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By John W. Frey

Although there are certain general uniform provisions in the laws ... of the several Provinces of Canada the differences are so great that it is considered advisable to present digests of separate mining laws rather than a digest of Canadian mining law as an entity . This analysis , accordingly , has been divided as follows : Nova Scotia , New Brunswick , Quebec , Ontario , British Columbia , and a group of Provinces under Dominion Law .

Sep 1, 1930

By F. S. Crawford

A large number of operators of various industries in the United States do not appear to realize the great returns in dollars and cents which result from intelligently directed safety work . Managers of co 1 mines , metal mines , open-pit mines , quarries , steel mills , cement mills , oil rei meries , iron works , or other industrial operations , should by all means realize the great waste resulting from accidents , in order to appreciate the necessity for a continuous accident -prevention policy . While the prevention of accidents is worth while from the humanitarian standpoint alone , it has an equally important economic side , and before our mining industrial operations will be made as safe as they should be , it is apparent that this dollars and cents viewpoint must be given full recognition in order to bring before many of the men who run the industries the great importance of this phase of industrial management . : There is a tendency upon the part of the opera or who has not given thought to the cost of accidents ( and there are many mining operators of this type) to insure his company against compensation losses and against catastrophes for which he can secure insurance , and think he has done his duty ar an executive . Even though industrial operations were not compelled to pay compensation , and even if the management were not moved by humanitarian motives to try to stop accidents , it would pay many times over to carry on accident prevention work vigorously and continuously. : In some parts of the United States , the state compensation and insurance requirements are such that the operator does not receive a reduction in his insurance rate per men employed upon having made safety installations or upon having achieved a reduction of accidents in his plant . Under such conditions the management frequently does not feel encouraged to emert much effort in bettering the accident rate . However , when the responsible officials of a company realize the much greater harm to an operation which results from doing no accident - prevention work , and the great benefit in reduced costs which usually follows effective safety work , they should be inclined to do almost everything possible to reduce accidents , regardless of considerations as to accident compensations . There are enough indirect costs resulting from accidents to wreck many types of business ; excessive accidents result in disorganization and failure , while immunity from accidents usually means a smoothly running efficient organization .

Sep 1, 1930

By Fidelis T. Suorineni

Rapid drifting enables quicker access to orebodies, higher productivity rates and a resultant reduction in activity costs. Increased advance rates, by examination of the key components (face preparation and drilling, hole loading and blasting, scaling, mucking and support installation) in the development cycle, and optimizing these processes is a high priority for research in the Canadian mining industry. Support installation time alone is typically 36 to 46% of the total development cycle time. A reduction in support installation time or techniques and alternative scaling strategies could result in significant gains in drift development advance rates. Support Staging and hydroscaling within the drift cycle could offer alternative drift development sequences that could reduce the overall cycle time. MIRARCO?s research into the support and hydroscaling processes for rapid drift development also suggests that there are many other factors (e.g. mine ventilation services) that have a significant impact on the rate of advance. These factors should be considered to promote and manage safe and rapid drift development. Constraints to the rapid drift development processes can only be overcome by sound construction management practices. In other words, the goals of rapid drifting can be achieved by the implementation of contractor-type construction management. This paper examines various constraints and processes affecting rapid drift development and draws attention to other factors affecting safe rapid drift development.

Apr 1, 2005

By Frank E. Cash, Max S. Peterson

"INTRODUCTION Falls of ground cause the greatest number of accidents at underground metal mines. Statistics compiled by the Federal Bureau of Mines show that during a 13 - year period ended in 1943, falls of ground caused 35 percent of the fatalities and 16.8 percent of the nonfatal injuries at underground metal mines in the United States. 4/ Expressed on a basis of a million man-hours worked, the frequency rate was 0.355 for fatalities and 11.76 for nonfatal injuries. Although some progress has boon made in preventing rock-fall accidents over a 30- or 40-year period, the problem is still a major one requiring the diligent efforts of management and employees.In the Lake Superior district: where organized safety programs have been in effect for more than 30 years, the record is more favorable. Statistics compiled by the Lake Superior Mining Section of the National Safety Council reveal that over a 6-year period ended in 1945 the frequency rate of fatalities per million man-hours was 0.277, and the rate for nonfatal injuries was 2.38 from falls of ground.Although the above-given statistics do not cover equal or concurrent periods, the improvement in accident experience in the Lake Superior district over the national average, is obvious. This improvement is due to more effective methods of ground support or more rigid enforcement of the use of known methods.It is hoped that the following information about ground-support practices in the Lake Superior district will assist operators of other mines in their efforts to reduce accidents from falls of ground."

May 1, 1948

By J. J. Forbes

The Act of Congress authorizing the establishment of the United States Bureau of Mines became effective July 1, 1910. One of the most important duties Congress delegated to the Bureau in this Act was the study of health and safety conditions in the mineral industries. Early investigations of these conditions revealed the need of prompt Care of injured employees, as, under the difficulties inherent in their occupation, seemingly unimportant wounds if not treated promptly might become infected and cause permanent disability or even death. Many seriously injured persons brought out of mines and plants by fellow workers ignorant of approved methods of giving first aid or of safe means of transportation have been caused suffering and have had injuries accentuated to such a degree as to bring about permanent disability or death. The need of general instruction in first aid thus became apparent. BRIEF HISTORY OF FIRST-AID WORK The education of miners in the United States in first aid probably was conducted systematically first by the anthracite industry in Pennsylvania. Subsequently, first-aid training was carried on actively in Alabama and Indiana. Meanwhile, a general training campaign was carried on among industrial workers by the American Red Cross Society; when the Bureau of Mines began its nation-wide campaign of instructing employees of the mineral industries, the Red Cross turned over that part of its industrial training work to the Bureau but continued to cooperate by furnishing surgeons as judges in important first-aid contests and demonstr tions and assisted for a number of years in determining training methods.

Jan 1, 1937

The Beginnings of Mineral Processing Research in Canada - A Short Account

Sep 13, 2010

By A. U. Miller

For many years Illinois has been one of the leading coal producers in the United States and as such its safety record has compared very well with the other large coal producing States , both in tons produced and millions of man -hours of exposure per fatal accident . ( See Table 25 in Bureau of Mines Bulletin 293. ) During the 10-year period from 1917 to 1926 , inclusive , the average production in the United States per fatal accident was 278 , 109 tons . The aver age for the State of Illinois for the same period was 409,249 tons . Illinois produced 450,464 tons per fatal accident, and in 1928 produced 390,630, tons , or an average of 419,721 tons for the 12- year period from 1917 to 1928 , inclusive . In 1927 During the year 1929 , the shipping mines of the State made a decided improvement in their record over any previous year . Table 1 shows the monthly production and the tons produced per fatal accident . During 1928 and 1929 safety work was actively carried on in Illinois . Safety meetings were held with mine officials , representatives of the State. De partment of Mines , and the United States Bureau of Mines . At these meetings mine hazards and accidents were discussed and remedies suggested for : their elimination in the future . It is believed that first - aid training was to a considerable extent instrumental in reducing accidents and in making the good safety records in Illinois during 1928 and 1929. During these years ( as well as in 1926 and 1927 to a somewhat less extont ) en intensive rirst-aid training campaign was con ducted in Illinois by the officials and members of the United Mine Workers of America , coal companies, State Department of Mines and Minerals , and the U. S. Bureau of Mines , Every first -aid class was made a safety meeting ; where accidents and general safety were discussed freely while teaching first aid. During this time , anproximately 25,000 persons were trained in first aid, and 17 coal companies were issued certificates for having 100 per cent of their employees. trained in first aid. Since January 1 , 1926 , more than 40,000 have received first -aid training in and around Illinois mines , and including those who received training previous to this date , it is believed that at least 90 per cent of the miners in Illinois have received first -aid training . This state ment is based on the fact that the labor turnover in Illinois is not large .

Apr 1, 1931

By L. V. Bell

"The gold deposits of the Caribou mine are representative of those of the Province of Nova Scotia as a whole. The ore shoots within the deposits, in common with those elsewhere within the Province, are associated usually with interruptions or irregularities in the broader and uniform fold structures. The structural factors localizing ore deposition as applied more specifically to the Caribou mine are demonstrated chiefly by the close relationship of the two principal ore shoots, known as the main orebody and the 'high-grade' vein, with a pitching drag fold developed in the southeast limb of the major northeast-southwest trending anticlinal fold or elongated dome that constitutes the primary structural feature of the Caribou gold district. It is of interest to note that the evidence indicates that this drag fold, in common with other folds subsidiary to the primary fold, formed as a result of movement similar in nature to that which caused the primary fold itself. Presumably, therefore, these folds are coincident in time.The property described here as the Caribou mine is an amalgamation of two adjacent properties formerly known as the Ross and the Nova Scotia Gold, but which since 1934 have been controlled and operated as a unit by The Consolidated Mining and Smelting Company of Canada, Limited. The Caribou mine is situated in the Caribou gold district about 45 miles to the northeast of the city of Halifax and about 6 miles to the north of the Moose River gold district.The history of mining at Caribou dates back to 1867. The first recorded gold production is for 1869. From 1869 to 1933 the gold produced from the mines of the Caribou district aggregated 47,249 oz. from 93,234 tons of ore treated. The grade of the ore on the basis of the gold actually recovered from the district would thus average 72 oz. gold a ton, which, as will be noted from the following, is precisely the grade of the ore treated from the Caribou mine during operations by The Consolidated Mining and Smelting Company. These operations commenced in September, 1934, and milling on a commercial basis was under way during 1938. Since that time production, apart from a short period in 1945 during which efforts were concentrated on development work, was continuous to early in 1947, when the mine closed down owing to exhaustion of the known orebodies. Gold produced from the Caribou mine by The Consolidated Mining and Smelting Company from September, 1934, to the close of 1946 aggregated 43,205 oz. from 90,754 tons of ore milled; the grade of ore treated averaged 0.50 oz. gold a ton. The indicated average grade of O.S oz. gold a ton for the ore of the Caribou district throughout its mining history ranks somewhat higher than the 0.37 oz. a ton average for the ore milled to date from the several gold districts throughout the Province as a whole according to the production statistics of the Provincial Department of Mines."

Jan 1, 1954

By David Jurich, Ed Perko, Jacob Prezkuta

Numerous Colorado mountain tunnels that date to the late 1800s convey water to the farming and urban communities of the eastern Front Range. Repairs to these remote facilities, often located in public lands at altitudes of 11,000 feet or more, require detailed planning, close coordination with multiple agencies, and creative execution. Issues and solutions discussed include designing repairs in undocumented ground and support conditions, logistical challenges, work in a short summer construction window, stabilization of historically signicant structures, and proect delivery strategies. xamples that illustrate early contractor involvement, exibility in design, and construction solutions are presented.

Jun 23, 2024

By D. M. Ziebarth

"During the mid to late 1960’s, the underground potash industry in Saskatchewan was born. For the next four decades the industry operated at a steady pace supporting a large part of the world demand; until 2008 when the potash market heightened. Operators were motivated to capitalize on this increased demand, new mines were proposed while existing mines were planning upgrades. Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan (PCS) was one of the major producers planning upgrades to their production facilities quickly, including modifying the existing headframe and shaft at the PCS Cory Site to accommodate a new 1500 tonne per hour hoisting plant. Upon completion of the project, the innovative operations group continuously reviewed methods to increase production and reduce operating costs, allowing PCS to continue being competitive on the world market. This paper will describe the design challenges encountered during the development of the infrastructure around an operating facility whilst minimizing down time, schedule, capital and construction costs. This paper will also explore the strategy to increase capacity of the newly commissioned hoisting plant. BACKGROUND Potash production is a major Saskatchewan industry, and has played a significant role in the economy for over 40 years. Production commenced in 1962 when water problems were overcome at the International Minerals and Chemical (IMC) mine near Esterhazy, Saskatchewan. A surge of development by other companies resulted in twelve companies opening ten mines by 1970. In 1975 Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan was created by the government of Saskatchewan and shortly thereafter purchased several mines in Saskatchewan, including the Cory Mine (Cory), near Saskatoon. Cory has been in operation since 1968 and is located 12 km (7.5 mi) west of Saskatoon in central Saskatchewan. The mine is located in the center of the world’s largest potash deposit, 1,000 m (3300 feet) below surface. PCS has embarked on sizable capital expansions of more than CDN $7 billion. The Cory CDN $1.6 billion expansion was expected to raise operational capability of the site to 2.7 million tonnes per year, an increase of 1.9 million tonnes per year (MTPY). To achieve 2.7 MTPY of finished product and considering the 22.6% average production recovery1, 12 MTPY of ore must be hoisted to surface for processing. To deliver this rate required upgrading of the hoisting plant to 1500 tonne per hour (TPH). To accomplish this ambitious challenge, creative thinking, careful planning and a cohesive team was needed to work together to ensure the schedule, budget and most importantly the work was completed safely"

Jan 1, 2017

By R. V. Ramani

In 1970, of the 603 million tons of coal produced in the United States, 339 million tons, or 56%, were produced by under- ground mines. While the ratio of underground to surface production has been decreasing in the last few years, it is anticipated that a 60:40 ratio of underground to surface-mined coal will remain for some time. Underground coal operators are continuing to invest in new mines and are interested in increasing the efficiency of all their operations. One area for improvement is in mine planning and design, particularly in the area of selection of equipment for operation. Because of the availability of a wide variety of equipment, a fair degree of selectivity can be exercised in the choice of equipment for a particular job. However, such a choice must be made on the basis of technological facts and forecasts related to the mining operation. If the mining conditions can be reasonably predicted, along with a mining plan, it should be possible to insure the selection of the right equipment for the particular application. In order to increase the efficiency of underground coal operations, it is necessary to understand not only the operating system in detail, but the inter-relationships between system components and the operating environment. With such an understanding comes the application of simulation and other operations research techniques to plan and operate mining systems. Computer simulation studies have been successfully adapted to underground coal mining, and applications by Prelaz et al. (1965), and Manula and Sanford (1969) are some that are being used by the mining companies. However, a need still exists for better understanding of certain intra-system and system-environment interactions in order that computer simulation programs may be provided with better input data for more effective application. This paper deals with one aspect of the coal-winning system in need of better definition, namely, studying the performance of continuous miners.

Jan 1, 1973

By C. A. Clark

The Chagres Smelter is located 80 kilometres north of Santiago - Chile, in the middle of an agricultural valley which is also one of the poorest districts in the country. This condition sets the main focus for the smelter's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes, which ultimately aim at building self sustainable social and economic capital in accordance with the local capacities. With the help of Anglo American's SEAT (Socio Economic Assessment Toolbox), a corporately developed instrument designed to help the operations understand the needs of the communities and the impacts of those operations, the Chagres Smelter implemented several programmes, such as the CETTA (Experimental and Applied Technology Transfer Centre) programme. This project started in 2003, and consists of creating a centre for the transfer of sustainable techniques and skills for the small agricultural and livestock producers that live in the rural areas near the Chagres Smelter. Its main impacts are: Improved production quality (goat cheese and bee honey) and access to relevant markets, improved training and self-sustainability levels of producers, enhanced socio-economic level of the District's inhabitants by improving their income earning opportunities and technical knowledge, creation and promotion of a local brand as a symbol of quality products from the valley and a positive environmental impact of good breeding and native flora protection practices in the area. Other relevant social programmes are the 'Environmental Strivers', which created a recycling centre in the community; and the 'Beautiful Valley" project, which provides management knowledge and skills to local youngsters and leaders who can contribute to finding solutions for local environmental needs.

Jan 1, 2007

The reduced need for traditionally trained and educated personnel in the mining industry is systemic to the changing mining industry. Our universities and other training institutions are doing just fine meeting the traditional skill needs required by the industry. But are the skill needs going to be the same in the near future? The answer may be NO!! Mining is changing: increased liabilities and costs of environmental and safety issues; lower grades of minerals in traditional mining activities; the advent of new bio-chemical processes and robotic equipment as more productive and economic alternatives; and, larger more sophisticated and automatic equipment. Engineering is more specific, accurate, precise and expensive. Measurement is more thorough and timely of progress, production, costs, and productivity. And we will be engaging in more undersea mining, possibly space bases processing, less human interaction, and more remote control of events than was ever thought possible in the past. This paper presents several of the systemic changes that are presently and will continue to change the face of mining. It will identify area where education and management will have to address these changes.

Jan 1, 2011

By David A. Milligan

This paper describes the Darwin Silver Recovery project, located 66 km (40 miles) outside of Lone Pine, near Darwin, Inyo County, California. A lead-zinc mine and a flotation concentrator were operated there from 1945 to 1957. By the time the mine was shut down, 1.53 Tg (1.69 million short tons) of tailings had been stored in ponds. An average silver assay of 47 mg/kg (1.38 troy oz/st) of tailings stimulated interest for commercial silver recovery. A heap leach process was developed in 1981 at the Tucson Research Center of Anaconda Minerals Company, a division of Atlantic Richfield Company. Agglomeration techniques were used on the ore since the fine grind did not allow direct heap leaching. Lime and cement were required as binders, Early laboratory tests showed that recoveries equal to those from an agitated leach could be achieved at lower capital and operating costs. Laboratory tests determined cyanide requirements, lime and cement usages, and percolation or leach rates, as well as confirming that a zinc precipitation step could recover the silver from the leach solution.

Jan 1, 1983

By Wallace W. Key

The California pesticide industry in 1962 consumed about 30,000 tons of clay, talc, limestone, diatomite, sulfur, and other minerals as fillers (carriers and diluents) in pesticide formulation. This was 10 percent of the U.S. filler requirement for pesticides. About two- thirds of the California total was supplied by a few local mineral producers; the remainder came mainly from Florida, Georgia, and Wyoming. The objectives of this report are to provide data on quantities, sources, specifications, and market conditions for minerals used as fillers by California pesticide formulators. The study disclosed that specifications for mineral fillers have become more rigid and formulators have become more numerous in recent years. During 1962 over 1,200 firms registered 16,000 pesticide products with the Bureau of Chemistry in California. Factors which will tend to diminish future need for mineral fillers include the trend toward greater use of organic sprays rather than dusts and further development of biological controls, such as the development of sterile insect strains.

Jan 1, 1965

By Wallace W. Key

The California pesticide industry in 1962 consumed about 30,000 tons of clay, talc, limestone, diatomite, sulfur, and other minerals as fillers (carriers and diluents) in pesticide formulation. This was 10 percent of the U.S. filler requirement for pesticides. About two-thirds of the California total was supplied by a few local mineral producers; the remainder came mainly from Florida, Georgia, and Wyoming. The objectives of this report are to provide data on quantities, sources, specifications, and market conditions for minerals used as fillers by California pesticide formulators. The study disclosed that specifications for mineral fillers have become more rigid and formulators have become more numerous in recent years. During 1962 over 1,200 firms registered 16,000 pesticide products with the Bureau of Chemistry in California. Factors which will tend to diminish future need for mineral fillers include the trend toward greater use of organic sprays rather than dusts and further development of biological controls, such as the development of sterile insect strains.

Jan 1, 1965

By Anievas JB, Sevillano AC

This paper describes the acquisition, exploration, development, initial operation and subsequent financing of the Bulawan mine by means of a listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange of a subsidiary of the parent company, Philex Mining Corporation.Located on the island of Negros in the Philippines the property is unique on at least two counts: it is a disseminated gold deposit that occurs in a region of predominantly porphyry copper mineralisation; and it is a gold deposit that is mined by a bulk method of extraction (front and block cave) instead of the normal selective mining methods.

Jan 1, 1997

By F. G. Schwartz

This circular presents the results of a survey of research on jet fuel thermal stability jointly sponsored by the National Petroleum Refiners Association (NPRA), Tulsa, Okla., and the Bureau of Mines. The development of supersonic planes has led to many problems that did not exist in the operation of subsonic aircraft. One of the most important of these is rapid deterioration of the fuel at the high temperatures to which it is subjected. At higher speeds, aerodynamic heating of the airframe imposes severe thermal problems, and conventional techniques of rejecting the heat to the atmosphere become impractical. The fuel is the only material present in sufficient bulk to be used as a heat sink. Thus, the fuel is subjected to aerodynamic heating and also is used to dissipate heat from lubricating oil, hydraulic fluid, electronic equipment, wheel wells, and cabin air. Consequently, the fuels may have to withstand both moderate temperatures for sustained periods in the fuel tanks and higher temperatures for brief periods during transfer from the tanks to the combustion chamber. Because of high temperatures, insoluble residue or gum may form in the fuel and contribute to heat exchanger fouling and to clogging of the fuel manifolds, nozzles, control systems, and other components of the fuel system.

Jan 1, 1962

By F. N. Koepel, L. A. Callaway

The property of the Andes Copper Mining Co. is in the central part of the Republic of Chile, Province of Atacama, about 75 miles to the eastward from the port of Chafñaral. At this point the Andean system is made up of two principal ranges, and the mine and metallurgical plant are both on the westerly slope of the outer or western range. Mean elevation of the mine is 10,500 ft., while at the plant the elevation ranges from 9445 to 9700 ft. A meter gage railroad extends from the company's port at Barquito, near Chañaral, to the reduction plant at Potrerillos. This road has a total length of 94 miles, of which 57.79 miles are owned by the Andes Copper Mining Co. and the remainder of the road is controlled by the State. Development of the Potrerillos mine and installation of the metallurgical equipment presented unusual difficulties due to the arid nature of the country, high altitude and remoteness of the location from any considerable center of population. As a primary step it was necessary that railroad transportation be provided in order that mine development and plant construction could go forward on an economical basis. Provision of an adequate supply of water for domestic and metallurgical uses involved the construction of approximately 178 miles of pipe lines, all of which have their sources at altitudes ranging from 12,000 to 14,000 ft. above sea level and traverse rough and difficult terrane. Water for metallurgical use is brought to Potrerillos from the Ola River, a stream originating in the high cordillera to the eastward from the property. It is delivered by means of a steel pipe line, 32 miles long, having diameters ranging from 22 to 36 in. Domestic water is supplied to the various camps through a system of pipe lines aggregating 146 miles in length, the Ola water being unfit for this purpose. These conductors gather water from numerous springs in the high mountains to the eastward from Potrerillos and deliver it to the mine, the reduction works and the port at Barquito. Extensive permanent housing facilities had to be provided as it was necessary to care for more than 3000 workmen and employees at the

Jan 1, 1934

(Under this heading will he published notes sent to the Secretary of the Institute by members or other persons introduced by members.) Member, mining engineer, technical education with 9 years' varied experience as superintendent and operating engineer, desires position with mining or manufacturing company requiring the services

Jan 3, 1918