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By P Thompson, B W. Atkinson

Water treatment is not æcore businessÆ for mining companies.Just as mineral ores and coals are unique, each requiring detailed characterisation and pilot-testing to determine their optimum beneficiation route, so too are mine waters, each requiring careful assessment to determine the most appropriate treatment. There are many cases of æregret capitalÆ expenditure, whereby mines have installed off-the-shelf equipment only to find it inadequate for their purposes or grossly expensive and labour intensive to operate.Water may be required for potable purposes, ore processing, dust control and/or irrigation. A major driver will frequently be environmental constraints for off-site discharge. Mine water projects can become very complex, and detailed models need to be prepared and optimised to properly consider the raw water sources, the on-site storages, the on-site uses and the off-site discharges, as well as handling the residuals (by-products) of water treatment. By-products may be in the form of concentrated backwash streams or streams of elevated salt content. Careful management of the by-products is required to avoid recontamination of the source water.Regulators often drive mine owners toward reverse osmosis (RO) so that their discharges can be considered as æzero dischargeÆ in terms of potential pollutants. Such decisions need to be based on site-specific information rather than any form of æblanketÆ requirement. An analogy is that many humans like to consume mineral water rather than ænormalÆ tap water. Receiving environments also accommodate or even prefer their æmineralsÆ and so RO is neither warranted nor sustainable in many cases.This paper presents two case studies for operating mine sites, both of which have a significant excess of water requiring environmental discharge. The examples demonstrate a sensible balance between treatment type, environmental constraints, process implementation and residuals management. LIMN« æthe flow sheet processorÆ was used to model one of the case studies due to the complexity of the water system on that site.CITATION:Atkinson, B W and Thompson, P, 2013. Mine water - optimising for site and environment, in Proceedings Water in Mining 2013 , pp 9-14 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Nov 26, 2013

By Eivind B. Jensen

Introduction Though temporarily shutdown due to the depressed economy, the Henderson mine is a large underground molybdenite producer, using a continuous panel-caving mining system. The location of the ore body requires access from the surface through three shafts, the collars of which are located about 3.15 km (10,350 ft) above sea level. At this altitude, normal temperatures are such that heat must be added to intake-ventilation air for about half of each year. This prevents ice from building up in the intake shafts, waterlines from freezing underground, employee discomfort, and equipment-related problems such as pneumatic rock drill icing and cold starting of diesel engines. Because of topographic and environmental constraints, the Henderson mill and concentrator are located 24 km (15 miles) from the mine, on the west side of the Continental Divide. All ore from the mine is transported to the mill by an electrified rail haulage system, with 15.4 km (9.6 miles) of the trip being underground through a double-track tunnel. A shaft at the midpoint of the tunnel exhausts air drawn from the mine and from the portal that is at an elevation of 2.7 km (8,950 ft). Intake air at the portal must be heated for part of the year to prevent ice buildup. Mine Ventilation System The mine ventilation system uses three sources of fresh air and two exhausts. The primary freshair intake is No. 3 shaft. It is concrete lined to a diameter of 7 m (23 ft) for a total depth of 698 m (2,291 ft). An airflow of 755 m3/s (1.6 mil¬lion cfm) is supplied to this shaft by two vane-axial 932-kW (1,250-hp) fans on the surface. The air is distributed within the mine by means of fresh-air distribution levels connected to production and development levels by raises. A secondary source of fresh air to the mine is provided by No. 2 shaft, the primary man and material access. This shaft is concrete lined to a diameter of 8.5 m (28 ft) for a total depth of 946 m (3,105 ft). Downcast airflow is induced by a pressure differential produced by the fans in the system such that net intake and exhaust volumes are equal. The No. 2 shaft flow of 165 m3/s (350,000 cfm) enters the mine network from the production and haulage levels. Exhaust air is moved from the various working levels through connecting raises to exhaust col¬lection levels that return it to No. 1 shaft. No. 1 shaft is the primary mine exhaust. It is concrete lined to a diameter of 7 m (23 ft) for a total depth of 788 m (2,584 ft). Three vane-axial 932-kW (1,250-hp) exhaust fans are located at the collar of No. 1 shaft, producing a flow of 850 m3/s (1.8 million cfm). In addition, an airflow of 71 m3/s (150,000 cfm) from the intake distribution level is exhausted via the haulage tunnel, by means of No. 4 shaft located midway in the tunnel. The main features of the mine ventilation network are summarized in Fig. 1. Ventilation Air-Heat Plants No. 3 Shaft In the early design phase of No. 3 shaft, it was recognized that air heating would be required to maintain underground temperatures above 0°C (32°F) during cold winters in the Colorado mountains. When the air reaches the mining

Jan 1, 1983

By W. H. Schiffbauer

The protection of miners, equipment, and infrastructure is discussed. While the primary focus of the described technology is to prevent miners from being injured, struck-by, or crushed by heavy equipment; another major benefit realized is also the protection of equipment and infrastructure. An attempt is made to define and classify the systems used to provide proximity detection and warnings as well as collision detection and avoidance. Information about the speed of vehicles and human operator response time can be a factor in the choice of what type of system and what features are needed to properly address the needs. How the technology adjusts to compensate for various vehicle speeds, while maintaining the same level of protection is noted. The statistics which justify the need of miner protection are provided. The primary system components required, what attributes they feature, and how they respond in the environment, is briefly highlighted. The physics behind the danger zone marker technology and what makes it so robust and reliable is established. Examples of a few mining applications and specific operational modes are provided for both surface and underground.

Jan 1, 2011

By Eli T. Conner

(Wilkes-Barre Meeting, June, 1911.) My connection, under a commission from the Councils and Board of School Control of the city of Scranton, Pa., with a recent investigation of mine-caves and the resultant damages to surface-improvements, has led to the preparation, at the invitation of our Secretary, of the present paper. It is notorious that there are, in the anthracite-fields, frequent subsidences of the surface, due to the removal of the coal beneath. No particular attention is paid to such occurrences, unless they happen to injure surface-improvements. Many caves have happened in Scranton and its vicinity, which have excited but little remark, since they have generally caused no serious damage. In August, 1909, a cave occurred in the Hyde Park section of the city, generally known as the West Side, which nearly destroyed school-house No. 16 and considerable adjacent property. 'Fortunately, there were no pupils in the building at the time; but the thought of the possible result, bad the usual number of pupils and teachers been present, aroused the public to the gravity of the situation; and the School Board employed engineers to investigate the case. Two reports were made by separate sets of engineers, which differed in some particulars. These differences were pointed out in the public press and magnified, and the consequent agitation of the subject was taken tip and greatly exaggerated by some of the metropolitan newspapers, giving to uninformed people the very erroneous impression that the whole city of Scranton was in danger of sinking into the bowels of the earth. All this tended to affect the credit of the city and to depress real-estate values. The matter was considered at a joint meeting of the Board of Trade, the Councils, and the School Board. The Hon. J. Ben. Dimmick, a former Mayor, suggested that it

Sep 1, 1911

By A. N. Clay, N. N. Moeketsi, S. Joubert

For many years, mine-impacted water has been regarded as a problem and linked to long-term environmental liabilities. However, this water can be a renewable and a sustainable resource, provided that it is managed in a responsible and sensible manner. South Africa’s National Water Resource Strategy (NWRS, 2013) considers water that can be used to contribute to economic activity to be a water resource. Although all water resources are considered as belonging to the State, government does not appear to have meaningfully explored the use of mineimpacted water to contribute to the country’s economic activity. Africa is blessed with more sunshine than anywhere else, apart from Australia, yet we see no rollout of vast quantities of solar panels to ensure every African family has access to affordable power. This suggests that governments are incapable of managing such a free resource. At the same time, apart from the equatorial areas, water is a seriously constrained resource and yet we expect the same entities to manage a commodity none of us can live without. This paper explores the conversion of mine-impacted water from waste to a resource and how the inclusion of other stakeholders (such as water users, landowners, and ordinary South Africans) could benefit the process.

Jan 2, 2022

By H. H. Stoek

(Wilkes-Barre Meeting, June, 1911.) THE origin of the Mine-Rescue Service of the State of Illinois can be traced to two distinct sources, the work of the Rescue Station at Urbana and the Cherry disaster. During the early part of the year 1909, the Technologic Branch of the U. S. Geological Survey, now the Bureau of Mines, in connection with the Illinois Geological Survey and the College of Engineering of the University of Illinois, established at the University of Illinois, in Urbana, a branch rescue-station to supplement the work of the Pittsburg station of the Geological Survey. As a result of the work of training at the station in Urbana by R. Y. Williams, mining engineer, and James Webb, foreman of the Bureau of Mines, and the use of the helmets at several mine-accidents in the State of Illinois, . the people of the State were somewhat familiar with oxygen-helmets when the Cherry disaster occurred, in November, 1910. The oxygen-helmets were successfully used in connection with that disaster, and upon the recommendation of the Illinois Mining Investigation Commission, the Legislature of the State, assembled in special session during the winter of 1910, passed a bill appropriating $75,000 for the erection and maintenance of three rescue-stations, stipulating that they should be located in the northern, central, and southern parts of the State. The Act also provided that the stations should be in charge of a Commission of seven, two representing the United Mine Workers of Illinois, two the mine-operators, one the Federal Bureau of Mines, one the State mine-inspectors, and one the Department of Mining Engineering of the University of Illinois. This Commission was called together by the Governor of the State, Aug. 2, 1910, and since that time three stations have been located, built, and equipped: at La Salle for the northern

Dec 1, 1911

By T. W. Martin

The use of conveyors in large, open pit mines and their drawbacks are discussed. Technological developments such as long distance conveyors capable of handling large rocks are explored. The development and testing by the Bureau of Mines of a prototype crib and cable conveyor for handling large rocks are discussed, and possible modifications of the concept for a production model are examined.

Jan 1, 1984

By A. Almeida, D. Castro, K. Ingmarsson, D. Ferreira, R. Tamir

Mine-to-mill improvements can be initiated at any stage, but it is our assertion that drilling accuracy is a practical anchor in any operating mine or quarry for a structured continuous improvement process. This paper will: 1. Define deviations from plan and provide some best practices for maintaining drilling accuracy. 2. Introduce tools and methods to monitor and calculate consequences of accurate versus inaccurate drilling. 3. Demonstrate the use of these tools and methods and their impact on one cost item, the mitigation of oversized material by a hydraulic hammer. 4. Provide recommendations for implementing improvements.

Feb 1, 2023

By M. Scobie, G. R. Baiden

"This paper describes recent developments at Inco Limited, Ontario Division, in the field of information systems for automated mining. A CA TV cable network has been combined with a broad spectrum radio antenna system to allow the supply of voice, data and video services to underground mining. The system formed the basis of a field experiment at the Copper Cliff North Mine of the Ontario Division in 1990.The experimental information system was developed to supply underground mining with voice, data and video services to mobile and stationary locations. In order to test the communication system, telephones and radios were linked together with the outside phone lines for voice communication. Stationary data was implemented on a SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system for mine monitoring and control using PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers), while using personal workstations for the mine planning and engineering functions. Stationary video was installed in the experiment to observe crushing, conveyor transfer points and skip dumping areas. Mobile data and video were tested by the teleoperation of an LHD. The functions supplied to the vehicle were monitored through a computer, with control being maintained through a standard radio interface and real time video pictures for the operation of the machine.This paper discusses the field testing of the information system and results achieved to date. It concludes by discussing the options considered to be open to provide information systems for future automated mining."

Jan 1, 1992

By L. J. Blatnica

Throughout the 1980's the tem Mine-Wide Monitoring System has had various meanings for manufacturers of these systems and underground mine operators alike. System suppliers had visions of grandeur in the early 80's as they envisioned each mine, that has more than a single section, installing a computer based monitoring system to provide surveillance, control and documentation of the entire mining operation, including everything from a single heat detector to the weekly payroll. In a few cases this may have become reality but the truth is these systems have quietly become a steady but unspectacular workbase for the modern mining industry of the 1990's. As it exists today the total market for underground monitoring systems may not exceed $10 million annually. Suppliers have lowered their expectations of the dollar value of this particular market. Some were entering a new market because of experience with computer based data acquisition systems. Others had been active in the mining industry for years with more traditional equipment (communication systems, methane monitors, safety equipment, etc.) and decided to become involved with Mine-Wide Monitoring Systems.

Jan 1, 1990

By D. F. Malan

This paper describes the development and implementation of amine-wide continuous stability monitoring system at the Declines Section, Anglo Platinum Union JV. The Declines Section at Union JV experienced a number of large panel collapses during 2005 and 2006. As well as posing a major safety risk, the panel collapses had a major effect on production since the Declines Section is a semi-mechanized operation. The collapses would often extend into the mechanized strike roadways, resulting in a loss of access to both current and future production faces. The collapses have been largely overcome owing to a change in support design and the implementation of a mine-wide stability monitoring programme. This paper describes the precursors to collapses, which were identified using continuous closure measurements and the remedial measures taken. It also outlines the design and introduction of a robust and reliable monitoring tool, which is now used on a mine-wide basis to provide early warning of large-scale collapses.

Jan 1, 2010

By Thomas L. Vandergrift

The type and severity of coal mine entry failures are affected by the strength and stiffness properties of the roof, floor, end coal. Knowledge of the mine-wide trends of these properties Is valuable in developing effective ground control plans. Within the context of a larger effort to Improve entry stability In high horizontal stress fields, the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines, has evaluated three portable, on-site test devices to determine their suitability for identifying mine-wide physical property trends. The devices evaluated were the borehole shear tester, the Schmidt harmer, and the point load tester. Despite the lack of standardized data Interpretation procedures, each device provided useful on-site physical property data. The Schmidt homer was preferred for trend identification because of Its speed and simplicity. Schmidt hammer data were collected over a large area of an underground coal mine to compare calculated roof strength trends with a known geologic feature.

Jan 1, 1990

By Rebecca Mae Summer

Large scale surface mining has a major impact on land use. Without reclamation, abandoned mining sites are usually less productive than before mining. With increasing and completetive land use demands in the United States, it becomes increasingly evident that multiple land use should be considered for all areas that will be mined, with special emphasis on coal, sand, gravel, and stone. The mining of these commodities affects the largest land areas and the latter two are commonly mined near population centers where high land-use pressures justify serious consideration of multiple use. Typically, sequential use will mean restoration of the mined land or at least transformation of the land into a useable state. Determination of land reclamation capability is a viable approach to planning reclamation of surface mined land. The natural resource base--geology, soil, and water--controls the type and intensity of land-use practices which can be sustained following mining. Evaluating physical limitations can eliminate consideration of uses which would severely impair the environment or which are impractical. This approach provides for an environmentally and economically sound land use at very little cost. In addition, it can save or make money for the mining company and landowner. Sand and gravel is an especially significant resource because it is mined throughout the entire country and commonly extracted near cities. Increasing urban growth and industrial activity require increased supplies of sand and gravel. This translates into expanded surface mining and an increase of disrupted land. Oftentimes this land is within an urban area and has potential for real estate or water-based activities. Therefore, if reclamation is planned and carried out concurrently with mining, it is definitely feasible and

Jan 1, 1977

By Anthony Edey, Leigh A. Readdy, Bruce A. Kennedy

Introduction Very little attention normally is given by the experts, or the public at large, to the fact that the majority of the oil that has been or will be discovered within the U.S. remains in the ground. The inherent limitations of oil production through surface wells, either by primary or secondary techniques, will result in a total of over 300 billion bbl of oil left in the ground after completing production by standard petroleum techniques in currently producing or producible fields. This reserve represents some two-thirds of the original quantity of oil discovered in place. Recent work by a number of groups has shown that there is strong economic justification for extracting this remaining oil by mining and processing techniques. Table 1, taken from 1977 API reports, demonstrates the oil left in place at the end of the conventional petroleum production cycle in then-known fields within th’e U.S. Possible targets for oil mining operations include (1) oil remaining in place in fields and pools that have reached economic depletion by current petroleum production methods and that are not amenable to economic recovery by conventional petroleum industry techniques; (2) oilor bitumen-saturated rocks not normally considered by the industry to constitute producible reservoirs, such as shales and diatomites; and (3) asphalt- and bitumen-impregnated rocks. Economically Depleted Fields A more detailed examination of the depleted fields shows that estimates of oil remaining in place after primary, secondary, and nondestructive tertiary recovery can vary widely. There is significant evidence, however, that more than half the estimated original oil in place (OOIP) remains in the reservoir after all petroleum extraction techniques have been applied. If one compares the sum of past oil production and estimated remaining producible reserves with the API estimate of total discovered OOIP as of 1975, it becomes apparent that for the U.S. as a whole, 67070of the 00IP will remain in place at the end of the

Jan 1, 1980

By Anthony Edey, Leigh A. Readdy, Bruce A. Kennedy

Introduction Very little attention normally is given by the experts, or the public at large, to the fact that the majority of the oil that has been or will be discovered within the U.S. remains in the ground. The inherent limitations of oil production through surface wells, either by primary or secondary techniques, will result in a total of over 300 billion bbl of oil left in the ground after completing production by standard petroleum techniques in currently producing or producible fields. This reserve represents some two-thirds of the original quantity of oil discovered in place. Recent work by a number of groups has shown that there is strong economic justification for extracting this remaining oil by mining and processing techniques. Table 1, taken from 1977 API reports, demonstrates the oil left in place at the end of the con¬ventional petroleum production cycle in then-known fields within the U.S. Possible targets for oil mining operations include (1) oil remaining in place in fields and pools that have reached economic depletion by current petroleum production methods and that are not amenable to economic recovery by conventional petroleum industry techniques; (2) oil-or bitumen-saturated rocks not normally considered by the industry to constitute producible reservoirs, such as shales and diatomites; and (3) asphalt- and bitumen-impregnated rocks. Economically Depleted Fields A more detailed examination of the depleted fields shows that estimates of oil remaining in place after primary, secondary, and nondestructive tertiary recovery can vary widely. There is significant evidence, however, that more than half the estimated original oil in place (OOIP) remains in the reservoir after all petroleum extraction techniques have been applied. If one compares the sum of past oil production and estimated remaining producible reserves with the API estimate of total discovered OOIP as of 1975, it becomes apparent that for the U.S. as a whole, 67% of the OOIP will remain in place at the end of the

Jan 9, 1980

By S. M. Moore, J. F. Burr, R. Fernando, D. Snyder

"The Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act of 2006 (MINER Act Public Law 109-236) was passed by Congress in response to three major underground coal mine accidents in the United States that claimed the lives of 19 miners. The Act resulted in substantial changes in the underground coal industry relative to the use of technology for mine escape, rescue, disaster response and other areas where the lack of these technologies contributed to the fatalities caused by these tragedies. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the MINER Act, which makes it an opportune time to reflect on the events that led to its passage, the changes that have been made since then, and the work that remains to be done. As discussed below, the last decade has demonstrated tremendous cooperative efforts among mining operators, technology innovators, labor, The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) and state regulators, resulting in substantial improvement of the technologies used for escape and rescue and noteworthy progress toward meeting many of the goals of the MINER Act. While the MINER Act and this article pertain primarily to coal mining, many of the technologies are equally applicable to any underground mining and have already found some acceptance outside of coal. TECHNOLOGY GAPS TARGETED BY THE MINER ACT The MINER Act addressed several technology challenges: • Problems with donning and switching between self-contained self-rescuers (SCSRs). • Poor visibility in smoke. • No wayfinding assistance for escape from the mine. • Limited breathable air supply. • Inability to locate trapped miners. • Inability to communicate with trapped miners. • Failure of mine seals. The MINER Act had several provisions that prescribed specific safety technologies intended to address these issues. Many of these were directed at post-accident technology requirements — an area in which Congress mandated additional technology investment. Specifically, the Act required mine operators to submit emergency response plans (ERPs) that contained provisions for implementing new or improved post-accident communications, tracking, lifelines, refuge alternatives and breathable air supplies along with training for emergency procedures and local coordination of emergency response. Most of the requirements were to be carried out within three years of the ratification of the MINER Act. In addition to these requirements for mine operators, the Act clarified and expanded NIOSH’s role and authority in enhancing the development of new mine safety technologies and expediting their commercial availability. The MINER Act also required NIOSH to develop research on refuge chambers, mine seals and the use of belt air and fire-retardant belts. Mine seals had to be upgraded and MSHA turned to NIOSH for applied research to establish the new explosion-resistance requirements. Progress toward closing the gaps."

Jan 1, 2017

By Rohan Fernando, David P. Snyder, John F. Burr, Susan M. Moore

"The Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act of 2006 (MINER Act Public Law 109-236) was passed by Congress in response to three major underground coal mine accidents in the United States that claimed the lives of 19 miners. The Act resulted in substantial changes in the underground coal industry relative to the use of technology for mine escape, rescue, disaster response and other areas where the lack of these technologies contributed to the fatalities caused by these tragedies. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the MINER Act, which makes it an opportune time to reflect on the events that led to its passage, the changes that have been made since then, and the work that remains to be done.As discussed below, the last decade has demonstrated tremendous cooperative efforts among mining operators, technology innovators, labor, The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) and state regulators, resulting in substantial improvement of the technologies used for escape and rescue and noteworthy progress toward meeting many of the goals of the MINER Act. While the MINER Act and this article pertain primarily to coal mining, many of the technologies are equally applicable to any underground mining and have already found some acceptance outside of coal.Technology gaps targeted by the MINER ActThe MINER Act addressed several technology challenges:• Problems with donning and switching between self-contained, self-rescuers (SCSRs).• Poor visibility in smoke.• No wayfinding assistance for escape from the mine.• Limited breathable air supply.• Inability to locate trapped miners.• Inability to communicate with trapped miners.• Failure of mine seals."

Dec 1, 2016

By Coronel PT

Like companies in other sectors of industry, mining companies are experiencing significant problems with low labour productivity, high labour turnover, and accidents. Increasingly, companies are recognising that good training is a vital factor in dealing with these problems. One such company is Aberfoyle Tin Limited. Early in 1979 the company engaged P.A. Consulting Services Pty. Ltd. (P.A.) to upgrade and formalize its miner training procedures. P.A. developed a programme using their Process Analysis Method of Training (P.A.M.T.) and trained a company trainer in its use. As a result of its application and the establishment of a formal training school, the rate of production of trained miners has been greatly increased. Despite some problems caused by lack of resources at the mine, the trainees graduating under the new scheme have been shown to be of comparable standard to those produced by the previously used "on the job" training method.

Jan 1, 1980

By D. A. Baker, E. A. Gyawu, K. Awuah-Offei

Several underground coal mining disasters, such as Upper Big Branch in 2010, have revealed technological and organizational shortcomings related to self-escape. Efforts to address these gaps have primarily been top-down, that is, identified and implemented by upper management or external governing bodies. In contrast, this study employs a novel miner-centered approach to identify perceived technological boundaries to self-escape. Using a semi-structured, scenario-based survey, we elicit direct feedback from miners about current, emerging, and hypothetical technologies aimed at improving self-escape during mine emergencies. The results show a general high usefulness rating across all 21 technologies in the survey. Miners who work underground (both outby and working face miners) appear to give higher usefulness ratings overall than miners on the surface and other locations. This work will be directly applied to a series of proof of concept and prototype studies on self-contained self-rescuers (SCSRs), refuge alternatives (RA), and communication devises aimed at improving self-escape technologies through miner-centered research and design.

Mar 2, 2022

By Jimmy Guarnizo

El yacimiento de La Zanja ubicada en el caserío La Zanja, Santa Cruz de Succhabamba, Cajamarca, inició sus actividades de exploración en 1991 y las de producción en el 2010. MLZ construyó el embalse o reservorio llamado Bramadero, que acumula las aguas de escorrentía de la quebrada del mismo nombre durante el periodo de lluvias, las cuales son empleadas para el consumo humano en la unidad minera, y en menor escala durante la época de estiaje para los procesos de operación. En este sentido, el presente texto señala la construcción de la presa Bramadero, la cual genera agua para beneficio de las poblaciones ubicadas aguas abajo de las instalaciones. Asi también cuenta con un programa de monitoreo ambiental para vigilar la calidad y la cantidad de aguas superficiales y subterráneas. Por tal motivo, cuenta con estaciones hidrométricas para evaluar en tiempo real la calidad del agua en los cuerpos receptores del área de influencia de la unidad minera.

Sep 1, 2015