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"The Mine Haul Road Optimization Alliance is an Australian industry-academia collaboration which has been developed to support mine haul road operators by fully integrating mine road design research solutions with industry end-user service providers to design, assess, implement and monitor the various equipment, materials and road management strategies required to optimize the safety, environmental and economic performance of a haul road. Initially, a broad overview of the university-industry collaborative landscape is presented, following which the current situation in the Australian mining sector is reviewed both nationally, and on a country-wide basis, internationally. This insight places realization of a collaboration between Curtin University Western Australian School of Mines Mining Engineering and Metallurgical Engineering (WASM ME2) and the Haul Road Optimization Alliance (HROA) industry members into context of opportunity. Following an overview of the HROA collaborative structure, aims and objectives, it is shown how academia and industry can collaborate to deliver a more robust solution to mine haul road design, performance or management needs, especially where integrated solutions are needed. Critically in this approach, implementation and monitoring data provided by industry and service-providers alike forms the foundation on which to develop research knowledge and innovation that is more responsive to the end-user requirements, typically represented by ‘early goals’ and implementable solutions. The paper concludes with examples of how the alliance collaborations work in practice to deliver improved mine haul road designs and optimized operational performance, together with the mechanisms used to ensure industry needs are met through focused, end-user driven research and integrated solutions implementation."

Jan 1, 2016

By Langtry E. Lynd

The titanium dioxide pigment industry in the United States has always relied to varying degrees on imported titanium concentrates. Dependence on foreign ilmenite was especially high (generally over 85% of consumption) until 1942, when large-scale U.S. production of ilmenite began, and has since ranged from 12% to 47%. Rutile import reliance was generally in the 45% to 80% range until the early 1960's, when increased use in the chloride pigment process raised dependence on imported rutile to over 90% in most years since 1963. Import reliance of zircon, obtained almost entirely as a byproduct of titanium mineral production, has generally ranged from about 30% to 65% of consumption. This paper will examine the history of U.S. sources of these heavy mineral commodities, and will discuss the potential U.S. future supply in view of changing industrial uses and processes and the anticipated development of new heavy-mineral-sand processing operations, such as those at Richards Bay in the Republic of South Africa and in Sierra Leone.

Jan 1, 1978

By M. J. Beus, B. Stewart, S. Iverson

Ore-pass hazards are a significant safety problem in US underground metal mines. From 1975 to 1995, nearly 75% of injuries during pulling or freeing of ore-pass chutes were related to falls of broken rock or the use of hand tools. Risk assessment methods are being used to identify the most probable causes of ore-pass failures and analyse the factors that result in malfunctioning or safety reduction. Static and dynamic loads are being measured in the laboratory and by field testing, with data from test ore passes compared with mine data to characterise true system behaviour. Computer modelling using closed-form solutions, finite element analysis and a newly developed particle flow code are being use to predict loads from ore and waste flow and impact. Preliminary results indicate that dynamic impacts may be much less than expected, as a result of damping factors, normal and shear stiffness and mass frictional characteristics

Jun 19, 1905

By John Nagy

Results of initial research by the Bureau of Mines are given on the dust explosion hazard of float coal and on the related factors of occurrence, rate of production, sampling techniques, transport, and deposition of float coal. Tentatively, it is suggested that where float coal deposits prevail, a mini-mum of 80 percent incombustible be maintained in the top 1/8-inch layer to neutralize the explosion hazard of the surficial coal deposit.

Jan 1, 1965

By Subhas G. Malghan

Feldspathic deposits occur widely throughout the United States, but North Carolina, California, Connecticut and South Carolina accounted for over 80% of the total domestic feldspar output for the year 1973.1 Pegmatites and granites constitute the major feldspar reserves of the United States,2 and in addition, feldspar is produced as a by-product by firms whose major products are spodumene and mica.3 Feldspar is concentrated by hand-cobbing and flotation; the latter forms the major method of separating and concentrating feldspar. Feldspar flotation is practiced in the United States, Mexico, Finland, Norway, West Germany, Japan and the USSR. According to the U. S. Bureau of Mines estimates, the production of feldspar in the United States and rest of the world were 704,000 tons and 2,514,000 tons respectively. Feldspar is principally used as a flux in making glass, pottery, porcelain, enamel,-tile and other ceramic products. In recent years, the domestic feldspar industry is faced with a number of problems. As a result of increased cost of energy and the introduction in 1972 of new legislative programs relating to air, water, and noise pollution, land-use restrictions, and mined-land rehabilitation, the production costs have increased. Apart from the increased cost of operation, an operational problem exists with the feldspar producers in North Carolina, especially those in the Spruce Pine area. This problem is concerned with the use of hydrofluoric acid in the feldspar flotation. Feldspar producers in Spruce Pine, North Carolina have been discharging process waste water into the North Toe River. The mill waste water contains active fluoride ions. Fluoride in excessive concentrations is undesirable in waters used for drinking. It is stated that water

Jan 1, 1976

By Thomas C. Wilder

The activities of both components and the partial and integral molar thermodynamic properties of mixing for the liquid Al-Ge system at 1200°K and for the gertnanium-rich Al-Ge liquidus have been determined from data for eighteen alloys of compositions in the range 0.0593 < 0.880 using the reuersible gal-vanic. cell in the temperature interval 9320 to 1258°K. The liqui-dus compositions above 93 2 °K loere also ve determined by observing the discontinuities in the C us T plots for the high-melting alloys. This system shows moderate negative deviation from ideality throughout, the values for y° being 0.212 and 0.189 for aluminum and germanium, respectively, at 1200°K. Pavtial molar Properties of aluminum on the germanium-rich solidus and at infinite dilution in Ge(s) oboue 932°K were estimated from the foregozng measurements and the equlibrium data of previous investzgators. RECENT compilations of data1" have shown an increasing demand for knowledge of the thermodynamic properties of mixing of metallic alloy systems. In the case of binary-liquid systems where one of the components is a semiconductor this information is useful because, primarily, properties of the second (dopant) component on the liquidus, solidus, and at infinite dilution may be determined more accurately than from calculations based on the phase diagram. In this investigation a reversible galvanic cell was used to determine the chemical potential of aluminum in the two-phase region, liquid + [Ge], on the germanium-rich side of the A1-Ge system in the temperature range 932" to 1193°K. In addition, similar measurements for homogeneous liquid A1-Ge alloys for the entire composition range were obtained for the temperature interval 932" to 1258°K. The cell used was: The experimental technique and the treatment of the data were essentially the same as described earlier394 and are elaborated upon only briefly here. Each cell consisted of a liquid aluminum anode and three A1-Ge alloy cathodes of different composition which were held in Morganite alumina crucibles. The alloys were made up from aluminum and germanium weighed to the nearest 0.1 mg to a total weight of 5 to 10 g. Aluminum was a gift of Aluminum Co. of America and had a purity of 99.995+ pct. Germanium of transistor grade was a gift of Bell Telephone Laboratories. The four electrodes were contained in a larger alumina crucible which also held the prepurified fused chloride electrolyte. Contact to the electrodes was made by tantalum wire leads sheathed in alumina. The tantalum leads were centered in the electrodes by suitable positioning of an alumina radiation shield which fitted on the top of the - alulnina crucible. Two chrome l-alumel thermocouples, sheathed in quartz wells, completed the internal cell arrangement. The entire assembly was enclosed in an alumina tube, fitted with a water-cooled copper head so the system could be evacuated and then flushed with purified argon. *

Jan 1, 1967

By Makoto Yuasa, Akira Usui, Shipboard Scientists of SIP Cruises, Atsushi Suzuki, Shingo Kato, Kyoko Yamaoka, Akira Nishimura, Kiyo Kisimoto, Katsuhiko Suzuki

"We report here on current topics of our project, based on the results of recent cruises and laboratory analysis, about the diversity of compositions and configurations of the hydrogenetic ferromanganese deposits in several Northwestern Pacific Seamounts. This recent research has discovered important aspects of these deposits regarding the mode of variation with water depth, topography and substrate geology, possible bacterial mediation, temporal variation with age in mineralogy, and major and minor element chemistry. All cruises and analysis have been supported by the facilities and staff of the Japan Agency of Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Japan Oil, Gas, and Metal resources Corporation (JOGMEC), Geological Survey of Japan, and Kochi Core Center (KCC) using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), a monitored rock drilling system, dredges, and manned-submersibles in the NW Pacific seamounts,The results indicate that most of the rock outcrops on the slopes, shoulders, and much of flat tops are covered with maximum 10-cm thick crusts, but the thickness, metal content, and microstructural properties are not always uniform over the seamounts, but variable in space and time. The micro-stratigraphic description of whole-rock samples indicates a history of deposition and sedimentation, which control the diversity in bulk composition and abundance caused by the variable incorporation of iron-manganese precipitates into the deposits during variable environmental conditions. We conclude that hydrogenetic precipitation of iron-manganese oxide has taken place for more than 20 million years at a growth rate about 4-6 mm/my, in water depths below 1000m. The results indicate a fairly continuous and constant metal deposition since the middle Miocene age or older to the present. Our case study of geological sciences at a model seamount within the Japanese EEZ suggests that scientific knowledge is useful and essential in exploring mineral deposits, economic estimation, and designing systems, if supported by well-combined geological and oceanographic and biological research. The distribution map of ferromanganese deposits and geological map will be published soon in 2017 to be issued by the Geological Survey of Japan."

Jan 1, 2017

The principal activities of the Bureau of Mines Explosives Research Center during fiscal year 1969 (July 1: 1968, to June 30, 1969) are reviewed in part 1. Part 2 presents short abstracts of the publications issued during this period in the Bureau series and in the outside press. These publications are referenced in part 1 by underlined numbers in parentheses. Other publications, which are not abstracted, are cited in footnotes throughout the paper. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Bureau acknowledges the support received through cooperative agreement in fiscal year 1969 from the Manufacturing Chemists Association. It also acknowledges the sponsorship by the following Government agencies of research conducted during that period: Department of the Air Force, Department of the Army, Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Department of the Navy, Federal Aviation Administration, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Space Nuclear Propulsion Office, and United States Coast Guard.

Jan 1, 1970

By C. A. C. Sequeira, G. N. Anastassakis

"The separation of fine or even smaller size mineral particles with conventional methods is inefficient due to the specific properties of fines (small mass, high specific surface area, and high surface energy per unit area). Hence, the production of high-grade concentrate with high recovery is very difficult to impossible and a significant share of mineral values is lost to the tailings. The aim of the current research is to investigate the possibility to efficiently separate value minerals from gangue of fine particle size. The objective of the current work is to develop separation schemes of fine mineral particles by combining an initial stage of particles agglomeration with the use of collectors (hydrophobic agglomeration) with a subsequent conventional separation method. In the current research, magnesite was used as mineral value to be separated: a) from quartz, and b) from mineral mixture (serpentine, ilmenite, and olivine). In each case, tests on single minerals and artificial mixtures were carried out. After hydrophobic agglomeration, the separation of magnesite from quartz was achieved by settling; in the second case (gangue: serpentine, ilmenite, and olivine), magnetic separation of the co-agglomerated gangue was applied. In both cases, the results of the preliminary tests on single minerals suggest that the separation of mineral value is feasible and efficient. These findings were also confirmed from the results of the tests on artificial mixtures of magnesite and gangue, either quartz only or mineral mixture. Both separation schemes provided with magnesite concentrates of commercial grade (95% magnesite) with high recovery. INTRODUCTION The generation of fine particles is inevitable in many operations of mineral commodities processing. Especially in the case of low-grade ores, the mineral value is finely disseminated in the ore, and considerable liberation occurs at a fine size range. Although there is not a uniform classification system with respect to mineral particles size, fines are usually characterized the particles with a size range of -100µm+20µm, very fines those of -20µm+5µm, ultra fines of -5µm+1µm, and colloids smaller than 1µm (Sivamohan, 1990)."

Jan 1, 2018

By K. J. Liles

The Bureau of Mines conducted laboratory semicontinuous and continuous heavy liquid tests to determine the feasibility of producing commercial-grade products from the high-clay sylvinite ores of the Permian Basin in New Mexico. Continuous test operations demonstrated that concentrates containing 59.9 percent K2O and recoveries of over 75 percent of the contained potash can be obtained. The organic heavy liquid was effectively recovered by vaporization, condensation, and absorption methods. Less than 5 parts per million of heavy liquid vapors were released to the atmosphere. This loss represents only 0.02 pound of heavy liquid per ton of ore treated.

Jan 1, 1973

By Alexander Blatt, Franz-Werner Gerressen

Power Point Presetation at DFI 2022

Sep 1, 2022

By S. F. Emmons

THE first paper which appears in the published Transactions of our Institute is that read by our respected Secretary at its first meeting in Wilkes-Barre, in May, 1871. It is entitled The Geological Distribution of Mining Districts in the United States, and presents a brief but masterly review of what was known of the distribution of our deposits of useful minerals, particularly the metals, not only from a geographical but from .a geological stand-point. At the request of Dr. Raymond, I agreed, somewhat hastily, perhaps, to write for this occasion a brief sketch of the geological distribution of the deposits of the useful metals in this country, in the light of the increased knowledge of the present day. In the time given no personal investigation was possible, and as it was therefore out of the question to attempt to make anything that could be considered an original contribution to the history of our ore-deposits, I have been obliged to limit myself to an examination of such published data within my reach as bore upon this subject, and could be consulted in the brief time I have been able to give to it. Had the geological investigations undertaken by the Tenth Census been continued systematically by the United States Geological Survey or by the Eleventh Census, it might have been possible to make a fairly-complete review of the subject. As it is, the principal result of my examination 1 has been to show how very unequal

Jan 1, 1913

The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) defines an independent contractor as any person, partnership, corporation, subsidiary of a corporation, firm, association or other organization that contracts to perform services or construction at a mine. Contractors that perform specific types of work are required to report the number of employees who work at coal mines and noncoal mines.

Jan 1, 2008

By J. T. Kline

This paper will present a review of the underground leaching of remnant copper mineralization left as a result of the block cave mining operation at the Lakeshore Mine in Casa Grande, Arizona.

Jan 1, 1985

By S. A. Sadough vanini

In this paper, Stress-Strain-Temperature relations for Shape Memory Alloys are studied. Temperature effects on Shape Memory Alloys are different from those related to ordinary materials. In ordinary materials, elastic characteristics can be assumed to be constant in low temperature ranges, and only the deflection arising from temperature changes could be added to the elastic defection. As long as two phases of austenite and martensite could be present in Shape Memory Alloys simultaneously, elastic modulus follows temperature and temperature gradient. In continue a smart actuator is investigated considering a homogeneous cantilever beam. Beam bending is established by using shape memory wires. An initial strain is imposed to shape memory wires in a low temperature, and then, they are installed in the outer surface of the beam. Therefore, since the temperature is imposed in these wires and they cannot have free recovery strain, the compressive recovery stress will be produced in the outer surface. This will result in a deflection in axial direction of the beam. At first, beam deflection is calculated on the basis of theoretical relations and solving the relevant differential equations. Afterwards, experimental tests are performed on an elastomeric beam equipped with shape memory wires. When a voltage is applied, a temperature rise will occur in the wires; then, this temperature rise causes a deflection in the beam. Finally, the theoretical and experimental results? comparison indicates a good conformity. One capability of this actuator is its high flexibility, and by controlling the inlet current, the end-beam deflection can be controlled.

Oct 1, 2011

By Isaac A. Zlochower, Kenneth L. Cashdollar

The Pittsburgh Research Laboratory of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health conducted a study of the explosibility of various metals and other elemental dusts dispersed in air, with a focus on the experimental explosion temperatures. The data are useful for understanding the basics of dust cloud combustion, as well as for evaluating the explosion hazards in the minerals and metals processing industries. The dusts studied included boron, carbon, magnesium, aluminum, silicon, sulfur, titanium, chromium, iron, nickel, copper, zinc, niobium, molybdenum, tin, hafhium, tantalum, tungsten, and lead. The dusts were chosen to cover a wide range of physical properties - from the more volatile materials such as magnesium, aluminum, sulfur, and zinc to the highly "refractory" (very low volatility) elements such as carbon, niobium, molybdenum, tantalum, and tungsten. These flammability studies were conducted in a 20-L chamber, using strong pyrotechc ignitors. The experimental data obtained included the minimum explosible concentrations, maximum explosion pressures, and maximum explosion temperatures. A unique multiwavelength infrared pyrometer was used to measure the temperatures. For the elemental dusts studied, all ignited and burned as air-dispersed dust clouds except for nickel, copper, molybdenum, and lead. The measured maximum explosion temperatures ranged from -1 550 K for tin and tungsten powders to -2800 K for aluminum, magnesium, and titanium powders. The measured temperatures are compared to the calculated, adiabatic flame temperatures. In general, the dusts whose experimental temperatures were closer to the adiabatic values were those with the finer particle sizes, those that were more easily vaporized, and/or those that were intrinsically more reactive.

Workers in underground stone mines have a high fatality rate caused by falls of ground from the mine roof or rib. NIOSH recommendations to reduce ground fall injuries and deaths address baskets, mechanical scalers, mechanical bolters, drill steel changing, personal protective equipment, and training. Description of Exposure An informal National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) review in 1998 identified approximately 17 new underground limestone operations in vari¬ous stages of planning; as many as 35 new underground stone mines are expected by 2005. Many of these new underground stone mines will employ new or inexperienced workers with minimal knowledge of the hazardous conditions that exist underground. Workers in underground stone mines have a fatality rate nearly 20 times that of workers in the manufacturing sector. Three quarters of the fatalities in underground stone mines are caused by falls of ground from the mine roof or rib (Figure 1) [Statistical Abstract of the United States 1985-1999; MSHA 1983-1999]. During 1983-1999, nonfatal ground falls resulted in 140 injuries, or 15% of all underground, lost time stone mine injuries. These nonfatal ground fall injuries resulted in more than 13,800 lost workdays (one third of all lost workdays). Ground falls generate more disabling injuries and time away from work than any other type of incident. [ ]

Jan 11, 2003

By Patricia T. Foley

An analysis of the demand for copper shows a widely varying pattern of end use. For example, copper tube is the most popular material for hot water supply in the US and northern Europe, but galvanized steel is used in Japan and plastics are used in developing countries. In addition to such peculiarities of end use, the demand for copper varies among countries depending on the stage of industrialization and the extent that the copper processing industries are developed. Brazil, with its abundant supplies of bauxite and hydroelectric power, uses aluminun in place of copper wherever possible. South Korea, with its export oriented economy and its advanced custom smelting and fabricating industries, favors copper. Understanding the details of demand in different countries enhances statistical derived forecasts and illustrates potential new markets.

Jan 1, 1986

By F. Bélanger, P. Fournier

"The Detour Lake Mine is located in northeastern, Ontario, approximately 300 kilometres northeast of Timmins and 185 kilometres by road northeast of Cochrane. The mill processes a free milling gold ore using both gravity circuit and leaching with a state-of-the-art carbon-in-pulp circuit. The grinding circuit is a conventional SABC circuit with a tonnage of 60,000 mtpd at 95 microns with the addition of pre-crushing upstream of the SAG mill. This paper will highlight the impact of a pre-detox thickener on the cyanide consumption in a gold leach/CIP circuit. While the pre-detox thickener was built with the intention to reduce the cyanide consumption, the opposite effect was observed when the thickener was put temporarily offline. It will show how the re-circulation of a dilute stream of cyanide into the grinding circuit, increases the overall slurry temperature and by the same effect, increases the dissolved copper concentration in the leaching circuit which subsequently increases the cyanide consumption.INTRODUCTION The processing plant is using a conventional gravity, cyanidation and carbon-in-pulp processing facility currently operating at approximately 60,000 mtpd. The comminution process is based on two parallel SABC lines, each fed from an individual reclaim tunnel. Cyclone overflow from the two ball mill circuits is directed to the pre-leach thickener. The thickener underflow is distributed to two (4) parallel leach trains of 5 tanks each, each leach train providing 29 hours of leaching retention time. After leaching, the gold in solution is recovered in a carrousel CIP circuit consisting of two (2) parallel leach trains. Tails from each CIP circuit are combined and sent to a pre-detox thickener to recover as much cyanide solution as is economically practical before being diluted and fed to a cyanide destruction system. The detoxified tailings are sent to the Tailing Management Area (TMA) for settling and retention. The excess water from the TMA is reclaimed and recycled back to the processing plant. The pre-detox thickener is designed to thicken the leach tails slurry to 64% solids with the overflow being recycled to the grinding circuit. It is estimated that the pre-detox thickener will recover 60% of the cyanide in the CIP discharge solution. It is also designed to reduce the SO2 consumption by diluting the thickener U/F to 50% solid using the tailing pond reclaim water which has very little cyanide content."

Jan 1, 2019

By Kenneth H. Johnston

This report describes in detail three waterflooding projects and a pres-sure-maintenance project in Butler and Cowley Counties, Kans., that will be visited on the 1963 annual spring tour of the Kansas-Oklahoma Waterflood Association. Among the unique features of the projects are the flooding of five oil-producing horizons separately with injection water furnished by two water treating plants. Discussion of the individual projects includes information on their early history, the source and treatment of the injection fluids, oil production decline curves, and the results of water injection on oil production.

Jan 1, 1963