Search Documents

By James C. Gilliand

Leo-potpourri, was selected as the title to this paper for several reasons. First, it is a fascinating word--not looking like it sounds or sounding like it looks. It also allows for a great degree of flexibility in designing a presentation around it. Further, it has become popular to use this eco hyphen something pattern. We hear of eco-mania, eco-hysteria and the like. Lastly, in this era of intense environmental concern, two of the principle elements on which the integrity of our efforts must be equated are ecology and economics. Accordingly, the term "Eco-potpourris" allows me to roam at will through the great number of considerations that make up this environmental issue. Whereas only a few years ago the subject of environment and environmental control had low visibility with the public, today it competes as the focus of attention with the many other popular social issues of our time. The program content here at this meeting, for example, is liberally represented by papers dealing with one or more aspects of environmental concern. If one would look at the 1964 program, in contrast, I would expect that no more than possibly one or two papers covered this subject and even then that those papers dealt principally with the environmental aspect of occupational health. It is gratifying that the program at this meeting demonstrates a serious awareness to a broad spectrum of environmental concerns. It would be a mistake, of course, to believe that this clamor for a quality environment is a "flash in the pan" that will soon subside. The general public has been thoroughly aroused and even frightened into

Jan 1, 1972

Mr GEPP said: "He proposed at the outset to draw attention to figures dealing with the population of the countries adjacent to Australia for the purpose of comparison with the population of the Commonwealth. He would deal more particularly with the areas of land surrounding the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Korea and Japan had a population of 18,000,000 ; China, 437,000,000 ; Persia, 9,000,000 ; Arabia, 5,000,000; South Africa, 129,000,000; Madagascar, 3,500,000 ; India, 251,000,000; Siam, Indo-China, and so forth, 16,225,000; Federated Malay States, 3,225,000; and, very significantly, Java, only four and three quarter days from Fremantle, over 50,000,000. From the map displayed an idea of the comparative areas of the countries mentioned and Australia could be gained. It was rather amazing that Australia, with its great potentialities, had only about 5,150,000 people. New Guinea had over 750,000 people; Hawaii, a mere speck, 250,000; New Zealand, 1,300,000; North America, 130,000,000; Central America, over 15,500,000; and South America, over 65,000,000. Colombo was only six days from Fremantle, and it was only nine days from Capetown to Albany, and eight days from Albany to Hobart. Proceeding, Mr. Gepp said "It was in 1911 and 1912 that I had the good fortune to spend nearly twelve months in Europe, and during the course of my work in England and Germany to have the oppprtunity of studying both the economical and political systems in some detail... I was in Berlin at the time of the visit of Lord Haldane, when an effort was made by the British Government to arrive at some under...

Jan 1, 1923

By Eugene McAuliffe

THE Coal Division undertook its most ambitious program this year at the New York meeting, with six full' sessions and a luncheon on Monday which had a record attendance and at which the newly elected officers for the Division were announced. Eugene McAuliffe, president of the Union Pacific Coal Co., Omaha, Neb., was unanimously selected as Chairman; J. B. Morrow, preparation manager of the Pittsburgh Coal Co., as Vice-Chairman; and H. E. Nold, Ohio State University, Secretary. During the past year two new and interesting activities were conducted by the Division directed at stimulating the interest of junior and student members. Reports were presented at the luncheon meeting by the chairmen of these commit¬tees. J. B. Morrow. chairman of the paper prize awards, and H. N. Eavenson reported on the work of the mining machinery manufacturers fellowship, the work on which was completed the first of the year. Several excellent papers are expected from these two groups for the next meeting of the Division to be held in Pittsburgh some time in the fall. The regular six-session program was filled from start to finish with interesting papers and much discussion, but unfortunately not enough time for the latter. The papers covered the field of prospecting, mining methods, preparation, utilization, mechanization, and safety, and all through the program we were constantly reminded of the value and need of research in the coal industry.

Jan 1, 1936

By A. F. Silva, J. M. G. Sotomayor, V. F. N. Torres

Geotechnical monitoring plays an important role in the detection of operational safety issues in the slopes of open pits. Currently, monitoring companies offer several solutions involving robust technologies that boast highly reliable data and the ability to control risky conditions. The monitoring data must be processed and analysed so as to allow the results to be used for several purposes, thereby providing information that can be used to manage operational actions and optimize mining plans or engineering projects. In this work we analysed monitoring data (pore pressure and displacement) and its correlation with the tension and displacement of the mass of an established failure slope calculated using the finite element method. To optimize the back-analysis, a Python language routine was developed using input data (point coordinates, parameter matrix, and critical section) to use software with the rock mass parameters (cohesion, friction angle, Young’s modulus, and Poisson’s ratio). For the back-analysis, the Mohr-Coulomb criterion was applied with the shear strength reduction technique to obtain the strength reduction factor. The results were consistent with both the measured displacements and the maximum deformation contours, revealing the possible failure mechanism, allowing the strength parameters to be calibrated according to the slope failure conditions, and providing information about the contribution of each variable (parameter) to the slope failure in the study area.

Oct 1, 2021

By R. D. Smith

The Bureau of Mines (BOM) evaluated the technology, capital investment, and annual operating costs of emission control for further reductions of lead in ambient air at the East Helena, Montana, smelter, and the Glover, Herculaneum, and Buick smelter-refineries in Missouri. This study seeks to analyze the technology available to the domestic primary lead industry for attempting to further reduce lead emissions below 1985 levels. Through enclosure of concentrate unloading and handling areas and all lead-processing buildings, followed by venting these enclosures to the atmosphere through baghouses and the application of appropriate local controls, emissions can theoretically be reduced by a total of 2,424 pounds of lead per day from 1985 levels at the three Missouri operations. Using conventional technology, aggregated additional capital costs of $250,014,000 and annual operating costs of $18,507,800 are estimated for the four operations, resulting in a total cost of $0.063 per pound of refined lead. Continuous drossing techniques would assist in meeting OSHA standards in process areas. Continuous drossing would change capital and operating costs to $258,344,800 and $16,104,700, respectively, for a total cost of $0.062 per pound of refined lead. First quarter, 1986 open market price for refined lead was $0.184 per pound.

Jan 1, 1986

By Israel Liebman

The Bureau of Mines developed three types of passive water barriers for suppressing slow-moving coal dust explosions. One type is a modification of a conventional tub barrier and depends on the dynamic pressure generated ahead of an explosion to tilt the tub to release its water and suppress the explosion. The other two barriers operate in response to an increase in static pressure developed ahead of the explosion. Tests indicate the first barrier begins to release its water at air speeds as low as 50 ft/sec, and the second and third barriers will operate at a rise in static pressure as little as 0.5 psi. All three barriers were found to be effective in suppressing coal dust explosions propagating at speeds as low as 100 ft/sec. A plan is described for installing a water barrier in a working mine on a trial basis.

Jan 1, 1976

By Emanuele Catelli, Paolo Vicentini, Manuel Petitat, Paolo Lanfranchi

"More than 800 million tons of material will be excavated during large underground projects such as tunnels, undergrounds and power plants by 2030 in Europe only. The raw material excavated is often classified as waste, which involves environmental impact and transport issues: landfill areas, CO2 emissions and noise. But how can such massive amounts of material be transported, processed and deposited? Using the example of the AlpTransit Ceneri Base Tunnel (15.4 km), we show that suitable excavated materials can be used sustainably as a primary resource for tunnel concrete. This requires careful planning of the installations and storage areas by the client, timely building of the processing plants and other handling facilities outside the tunnel and a continuous evaluation of the raw material quality. 1. INTRODUCTION Spoil management is a central element of large construction projects. The systematic reuse of suitable excavated material not only saves natural resources, reduces transport distances and landfill volume, but can also decrease overall construction costs. Ideally, all of the concrete needed for tunnel lining can be produced with this on-site material. Such a natural resource management concept was applied for the construction of the new Gotthard Base Tunnel (L = 57 km). Spoil management concepts are, how-ever, difficult to implement and call for innovative techniques, sophisticated logistics and organization. In the context of large projects, environmentally friendly transport, processing and storage of millions of tons of excavated loose material represent another logistics challenge (Simmen & Lieb, 2010). This paper shows key factors that led to the successful completion of spoil management at the Ceneri Base Tunnel, which constitutes a part of the AlpTransit Gotthard Project (Figure 1)."

Jan 1, 2016

By Richard Brink, Eric M. Klein, Kenneth B. Andromalos

"A portion of the roof for a 129 x 144-inch, nearly 100-year-old sewer outfall in the City of Baltimore had deteriorated to the point that it resulted in the development of a large sinkhole in a residential neighborhood. A subsequent video inspection of the sewer outfall indicated that there was a hole in the sewer outfall, and it would need to be repaired . After initial backfilling of the sinkhole and repairs to the water service lines, a conventional wood shoring system was used to support the excavation and expose the Main Outfall Sewer to inspect and repair it. This excavation was unsuccessful because of loose sandy soils and high groundwater conditions. An innovative use of a steel reinforced jet grout excavation support system was ultimately used to underpin an adjacent 20-inch water main and other nearby utilities, and provide access to the top of the Main Outfall Sewer some 22 feet below the street surface to facilitate inspection and repair of the sewer. This excavation support system was also successfully utilized in the final repair of the sewer roof by serving as a buttress for the new roof system.1.0 IntroductionThe project site is located in a residential neighborhood with brick masonry row houses situated on the south side of Chase Street and a brick masonry church on the north side of the street. Figure 1 illustrates the location of the site. The City right of way is 65 feet wide, and the street is 40 feet curb to curb. The centerline of the Main Outfall Sewer runs parallel to and a few feet south from the centerline of the street. Other utilities running parallel to the street include a cast iron 20-inch water line built about 1910, a 24-inch terra cotta storm drain, a 6-inch terra cotta sanitary sewer, a 4-inch cast iron gas line and a 40-inch electrical duct. Cross utilities included a 4-inch gas line and several smaller water and gas service lines to the church and row houses. One gas line that was not shown in the City's GIS database was exposed during the excavation."

Jan 1, 2005

By V. Niemitz

Approximately 30 miles east of Chicago on the southern shores of Lake Michigan stands Bethlehem Steels newest fully integrated steelmaking facility-the billion dollar Burns Harbor plant. The first phase of what will ultimately be the most completely integrated and flexible materials handling system for a steel mill in the western hemisphere is now complete.

Jan 1, 1970

By Bolmerm R. L.

This information circular describes the application of modern methods and equipment in sinking a vertical, 916-foot-deep by 16-foot-diameter, concrete-lined access shaft for the Harold D. Roberts tunnel near Montezuma, Colo. Although the access shaft was merely a construction facility to expedite completion of a 23-mile water-diversion tunnel, a circular shaft of this type would be equally adaptable for mine development or other purposes. Comparable sinking methods and equipment could be used for similar shafts within a wide range of sizes and depths. SUMMARY In addition to excavation and support of the basic access shaft to tunnel grade, the overall sinking project involved initial preparation of a surface site and plant, subsequent construction of a tunnel-level station and loading pocket at the shaft bottom, and ultimate conversion of the basic shaft into a hoisting and access facility for tunnel operations. The sinking period for the basic shaft approximated one year. Actual tunnel operations through the converted shaft began on April 3, 1958, approximately 19 months after the project was initiated.

Jan 1, 1961

By R. Conor, O&apos

Wastewater treatment systems, both industrial and municipal, produce large quantities of sludge which require disposal. Sludge disposal poses significant environmental liabilities, logistical problems, and economic burdens. Minergy Corporation has developed and implemented several new technologies for the recycling of such high volume wastes as sludge, ash, and foundry sand. These technologies perform mineral recovery from the waste material, converting them into construction material and industrial feed stocks which are inert, marketable products. With a continuously operating processing system installed at the waste source, these technologies reduce handling, eliminate downstream liabilities, and reduce disposal costs.

Jan 1, 1999

By R. J. Durrheim, B. Manzunzu, V. Midzi

Selecting ground motion prediction models (GMPM) is crucial in assessing seismic hazard levels in a specific region. This study investigates the influence of ground motion model (GMM) selection on seismic hazard assessment in Johannesburg, South Africa. Most seismic events affecting Johannesburg are related to mining activities and water ingress into the underground mine voids. The most seismically active regions in South Africa include areas around Klerksdorp, Welkom, and Carletonville. These regions experience a significant number of earthquakes, with mining activities being a major factor contributing to seismic events. Ten ground motion prediction equations were selected from regions of similar tectonics setting and were assessed to see if they correspond to the available local data. Six of these were also compared to the ground motions produced by the earthquake of 14 August 2014, which occurred in the Orkney area, one of the mining areas in South Africa. Sensitivity analyses were also carried out to assess the influence of ground motion prediction equations (GMPE) on the seismic hazard of Johannesburg. The results indicate that the choice of GMPM significantly affects the estimation of seismic hazard levels in Johannesburg. Different GMM can lead to varying ground shaking intensity predictions, impacting risk assessments and engineering design considerations. The findings highlight the importance of carefully selecting appropriate GMM tailored to Johannesburg’s specific geological and tectonic characteristics. Understanding how different models perform in this region is essential for accurate seismic risk mitigation strategies.

Jan 12, 2025

By H Rossiter, A Maddever, J Market, P Jeanneau, A Virani

It is generally acknowledged that the head grade of the world’s copper resources is declining. Accordingly, there is an increase in the volume of resource material being mined and processed to maintain copper production. This has led to increases in cost base accompanied by reductions in Life of Mine (LOM) Net Present Value (NPV). The higher tonnages of material mined are driven by increased quantities of lower grade material required to satisfy the short term mine model. In turn, this has brought an increased focus on sampling and assay methods, since any error associated with estimating the grade of each block and determining its correct destination serves to magnify the losses that will occur. Presently most open-pit copper mining operations use blasthole sample assays to feed their shortterm model. The problematic nature of blasthole sampling is well documented (Engström, 2017), particularly the poor timeliness of the data and the significant errors that are inherent to the technique. Methods to improve grade control, such as drilling a separate grade control grid, have been proposed but come with their own cost, logistical, and accuracy shortcomings. A recent development in grade estimation is the Pulsed Fast and Thermal Neutron Activation (PFTNA) downhole logging probe. Deployed on an efficient semi-autonomous platform, PFTNA is being aggressively adopted in the Australian iron ore industry. The technology provides in-situ elemental analysis of the geological formation, delivering high accuracy, high efficiency, near realtime data from a sizeable measurement volume. In this paper we consider the application of the technology to copper. Whilst there are several operational components to such a value proposition, we focus on the benefits of improved gradeestimation. A simulated copper mine is used to model the quantum of improvement expected from a reduced grade-estimation error, which reduces the likelihood of misallocating material to the wrong destination, which in turn increases NPV.

Nov 10, 2020

By Merwin H. Howes

Gnome shaft, situated about 24 miles southeast of Carlsbad, N. Mex., was designed and sunk by the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission for conducting a peace- time experimental nuclear explosion in the thick salt beds of the Permian Salado formation. Excavation was started July 1, 1960, and completed July 26, 1961. The 10-foot diameter shaft, lined with concrete through the rock section, was sunk 1,216 feet. A drift was driven approximately 1,140 feet on the 1,200- foot level terminating in a shot chamber. On completion of 100 feet of shaft, by means of a truck-mounted crane, facilities were installed for conventional sinking. About 709 feet of rock and 506 feet of salt were encountered in the shaft. Salt beds at this place are reported to be over 1,200 feet thick. The overlying rock section varies greatly in composition and thickness of beds and contains a 28-foot bed of water-bearing dolomite. The aquifer was sealed to facilitate shaft sinking and to prevent water-seepage damage in the salt section of the shaft. Sealing was accomplished by grout injection through holes drilled into the aquifer and by grouting behind the concrete liner.

Jan 1, 1963

By Merwin H. Howes

Gnome shaft, situated about 24 miles southeast of Carlsbad, N. Mex., was designed and sunk by the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission for conducting a peace-time experimental nuclear explosion in the thick salt beds of the Permian Salado formation. Excavation was started July 1, 1960, and completed July 26, 1961. The 10-foot diameter shaft, lined with concrete through the rock section, was sunk 1,216 feet. A drift was driven approximately 1,140 feet on the 1,200-foot level terminating in a shot chamber. On completion of 100 feet of shaft, by means of a truck-mounted crane, facilities were installed for conventional sinking. About 709 feet of rock and 506 feet of salt were encountered in the shaft. Salt beds at this place are reported to be over 1,200 feet thick. The overlying rock section varies greatly in composition and thickness of beds and contains a 28-foot bed of water-bearing dolomite. The aquifer was sealed to facilitate shaft sinking and to prevent water-seepage damage in the salt section of the shaft. Sealing was accomplished by grout injection through holes drilled into the aquifer and by grouting behind the concrete liner.

Jan 1, 1963

By Samuel Frimpong

The preparation of graduate talent for the mining industry is a challenging process, given the multifaceted and complex array of decisions mining engineers make in discharging their responsibilities. As leaders, mining engineers must manage operations, lead project teams, mentor junior engineers, chart the technological directions of companies and deal with several organizations for maintaining the technical and economic feasibility of operations within strategic and tactical framework. Traditionally, the completion of the bachelor of science degree curriculum, with a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA), has been used as a graduation measure by Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T). Companies have long realized the limitations of the CGPA for recruiting graduates because mining engineering is an applied engineering discipline. Company recruiters have sought to correct the limitations by factoring experience and behaviors into the selection process when recruiting knowledgeable and well-rounded graduates. In this paper, the authors introduce a new metric, which combines the current CGPA (knowledge) with experience and attribute (KEA) metrics to gauge the job readiness of graduating engineers. The KEA metric, also called the job-readiness factor (JRF), is the sum of K (50%), E (30%) and A (20%). The KEA process has been applied to a graduating class in Missouri S&T to demonstrate the value of the new metric system. The results show a fairly positive correlation between CGPA and the KEA metric, with a coefficient of determination of about 70%. Overall, the KEA metric system provides a better picture of the capacity and job readiness of graduates entering the workforce.

Jun 1, 2013

By Frank L. Peterson

This paper deals with problems of groundwater development in an insular circum-Pacific environment, and is not oriented as such to mining and mineral development. Nonetheless, because a reliable water supply is necessary for most mining and related support activities, and since water supplies are limited in many insular parts of the Pacific Basin, groundwater development is a subject which must be frequently addressed. Because many in the audience may be already familiar with groundwater development for continental environments, I have chosen to deal with groundwater occurrence and development problems which for the most part are unique to insular environments. In such environments, the local geology plays a critical role in determining groundwater occurrence and its suitability for development. The three examples discussed in this paper-Hawaii, Guam, and the Marshall Islands-were selected because they illustrate groundwater occurrence in a wide range of geologic conditions. For example, the Hawaiian aquifers consist primarily of basaltic lavas, while Guam is made up of andesitic lavas and coral reef limestones, and the Marshall Islands are coral atoll deposits. Despite differences in aquifer size and rock types, the principal mode of groundwater occurrence at the three sites is similar; thus, development strategies are also similar. Figure 1 shows the location of the three sites.

Jan 1, 1982

By W. F. Hazen

This paper describing the mining practices at a 100 per cent mechanized mine working the Pittsburgh or No. 8 coal bed in eastern Ohio is one of a series being prepared by the U. S. Bureau of Mines on mining practices, methods, and costs in the various mining districts of the United States. The purpose of assembling this data is to place before those interested in the mining industry the methods employed and the cost data on the items involved in the winning of the coal and its removal to the railroad car at the tipple. Mining costs are governed by the mining method used, which is selected for its adaptability to local natural physical conditions such as the nature and thickness of the coal, its dip, the character of the roof and floor, and the thickness of the overlying strata.

Jan 1, 1929

By Y. Zedan

In this study, the statistical design of experiments (DOE) was applied to study and regulate the properties of near-eutectic Al-11%Si alloys. Develop regression equations for such response variables as hardness, yield stress, ultimate tensile stress, percent elongation, total cutting force, cutting power, and tool life together with other factors which, include the percentage composition of the alloying elements, and the requisite modification (Sr) level. These equations may be analyzed quantitatively to acquire an understating of the effects which the main variables and their interactions may have on the mechanical behaviour and the machinability of the alloy under investigation. The results reveal that increasing the levels of Cu and Fe content results in an increase in hardness, yield stress, and ultimate tensile strength in both modified and non-modified alloys. On the other hand, both Cu and Fe appear to affect the percentage elongation adversely, whereas the Sr-level has a positive effect on this parameter. It was found that Sr-levels have the most significant effect on the cutting forces and cutting power followed by the content in Fe and Cu. The results also reveal that the interaction coefficients of these variables have a significant effect on tool life compared to the main independent variables. This fact may be attributed to the formation of complex insoluble phases between Cu, Fe, Si, and Al as investigated using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) attached to an EDX analysis system. The accuracy of the regression equations in predicting the expected properties has been verified by carrying out random experiments in the range of variation of these variables.

Jan 1, 2011

By John W. Harbaugh, Alfredo Prelate

The goal of the study described here is to develop objective. quantitative methods for estimating the outcome probabilities of exploratory oil wells. The study employs the 're-experience' approach, in which historical data are used in a manner which attempts to recreate the past. Our past experience, of course, is the principal guide to the future. To appraise present-day oil prospects, however, we must analyze prospects that have been drilled in terms of how these former prospects were interpreted before they were drilled. An analysis of how they are interpreted after they were drilled is an inadequate guide to the future because our hindsight knowledge is superior to our foresight knowledge. Objective calculation of future outcome probabilities, then, requires that we attempt to treat past information in a manner analogous to that in which we must treat present information in forecasting future outcomes.

Jan 1, 2014