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TSUG Presentation Overview What/Who we are? Objectives & Mandate How to become a member (who qualifies)? Meeting Agenda?s & Frequency Q & A SMART is an association of mining companies that meet regularly to coordinate the technology development needed by the mining industry. Since 1995, the member companies and institutions have directed research and influenced the manufacturers and suppliers to improve surface mining technology and services. SMART actively supports learning seminars, collaborative research projects, and user groups. Members of SMART include some of the major surface mining companies in North America and Australia. These companies have recognized the value that collaboration can bring to the needs of individual organizations as well as the global mining industry.

May 1, 2008

Provide exhaust face ventilation to remotely-controlled continuous mining machines making extended advances without exposing workers to unsupported roof. Approach Modify the sprayfan to move additional air to and from the coal mine face. Unmodified, sprayfans are capable of ventilating the face with 20-foot brattice setbacks. Additional sprays on the rear of the mining machine allow setbacks to be extended up to 40 feet.

Jan 1, 1988

By Thomas R. Stauffer

The principle that conventional schemes for taxing petroleum or mineral resources are "inefficient" is illustrated using simulation calculations tested against an "ideal" system. Inefficiency is defined as the relative success in maximizing expected government revenues from the resources. Most systems fail because: 1) they leave oil in limbo, i.e. unproduced because of excessive fiscal burden; or 2) they unnecessarily increase the variance in the explorationist'c, rate of return by undertaxing large fields and overtaxing smaller but infra-marginal fields. This increases his discount rate and reduces taxable surplus. An "ideal" tax system is specified which maximizes government revenues while minimizing risk to the operator. Two criteria are developed: 1) the tax falls to zero on fields which yield only the minimum necessary rate of return ("marginal" fields); and 2) the after-tax present value of all fields is the same for all fields above a threshhold size. In particular, marginal fields, while contrib- uting little to expected values, do contribute to reducing variance and hence risk praemia by distributing the exploration costs over a higher probability of successful outcomes.

Jan 1, 1982

By P J. Vardon, L A. van Paassen, Y Yao, A F. van Tol

Thin-lift atmospheric fine drying (AFD) is a technique used to dewater mine and oil sand tailings, which utilises both self-weight consolidation and atmospheric evaporation. The disposed layers undergo a cyclic drying and rewetting process due to precipitation and deposition of additional lifts on top of the dried layer. The current research aims to optimise the deposition process via use of a numerical model and realistic atmospheric conditions, including both periods of drying and wetting. The model is based upon water balance and includes large strain considerations. A number of material behaviours are characterised using empirical fitting curves based upon laboratory measurement of material characteristics, including both the shrinkage and water retention curves for drying and rewetting. The model is able to model multiple lifts, simulating field scale and realistic climatic conditions within timescales suitable for engineering practice (eg seconds or minutes). The model has been previously validated against controlled laboratory experiments and utilised to simulate field tests. A series of simulations are presented to illustrate the ability of the model to be used as a practical tool for the optimisation of a tailings deposition strategy.CITATION:Vardon, P J, Yao, Y, van Paassen, L A and van Tol, A F, 2015. The use of a large-strain drying and consolidation model to optimise multilift tailing deposits, in Proceedings Tailings and Mine Waste Management for the 21st Century , pp 263–270 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 27, 2015

By S. D. Hill, G. E. McClelland

To maximize productivity and improve minerals processing technology, the U. S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines, is investigating a particle agglomeration technique as a means of increasing the percolation rate of leaching solutions through heaps of clayey or finely crushed, low- grade, gold-silver ores. Bench-scale and pilot-scale experiments conducted on different ores indicated that the percolation rate of cyanide leaching solution was enhanced markedly by mixing the ore with a binder, such as lime or portland cement, moistening the mixture, then mechanically agglomerating and aging the feed prior to heap building and leaching. In addition, the rate of silver and gold extraction markedly increased without sacrificing total recovery of values. The use of concentrated cyanide solution instead of water during the agglomeration procedure substantially decreased the leaching time required to obtain maximum recovery. Results from bench-scale and pilot-scale experiments using the particle agglomeration technique are discussed.

Jan 1, 1981

By R. Hadfield

Last year this institute was good enough to accept some remarks by the writer regarding sound steel, entitle Plant for Hadfield Method of Producing Sound Steel Ingots…

Jan 1, 1915

By A. Roy MacLean

"Cape Breton is an island on the eastern extremity of Nova Scotia, Canada. Here, coal mining under the Atlantic Ocean has been a way of life since the early French militia mined coal for heating purposes in 1720. Despite many ups and downs over the intervening years, the coal industry has survived and is now in a favourable position to benefit from the upswing in international coal usage.Mining in Cape Breton Early mining in Cape Breton was done by hand picks and shovels. The coal was loaded into mine cars which were hauled by horses to the main haulage system for transport to surface. Later, compressed-air cutting machines and drills led to the use of explosives to blast the coal so that it could be loaded by hand and transported as above. In 1923, longwall mining (by hand) was introduced. In 1950, the Dominion Coal Company developed the Dosco continuous miner in order to mechanize the longwall coal-getting operation. At this time, conveyor belts came into wide-spread use, along with diesel locomotives to haul mine cars from the longwall face to the main transport system. During this period, coal was also mined by conventional mechanized room-and-pillar equipment such as cutting machines, loaders, roof bolters, etc. This system evolved into the use of the continuous ·miners of today, which are employed in the Lingan Mine room-and-pillar section. However, this method is only satisfactory at shallow depths and gradients. For these reasons, almost all the coal in this coal field will be mined by longwall methods. In 1968, the Government of Canada expropriated the assets of the Dominion Coal Company on Cape Breton Island in order to prevent complete closure of an uneconomic industry by its owners. The government created, by an Act of Parliament, the Cape Breton Development Corporation which now operates the coal mines, coal preparation plants, railway, shipping pier and ancillary services (Fig. 2). Since its inception, the Corporation has closed three mines, opened two new mines, is in the process of developing a third new mine, and has invested heavily in the one mine which remains from its previous owners."

Jan 1, 1985

By R. L. Grayson, W. E. Wallace, M. D. Attfield, A. Q. Wearden, P. Bolsaitis, R. D. Kennedy, M. J. Keane, J. C. Harrison

"Respirable high-silica particles from four coal mines. a clay mine and a tunnelling site were analysed for silicon vs aluminum composition by performing scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM-EDS) at electron accelerating voltages of 20 kiloelectron volts (keV). The same particles were analysed at 5 keV to determine possible differences in surface vs bulk composition. In some cases high-silica particles exhibited a decrease in the ratio of silicon to aluminium K-alpha line intensities with decreasing electron beam accelerating voltage. This behaviour is consistent with aluminosilicate surface contamination or occlusion of a silica particle. Some 20 high-silica particles were analysed from each of 10 samples. Powdered aluminosilicate glass was used as a control for the behaviour of silica with a homogeneous distribution of aluminium in the particle. Significant differences were found between the control and sample means for an Illinois bituminous coal mine dust, two western and one central Pennsylvania bituminous coal mine dust low-temperature ashes. and a clay mine and mill dust sample, but not for an anthracite coal mine dust and two central Pennsylvania bituminous coal mine dust low-temperature ashes. INTRODUCTIONRESPIRABLE dust quartz content commonly is measured on bulk samples by using i.r. spectroscopy or X-ray diffraction. For research purposes, individual particle-by particle SEM-EDS analysis at 20-30 keV electron beam accelerating potential may be used also. Such measurements have not provided an unambiguous association of quartz content with occupational pulmonary disease prevalence in exposed workers (WALTON et al., 1977). Rather, there is evidence that coal rank modifies the relationship between dust exposure and pneumoconiosis development (WAL TON et al., 1977; ROBOCK and BAUER, 1990; ATTFIELD and MORRING, in press). SEM-EDS analysis was performed to measure the silicon fraction, Si/(Si +Ai), at 20 and at 5 keV on high-silica particles to determine if some respirable quartz particles generated by mining exhibit heterogenous composition with depth (WALLACE et al., 1990), which might affect the bioavailability of the quartz surface."

Dec 1, 1995

By Lavers G

Factors governing the dissolution of nickel and iron in pentlandite and pyrrhotite concentrates from Mt. Windarra were studied for aqueous solutions at normal temperatures and pressures. The effects of dissolved dioxygen, carbon dioxide, hydrogen ions, and chloride ions are described. The direct reaction of aerated water wiili pyrrhotite is much faster than with pentlandite, and reaction rates are proportional to the dissolved dioxygen concentration. In both cases divalent metal sulphates are produced initially. The subsequent oxidation of iron(II) to iron(III) and its oxolation produces acid solutions which rapidly attack both minerals. The presence of carbon dioxide or chloride ion has little effect on these rates.

Jan 1, 1976

By Thys B. Johnson

Operations Research techniques for determining optimal shipping schedules and production and product allocation are discussed. A hypothetical mining operation model is formulated by the Bureau of Mines, and optimal production and product allocation are determined. The technique of sensitivity analysis is discussed and is used to illustrate the effect of the variability in a mining operation on the optimal production and product market plan.

Jan 1, 1969

By R. Rubin, P. A. Laxen, G. S. M. Becker

An account is given of developments in the use of activated carbon for the recovery of gold from cyanide solutions. The carbon-In-pulp process employed at the Homestake Mine is described, and its various applications in South Africa and their effectiveness are discussed. Probable future work on the carbon-in-pulp process and other possible applications of carbon for the recovery of gold are outlined.

Jan 1, 1979

By J Nemcik, E Baafi, I Porter, G Spinks

Spray-on liners used in the mining industry for ground support and stabilisation applications are either cement based (æshotcreteÆ) or polymer based (æthin spray-on linersÆ). Some thin spray-on liners are a blend of both polymer and cement (eg Tekflex). A small number of thin spray-on liners (TSLs) have been trialled in Australia as potential replacements for steel mesh in roadways and other underground mining applications; however, they were found to cure slowly and the cured coatings became brittle after an extended time in place. The University of Wollongong in collaboration with the Australian coal mining industry has shown that a viable polymer-based alternative to steel mesh in underground roadway support applications can be developed to eliminate the use and handling of steel mesh. The work to date has: established the feasibility of developing polymeric alternatives to steel mesh in underground roadway support applications; identified the physical and material constraints to be endured by any new polymeric skin reinforcement system by measuring the mechanical properties of steel mesh; identified materials that can be spray applied; and demonstrated that polymer mechanical properties can be optimised to produce similar mechanical properties (elastic modulus, yield stress, elongation-at-break, etc) to steel mesh. The identified materials will: allow the face support cycle to be fully automated, or at least remotely operated and installed; remove personnel from the immediate face area; and substantially improve underground roadway development rates.

Jan 1, 2008

By S. P. Singh

Drifts are the nerve centre of underground mining. They provide essential communications between primary openings and production areas. In view of their strategic importance in the overall safety, economy and productivity of mines, an empirical approach for blast design during drifting has been proposed in this paper. The approach was developed with the objective of minimum blast damage and provides computerized blasthole patterns for drifting operations. The drift blasting practices and problems in Canadian mines have also been reviewed in this paper.

Jan 1, 1991

By Stephen Semeniuk

Working with junior mining companies as a valuer, my experience with regulators is that simplicity works and the sales comparison method is the way to go. What I like about Mr. Ellis?s approach (as in his Table 7) is the integration of commodity prices with the timing of acquisitions and the implication of price changes in gold on the adjustment of individual project valuations. However, the sample gold-related appraisals in Ellis?s paper are pre-2008 transactions and readers should be made aware of the current market for such projects. Before moving on, to be noted is that the effective date of the Las Brisas appraisal (Ellis?s sample Appraisal 3) is Feb. 10, 2006; given that the subject value of Transaction 9, Choco 10 in Ellis?s Table 6 was listed as $353 million for a 95% interest in the con-cession, I am uncomfortable accepting that the acquisition was suddenly worth the adjusted value of $1,205 million (as given in Ellis?s Table 7). In some cases, illiquidity discounts can apply, and commodity-wise, in the one-month period between the acquisition in January 2006 and the adjustment to the Las Brisas conditions as of February 10, 2006, the indicated gold price change was only 41 cents/g ($12.60/oz); i.e., from $17.50/g to $17.91/g ($544.40/oz to $557/oz).

Jan 1, 2012

By George Sachs, S. M. Clark, George Espey

he tendency of a commercially drawn cartridge case to crack in the mercury test and the relation of cracking tendency to residual stress retained after drawing were studied. The fourth drawpiece (next to the final) of caliber 0.30 cartridge cases produced by Frankford Arsenal were selected as test pieces. These exhibited an exceptionally high cracking tendency, making a detailed study possible. To obtain fast cracking in the mercury test, about 0.0015 to 0.003 in. must be removed from the wall thickness of the drawpiece by pickling, and it must be subjected to the mercury test immediately after washing. Removal of the adhering mercury by annealing and subsequent squeezing of the case in a vise was used to reveal definitely the presence or absence of cracks. Various lots of apparently identically fabricated cases were shown to possess a different cracking tendency. Machining off or boring a hole in the base gradually reduced and eventually eliminated the cracking tendency. On the contrary, shortening of the wall (body) reduced the cracking tendency only if the wall became so short that the cracking zone was directly affected. By boring out the base and pickling from the outside and then splitting the resulting rings, it was possible to determine the approximate stress distribution in the base and in the adjacent part of the wall. Small compression stresses were present in the core and the major part of the base, while the surface of the base and the adjacent wall contained high circumferential tensile stresses. On the contrary, the wall when parted from the base contained only insignificant residual stress. The conception is advanced, that the stress distribution in a drawn cartridge case corresponds fundamentally to that of a tube (wall) shrunk on a disk (base). Such a stress distribution results from the tendency of the base to recover elastically by an increase in diameter from the biaxial compression during drawing while the wall exhibits little tendency to change its diameter after progressing through the die. This is confirmed by measurements which show the base diameter to be slightly larger than the wall diameter.

Jan 1, 1945

By Norma G. González

La littérature et notre expérience en Bolivie dans une communauté minière très divisée comme celle de Huanuni nous montrent le besoin d?envisager des négociations gagnant-gagnant entre communauté et entreprise minière, non pas comme un point de départ, mais comme un résultat à atteindre, qui nécessite la préparation de conditions préalables. Cela implique fondamentalement de mettre l?accent sur le processus qui permettrait par la suite aux parties de mieux traiter les questions de contenu. Suivant cette hypothèse générale, l?initiative conjointe entre le Ministère des ressources naturelles du Québec et le CECI ?Développement des mécanismes de négociation entre communauté et entreprise minière? peut dégager, après un an et demi d?expérience pilote dans le site minier de Huanuni, département d?Oruro, Bolivie, les leçons préliminaires suivantes. Ce processus requiert: ??Agir, en tant qu?organisme consultant tierce partie, selon des principes et une méthodologie qui relèvent de la Communication publique et de la Médiation ; ??Comprendre et agir à partir de la ?réalité sociale? des parties en présence: l?entreprise minière, l?État et les différents groupes de la communauté; ??Intervenir sur les ?réalités sociales? des parties, par des actions d?éducation et de diffusion dans le but de préparer les personnes, les institutions et les organisations de la société civile, à des changements durables du modèle de communications existante; Approfondir la compréhension de la ?réalité sociale? du conflit (la culture du conflit, les méthodes populaires de résolution des problèmes et de gestion des conflits) afin d?offrire aux bénéficiaires les technologies appropriées pour la transformation de cette culture de confrontation violente en gestion constructive des conflits. Par ricochet, nous espérons ainsi faciliter l?attraction des investissements dans le secteur minier.

May 1, 2001

By J. W. Wilson, J. G. Taylor

The mechanization of haulage drilling in the gold mines of Anglo American Corporation by J. w. WILSON, Ph. D., C.Eng., M.AIME, F.!.Min.E., F.I.M.M. (Fellow), and J. G. TAYLOR, A.C.S.M., C.Eng., M.!.M.M. (Visitor) Some one-thousand kilometres of tunnels are mined annually in the gold mines of South Africa. Until two years ago, mechanized drilling on South African gold mines was not an economic proposition because of the availability of inexpensive labour and the fact that mechanized equipment developed for other mining markets could not perform satisfactorily in the tough, abrasive quartzites of theWitwatersrand System. A project team from the Technical Development Services Organisation of the Anglo American Corporation, in collaboration with various manufac turers of drill rigs and drill steel, has been concerned with the development of suitable equipment for mechanized main-haulage drilling. After two-and-a-half years of extensive testing and development of drifters, drill steels, and bits, many of the problems encountered have been sotved, and gradually jumbos mounting pneumatically and hydraulically powered drifters are being phased into production on various gold mines of the Group. A description of the development work is given, and actual operating results are recorded, together with details of the drilling and blasting techniques used.

Jan 1, 1975

By Robert W. Hunt

THE first pump of this character, made by H. R. Worthington, and, so far as the writer is informed, the first and only one of this kind ever constructed, is now in daily use in the above-named works. The water-pressure necessary for the working of the hydraulic machinery of this plant had been supplied, up to the time of the building of this pump, by two Worthington Duplex High Pressure Pumps, having steam-cylinders of 20 inches diameter and 12-inch stroke, with water-plungers of 72 inches diameter; eight inlet and eight outlet valves of 22 inches diameter, and pumping into a 6-inch pipe. These pumps required a large amount of steam, and, in consequence of the various additions to their duty, their capacity became far short of the work required. In preference to putting in another engine of the same class, it was decided to accept Mr. Worthington's proposition to build the compound one under description, he guaranteeing that it should be equal to the demands of the works, and at the same time cause a saving of from 5 to 6 tons of coal per day from the amount required to run the two old pumps. The new engine has been in operation about one month, and so far has exceeded the most sanguine expectations. It consists of two high-pressure cylinders of 21 inches and two low-pressure ones of 36g inches diameter, by 36-inch stroke, with water-plungers of 91 inches diameter. There are two air-pumps of 20 inches diameter by 18-inch stroke; the condenser being 24 inches diameter by 60 inches high. Both cylinders are jacketed with wood and felt, and the low-pressure cylinder also with live steam. The high and low pressure steam-cylinders are in line and immediately adjoining each other, while the inconveniences attending an internal stuffing-box are avoided by having two piston-rods for each of the low-pressure cylinders, running through stuffing-boxes on the outside of the smaller high-pressure ones. The steam-valves are very ingeniously designed balanced

Jan 1, 1876

By M. Rancourt, J. Levay, D. K. Murphy

INTRODUCTION The LG-2 project is one element of the La Grande Complex, an integrated development of hydro-electric potential being constructed in north-western Quebec by the James Bay Energy Corporation. The project is located on the La Grande River about 65 miles east of Fort George on the James Bay coast and 600 miles north of Montreal. It comprises a 525 foot high dam, 81,000 feet of dykes, spillway and river diversion works and a 16 unit underground powerhouse that will have an installed capacity of 5,328 MW. The power installations at LG-2 represent approximately half of the total potential for the complex. When completed in 1982, LG-2 will rank as the largest underground powerhouse in the world. Studies and site explorations for the project were begun in 1971, construction commenced in 1973 and the roll date for the first machine is scheduled for February, 1980. GENERAL ARRANGEMENT OF POWER INSTALLATIONS As shown in Figure 1, the power installations are located on the south bank of the river about 4 miles downstream from the main dam. The general arrangement of the complex is presented in Figures 2 and 3. The intake structure consists of 2 groups of 8 gated intakes separated by a central service area. Sixteen 26 foot diameter in-

Jan 1, 1976

By C. K. Lee

This Bureau of Mines report presents results from experimental studies on wood fires in a laboratory-scale tunnel network. Experimental measurements include ignition delay time, flame spread rate, ventilation air and gas flow rates, wood temperature, gas temperature, pressure and composition, thermal flux, and smoke particulates. These measurements form a data base for fire-scaling studies and provide information on various fire processes, such as flow interaction between ventilation air and fire, fire throttling and reverse flow, and duct fire energetics. Results show how hazards of duct fires relate to the development of (1) asphyxiating and toxic fumes, (2) explosive gas mixtures, (3) throttling of ventilation air, and (4) high-temperature combustion products. Such fire hazards should be carefully considered when testing flammabilities of materials used in a confined underground mine environment.

Jan 1, 1980