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By A Hewitt

Portland cement is the chief binding ingredient in mine backfill. In the presence of water, the chemical compounds within portland cement hydrate causing hardening and strength gain. During hydration, heat is generated. In certain cases, hydration heat may be produced significantly faster than it can be dissipated, which can create high temperatures in the underground environment. This paper presents the results of a series of investigations aimed at quantifying the heat generated by cemented backfill during hydration. Scaled stope models, instrumented with thermistors, were used in the investigation. Heat transfer to the hanging wall, orebody, footwall and cross-cut and production drifts was assessed during the backfill curing process and relationships between cement content, cure time, and heat generation were developed. The results of this work will assist mine operators in predicting the heat generated by cemented backfill and provide the necessary information to implement effective engineering control of heat in the underground environment.

Jan 1, 2005

By V. H. Wilhelm

During the first half of the year 1935, the oil industry in California was on a fairly profitable basis, owing mainly to the operation of the Petroleum Marketing Agency. Coincident with the discontinuance of enforced curtailment, California production surged upward from an average of about 500,000 bbl. per day (over the first five-month period) to approximately 625,000 bbl. per day (over the last seven-month period). On Dec. 9 the state production had reached a peak of over 700,000 bbl., a figure that had not been approximated since the early days of voluntary curtailment (Fig. 1). A price cut was instituted during the last half of August, but had no deterring effect on operators that were determined to take advantage of the breakdown of curtailment and produce to capacity. New reserve figures, compiled from actual potentials, available after cessation of curtailment, revealed the startling fact that California reserves were rapidly declining. This situation, coupled with the desire among operators to obtain a more equitable price for their dwindling reserves, caused a restoration in November of a portion of the August price slash. A further rise in price was effected in early December, and crude quotations at the end of the year closely approximated those in effect during the first right months. At the close of the year, the industry felt confident that the production situation was under control. In all fields where competition is keen because of close spacing, production is gradually declining. In the Los Angeles Basin especially there is no likelihood of a large amount of overproduction, unless a new pool is discovered or deeper drilling reveals a prolific source of crude. As long as the fields that are operated by a few companies, such as Kettleman Hills, North Belridge, Ventura Avenue, West Coyote, Dominguez, and some others, can be controlled, it is believed that the overproduction problem in California will be solved.

Jan 1, 1936

By V. H. Wilhelm

During the first half of the year 1935, the oil industry in California was on a fairly profitable basis, owing mainly to the operation of the Petroleum Marketing Agency. Coincident with the discontinuance of enforced curtailment, California production surged upward from an average of about 500,000 bbl. per day (over the first five-month period) to approximately 625,000 bbl. per day (over the last seven-month period). On Dec. 9 the state production had reached a peak of over 700,000 bbl., a figure that had not been approximated since the early days of voluntary curtailment (Fig. 1). A price cut was instituted during the last half of August, but had no deterring effect on operators that were determined to take advantage of the breakdown of curtailment and produce to capacity. New reserve figures, compiled from actual potentials, available after cessation of curtailment, revealed the startling fact that California reserves were rapidly declining. This situation, coupled with the desire among operators to obtain a more equitable price for their dwindling reserves, caused a restoration in November of a portion of the August price slash. A further rise in price was effected in early December, and crude quotations at the end of the year closely approximated those in effect during the first right months. At the close of the year, the industry felt confident that the production situation was under control. In all fields where competition is keen because of close spacing, production is gradually declining. In the Los Angeles Basin especially there is no likelihood of a large amount of overproduction, unless a new pool is discovered or deeper drilling reveals a prolific source of crude. As long as the fields that are operated by a few companies, such as Kettleman Hills, North Belridge, Ventura Avenue, West Coyote, Dominguez, and some others, can be controlled, it is believed that the overproduction problem in California will be solved.

Jan 1, 1936

By M C. Schodlok

Banded iron-formation (BIF) and iron ores were measured using the CSIRO developed TIRHyLogger ™ to assess its ability to map quartz, carbonates and riebeckite. The TIR-HyLogger™ measures continuously spectral refl ectance data from diamond drill core or drill chips with a high spatial and spectral resolution. Samples from twelve BIF, bedded iron deposits (BID) and channel iron deposits (CID) have been analysed. The spectral data were processed with two different approaches. The first approach, focused on the identifi cation of the major minerals, was performed using principal component analysis (PCA). It identified four minerals (quartz, ankerite, riebeckite and goethite) and provided pure spectra called end-members. The second approach included a mineral diagnostic spectral feature extraction involving wavelength position, relative peak heights and relative depths of absorptions. Quartz has a diagnostic absorption at 8.625 µm and ankerite shows a refl ectance peak at 11.275 µm. In addition to the identified end-members, two carbonate populations (calcite and siderite) and two silica species (quartz and amorphous silica) were identified.

Jul 11, 2011

The special mixing requirements for backfilling are discussed, and the problems associated with the mixing of coarse and deslimed slurries, as well as the tailings from the gold plant are outlined. The mixing of binders which are used to strengthen backfill and the parameters for the scale-up of mixer pilot plant work are also discussed

Jan 1, 1988

We remember him as a messmate, as a roommate, and when we rubbed shoulders with him on the square, for his kindly thought and unassuming manners. The Spanish grippe has claimed many from our depot. As we read down the names we pause here and there to recall some incident to establish permanently in our memory as a link to bind us, the living, with the dead. "And there's one name we cannot pass So we pause, and ponder awhile. And recall all his cheery words, And his smile—his perpetual smile." Men detained in the Quarantine Camp will have cause to remember him too, for he displayed his gentlemanly bearing and courtesy to all he came in contact with. Lieutenant Norman Lloyd Ohnsorg First Lieutenant Norman Lloyd Ohnsorg died in Nashville, Tenn., on Oct. 11, 1918. He mas born in St. Louis, Mo., Jan. 10, 1889, and lived in that city until he was 11 years of age when his parents removed to Iron Mountain, Mo., where he spent the next 6 years. On Jan. 10, 1906, he entered the Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy at Rolla, Mo., and graduated from that institution in 1910, receiving both the Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering and the Engineer of Mines degrees. In 1912, he received the degree of Bachelor of Science in Metallurgy, and in 1916, the degree of Metallurgical Engineer. After leaving college he wae connected with the following companies: Noble Electric Steel Works, Heroult, Shasta Co., Cal.; Mammoth Copper Mining Co.. Kennett, Cal.; St. Joseph Lead Co., Herculaneum, Mo.; Granby Smelting & Mining Co., Neodesha, Kans.; The Phosphate Mining Co., Nichols, Fla. While with the last company, he volunteered, in April, 1917, for service in the engineering corps of the U. S. Army. He passed an excellent examination, was accepted and called to Washington and placed in Division T. of the Ordnance Department where he was engaged in research work pertaining to nitrogen. He was then ordered to Sheffield, Ala., where he was second in command of the construction of the Government nitrogen plants at Muscle Shoals. After the completion of the plants, he was ordered to Buffalo, N. Y., on Sept. 28, 1915, to inspect and report on a government plant. After completing this work, he was called back to Sheffield. He left Buffalo on Oct. 6, but delayed trains caused him to miss connections in Cincinnati where he had to wait 12 hours. He had not beedfeeling well for

Jan 1, 1920

For the last decade Australia has been the leading exporter of both steam and coking coal. In the ten-year period 1989 - 1998 steam coal exports increased by 93 per cent and metallurgical coal exports increased by 50 per cent. However, profitability of the steam coal sector has been disappointing. The coking coal sector, especially the hard coking coal segment, has fared better but its profitability was more because of its ability to maintain relatively high prices rather than its inherent productivity. Until quite recently the Australian coking coal sector was widely expected to be able to maintain this comfortable state without undue effort for the three major æpartnersÆ; the companies, the State Government and the unions. But coking coal could now be heading down the path followed by steam coal that ends with long-term over-supply and, despite steady improvements in productivity, poor profitability. Steam coal entered the ænewÆ era of long-term over-supply some years ago. Over-supply was due to the rapid increase in production in Indonesia, often from new mines and Australia. AustraliaÆs production rise was underlain by the apparent belief that the best way to lower costs was to increase production. In the first couple of years costs didnÆt fall much but the additional tonnage was sold at lower and lower prices into the spot market. By mid-1998 the difference between the contract price set with Japanese utilities and spot sales was often in excess of $US12 per tonne. Japanese contract prices and tonnages have since fallen significantly. Steam coal has moved from being a product to being a commodity. Any profits are due more to the low Australian dollar rather than inherent mine productivity. Seaborne coking coal trade has been dominated by Australia, Canada and the USA, with the USA becoming less competitive. Unfortunately, when the Queensland capacity expansion was well down the pipeline, the Asian financial crisis occurred and the Japanese economy entered what appears to be a long-term recession. Contract prices fell 18 per cent, tonnages decreased and some mines have been reclassified as supplying lower priced coking coal. The paper analyses past and expected future trends in labour and mine productivity, rail freight and FOB export port cash and total costs of the Australian steam coal and coking coal sectors and discusses the market outlook for Australia. The future economic viability of the industry is analysed and discussed in the light of the rapidly changing global environment.

Jan 1, 2000

By Larry Joe Linley

The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines is reviewing explosion protection methods for use in gassy coal mines. This performance criteria guideline is an evaluation of three explosion protection methods of machines electrically powered with voltages up to 15 000 volts AC. A sufficient amount of basic research has been accomplished to verify that the explosion-proof and pressurized enclosure methods can provide adequate explosion protection with the present state of the art up to 15 000 volts AC. The routine application of the potted enclosure as a stand alone protection method requires further investigation or development in order to clarify performance criteria and verification-certification requirements. An extensive literature search, a series of high voltage tests, and a design evaluation of the three explosion protection methods performed at White Sands Test Facility indicates that the explosion-proof, pressurized, and potted enclosures can all be used to enclose up to 15 000 volts AC, if the performance criteria and verification-certification requirements recommended in this guideline are implemented.

Jan 1, 1982

By G. F. Revey

All underground operations have limiting factors that influence overall profitability. Hoisting, hauling, available headings, labor, milling capacity and other factors limit how much material can be removed from an underground mine. Consequently, when mines use limited labor to handle the additional rock from overbreak and to perform extra ground support tasks, productive activity is replaced by non-productive work. Mining economics are further penalized when overbreak causes dilution of ore grades. This paper reviews organizational systems that mines have used to create environments which foster the creation of successful overbreak control programs. Actual case histories document the various quality improvement techniques, worker incentives, and practical project management systems used by these mines. A brief review of controlled blasting technology sources and overbreak measurement tools is also included.

Jan 1, 1997

By Wilson Quispe, Luis Silva, Rubén Alvarado

El presente trabajo nos permitirá compartir los desafíos que en el pasado reciente se enfrentaron, cuando se pusieron en marcha las primeras operaciones de gran minería que contemplaban los molinos SAG el cual fue resuelto acudiendo a empresas extranjeras para poder cubrir la necesidad de realizar el cambio de los revestimientos. Esto porque los molinos SAG eran nuevos en el país y las empresas prestadoras de servicios mineros carecían de experiencia para poder ejecutarlo.

Sep 29, 2023

By Brendan Donnelly, Jung-Hoon Sul, Lasitha Piyathilaka, Sanghyun Jeong, Benjamin Probyn

The chains of armored face conveyor (AFCs) are constantly in contact with water and wet coal, which results in a significant proportion of unplanned downtime experienced on longwall equipment due to corrosion. While reverse osmosis (RO) is one of the most prevalent water treatment methods for reducing salinity and dissolved solids in coal mining, its impact on the corrosion of the AFC chains has not been well studied. This work studies the direct effects of RO water on the corrosion of AFC chains. Immersion tests followed by surface micromorphology analysis and corrosion indices indicate that the RO water increased the corrosion rate of the AFC chains due to the reduced tendency of preventive films on the chains.

May 1, 2024

By Peverett N. F

The purpose of filtration in a gold reco- very plant is to separate the gold bearing liquid from the solids in the slurry. Some of the gold is inevitably lost due to incomplete separation. An investigation recently completed by the authors has brought to light a method of reducing such losses. In this investigation, the filtration pro- cess was represented by a steady-state mathema- tical model which took account of 14 indepen- dent variables and three parameters. One of the filters in the plant at West Driefontein Gold Mine in South Africa was isolated from the rest and fully instrumented. A computerized data acquisition system was installed close to the filter, and the data obtained from it served to test the model. Using the model together with an optimizing program, the optimum operating point for the filter as a function of throughput was found, and a control strategy developed to minimize the total gold losses in the filter plant.

Jan 1, 1977

By J. M. Provost

1. Estimates have been made for eight coal beds in Marion County, but only the Pittsburgh is important from a production standpoint at this time. The Pittsburgh bed has the largest recoverable reserve, and the Sewickley is second in importance. 2. Known measured and indicated reserves thickness of 14 inches and on 1,800 short tons estimated at 3,141 million tons, as of January lion tons is in beds 28 inches and more thick in all beds, based on a minimum per acre-foot of coal in place, are 1, 1955. Of this total, 2,983 mil-Areas in each bed were omitted from the estimate because available data relative to the bed characteristics were too meager for making an estimate that conforms with the definitions of measured and indicated coal adopted for this study. Should future drilling or development prove reserves in these areas, such reserves should be added to the total estimated reserves.

Jan 1, 1956

By Oscar Concha

El presente texto describe la exploración, geología, controles estructurales, mineralización y los tipos de alteración hidrotermal del yacimiento minero Cuajone, situado al sur de la Cordillera Occidental de los Andes y en el flanco Andino de Moquegua. En 1937, se inicia su exploración a través de una campaña exploratorla de la empresa Cerro de Pasco, donde se determina la zona como un proyecto potencial de cobre porfirítico de baja ley. Posteriormente en 1942, se inicia la primera campaña de perforación diamantina exploratoria y en 1969, se inicia la etapa de construcción y desbroce de material para preparar la mina. De otro lado, se ha desarrollado un modelo de la evolución del yacimiento desde las rocas preminerales del Grupo Toquepala, de las cuales la andesita basáltica fue una gran receptora de la mineralización de cobre originada por la intrusión de un primer pulso de latita porfirítica.

Apr 26, 1999

By Van C. Nyman

A time-sharing computer was tied in to Hecla in August of 1967. This has proven to be helpful in performing metallurgical and engineering calculations that were formerly tedious tasks. Metallurgy programs were written for applying two and three product formulas. Programs were expanded to make the monthly metallurgical balance calculations for each of the Hecla mills. The Hecla engineering department uses the computer for solving hoist duty cycles and for traverse analysis. Both Asarco and Bunker Hill Company in the Coeur d’Alene Mining District are tied to a time-sharing computer. Their uses for the time-sharing computer will be discussed. Asarco had the advantage in learning computer techniques during an extended strike. A comparison of Asarco computer use with that of Hecla's will show the advantage in having a person or persons spend full time on the use of computers. Bunker Hill has the versatility of five teletype units in their mine-smelter complex plus ability to tie in to their own computer.

Jan 1, 1969

Lieutenant Gorman was born in Ottawa, Canada, in 1888, and after preliminary education at Ottawa University and the Ottawa Collegiate Institute, he graduated from McGill University in 1913, as a mining engineer. After graduation, Mr. Gorman spent several months in a tour of Europe. The year 1909 was occupied at one of the Canadian graphite mines, and the summer of 1911 he spent with the Granby Mining, Smelting & Power Co., Ltd. At the time of his admission to the Institute, in 1914, he was sampler with the Dome mines at South Porcupine, Ontario. His next engagement was at the Creighton mine, Ontario, but in 1916 he joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force and went to England. A letter written by Major Ritchie, commanding the Second Tunnelling Company, to Lieut. Gorman's mother, contains the following words. Tommy was lulled at our headquarters by a nine-inch shell which struck the officers' quarters. The Hun had been shelling a small village close to the camp with a long-range gun and a shot fell into our camp. Tom was killed instantly by the concussion. He mas buried this morning with Military Honours in the military cemetery close to our camp. Tommy was an efficient officer and a good soldier and his loss is very keenly felt by the officers and men of this unit. Lieutenant William Hague William Hague, First Lieutenant Co. F, 116th Regiment of Engineers, and a member of the Institute since 1906, died of pneumonia in France, on Jan. 1, 1918. Lieutenant Hague was born in Orange, N. J., Mar. 31, 1882, the son of the late James D. Hague, a distinguished mining engineer and a life member of the Institute, and Mary Ward (Foote) Hague, of Guilford, Conn. He attended Milton Academy, Milton, Mass., and was graduated from Harvard in the class of 1904. He was a nephew of the late Arnold Hague, of the United States Geological Survey. Seven years ago he married Elizabeth Stone, of Milton, who with their son, James D. Hague, six years old, survives him. Lieutenant Hague's mining career began immediately after his graduation from Harvard, when he went to Bisbee, Ariz., to be a surveyor's helper in the mines of the Copper Queen Consolidated Mining Co. In 1905, he became an instrument man, being engaged on the construction work of the Copper Queen smelting plant at Douglas, Ariz. In the latter part of the same year he was transferred to the geological depart-

Jan 1, 1920

By T. G. Lovering

Nonparametric statistical tests have practical application to many geological problems because, unlike the standard statistical tests, they do not require assumptions regarding the form of the population frequency distribution. Many of them do not even require that the variable be susceptible to numerical measurement. These tests are useful either 1) for geological data representing population distributions of unknown form, or otherwise not meeting the requirements for standard parametric tests; or 2) for sample attributes that cannot be measured but only ranked in order of relative magnitude. The application of two such tests will be illustrated. The Kolmogorov-Smimov test will be used to test for significant differences in copper distribution in samples of two rock types; the Spearman rank-correlation method will be used to determine whether there is a significant association between intensity of rock alteration and copper content of the rock. Nonparametric tests are, in general, quicker and easier to perform than the corresponding parametric tests, and they may be applied to a greater variety of data. They are not as powerful as the standard tests if used on data to which the latter are applicable, and computer programs utilizing them are not generally available. The use of standard or parametric statistical procedures for the interpretation of measured geological data is familiar to most mining engineers and explora- tion geologists. The computation of product moment correlation coefficients on sample assays for more-than one component is already standard procedure in some company operations, as is the use of Student's F test and Snedecor's F test for the comparison of means and variances of sample groups. The application of these three tests is limited by the prerequisites that the samples must be random, independent representatives of normally distributed populations and that the variables involved must be measurable. If such tests are applied to data which fall short of fulfilling these prerequisites, then the probability level attributed to the computed statistic is invalid and the conclusions based thereon may be erroneous. A number of nonparametric, or distribution free, statistical tests have been developed for use with data which are not amenable to standard parametric procedures. These tests have been widely used in the behavioral sciences such as psychology and sociology for some time, but their application to geologic problems is relatively new. Nonparametric tests may be grouped into two main categories: those which test for significant differences in a single variable by comparing either sample values with a standard value or representative values between two or more groups of samples; and those which test for significant association between pairs of variables in a single group of samples. The versatile chi square test, the Kolmogorov-Smirnov one and two sample tests, the Wilcox matched pairs signed ranks test, the median test, the Mann-Whitney U test and the Cochran Q test are examples of nonparametric tests with demonstrated or potential geological applications that belong in the first category. The contingency coefficient, Spearman rank correlation coefficient, Kendall rank correlation coefficient and the

Jan 1, 1963

By Z. Chen

This study is concerned with the behavior of bubble clusters in a well-controlled turbulent flow. We used a specially designed cell where the bubble aggregates could be formed and exposed to breakage by a rotating impeller. The effects of impeller speed and the concentration of collector on cluster behavior were studied. It was found that the size of the clusters increases with the concentration of collector used. We also found that although the clusters could easily be destroyed under the action of impeller, they could reform, especially at lower impeller speeds. It was observed that the size of the bubbles arriving into the impeller region in the absence of particles before breakage was considerably higher than the size of the clusters formed at the same impeller speed. It appears that both cluster breakage and re-formation take place simultaneously, and the extent of formation and regrowth is mainly determined by the hydrophobicity of the particles and the impeller speed.

Sep 1, 2012

By Miguel Becerra, Daniel Jordán, Jorge Soto, Luis Torres

"Most SAG grinding operations currently use ball sizes between 5.5 and 6 inch maximum size. However, in most cases the use of this ball sizes hasn’t been justified by a phenomenological analysis of the real effect on the grinding process, but rather by trial and error. The analysis of the influence of ball sizes in SAG grinding hasn’t been developed in detail by considering the effect on process parameters inside the mill, grinding efficiency or internal classification. Historically a conventional grinding reference has been made on the empirical procedure developed by Azzaroni (1980). Further to Azzaroni’s methodology, Sepulveda (Sepúlveda, 2007) developed the SPEC methodology, incorporating the ball size effect on the grinding efficiency parameters using a population balance model included on Molycop tools spreadsheets.This paper demonstrates a detailed analysis at pilot scale of the ball size employed in SAG grinding and scaling that exists between the different levels. This analysis includes assessing the effect of balls sizes on parameters associated with grinding efficiency and its effect on the total fill level, product size distribution and specific energy consumption, among others. In a complementary way it develops a technical - economical evaluation from industrial data comparing two different ball sizes and its effect on the grinding process analysed integrally."

Jan 1, 2014

By Ferris E. Sainsbury

As most mining companies utilize contractors rather than in-house drilling departments, it is difficult for most mining engineers to become familiar with drilling techniques This chapter will explain the various drilling options available to the mining industry through the services of a drilling contractor. It will also suggest improvements in program planning and specification writing by the mining company representatives to enable them to derive maximum benefit from the contractor.

Jan 1, 1979