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By Alistair Burrows

Situated in the oblast of East Kazakhstan, the Ust-Kamenogorsk Metallurgical Complex has spent the past twenty years renovating and remodelling itself as a modern polymetallic sulphide smelting facility, and a regional centre of excellence for custom smelting. Along the way there have been changes to the company structure, introduction of new technologies, investments in expanded capacity, environmental improvements, and addition of new metal products and by-products to the site’s repertoire. These changes have been gradual and incremental, but taken together they represent a significant contribution to placing Kazakhstan’s sulphide smelting industry on a strong foundation for enduring success in the international custom smelting market. In achieving these changes, a workforce that was historically isolated from much of the world now has recognised expertise, internationally competitive skills, and confidence to embrace the future. Further improvements in energy efficiency, environmental compliance and polymetallic processing capabilities are challenges that UKMC stands ready to face.

By Daniel G. DiCanio

This report describes a computer-based model for estimating the tangible costs of injuries and deaths from work-related accidents in underground coal mines. The study undertook to identify and quantify the elements of accident costs, including field visits to coal mines, insurance carriers, and public agencies. The mathematical models developed for each tangible element of accident cost are presented in Volume I of the report. A listing of the computer programs which comprise the model and instructions for using the programs are presented in Volume II. Statistical distributions of mining family characteristics, data on 95 miners killed in underground accidents, and other basic data used to develop the model are presented in Volume III. Application of the model to a data base of 9,286 accidents which occured in underground bituminous coal mines during 1974 yielded a total of $56,900,000 in tangible costs to industry, mining families, and public agencies. Loss of income to the families of miners injured or killed in these accidents accounted for 47 percent of the total.

Jan 1, 1976

By A. F. Brock

Introduction During the past ten years, shaft sinking has been going on continuously at Inco and new shafts and shaft extensions have been sunk under a broad diversity of conditions. The Murray mine and the Stobie section of the Frood-Stobie mine have?been opened and a main hoisting and supply shaft has been sunk at each of these mines; No. 2 shaft at Murray was sunk initially from surface to 1,960 feet and is now being extended; No. 7 shaft at Stobie was sunk from surface to 3,105 feet. No. 2 shaft at Garson has been extended from 2,200 feet to 3,200 feet in depth. At Levack, No. 2 shaft is being extended from 1,860 feet to 2,850 feet for ore hoisting from the 2,650 lev el. At Creighton, No. 6 shaft, collared on 52 level, was sunk 1,740 feet to a total depth of 5,563 feet below surface. It is the deepest Inco working. At Creighton, also, No. 7 shaft is being sunk from surface to the 30 level to handle the ore from caving operations. Ail Inco main hoisting and supply shafts sunk during the past twenty years have been vertical rectangular shafts equipped with two cages and two ore skips. The cages are standard and interchangeable for all shafts except Garson No. 2; they are single-deck, 13 ft. 4 in. by 5 ft. 2 in. inside and are designed to carry a maximum material load of 16,000 lb. The man load is 48 men. Skip capacities at the several shafts vary from 8 to 15 tons. Forty-two hundred feet bas been established as the standard vertical lift, and the permanent hoisting equipment at each shaft is designed for eventual hoisting from that depth.

Jan 1, 1950

MODELLING FOR DESIGN AND CONTROL AT KALGOORLIE NICKEL SMELTER Modelling at KNS has been driven by a need to have better tools to answer questions about control, design and optimisation of the plant. This paper describes a number of modelling tools developed for use at KNS and how the development of modelling tools fits with a design and control strategy. In the area of control, a thermodynamic model has been developed to allow process parameters to be calculated. The model allows for the automatic selection of data from a laboratory data base, desired operating set points are input and the operating parameters are calculated. The model has the ability to adjust the burner efficiency and the furnace heat loss depending upon conditions. To assist with the testing of proposed furnace design changes, various mathematical models of the burner and shaft have been created using PHOENICS. These models are particularly well suited to combustion heat transfer and flow aspects of both the burners and shaft. Validation of these models have been based on novel sampling and measuring techniques in the shaft and also by using scale and cold models. Overall plant energy and cost structures can be analysed using a flowsheet simulation, developed to evaluate potential alterations to the plant flowsheet. This model system allows the global evaluation of process changes.

Jan 1, 1993

By Angus D. Campbell

Introduction In the Twentieth Annual Report of the Mcintyre Porcupine Mines, Limited, for the year ending March 31st, 1932, the General Manager, Mr. R. J. Ennis, said: "During the period under review, the plans outlined in last year's report have been completed, and all operations have been centralized in the new plant adjacent to No. 11 shaft. The new mill went into operation on May 27th and attained its rated capacity of 2,000 tons per day on November 15th. The new shops, warehouse, change-house, and general offices were occupied on December 1st, consummating the change from the old to the new plant ... "Silicosis is now definitely recognized as an industrial disease, and progresses rapidly when associated with tuberculosis. In an effort to combat its prevalence and progress, the new change-house was designed to build up the men's resistance to this and other forms of disease. It provides for a complete change from underground to street clothing, with a shower bath and solarium treatment in the interval. 'Unfortunately, in almost every goldmine, a very small percentage of the work-men are not adverse to taking some of the high-grade ore for their own purpose. This, in turn, tends to cast suspicion upon the honourable as well as the dishonorable employees. The new change-house routine discourages this practice and eliminates unjust suspicion, to the satisfaction of all concerned with the Company's operations".

Jan 1, 1933

By D. W. Hayley

The rapid expansion of exploration drilling with anticipated production facilities for oil and gas in the Mackenzie Delta region of the Northwest Territories has created a demand for granular construction materials. This paper discusses the technique adopted and experience gained by the authors from several major resource evaluation programs in this remote area. The first part of the paper describes a methodology for deposit identification, logistics of helicopter and ground-based drilling operations and the sampling difficulties which are unique to permafrost: soils. The second part describes the exploitation of a large glaciofluvial deposit at YaYa Lake on Richards Island. Granular construction material is sparse in the delta region relative to projected demand. Exploitable sources of granular materials for aggregates or construction borrow are found in glaciofluvial deposits of Pleistocene age or in outcrops of Paleozoic bedrock. Glaciofluvial landforms can be located by reference to published surficial geology maps coupled with airphoto interpretation. Preliminary assessment of these features in a large region is most economically carried out during the summer months with a drill that is transportable by helicopter. Once prospective borrow pit sites are identified, a detailed ground-based winter drilling program must be undertaken to establish aggregate quality and quantity, and to provide information on natural features which could affect development. The glaciofluvial terrain has been highly modified by the formation of massive ground ice within the gravel deposits. This presents some unique pit development problems which are not encountered in a normal bedrock quarry operation.

Jan 1, 1977

As a result of cheap Maui gas and plentiful hydro-electricity, over the past few decades New Zealand has enjoyed some of the cheapest energy of any OECD country. The situation is changing; at best we are facing some radical changes in energy use, at worst we are facing a crisis resulting from the following:   Cause 1: Maui gas will be exhausted by 2012. Distorted pricing and supply contracts; resulted in Huntly Power Station, a coal mine mouth generator running on 70 per cent Maui gas until very recently!   Cause 2: Investment in new generating capacity (and transmission) is woefully inadequate; as a result hydro lake levels are being continually pushed to the limits.   Cause 3: Distorted thinking is everywhere, for example; æWe will find more cheap gasÆ. æGas is clean û coal is dirtyÆ. Hot air  û ægreen alternatives such as wind generation will save usÆ. æNo NuclearÆ. The outcomes of the distorted thinking will be price increases, then shortages (there is nothing like "black-outs" to focus national thinking) and finally recession.   But what can NZ do? - Mine Coal. Coal jump-started the industrial revolution, it can provide the transition to post-gas and oil. NZ has the second highest reserves of coal per capita in the world, yet we use less that any other country with significant coal reserves. Our exports of our best coal have increased threefold, yet out own consumption has remained static at about 1-1.5 Mtpa for the last 30 years. Our coal is NZ owned and inexpensive relative to other energy sources, even allowing for infrastructure and environmental costs.   What can we do? We as mining professionals can promote informed responsible development and investment in the country's mining and energy business. We can galvanise public opinion on issues such as æunbundlingÆ our entire energy chain from mine-to generator-through transmission, even if the nuclear issue has to wait! With oil above US$70/bbl substitution is feasible. For individuals, there is always solar!

Jan 1, 2006

By Frank B. McKune

This is something new in my life. A lot of you men here today I do not know, and some I do know. So if you have any remarks to make, I wish you would give your name and the name of your company. This is the first Acid Meeting which has been held under the auspices of the National Open-Hearth Steel Conference, and I hope it is a success. Whether it is a success or not depends entirely upon the support we get. If it does get good support, I have the idea it will be continued as a regular feature of the National Open-Hearth Steel Conference. We all think we have pretty good practices. But we can all learn and I hope that you, gentlemen, who take issue with the things someone else has said will stand up and give your opinions. Otherwise, the meeting will fall rather flat, and we won't get a great deal out of it; and there will not be enough interest shown by the National Committee to continue to place the meeting on the regular yearly program.

Jan 1, 1940

"1 INTRODUCTIONThe use of nondestructive testing (NDT) methods to evaluate the integrity of Augered Cast-in-Place (ACIP) and Drilled Displacement (DD) piles has been a subject of significant debate among engineers, contractors and NDT practitioners. This guideline document will illustrate the importance of reviewing all available information in conjunction with the NDT records. ACIP and DD piles have unique properties that must be considered when using a specific NDT method. Any evaluation of the integrity of an ACIP or DD pile must also include a thorough review of the detailed pile installation records and the site specific soil conditions. Long or theoretical descriptions of the methods have not been included in this publication. More detailed information about these NDT methods including their theoretical and historical backgrounds can be found in DFI’s Manual for Non Destructive Testing and Evaluation of Drilled Shafts (2004). Additional information can also be found in the more comprehensive textbook Nondestructive Testing of Deep Foundations by Hertlein and Davis (2006).1.1 PurposeThe intent of this guideline is to provide practical guidance for the proper interpretation of NDT results on ACIP and DD piles. Short descriptions of the main integrity methods available are provided along with several examples of how to use all of the information available to make sound engineering judgments about the results. This publication is a state-of-the-practice guideline to promote accurate engineering evaluations.For engineers inexperienced with NDT, these guidelines provide sufficient background information on NDT methods to help understand the limitations of the testing, assess the results presented to them, and formulate appropriate questions. This is particularly important for engineers charged with the responsibility to determine from those results what, if any, consequences there may be on the performance of the structure under construction."

Jan 1, 2016

By B. T. Field

Pyroprocessing systems range from low temperature dryers to high temperature reactors. The materials and process requirements cover a broad spectrum. It is not the intent of this paper to do a detailed examination of individual processes and equipment, since that can be found in a multitude of other sources; rather it is the intent of this paper to examine the key process variables and offer empirical guidelines to assist in a user?s overall evaluation.

Jan 1, 1998

By A. T. Coumbe

The first national survey covering sales of fuel oil by States and principal uses was made in 1926 by E. B. Swanson of the Bureau of Mines (then under the U. S. Department of Commerce) under a cooperative agreement with the American Petroleum Institute. This annual study, covering the market for fuel oil, was made through 1930 with the financial help of the institute bat has since been continued by the Bureau up to the present time. The scope and coverage of the survey have gradually changed over the years as new uses for fuel oil have been found and new products have come into importance resulting in market expansion. Range oil (No. 1 fuel oil or kerosine) came into use for cooking and space-heating daring the depression era in New England, and it was first reported as a total in the 1931 survey. In 1934 the sales were compiled on a State basis. State totals for distillate fuel oil, Diesel fuel, and residual fuel-oil sales were first shown for 1934 and by principal uses and States in 1937. Kerosine deliveries by States and main uses were also released for the first time in 1937.

Jan 1, 1952

By G. R. Peterson

To determine the availability of aluminum from world bauxite resources, the Bureau of Mines investigated 139 bauxite deposits worldwide and evaluated the potential production of aluminum based on the demonstrated resources of bauxite ore from 91 mines and deposits in 22 market economy countries. The demonstrated resources of the bauxite mines and deposits included in this study represent an in situ resource of 20.2 billion metric tons of bauxite. Total identified bauxite resources in market economy countries amount to roughly 31.9 billion tons. Of the demonstrated resource, some 18.8 billion tons of bauxite considered minable provide a production potential of 3.6 billion tons of primary aluminum. Given the wide geographic distribution of bauxite deposits, stable supplies of bauxite for aluminum production seem assured well into the next century. However, a tight market situation could develop during the 1990's unless the real price of aluminum increases enough to stimulate massive new investments in production capacity, particularly in refining and smelting. This study indicates that a real price of at least $0.85 per pound (in January 1980 dollars) would be necessary to stimulate the required investments and provide a sufficient rate of return on invested capital.

Jan 1, 1983

A brief history of the significant haulage truck feature changes and the factors that influenced those changes during the 60's and 70's provide a basis for forecasting the changes that can be expected in the 1980's. A review of the impact factors and changing requirements that currently exist that will create changes. Define the critical requirements of a successful haulage truck design and discuss the availability of bigger engines and better electric drive componetry to provide deeper pit capability and improve reliability. The Unit Rig Trolley Assist System to provide improved productivity and diesel fuel savings and an economic analysis to evaluate the Trolley System is covered. The Unit Rig Automatic Truck System for a driverless truck is covered in concept and discussed from the point of view of the experience in a test in a New Mexico mine. INTRODUCTION A good basis for trying to forecast what is going to happen in the future is to go back a little bit in history, to see what the influencing elements were in different periods of time as a foundation for the forecast. INFLUENTIAL FACTORS IN THE 1960'S If you look at the truck development that occurred in the 1960's, there were some identifiable factors that give us insight. (See Fig. 1) Several things happened at the beginning of the 1960's. Mechanical drive haulage trucks were introduced that were

Jan 1, 1982

By B. D. Thomas

When the origin and early plans, of Battelle Memorial Institute were described in this journal in October 1929 by R. W. Gillett the first director, the doors of the laboratory had just been opened and the hope of the founder that the institution serve the world by research for industry still existed only as an ideal in the minds of the thirty or so employees who then constituted the staff. Since that time the country has experienced troublous times. A devastating depression plunged the entire world into an unprecedented period of financial and industrial inactivity; and the slow recovery of the late thirties was soon to be overtaken and overwhelmed in the violence of war. Through this time of stress Battelle has continued to grow. The staff has increased to almost 600; buildings and equipment have been added, until now it stands in a place of pre-eminence in the metallurgical and engineering world.

Jan 1, 1944

By CHARLES COURT

I must tell you at the outset that I come to this conference deeply disturbed at the 'role of Government in international dealings in mineral and energy resources'. I am disturbed by- the confusion that now passes for policy. I am disturbed by the short- range view of critical problems taken by a majority of Governments. I am equally disturbed by the even shorter range of view taken by a growing army of industries. Many of them clamour for Governments to solve their problems in a specific way, with little regard for any other sector but their own-and with even less regard for the fact that every time a Government takes over some of their responsibilities they surrender some of their freedom. I would not say that longer range views don't exist. But I would say that they don't prevail at the present time. Instead, we are seeing the constant development of many policies for individual problems which don't tackle the fundamental causes. We must get back to basics without delay.

Jan 1, 1978

By Eldridge Haynes

IF you ask the average American to define 'total war' he is apt to fumble for an answer. But in Britain everyone knows the answer, because Britain has mobilized its total labour force, including women. If we were to match, proportionately to our population, Britain's mobilization of labour, we should have 60,000,000 people working full time in the armed services, civilian defence, and war industries. Actually we have fewer than 35,000,000 so employed. In Britain two out of every three persons between the ages of fourteen and sixty-five are so engaged. For the first time in the history of any democracy Britain conscripts women for service in the army, navy, and air force. Two hundred thousand British women have been conscripted for the army, known as ATS, meaning Auxiliary Territorial Service. There are more women in the air force than the total personnel of the RAF at the outbreak of the war and almost all of the land base jobs of the British navy are now handled by women. In addition to cooking and office work, Britain's women soldiers and sailors are driving trucks and motorcycles, repairing motor vehicles, packing and repacking parachutes, installing, inspecting, and maintaining gun equipment and ammunition of combat planes after each raid, raising and lowering barrage balloons, forecasting weather, manning harbour craft, sending and receiving radio messages. A normal ack-ack unit is composed of 229 women and 189 men. The women man the gun height finders and predictors, give bearings, and signal to fire.

Jan 1, 1942

By Gordon R. Sima

This contract is concerned with feasibility studies, design and fabrication of a prototype hand-held test instrument and a machine-mounted test Instrument for measurement of electrical shock hazards of mining machines. This report presents the proposed and detailed design of the hand-held test instrument and the machine-mounted test instrument. Theory of operation of each instrument is discussed and includes the operating parameters.

Jan 1, 1976

By The Staff

"IntroductionThe difficulties to be overcome in shaft sinking and development at depth are centred at McIntyre in and around No. 12 shaft. Generally they have been due to increasing pressures and temperatures and to changes in geological structure. This paper describes the difficulties and the measures taken to meet them.No. 12 ShaftEarly in 1932 McIntyre decided to sink an internal shaft from the deepest level, the 3875, to explore and develop known veins extending below that horizon. The location selected was a point 1,500 feet south and 1,000 feet east of No. 11 shaft, the main operating shaft through which the men, ore, and most of the materials are handled Shaft and auxiliary equipment we1e laid out for 3,000 feet, that is to 7,000 feet below the surface. The shaft was to be capable of handling 1,500 tons of ore daily from the lowest level, and was to provide ventilation, compressed air, water, and electric power to service all levels.No. 12 is an internal, vertical shaft extending from the 3875 to the 6825 level and bottoming at 7,007 feet. It is a rectangular, four-compartment shaft, 21 ft. 9¾, in. by 6 ft. 3¾ in. outside the timber (Figure 1).There are two hoisting compartments and one airway compartment, each 4 ft. 10¾ in. by 5 ft. ¾ in. inside dimensions, and a combined manway, pipe, and cable compartment 4 ft. ¼ in. by 5 ft. ¾ in. Levels have been established at 150-foot intervals, pump stations and sumps at 1,000-foot intervals, and. there are two loading pockets, one at the 5525 and the other at the 6900 level.The shaft was sunk in two stages. The first stage, consisting of preparation above the 3875 level and sinking to 5585 feet, was completed by March 31st, 1935. The second stage of deepening the shaft from 5,585 to 7,007 feet was started August lst, 1946, and completed three years later."

Jan 1, 1950

By William O. Vanderburg

This report 3/gives the results of a reconnaissance of the mining districts in Lander County, Nev., made from March 29 to April 20 and from May 9 to May 21, 1938, during which virtually all of the mining districts n the county were visited. No attempt has been made to include in this report all the mines and prospects in the various mining districts, and it should be stated that whether or not a property is mentioned herein has no. bearing on its merits. The report rovers the situation of the various districts, types of ore deposits, ownership and description of mines and prospects, information on past and current activity, and other information of economic interest likely to be useful to those interested in the development of our mineral resources. The names of the various districts mentioned are those generally used when they were organized for purposes of record and regulation. When originally organized, the districts embraced large areas with no well-defined boundaries, so that the names have little geographical significance.

Jan 1, 1939

By Antonio Esposito

Saving energy and reducing resource’s consumption by minimizing emissions are today great challenges in the coking industry worldwide. In order to achieve satisfying results, equipment as well as technology should be continuously improved and designed to minimize the energy requirements and to maximize the recovery of materials and energy. The sensible heat in coke pushed out of oven chamber takes up 35 ÷ 40 % of energy consumption of coke oven. Usually the coke thermal energy is lost during traditional coke wet quenching, necessary to reduce the coke temperature for the storage and the following use in steelmaking processes. BPSL CDQ project is a sample how Paul Wurth’s technology allows to reach the energy saving goal and offers an alternative to traditional quenching. With the adoption of Coke Dry Quenching process, a considerable amount of this sensible heat in the coke can be recovered by producing steam; its production depends on various parameters, some of them battery related (Volatile Matters in red hot coke) and others CDQ system related (coke burning losses, superheated steam characteristics (i.e. P,T)), greatly depending also on boiler efficiency (heat exchange efficiency, insulation of the boiler itself, air leakage, etc.). The adoption of CDQ process reduces also the water consumptions in comparison with traditional quenching.

Aug 16, 2017