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By T. Güyagüler, A. Güngör

Labour protection, that is prevention of occupational disease and reduction in the frequency of accident, has always been a matter of major concern of mining industry. Management and the government should promote and maintain high safety standards through some measures to reduce accident frequency and occupational disease. This can be achieved by using the science and technology for improving the working conditions, educating workers and managers about accidents and prevention techniques. The detailed analysis of an accident requires knowledge of many factors such as location, time, type, cost of accident, victim, nature of the injury, personal and environmental factors etc. that can be obtained from the standard coded accident report form. There is a need to prepare safety data in a common format to produce a common safety reporting system and ‘Occupational Health and Safety Management Tool’ is being designed to manage this by using database and Internet technology. Precautions should be taken according to results from database queries by providing comprehensive and accurate national data. To have an accident is unfortunate, however, to have an accident and learn nothing from it is unforgivable. Keywords: Occupational health and safety, Accident report form, Accident database, Occupational diseases and accidents, Safety reporting system.

Jan 1, 2003

The last 40 years has seen a dramatic reduction in the prevalence of pneumoconiosis through improved mining engineering associated with continuing medical surveillance of those at risk. Presently the dust particle count standard is being correlated with gravimetric dust standards. Chronic Bronchitis and Emphysema are also coal mining related diseases. Methane is the commonest of a number of coal mine gases. Oxygen deficiency symptoms may result from high gas content of mine air. The explosive nature of methane-air mixtures is well known. Mine gases will always present a potential threat to safety.

Jan 1, 1983

The patterns of occupational health pro- grammes in mining and metallurgy are discussed in relation to the impact of chemical and phy- sical hazards on the health of workers in these fields. Mining and metallurgy are quite unique in that their history and practice embrace virtually the total spectrum of occupational health problems and hazards as understood today. A panoramic concept of the possibilities would comprise the following fields: 1. The Pneumoconioses or Dust Diseases. 2. Physical stress due to exertion, and exposure to heat and humidity in deep mines. 3. The toxic effects of various metals in the mining of ore. The most obvious are lead, mercury, arsenic and manganese. 4. Diseases associated with mining. These include leptospirosis, ankylostomiasis and mycotic infections of the skin. 5. The Beat Diseases of coal miners working in narrow seams. 6. Illumination problems and miners nystagmus. 7. Geographical and climatic problems

Jan 1, 1975

By John F. Martonik

When OSHA came into existence in 1970, it adopted national consensus standards to improve safety and health conditions in work places. Coke oven emissions, which are proven to cause cancer and respiratory diseases, were regulated by the coal tar pitch volatile standard, adopted from the 1969 edition of the Threshold Limit Values for Airborne Contaminants by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. The coal tar pitch standard, based upon the benzene soluble fraction of total particulates, limits the personal exposure to 200 micrograms of the benzene soluble fractions of total particulate per cubic meter of air. This standard can be classified as a performance standard because only general limits are set which allows the employer to choose for themselves the means to comply. Both the United Steelworkers of America and the American Iron and Steel Institute petitioned the Secretary of Labor to write a new standard for coke oven missions, each thinking the coal tar pitch standard unsatisfactory.

Jan 1, 1980

By Nicholas T. Camicia

Coal is one of our oldest known commodities. Historic evidence indicates that this fossil-formed fuel was used in China and in Wales some 3000 to 4000 pears ago. Coal was discovered in North America in 1679 by French explorers in northern Illinois, and in 1700 a colony of Huguenots came across bituminous coal in Virginia. One might think by this long history of a single commodity that the string was about played out. Quite the contrary, coal is in greater demand than ever before and coal mining today is a modern industry. It is in an unprecedented growth period as the nation-and the world-demands more and more energy coincident with dwindling reserves of other fossil fuels. By the year 2000 the demand for coal is expected to at least double the current level of some 600 million tons annually despite the advent of nuclear power. To meet this challenge, the coal industry is vitally in need of an increasing supply of technically trained and progressive manpower. And, coupled with a serious shortage of engineers and technicians, it represents a rich vein of occupation opportunities-all the way up to top career levels. Today, coal mining is a complex, highly specialized industry concerned with more than just getting coal from the earth and putting it into the furnaces of the consumer. The industry is concerned with the environment, with maintaining a viable ecology. Recognizing the ramifications of global economics, the industry is very much aware of its important position in contributing to a constantly rising standard of living throughout the world. The key to rewarding employment in the coal industry is skill-skill that has been developed by education, training, and experience. None of these alone is enough; all three are necessary today to produce the skill needed to meet the employment requirements of the coal industry. Routine manual labor will no longer do the job in coal mining. In the United States coal mining has been mechanized to a degree unsurpassed anywhere else in the world, and the coal worker must be thoroughly

Jan 1, 1973

By P. Pages, J. Lombard, F. Fagnant, G. Bresson

This study is devoted to the improvement of the decision-making process in occupational protection of uranium miners in France. Its purpose is to apply the principles which are recommended by the I.C.R.P. in the field of radiation hazards. These principles, which have introduced the notion of "optimization" in standard setting, suggest the importance of applying cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analysis to this sector. The objectives here are twofold : to evaluate the present organization of radiation protection on the basis of a simulation model of polluted air flow in the mine (due to the decay of a radioactive gas, radon) and to develop cost-effectiveness analysis of the various radiation protection policies.

Jan 1, 1981

By J G Bastias

It is sometimes necessary to resort to extremes in order to call attention to something that is pertinent to safety in mining. When some of the experts in occupational safety talk about this topic, they usually refer to a 'regulation' established by the Romans which stated that, due to the health hazards, usually death, no Romans but only slaves should work in mining. Since the time of the Roman Empire, a lot of ground has been covered in the field of mine safety. Nowadays, it can be said that occupational safety is being seriously addressed, with the result that the number of mining accidents has reduced dramatically, fatalities in this industry are less frequent, and the rate of accidents compared with other activities, such as construction or fanning, is low. This achievement has been possible initially through government legislation and by procedures established by the mining companies themselves. However, the dilemma for government is whether to regulate and if so, how much. It is pleasing to observe that most companies are establishing working procedures which conform with new government legislation, placing strong emphasis on the duty of care for mine employees. There will always be some regulatory aspects of legislation, and perhaps the best example of this is in the use of mine hoists where there are no international or Australian standards, and the regulations applied are of an empirical nature that err on the side of safety.

Jan 1, 1994

By Mary Ann Bennett, Val Nichols, Colleen Proctor

"In 1997 when Royal Oak Mines Inc. went into receivership, the mineral processing technicians (mill operators) who had been working at Giant Mine in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories for most of their career walked out with no credentials to serve as testimony of their knowledge and skills.As a result of new diamond mining activity and the establishment of socio-economic agreements, mining industry representatives approached the Department of Education, Culture and Employment (ECE), Government of the Northwest Territories, in 1999. They requested support and direction to promote training and recognition for mineral processing technicians at BHP’s (BHP Diamonds Inc.) Ekati mine. ECE recommended the development of occupational standards and certification.This paper describes the development process and end products that resulted from this collaborative project between industry, government and education. In addition, industry representatives involved in the project share their views on the development process and the benefits of standards and certification.The conclusion invites industry members to support national occupational standards and certification with their associated benefits: standardized training in the workplace and institutions, proof of competence for hiring, recognition of prior learning, and a nationally and internationally recognized credential.INTRODUCTIONSwiftly changing labour market demands are nothing new in the North. The fur trade and mineral discoveries have brought employment to workers in a feast and famine cycle for decades. In the late 1990s, the Giant, Con, Lupin, Polaris and Nanasivik mines were nearing the end of productive runs. Many experienced workers found that without credentials, they had no proof of their abilities to offer prospective employers."

Jan 1, 2005

By T. R. Eger

Miners can be exposed to whole-body vibration (WBV), when sitting or standing to operate mobile equipment. In order to prevent vibration-induced injury it is important to understand how miners can be exposed to vibration, the health risks associated with vibration exposure, methods to evaluate vibration exposure, and strategies to reduce vibration exposure. WBV exposure typically occurs when operating mobile equipment, such as a load-haul-dump vehicle, haulage truck, or dozer. The probability of health effects such as low back pain, neck pain, headaches, and gastrointestinal track problems occurring from daily vibration exposure can be determined based on criterion values published in ISO 2631-1 and EU Directive 2002/44/EC. A special case of WBV termed foot-transmitted vibration (FTV) occurs when a miner is exposed to vibration that travels through the feet. FTV typically occurs when standing on vibrating surfaces associated with the operation of locomotives, jumbo drills, bolters, or raise platforms; however, there is no set standard to evaluate health effects associated with FTV. Recent medical evidence confirms workers exposed to FTV can develop cold induced blanching of the toes, in addition to numbness and tingling in the feet and toes. In order to reduce the risk of adverse health effects from exposure to vibration, the hierarchy of controls (elimination; substitution; engineering; administration; and personal protective equipment) should be followed. Best practices should be used to minimize vibration exposure through equipment purchases (i.e. vehicles with lower vibration emissions and seats that attenuate vibration), reduced driving speeds, and improved road maintenance for example. The elimination of other risk factors, which increase injury risk when combined with WBV exposure, such as awkward working postures, should also be eliminated. Very little is known about FTV exposure therefore further research is required in order to develop exposure standards and identify prevention strategies.

Aug 1, 2013

By R. C. Corey

GERMANIUM is an element that has come into widespread use in the electronics industry in recent, years. So far this increasing demand has been, met by ample supply: however, the future balance is uncertain, and the need has been recognized to discover additional domestic sources of germanium. This investigation was conducted to study the possibility of obtaining a potential supply of germanium from coal or coal ash. It has been known for some time that coal contains germanium; the discovery that By ash from coal-fired boilers often contains appreciably more germanium than the original coal suggested the possibility that coal ash might be an abundant and economical source of this element. In this study the concentration of germanium was determined in numerous samples of coal and ash. A number of miscellaneous waste materials also were examined in the course of the investigation; the results are reported as a matter of general interest. The methods and equipment employed are discussed in detail. Sample-preparation and analytical techniques are described in the appendix. Spectrographic analyses were made on a total of 639 samples, including coal, coal ash, slap ash from lignite and peat, wood ash, and various inorganic materials. Qualitative analyses were run on all samples, and quantitative determinations were made on those samples that contained enough germanium to be measured by this method The lower limit at which germanium can be determined quantitatively by spectrographic analysis is 50 parts per million (p. p. m.), but concentrations of less than 20 p. p. m. can be detected qualitatively.

Jan 1, 1959

By Thomas L. Kesler

Essentially all of the barite produced in Georgia has come from the Cartersville district in the northwest part of the state. The earliest recorded shipment of ore, 60 tons, was made in 1894.1 With the exception of the four-year period 1931 to 1934, the separate yearly output has been recorded and published since 1915, whereas the total yearly output of the United States has been published since 1880. The separately recorded production of Georgia (Cartersville) through 1947 is 2,232,544 short tons valued at $14,900,746,2 but unpublished data on the period 1931 to 1934, plus the estimated unrecorded output prior to 1915, make the actual total about 2,400,000 short tons. This is about 21 pct of the total production of the United States, which, through 1947, is 11,328,440 short tons valued at $71,683,386.2

Jan 1, 1949

By Thomas L. Kesler

IF all of the 14 million tons of kaolin produced in Georgia through 1949 had been mined from a single deposit 20 ft thick, it would represent a mined-out area of less than 1 sq mile. This measure of depletion is in such strong contrast with the large size of the area shown in Fig. 1, from which most of the output has come, that there has developed an optimistic outlook concerning future supplies of kaolin equal in grade to that already mined. Dozens of mines are widely but not evenly distributed within this area, which consists mostly of parts of Twiggs, Wilkinson, and Washington counties. There are scarcely half a dozen kaolin mines elsewhere in the state that have been appreciably productive, although the areas in which they occur may have good possibilities. Most of the efforts to find new deposits, therefore, will be confined to the area shown in Fig. 1, for it is here that the industry has established its facilities, and prospecting is encouraged by relatively numerous outcrops and opened deposits of kaolin.

Jan 10, 1951

By M A. Wells

The various mechanisms by which phosphorus (P) occurs and is distributed within banded iron formations (BIF)-derived iron ore are examined. In unenriched, precursor BIF P occurs predominantly as discrete grains of primary apatite. In high-grade ores hosted mainly by the Brockman Iron Formation, P occurs in three main forms:1. as secondary apatite;2. other submicron, P-rich phases (eg Rare earth containing minerals (REE), vivianite, strengite,wavellite) present in pore networks; and3. as P occurring with iron oxides, in particular, goethite.However, the presence of secondary P-bearing phases does not contribute signifi cantly to the total P level in iron ore, and it is P associated mainly with goethite, which represents the most common occurrence of P in these ores.No direct evidence for the replacement of Fe by P within the structure of synthetic goethite has been demonstrated. Therefore, it is most likely that in iron ores P associates with goethite in occluded form as adsorbed PO4 3- species or as discrete P-bearing minerals, such as strengite, wavellite or vivianite, in ultra-fine, micro-pores or within intra-domain regions of multi-domainic goethite. Such occluded P is not easily extracted with commonly used lixiviants, such as weakly alkaline leachates. Recent development of a low temperature-alkalie/water leach extraction method has been successful in reducing not only the P content, but also amounts of Si and Al inthe initial ore. Refi nement of such a method to commercial application will have enormous benefit in realising the economic potential of large tonnages of high-P (ie >0.07 wt per cent P) bearing iron ore.

Jul 11, 2011

By Henrique Kahn, Daniel Uliana, Carina Ulsen, Guilherme Nery

"Gold has been a material in high demand since the dawn of humanity. After hundreds of years of exploitation, the increasingly search for gold occurs in lower grade deposits with greater extraction difficulty. Therefore, for maximum efficiency, deep knowledge of the characteristics of these minerals and their associations is crucial, which is acquired through an accurate and rigorous routine of process mineralogy and batch extraction tests. The industrial gold process extraction occurs by gravity concentration, sulphides flotation and cyanidation. For gravity concentration, it is fundamental to establish the proportion of free or coarse gold grains and its association to heavy minerals; regarding flotation, the most relevant data are the proportion of gold associated to sulphides and their liberation by the surface area; for cyanidation, it is crucial to evaluate gold accessibility and the kinetics of leaching. Thus, the characterization of gold associations and liberation is vital to establish the plant design, to optimize operating plants and to reduce gold losses. Our aim is the characterization of gold occurrence in low-grade Brazilian deposits with complex mineralogical assemblages to support processing flowchart definition and to predict metallurgical recoveries. Gold distribution in light and heavy minerals was evaluated by heavy liquid separation and the occurrence of gold in free or locked particles was carried out on heavy products by SEM-based automated image analysis using the MLA system. All the products of heavy liquid separation were cyanidated in head samples with different milling conditions to evaluate the reaction kinetics and maximum recovery."

Jan 1, 2014

By Dennis P. Bryan

Natural lightweight aggregate may be defined as inherently low density natural mineral materials. In most all instances they are relatively young volcanic rocks which, because of their geologic environment, are limited to the Western U.S. These Tertiary and Quaternary volcanics are low-density glass and vesicular material including, but not limited to, pumice and volcanic cinder. The distribution is widespread throughout the West with the principal producers being New Mexico, California, Oregon, Idaho and Arizona. The primary user is the construction industry where weight reduction equates to cost savings. Principal products in which natural lightweight aggregate is utilized because of its lower density include lightweight portland cement concrete and lightweight concrete masonry units. In addition, due to location, some natural lightweights compete with normal weight constructions aggregates for uses such as road base and common backfill material.

Jan 1, 1989

By Wei Yingchun

Based on the deep burial depth of coal deposits in Huainan-Huaibei coalfields, Anhui Province, China, this paper puts forward the concept of partitioning of coal deposits according to occurrence conditions. This process is controlled by tectonic forces. The classification scheme of coal deposits exploration types is presented according to occurrence and mining conditions of coal deposits as viewed from the perspective of deep coal exploration properties. The principles underlying geological exploration services for the resources development are incorporated. There are six exploration types of coal deposits in the Huainan and Huaibei coalfields. Exploration models tailored to different types of exploration have been established and exploration strategies corresponding to different exploration models have been proposed. Steady-state temperature must be measured for the deep heat-harm type of coal deposit. The sealing coring of mine gas samples should be performed for the high mine gas type of coal deposit. For coal deposits with complex structures, such as those located beneath nappes, coal-controlling structural styles must be performed. Existing data on shallow districts are very important to the research of folds and fault-block types of coal deposits beneath and peripheral to old and existing coal mine areas. For the types of fault-block coal deposits hidden by thick Cenozoic cover, particular attention must be paid to comprehensive use of research on regional coal occurrence law and geophysical methods. The present work promotes the exploration level of coal deposits in Huainan-Huaibei coalfields to best meet the need for sustainable development of the coal industry.

Aug 1, 2013

By YONGQIONG YANG, Ning Wang, CHONGGUANG LUO, LI ZHU, Hanjie Wen, SHENGJIANG DU, Hannian Gu

Niobium in kaolin clay from the Late Permian sequences was reported in the range of several hundreds of micrograms per gram and was considered as a potential resource for its high concentrations and large areal distribution. Ti-bearing minerals associated with kaolin clay were identified as the main host phase for niobium in some case studies. However, the correlation between the concentration of niobium and titanium is poor, and the types of Ti-bearing minerals and modes of occurrence of niobium are not clear. Typical kaolin clay samples from the Late Permian sequences from southwest China were characterized, and the final products derived from kaolin clay sample were investigated using XRF, ICP-MS, XRD, SEM, and TEM (EDS). The results reveal that there were three types of TiO2 mineral phases in the clay samples: (a) massive TiO2 minerals and (b) aggregates of nano TiO2 minerals did not contain niobium while (c) granular TiO2 minerals were the source of niobium from the EDS analysis. The granular TiO2 minerals included anatase and rutile, both of which were the sources of niobium in kaolin clay in the current study. The findings are of great theoretical implication for source and origin study of Ti-bearing minerals and guidance for separation and recovery of niobium from kaolin clay.

Nov 30, 2020

By J. Smuts

The mixed-valence iron silicate ISCORITE (Fe7Si010) was identified recently in a number of ironmakingmater1als, some of which were first produced more than a century ago. Although the existence of iscorite was not reported before 1967 and published phase diagrams do not make provision for it, the morphology of the phase in all the materials that were examined suggests that it is stable under a variety of conditions. It is shown that is-corite can accommodate various foreign cations in its lattice where they can replace Fe and/or Si. The morphology of is-corite in a number of materials of different origin is shown in relation to iron oxides and silicates in optical and SEM/BSE images.

Jan 1, 1991

By Arthur C. Spencer

(Glen Summit Meeting, June, 1911.) THREE great deposits of iron-ore, in Camaguey and Oriente Provinces, Cuba, are well known to me through careful field-examinations executed in the years 1901 and 1907. In 1901 I visited the Cubitas iron-ore district, which lies about 12 miles distant from the city of Camaguey in a northerly direction, and the Mayari district, which includes the Sierra Nipe, lying opposite Nipe bay on the north side of Oriente Province. In 1907 I again visited the Cubitas district, and also made a sojourn of several days in the Moa district, where the extensive deposits of iron-ore were observed and studied. The observations of 1901 were made under the auspices of the then Military Governor of Cuba; Gen. Leonard Wood, and my conclusions concerning the value of these deposits were incorporated in a report.1 The examination of certain denouncements of iron-ore in the Moa district in 1907 was made in behalf of iron-masters operating in the United States, to whom I reported the existence of large amounts of easily-workable limonitic iron-ore, properly designated " brown iron-ore " in the terminology now current among iron-ore producers in the United States. In 1908 I published a paper entitled Three Deposits of Iron Ore in Cuba, outlining the occurrence and origin of the surficial ores existing in the Cubitas, Mayari, and Moa districts.2 . 1 A Geological Reconnoissance of Cuba, by C. Willard Hayes, T. Wayland Vaughan and Arthur C. Spencer, printed as a part of the report of the Military Governor of Cuba for the year 1901, vol. i. 2 Bulletin No. 390, U. S. Geological Survey, pp. 318 to 329 (1908).

Mar 1, 1911

By Stephen C. Tadolini, Anthony T. Iannacchione

"Coal burst represented a major hazard for some U.S. mining operations. This paper provides an historical review of the coal burst hazards, identifies the fundamental geological factors associated with these events, and discusses mechanisms that can be used to avoid their occurrences. Coal burst are not common in most underground mines. Their occurrence almost always has such dramatic consequences to a mining operation that changes in practice are required. Fundamental factors influencing coal burst events include strong strata, abnormal strata caving, elevated stresses, critical size pillars and the lack of sufficiently sized barrier pillars during extraction. These factors interact to produce excessive stress, seismic shock and loss of confinement mechanisms. Over the 90 years of dealing with these hazards, many novel prevention controls have been developed including novel mine designs and extraction sequences, most of which are site specific in their application. Without an accurate assessment of the fundamental factors that influence coal burst and knowledge of their mechanisms of occurrence, control techniques may be misapplied and risk inadequately mitigated. INTRODUCTIONCoal burst1are violent failures of ribs, roof or floor in underground mines. They are known to occur in complex ways and often under unique sets of conditions. This has made them extremely difficult to anticipate and control. Assessing coal burst risk requires engineers, managers, and safety professionals to recognize the fundamental factors responsible for these events. This helps practitioners recognize the hazard potential and understand the context in which various controls and barriers should be used. Only then can coal burst events be anticipated andappropriate mitigation techniques deployed.Over the last 90 years, a few coal burst events have been anticipated but most have eluded prediction. The authors examined the historical record (Appendix A) and determined that an inadequate understanding of the initiating geologic factors and their associated mechanisms of occurrence have contributed to the poor predictive capability. The historic record also indicates that control techniques have typically been site specific in their application."

Jan 1, 2015