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Who's Who in Mineral Engineering - The 1979 Directory of the Society of Mining Engineers of AIME

Jan 7, 1979

By M Araos, I Onederra

A novel explosive formulation that substitutes the use of ammonium nitrate (AN) with hydrogen peroxide (HP) as the main oxidising agent has been developed and tested as part of an Australian Coal Industry Research Program (ACARP) project. The main objective was to provide a step-change solution that has the potential to completely eliminate NOx fumes in blasting. The development of this HP/fuel-based explosive started with a comprehensive detonation characterisation program, consisting of unconfined velocity of detonation (VOD) measurements of samples at different diameters, densities and void sensitisation techniques. VOD results showed that the HP/fuel-based explosive mixtures behaved similarly to non-ideal commercial explosives; in that way mixtures could be tailored to achieve specific detonation performance targets. The next stage of testing in this development involved preliminary confined tests to evaluate the rock breakage potential of the HP/fuel-based explosive mixtures. Fully instrumented single-hole tests were conducted in a limestone quarry. Results from these preliminary trials confirmed the rock breakage performance of HP/fuel-based explosive mixtures. The confined VOD measured in one of the tests was 5100 m/s in a 102 mm diameter blasthole at a density of 0.96 g/ml. The corresponding borehole pressure measurement of this HP charge was 2.61 GPa with a detonation temperature of 2921°C. Based on near-field accelerations, both HP and ANFO charges displayed similar attenuation characteristics in the test conditions. Post-blast observations indicated that the breakage performance of the HP mixtures clearly reflected the in-hole detonation performance measurements obtained, confirming the ability of these explosive mixtures to both fragment and effectively displace the rock mass under evaluation. Further research work continues with the future commissioning of a prototype mixing and delivery unit, the successful completion and analysis of data from multiple-hole trials, and further characterisation work associated with product stability, reliability and performance under different geotechnical conditions.CITATION:Onederra, I and Araos, M, 2015. Detonation and breakage performance of a hydrogen peroxide-based explosive formulation, in Proceedings 11th International Symposium on Rock Fragmentation by Blasting, pp 565–574 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Aug 24, 2015

The Bibliographic Data Base is the result of a literature search con-ducted as one task of the technology assessment of current and advanced logging techniques, sponsored by the United States Bureau of Mines. After compilation, the bibliography was converted to an automated form for ease of utilization, and to allow for maintaining and updating the data base. The data base covers articles, symposia, books, patents, corporate and government reports, and other literature concerned with some aspect of borehole logging from January 1969 through December 1975. Periodic up-dating will be necessary to keep the data base contents in step with developments in the rapidly advancing field of application of borehole logging to mining. Many bibliographic indexes were scanned for entries relating to the subject of interest, and those entries which were included in our data base contain a reference to the bibliographic index in which they were listed (see Section 2.4.7). With the aid of these indexes, a vast number of publications, including foreign reports and publications, have been scanned for works relevant to borehole logging technology.

Jan 1, 1976

William Kent, New York, N. Y.:—The Institute may congratulate itself on the opportunity of reading the splendid address of President Brunton. It is an admirable summary of the progress that has been made in the mining and metallurgical arts in recent years. The paper rightly gives the chief credit for this progress to the aid which has been rendered to these arts by the advances in mechanics, chemistry, and electricity. It is notable that most of the headings in Mr. Brunton's address refer to the work of the mechanical engineer, the electrical engineer, and the chemist, rather than to that of the specialist in mining-operations. It seems that the most successful mining engineer of the present day is the one who makes the most intelligent application of the inventions and designs of engineers and others who are not directly engaged in mining. A tabulation of the headings of the address, grouped as below, shows this most clearly. Work of the Mechanical Engineer—Rock-drills, hoisting-machinery, tramming, pumping, ventilation, dredging, Sampling, concentration, briquetting, fume-recovery. Work of the Electrical Engineer—Electric machinery for hoisting, pumping, tramming, lighting and signaling, electric transmission, electric smelting. Work of the Chemist and Metallurgist—Explosives, chlorina-tion, cyanidation, roasting, lead-smelting, and copper-smelting. Work of the Geologist—Economic geology. Work of the Mining Engineer—Mine-mapping, surface-mining, timbering, tunneling; and planning and supervision of the work in general. The mining engineer of the present day, who is in responsible charge of a large plant, finds his chief work not in doing those things he was trained to do as a specialist, but in making use of the knowledge of geologists, chemists, and electrical and

Jan 1, 1910

By N. Mashaba, D. Botha

The aims of this study were to investigate the factors that influence women’s engagement in technical positions in the South African mining sector and to determine what could be done to promote their successful participation. A convergent parallel mixed-methods research design was used to ascertain the factors that facilitate, inhibit, and influence engagement. In the quantitative phase of the study, questionnaires were circulated to women employeees; and in the qualitative phase, semistructured interviews were conducted with employer representatives, most of whom were human resource personnel. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the three-factor structure (vigour, dedication, and absorption) of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale fit the sample data reasonably well. Although there is room for improvement, respondents demonstrated acceptable levels of engagement in their work. On the other hand, the qualitative findings showed that employee engagement is impacted by unfavourable working conditions, work–life balance, and the mining industry’s male-dominated work culture. The findings showed that employee engagement should be elevated to a core human resource function. To increase the participation of women in mining, human resource professionals are encouraged to collaborate with mine supervisors, managers, and employees to develop programmes that promote employees’ absorption in and dedication to their work.

Nov 6, 2023

Minerals are vital to any industrialized civilization. Annually, the United States uses more than 4 billion tons of new mineral materials, or about 40,000 pounds per person-about half being mineral fuels and the other half being metals and nonmetallics. Stable and economic domestic mining, mineral, metal, and mineral reclamation industries are essential to the economy. The value of United States energy and processed materials of mineral origin exceeds $200 billion annually. Although a number of minerals are imported, especially some designated as "strategic and critical," most U.S. mineral supplies are derived from the domestic mines and processing facilities that you will be seeing, reading about, and visiting as you use this visitor guide. We hope you enjoy your experiences. This pamphlet, a guide to mining and mineral operations that may be observed or visited and some other points of interest relating to minerals, is intended to aid tourists and students who are interested in mining. Some may wish to study our Nation's romantic past; others may plan to enter the minerals industry as a career; still others may have a primary interest in conservation practices. The pamphlet is also intended to aid State and local officials, Chambers of Commerce, and mining firms in answering some of the many questions of tourists and students.

Jan 1, 1977

State of California, Division of Mines, Ferry bldg., San Francisco, Calif. Walter W. Bradley, State Mineralogist. A list of publications available will be sent upon request. Bulletin 77 is a list of publications complete from 1880 to 1917 and contains synopses It is sent free. Bulletin 105, California mineral production and directory of mineral producers for 1930, brings the complete list up to date, sent free on request The Division of Mines issues principally (1) A series of Reports, (2) Bulletins, (3) Preliminary Reports, and (4) maps. The Reports were first issued biennially, later annually, and for the past few years they have taken the form of quarterly reports. The yearly subscription price for the quarterly reports is $1, payable in advance Reports and separate chapters available are Report 2, First Biennial (1892), $1, 14 (1913-1914), Chapter on mines and mineral resources of Colusa, Glenn, Lake, Mann, Napa, Solano, Sonoma, and Yolo counties, 50 cents, 15 (1915?1916), Mines and mineral resources of Butte, Lassen, Modoc, Sutter and Tehama counties, 50 cents, and Mines and mineral resources of Monterey, San Benito, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, 65 cents, 16 (1917-1918), Nevada County, 75 cents, Plumas County, 50 cents, Sierra County, 50 cents; 17 (1920), Mining in California during 1920, $1 75, 18 (1922), Mining m California, chapters for Aug , Sept , Oct , Dec , free, 19 (1923), Mining in California, chapters for Jan , Feb , Mar, Sept , free, 20 (1924), Quarterly chapters on mining in California (except July, out of print), 25 cents, 21 (1925), Quarterly chapters containing county reports- Jan (Sarcramento, Monterey, Orange) 25 cents, April (Calaveras, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Ventura), 25 cents, July (Del Norte, Humboldt, San Diego) 25 cents, Oct (Siskiyou, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara), 25 cents; 22 (1926), Quarterly county reports: Jan. (Santa Cruz, Trinity), 25 cents, April (Shasta, San Benito, Imperial), 25 cents, July (Mann, Sonoma) and Copper in California, 25 cents, Oct (El Dorado, Inyo) Minarets District, 25 cents, 23 (1927), Quarterly county reports- Jan (Contra Costa), 25 cents, April (Aniador, Solano) Bibliography of clay

Jan 1, 1933

By Robert Bottge

When a company develops a mineral property in a remote area of Alaska, it must consider how best to house its personnel. This Bureau of Mines report examines the economics of two options: company towns and company camps. The price required to maintain a 15% discounted-cash-flow rate of return (DCFROR) was derived for hypothetical 1,000-st/d cut-and-fill mines and 50,000-st/d open-pit mines located in three different regions of the State, One set of hypothetical mines utilizes a townsite; the other utilizes a relatively new concept, a fly-in camp or commuting operation, in which two shifts of employees operate the mine and all associated facilities for 1 week before being replaced by a second crew. The study shows that operating costs were higher for mines employing the commuting option than for mines having a company town because of the additional wages paid for overtime hours; however, the price required to obtain a 15% DCFROR for the single-product copper concentrate, f.0.b. the mill site, was significantly lower owing to the lower investment costs for the camp-type operation. The economic advantage for those mines utilizing the camp increases from south to north and from the coast toward the interior.

Jan 1, 1986

The selective placement of coal strip mine overburden is examined. Physical end chemical properties of spoil detrimental to revegetation and groundwater are detailed. The United States is divided into regions of similar problems. Five mining methods already used in the industry, that are capable of selectively handling; waste are examined in detail. Technical and economic comparisons are made for the systems when applied to realistic mine settings. The same analysis is conducted for five novel methods capable of selectively handling waste. Comparisons arc made between novel and existing methods. Suggestions for new and modified equipment are outlined. Recommendations for further research are provided.

Jan 1, 1981

By Richard S. Fowkes

Advanced technology, including automation and computerized information systems, is being adopted in mining at an ever-increasing rate to improve safety and productivity and to decrease overall costs. This U.S. Bureau of Mines report focuses on the human factors issues related to advanced technology. Among the significant facts discovered were the following: Experts studying tile design adoption, and implementation of new technology have stated repeatedly that human factors specialists should be involved from the early planning stages, through design and fabrication, and up to and during production, since human factors has been consistently identified as the biggest obstacle to the efficient utilization of new technology. Also, middle management is generally the greatest obstacle to the adoption of advanced technology, this technology can give rise to worker alienation, boredom, stress, job insecurity, and a sense of isolation; training most of the present work force is more cost effective than hiring new workers; workers are willing to accept new technology if they are given a voice in its implementation; the social and the technical systems should be jointly optimized; and with the intro¬duction of advanced technology, the cognitive or mental, rather than the physical, aspects of human-machine interaction must be emphasized.

Jan 1, 1994

By James S. Graham

Research at the University of Colorado on southern pine and Douglas-fir piling has determined that the existing building code design stress values of 1200 psi and 1250 psi, as determined by ASTM D-2899, are substantiated; but testing procedures should be revised. All full size piling tests should be standardized at 1/d ratios of 2:1, or confined tests performed. Also, it has been determined that theoretical design values for timber piling should not be based on the lumber criteria of D-245 and D-2555, but instead should follow the pattern set by engineers in the utility industry for timber poles, in accordance with ANSI 05.1.

Jan 1, 1986

By James E. McNulty

The planning and development of new coal mines is requiring the increased use of geologic, geologic engineering and hydrogeologic investigations. This is caused in part by the fact that new mines must deal with less favorable conditions than existing mines as well as higher costs of development and in part by the dictates of regulatory authority. High costs of new mines require greater reliability of geologic assessment using best available geotechnical and geophysical methods and technology. Although the increased cost of additional subsurface data is significant, the more important factor may be the impact on project lead time.

Jan 1, 1981

JAmes E. Howard, Watertown, Mass.:—In connection with this paper, it is the desire of the Watertown laboratory to receive suggestions as to the lines of work and the particular direction along which the examination of the ingot-metal should proceed, and any suggestions so offered will be noted with care, and the tests conducted so as to embrace such features as it is thought desirable to have investigated. To me the question of structural continuity seems of para-

Jan 1, 1909

By D. M. Jones

Dust generation data have been obtained from 19 industrial Outokumpu flash furnaces. Statistical analyses of the data have been carried out and the most significant factors affecting dust generation evaluated. The results indicate that dust production may most effectively be minimized by: 1) Minimizing the distance between the molten slag and the furnace roof 2) Optimizing burner design and combustion parameters.

Jan 1, 1996

Mineral processing is at the hub of the exploration-mining-metals production system. Because of the large volumes of material processed, incremental technology investments can pay off better than for other parts of the system. However, much of mineral processing remains a 'black art', because we are behind in investing in modem technologies. Consequently, we have one of the best opportunities to improve efficiency and competitiveness through the application and transfer of technologies that have already been developed for other industries. The reluctance of minerals companies to place priority in our area is not because we lack new ideas; our senior management has not been convinced, based on our previous results, that such investments will pay off as well as other investment opportunities competing for the same resources. The key is the proper establishment of technology strategy and more effective transfer of technology. The presentation will identify the failure mechanisms of technology transfer and will present a model for improving the success rate, a prerequisite for raising the priority of mineral processing investment. Topics emphasised include strategy formulation, human resources planning, and total quality management principles applied to improving technology transfer.

Jan 1, 1993

By Heinrich Majewski, Rob Jameson

"Careful review of site conditions and constraints is essential to select the appropriate shoring system for each project. Key evaluation criteria include the geotechnical profile, groundwater and environmental conditions, adjacent buildings and utilities, schedule and any project specific access or other constraints. Typical earth retention schemes range from rock or soil nail walls, through conventional anchored pile and lagging walls to deep internally braced cut-off systems. The Owner’s design team will often develop the conceptual approach under their design studies, and this is refined with Contractor input through Design-Build or Design-Bid-Build procurement. In downtown San Francisco, underground construction must accommodate a unique combination of variable fill, soil, rock and groundwater conditions, potential for severe seismic loadings, and constrained sites within a dense urban environment. The quarter square mile of San Francisco’s Transbay and Rincon Hill districts has seen repeated cycles of development, destruction and re-building through earthquakes and the economy, and has been intensely redeveloped over the last decade. Over 50 acres of this land has been reclaimed from the Bay since the Gold Rush and within 3 city blocks the bedrock slopes from over 250 FT depth below the fills up to outcrops over 100 FT above sea level. A series of project examples from within this small area illustrate how varied shoring systems have accommodated the highly variable subsurface conditions while offering best value in terms of cost, schedule and appropriate protection of adjacent facilities.INTRODUCTIONA walk of 3 blocks from Rincon Hill on San Francisco’s Harrison Street, north through the Transbay area to Mission Street will traverse an urban zone which has been reinvented twice within its 150 year history in response to major seismic events. This small area highlights the range of subsurface conditions and urban environments which are encountered and accommodated in shoring schemes throughout the city. This route down the north side of Rincon Hill overlies a steep bedrock slope, outcropping over 100 FT above sea level at its south end and dropping to over 250 FT below sea level at Mission Street. A complex overburden soil profile, shaped by seismic activity and changing sea-levels has created layered soils ranging from soft estuary muds, dense sandy strata and deep clay layers, in turn topped with urban fill, frequently contaminated with debris from the Great 1906 earthquake. This route runs parallel to, and 350 yards inland of, the San Francisco shoreline resulting in groundwater elevation close to sea level with almost limitless recharge within granular layers. On the higher slopes of Rincon Hill, groundwater is typically observed flowing on top of and periodically within the fractured bedrock formation. The Transbay and Rincon areas were developed early in the Gold Rush era of San Francisco. After destruction in the 1906 earthquake and fire, they became a transit gateway into the city throughout the 20th Century. Demolition of the Embarcadero Freeway in response to earthquake damage and social pressure has opened this large area to redevelopment within the last 20 years, creating a new commercial and residential hub for the city. In its latest wave of building, planners are developing taller structures with deeper basements, in turn creating new construction challenges. Selection of shoring systems appropriate for these developments requires detailed evaluation. The process must address both the rapid spatial changes in subsurface conditions and the constraints surrounding, and specific to, each site in order to define shoring performance requirements. This paper presents an overview of the subsurface conditions and land use development of the Transbay and Rincon Hill areas, with examples of the shoring systems selected to meet site-specific conditions and requirements. The projects cited range from soil nail wall"

Jan 1, 2017

By J. C. Bothan

A program to provide technical in-formation on the use of fuels in pyro-metallurgical processes, from the Canadian fuel viewpoint, was initiated about five years ago by a Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy liaison grou1> composed of members from the Coal Research Committee of the Coal Division and the Iron and Steel Committee of the Metallurgy Division. This paper is another of a series prepared for this program. Previous papers included a review of pyrometallurgical processes of Canadian interest, a survey of ferrous processes relevant to the development of an integrated steel industry in western Canada and a survey of the fuel requirements of the non-ferrous metals industry in Canada. It is widely recognized among per-sons familiar with the Canadian coal industry that, because of the large resources of coking coal in western Canada, the

Jan 1, 1963

By P. R. Warner

This paper reviews the development of certain aspects of the electrical specifications of Anglo American?s suite of specifications for gearless mill drives (?GMDs?). These specifications are based on experiences in both Anglo American?s and others? operations, benchmarking against large hydro generators, the advice of industry and university experts, and continuous close co-operation with OEMs. To achieve a step change in availability additional final testing and electrical protection have been implemented, insulation requirements have been specified for machines to be operated at high altitude and clean area and access control systems have been developed.

Jan 1, 2012

By Charles M. Keenan

THIS PUELICATION lists and provides brief accounts of the major disasters not classified as explosions of gas or dust that have occurred in the cod mines of the United States from the earliest times to the present. Together with an earlier publication of the Bureau2 it provides information on all the known major coal-he disasters (disasters causing five or more deaths) in this Nation's history. Sources of each account are given individually. In each account the actual words of the original publication are used unchanged, but sentences or paragraphs referring to details that are not significant have been omitted. In those few cases where conflicting data were reported in different publications the selected version is the one that appears most logical and which in general is in agreement with most of the other accounts.

Jan 1, 1963

By C. R. Whittemore

Introduction The technical library in the service of industry is gradually becoming a well recognized and important part of all progressive industrial organizations. The larger mining, metallurgical, and chemical firms of Canada are establishing extensive reference libraries in connection with their research and operating departments in order that the members of the organization may keep abreast of the rapidly developing fields of engineering in which they are interested. It is the purpose of this paper to point out the usefulness of such a department in any industrial organization, to give a general outline of a system for filing and dispensing information, and to outline briefly the literature to be consulted and the procedure to be adopted in instigating a literature search. The technical library falls under the classification known as 'Special Libraries', and is quite different from the general library in that it is a storehouse of facts and owes its value to the ready presentation of information required for each specific case, and in a form most ready for use. The library brings all the available information relative to the interests of the corporation from without the plant to the organization within, and also keep in touch with each department of the organization.

Jan 1, 1930