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By McElrae AJ, McTaggart SM

The recent rapid escalation in computer use by mining companies, particularly in technical applications, can in part be traced to a growth in the availability of specialist packaged software. Such software, often developed by independent software companies provides economies of scale, end user orien- tation and breadth of scope imposed by market forces. This paper reviews the emergence of these companies and current software econo- mics before extrapolating present trends to consider the effect of future fourth gen- eration languages upon productivity.

Jan 1, 1983

By Piotr Mertuszka

Many years of research on more effective and safer explosives have led to the development of emulsion explosives. They are the second most commonly used group of explosives worldwide, primarily because they are good alternatives to ANFO or dynamites. Their key advantage in underground applications is the lower content of toxic fumes in the detonation products. Emulsions are also characterized by high detonation velocity, high water resistance, low critical diameter, and mechanical loading capacity. Several factors affect the behavior of emulsion explosives. These factors are related to both manufacturing and applied mining methods. The most important factors include the charge diameter, type of sensitizer, density, hydrostatic pressure, ambient and charge temperatures, as well as the time elapsed between the charging of the explosive into the blast hole and its detonation. The selection of the type of explosive is based on the analysis of a number of parameters, including the density, critical diameter, volume of the post-blast fumes, detonation pressure, velocity of detonation, and sensitivity to external energy sources. In most cases, the conditions under which explosives are used differ significantly from those defined in standards. Such conditions cover, among others, the temperature of the rock mass and surroundings, humidity, rock strength parameters and the diameter of the blast holes. Consequently, the parameters of the explosives provided by the manufacturers may not correlate with those specified in-situ. Thus, within the framework of this study, the effects of the selected technological parameters on the detonation velocity of bulk emulsion explosives are presented. The analysis focused primarily on the factors directly influenced by the mine blasting services. The detonation velocity measured using the continuous wire resistance technique was used as the evaluation criterion. For this purpose, several underground in-situ tests were conducted, including the impact of the blast hole diameter, density, initiation method, sleeping time, and temperature on the detonation velocity. The results of in-situ tests have shown that the detonation velocity of bulk emulsion explosives depends strongly on the above factors, which may directly affect the effectiveness of blasting operations.

Jan 26, 2026

By Pedro Hugo Tumialán de la Cruz

Dado que el 90% de los yacimientos metálicos son hidrotermales, exceptuando los yacimientos metálicos estratoligados y los de tipo skarn, el presente texto señala la relación de los flujos mineralizantes con la distribución geométrica de los cuerpos mineralizados y la distribución espacial de los elementos metálicos en una estructura mineralizada de relleno hidrotermal. Asi también muestra las metodologías utilizadas en 23 yacimientos peruanos para la ubicación de esos flujos mineralizantes, como sus respectivos resultados.

Nov 24, 1986

By J. J. Carlson

An important factor in filtration is the zeta potential of the particles. Since zeta potential is a function of pH, it was hypothesized that adding CO would lower the pH and zeta potential. A reduction in zeta potential should enhance the flocculation and increase the filtration rate. This paper describes the effects CO on the zeta potential of both pure hematite and samples of hematite concentrate from an iron ore processing plant. A significant shift in the zeta potential, as a function of pH, curve was observed. These results point to an alteration of the particles mineralogy, not just a shift in pH.

Jan 1, 2010

By Peter J. King

Demand for both lead and zinc to the year 2000 will be characterised by modest to nil growth in mature economies, with positive 3 to 4 per cent annual growth rates in developing nations. Asia and China will feature significantly in this growth. Overall lead demand is expected to grow about 1 per cent a year, with industry becoming more dependent on the fortunes of the automotive industry as the lead-acid battery will be the only major end use to expand. Zinc will become more dependent on its main use, galvanising, as the automotive and construction industries move to high levels of dependence on corrosion prevention. Strong growth in zinc consumption in S.E. Asia, China and India is likely to feature widespread development of the continuous steel strip mini-galvanising line technology. Thank you Mr. Chairman for inviting me to this Conference. As an Australian I am honoured to be here to offer some thoughts about future trends in metal consumption -- with particular reference to the role of countries in my own neighbourhood, the developing Asian nations, including China. It is customary for a member of the producer fraternity to speak to the topic of future development. This is no doubt due to the fact that our companies are so often engaged in endeavours to determine the future prospects of the metals as essential background to massive investment decisions relating to the development of new mines and smelters. This is sometimes also applied in relation to the more painful decision of closures of aging operations. In this paper I have drawn upon recent studies by AM&S into the future of lead and zinc. While this work has been thorough and skillful, we are nonetheless left with uncertainty on a number of counts. Firstly. predictions in the past in our industry have not been all that credible. Need I remind a U.S. audience for instance of the Paley ' investigation setup by President Truman in 1950 to study U.S. copper requirements for 25 years in the future. Asarco's Simon Strauss gave those of us daring to forecast long term commodity trends a salutary reminder that the Paley Commission with all the expertise at its disposal missed the mark in its copper predictions by a very wide margin indeed. Additionally, it is difficult to take comfort from longer term economic forecasts. Too many important economic issues remain unresolved suggesting considerable caution. These include the threat of growing protectionism; low economic growth rates with stubborn unemployment levels; and levels of government expenditure at near saturation as a percentage of GDP, to name a few. However, on a more optimistic note. we can look to China, where there appears to be momentum in its economic growth; oil, where stable oil prices to the mid 1990's will contribute to inflation control; and the fact that LDC debt, while still a major issue, is declining in importance and priority. In the short time allocated to us. I wish to deal succinctly with the lead and zinc raw materials supply picture, which is one I do not believe will hold too many surprises for this audience. Following the review of raw materials supply, we will turn our attention to the changes in the pattern of demand towards the year 2000. emphasising the Asian position. In this context. I would like to focus on the theme of the changes in OECD consumption levels relative to those of the emerging nations. One area we will be paying special attention to is China.

Jan 1, 1986

By E. C. Truesdale, W. K. Waring

The Research,Division of The New Jersey Zinc Company (of Pa.) has conducted, over a period of years, numerous tests of the reducibility of various zinc ores and the reactivity of various kids of coal, using a number of different experimental methods. Most of these tests have involved the reduction of mixtures of ore and coal. In such cases the following simultaneous reactions are believed to be mainly responsible for the production of zinc, as was shown by Bodenstein' some years ago: ZnO + CO = Zn + CO2 [i] C + COj = 2CO [2] Each of these reactions is dependent upon the other for the supply of CO and COz, respectively, and the over-all rate of formation of zinc vapor will be determined by the slower of these two reactions. An analogous pair of reactions sometimes of importance is: ZnO + He = Zn + HZO 13] C + Hz0 = CO + He U3 While it is possible to obtain an indication of the relative reducibility of various ores, or of a fine versus a coarse Ore, by testing them with a given coal, and while coal reactivities may be measured in a corresponding manner, a more direct determination of relative reaction rates is possible by carrying out the desired reactions, such as I and 2, separately and under reproducible conditions. It is one purpose of this paper to present some of the results that have been obtained by the latter method. C. G. Maier2 discusses the relative rates of reactions I and 2 and concludes that while at relatively low temperatures reaction I is faster than reaction 2, this difference becomes less with increasing temperatures, although at smelting temperatures reaction is still the faster. He also says (p. 48), "At temperatures . . . be- -tween 1100' and 1300°C., . . . the zinc oxide reduction reaction is intrinsically more rapid than its physical limitations; that is, it is limited by gas diffusion rates.'' In the course of numerous reactivity tests involving the separate use of reactions and I and 2, we have obtained data that show by direct experiment, we believe for the first time, the correctness of Maier's statements concerning these reactions. We also include data on the relative rate of reaction 3, involving reduction by hydrogen. Finally, some interesting results obtained by carrying out the reduction of ' a zinc ore-coal briquet in streaming atmospheres of nitrogen, carbon monoxide and hydrogen, respectively, are presented.*

Jan 1, 1944

By Jorge Madias

Pin holes as a surface defect, and blow holes as an inner defect, occur in billet / bloom / beam blank casting, particularly for Si-Mn killed steel cast with metering nozzle and oil lubrication. If they are present in abundance or have a large size, they may originate defects in the rolled products. Their characteristics, factors behind their formation, as well as usual processing conditions that promote their occurrence are discussed. Finally, the evolution of these defects during reheating and rolling is analyzed, with industrial examples.

Aug 16, 2017

By Wilson G. L, Lord J. H

A detailed analysis of faulting indicatcs that blocks of "greenstone" have been thrust beneath the southern end of the Mt. Isa orebodies.This "greenstone" basement is considered to be a major structural control in the localization of these orebodies.INTRODUCTIONThis paper is based on exploration carried out by Mining Corporation (Aust.) N.L. from 1956 to 1960 in the area immediately south of Mt. Isa, Queensland. During this period over 20,000 ft of diamond drilling was completed together with costeaning and geochemical exploration.Early in 1959, it became apparent that diamond drill information could not be correlated with the current geological concepts of this area and a detailed geological appraisal became necessary. In all, sixty square miles were mapped at a scale of 1 in. to 500 ft, using enlarged aerial photographs. All drill core was logged and sections re-interpreted.Professor K. C. Dunham of the University of Durham consulted on this project and contributed through valuable discussion. Dr. A. Day of the University of Sydney carried out a gravity survey in February 1960 and Dr. H. Wilshire of the same University undertook microscopic examination of rocks from the area. Certain sections of the area were investigated geochemically by Mr. K. K. Hughes of New Consolidated Gold Fields (Asia) Pty. Limited in 1960.In outlining a theory of ore genesis in the area the writers have drawn heavily on the invaluable data published by many previous workers on the Mt. Isa field, in particular...

Jan 1, 1963

By Isobel Yeo, Florent Szitkar, Sven Petersen, Sebastian Graber, Meike Klischies

Technological advances and the shift towards green energies in the last decades have led to a substantial increase in the demand for metal resources. With rising political tension, and quasi-monopolistic production of some key metals, a secured supply chain cannot be guaranteed [1]. Therefore, the focus of the international research community and mining companies has expanded to the seafloor, looking for additional resources. The seafloor may have the potential to contribute significantly to a secure metal supply in the future. However, we have only investigated a fraction of our oceans in sufficient detail to assess the global resource potential. A detailed exploration of the vast seafloor is currently economically not feasible, due to its extremely time-consuming and costly nature. Seafloor massive sulfides generally form along the active plate boundaries and at active volcanoes in arc settings. However, the resources are not evenly distributed on the seafloor. Large deposits tend to be more common along slow-spreading and ultra-slow- spreading ridges that make up the majority of the global mid-ocean ridge system [2]. Therefore, it is important to establish geological models and exploration criteria in order to narrow down the permissive areas, which are likely to accommodate economically interesting deposits. Based on a detailed study of the TAG hydrothermal field in the central Atlantic Ocean, hosting a large active mound as well as several inactive mounds, we develop exploration methods and criteria to define areas of potential massive sulfide occurrences along slow-spreading sections.

Jan 1, 2018

By N. Katsikaros, N. S. ‘ Yap, B. Adaszynski

"Cyanide is a well proven, effective lixiviant that has been utilised for centuries in gold extraction processes. Despite being used in close to 90% of gold processing plants, cyanide leaching is still being scrutinised due to its toxic nature. With governments tightening the regulations on cyanide management, and recently erected sites situated closer to community and environment, leach waste and tailings treatment has become increasingly important. Gekko Systems has worked with engineering companies and directly with gold producers to provide technical services and supply complete modular cyanide destruction (detox) systems for plants leaching both run-of-mine ore and high sulphide gravity and flotation concentrates. Although similar in principle, the different materials presented unique challenges in design and implementation. Similar to designing any section of a processing plant, the development of the cyanide destruction plant design began with laboratory test work to simulate the full scale operation. This paper focusses on the laboratory test work and how other critical factors such as geographical location, logistics, and local community play a role in the process design and construction. Two design and supply cases are discussed in this paper; one treating intensive cyanidation concentrate leach tails and one treating whole ore CIL tails. Although these plants both use the SO2/O2 process, each presented different challenges in laboratory testing and plant design, resulting in variations in final implementation including reagent choice, oxygen supply, and process control.INTRODUCTIONSince 1887, cyanide has played a large part in the beneficiation of gold from gold bearing ores. Cyanide is used to solubilise gold into solution, and is typically added in excess to maintain the leaching process. Some or all the excess cyanide can often be recovered and reused in the process however chemical destruction of cyanide is often necessary to manage cyanide levels in the tailings storage facility (TSF)."

Jan 1, 2016

By Walter Hartig

Rogesa is operating two medium sized Blast Furnaces, No. 4 and No. 5 at Dillinger integrated steel works plant. The history of the results of the cooling concepts of the intersection between tuyère belt and bosh shows failures at both furnaces. At the 3rd reline of No. 5 Blast Furnace in 2010 changes were made to improve the cooling efficiency of the mentioned area. Two rows of copper cooling plates were installed. After commissioning and a short operating time hot spots occurred in the area of the cooling plates. The decision was taken to develop a new cooling concept together with Paul Wurth Umwelttechnik GmbH, Essen-Germany by replacing the cooling plates by one row of a short copper stave. The duration of the shutdown to perform the work was only 17 days including salamander casting. The operational results after the commissioning are very satisfying with outstanding performance of the new bosh cooling system.

Aug 1, 2018

By B. Jago

From the perspective of metallurgical processing, gold ores can be classified into freemilling and refractory ores. Their extractive metallurgy is largely driven by mineralogical factors such as gold particle size, association with other minerals, coatings and rimmings, presence of cyanicides, oxygen consumers and preg-robbers, presence of refractory gold minerals, and invisible gold in sulphide and sulpharsenide minerals. Gold process mineralogy helps address issues and problems related to gold ore processing. It is widely used as a predictive and trouble-shooting tool in gold ore processing, and provides useful information on process selection, flowsheet development, recovery improvement, and reagent consumption optimization. By combining classic mineralogical techniques, modern instrumental analysis, and diagnostic metallurgy, the mineralogist is able to balance the various types of gold occurrence in an ore.

Jan 1, 2006

By J. Chai

In order to find the behavior of dewatered unconsolidated strata during the process of injecting water through a borehole, a new type of fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensing system was successfully used for the real-time strain monitoring of unconsolidated strata during a water injection process for a dewatered unconsolidated strata of a coal mine. The unconsolidated strata water injection test was implemented through a borehole at a depth of +115.83 to +135.15m. The employed FBG strain monitoring system and ground water level observation system were installed at the depth in the unconsolidated strata where the water injection was conducted through two different boreholes. The water injection pressures in the test were 0.1, 0.2, 0.3MPa respectively, and the total water injection volume was 4226.84m3. The relationships between the water injection pressures, water injection volume and the strain change of the unconsolidated strata, the stress and strain conditions of the unconsolidated strata before and after water injection, were analyzed. This paper presents the results of these tests, and shows that the dewatering compression of the unconsolidated strata is reduced with increasing water injection pressures and water injection volumes. Comparing the stress-strain conditions before and after water injection, it is found that the stress of the water injection strata is in tension, which confirms the theory that the settlement of the thick unconsolidated strata is directly caused by the reduction of ground water levels. The high sensitivity and stability of the FBG monitoring system used was able to realize the real-time strain monitoring of the water injection process within a deep unconsolidated strata. This FBG monitoring system and the test results presented are very important for understanding further treatment of settlement in unconsolidated strata.

Jan 1, 2012

By Huiqin Yao, Dongmei Liu

The study investigated the potential use of low activity circulating fluidized bed combustion (CFBC) ash and phosphate tailings for the production of a filling material based on the cement. The phosphate tailings were used as aggregate and consolidated by cement and CFBC ash. The results showed that the bleeding rate and fluidity of all mixtures decreased with the increasing the amount of CFBC ash. The fluidity of filling slurry is highly related to the experimental factors such as the content of sulfur solid ash, B/A ratio, and mass concentration. The replacement of CFBC ash ranging from 20 to 40% led to a significant decrease in setting time and an obvious increase in compressive strength, but the above effect was obviously weakened when reducing the mass concentration and B/A ratio. The hydrated calcium silicate gel and ettringite generated from the hydration of cement and CFBC ash were the main sources of strength for the filling materials. When the recommended proportion was 1/6 binder/phosphorus tailings ratio, 76% solid content, and 40% CFBC ash replacement, the filling material still met demands on working and mechanical properties; at the same time, the utilization of CFBC ash and phosphorus tailings was maximized.

Oct 11, 2021

By Ping Zhang, Xu Ma

Perturbations arising from mining operations significantly affect the stability of rock masses, and the influences aggerates with the rapid increase of mining-operation depths during recent years. The subsurface structures with major discontinuities subject to seismic hazards resulted from the shear-slip behaviors of rock masses. In order to identify the shear-slip regime of discontinuities and calculate seismic moment and seismic energy involved with shear-slip behaviors, we use discrete element modeling to study the shear slip failure along discontinuities in an underground mine. The recorded characteristic and properties of sub-contacts in DEM provide a basis for computing and visualizing the temporal and spatial distribution of seismic moment and seismic energy with mining operations. We computed the seismic energy and seismic moment using the numerical modeling method and the analytic method. We compared the result of summing seismic energy and seismic moment from the subcontacts of numerical models and the result of the analytic method. We confirmed that this tool can be used in comparative analyses. We also found that seismic moment and seismic energy, associated with shear stress drop and shear displacement increase, accumulate in the vicinity of major discontinuities. Mining operations at a greater depth cause greater changes of seismic moment and seismic energy, leading to a higher risk of inducing seismic hazards. Quantifying seismic potential using discrete element modeling can greatly facilitate the investigation of instability of geological discontinuities and thereby can help estimate the potential of seismic hazards.

Jan 21, 2023

By Aleksandar N. Nikoloski, Rorie Gilligan

Brannerite, UTi2O6, is the most common of the refractory uranium minerals and requires leaching under intense conditions to effectively extract the uranium contained within. Brannerite is often found together with apatite in metasomatic uranium deposits. Apatite and other phosphate gangue minerals can inhibit uranium leaching by generating phosphate ions which interfere with the reactions between acidic ferric sulphate and uranium minerals. As part of a detailed fundamental study on the leaching reaction mechanisms for brannerite, tests under a range of selected leach conditions were carried out with the addition of 10 g/L fluorapatite with the goal of identifying conditions where the negative effects of phosphate are reduced. Leaching was carried out for 5 hours with 0.05 mol/L Fe3+ as Fe2(SO4)3 with 0.25–1.00 mol/L H2SO4 and at temperatures between 25 and 96 °C. A single test was performed with 0.05 mol/L Fe3+ as FeCl3 and 1.00 mol/L HCl. In the sulphate system, the effect of phosphate was weakest at the highest acid concentration (1.00 mol/L H2SO4). In the chloride system, phosphate did not suppress uranium extraction, suggesting that HCl leaching could be a viable alternative for the leaching of high-phosphate refractory uranium ores.

Mar 17, 2021

By Daryl R. Tweeton

The Bureau of Mines is investigating possible applications of geophysics to monitor leachate during in situ mining. Tomographic reconstruc-tion of seismic or electromagnetic crosshole data appears applicable. The tomographic program BOMTOM (Bureau of Mines tomography) was written and then used to investigate reconstructions with synthetic travel time data. The calculations confirmed that without constraints, crosshole data do not provide unique solutions. The solution is not determined solely by the data, but is also influenced by the velocity guesses starting the iterative solution procedure. The effectiveness of constraints in combatting nonuniqueness was examined. The requirement that the velocity not vary laterally at the top and bottom of the pixel grid was effective. This constraint is realistic when the top and bottom of the grid represent dry and saturated re-gions, respectively. Limiting the maximum velocity improved reconstructions, but may not be applicable in practice. BOMTOM uses the simultaneous iterative reconstruction technique (SIRT) with straight ray paths. The program is efficient in use of memory, and can be run on a personal computer. A source code in FORTRAN is listed. A source code in BASICA and compiled executable codes in both languages are available from the Bureau's Twin Cities (MN) Research Center.

Jan 1, 1985

By O. E. Brown

The measurement principle of the Coulter Counter for particle size analyses is described. The application of the Coulter Counter to cement particle content and size analysis and to the size distribution of clinker from standard grindability tests are described. Methods of calibration, sample preparation and data reduction are presented. The results of the analyses obtained are compared with characteristics associated with performance showing both concordance and non-concordance of test data., Future uses of the Coulter Counter for particle size analysis in research and plant control adaptations are indicated.

Jan 1, 1960

With one shaft almost completed and another shaft being sunk, the scope of the Saskatchewan potash area is beginning to come into focus. Some 18 companies have reportedly leased more than four million acres to explore potash possibilities. PCA, farthest along, is located about 15 miles southeast of Saskatoon, and IMC has its project underway near Esterhazy in the eastern edge of the province. U. S. Borax and Chemical Corp. is also reported exploring the area. The field lies in the middle Devonian geological formation which was probed by oil companies along the 200-mile area across the province. Extensive examination began after World War II and deep drilling was started a few years later.

Jan 5, 1958

In This Chapter [Finding the dust source Ventilation and dust collector malfunctions Upgrading the dust controls Design stage ventilation planning ] This chapter explains how to reduce respirable dust76 in hard-rock tunnels during excavation by using tunnel boring machines (TBMs). The first steps in combating a dust problem are to take dust samples to pinpoint the source, check the ventilation system, and check the dust collector. If the ventilation system and dust collector are operating properly, then other dust controls such as water sprays and conveyor belt scrapers must be upgraded. For tunnels in the design stage, recommended air quantities are provided. FINDING THE DUST SOURCE AND LOOKING FOR VENTILATION MALFUNCTIONS [The first steps in fighting a dust problem are to take dust samples to pinpoint the source, check the ventilation system, and check the dust collector. Without knowing the exact source, efforts to reduce dust are hit-and-miss (mostly miss).] Taking samples to pinpoint the dust source. In tunnels with high levels of airborne dust, the first task is to pinpoint where the dust enters the airstream. Most dust originates from rock breakage at the tunnel face, but the location where this dust enters the airstream can vary. Dust can leak from behind the TBM face shield, from gaps in the ventilation duct, or from a mal-functioning dust collector. It can be entrained into the air from the muck on a moving conveyor belt. It can even be shaken loose from the underside of the belt as it passes over the idlers. As a start, to locate the dust source, dust samples and air quantity measurements should be taken at the following locations:

Jan 6, 2003