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By Thomas C. Shapiro

This is the final article in a three-part series on microcomputers and application software in the mineral industry. The first article covered microcomputer terms and concepts. The second discussed exploration and mining software. This article will examine plant, administrative, and geotechnical software. Every effort has been made to be current in the latest software developments. Rapid change, however, is a fact of life in the computer world and any omission is inadvertent. Introduction Geotechnical disciplines have received considerable attention in software programming. Calculations are repetitive and the formulas needed to solve them are not extremely complicated. These programs are ideally suited to the microcomputer and the microcomputer is ideally suited to the consulting geologist or engineer, due to its low cost and reliability. In fact, the advent of the Apple (a registered trademark of Apple Computer Inc.) and, more recently, the IBM personal computer has caused an explosion of inexpensive software programs available to the microcomputing public. Another area that has benefited from computerization, although not in the same way, has been mineral beneficiation. Here, process control for start-up or phase-down operations has been used in newer plants for some time. Programs to perform various calculations are becoming more common as micros increase in number. Tappi Journal has a section with solutions to handheld-calculator and microcomputer problems. Process Modeling Most process modeling is still done only on mainframes. One such program is called ASPEN PLUS (a registered trademark of Aspen Technology), and a one-week course is recommended so the user can best use the program. This program is available through timesharing from University Computing Co. Programs to find an optimal solution using Linear Programming (LP) have been around for some time. Also, plant process simulation has been possible using simulation programs. Both simulation and LP are expensive to program and run. Although there are LP programs available for some micros, the user must be fairly knowledgeable about how to set up the problem. This is because each problem must be set up as a unique program that typically requires custom programming. There are some programs that can handle blending of mine crudes and examine economic parameters over the life of the mine. Plant Applications Areas relating to mine and plant applications with programs available for micros are maintenance, production reporting, inventory, accounting, and personnel scheduling. Maintenance Maintenance typically requires that certain jobs be performed in a particular sequence and parts be ordered with enough lead time for maintenance to take place on time. There is, therefore, a critical sequence of tasks that must be performed or the scheduled maintenance will not take place. Two answers needed for maintenance project scheduling are: what is the lead time needed

Jan 4, 1984

By J. A. Bownocker

THE production of oil in Ohio, in 1924, was characterized by no marked or surprising change. Low prices and the absence of promising territory made the year quiet. As is well. known, Ohio has reached a state of "settled production," and the most that can be expected for the ensuing few years is to maintain the output at approximately the present figure 1921 7,335,000 1922 6,781,000 1923 7,085,000 Geographically, the Ohio fields may be divided into three areas, each of which gets its main supply of oil from a different stratigraphic horizon.

Jan 3, 1925

By I. Lackey

In 2004, Zinifex Budel Zink commenced testing with the objective to increase the precipitation of aluminium in the iron purification stage of its hydrometallurgical zinc circuit, without the use of expensive reagents. Findings from the literature applied to the leach circuit at Zinifex Budel Zink demonstrated that aluminium removal from the leach circuit could be increased by lowering the ferric concentration and acidity in the vessels where jarosite precipitation occurs. An associated increase in copper precipitation was mitigated by limiting the extent to which the ferric concentration was lowered in the vessels where jarosite forms and lowering the ratio of copper to aluminium in the solutions entering these vessels.

Jan 1, 2006

By Dennis A. Hansen

The solubility of anhydrous aluminum chloride in solutions of titanium tetrachloride and vanadium tetrachloride was determined as part of a re-search project-by the Bureau of Mines to make a homogeneous alloy sponge of titanium, vanadium, and aluminum. Solubility curves were established using an autoclave at 75°, 100°, 125°, and 150° C. The solubility of AJC13 in TiC14 is 0.2 wt pct at 75° C; it increases to 18.3 wt pct at 150° C. The data concur with data from earlier researchers of this bi-nary system for 75° to 125° C. For the VC14-AlC13 binary system the solubility of AlC13 is 0.1 wt pct at 75° C, increasing to 1.6 wt pct at 150° C. For the TiC14-AlClrVC14 ternary system the solubility of AlC13 decreases from the values found with a pure TiC14-AlC13 system to the lower values found with a pure VC14-AlC13 system at the respective temperatures.

Jan 1, 1986

By Per Eriksson

For light buildings on clay, foundations on L/C-columns is in many cases a competitive alternative to piles when the thickness of the clay is moderate (<20 m). The method is applicable for the above mentioned depth when the clay is normally consolidated, and for thicker deposits when the clay is overconsolidated at depth. This case study concerns a shopping mall in Nordby, Sweden, founded on L/C-columns (5-15 m in length) and generally spaced 1.45-2.0 m (spacing 0.7 m was used below pillars). The base slab was built as a raft foundation, using fibre reinforced concrete.

Jan 1, 2000

By W. E. Anderson, T. M. Brady

As part of a larger study to identify factors influencing the practical operating life of wire rope used on large draglines in surface coal mining, field trips to operating surface coal mines were made during late 1975. Wire rope performance information was obtained from personnel at 13 mine sites west of the Appalachians. Seventeen pieces of equipment, utilizing bucket sizes ranging from 30 to 220 cu yd (23 to 168 m), were documented. Draglines at large US surface coal mines can be represented as 120 machines having 60-cu yd (46-m3) buckets, moving 1.8 X 109 cu yd (1.4 x 109 m3) of overburden during 6650 hours of productive availability per year. Based on the limited field study, the calculated downtime resulting from rope-related causes averages 105.6 hours per year for each typical 60-cu yd (43-m3) dragline. The total loss in production from this source alone is thereby estimated at about 25 x 106 cu yd (19 x 106 m3) annually. Although study findings did not reveal anything about dragline rope life that wasn&apos;t known or practiced by one operator or another, most operators can expect improved rope life by periodic review of their practices and by adopting one or more life-improvement measures employed at other sites. Since rope productivity was found to vary by a factor of five among the sites studied, considerable improved average performance is possible. As little as 10% overall improvement would increase national productivity by 2 million cu yd (1.5 X 106 m3) of solid overburden removal. Associated savings in rope costs would be some $2 million annually, plus a large reduction of labor-related expenses. This report outlines preliminary findings which may prove useful to many operators in extending wire rope life. Some of these modifications or adjustments in maintenance/operating practices would not require capital investment. During the field survey, no company was found which had tried cost reductions by using presocketed dump ropes, or dump rope sheaves that opened like a snatch block, so these are suggested as possible improvements requiring modest capital input. Data Acquisition During the field visits, mine operators provided rope life information about their machines. Some of the rope life data consisted of gross averages; other data was in the form of detailed records, including rope construction and manufacturer, cutoff and resocketing periods, end-for-end switching, and downtime for rope change-out. Trends of average hoist rope life and average drag rope life determined from the field study are shown in [Fig. 1] as a function of bucket size. The three lines on the graph have slopes of 1, M, and 1/4. A comparison of the data shows that hoist ropes moved about twice as much material as drag ropes prior to retirement, although more than a two-to-one scatter within each category is evident. As expected, the larger machines with the larger buckets moved more total volume of material. The four pairs of solid symbols represent those data for which detailed rope life histories are presented in subsequent figures.

Jan 1, 1980

By Jerry Bennett

This report describes the results of a survey of current blast area guarding procedures at surface and underground metal/nonmetal mines. It features five case histories (two surface and three underground mines) of blast guarding methods considered to represent the best systems in use in the U.S. Mining Industry. Elements of an effective blast guarding system are presented along with recommendations for improvements in current blast guarding practices. Industrial and military surveillance and detection technology was reviewed to determine if parallel technology exists for immediate application to blasting site security. While it is concluded that immediate transfer of industrial security technology will be limited, a number of recommendations are advanced for new research to adapt some of that technology for application to the mining environment. Two research areas considered to offer the most potential for improved blast guarding are presented. They are, computerized personnel tracking and blast area intrusion detection using infrared, microwave or E-field type detection systems.

Jan 1, 1981

By Salah A. Taqieddin

Blast casting or trajectory blasting, as it is sometimes called, is an innovative mining technique that has been receiving increasing acceptance among operations of surface coal mines and quarries as a means of offsetting the rising cost of mechanical excavation of overburden with a high overburden-to-ore ratio. Many similarities exist between geological characteristics of overburden formations of phosphate beds and the formations that conceal coal seams. Both are sedimentary origin and are removed for mining in an identical manner (i.e. use of a dragline or shovel to strip or cast the overburden aside).

Jan 1, 1997

By John Garcia

COAL MINING, as well as all the other major in-dustries of Russia, is controlled by the Soviet Gov-ernment by means of organizations in each dis-trict, known as "Trusts," such as the "Kisel Coal Trust" in the Urals, the "Donugol Trust" in the Ukraine, etc., and each Trust functions as a unit, reporting direct to the chief of the department of the government at Moscow. The responsible head of each Trust is usually a mem-ber of the Communist party and, filtered through his organization, one generally finds a fair proportion of Communists in "key" or important positions, such as purchasing agents and local managers or superinten-dents, but in the majority of places requiring technical or professional knowledge, or trained brains and ex-perience, little or no attention is paid to a man&apos;s political opinion provided, of course, he "behaves himself." These different Trusts were authorized or ordered by the Central Committee at Moscow to investigate the methods of mining and type of mines developed in all other coal producing, countries of the world, and after a period of several years of intensive investigation and study reported back to headquarters that the modern American mines were the most efficient, recommending that the program for the rehabilitation of the Russian coal mining industry should follow the lines of American practice. The Trusts were then authorized to negotiate with American engineering firms for technical service for mine designs, and invited Americans to send commis-sions to Russia to prepare and submit to the Technical Council one or more projects for a complete modern American-type operation adapted to the local conditions. A "project" is a preliminary set of designs on the entire mine, top and bottom, with specifications. cost estimates, production costs, schedule of operation, budget of expen-diture, etc., and is quite an elaborate and sizable under-taking-I might say, it took six of us working tooth and nail for over three months to finish our first project.

Jan 3, 1928

By Nobumasa Kemori

Six kinds of copper &apos;90ncentrates. were treated individually in a ,pilot scale. Outokumpu flsah smelting furnace ~n order to study their ?flash smelting behavior with respect to oxygen efficiency and dust generation. The copper concentrates tested were selected from the more than twenty sources which are treated at the Sumitomo Toyo copper smelter, so as to provide a wide range of chemical composition in terms .of Cu, S,Fe, Pb + Zn + As, and Si~ content. Oxygen efficiency &apos;and dust generation rates obtained in &apos;the experiments ranged from 80% ,to 108% and 11% to 20%, respectively. Relationships between these results and experhnental conditions such as chemical and mineral composition of the copper concentrates, flux ratio, fuel consumption and so on are also discussed quantitatively in this paper.

Jan 1, 1998

By David K. Fountain

"The growth of the mining industry in British Columbia in the last ten years has been largely the result of the development of large low-grade copper and molybdenum deposits. There are two problems which must be solved in the search for mineral deposits of this type. It is necessary to detect large volumes of rock containing a low percentage of total sulphide mineralization1 and, secondly, to get some idea of the economic significance of this mineralization. The standard geophysical exploration techniques available have a varying degree of application in the search for disseminated sulphide de-posits. The electrical methods, and the induced polarization method in particular, are the most successful direct methods, and magnetic methods have indirect application in most situations. This is illustrated by geo-physical survey results from several properties in British Columbia."

Jan 1, 1968

By G. G. Hatch

FOLLOWING World War II there was an urgent need for the development of domestic sources of ilmenite to take care of the expanding needs of the titanium dioxide pigment industry. In addition, there was the interest by the pigment manufucturers and others in titanium metal. Prior to the war the pigment industry in the United States had obtained its major tonnage of ilmenite, analyzing 55- ?60 per cent Ti02, from India. However, as a result of the shipping situation which developed during the war, the pigment manufacturers had to consider the use of lower grades of ilmenite located on this continent .and several companies undertook extensive exploration programmes to locate and develop such orebodies. Probably the most significant deposit that was found as a result of these ?programmes was the orebody .at Allard Lake, Quebec, owned by the Quebec Iron and Titanium Corporation. This ?Company was formed in 1948 by the Kennecott Copper Corporation and the New Jersey Zinc Company to mine this ilmenite ore and treat it in electric furnaces to produce titanium dioxide slag for the pigment industry and iron for the steel industry.

Jan 1, 1956

By E. A. Brocchi

This work is dedicated to the chemical treatment of a typical EAF dust by chlorine content agents. The residue contains 48% Fe2O3 and 28% ZnO mainly in the franklinite structural form. The others less compounds are: 4.00% CaO, 2.60% MnO, 2.20% MgO, 1.08% PbO, 0.36% Cr2O3, 0.21% B2O3, 0.03% CdO and 0.01% NiO. The experiments purpose is selectively to remove zinc from the residue leaving the iron behind. Thermodynamics studies have indicated some roasting possibilities. The experimental results have shown that both HCl leaching and carbochlorination will remove iron and zinc without any selectivity. However, either the chlorine or the calcium chloride roasting seems to form, preferentially, the zinc chloride. So, it will be presented how the EAF Dust can be treated by the using of chlorine roastings process such as carbochlorination in order to separate the zinc and iron present in the frankilinite, main EAF dust content.

Jan 1, 2014

By Grant Small, Deon Pieterse

Reactive ground conditions at an open pit manganese mine in the Northern Cape of South Africa resulted in an unexpected detonation.

Feb 1, 2020

By Gary T. Brill

In the presentation, the development and new applications of the jet grouting technique in the North America are briefly introduced at first and followed by the outline and advantages of Jet Grouting. Several recent projects for jet grouting are presented in which the applications to underpinning and excavation support, foundation, groundwater barrier and seismic stabilization are briefly discussed.

Feb 10, 2003

By R. I. Lahring, C. G. Inks

A surfactant waterflood, using a block copolymer of ethylene and propylene oxide (PLURONIC L64*), wa., started in 1956 in Kansas to determine the commercial feasibility of such a process. The production formation was the Bartlesville sand at a depth of 1,400 ft. Leares in the test area had attained both primary and secondary production peaks, and were on a normal decline when the tests were initiated. The injection wells were taking water at a reasonable pressure and none of the operating conditions were particularly unusual. The leases were selected primarily because of normal operating conditions, and not because of any serious problems demanding remedie>,. Oil production and water injection data were recorded during the 10-year test period, and their compilation indicates that the surfactant resulted in an increase of about 9 percent in secondary oil production. Other benefits derived from the surfactant injection were lower injection pressure that resulted in reduced power consumption and reduced erosion of the pumps; and lower calcium scale buildup. These fringe benefits more than offset the cost of the surfactant used. Introduction During the past several decades, considerable research has been carried out on secondary recovery of crude oil that remains in the producing formation despite the most efficient, current primary production practices. Methods are constantly sought of increasing recovery of oil, while at the same time improving the economic efficiency of operations. One method that has received intensive study over the years is the use of a surfactant as a waterflood additive. Laboratory tests show conclusively that dilute solutions of surfactants remove considerably more oil from uncon-solidated sand cores than does water alone.&apos;- The loss of surfactant by adsorption at solid-liquid interfaces has caused serious doubt that surfactants can be used economically as waterflooding additives. This is especially true with anionic and cationic surfactants, and to a lesser extent with nonionic surfactants. This work was undertaken to determine the effectiveness in increasing oil production by injecting water containing small quantities of a nonionic surfactant. The surfactant selected was PLURONIC L64*, a block copolymer based on ethylene and propylene oxide, having the following structure The selection of the test site, a typical shoe-string sandstone type of field located at Batesville pool, Toronto District of Woodson County, Kans., was made because of its normal primary and secondary recovery operating conditions, and not because of any serious operating problems. When the tests were begun, the field was experiencing the customary post-peak production decline of a waterflood. Using for the tests a field that was on a normal production decline, while maintaining constant all variables other than the addition of the surfactant. was of varamount importance if success or failure was to be attributed to a particular cause. It was reasoned that if a surfactant was added to the injection waters and nothing else was done to influence the oil production or injection of water, the effects of the surfactant on the flood could be determined precisely. Production History The first well in the tested field was drilled in 1935. Gas repressurization began immediately, but it was not until Aug., 1938, that the major portion of the field was developed. During the period of repressurization, 1,700 MMcf of gas was injected. As can be seen from the curves of Fig. 1, the production peak from gas injection was attained in 1937 and a normal production decline followed. Early in 1942, water injection wells were drilled and injection of water Was initiated. The amount of water injected increased as more injection wells were drilled until a peak injection rate of 2,700 BID was reached in

Jan 1, 1969

By J. D. Miller, C. L. Lin

In general, x-ray computed tomographic (CT) techniques are able to provide 3D images of the internal structure of opaque materials in a nondestructive manner. The unique cone beam geometry allows acquisition of all 2D projections with only one rotation of the sample thus providing for fast data acquisition and better x-ray utilization, as a complete 2-D detector array receives the cone-shaped flux of rays. Thus, an isotropic 3D volume can be reconstructed without the mechanical translation and the stacking of sequential slices as is the case for more conventional CT scanners. In this regard, a state-of-the-art, custom designed xray microtomography facility to provide very detailed 3D spatial analysis of multiphase particles has been installed and is in operation at the University of Utah. The reconstructed 3D tomographic volume allows for an adjustable spatial resolution from 5 to 20 microns for sample dimensions from 10 to 40 mm in diameter, respectively. Utilization of this custom designed cone-beam x-ray microtomography system is discussed. Applications described include: coal washability analysis for the design and operation of coal preparation plants, liberation analysis for evaluation of grinding practice and separation efficiency, mineral exposure analysis for prediction of the ultimate recovery from heap leaching operations, and analysis of the pore structure network of packed particle beds for simulation of flow through such porous structures as encountered in filtration and heap leaching.

Jan 1, 2003

By Mustafa Fener, Masoud Rostami, Sair Kahraman, Behnaz Dibavar

The paper introduces a new rock mass cuttability classification (RMCC) system for roadheaders used in coal mines. It includes performance prediction models for both axial and transverse roadheaders, based on six parameters: uniaxial compressive strength, Cerchar abrasivity index, volumetric joint count, strike and dip of joints, joint aperture, and groundwater condition. The study validates the RMCC system through field and laboratory measurements, showing high correlation coefficients between net cutting rates and RMCC indices.

Nov 1, 2023

By H. W. Kilau

The Bureau of Mines evaluated synthetic fluorspar as a substitute for natural fluorspar flux in basic cupola ironmaking. The synthetic fluor-spars tested were prepared from waste fluosilicic acid generated during the processing of fluorapatite ore. The cupola trials showed the synthetic products to be the equivalent of natural fluorspar from an operational standpoint. However, wet scrubber sampling showed that substantial losses of volatilized fluorine occurred from the cupola during operation. The losses during synthetic fluorspar trials considerably exceeded those from natural fluorspar trials. Laboratory viscosity testing, using a high-temperature rotational viscometer, confirmed this finding and indicated that fluorspar volatility in slags is related to slag basicity. Synthetic fluorspar is accordingly recommended more for highly basic cupola operation (>1.3 basicity) than for neutral or acid operation, because of the increased potential for pollution and baghouse filter detezioration"

Jan 1, 1989

By J. A. Baicker

A 2 1/2 inch diameter probe containing a high resolution gamma ray spectrometer was developed for downhole ore grade assays to depths of 6,000 feet. Tests have been conducted on the characteristics of this tool for in-situ determinations of uranium by means of natural gamma ray counting, and of copper, silver, gold, iron and coal quality by means of neutron-induced gamma rays. Application of the technique for improved carbon-oxygen logging in oil fields is promising. The probe contains a cryogenically cooled high purity germanium detector and a 4,000 channel spectrum analyzer. Gamma ray spectra are digitally transmitted up the cable to the truck-mounted data processing system. We found that uranium can be assayed directly in different types of formations independently of the degree of geochemical disequilibrium by counting the relatively weak 1.001 MeV gamma ray of protactinium-234m. Neutron activation work shows that in-situ determinations of copper, silver, iron and coal quality are technically feasible. In carbon-oxygen oil well logging the technique allows an accurate determination of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, chlorine, silicon, calcium and iron, and shows promise of providing an improved oil/water differentiator.

Jan 1, 1982