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By A. Singh, W. M. Fleming, J. J. Santana, A. E. Torma

The present study investigated the extraction of uranium from a low-grade ore by sulfuric acid and the removal of radium from the leach residues by brine solutions. The optimum leaching conditions were found to be 1.5 mole [£]-1 H2SO4, 6.Og[9]-1NaClO3, 75°C,50% pulp density and 750 rpm with respect to the rate of uranium extraction. The maximum theoretical attainable rate of uranium extraction was determined to be V = 1.09 x 10 -2 mole [¢]-1h-1 with respect to pulp density. The order of reaction was found to be zero regarding the effect of sodium chlorate concentrations. The apparent activation energy of uranium extraction was calculated from the Arrhenius plot to be [A]E a - 2.36 kcal mole-1 (9.87 kJ mole-1). Based on a statistical design, an empirical equation has been developed describing the rate of uranium extraction with the leaching parameters. This equation can be used to generate data which may be useful for scaling up the process to pilot plant level. The most efficient brine solution for the extraction of radium - 226 from the leach residue was found to contain one mole[f] -1 CaCl2 and 0.01 mole [2] -1 HC1. The two step leaching with this solution resulted 87% removal of radium from the leach residue. On the basis of this study, a flow-sheet has been proposed for the extraction of uranium and radionuclides from the ore and leach residue to yield almost innocuous tailings.

Jan 1, 1982

By Kathleen Y. Knoebel

This paper describes a graphical mini computer system called MPASS 2 (Mine Performance Analysis/Simulation) which has been designed to conduct analysis of underground room-and-pillar mining operations using both conventional and continuous mining methods. Dynamic, graphic displays of mine face machine activities are presented on the CRT screen to provide extensive visibility into underground mining activities. MPASS 2 consists of: an interactive inputting system that graphically creates a room-and-pillar mine and describes the mine when production is initiated; a time-step simulator that produces statistical summaries of shift activities and uses CRT screen graphics for accelerated-time display of machine activities and delays; a statistical analysis subsystem for analyzing mine performance data; an industrial engineering system that permits users to enter actual machine activity statistics and replay mine operations on the CRT screen; and a data management system to store historical performance information on mine characteristics and operations. MPASS 2 operates on a Hewlett-Packard 9845B mini computer with 450 K bytes of extended memory, and is written in H-P BASIC. It has been installed at Freeman-United Coal Mining Company in West Frankfort, Illinois and at the U. S. Department of Energy Pittsburgh Mining Technology Center. Applications include production system simulation, industrial engineering analysis, production scheduling, new equipment evaluations, and training.

Jan 1, 1982

By R. E. Jones

"INTRODUCTIONCominco Limited, one of the free world's largest producers of lead and zinc having majority ownership in Pine Point Mines Ltd., operates a mining and concentrating complex on the south shore of Great Slave Lake in the Northwest Territories. The mine was developed in 1963-64 and commenced operation late in 1964 with the direct shipping of high grade ore. The concentrator started production in November 1965 at a design throughput rate of 5,000 T.P.D.In 1968, the Company acquired the mining rights to a large ore body located to the east of the Pine Point claims and subsequently an expansion program at the concentrator raised the throughput rate to 8,000 T.P.D. The expansion included a third grinding circuit and additional flotation capacity. The flotation capacity took the form of a completely separate circuit from the existing flotation plant. In 1972, the zinc flotation circuits were modified to include two additional stages of cleaning. This change concluded the ""Pre-Consolidation Flotation"" circuit at Pine Point.In considering these modernization programs of the flotation section of the concentrator, the philosophy was to utilize the largest available machine having proven and modern technological changes. With the advent of the large capacity machines available in the late 1970's, it was considered a suitable time to revamp the entire flotation circuit at Pine Point in 1979. The Circuit Consolidation Project was developed to meet this requirement."

Jan 1, 1982

By Richard A. Kesler, W. Michael Reed

Grindability or resistance to fine comminution is the fundamental issue involved in the application and sizing of grinding mills. Over the years, many theories for determining the amount of energy required for size reduction to a specified fineness have been proposed. The first published theory, introduced by P. R. von Rittinger in 1867, stated that the energy required for crushing or grinding is proportional to the increase in surface area produced. The surface area of a ton of particles of diameter (d) is proportional to (1/d), therefore the work input per ton for particles of diameter (d) would be proportional to (1/d). The second significant theory is that of F. Kick published in 1885. Kick said that the work required is proportional to the reduction in volume of the particles concerned. If (f) is the diameter of the feed particles and (p) is the diameter of the product particles, the work input relationship would be: [W =Ioq(f/p) 9] The "Third Theory" of F.C. Bond, introduced in 1951, states that the work required is proportional to the length of the new crack tips produced in particle breakage during crushing or grinding and equals work represented by the product minus that represented by the feed. This takes the form: [W=]

Jan 1, 1982

The word "mine" means different things to different people. To a professional in the mining industry, it may mean trucks and shovels, overburden dumps, headframes, mill buildings, and the other conventional nuts and bolts that constitute an operating mine. To an environmental- ist it may mean bulldozed trees and tailings dams. To a mining engineer who has spent a significant proportion of his career in mine and prospect evaluation, it can mean a hole in the ground with a liar at the top. The liar in this case is frequently not so through design but through ignorance. The purpose of this paper is to contribute in a small way to en- lightening that ignorance. In doing so, it will foster more effective deployment of the pool of risk capital available to the industry.

Jan 1, 1982

By R. J. P. Lyon, A. E. Prelat, H. Lawrence

Introduction In 1977, the US Bureau of Mines awarded a grant to the state of South Carolina to explore the possibility of using Landsat multispectral scanner (MSS) data as an aid in monitoring surface mining activities in selected counties of the state. Work had been done in Aiken County prior to the grant by USBM and state personnel at the EROS Data Center using both the GE Image 100 and ESL IDIMS systems. The initial work on the 1:100 consisted of locating and measuring the areas of various kaolin mines. The results were excellent on location, identification, and accurate area measurements of several mines as compared with aerial photos of each mine. The effort also included locating and measuring the size of all mines (including sand and gravel) within two US Geological Survey (USGS) 7 % - min quadrangle maps. Line printer overlays using the IDIMS equipment and software resulted in the location of all known mines within an estimated error less than zt 91.4 m. Mine acreage was calculated by counting each symbol (which represented one pixel) and multiplying by 1.1 (the number of acres per pixel). [Fig. 1] shows a portion of one quadrangle overlay. [Table 1] gives a comparison of acreage measured for several mines from the 1-100 and IDIMS system vs. aerial photo measurements. The success of the preliminary work resulted in the South Carolina Land Resources Conservation Commission submitting a proposal to USBM for funding to expand the scope of work to other mineral mining operations within the state and determine if Landsat Imagery could be used to accurately locate and measure mining and reclamation activity on a continuing basis. Three separate tasks were proposed for selected kaolin mines in Aiken County: Task 1, to measure changes in active mine developments over the period 1974-77; Task 2, to measure reclamation activity, and, if time permitted, seasonal changes in mine signatures over the same period of time; and Task 3, to classify one complete mining operation (i.e., differentiate between active, spoil, overburden, water, reclaimed portions and surrounding terrain. The major effort was centered around J.M. Hubeis Richardson mine. Mining operations were progressing in a northerly direction and included three areas of reclamation: one prior to 1974; one started during early 1974; and one reclaimed during 1976. A discussion of all work done under the grant is available in the March 1979 Final Report listed under References. Computer compatible tapes (CCTs) containing MSS data from Landsat Path 18, Row 37, were purchased from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) covering the period February 1974 through January 1977. The MSS data were processed on the General Electric Image 100 using parallelepiped classification at the EROS Data Center's Data Analysis Laboratory, Sioux Falls, SD, and at the Stanford Remote Sensing Laboratory, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, utilizing both an unsupervised classification (ISOMIX) and a supervised classification (sequential discriminant analysis). Studies at Stanford University Remote Sensing Lab (SRSL). In Feburary 1977, initial work was begun at Stanford using the STANSORT computer program running on a DEC PDP-10 (Honey, Prelat, and Lyon, 1974). This software is fully interactive and designed to study Landsat CCT data at high resolution (small areas) on a pixel-by-pixel basis (Lyon, 1977). Unsupervised Classification. The initial step was to locate the Richardson mine on the positive print of the full Landsat scene from CCT 1644-15252, dated 6/17/74. This was relatively easy due to a large abandoned kaolin mine and a long narrow pond clearly visible in the scene. Two unsupervised classifications of the Richardson mine were run using ISOMIX clustering (Honey, Prelat and Lyon, 1974). (ISOMIX essentially follows the interactive clustering procedures of ISOCLS Kan, Holley, and Parker. 1973). Although the classifications were successfully accomplished, it was apparent from the TV display that the results did not clearly define the mine areas. A supervised classification would have to be made in order to clearly separate each portion of the mine. Supervised Classification. This classification was done using the Stepwise Discriminant Program (BMDO7M) which is part of the BIOMED package (Dixon, 1970) and involved the following steps: Training group populations were selected and the digital

Jan 1, 1982

By Raphael D. Schilz, Michael F. Dunn, Edward D. Thimons, Francis S. Kendorski

During a mine fire or other emergency, it may be desirable to reverse the air flow in order to provide an escapeway or to control a fire. Also, in colder areas, the air flow may be reversed to prevent ice build-ups. When reversing main mine fans, the operator usually does not know what operating characteristics of flow and pressure to expect. Laboratory testing of vane axial main mine fans has been completed in order to establish forward and reverse performance characteristics under controlled conditions, with the results presented here. Preliminary tests under field conditions have also been conducted. The data obtained suggest that reverse performance characteristics are dependent upon the blade angle and the hub to tip ratio. There is also evidence that reverse performance can he predicted for a family of blade angles in a given hub to tip ratio. In general, the air quantity delivered by the fan is 30% to 60% less in reverse than when operating in the normal forward mode.

Jan 1, 1982

By Richard J. Mainiero

The Bureau of Mines conducted research to evaluate the optimum design for a rock-breaking explosive charge that could be fired unconfined in a gassy or dusty coal mine without the danger of igniting the flammable atmosphere. Charges of various shapes, with and without cavities, were tested in a gallery using 3-by 3-by l-ft concrete blocks as simulated boulders. For these tests the optimum charge, in terms of cost, weight, and convenience in handling, consisted of a flat l-1/2-lb charge of permissible explosive seven-eighths of an inch thick and 7 in in diameter encased in a l/2-in thick layer of fine salt (NaCI). This work demonstrated that it should be possible to produce an inexpensive explosive rock-breaker charge that would be safe to use in underground coal mines.

Jan 1, 1982

By D. J. Lachel, Douglas E. Hansen, Bruce Kennedy

The very high cost of exploration and development for new mines requires that a carefully planned, complete, and technically competent geotechnical evaluation be applied to the ore body and the surrounding rock. The ground conditions must be predetermined sufficiently so that, during the development and exploitation stages, unexpected conditions will be of minor consequence. Ground conditions are a major factor affecting the cost of excavated items such as shafts and inclines. For example, shafts cost less to sink in tight dry ground than in highly pervious ground below the water table, with all other factors being equal. The proper mining methods also is dependent upon the ground conditions. Bad ground for room-and-pillar mining may be ideal for caving methods; whereas, ideal ground for room-and-pillar mining would be extremely difficult for a caving operation. To do a proper engineering design, the parameters of strength, deformability, and permeability must be determined, in addition to the loads that will be applied as a result of the mining activity. The required degree of accuracy for each parameter depends upon the individual case. For example, the strength of massive rock in which openings of small cross-sectional area are to be driven at shallow depths needs to be resolved only within several thousand kilopascals (pounds per square inch). Under such conditions, the rock strength is not likely to be of great economic importance unless the rock is very weak. Large openings at great depths require a much more accurate appraisal of rock strength and deformation characteristics. Ground water conditions are important at any depth. Today, a number of techniques exist for evaluating conditions before opening up the ground for development. These techniques and their applications are described in more detail later in this text. The evaluation of ore body ground conditions should start at an early stage, as soon as the deposit has been proven viable for a mine. Economic geology investigations mainly serve to define the value and limits of the ore deposit. To do this properly, the geology of the site is determined in at least as much detail as is necessary to define the "controls" for the ore body. The ground-condition evaluation must determine the engineering properties of the ore body and the surrounding material. This includes the structural geology as it relates to rock strength; i.e., the frequency, extent, and orientation of discontinuities such as faults, joints, bedding, etc. Ground water conditions also must be determined. It is important that the detailed geology of the site be determined at an early date. Reasonable geotechnical parameters must be established during this time period, so they can be used in mining model studies that include both physical and mathematical models. The ultimate goal bf-the geotechnical evaluation is to predict the ground behavior as the excavations are made and how the ground behavior will affect the safety and economic well-being of the mine. The formulation of a ground-condition evaluation program should be planned carefully to determine the particular geotechnical parameters only in as great a detail as will have a bearing on the mine design. For instance, it is not necessary to make numerous triaxial tests in strong rock when the mining will be conducted within a few meters (feet) of the surface in a regime of gravity loading and an absence of tectonic stresses. Similarly, it is not necessary to invest large amounts of time and effort in the determination of joint strengths if the orientations of the joints are such that the failure could not occur along them. Generally, the determination of ore body ground conditions can be divided into four main steps: 1) The general and structural geology of the site must be determined; this is determined primarily during the economic evaluation. 2) The material behavior characteristics of the deposit and the vicinity must be determined. 3) The ground water hydrology of the deposit and the vicinity must be determined. 4) Miscellaneous ground support considerations must be established. Gross features are defined first, followed by a series of increasingly detailed investigations. Specifically, the geology study should start by utilizing techniques such as remote sensing, topographic map interpretation, geologic mapping, etc. After the gross features, such as major faults, have been delineated, the studies are directed toward defining the more detailed elements of jointing, rock strength, ground water hydrology, and other characteristics. This information is used to formulate an assessment of the strength of the ore body and the surrounding rock. Finally, all of the gathered information is integrated to make an assessment of the rock behavior in relation to the types of openings, the excavation methods, the support requirements, etc., that should be used for the rock conditions that are present. The mine design and the geotechnical assessment should be an iterative process. General conclusions about the rock conditions will dictate a type of mine plan. The specific mine plan then should be modified by specific geotechnical considerations. For example, an initial assessment may conclude that the ore body is strong and that a strong rock unit is present over the ore body. Thus, one definite possibility is to mine the deposit by room-and-pillar methods. However, subsequent investigations may reveal faults through the deposit, requiring relocation of the mine openings so that pillars and other structures are in sound rock. In other words, the final mine plan should be compatible with the geotechnical aspects of the ore body.

Jan 1, 1982

By William Lyman

GENERAL DESCRIPTION Shrinkage or shrinkage stoping refers to any mining method in which broken ore is temporarily retained in the stope to provide a working platform and/or to offer temporary support to the stope walls during active mining. Since ore "swells" when broken, it is necessary to shrink the muck pile a corresponding amount by draw¬ing some of the broken ore out as the stope is advanced-hence the name. Broken ore retained during stoping is drawn out after the stope has reached its limits. The stope may be left empty or may be filled with waste contemporaneous with, or subsequent to, the final draw. Traditionally the method implies conventional overhand stoping methods with miners working between the muck pile and the stope back, in a space which advances updip with mining and is maintained by balanc¬ing "swell" with "shrink." The shrinkage classification is also applicable to so-called "semishrinkage" methods in open pillar-supported stopes where broken ore is temporarily retained as a working platform but offers no wall support; and to various blasthole shrinkage methods which utilize broken ore temporarily retained in the stope for wall support, but which do not require miners to work from muck pile in the stope. The method is generally applied to steeply dipping veins of strong ore between strong walls. APPLICATION Geometry The geometry of a shrinkable vein is described in terms of dip, width, and regularity along dip. Overall strike and dip dimensions and irregularities along the strike generally impose no restrictions on the method. Dip is ideally 1.2 to 1.5 rad (70 to 90°). As dip falls below 1.2 rad (70°), the shrinkage draw begins to strongly favor the hanging wall side, thus leaving a poor working platform for conventional overhand work. This is particularly true in relatively wide stopes. The sup¬port afforded to the hanging wall also diminishes with decreasing dip, reaching nil as the dip approaches the repose angle of broken ore. Dips below 0.78 to 0.87 rad (45 to 50°) are not generally shrinkable except by open stope "seinishrinkage" methods. Minimum mining width is fixed by working space requirements in the stope-generally about 1 m. Shrink¬age in narrower veins requires that waste rock from one or both walls be broken with the ore and the attendant dilution accepted to achieve the minimum width. Nar¬row stopes are less suitable, encouraging hang-ups and bridging of broken ore, with the attendant problems of erratic draw and incomplete recovery of broken ore. Maximum practical width may be 3 m or less to over 30 m, depending upon the competency of the ore and its ability to stand unsupported across the stope back. This is a vital safety consideration in conventional over¬hand stopes, but is much less of a factor in blasthole shrinkage methods. Very wide veins and massive ore bodies have been mined by transverse vertical shrinkage panels separated by transverse vertical pillars which are either abandoned or recovered later by other methods. Regularity along the dip is a prerequisite of shrink¬age as there must be no serious obstruction to the flow of broken ore downward through the stope to the sill level. Gentle rolls along the dip are acceptable if the local footwall dip everywhere exceeds 0.78 to 0.87 rad (45 to 50°). Off-dip hanging wall and/or footwall splits can generally be mined selectively from a conventional shrink stope as they are encountered without ad¬versely affecting subsequent continuation of shrinkage mining updip on the main vein. Vertical offsets or major rolls along the dip which cannot be "smoothed over" generally require that a sublevel be established with new draw control development. Blasthole shrinkage methods are much less flexible (and thus less selective) in their ability to accommodate any of these irregularities. Ground Conditions The wall rock must be strong enough to stand with the minimal support afforded by the dynamic mass of broken ore in the stope. During active mining, local sloughing from the walls is restrained, but the broken ore affords little, if any, useful resistance to closure of the stope walls. Such squeezing, if present, may bind up the stope and cause the loss of much ore. Pillars left between and/or within stopes are effective in preventing closure but reduce overall recovery. Walls may be re¬inforced by bolting after each stope cut in conventional shrinkage but not in blasthole shrinkage. Ore in place must be strong enough to stand with no natural support across the stope width, although tem¬porary artificial support or reinforcement may be used locally in conventional stopes. Some spalling or sloughing is permissible in blasthole shrinkage as men are never present in the stope. Physical and/or mineralogical characteristics of the broken ore may impose restrictions on stope design and/or operational plan¬ning, and may even preclude the use of shrinkage al¬together. Examples include: ores which, when broken, are cohesive or which tend to pack or cement together under the influence of ground water, wall pressure, and/ or chemical reaction. Such conditions precipitate er¬ratic draw during mining and often result in difficult and/or incomplete final draw; pyritic ores which oxidize very rapidly in the stopes and may generate heat, imposing a fire hazard by spontaneous combustion; sulfide ores which oxidize sufficiently in the stopes to adversely affect mill recovery by flotation; and ores (es¬pecially those containing uranium minerals) which ex¬ude radon gas and thereby impose ventilation constraints on stope design. In most cases these problems can be minimized by limiting the size of stopes, by minimizing the duration of mining activity in each stope, and by promptly drawing each stope empty following comple¬tion of mining.

Jan 1, 1982

By J. P. Van Dillen

Continuing interest in processes that will effect separations in the fine particle size range has prompted intense interest in the use of high gradient magnetic separation (HGMS) for beneficiation of uranium ores. Some of the uranium minerals are paramagnetic and hence are amenable to concentration by HGMS. This paper presents a brief review of the problems associated with uranium ores beneficiation, a description of the HGNS process, and the effects of the parameters--pulp velocity, field strength, matrix loading and magnetic field gradient on product recovery and grade. Unsatisfactory separation of uranium minerals by HGHS is related to ore specific properties such as lack of liberation, fine dissemination of uranium minerals, uniform distribution of magnetic minerals throughout the ore matrix and interference of micron sized slimes. Experimental techniques to identify and resolve some of these problems are outlined.

Jan 1, 1982

By Richard Klimpel

The laboratory ball mill grinding of coal/water slurries is described for three coals. Emphasis is placed on the measurement of specific rates of breakage for various operating conditions. Corresponding rheological information is also presented based on data collected using a rotational viscometer. A rheological explanation of the influence of various slurry fluidity conditions on the specific rates of breakage is presented. This rheological approach has proved useful In both the identification of suitable chemicals for increasing breakage rates in coal/mineral slurry grinding and in the plant scale implementation of dense slurry grinding systems.

Jan 1, 1982

By Jalal Vakili

In designing very large excavated slopes which are becoming increasingly common in both mining and civil engineering projects, the most important decision of the engineer is the selection of a slope angle. The purpose of the geotechnical study of the slope is to ensure reasonable stability of the slope in the most economical way. Because the rock mass composing each slope is unique, there are no standard solutions for slope stability analysis. A practical solution is formulated from the basic geologic data, engineering properties of the rock, geometry of the slope, and ground water observations. Stability analysis consists of analyzing the forces causing and resisting slope failure. There are several methods of slope stability analysis. The limit equilibrium method evaluates the overall stability of the sliding mass just on the verge of slip, using some or all of the three equations of static equilibrium of a plane problem. The stress-strain relationships of the rock mass are not considered. Method of analysis include the assumption of the shape of the slip surface. Peterson (10) introduced the Swedish method of analysis in 1916, which is based on cylindrical sliding surfaces. Fellenius (4) in 1926 extended this method and introduced the method of slices. This method was refined by Bishop (I) in 1955 and later used by Morgenstern and Price (8) in 1965. In many cases layers of extremely soft strata or strata weakened by neutral stress cause failure to take place by translation along plane of weakness instead of by rotation on a circular surface. In this paper, a slope with a horizontal layer of weak meterial is selected for analysis. This is a usual case for open pit lignite mines where lignite seam may be non-cohesive and 'weaker than the overburden rock or a soft clay layer underlies the seam. It is also a common case of rock fill dams supported on a foundation stratum of clay where the strength of the clay layer is less than that of the rock fill. It is shown that utilizing this method, the location of potential failure surface and the value of the minimum factor of safety can be calculated directly and the trial computations of factors of safety for a number of assumed failure surfaces are not necessary.

Jan 1, 1982

By Thys B. Johnson

This paper presents a new algorithm for solving the Controlled Flow Mine Ventilation Problem in an optimal manner - minimum power consumption. The use of booster fans and restrictions on the locations of ventilation regulators are dealt with in a straightforward manner. This new approach is based on a common Operations Research algorithm for which there are many fast computer programs available.

Jan 1, 1982

By Richard L. Bullock

At the beginning of the previous chapter, variation in the types of room-and-pillar stopes were briefly identified so that the reader could begin to understand the extensive application of this mining system. These same variations will be reviewed and elaborated upon in this chapter while discussing the methods by which the material is extracted. FULL-FACE SLICING BY DRILLING AND BLASTING When the entire mineralized thickness is taken in one pass of mining, it is known as full-face slicing. There is no mineral of economic value intentionally left either in the floor or the back. Theoretically, there is no limit as to how high the face could be in a single pass. But there are practical limitations to equipment size, pillar stability, and control of local loose slabs on the face, roof, and pillars that dictate current practices. The range of face height of the 15 typical room- and-pillar mines covered in Table 8 (Sec. 1, Subsec. 7) from the Dravo report, 1974 was 1.7 m (5.5 ft) to 9.8 m (32.1 ft), the average being 5.2 m (17.1 ft). In the Gaspe copper mine, Murduchville, Que., the drill jumbos were constructed with an extendable tower for full-face mining up to 15.2 m (49.9 ft) if necessary. However, a more common practice at that mine is to take the ore in multiple slices (Hall, 1959). In many metal mines the normal practice when starting stoping is to drive a single development drift into the ore zone a distance that will allow at least four or five rooms to be opened on each side of the initial drift. Since this opening will probably serve as the main haulage drift, it should be kept as straight and as level as possible. As to the other criteria for the stope developments, it might be well at this point for the mine planner to review the remarks presented earlier (Sec. 1, Subsec. 7) on drifts, entries, and crosscuts for production. After the initial drift is driven, it should be slabbed to the full room width if it is not that wide already. Next, the future pillars should be marked on the ribs and the rooms driven between them. If the ore extends beyond the length of the initial drift and is to be mined in the normal sequence of mining, care should be taken in a random room-and-pillar system to see that the extension of the initial roadway remains straight. If pillar "spotting" is left to the shift foreman or to the miners, they probably will not realize the importance of maintaining a uniform pillar line next to the roadway, and of keeping the line straight. Invariably, a pillar will end up in the middle of the future drift extension resulting in a "dogleg" in a possible main haul- age road. While this error is not catastrophic, too much weaving in and out of pillars will certainly slow down future production haulage and needlessly increase costs. Face or Breast Drilling and Blasting Practices To drill and blast the initial advances into the rock, usually some form of cut pattern must be used. In room-and-pillar mining, when a pattern is drilled in a face and that face is the only exposed surface to which all of the rock must be broken, the pattern is known as a "face round" or "swing." The face to which the rock must be broken is referred to as a "free face." Thus the most common way to advance a room into virgin rock with only one free face is by drilling swings. If, after breaking around a pillar, taking down back, or taking up bottom, there is a second (or third) face exposed, a group of holes drilled nearly parallel to a free face and breaking to it is known as a "slab round" or "slabbing." In some mining districts it is also known as "slashing." Obviously, because two faces exposed offer less resistance to fragmentation than a single face, slabbing requires less drilling and fewer explosives than required to break the same tonnage with the same degree of fragmentation with swings. Therefore, it behooves the driller (or supervisor) to plan the combination of

Jan 1, 1982

By Davies L, Jeffreys J

The Broken Hill Proprietary Company Limited (BHP) has been successfully using mini computers in its open cut strip and pit coal planning for the past six years. A recent development within the computerised Seam deposit User oriented Mine Planning System (SUMPS) provides the facility for the generation, evaluation, and simulation of colliery workings.Existing computer programs for collieries were studied, but none met the requirements of BHP's underground mine planners.Consequently, it was decided to develop programs, based on those existing within BHP for open cut strip and open cut pit mine planning. The new planning facility was designed to enable any number of proposed colliery developments and operating plans to be evaluated against optimistic, most likely and pessimistic geological lease area interpretations.In mine planning, sensitivity studies should be conducted to determine the likely effects on production, development costs and colliery economics of changes in mine design and budgeted equipment productivity. By automating the manual calculations involved, the computer programs provide the ability to conduct numerous and extensive sensitivity studies. Hence an optimum mine design for budgeting purposes can be derived quickly with an improved degree of confidence in the long term viability of the proposed development.

Jan 1, 1982

Over the past few years, the School of Mines of Paris has carried out a program of research* on the grade-tonnage relationships in the border zones of porphyry copper deposits. The initial problem was quite difficult : how does the grade vary at the border of the known orebodies? Does it decrease regularly, or do some thresholds exist, where the grade diminishes abruptly? The answer to these questions have important repercussions on the prediction of the future reserves in the fringe of the orebodies. If the grade decreases regularly, very important reserves could exist; if not, there would be strong limitations to the possible recoverable reserves. The first step of our study was a critical study of previous work done on the subject. It appeared that, following Lasky's pioneering paper (Lasky, 1950), most of the authors used what we can call an historical approach to the problem. In this, the grade-tonnage relationships are calculated from the available figures for production and reserves and the results are then extrapolated to the future. The strong limitation of this model are brought out in this article.

Jan 1, 1982

By J. Wong

We report a successful use of x-ray absorption spectroscopy to probe the chemical and structural environment of trace elements in coal. When applied to vanadium in coal, it was found that vanadium exists in at least two environments: a trivalent site 6-fold coordinated by oxygens at ca. 2.0~ and a tetravalent site 5-or 6-fold coordinated also by oxygens, one of which forms a short V=O bond at ca. 1.6a. No evidence of nitrogen (porphyrin)1'or sulfide environment was found. It was also found that the vanadium environ-ments in the raw coal did not survive unchanged in a liquefaction process. These findings have implications for coal cleaning processes and for trace element release into liquefaction process streams.

Jan 1, 1982

By K. P. Sinha, J. F. Schatz, T. F. Borschel, S. Demou

Triaxial creep behavior of oil shale was investigated in the laboratory at simulated in-situ conditions. A range of temperature and stress conditions were chosen to represent those within the inter-chamber pillars of a modified in-situ retorting operation. Oil shale in grades up to 60 gallons per ton have been tested. Experimental data and a constitutive model have been presented here.

Jan 1, 1982

Mining operations have been carried out at Mt. Lyell for the past century. Until the 1970's the location of the mines in relation to the surface topography has enabled the mines to drain their copious inflows of water by gravity. Deeper mining has forced the Company to undertake pumping of increasing inflows of water. A major pumping facility is being established near the base of the known ore reserves with a view to serving the future requirements of the mines. The system has a design capacity of 600 litres per second. Run of mine water will be treated in Vertical Flow Settlers to produce clear water and thickened mud, each of which will be disposed of separately. The clear water will be pumped by six 1000 kW conven- tional centrifugal pumps. The thickened mud will be removed by a Hydraulic Displacement System. The rising mains for both the mud and the clear water are stainless steel cased bore- holes.

Jan 1, 1982