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By W. E. Newton

THE following notes are offered primarily to show that industrial minerals or their products have a much more important place in the metallurgical industry than is perhaps generally realized, and with the hope also that some statement by the metallurgical consumer of the relative merits of various materials for particular requirements or services will l;>e of value to the industrial mineral producer. These notes are not in any way presented as complete. Also, some of the statements made may be debatable. The grouping adopted is as follows: (1) Refractories; (2) Fluxes; (3) Construction materials; and ( 4) Miscellaneous applications. Fuels are not dealt with in the present paper. REFRACTORIES GENERAL: Refractories are materials which will withstand high temperatures with-out melting or becoming markedly soft or pasty. While their primary function is to withstand heat, they are usually called upon to resist one or more of the following destructive influences: abrasion, pressure, corrosion by slags or fluxes, and rapid changes in temperature. Refractory materials may be conveniently divided into three classes: (1) Acid refractories-consisting of silica, or containing silica as their chief constituent. They combine more or less readily with metallic oxides, forming silicates, and are hence termed 'acid'. The most important of these are quartz, quartzite, siliceous sand, tripoli, Dinas rock, and ganister. Most fire-clays, although generally considered neutral sub-stances, contain relatively small amounts of free silica and are, to that extent, acid. (2) Neutral refractories-the term is merely relative in most cases, since, at high temperature, many of the refractories that are classed as neutral will react chemically with a strong base, functioning as a weak acid; or, conversely, with a strong acid, functioning as a weak base. Chrome and graphite are the most nearly neutral of all the commonly used refractory materials.

Jan 1, 1936

By L. U. Spellman

Atlantic Cement Company's new multimillion dollar, 10,000,000 barrel per year cement plant went into full operation in February, 1962, bringing into reality a new concept in the distribution of Portland cement. The Cerro and Newmont Mining Corporations, well established in the mineral extraction and dressing industry, backed the venture. To take advantage of the, economics inherent in single production units of large capacity, it was necessary to first find a market' capable of absorbing such large quantities. Cement can be economically shipped by rail and truck about 200 miles. Beyond' that radius from the producing facility the freight costs become prohibitive. No single marker area within that radius exists which could absorb such a large volume of cement. However, water transportation provides a relatively inexpensive method of transporting bulk products many times over such a distance. Thus, it was decided to locate the producing facility near a deep water port which had ready access both to the Atlantic Ocean and, just as important, a good source of raw material. An extensive feasibility study was made and the site at Ravena, New York on the Hudson River near Albany was chosen. Here, vast quantities of limestone in the foothills of the Catskill Mountains are found within a short distance of-the deep-water Hudson River.

Jan 1, 1964

By P Kittler

In the spectrum of mining-related disciplines, geometallurgy sits between resource geology and metallurgical engineering. Unlike its neighbours, it is a relatively young discipline and its concepts, procedures and techniques are still evolving. Relevant geometallurgical issues differ from one deposit to the next so there is no single template that can be used in all situations, meaning that geometallurgy programs are nearly always customised and tailored to the deposit and the situation.Over time, a number of key mistakes are seen to emerge regularly. The eventual impact of these mistakes can vary from suboptimal performance of mine and plant to complete failure of the operation. For instance, poor characterisation of ore lithologies and their spatial distribution can have negative impacts on processing plant throughput. However, when combined with failure to identify critical blending constraints it can result in a totally inoperable plant.A number of common mistakes committed during geometallurgical programs are discussed and some preferred alternative approaches are suggested

Sep 5, 2011

By Michael Bauer

Increases in productivity and improvements in mining occupational safety and health are intrinsically linked. Over the past years, the German Hard Coal Mining Industry has been able to accomplish both: an increase in coal production and, at the same time, a significantly reduction of accidents. This success has been achieved by advances in technology, better organization and investment in people. Since 1990 productivity has more than doubled, while the total number of accidents has been reduced by more than 90%. Further development started initially with the mechanisation of the winning and drivage technology. Innovative technology and standardisation of the mining equipment were one reason for the increase in productivity and reduction of the accident rate. Therefore this technical development was not only one important pillar of the TOM model explicated later but also the requirement for the successful development of the other pillars. In addition to further developing this innovative technology it was possible to realise procedural and organisational improvements. As a result, the above achievement is based on implementing the three pillars of the so-called "TOM" model (technology, organization, ?Mensch? = human). To increase safety, improve performance, raise awareness and change of employees? attitude, the following technical and organizational requirements have been introduced: ??New innovative technology and procedures, standardized techniques and better equipment. ??Measures to revise or redefine the organizational structure, processes and systems of work, which were then integrated into the company policy and procedures as a company management tool. ??Personnel measures (investment in people). These include, improving motivation and behaviour, training, communication to raise and to change awareness of safety issues. Success in Occupational Health and Safety is not an automatic or self-regulating process. It needs hard work to make improvements and it must be treated as a recurring cyclic process. As a result of the above, occupational health and safety has become a natural part of daily work in the German Hard Coal Mining Industry. This could only be achieved by the unconditional "commitment" of all managers and employees to the issues, coupled with discipline and responsible action. Further improvements towards the ultimate aim of "zero" accidents are only possible by mutual involvement in implementing the ?TOM? (technology, organization and ?Mensch? human) model.

Aug 1, 2013

By P. J. Conroy, E. A. Curth

INTRODUCTION In June 1962, the first attempt at longwall mining in Illinois was initiated by Old Ben Coal Company in their No. 21 Mine. Longwalling was continued intermittently using various supports until April 1970. During this period, longwall mining techniques were used on separate occasions at six faces within Mine No. 21. However, due to various problems that developed at each location the faces were eventually terminated. The most significant problems concerned the support systems and roof conditions that were present in the mine during each attempt. Between 1965 and 1972, similar conditions were met by Freeman Coal mining Company during four attempts at longwall mining in their Orient No. 5 and Orient No. 6 mines. In 1975, the U.S. Bureau of Mines and Old Ben Coal Company entered into a cost-sharing agreement to demonstrate the application of longwall mining in Illinois. The first phase of the demonstration was to conduct a premining investigation to review previous attempts at longwall mining, perform rock mechanics tests, and establish support requirements based on the lnvestigation results. The information obtained during the demonstration at Old Ben's No. 24 has been utilized to optimize subsequent face equipment and panel geometry. Mining of the first panel began in September 1976 and was successfully completed in May 1977, and two additional panels were mined under the cooperative agreement. Currently, Old Ben Coal Company is the only longwall mining operator in Illinois. In addition to the face in Mine No. 24, five longwall faces are being operated in four other mines.

Jan 1, 1981

By P. Oghazi

It is possible to have traceability in the mining industry, by parameters and signatures like particle mineralogy, mineral association, texture and mineral liberation. The study is on an apatite-iron ore deposit at Malmberget, Sweden, and characterizes an ore body both mineralogically and texturally in a quantitative manner by using analytical methods like optical microscopy, microprobe (EMPA) and an automatic SEM based system, Particle Texture Analysis (PTA). The mineralogy was evaluated by PTA and characterized by modal mineralogy, mineral liberation and mineral associations. Magnetite has a simple outline and straight grain boundaries and the gangue minerals have a finer particle size with a more complicated texture. The PTA analysis also shows that apatite is associated to magnetite as mixed particles, while smaller grains of magnetite are inclusions in feldspar. Result from particle texture analysis shows that there is a connection which link to the mine-to-mill context, and it may be used to create traceability. This link is not the associations of the main ore mineral magnetite, nor the modal mineralogy. Instead, it is the mineral associations of contaminating minerals (apatite and feldspar) that appear to be most promising since they survive from mine to mill. The modal mineralogy may be used to understand how contaminated minerals break into or out of particles size fraction during grinding.

Jan 1, 2010

By L. Ou

This paper reports on research on leaching pyrite in a germ-free system. The effects of mineral particle size, pulp potential and various oxidation agents on pyrite leaching were studied. The results indicated that a smaller mineral particle size leads to a higher leaching rate of pyrite. The optimum results were obtained with a mineral particle size of -0.037 mm. The pulp potential reflected the leaching process and an increasing pulp potential improved pyrite leaching. The leaching rate rapidly increased with the addition of oxidation agents such as Fe3+ and H2O2. However, the precipitate generated by ferric ion coated the surface of the pyrite and prevented further leaching.

Jan 1, 2007

By José J. Suárez

Abstract: Globally, the mining industry is expected to face the following challenges through 2020: 1. Sustaining growth amidst fierce competition 2. Containing cost increases and managing through the cycle 3. Attracting and retaining talent 4. Managing environmental concerns and improving sustainability 5. Managing volatility risks in commodity markets Our experience and research reveals that the higher performing global miners are adopting many of the following strategies: (1) Adopt a Global, Agile Operating Model (2) Be the Developer of Choice (3) Drive Capital Efficiency (4) Be the Employer of Choice (5) Integrate the End-to-End Business Model (6) Move to the Virtual Mining Value Chain This paper/presentation will provide data obtained through research on five (5) challenges facing the mining industry, and on the six (6) strategies that high performing global miners are adopting.

May 1, 2013

By Noel N. Moebs

This report summarizes a Bureau of Mines study on the use of geotechnology to identify and reduce ground control hazards at slate quarry operations in eastern Pennsylvania. The major ground control hazard is falling rock, attributed to weathered bedding plane faults, which weaken quarry highwalls. It was demonstrated that these faults can be detected outside of the quarry perimeter using surface resistivity measurements. Falls of ice from quarry highwalls constitute a second major hazard, which requires water diversion as a basic control method. In situ stresses seemingly cause only minor problems in slate extraction although they could interact with developed stresses and lead to failure of barriers between quarries. Pull tests showed that rockbolts anchor firmly in slate and should prove effective in securing loose rock.

Jan 1, 1986

Mining is a fundamental activity on which modern society and the world's economy are entirely dependent. Mining investors, large and small, invest on an international scale, frequently being active in several countries.   Prior to committing investment to new countries, the prudent investor will consider the risk involved by analysing a number of physical, financial, administrative and political parameters that impact on the potential financial returns it is seeking. This paper considers these risk factors in relationship to New Zealand and six competitor countries. The conclusion is that for reasons largely within the control of our politicians, New Zealand is a high risk country for mining investors.

Jan 1, 1993

By N. D. Wineinger, J. Jodouin

"An Independent Electricity System Operator Industrial Accelerator Program (IESO IAP) case study was completed for a mine in Ontario, Canada by SRK Consulting, Inc. The purpose of the study was to analyze the ventilation system to determine whether and which system improvements could reduce the overall electrical power demand of the mine. Financial incentives are offered by the IESO IAP grant program to help cover the capital costs of these improvements. This study included the completion of a full mine ventilation survey as well as measurement of a full suite of electrical parameters of the surface and underground ventilation fans. After these measurements, a base ventilation model was created and established as the system baseline. Changes to the ventilation system were modeled, and their effects on the power demand were projected. The results of the study showed that several improvements were possible which may significantly improve the efficiency of the ventilation system and reduce mine electricity demand.INTRODUCTIONIn 2017, a ventilation study was conducted in accordance with the Independent Electricity System Operator Industrial Accelerator Program (IESO IAP) at a mine in Ontario, Canada. The IESO IAP is designed to assist eligible transmission-connected Canadian companies operating in Ontario to fast track capital investment in major energy conservation projects. The program will provide financial incentives to encourage investment in innovative process changes and equipment retrofits to reduce electricity consumption on the provincial system and to help companies become more competitive by positively impacting their bottom line. There are now four initiatives under the Industrial Accelerator Program:1. Retrofit2. Process & Systems, including Small Capital Projects3. High Performance New Construction4. Energy Managers – a new initiative under the Industrial Accelerator ProgramWithin the program, companies may propose energy saving changes to their current systems where applicable and appropriate. Companies may then be awarded funding to implement the proposed changes. The program allows partial financial compensation to implement certain energy saving changes that would otherwise not be considered due to high capital costs. For larger projects, such as underground mine ventilation systems, a detailed engineering study must be submitted. This study must detail each energy saving change or measure, its savings, and calculate the financial incentives using the IESO IAP Payment Structure. The payment structure for a project is an amount equal to the lowest of the following (Independent Electricity System Operator, 2015):"

Jan 1, 2019

By S. H. Ward, R. A. Barker

THE Juniper Prospect is in Carleton County, N. B., at approximately 46" 31' north latitude, 67" 20' west longitude. During the summer of 1955 an area in west-central New Brunswick was selected for aerial electromagnetic prospecting with American Metal Co.'s helicopter-mounted equipment. Generalized, small-scale government geologic maps had suggested that this area was located along the western border of the northeast-trending granitic backbone of northwestern New Brunswick and might be underlain by the Ordovician-Silurian sediments and volcanics that are the host rocks for the recently discovered sul-fide deposits of the Bathurst-Newcastle district. The helicopter electromagnetic equipment located an anomalous conductive area, coincident with a small aeromagnetic closure, about five miles west of the town of Juniper. Subsequently 30 mining claims (total area about 6600 x 8000 ft) were staked and company personnel conducted geological, geophysical, and geochemical investigations on the property. The claims and immediately contiguous areas were mapped geologically, and an area of about 2000 x 4000 ft was soil-sampled and also surveyed by ground electromagnetic and gravity methods. Finally six diamond drillholes, totaling 3500 ft in length, were drilled to test the anomalous conditions discovered by the several exploration techniques used. The discovery of base metal sulfides during drilling was a technical success for the exploration methods, but the quantity of sulfides was too small to be profitably exploited.

Jan 1, 1959

The Earth Moving Equipment Safety Round Table (EMESRT) was established by mining companies in 2006 to influence manufacturer's equipment design through a process of engagement. 2010 EMESRT member companies include Anglo American, Barrick, BHP Billiton, Centennial Coal, Collahausi, Newcrest, Newmont, Rio Tinto, Vale and Xstrata.Driven by a persistent need for retrofits to new equipment, such as haul trucks, EMESRT initially engaged with Surface Equipment Manufacturers including Caterpillar, Komatsu, Leibherr, Hitachi, Le Tourneau and Terex. These OEMs responded positively to the EMESRT initiative, welcoming the opportunity for dialogue with an aligned industry regarding human factors issues related to equipment design, rather than needing to respond to the disparate range of demands for design modifications previously received from individual customers. This engagement process is about making global sustained changes within the OEM organisations and within the mining companies. It is a very international exercise. For example, over two weeks in September 2010, a total of 21 different miners from ten different companies travelled from Australia, South Africa, Canada, Brazil, Singapore and the United States to engage with OEM counterparts who assembled from the United States, Japan, France, Sweden, Finland and Germany. EMESRT Surface Group representatives completed a whirlwind tour of the major North American manufacturers of mining equipment. Starting in Dallas (Atlas Copco, LeTourneau), this tour passed through Gainesville (Sandvik), Newport News (Liebherr), Guelph - Ontario (Hitachi) and Milwaukee (P&H Mining/Joy Global; Bucyrus), before winding up in Peoria, Illinois (Komatsu, Caterpillar). Over nine meetings, this group engaged with 129 individuals from nine OEMs. The EMESRT group welcomed miners from four non-member companies to come along for the meetings. These companies are Syncrude Canada Ltd, the Kearl Oil Sands Project - Imperial Oil (ESSO), Suncor Energy Ltd and Teck Resources Ltd.Other mining industry sectors have now expanded the EMESRT scope from surface mining to include exploration and underground mining equipment. In 2009, EMESRT was organised into four Technical Groups, consisting of EMESRT member company representatives, to focus on engagement with OEMs of surface, underground coal and soft rock, underground hard rock, and exploration drilling equipment. An advisory group has been formed to coordinate activities between all workgroups and provide strategic direction and cohesion between all activities. The Minerals Industry Safety and Health Centre (UQ-SMI) facilitates and coordinates all EMESRT activities on behalf of member companies. Building on successes with individual Surface Mining OEMs, EMESRT now aims to help OEMs in their transition to a sustainable design process that will incorporate and address specific design philosophies at the concept phase of design, so that significant improvements can be made up front for little cost within the overall budget. EMESRT members plan to educate all stakeholders, internally, within their own companies, and externally, by addressing industry associations, regulators and other end users about new ways of evaluating equipment design based on EMESRT purchasing specifications. This presentation will outline the EMESRT approach and report on progress in 2010.

Dec 6, 2010

By Y. -J. Park, K. -H. You, Y. -T. Choi, Lee. H. -W.

Many large caverns are being constructed in great depths in Korea mainly for the storage of oil and LPG. These caverns are mostly located near the port where rock conditions are reasonably good. In some instances, the horizontal stress is very high and endangers the stability of the cavern. The purpose of this study is to assess the stability of large caverns excavated in a rock mass with high horizontal stress where Ko value is close to 3. Result shows that stress exerted in the shotcrete at crown exceeds allowable value when the 3rd bench is excavated. Also found is the tensile failure of shotcrete near the boundaries between benches. In Korea werden viele grosse Kaverne fuer Aufbewahrung vom Oel und Fluessiggas in grosser Tiefe gebaut. Am Meisten befinden sich diese Kaverne in der Naehe von Haefen, wo der Fels gute Verhaeltnisse zum Bauen einer Kaverne besitzt. In einigen Faellen ist die Horizontalspannung sehr gross und dadurch wird die Stabilitaet vom Kaverne gefaerdet. Der Zweck dieser Arbeit ist die Stabilitaet des im Fels gebauten grossen Kavernes mit hoher Horiaontalspannung zu schuetzen, wo Ko-Wert sich auf 3 naehrt. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die Spannung im Spritzbeton an der Krone den zulaessigen Wert ueberschreitet, wenn das dritte Bank ausgegraben wird. Im Bereich des Spritzbetons zwischen Baenke wurde das Zugversagen festgestellt. Des larges cavités nombreuses sont en train d’être construites en grand profondeur en Corée prin-cipalement pour le stocage du pétrole et LPG. Ces cavités sont pour la plupart situées près de la porte oú les conditions des roches sont résonablement bons. En quelques cas, la contrainte hori-zontale est trés haute et met en danger la stabilité de la cavité. L’objet de cet étude est d’estimer la stabilité des large cavités excavées dans une masse de roche ayant une haute contrainte horizontale oú la valeur de Ko est proche à 3. Le résultat montre que la contrainte exercée dans le shotcrete à la couronne dépasse la valeur admissible quand le troisième banc est excavé. En plus une faillite en tension du shotcrete près de la frontière entre des bancs est trouvée.

Jan 1, 2003

By D Craw, K A. Hunter

Deposits of the metalloids arsenic and antimony occur in quartz veins of mesothermal hydrothermalsystems in the South Island as arsenopyrite (AsFeS) and stibnite (Sb2S3). Arsenopyrite and stibnite occur in natural exposures in gold-mining areas, and additional arsenopyrite and stibnite have been exposed to the atmosphere by mining activity. At present the drinking water limits for dissolved As and Sb are 10 ppb and 3 ppb respectively. Sampling and analysis techniques are critical to determination of metalloid concentrations at these low levels. Endeavour Inlet in the Marlborough Sounds is an historic mining area (late 19th Century) with elevated As and Sb in waters emanating from mineralised rocks. Waters running out of abandoned adits have concentrations of As and/or Sb up to ppm levels. Natural waters have high Sb and low As, and the As levels increase markedly where anthropogenic activity has exposed rock. Changes in Sb/As ratio could potentially be used to quantify the anthropogenic component of metalloid mobility on mine sites on the 100-year time scale.

Jan 1, 2002

By Michel C. Frippel

This section of the Minerals Yearbook reviews the minerals industries of 29 countries: the 12 nations of the European Community (Belgium, France, the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG), Italy, Greece, the Netherlands, Denmark/Greenland, Spain, Portugal, Luxembourg, the United Kingdom, and Ireland); 6 of the 7 nations of the European Free Trade Association (Sweden, Nor-way, Finland, Iceland, Austria, and Switzerland); Malta; the 8 Centrally Planned Economies of Eastern Europe (the German Democratic Republic (GDR), Poland, Yugoslavia, Albania, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Romania, and Bulgaria); and the U.S.S.R. Western Europe Western Europe [loosely defined to include the 12 nations of the European Com-munity (EC) and the 7 nations of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA)] is the single largest trading area and consumer of raw materials in the world. If Western Europe was at one time an important mining sector, it has now increasingly relegated the role of supplying minerals for its minerals processing industry to its ex-colonies in North and South America, Africa, and Australia. In this regard, Western Europe is the most important determinant of raw materials consumption (and thus raw materials production). There is an important reason for this since Western Europe lies somewhere between Japan at one extreme and the United States and the U.S.S.R. at the other extreme as regards the availability of natural resources.

Jan 1, 1992

Agenda ?The Context ?The Challenge ?The Solution ?Benefits and lessons learnt from pilots ?Next Steps The Context ?Facilitate management decision making process by supporting the development of value/risk based business cases. ?Large scale investments by extractive industries are expected tobring broad-based benefits to local communities (e.g.: health, education, jobs, infrastructure) ?Investors continue to expect the demonstration of social performance?Specific interventions bring direct value to companies (e.g. skills development) ?Social Investments are key to protecting a company?s license to operate ?Quantifying the value of these investments and planning accordingly, however, has long posed a challenge for the extractive industries and community development practitioners

May 1, 2011

THIS paper proposes to give a general description of the pumping and other machinery in use at the Thames Hauraki Pumping Station, situated on the Thames goldfields of the North Island, New Zealand. An idea of the general arrangement of the pumping engines and pumps can be obtained, together with a certain amount of detail, by reference to the illustrations. The history of the pump is rather interesting, and is as follows: -In 1894 the Government decided that a subsidy of £1 for £1up to an amoUllt not exceeding £25,000 be granted towards the erection of suitable machinery to exploit the Thames low levels.With a guarantee of such assistance a company was floated in London, with a capital of £300,000, to develop several properties at Thames. As the old Queen of Beauty Company had produced bullion worth £400,000 prior to closing down on account ofa breakdown to its pumping gear, their shaft was chosen as the site of the principal work. As soon as the company was floated, operations were commenced at the Queen of Beauty shaft, situated at the entrance of the Waio-Karaka Creek, and not more than about half a mile distant from the principal mines on the field.

Jan 1, 1912

By T. G. Joseph

ABSTRACT: The Canadian oil sands provide some of the harshest mining conditions in the world. Asoperations demand ever bigger tools, the toll on large mobile mining equipment is high, with structural life often half of that expected. Soft ground conditions predominantly lead to fatigue failure scenarios, poor stability, and inconsistent payload evaluations. These challenges are not solely a concern for Canadian oil sands mines; there are far-reaching implications for surface mining equipment in any poor ground-operating environment. This paper focuses on the basics of payload evaluation, motion response, and a simple estimate of structural life for haulers.

Jan 1, 2011

The coal-based power generation industry faces increased pressure from all sectors to improve its environmental performance. This is due to increased awareness of and concerns regarding greenhouse-and acid-gas emissions, toxic metal releases (to both air and water) and water availability. A methodology to assess this industry?s environmental performance is needed. Such a methodology should assess all environmental impacts accurately, recognizing the irspatial and temporal dependence, and taking into account the social acceptability of technologies employed. Here, we develop a methodology to determine the environ-mental impact associated with solid wastes generated by this industry, and apply this to the specific case of ash management. More specifically, the case study compares the environmental footprint of an ash deposit for a number of operational water management scenarios. The methodology considers leachate generation processes from ash impoundments to obtain a time-dependent concentration profile of mobile constituents at the interface between the ash impoundment and the surrounding environment. This leachate prediction modelling is subsequently linked to plume dispersion modelling tools to determine the fate and transport of leached components, predominantly salts, into groundwater. Together, these provide a measure of the extent to which a land mass is affected by leachate migration from the deposit. To determine the exact boundary between regions of acceptable and unacceptable risk to the environment, we use Ecological Risk Assessment concepts. In this way it is possible to obtain a time dependent affected land footprint which could be used as an indicator of the environmental impact of solid waste management practices. This information can be included in a set of environmental criteria which form the basis of an overall environ-mental impact assessment, using tools such as Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). The value of LCA is that its structure is consistent with accepted models of environmental decision making, where different approaches to valuation in impact assessment assist in prioritizing impacts on the basis of their perceived significance. The proposed ?affected land footprint? metric represents a significant improvement over current LCA impact indicators for solid waste management practices. Keywords: Environmental Impact Assessment, Environmental Risk Assessment; Life Cycle Assessment; coal ash; leachability; salinity

Jan 1, 2002