been well documented and accepted as an analytical tool in industrial and research organizations. However, the search for new methods to minimize errors affecting measured reflection intensities is being carried out by all concerned. Recent application of computer capability has greatly reduced the time required in handling data for mineral analysis and has increased the capability of accepting more data for greater precision. The purpose of this communication is (1) to describe the concept of cross-power in XRD analysis, and (2) to show that direct comparison analysis for multiphase systems has improved analytical accuracy when all available x-ray diffraction data are used in conjunction with high speed data processing by computer.

Jan 1, 1972

By A. Fuerst

This paper delivers insights into how high availability combines with high efficiency at the Yanacocha Plant, Newmont Mining Corporation, Peru. Advances in motor design and maintenance with integration of smart control support the approach plant maintenance staff is applying to deliver such excellent results for availability and efficiency in Yanacocha and elsewhere. Detailed efficiency and availability data for 2011 and 2012 in Yanacocha are provided. ABB and Yanacocha teams collaborate closely by combining their experience and continuous development of gearless mill drive procedures and maintenance knowledge to deliver the impressive performance being achieved. The secrets for high performance shared by the Yanacocha maintenance operations point to their systematic, practical adherence to modern asset management and maintenance concepts.

Feb 27, 2013

By M. Javier

Management is a major part of sustainability research. Many different aspects of sustainability have already received significant research attention, but the management processes in mining from the perspective of their impact on society are less understood and integrated as a holistic frame. It is evident that mining technology has received major blame in past ecological disasters and major mining-induced environmental hazards, but the management-mining process has escaped unscathed. This should not have happened. Instead, the management processes should share equal blame with obsolete technology for the failure to identify and monitor potential environmental hazards before their inception of mining. We will present an emergent style of management for the future of mining. It challenges the actual ?mind-set? of mining management. It describes balance and equilibrium: physical, chemical, and biological in nature as an understanding of nature?s language, which is Geomimic along side ?the bottom line?. The goal is to minimize loss instead of maximize profits (waste design) at the design stage of mining and to develop clean technologies (nature's values) to achieve non-social environmental impacts that provide a prosperous legacy to future generations.

Jan 1, 2010

By A. Mei, F. Amadini, F. Cernera, D. Baliani, A. Flor, M. La Morgia, F. Sassi

The risk of TBM jamming because of squeezing rock mass or excessive caving (instability of the cavity) conditions is always a focal point while boring long and deep tunnels with shielded TBMs. Mechanized excavation provides a large amount of real-time data, for each machine’s parameters. Several analyses have been executed to assess the correlations between different sets of TBM parameters for the exploratory tunnel. Instead of analyzing the full dataset, a different approach is proposed, with data processed sequentially to simulate the real excavation situation. The probability distributions are recalculated together with their statistical parameters while advancing. This approach is extended also to the training of a Machine Learning model able to foresee the behavior at future rings based on past rings (using a Recurrent Neural Network). The predictions show a promising first step toward creating practical tools that can assist contractors and designers to correlate and predict TBM excavation data. These tools will assist to predict and quantify high risk situations that could arise during excavation.

Jun 13, 2023

By J. A. Meech, C. A. Harris

Expert Systems are being used in the Mineral Industry with ever­increasing frequency. A major advantage of these systems over conventional computer programs is that the knowledge and intelligence of human experts can be captured directly onto a computer for transfer to novices or other lesser experts. These programs allow rapid construction of process models that are not well-understood in fundamental terms, but for which good operational reasoning exists. In addition, user-friendly access to "high-tech" knowledge can be provided to unsophisticated personnel who otherwise might be turned off by unintelligible jargon. As such, these systems can be important training tools for new operators. This paper describes the features of Expert Systems that relate to gold processing plants. Applications include grinding circuit control, supervisory control of reagent addition and pulp density, monitoring and control of CIP/CIL carbon inventories and the operation of carbon stripping and regeneration facilities. A consultative Expert System is described that provides advice on laboratory cyanidation testwork

Jan 1, 1992

By R. A. Allwes

In-plane bending and torsion tests were conducted on full-scale masonry walls to evaluate three post-reinforcement designs. The designs were developed to minimize longwall mine subsidence damage to existing residential masonry foundations. The bending tests show that vertical and horizontal post tensioned tendons significantly increase the resistance of a masonry wall' to in-plane bending. The torsion tests reveal that post tensioned tendons increase a masonry wall's limit of deformation but do not increase its torsional stiffness. The torsion tests also show that the masonry units minimally contribute to the torsional stiffness of a masonry wall.

Jan 1, 1995

By Vljay K. Chhipa

Artificial intelligence is" an emerging technology in the field of computer application. Expert system have been developed to imitate human intelligence and reasoning process. Expert systems have much scope of application in the decision making process in mineral exploration as such decisions are highly subjective and expert opinions are very helpful. This paper presents a small expert system to analyze reasoning process in exploring for uranium deposits in sandstone.

Jan 1, 1989

By Grażyna Dzik, Adam Mirek, Krzysztof Król

The Upper Silesian Coal Basin is located in the area of the Upper Silesian Syncline and belongs to one of the most complex tectonic units in Europe. It occupies 5,650 km2. In 2020, there were 20 hard coal mines operating in the area. Seismological research in this area consists of observation of precursors/symptoms of shock generation and understanding of their effects. Studies (Teisseyre R. 1972, Mutke G. & Stec K. 1997, Stec K. 2007, Dubiński J. & other 2010, Idziak A. 2010) of complex impacts of rock mass provided a background for determining the conditions for the formation of exploitation and regional seismic shocks. Issues related to tectonic and exploitation stresses, successive extraction of coal seams at higher depths, operation in the vicinity of fault zones, often complex geological and organic conditions result in the activation of a discontinuity surface due to stress caused by deformation of rock layers, which, as a result, causes the emergence of strong shocks above 107 J. The article was based on analyses of extraction value, high-energy shocks, both of mining and tectonic-mining (so-called regional shocks) origin, against the background of changing operating conditions, which, as a result, creates an image of periodically changing seismic activity and location of strong shocks. Observation results show that, with an increase in exploitation depth and declining extraction, the number of strong shocks caused by tectonic stress (107 - 109 J) and exploitation stress (≥105 J) has been steadily increasing over the last 25 years.

Apr 26, 2022

By Marc Carriere

Bright-orange couplings adorning piping systems are a common sight in just about every underground mine in North America. Grooved mechanical piping, the pipe-joining system that utilizes these couplings, is the preferred method for joining underground and plant piping systems in the mining industry, due to the ease and speed of installation and maintenance. However, the applications for such systems have traditionally excluded high-pressure systems. Most grooved mechanical couplings have a moderate working-pressure limitation, so high-pressure systems have required the use of alternative joining methods, typically heavy-duty flanges. However, the introduction of high-pressure couplings (up to 4,000 psi) has made the grooved joining method viable, and even preferable, for backfill, deep-mine chilled water and dewatering lines and other high-pressure piping applications. As engineers explore the use of high-pressure couplings, questions will undoubtedly arise about the joining method?s capabilities. This article will address the capabilities and specifications of high-pressure couplings, and compare flanged and grooved mechanical pipe joining in traditional as well as high-pressure underground mining applications.

Jan 1, 2011

By V. T. McLemore

"Production of industrial minerals remains important to the rural economy of New Mexico. In 2014, some 240 mines were registered in New Mexico, including 25 industrial mineral operations and 189 aggregate operations. New Mexico leads domestic production of potash, perlite, zeolite, and travertine. Other production includes aggregate, humate, pumice, gypsum, salt, common and fire clay, scoria, limestone, fly ash, cement, magnetite, silica, and decorative stone. New Mexico has potential for additional production of industrial minerals. One company is exploring for garnet. Cretaceous black sandstones in the San Juan Basin have drawn interest for titanium, rare earth elements (REE), and zircon. Other REE deposits are being explored. REE-Th-U veins are found in the Gallinas, Capitan, and Cornudas Mountains and Laughlin Peak-Chico Hills. Recent exploration has occurred for beryllium in the San Mateo Mountains, Iron Mountain, and Victorio districts. Companies also are examining High-Ca limestone and High-Mg dolomite for potential development. Aggregate continues to be important in urban areas and along highways. INTRODUCTION Industrial minerals and rocks are literally the building blocks of our way of life and they are an exceptionally diverse and vital group of raw materials that underpin almost all aspects of human activity, infrastructure, and standard of living. Industrial minerals and rocks are used in the manufacture of many products, from ceramics to plastics and refractories to paper. Although industrial minerals permeate every aspect of daily life, their presence and their role are typically invisible. A widely used definition of industrial minerals and rocks is “any rock, mineral, or other naturally occurring substance of economic value, exclusive of metal ores, mineral fuels, and gemstones: one of the non-metallics” (Bates, 1975). This definition includes the important construction materials sector as well as specialized industrial minerals, but complex interactions between consumer industries produce a number of apparent anomalies to this definition. Some metals are included as industrial minerals because their use is industrial rather than as a metal. Sulfur is now predominantly extracted as a by-product of cleaning natural gas, one of the world's major energy fuels. Production of industrial minerals has been and remains important to the rural economy of New Mexico. Industrial minerals constitute nearly 40% of the more than $2.8 billion generated by mineral production in New Mexico in 2013 (Table 1, see APPENDIX). In 2015, some 240 mines were registered in New Mexico. This total includes 25 industrial mineral operations and 189 aggregate operations. New Mexico leads domestic production in potash, perlite, zeolite, and travertine. Other industrial minerals production from New Mexico includes aggregate, humate, pumice, gypsum, salt, common and fire clay, scoria, limestone, fly ash, cement, magnetite, silica, and decorative stone. Additional production statistics are in Harben et al. (2008). Major industrial mineral districts are shown in Figure 1."

Jan 1, 2016

By J. J. Bean

The development drilling program of the Copper Cities mine indicated that the molybdenum content of the ore would be about 0.011% MoS2' The molybdenum content of the Miami mine at the same time was about 0.025% MOS2' The Miami mill had a very successful molybdenum operation which used bleeder turbine steam from the Miami power plant for the steaming operation. The much lower grade of the Copper Cities ore, the absence of a source of low cost steam and the use of sodium aerofloat as the copper collector which Miami experience indicated did not respono readily to the steaming technique made very doubtful the success of a similar operation at Copper Cities. However, the relatively few pounds of copper that could be recovered from the low grade Copper Cities heads made very desirable the recovery of the molybdenwa,as a source of additional revenue. Accordingly, shortly after the Copper Cities mill began operation, a research program was instituted to develop a suitable method of molybdenum recovery. This program explored first, the successful steaming process then in use at Miami and as expected, found it unable to decompose the sodium aerofloat copper collector. The known chemical depressants were then tried without much encouragement. Finally the copper concentrate was dried, not roasted, to 2-3% mOisture and this along with sodium ferro-cyanide and cyanide resulted in sufficient copper depression that a final molybdenum concentrate containing 1.0% CU could be made. The bench scale testing was followed by pilot plant testing. Sixteen

Jan 1, 1972

By J. E. Castle

The essential foundation upon which to build an effective marketing program in industrial minerals is the ability to produce competitively mineral products meeting precise customer specifications and to ship them promptly and on schedule. Without this prerequisite, all the other factors in a second marketing program-creative sales management, energetic solicitation, advertising, technical service, new products, etc.are without meaning. The primary image to be created in the mind of customers is that of the reliable and prompt supplier of mineral products at competitive prices and of standard, uniform quality. With this favorable image implanted, it becomes possible to integrate the other essential factors into a strong marketing program; and without this image, little can be accomplished. After having .made provision for the basic product ion position outlined, there are then two fundamental considerations in the design of a successful marketing program for industrial minerals. The first of these is that the number of potential customers for the typical industrial mineral product is, relatively small, and indeed compared to the number of customers for consumer products, the number is actually minute. The second consideration is that the customers for industrial minerals are manufacturers and producers rather than consumers. These two factors lead to a necessity that the marketing program be specifically and uniquely tailored to fit the individual mineral product to be sold and to conform to an existing pattern of distribution.

Jan 1, 1962

Obtaining financing for mining and exploration projects has been difficult for the last several years, particularly for junior companies. Today, though, the purse strings of investors appear to be loosening, leaving the industry with many questions about financing in the coming years. How have capital markets and exploration spending changed? Are there signs of improvement? Where has capital been raised in private, public markets, stock exchanges, private equity, etc.? What companies successfully raised capital in the last year? How are they spending it? How are traditional and alternative funding sources investing in mining? What are the issues mining companies need to know about when tapping alternative sources of capital? Those were some of the questions that were answered at the Current Trends in Mining Finance conference, sponsored by SME and the New York Section April 26-28. Held in New York City, the conference attracted 115 professionals who work on the finance and economic side of the mining industry. Three of the conference organizers talked with Mining Engineering about the conference and the state of financing in the industry today. Tim Alch (TA) is managing director with Behre Dolbear & Co. Alan Oshiki (AO) is executive vice president with the Abernathy MacGregor Group. Henry Weingarten (HW) is managing director with the Astrologers Fund Inc. Here is what they had to say.

By C. F. Johnson

Nearly all of the sulphur produced in the world today is converted to sulphuric acid and 49 % is used in the manufacture of fertilizers. In the last few years we have seen the beginning of another chapter in the volatile history of sulphur as the severe shortage of 1963:-67 has been transformed into present-day surplus. Prospects for further aggravation of this situation in the years ahead seem assured. In 1970, western world production showed a rate of increase of 4 -5%, which 1S somewhat less than that of 8% for the period 1963-1967. The rate of growth of consumption dropped considerably in 1968 when the demands of the fertilizer industry fell. During the same period of time, wide-spread demands have been set in motion for a clean environment which indicates that a fundamental change in sulphur supply, demand, and even sources, is likely to result from this upheaval. The sale of sulphur by Poland to the western world has increased and for 1970 was estimated at over one million metric tons. In the next few years, increase in Canadian sulphur supply will stern from two sources;

Jan 1, 1972