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The paper discusses the use of animated dynamic numerical simulations to support design and operational decisions in the mining industry. The basis of the simulations discussed is a queuing theory engine with added features that enable continuous processes to be included in simulations. This approach is well suited to the needs of the mining industry which has a mixture of discrete events interfaced to a variety of continuous processes via various forms of surge capacity. Examples are given of the benefits of animation in communicating concepts to those with limited domain knowledge and simulation as a tool that facilitates the sharing of understanding between the stake holders of a system. The analytical content of the paper addresses conflict for resources within systems, the constraints imposed by human and other types of resources, and the impact of external events. Examples are presented showing the use loop diagrams and Gantt charts in the recognition conflict, and its causes. and the use of utilisation logs to identify opportunities for cost reduction.

Jan 1, 2009

By T. Taniguchi

The existing Mitsubishi Process line at Naoshima Smelter and Refinery has been operating successfully since 1991, and its present production capacity is 270,000tpy of copper. Furnace relining works have been carried out every two years to coincide with the compulsory bi-yearly boiler inspection, but the next target is to extend the furnace refractory life to four years, while still undergoing the mandatory boiler inspection every two years. Although the damage of hearth bricks beneath lances in the Smelting furnace was a matter of concern, it was reduced by controlling gas velocity and evening solid distribution to each lance. The life of bath level bricks in the Converting furnace was also a concern, but four-years continuous use of the bricks was achieved in the course of the last two campaigns. Several other improvements were also carried out to the cooling systems during the shutdown in 2005 to ensure longer campaign life. This paper summarizes recent improvements implemented to enhance the advantages of the Mitsubishi Process.

Jan 1, 2006

By Waladan M, Elliot B, Rankin W. J

A survey was undertaken on the Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter in which samples of slag and matte were taken along the length of the integrated flash smelting furnace and analysed to determine the variation of nickel and iron concentration. At the same time the oxygen potential of the slag and matte was measured using disposable tip solid-state oxygen probes. The results show that the oxygen potential of the slag is higher than that of the matte and that both decrease from the reaction shaft end to the slag tap hole end of the furnace. The slag and matte are not at equilibrium except towards the tap hole end. Reduction of nickel and magnetite from the slag occurs before the slag enters the slag-cleaning appendage by reaction with iron in the matte. Thermodynamic modelling and laboratory experiments showed that the equilibrium nickel and magnetite contents of the slag in the absence of a carbonaceous reducing agent are about 0.4 per cent and 7.5 per cent, respectively. A carbonaceous reductant is required to obtain a lower nickel content in the slag.

Jan 1, 1991

By J Tien, J Huang, N Haque, M O’Brien

Coal preparation is an integral part of producing coal for thermal powerplants and metallurgical processing plants. Coal processing plants use various unit processes to separate gangue and ash content from mineral coal, thus increasing the specific energy content.A flow sheet and a simulation model was established for a typical coal processing plant using Microsoft Excel. This model used the mass balance and split factors for run-of-mine (ROM) coal, tailings and water usage from a typical, generic coalmine.The common method of coal preparation initially involves several stages of crushing to reduce the size of coal. It is then sent to the processing plant for further washing. The typical method in Australia for coarse coal material processing is the use of dense medium cyclone (DMC) (Kininmonth and Baafi, 2009). Flotation cells are used for processing of fine coal. The fine products are utilised for coking coal only. In our case study, the intended coal product is for thermal powerplants. Therefore, the fine coal processing utilised spirals instead of flotation, which is typical for the industry.CITATION:Huang, J, Haque, N, O'Brien, M, O'Brien G and Tien, J, 2016. Development, simulation, economic and environmental evaluation of a coal processing flow sheet, in Proceedings Life-of-Mine 2016 Conference , pp 48–51 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jun 28, 2016

By G. F. Ziesing, E. F. Loros, T. J. Smolik

The Golden Sunlight mine began full-scale operations in February 1983 with a conventional open-pit mine supplying 4536 t/d (5000 stpd) of milling ore. After crushing and grinding, the ore is leached with cyanide solution in large agitation tanks. Soluble gold values are removed from the sand portion of the leached ore with five stages of countercurrent washing cyclones. After thickening of the cyclone-wash overflow slurry, the gold is recovered in activated carbon with a six-stage carbon-in-pulp circuit and a five-stage upflow carbon column circuit. Pressure stripping, carbon reactivation, electrowinning, and refining complete the gold recovery process.

Jan 1, 1985

By A. B. Cummins

THE past year has been of unusual interest for industrial minerals. It is increasingly evident that requirements for these raw materials move with general economic trends. Thus, with a peak year in the construction, chemical and petroleum industries, the nonmetallic mineral industries have been brought into the complex maze of an economy in which military spending is in the billions and in which the national income and wholesale commodity prices reached new levels. Many industrial minerals are of first rank essentiality in the defense effort and its supporting industries, and since some of these are of limited supply and others dependent on imports, the problems of procurement, distribution and conservation of available supplies make a complicated pattern. Despite some drawbacks and weak spots, the industrial mineral industries have, in general, met the national situation with great credit and many new production records have been set. The general accomplishment in 1951 should be one of satisfaction with confidence for the future. Difficulties, unsolved problems and uncertainties should not obscure the general trend which many consider optimistic. Prices in the main have been upward, in line with the inflation spiral, but nonmetallics appear with some exceptions to be behind the general increases. Labor difficulties have not been serious throughout the year. Retarding influences in expansions and planning have been the uncertainty of the Korean and international situations and a lack of confidence by many in the government economic program and its ultimate impact on the economic structure. It must also be kept in mind that stockpiling, unless all-out war develops, reaches a level and then ceases to be a major sustaining factor in the mineral markets. In accordance with the Defense Production Act of 1950 various control agencies have been set up to establish the desired rate of stockpile acquisitions. The objectives are subject to change depending on availabilities and needs-military, industrial, and civilian. In some minerals there has been disagreement on actual stockpile requirements, and there is some feeling that the needs of defense might be better met if more funds went into the development of new sources of supply of scarce raw materials and more materials were released to industry at this time. Nonmetallic minerals on the strategic and critical list of the Munitions Board as of July 1951 were: Group I; asbestos, some types; bauxite, refractory grade; beryl; celestite; chromite, chemical and refractory grades; columbite; corundum; diamonds, industrial; fluorspar, acid grade; graphite, some types; kyanite; manganese ore, battery and chemical grades; mica, some types; quartz crystals; rare earths; sapphire and ruby; talc, steatite, block; and Group II; bauxite, abrasive; cryolite, natural; diamond dies; graphite, crystalline fines; iodine; mica, muscovite block, stained and lower; rutile; selenium; talc, steatite, ground; zirconium ore, zircon. Details on the current status of stockpiling inventories are not available. The Defense Minerals Exploration Administration has, since April, executed 39 contracts for the exploration of nonmetallic minerals, including twenty for mica, seven for beryl-mica, six for asbestos, three for sulphur and one each for monazite, steatite talc and fluorspar. Total value of these contracts came to $892,059, of which the Government's participation amounts to $689,247. There were on hand at year's end another 97 applications for exploration aid on nonmetallic minerals in twenty different

Jan 1, 1952

By E. A. Steigerwald

E. A. Steigerwald (Thompson Ramo Wooldridge, Inc.1— he authors' results clearly indicate that cracking can be produced by the hydrogen pressure developed during a charging operation. This type of cracking or blistering has also been observed in polycrystalline materials24"28 when the charging conditions are sufficiently severe and is often referred to as irreversible embrittlement since it cannot be removed by a baking treatment. There are additional data, however, which must be considered before a pressure theory can be generally employed to account for all failures which occur as a result of hydrogen. In many cases, hydrogen embrittlement in a tensile test or in delayed failures under static loads is a reversible phenomena which cannot be simply explained on the basis of preexisting cracks generated by the charging operation. It is this aspect of the problem which has prompted many investigators to seek mechanisms other than hydrogen pressure to explain their results.24'n728 Fig. 15 indicates an example where, under specific experimental circumstances, hydrogen embrittlement can occur at liquid nitrogen temperatures. In this case, which has been previously decribed,'' specimens were charged with varying quantities of hydrogen, immediately quenched, and tested in liquid nitrogen (-320°F). A companion set of identical specimens were charged, aged at 300°F to remove the hydrogen, and also tested at -320°F. When the current density was greater than lo-' amp per sq in., embrittlekent occurred in both sets of specimens, indicating that cracking had occurred during charging and the embrittlement, as in the case of Fe-Si single crystals, was irreversible. At current densities between approximately 103 and lo-' amp per sq in, the embrittlement was present only for those specimens which contained hydrogen during the testing sequence. The embrittlement was therefore reversible with respect to the aging and charging operations. Since extensive hydrogen movement would not be expected at -320°F, it is difficult to reconcile these data with a mechanism which requires pressure and pressure dependent growth of preexisting cracks. There are other features of hydrogen embrittlement such as the reversibility of the incubation time for delayed failure with respect to applied stressg0 and the influence of prestraining31 which are also difficult to explain using a pressure model. Any general mechanism of hydrogen embrittlement will have to consider the reversible aspects of the embrittlement data as well as the irreversible portion which has been clearly presented for the Fe-Si crystals and which is consistent with a pressure model. A. S. Tetelman and W. D. Robertson (authors' reply)—he authors agree with Dr. Steigerwald that a general mechanism of hydrogen embrittlement must be applicable in all cases where embrittlement occurs. Dr. Steigerwald's experiments were performed on an iron alloy which has an extremely complex microstructure, and therefore does not lend itself to the direct and detailed observations that can be made in Fe-Si. The change in the characteristics of cracks as a consequence of annealing at 300°F is not really known in detail but it is probable that stress-relaxation (blunting) occurs, dislocations produced near the crack tips will be pinned by carbon atoms, and hydrogen will be lost to the atmosphere. Any, or all of these effects of annealing will alter the ease with which a crack subsequently propagates under applied stress. A quantitative treatment of the problem must take these effects into account. Since diffusional processes are presumably eliminated at -320°F, the general mechanism proposed by Dr. Steigerwald's colleagues cannot be operative at this temperature. A detailed discussion of the general' inapplicability of this mechanism has been presented elsewhere. However, the data presented by Dr. Steigerwald in his discussion can be explained in terms of a pressure model. Crack propagation under internal pressure P and applied stress occurs when where is the total energy expended in creating new surface area and by plastic work at the crack tip. The total crack length increases with increasing current density, since we have shown that it systematically increases with hydrogen concentration and Dr. Steigerwald has shown that hydrogen concentration increases with current density. For large L (high current density) Eq. [I] can be satisfied even if P = 0 and the embrittlement process does not require the presence of hydrogen. Specimens charged at a lower current density will con-

Jan 1, 1963

By Richard A. Queeney, Lance G. Peterson

ESTIMATES of the stacking fault free energy of copper reported in the literature show an extensive divergence of results. Based on measurements of dislocation node radii, Thornton et al.7 find the lower limit of stacking fault energy to be 60 ergs per sq cm: Jossang and coworkers4 estimate the same value should be less than 40 ergs per sq cm. Assuming stacking fault free energy to be twice the coherent twin boundary free energy, Valenzuela8 reports 72 ergs per cm, while Inman and Khan2 cite a value of 24 ergs per sq cm. which can no doubt be accounted for by almost complete absence of interstitials in solution. However, the minute concentration was sufficient to permit observable recovery of dislocation damping. Assuming a dislocation density of 1010 CM -2 and an average loop length of 0.5 , a concentration of interstitials as low as 0.01 at. ppm is sufficient to reduce dislocation damping by more than a factor of ten. The concentration of interstitial solute atoms in Ferrovac E-0.15 pct Ti was thus estimated at 0.01 at. ppm < (C + N) < 2 at. ppm. The absence at elevated temperature of strengthening due to interstitials, Fig. 1, was therefore anticipated in the titanium alloy. The temperature dependence of the flow stress below 300°K was unaffected by addition of either titanium&apos; or zirconium.&apos; Observed, however, was an initial difference in the absolute value of the flow stress below 320oK, Fig. 1. Grain size may account for the difference; the grain diameter of Ferrovac E was 30 to 45 µ and that of Ferrovac E-0.15 pct Ti 65 to 90 µ. Although second phase particles in the form of titanium carbides and nitrides precipitated in the Ferrovac E-0.15 pct Ti alloy, the spacing was too large to produce any strengthening effect. The mechanical properties measured, therefore, were inherent to the bcc lattice. 1W. C. Leslie and R. J. Sober: Trans. ASm, 1967, vol. 60, pp. 99-111. 2 H. Conrad: Journal of Metals, 1964, vol. 16, pp. 582-88. 3 A. S. Keh and W. C. Leslie: Materials Science Research. H. H. Stadelmaier and W.W.Austin, eds., vol. 1.pp. 208.50, Plenum Press, New York, 1963. 4A. S. Keh, Y. Nakada, and W. C. Leslie: Dislocation Dymmics, Rosenfield, Hahn, Bement, Jr., and Jaffe, eds., pp. 381-406, McCraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1968. &apos;W. J. Bratina, J. T. McCrath, and H. E. Rosinger: Can. Met. Quart., in press. 6 W. J. Bratina, J. T. McGrath, and D. Mills: Suppl. Trans. Japan Inst. Metals. 1968, vol. 9, pp. 436-43. &apos;H. E. Rosinger and C. B. Craig: Can. Met. Quart., In press. %. Mills. J. T. McGrath. and W. J. Bratina: ScriptaMet,, 1968, vol. 2, pp. 311-13. The purpose of this note is to present the results of a direct measurement of the stacking fault free energy in copper. The present method avoids both the question of interaction forces of nodal dislocations and the assumption that the coherent twin boundary free energy is one-half that of a stacking fault. Fig. 1 shows a transmission electron micrograph of a stacking fault intersecting a high angle grain boundary in copper: Fig. 2 is a schematic representation of the intersecting interfaces. To produce the specimen, pure copper was rolled to 0.002 in. thickness and annealed for several hours at 875°C. These foils were strained in tension to l04 µ in. per in., and rean-nealed to 8 min. Recrystallization and/or grain growth were not observed during the second anneal, indicating that intersections such as Fig. 1 are equilibrium configurations. Many such stacking faults were observed, but few were noted as intersecting grain boundaries in well-illuminated areas. The intersection of Fig. 1 was well away from the specimen edge. Since similar defects have not been observed in fully recrystal-lized and annealed copper, it is felt that this defect is due to the tensile straining. Electron transmission

Jan 1, 1970

By Keith A. Heasley

The objective of this paper is to back-analyze the August 6th ,2007 collapse at the Crandall Canyon Mine in order to better understand the geometric and geo- mechanical factors which contributed to that collapse. In this work, the LaModel boundary-element program along with the best available information is used for the back- analysis. To initiate the analysis, a six step base model of the mining in he Main West area was developed. This base model included a step for each of the critical stages in the mining of this area. Next, calibrated values for the critical input parameters: rock mass stiffness, gob stiffness and coal strength, were developed and optimized based on the best available information. Finally, the model was used to simulate the final mining scenario. As a result of this back analysis , a number of conclusions can be made concerning the mine design and the August 6th collapse: 1) Overall, the area was primed for a massive pillar collapse because of the large area of equal size pillars, 2) The abutment stress from the active retreat sections and the adjacent longwall panels were significant contributors to the collapse, 3) From the modeling alone, it is not clear exactly what triggered the August collapse, although the active mining is a reasonable assumption.

Jan 1, 2012

By H. E. Nold

High-volatile coals are most desirable for kiln firing. Low-volatile and even anthracite coals can be used successfully. Most periodic kilns use coal and are hand fired. A few stoker installations have been economically successful. Continuous tunnel kilns reduce fuel consumption 40 to 55 per cent. They are rapidly replacing periodic kilns in the manufacture of the finer wares. They have found great favor in the refractory industry and are successfully used in firing almost all kinds of heavy clay products. Fuel oil has found rather wide application in the Southwest and West. Natural gas is a satisfactory fuel for kiln firing. It is the principal competitor of coal and has largely replaced it for firing the finer wares but cannot compete with it in firing heavy clay products except in regions where cheap gas is available. Figures are given showing the relative thermal efficiency of coal and natural gas as used for firing ceramic ware. The ceramic industry uses from 12,000,000 to 12,500,-000 tons of coal per normal year. The principal use of coal is in firing the heavy clay products. This potential market amounts to about 9,250,000 tons per year. Coal producers could increase sales by furnishing expert firing instruction.

Jan 1, 1934

By P. W. Jeran, M. C. Irani, D. H. Lawhead

The Beckley mine is one of five new mines in a heretofore unmined portion of the Beckley coalbed. The remoteness of these new mines from prior mining and their greater overburden preclude applying methane emission experience obtained in the old mines. Four sections of the Beckley mine were monitored. The data gathered show that variations in methane emission cannot be explained by variations in coal production. Although overburdens varied by as much as 30 pct, no correlation with methane emissions could be determined. The rib emissions increase with increased length of rib from a section advancing into virgin coal and do not decline over a prolonged idle period (32 days) whereas some decline has been measured for a section not mining into virgin coal. The indication is that degasification prior to mining will reduce the hazard of methane emissions in this area of the Beckley coalbed.

Jan 1, 1977

By Jie Zhu

Coal bumps are a special form of release of geologic strain energy that has already been one of the most dangerous hazards to underground mining safety in China. A number of coal-bump models have been developed to quantify coal failure under assumption that a bump is a kind of non-gas induced outburst. However, some technical experts in charge of micro-seismic and gas monitoring have found unusual gas emissions before and after bump, which suggests that it is possible for gas to trigger coal bumps. Considering the coal reservoir as geological body composed of the coal matrix and gas, a new model based on Lippmann?s bump model is proposed to understand the initiation of coal bumps. The redistribution zone from excavation of a roadway has been calculated and analyzed regarding its relation with mining depth. It is shown that high gas pressure may push the coal seam to overstep the critical state due to extension of the plastic disturbed zone, and this is harmful to the stability of coal seam. This model successfully explains the bump phenomena of the Xinzhouyao mine at shallow depth.

Aug 1, 2013

By Dilip K. Sinha

In the paper some interesting cases of applications of Operations Research and Computer Methods as worked out by the author and accepted by the management of some of the newly formed Indian mining organisation for implementation are highlighted. The main emphasis on the application cases was to use simple techniques and methods which yield the result in shorter time period, The case problems mainly deals with the production system optimisation in unit mines, areas/divisions and at the corporate levels. Also the management decisions regarding reorganisation of transport and distribution system of material and mineral are attempted to be optimised. Further, the case of management system development with computer aided decision making worked out for single large Iron Ore Project captive to a steel plant is outlined. Finally, the case of a large mining company having decentralised units and divisions geographically dispersed throughout the country, computerised management decision-information system designed on the basis of inputs and outputs of decision models relevant for different levels of management in the organisation is depicted.

Jan 1, 1986

By Kenneth L. Clifford, Thomas G. White

Many changes have occurred in lead-zinc milling in the U.S. since the 1970 Lead and Zinc Symposium. New mills have been built, novel flowsheets devised, and the use of process control techniques is increasing. The Missouri concentrators produced in 1976 more lead and zinc concentrate than those in any other state. The Tennessee mills produced nearly as much zinc concentrate in 1976 as Missouri and with some very highly developed flowsheets. Progress in the Western U.S. is centered around new operations in Colorado and Utah. New mills in New York and Missouri incorporate many of the newer control concepts. Most of the older concentrators have undergone flowsheet changes to accomodate different ore types or because of the availability of new and better equipment.

Jan 1, 1977

By Raymond E. Zimmerman

ROBERT E. HOCHSCHEID (Krebs Engineers, Cyclone Div.)--The subject article appears in the February, 1978, edition of Mining Engineering, and on page 190 carries the statement, "As most operators know, in a Water-Only cyclone, ability to adjust the vortex finder is quite important due to the sensitivity of this type of operations to variance in feed conditions and having to take them apart to make this adjustment is always a nuisance." Our experience as a manufacturer and supplier of Water Only cyclones does not agree with the above statement, and we offer the following brief discussion.

Jan 5, 1978

By H. C. George

CAREFUL- sampling and good judgment as to probable recoveries are important factors in estimates of ore reserves, based on prospecting drilling results, but other factors are equally as important and may be more misleading and perhaps disastrous if not properly interpreted. Some of these are: 1. The case where no, ore is shown in the "sludgings," when, as a matter of fact, the drill has passed through a thick sheet of ore which has been broken up and washed away into open crevices. In numerous cases, later mining operations have shown that this has happened. This condition may be discovered by shooting the drill .hole at the point where the open crevices occur, but shooting should not be done until after the drill hole is completed, because the resulting shattered formation may salt the drill hole at lower levels. 2. The case where rich cuttings are shown for a thickness of 20 or 30 ft., when ore was encountered in only the first sludging. Owing to soft or loose formation, the ore from the first sludging has salted the lower sludgings. The presence of large pieces of ore and a similar ratio between zinc and iron assays in the lower sludgings frequently indicate this condition. In the lower sludgings, the presence of oxidized ore in unaltered limestone sometimes shows this condition. 3. The case where the drill hole shows a considerable thickness of ore; but owing to the presence of a vertical sheet of ore, perhaps not more than 1 in. thick, at the place where the drill hole is located, the good assays resulting might be misleading. If this condition is suspected, the drilling of several more holes within a distance of 10 or 15, ft. will usually show it.

Jan 1, 1921

By E Topal

There are presently no suitable underground mine production scheduling optimisation models available for application to sublevel stope mining. Scheduling underground production for maximum return is therefore still a manual process, which generally involves scheduling production from the next available highest cash flow stope within the operational constraints of the project. In most mining operations, the scheduling problem is too large and complex to guarantee truly optimal results through manual scheduling. This paper reviews some general optimisation studies that have been proposed for underground hard rock mining. Furthermore, an example of a mixed integer programming model is presented for a small conceptual sublevel stoping operation. Comparative results of a schedule generated by a mixed integer programming (MIP) production scheduling model and a manually generated model on a nine stope example is presented. Results indicate that the potential benefits of the MIP production scheduling model for the purpose of maximising NPV are significant. Finally, a new constraint was formulated to limit multiple exposures of fill masses for use in an existing MIP production scheduling model. Testing of the formulation took place on the central stope of the nine stope example, which showed that the formulation performed its task without breaking other operational constraints.

Jan 1, 2007

By Marcos Danilo Monteiro

O final do século XX foi marcado por um grande avanço tecnológico em sistemas automatizados com variadas aplicações, dando destaque ao campo da robótica que desde então busca otimizar cada vez mais os processos industriais, eliminado a mão-de-obra humana em segmentos onde sua presença antes era indispensável. O aumento na qualidade do produto, a relação custo-benefício e dentre outras melhorias que a robótica trouxe a uma linha de produção industrial, justificam a procura por parte das grandes empresas em procurar investir na inserção desta tecnologia ou no melhoramento dela em sua cadeia produtiva. Este trabalho teve como principal objetivo demonstrar a aplicação da tecnologia robótica na indústria, em proporções reduzidas e fins didáticos, com a integração de um sistema de controle e automação representado pela plataforma Arduino que atua no controle de coordenadas de um braço robótico em atividades de carregamento e paletização de cargas.

Jul 30, 2018

By Carlos Mendoza

El presente trabajo describe la optimización del proceso de planta de ánodos en la refinería peruana a través del uso de equipos e instalaciones, sin una necesidad de ampliarlos con los hornos de afino. rueda de modelo o prensa de ánodos. Este proceso utiliza como materia prima las barras de cobre blister, las cuales son enviadas vía ferrocarril desde la fundición de SPCC al norte de la refinería. Luego,este cobre blister es cargado a los hornos junto con los ánodos corroídos, el recirculante de ambas plantas, los desechos de cobre, etc., de acuerdo al programa de flete previo al carguío. Finalmente, se inicia el proceso que comprende: fusión, oxidación, reducción, escorificación y moldeo. De acuerdo a este proceso, la planta de ánodos ha mejorado la calidad física y química de los ánodos e incrementó su producción, efectuando los trabajo en equipos y estabilizando los estándares de seguridad.

Sep 13, 2001

By K. A. Moxham

The ARM 1100 was described in a paper presented at the 6th International Symposium on Mine Mechanization and Automation in September 2001. It started operation underground at Rowland Shaft in early 2002. This paper covers the results of those trials that resulted in more than 1 100square metres of UG2 being mined.

Jan 1, 2004