Technical PROGRAM www.smeannualconference.com #societyformining SME 2017 ANNUAL MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20 The Role of the Independent AFTERNOON Engineer in Project Finance CONFERENCE & EXPO Richard Lambert, P.E., P.Eng., Principal Mining 1:30 pm Room 113 Engineer, Executive Vice President and TECHNICAL Chief Operating Officer, RPA Mr. Lambert will cover the assessment of technical and Dreyer Lecture economic risk and lender’s tolerance for risk. PROGRAM Lecturer: Ron Parratt Integrated Business Planning – An Enabler for Raising Capital Ajay Kumar, Manager, KPMG LLP MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20 Integrated Business Planning (IBP) helps achieve ex- tended visibility, aligned planning and analytic capabil- AFTERNOON ities to make proactive tradeoff decisions generating improvements across revenue, cost, assets, risk and 2 pm – 5:00 pm Room 210 predictability. IBP delivers cross-functional alignment of strategic, operational and financial processes to create value in asset-intensive industries. The author will share Accessing Capital in the operating model, organizational challenges, and best Mining Today: Managing practices from a recent global mining client experience. Through the Cycle Chair: T. Alch, Executive Director of What Financial Options and Strategies New York Section of SME and Managing for Companies in Varying Stages of Distress Are Available Today? What to Do First, Partner of TAA Advisory, LLC. As Soon As Possible Keith McGregor, Partner, Corporate Restructuring Join our experts who will speak about key issues and Practice, Ernst & Young LLP latest trends and answer your questions about raising capital in mining today. It is a challenging environment; as metals’ prices go down and up, so do investors’ An Attorney’s View of Key Legal and and lenders’ interest and valuations. If you are in the Financial Issues Mining and Exploration exploration and mining business, an investor or owner, Companies Should Be Mindful of When you will want to hear our speakers discuss: What can Seeking to Raise Capital Today you do to help raise capital? Is the capital available Cynthia Urda Kassis, Partner, Shearman & Sterling LLP suitable? How do technical, non-technical, legal, and societal issues and risks impact raising capital? What should you know about debt, equity, or other sources of Non-Technical Considerations in the Due capital such as private equity, hedge funds, royalty, and Diligence Process of Mining Transactions streaming companies? If in distress, what can you do? Robert Livermore, CEM, Principal Ramboll-Environ Is M&A, consolidation and or restructuring the best op- tion? Join us to hear our Speakers discuss these issues “Due diligence” is the review of a facility or business to and latest trends, and get your questions answered. assess and quantify risks and operating status before an acquisition. Due diligence findings can be used to Following are the biographies of the organizer and negotiate the price, general terms, and indemnification speakers, in the same order as the agenda. provisions in the purchase and sales agreement. In addition to assessing outstanding liabilities, necessary capital improvements, and the adequacy of operating Introduction by Panel Chair: budgets, due diligence should include “nontechnical” Tim Alch, Executive Director of NY SME and Managing considerations, such as local community acceptance Partner of TAA Advisory, LLC and relations, and the effect on the company’s public image, operations and post-closure strategies. This pa- per will discuss how these considerations can be ad- A Banker’s Perspective of dressed in the due diligence process and factored into Funding Mining Projects the transaction. Alain Halimi, Head, Metals & Mining, Americas at Commonwealth Bank of Australia Due diligence is performed on business and facility acquisitions to verify the sellers’ claims, usually before Mr. Halimi will discuss trends about funding of mining finalizing the purchase and sales agreement. Current projects, key bankability issues when lending; impact of due diligence practices have been expanded to in- and importance of confidence levels of geologic, feasi- clude a number of the many other aspects inherent in bility studies; the quality of deposits and arrangement the growing complexity of modern business. Because between off-takers and miners; whether hedging is of the potentially significant costs now associated with advisable; factors that influence the level of equity and environmental matters, environmental due diligence debt in structuring a mining company; and how to figure has become an integral part of most companies’ due unknowns in to financing structures.

2 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

diligence efforts and is almost universally demanded ant changes is that funding for public institutions has 3:05 pm by lenders and investors. Environmental due diligence, shifted from primarily state-funded to revenues driven Navigating the Waters of Tenure then, can be defined as a review or audit of a facility or from tuition, research and philanthropic sources. As a and Promotion a business unit that assesses and quantifies inherent result, the expectations for promotion and tenure have V. Kecojevic; Mining Engineering, risks and other intangible risks that may cause delays shifted to require the development of a sustainable and West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV or project execution prior to and post-acquisition. Given impactful research program while providing exception- today’s changing regulatory and litigious atmosphere, al teaching performances and dedicated service to the Teaching, research, and service to the university, soci- environmental due diligence is a major factor for poten- university and profession. The presentation will dis- ety and profession constitute the heart of the mission of tial buyers of mines and mineral processing facilities. cuss, in general terms, the lessons learned from pro- land-grant universities. Therefore, for an award of tenure Environmental due diligence encompasses both tech- motion and tenure cases involving mining engineering and promotion, tenure-track faculty undergo a particu- nical and nontechnical aspects and, in today’s society and mining-related faculty. larly rigorous evaluation involving an assessment of ac- and business atmosphere, both are equally important. cumulated and demonstrated accomplishments in these This paper will discuss the Non-technical aspects of areas and the likelihood that the faculty member’s level the due diligence process and the relevance of under- 2:25 pm of performance will be maintained in the future. The standing these risks and implication during and after a Strategies to Earn Promotion and Tenure objective of this presentation is to guide tenure-track transaction. M. Moats; Materials Science and Engineering, faculty members in mining engineering in navigating the Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO waters of tenure and promotion, i.e., enhance an under- standing of the promotion and tenure process; a nature A Mining Executive’s View of Raising Most departmental promotion, retention and tenure of competitive academic environment, and academic Capital in Mining Today, Including Raising guidelines use nebulus terms such as satisfactory requirements related to teaching, research and service. Debt, Equity, Hybrids, and Managing and exceptional. They provide broad guidelines for This presentation is based primarily upon the author’s Relations With Investment Bankers and scholarly activity, teaching, service and reputation. But experience going through the rigorous promotion and what do they really mean? This presentation will dis- tenure process at two strong research-based land-grant Shareholder Communications cuss how one can determine what your department universities, chairing the promotion and tenure commit- Mark A. Smith, PE, Esq. President and CEO, and university is really looking for and how to turn that tees, reviewing dozens of promotion and tenure files at Largo Resources information into self-imposed quantifiable goals. Once both national and international levels, and mentoring goals are established then progress can be evaluated tenure-track faculty members in mining engineering. and specific objectives modified depending on your An Independent Advisor’s View of Raising career development. The end result should be a well Capital for Mining Ventures Today rounded promotion dosier, which is well received by 3:25 pm Richard Reeves, Managing Director, your department and university. RGR Advisory Services Promotion and Tenure from the Assistant Professor Point of View N. Ripepi; Mining Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic 2:45 pm Institute and State University Creating Successful Promotion Blacksburg, VA and Tenure Dossiers M. Poulton; Lowell Institute for Mineral Resources, Funding: PI; Co-PI; Career Award; and % Cred- MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20 University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ it. Funding Sources: DOE; NIOSH; NSF; and EPA. Publications: Journal; Reviewed Conference AFTERNOON The concept of tenure in academia dates to the year Proceeding; Abstract Reviewed Conference Proceed- 1158 under the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Bar- ing; Not-reviewed; Poster; Submitted; Under review; In 2 pm Room 507 barossa. In the US, Harvard College introduced tenure Press; Accepted with minor revisions; Major revisions!; in the early 1800s to prohibit donors or the clergy from 1st author; Corresponding author; 2nd author; Last au- removing faculty members with unpopular views. Tenure thor; and Advised student as 1st author*. Ranking Pub- A Survival Guide for is still misinterpreted by many as a lifetime job guar- lications: Impact Factor; Citations; H-Index; i10 Index; antee. The reality is, approximately 33% of college and G-index; ResearchGate; Scopus; Google Scholar; Else- Promotion & Tenure university faculty members are tenured. Tenure is very vier; SME Transactions. Teaching: Student evaluations; Chairs: H. Miller, Colorado School of difficult to achieve and in any given annual review cy- Credit hours; Weighted credit hours; Grad class; Under- Mines, Golden, CO cle about 20% of faculty are released before achieving grad class; Special study; GPA; and Research hours. promotion. Tenure is not an entitlement or a means of Students: PhD; MS; Masters of Engineering; Qual- R. Honaker, University of Kentucky, job security; faculty members undergo a post-tenure ification exam; Prelims; Defense; Dissertation; Lexington, KY performance review every year and can be dismissed Thesis; and Undergraduate research. Service: for poor performance after going through due process. Panels; Session chair; and Committees: Gradu- 2 pm The tenure review process recognizes excellence in ate, Space, Honorifics, Curriculum and Search. Introduction teaching, research, and service but research repu- Titles: Department Head; Named Full Professor; Profes- tation is weighted most heavily. Faculty members are sor; Associate Professor; Associate Professor without 2:05 pm rewarded for creating knowledge not just disseminating Tenure; Assistant Professor; Research Professor; Re- Lessons Learned from Promotion old knowledge. In this presentation we will look at how search Associate Professor; Research Assistant Profes- & Tenure Decisions in Mining and to prepare a strong promotion and tenure dossier for sor; Research Scientist; Research Associate; and Post- faculty in mineral resources disciplines with a focus on Doc. What really matters? Mining-Related Programs research-intensive doctoral universities. R. Honaker; Mining Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY The dynamic nature of the university environmental has resulted in significant and more challenging de- mands on faculty members. One of the more import-

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 3 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20 2:45 pm 3:25 pm AFTERNOON Innovative Ways of Transporting Bulk Material: Reliability-Based Capacity Determination How To Transport Ore Down 400 Meters Model for Semi-Mobile In-Pit Crushing & Vertical Drop In Only 1.3 km: The RopeCon® Conveying Systems (SMIPCC) 2 pm Room 107 from Doppelmayr R. Ritter; Proposal Department, TAKRAF GmbH, M. Jamaty and D. Mazagg; Doppelmayr Transport Lauchhammer, Germany Technology, Doppelmayr, Wolfurt, Austria Current capacity calculation models often over-esti- Bulk Material Handling: As ore is getting harder and harder to reach, innovative mate actual throughput resulting in under-utilisation of New Technology in BMH ways of transporting bulk material is becoming a neces- downstream processes and a shortfall in revenue. An sity to lower operating costs while taking care of safety alternative approach has been developed based on a Chair: T. Burchett, Rexnord Industries and the environment. Doppelmayr, the world leader in structured time usage model specific to SMIPCC sys- LLC, Christiansburg, VA ropeways, has developed material transport solutions for tems, that models the interface between discontinuous the mining industry. The RopeCon®, an aerial conveyor loading and truck haulage as well as the continuous 2 pm rolling on suspended ropes with no idlers, supported by crushing, conveying and discharge processes while Introduction only one tower, is transporting Torex Gold’s ore with no recognising the interdependencies between individual detour while generating power. To connect the El Limón mining processes and system element disturbances. 2:05 pm gold ore pit with the processing plant it was necessary This approach is based on a stochastic simulation mod- Benefits of High Powered Gearless Conveyor to overcome an altitude difference of approx. 400m in el that accounts for performance variability of individual Drives – Applied to Medium Power Conveyors steep terrain. Minera Media Luna, S.A. de C.V. (MML), processes and unplanned failures of system elements. 100% owned subsidiary of Torex Gold Resources Inc., A case study based on a hypothetical mine environment U. Richter; Material Handling, PAPI, ABB Automation ® GmbH, Cottbus, Germany opted for the RopeCon as a means to transport 1,000 to analyse the system behaviour with regards to time metric tons of gold ore per hour into the valley over a usage model component, system capacity, and cost as Recent installations of high powered Gearless Conveyor distance of 1.3km. Along with other aspects, safety and a function of truck quantity and stockpile capacity. Fur- drive systems have shown the promise of increased reli- environment were key considerations in prompting the thermore, a comparison between a conventional truck & ability, improved system efficiencies and reduced mainte- decision. shovel system and SMIPCC system is provided. Results nance which results in higher productivity, increased reve- show that the capacity of a SMIPCC system reaches an nue and lower operating costs for mine operators. Currently, optimum in terms of cost per tonne, which is 24% lower this new technology is cost effective in conveyor systems 3:05 pm than a truck and shovel system. using multiple drive modules with power ratings above Successful Validation of the New 3.5 - 4 MW each. This paper examines a method of Chevron-MegaPipe Conveyor, Steeply Inclined applying these advantages to conveyor drive systems Continuous Haulage In Hardrock Open Pit with power modules in the 500 to 3000kW range. Mines The global significance of this is apparent when the num- C. Dirscherl1, P. Börsting2 and A. Minkin3; 1Minerals, ber of conveyors using these power ratings is considered. Siemens Industry Inc., Littleton, CO; 2Mining, While this technology has not yet been commercially im- MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20 thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions AG, Essen, Germany AFTERNOON plemented, some design criteria and cost implications are and 3ContiTech, Continential, Northeim, Germany considered and possible future solutions are discussed. Joining some of their respective core competencies in belt-, conveyor- and direct drive development and 2 pm Room 106 2:25 pm design, ContiTech, thyssenkrupp and Siemens lately Barroso Flyingbelt, 9 Month of Operational introduced the Chevron-MegaPipe® Conveyor. It is set Career Development Right Experience Vs. Design Parameters to help reduce conventional heavy-duty truck traffic and S. Cattaneo2 and C. Ullmann1; 1Global Application the resulting high operating costs in open pit mines. from the Start – Defining Engineering, Sempertrans Conveyor Belts, Moers, High-strength ribbed steel cable Chevron-MegaPipe®s NRW, Germany and 2Sales, Agudio Leitner, Torino, Italy with a nominal strength of up to 9,500 N/mm and an Your Professional Path The longest Flyingbelt in the world started its operation outer diameter of up to 900 mm facilitate cost-effective Chairs: R. Thareja, University of life at LafargeHolcim’s Barroso Plant in June 2016. After conveyance of ore and overburden with lump sizes up Nevada Reno, Reno, NV running for nine months it is possible to make the first to 350 mm over mine slopes with angles of inclination M. Montenegro Perez, Lima, Peru proper comparison of actual data and design parameters up to 45°. The challenges in question comprise the like power consumption, availability and maintenance maximum inclination possible for secure operation, the chevron cleat performance and the handling of over- 2 pm requirements. The new cement plant in Barroso is one Introduction of the most modern and efficient plants in Brazil. Thus sized lumps in the material flow to avoid jamming or LafargeHolcim’s Engineers were looking for the best avail- structural damages. The validation methods used for This session will feature presentations from mid-senior able technology (investment costs, environmental impact proof-of-concept are described and the results are then level mining industry professionals about their specif- and operational costs) to convey Limestone from the discussed in this article. The paper closes with an up- ic career paths. A career in the mining industry can quarry, which is 4.5 miles away from the cement plant. dated feasibility study based on an exemplary yet typical take many different forms from Industry to Services to They found the solution in Agudio’s Flyingbelt. A conveyor open pit mine application to economically compare the Government to Academia. Each of these areas include system suspended on ropes and equipped with a spe- Chevron-MegaPipe Conveyor with alternative conveying diverse professions. It can be hard to understand the cial Sempertrans conveyor belt. This solution allowed the and haulage concepts implications of making (or not making) different moves shortest possible connection between quarry and cement as a professional early in one’s career. One of the best plant, with the least environmental impact. Besides the ways to evaluate different paths and their potential fit information about nine month of operation, this technical is to understand the paths of senior professionals. This session will also cover key design aspects of the Barroso session is intended to answer the burning question of – project from a cableway point of view and a conveyor belt “How did they get there?” point of view. Experiences about the installation of a 9 mile endless conveyor belt, suspended 100 ft above ground will also be shared.

4 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20 2:25 pm ditions of room and pillar (R&P) retreat mining entries, Void Fill and Support Techniques to Stabilize four consecutive R&P retreat panels were evaluated. Drift Excavated Through a Transition Zone This evaluation was intended to reinforce the influ- AFTERNOON Mined By a TBM at the Stillwater Mine ence of topographic changes, depth of cover, multiple- J. Johnson1, C. Jacobs1, M. Ferster1 and S. Tadolini2; seam interactions, geological conditions, and mining 1 2 geometry. 2 pm Room 711 Stillwater Mining Company, Nye, MT and Minova, Georgetown, KY Stillwater Mining Company is the only U.S. producer 3:25 pm Coal & Energy: Best of of platinum group metals (PGMs) and the largest pro- Evaluation of Drill Hole Geometry on Bolted Ground Control ducer outside of South Africa and Russia. The Com- Roof Beam Performance pany controls a considerable portion of the J-M Reef D. Burkhard; San Juan Coal Company, Waterflow, NM Chairs: M. Murphy, National Institute for and is currently developing the “Blitz Project,” which Occupational Safety and Health, will provide a main haulage level, ore pass systems, Comparative roof beam performance, as measured by backfill plants, and flow-through ventilation to in- delamination within the bolted horizon, was used to Pittsburgh, PA crease production and ensure sustainable extraction evaluate two types of roof bolt drill hole geometries in a S. Tadolini, Minova, Lakewood, CO of this critical strategic mineral. While driving two sub- development setting. Short encapsulation pull tests had parallel footwall laterals to about 8,125 m (26,000 ft) demonstrated a higher grip factor in drill holes featur- 2 pm long, one of the development drifts experienced a mas- ing helical grooves in the side walls in comparison to Introduction sive fall in a geologically disturbed area created by a drill holes featuring continuous smooth to slightly rough dike intrusion. Combinations of a void fill material (Tek- walls. The study incorporated the two geometries during 2:05 pm seal), polyurethane injection, fore poling coupled with development mining in which fully grouted mechanically Evaluation of Potential Impacts to Stream steel arches, and supplemental bolting allow safe and anchored bolts were installed as primary roof support. and Ground Water Due to Underground Coal efficient advance through this geologically disturbed The study site, in an entry adjacent to a longwall panel, zone. This paper presents the details of this project. was instrumented with extensometers and data col- Mining lected during longwall retreat. Statistical analysis was C. Newman, Z. Agioutantis and G. Boede Jimenez conducted to validate null and alternative hypotheses Leon; Department of Mining Engineering, University of used to compare drill hole geometries. Analysis yielded Kentucky, Lexington, KY 2:45 pm A Review of the Geomechanics Aspects of a no statistically significant difference between drill hole Ground movements due to longwall mining have the Double Fatality Coal Burst at Austar Colliery geometries. Inspection of the data does reveal less de- potential to damage the hydrological balance within in NSW, Australia in April 2014 lamination within the smooth walled site in comparison as well as outside the mine permit area in the form B. Hebblewhite; School of Mining Engineering, UNSW to the site containing grooved hole geometry. of increased surface ponding and changes to hydro- Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia geological properties. Recently, the Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement has completed A coal burst occurred on 15 April, 2014 at the Austar Coal 3:45 pm a public comment period on a newly proposed rule Mine, located west of Newcastle, NSW, Australia. The A Practical Application of Photogrammetry to for the protection of streams and groundwater from burst resulted in fatal injuries to two men working as part Perform Rib Characterization Measurements adverse impacts of surface and underground mining of the mining crew at the development face. At the time, in an Underground Coal Mine Using a DSLR operations. With increased community and regulatory a continuous miner was being used to mine a longwall development gate road through heavily structured coal, at Camera focus on mining operations and their potential to ad- B. Slaker and K. Mohamed; Pittsburgh Mining Re- a depth of approximately 550m. A number of pre-cursor versely affect streams and groundwater, there is now a search Division, NIOSH, Pittsburgh, PA greater need for better prediction of the possible effects bumps had occurred on previous shifts, emanating from mining has on both surface and sub surface bodies of the coal ribs of the roadway, in proximity to the coal face. Understanding coal mine rib behavior is important for in- water. As mining induced stress and strain within the This paper reviews the geological, geotechnical and min- ferring pillar loading conditions and ensuring the safety overburden is correlated to changes in the hydrogeolog- ing conditions and circumstances leading up to the coal of miners regularly exposed to ribs. Photogrammetry is ical properties of rock and soil, this paper investigates burst event; and presents and discusses the available a fast, cheap, and precise supplemental measurement the evaluation of the hydrogeological system within the evidence and possible interpretations relating to the geo- tool in comparison to extensometers or tape measures. vicinity of an underground mining operation based on mechanical behaviour mechanisms that may have been The practical use of photogrammetry was tested at the strain values calculated through a surface deformation critical factors in this incident. The paper also discusses NIOSH Safety Research and Experimental Coal Mine. prediction model. some key technical and operational considerations of A Digital Single-Lens Reflex camera was used to per- ground support systems and mining practices and strate- form photogrammetric surveys. Experiments were per- gies needed for operating in such conditions in the future. formed using different lighting conditions, distances to subject, and camera settings. The lighting method was insignificant if the scene was appropriately illuminated 3:05 pm and the distance to the subject has a minimal impact on Design Concerns for Room and Pillar Retreat accuracy. Focal Ratio changes affect the depth of field Panels in an Eastern Kentucky Mine and image quality where multiple angles are necessary T. Klemetti, I. Tulu and M. Sears; Pittsburgh Mining to survey cleat orientations. The suggestions proposed Research Division, NIOSH, Pittsburgh, PA are designed to increase the quality of photogrammetry inputs and outputs and minimize processing time. They Why do some room and pillar retreat panels encoun- serve as a starting point for an underground coal pho- ter abnormal conditions? What factors deserve the togrammetry study. most consideration during the planning and execution phases of mining and what can be done to mitigate those abnormal conditions when they are encoun- tered? To help answer these questions, and to deter- mine some of the relevant factors influencing the con-

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 5 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20 posits in in Nevyeli region makes it amenable to electric as well as continued efforts to develop technology to induction heating insitu facilitating energy extraction reduce the climate impact of existing coal-field power AFTERNOON from deposit. This paper delineates the techno-eco- plants. To date, emissions of coal-field power plants nomics of energy production from UCG with CCS using have been significantly reduced through flue gas clean- 2 pm Room 702 a cost-benefit model developed using MATLAB –SIM- ing and by efficiency measures such as coal drying. But ULINK. The Cost of Electricity (COE) has been calculated additional measures are needed to minimise Co2 emis- assuming a 90% capture. The results show that the sions to the atmosphere. Two important measures are Coal & Energy: Carbon coupled UCG-CCS process should be considered as an Carbon Capture and storage technologies and co-firing Regulations & Management economic and low carbon intrinsic. biomass in coal plants. Carbon Capture and Storage – underground storage of CO2 There are currently several Chairs: M. Mohanty, Southern Illinois projects underway to develop technologies for burning University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL 2:45 pm fossil fuel and simultaneously storing the Co2 released. A. Lundin, HDR, Englewood, CO Using Coal Mine Methane for Fuel These methods are known by the collective term CCs E. Woods; Dresser-Rand, Denver, CO (Carbon Capture and storage). At the same time, CCs 2 pm As a greenhouse gas, coal mine methane is best collected presents the only technological option to reduce Co2 Introduction and destructed to reduce envirionmental impact. Collec- emissions in countries that are expected to remain de- tion and conversion of coal mine methane into less harm- pendant on fossil fuels for the foreseeable future. ful constituents via flaring is a favored option to destruct 2:05 pm coal mine methane. Modular gas liquefaction systems 3:45 pm Carbon Capture, Transport and Geologic can be used to convert captured coal mine methane into Storage: A Review liquefied natural gas (LNG). Once converted into LNG, it Addressing Carbon Regulation and Climate A. Srivastava and S. Soarabh; Raw Materials, TATA can be used as fuel, displacing diesel, for power genera- Change in Mine Permits and Planning STEEL, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India tion and for vehicles at the mine or to nearby consumers. A. Lundin; HDR, Denver, CO Carbon capture and storage can simply be defined as Using coal mine methane as a diesel displacement reduc- Over the past several years, a number of legal findings es fuel costs and CO2 contribution to the environment. and events have led to regulatory actions by the Envi- capturing of waste CO2 from industrial sources at vari- ous stages (ex. pre-, post- combustion etc.), transport- ronmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Council on ing it to a storage site (through pipelines etc.) and then 3:05 pm Environmental Quality (CEQ) regarding carbon regu- depositing it underground so that the CO will not re-en- lation and climate change and how permits and NEPA 2 Production of Synthetic Aggregate from Coal documents should address the issue. In August, 2016, ter the atmosphere for a geologically significant long Ash and Quarry Ponded Fines time. Because of the low prices of fossil fuels and lesser the CEQ issued final guidance on how climate change H. Akbari, R. Mensah-Biney, G. Dove and J. Simms; should be considered within NEPA documents. However, statutory restrictions in developing countries (which are NC State University, Asheville, NC primarily dependent on this form of energy), aided by the guidance on how to address climate change is inten- slow development and high cost of alternative energy More than 100 million tons of quarry ponded fines are an- tionally open to broad interpretation, and federal agen- nually produced and added to billion tons of fines already cies vary greatly in how they address climate change projects, the CO2 emission into the atmosphere has been ever increasing. The long lasting effects of such accumulated in the USA. However, because of limited ap- in permits and NEPA documents, leaving the agencies plications, the proper disposal of these fines is a growing open to litigation and project proponents vulnerable to high levels of CO2 in atmosphere can portray an image of an impending catastrophe but a better approach concern for aggregate companies. Additionally, over 100 costly delays. This presentation examines a number of would be to avoid those and look into the solutions to million tons of coal ash is produced each year in the US emerging regulations, and varying U.S. federal agency but only half of which is used as raw feed for some ap- approaches to addressing climate change within per- minimize the CO2 levels in atmosphere. This paper of- fers an insight into the technologies and the techniques plications and the rest is disposed of in landfills. The main mits and NEPA documents and offers a path forward on that have been developed for carbon capture followed objective of this study was to produce a synthetic aggre- how to effectively and efficiently address climate change by transporting methods (and their problems) and ends gate using the geopolymer technology. The feedstocks for in mine permits and NEPA. with discussing the various storage technologies. the geopolymer-based aggregate were two waste ma- terials disposed of in landfills in North Carolina: coal ash and quarry ponded fines. Alkaline liquids were added to 2:25 pm coal ash and mixed with ponded fines to produce a strong Techno-Economic study of Underground Coal binder named geopolymer aggregate. The product was Gasification with Carbon Capture and Storage then crushed and size analyzed to determine its suitability in India to replace the coarse aggregate in concrete applications. S. Soarabh and A. Srivastava; MINING, TATA STEEL Preliminary studies showed that the compressive strength LIMITED, Noamundi, Jharkhand, India of 2-inch cub mortar samples of synthetic aggregate could The insitu conversion of deep-seated underground be as high as 13 psi. The results of the tests carried out in and unmineable coal for heating and energy gener- this study will be presented in this paper. ation through UCG has stability and controllability to offer, relative to present coal exploitation methods that 3:25 pm offset economic statistics. With the further predilection for clean energy, the idea is to couple the Carbon Cap- Coal & Energy A. Jain; Mining Engineering, Mining Engineering, ture and Storage technology with UCG at the identified Dhanbad, Jharkhand, India sites at Kasta Block in Raniganj, Kaitha Block in CCL and Theosgara C Block of WCL. The void generated from THE FUTURE OF COAL BODY There is no single solution the enervated coal and goafed out areas of abandoned that can meet this challenge, particularly in light of the mines in near proximity is used for CO2 sequestration fact that many countries currently depend on coal power and elimination of carbon emissions. The conveniently plants to meet their energy supply needs. A signifiant ex- high electrical permeability and permittivity of lignite de- pansion of renewable electricity generation is required,

6 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20 ology was developed to calculate the fire heat release 3:25 pm rate using AMS sensor data for carbon monoxide (CO), AFTERNOON Using Teamwork and Technology to Enhance carbon dioxide (CO2), and airflow velocity. Full-scale Fire Safety on Mobile Equipment and Other mine fire experiments were conducted in an experimen- Minesite Areas tal mine using AMS with different fire sources to test K. Carver; Global Accounts, Tyco, Evansville, IN 2 pm Room 706 this methodology. The calculated heat release rate using sensor data was compared with the value determined Through utilizing their technology and teamwork core from the mass loss rate of the combustible material us- values in a data-driven approach, Ansul and Caterpillar Coal & Energy: Mine Fire ing a digital load cell. The experimental results show that have have been working together to improve fire safety Prevention I the heat release rate of a mine fire can be calculated on mobile equipment. Employing a six sigma approach using AMS sensor data with a good accuracy. from Fire Risk Analysis through early engineering design Chairs: L.Yuan, NIOSH, Pittsburgh, PA through 3d design/simulation through live testing on M. Trevits, Xtraction Science and pilot machines, the overall safety and dependability of 2:45 pm the mobile machine has been enhanced. Through com- Technology, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA Design of a Laboratory Scale Wind Tunnel for puter modeling, the machine is designed for the optimal Studying Mine Fires application of a well-designed fire suppression system. 2 pm J. Davis, E. Jong and K. Luxbacher; Mining and Additionaly, serviceability and reliability are improved Introduction Minerals Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA by integrating the fire protection components with the A wind tunnel was designed to examine air flow, heat machine. Off-site analytics and service schedule inte- 2:05 pm transfer and layering near an active fire at a working gration are possible, as well as enhanced uptime for the Influential Factors for Determination of face. This tunnel simulates an active entry in an under- end user. Additional anciallary benifits are realized by le- Interface Boundary in Multiscale Methodology ground coal mine including an attached cross-cut of veraging mobile equipment fire protection schemes for for Simulation of Fire in Road Tunnels similar dimensions. A steel rectangular duct 1 ft tall, 3 other minesite areas such as conveyer headers, battery 1 1 2 1 A. Haghighat , K. Luxbacher and B. Lattimer ; Mining ft wide and 10 ft long composes the main body of the charge stations, and other fixed special hazards. In this & Minerals Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA tunnel and represents a full-scale mine entry. Air flow is session you will learn: 1) What is being done to design 2 and Jensen Hughes, Blacksburg, VA generated by an exhausting centrifugal fan attached to safety into equipment. 2) What is being done to make one end of the cross-cut. This fan was sized to supply air ordinary and routine maintenance safer. 3) How does The simulation and control of the large complex dy- the adoption of this technology cause other issues. namical systems such as a fire in road tunnels can velocities based on Froude scaling. A six-inch propane make unmanageably large demands on computa- burner is used to simulate fires of various heat release tional resources, creating a crucial need for efficient rates at the working face. Thermocouples are used to map heat layering in the tunnel. Ports are installed 3:45 pm model utilization. Coupling of Computational Fluid The Application of Expandable Filling Dynamics (CFD) models and network modeling sim- for the introduction and sampling of tracer gases into ulations (multiscale method) of the fire events can and from the system. Barometric pressure, differential Material in Fire Prevention and Extinguish- be a useful tool to increase the computational pressure and temperature sensors are also included to ment for Coal Spontaneous Combustion in efficiency and accuracy. The boundary between CFD monitor environmental conditions. Design and testing of Goaf of Face in Four-Section in Wumuchang model (near field) and network model (far field) plays a the system are detailed, including design of scaling for Coalmine, Inner Mongolia, China key role in the accuracy of simulations of large systems. fire and flow phenomena. Finally, proposed use of the C. Wang, Y. Xiao, J. Deng, H. Wen and X. Liu; School This research investigates the influential parameters tunnel for better understanding of mine fire phenomena of Safety Science and Engineering, Xi’an University of on the interface boundary changes in the vehicle fire and prevetion are examined. Science and Technology, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China events simulation via a statistical approach. Four main The Wumuchang coalmine located in Ewenki, Hulun- factors such as heat release rate, fire size, tunnel cross 3:05 pm buir, Inner Mongolia, China is the first underground section, and inlet velocity were selected for investigation Technique for Testing Coals’ Propensity mining of Huaneng Group Ltd. independent investment of their effects on the interface location. The CFD model construction. The mining method is used the longwall results were used to determine the interface boundary of Spontaneous Combustion with High Moisture Content caving mining along strike which the technology is fully of CFD and network modeling during vehicle fire events 1 2 2 1 mechanized top-coal caving. During the face stopped in the road tunnels. The two-level fractional factorial X. Wang , Y. Luo and B. Vieira ; Safety Science and Engineering, Liaoning Technical University, Fuxin, Li- and retracement, the concentration of CO continued to design was utilized to investigate different parameters’ 2 rise and C H began to occur, which represented that effect on the various responses at determined interface aoning, China and Mining Engineering, West Virginia 2 4 University, Morgantown, WV the spontaneous combustion of coal in the goaf. Some boundaries. measurements were take control for the coal fire. The Low rank coals, such as the sub-bituminous coals in face was closed to inject nitrogen for inerting the whole the Powder River Basin, typical have high risk of spon- 2:25 pm goaf, the fire-fighting roadway was constructed paral- taneous combustion. It is ideal to have their propensities lel to the intake air crossheading of the face, which the Characterization of a Mine Fire Using for spontaneous combustion to be tested and quanti- boreholes were drilled to the goaf. The liquid CO2 and fly Atmospheric Monitoring System Sensor Data fied. However, due to their high moisture contents, the ash slurry were injected to the fire area cooling down L. Yuan, R. Thomas and L. Zhou; Office of Mine Safety standard testing procedures, drying the samples before the temperature and decreasing the concentration of and Health Research, NIOSH, Pittsburgh, PA the oxidation testing, are often incapable of completing oxygen. Furthermore, for effectively isolate the air leak- Atmospheric monitoring systems (AMS) have been the experiments within reasonable time duration or age and oxygen supply in the goaf, the expansion filling widely used in underground coal mines in the U.S. for producing reliable propensity indices. A new experimen- material was required to inject to ultimately eliminate the the detection of fire in the belt entry and monitoring tal procedure has been proposed to test the low rank high-temperature region. Finally, the data for tempera- coals with high moisture contents on the standard R70 of other ventilation-related parameters such as airflow ture and C2H4, CO monitored indicate that the coal spon- velocity and methane concentration. Although an AMS adiabatic laboratory testing setup. The new procedure taneous combustion has been effectively controlled. can detect a mine fire based on a pre-set alarm level, considerably reduces the required experimental time the AMS data provides limited information on the fire corresponding to the field spontaneous combustion characteristics such as the fire growth and exact fire phenomena. Tests have been performed on coal sam- location. This information is critical in making decisions ples collected from the Powder River Basin and from about fire-fighting strategies, underground personnel South America coal fields with reasonable propensity evacuation and escape routes. In this study, a method- indices.

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 7 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20 was developed. The chassis was designed for better 3:25 pm operator comfort. A dual mast drill module was imple- AFTERNOON Application of the GeoSequencing Module mented to reduce the total time to bolt a cut. The design to Ensure Optimized Underground Mine was all about producing an efficient machine that has Schedules with Geotechnically-Motivated 2 pm Room 704 a remote operators station. This paper will explain the Constraints evolution and technological advancements from earlier R. Hauta, H. Zhang and L. Fava; VPO, MIRARCO, prototypes to the current production machine. Sudbury, ON, Canada Coal & Energy: Profiting A primary concern in underground mining is rock mass with Technology in a 2:45 pm stability; for this reason, a geotechnical expert may im- Cyclical Economy The Critical Role of Distributed Generation pose constraints on stope sequencing in the form of for Reliable, Affordable Power Systems a rule such as primary-secondary. Conventionally, the Chair: J. Nolke, Caterpillar, Oak Creek, WI D. Leligdon and J. Abiecunas; Black & Veatch, mine planner will use both automated and manual pro- Denver, CO cedures in planning software to implement the specified 2 pm sequencing rule by generating inter-stope dependen- Introduction The economics of distributed generation and microgrids cies. This conventional process is time consuming, and are changing rapidly. Modern microgrid solutions are as we will show, the mine planner can unintentionally 2:05 pm becoming an important part of sustainable, reliable and over-constrain the mine schedule, resulting in a lower Deliver Efficient Compliance to Plan While cost-effective electric systems. Distributed or renew- net present value for the mine. The GeoSequencing Managing Your Cost utilizing Technology able energy solutions are a competitive complement Module is a software tool that has been developed to central station coal or combined cycle power plants, at MIRARCO as part of the SOT+ research project; it R. Howell; Mining Technology Enabled Solutions, particularly given cost, schedule and sustainability ad- Caterpillar, Denver, CO automatically generates constraints that enforce stope vantages. Whether in off-grid, grid-edge or high-resil- sequencing rules selected by the user. We present a Most sites are leaving between 10-30% productivity on iency situations, distributed generation and microgrid process for long-term mine scheduling adhering to the table and don’t realize it. How do identify, reduce and solutions can be the best business case for the right geotechnically-motivated stope sequencing rules while eliminate that at your site. Measure: What is your over- applications. This paper provides an overview of modern optimizing net present value using SOT (the Schedule arching metric to ensure that all the little knobs you turn microgrids, including the functionality and optimal con- Optimization Tool). and levers you pull are all moving in a positive direction? figuration of these systems and lessons learned from re- Do you know what to measure? What are your units of cent projects. The economics of microgrids compared to measure: tons, money, time, machines? Is your measur- various power supply alternatives for remote and critical 3:45 pm ing stick accurate? Most sites rely on a measuring stick facilities is also evaluated to establish guidelines for de- Development of a Six Drillhead Roof Bolting that is inaccurate due to the people and processes that termining when distributed energy solutions are the best Machine support the system. Once the data is recorded, do you alternatives for utilities and energy consumers alike. W. Kyslinger; Engineering, J. H. Fletcher & Co., have it organized in a way to analyze it and prioritize the Huntington, WV wins with the least amount effort and cost? Manage: Once you have a prioritized order, do you know what is 3:05 pm The objective was to produce a machine capable of possible? Do you know how to affect it? Do you have a The Effects of Detonation Wave Collisions on drilling & installing 6 bolts simultaneously, with a limited good short term interval control process and tool in your Rock Throw number of operators. The goal of the mine is to decrease Pit Supervisors o controller hands to ensure they can af- P. Cahill1, C. Johnson1 and J. Nawrocki2; 1Mining the time to bolt a cut to improve the safety level of the fect the outcome that shift? Optimize: Optimization can Engineering, Missouri University of Science and current roof bolting method, improve efficiency & to im- occur by removing as many of the steps, people, time Technology, Rolla, MO and 2Dyno Nobel, Salt Lake prove the bottom line cost of entry development. The and cost as possible. How is this possible? Technology. City, UT customer wanted 4 drills at the front of the machine By handing the control over to technology, you can get dedicated to installing roof bolts and then another 2 your people and processes working on the next big goal. Cast blasting is the primary means of overburden dis- drills behind them dedicated to rib bolts. This dictated placement in a surface coal mine. It serves two purpos- the requirement of latched controls, which would allow es; fragmenting the rock and throwing it directly to its the operator to start drilling one hole & then latch the 2:25 pm spoil pile using explosive energy. Increased throw min- controls to be able to move on to the next. The 6 head The Introduction and Advancement of imizes costs by reducing the amount of material that roof bolter allows fewer operators to drill & install roof & needs to be re-handled. Prior studies have shown that rib bolts, which in turn lowers the miners’ roof exposure Remote Roof Bolting in South African Coal by only changing blast hole timing with the same blast Mines per cut. This design reduces the operator’s exposure design, fragmentation and throw alters. It is necessary in from the inherent pinch points & rotary hazards once he R. Burgess, D. Gill, J. Steyn and W. Kyslinger; J.H. cast blasting to optimize both fragmentation and throw, Fletcher & Co., Huntington, WV has engaged the latch drilling. Therefore the machine since larger fragments will require more wasted ener- will help to decrease the time to bolt a cut, improving There is always a demand in the mining industry to gy to throw the same distance. In an operating mine productivity while enhancing the ability to operate the improve the safety and efficiency of roof bolting. The in Georgia, an optimum inter-hole delay for fragmenta- machine safely. recognized types of machines currently used in South tion has been found by studying timings from 0ms to Africa are always under constant review. The majority of 45ms. Instantaneous timing between holes increased the machines in South Africa are the “Man in Position” the throw by over 100ft, but fragmentation was poor. 4:05 pm style. There are currently over 200 of these machines in Shock and detonation wave collision is a potential rea- Intervention Effectiveness of Distributive South Africa, with the bulk of the machines being twin- son for this increased throw. This paper investigates this Leadership in an Underground Coal Mine boom units. When operated correctly, these machines optimized inter-hole timing while altering top and bottom P. Guild and T. Hethmon; Mining Engineering, Univer- are safe, versatile, reliable and productive. However, with column primer time to potentially improve throw while sity of Utah, Magna, UT the operators located close to the drilling and bolting maintaining optimum fragmentation. Timings studied operations, they can be exposed to operational hazards. are top initiation, bottom initiation, and top and bottom There is a general consensus in the mining industry Anglo American was interested in working with Fletcher simultaneously. that effective leadership is essential for strategic and to develop a remote style machine with simplified con- tactical success across many mining functions, includ- trols that maintained the productivity of the twin-boom ing safety. Leadership applications are critical for the machines. After several prototypes, the current model establishment and effectiveness of safety and health

8 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

management systems in mining. This project involves analyses have not only included the expected perfor- 3:25 pm research in the form of an intervention effectiveness mance of mobile units, but the projected impact to the Methodology for Surface Coal Mine Recla- study involving the decentralization of leadership (i.e., dragline mining methodology, overall performance and mation Using Cast Blasting distributed leadership) in an underground coal mine. The economics of the revised mining system, and sensitiv- T. Worsey1, S. Kan1, N. Rouse1 and J. Silva2; 1Mining study cohort consisted of one underground, continuous ities thereof. This paper will review the key processes and Energy, RESPEC, Lexington, KY and 2Mining miner crew, who participated in a restructure of their and calculations used to conduct these studies. Effort Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY traditional, centralized leadership model. The restructure will be made to convey these procedures both numeri- occurred through individual leadership training, personal cally and graphically in a concise step by step manner. Design tools for estimating cast-to-final percentages coaching and work process reviews. This project is very The attendee should be able to obtain a conceptual from cast blasting are limited and none of these avail- unique for its application in a working coal mine under understanding of the evaluation logic utilized when able tools consider cast blasting for surface coal mine “real world” conditions. As such, there were limitations integrating mobile equipment into a common dragline reclamation application. In addition to production, cast to the experiment design that resulted in limited statis- operating practice. blasting can also be used in surface coal mine recla- tical power and limited coherence with research design. mation. The only clear difference between both applica- However, the rarity of applying a leadership intervention tions of blasting is the percentages of final cast for each in a working, section coal mine offers a unique lense 2:45 pm condition. Typically, the percentages for cast blasting in through which to review the role of leadership in mining. Integrated Production Management System production are lower compared to percentages for cast (IPMS) blasting in reclamation. This difference is primarily due M. Badani Prado1 and D. Bogunovic2; 1Engineering, to the fact that reclamation cast blasting does not re- North American Coal Corporation, De Kalb, MS and quire uncovering coal or blasting to top of coal. Using 2Operations, North American Coal Corporation, De the volume from the cast blast to help backfill the pit is Kalb, MS the main goal. The methodology explained in this con- ceptual paper uses simple cast blasting design tools to Integrated Production Management System (IPMS) is estimate the cast for a blast designed to backfill a pit MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20 an internally developed software that manages produc- and reclaim highwalls at a surface coal mine while us- tion, delays, equipment, energy consumption, employee AFTERNOON ing minimal site-specific data. Cast blasting was used to information, certifications, overtime, and other infor- reduce the bonding amount required by the regulatory mation. IPMS produces highly detailed reports on user agency. However, costing is not the focus of this paper 2 pm Room 708 demand of production, availability, delays, energy con- and will be addressed in future publications. sumption, etc. The first version of IPMS is in use since Coal & Energy: Surface 2008 and has been used successfully since then. This paper discusses some challenges this software encoun- Processes and Practices tered due to operating system updates, the solution de- Chairs: D. Bogunovic, North American veloped for addressing those challenges, and a review Coal, De Kalb, MS of the new version developed. M. Heger, BNI Coal Ltd., Center, ND 3:05 pm 2 pm Block Size and Open Pit Mining Costs Introduction A. Hekmat1, M. Osanloo2 and R. Gómez1; 1Metallurgy, Unicersity of Concepcion, Chile, Professor assistant, 2:05 pm Concepcion, Bio Bio, Chile and 2Mining and metallurgy, Novel use of Draglines for Coal Mine Final Amirkabir University of Technology, Professor, Tehran, Reclamation Tehran, Iran (the Islamic Republic of) J. Salomon; Luminant Mining, Fairfield, TX Computer planning and design of mining projects is The Big Brown Mine in Texas was wrapping up its mainly done based on block model, in which the block 40+year production life and was left with a 21,000 ft size is usually determined based upon exploration da- long final pit in need of reclaim. Presentation will discuss tabase in order to achieve the most precise grade and the engineering that went into this project as well as tonnage of the deposit. Even though in production stage some of the novel use of draglines to perform extended block dimension effects the capital and operating costs reclamation activities. Also included will discuss some of in addition to profitability, efficiency and capacity of the many lessons learned from this endeavor. equipment, these parameters are not considered when defining the block size. Therefore, despite the ability of some algorithms to determine the optimum solution, the 2:25 pm optimality of these algorithms is in doubt; since these algorithms are based on some assumption such as the Equipment Alternatives For Historic Mining known block size. This study uses the industry standard Practices for mining cost estimation as well as O’hara method to J. Wientjes, J. Mills, R. Kafka and L. Tolley; Application define the capital and operation costs of drilling, blast- Engineering, Komatsu America Corp., Peoria, IL ing, loading and haulage of different sizes of blocks. The As a leading manufacturer and supplier of large-scale results of the research showed that increasing the block mining equipment, Komatsu frequently is requested by size will decrease the operating costs while the capital industry to investigate the feasibility of integrating tradi- cost will increase. tional mobile mining equipment into operations using al- ternative equipment and mining methods. For example, the Komatsu America Corp. (KAC) Application Engineer- ing group has recently been involved in multiple studies involving replacing ineffective dragline mining practices with traditional mining equipment and methods. These

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 9 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20 a low-cost and low maintenance, they are not mainte- 3:25 pm nance-free despite the evidence that natural analogues AFTERNOON Geomorphic and Biotic Controls on the have been functioning in Colorado for millennia without Aeolian Transport of Uranium-Bearing Dust human intervention. Still, they are a logical, natural, and R. Brown1, D. Cadol2 and B. Frey2; 1Earth and 2 pm Room 102 cost-efficient alternative to chemical treatment forever. Environmental Science, New Mwxico Tech, Socorro, NM and 2New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, NM Environmental: From Gold 2:45 pm Surface-Water and Groundwater Quality in Mines pose risks to the environment and human health. King to Laguna Uranium contamination of water and soil have been Northwestern New Mexico After the Gold studied, but few studies have investigated dust trans- Chairs: V. McLemore, NMBGMR/ King Mine Release 1 2 1 1 port of U. At the Jackpile Mine, Laguna Pueblo, NM, NMTech, Socorro, NM J. Blake , S. Timmons , L. Bexfield , J. Brown and 15 sets of dust traps were installed at various heights. E. Mamer2; 1U.S. Geological Survey, Albuquerque, B. Frey 2 Some traps are within the pit; others are as far as NM and New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral 4 km away[BF1]. Soil samples were collected. Samples Resources, Socorro, NM 2 pm were acid digested, and U was analyzed by ICPMS. Introduction The Animas River in Colorado and New Mexico (NM) was We examined the correlation between dust and soil U exposed to three million gallons of water and sediment content to evaluate soil contamination as an indicator released from the Gold King Mine on August 5, 2015. of airborne contamination, while exploring the source 2:05 pm During this time, elevated concentrations of iron, man- relationship between dust and soil U. Results show that What Have We Learned From Legacy Mine ganese, arsenic (As) and lead (Pb) (among other metals) surface U varies across the landscape. Distance from Accidents and Failures in western United were observed in the surface water. The Animas Riv- the pit shows no correlation with U. Other factors control States? er enters NM near Cedar Hill and joins the San Juan accumulation, such as vegetation height and density V. McLemore; NMBGMR/NM Tech, Socorro, NM River at Farmington, NM, one of several communities and topography, which are known to have a significant At the time the General Mining Law of 1872 was written, that rely on the Animas and San Juan rivers for drink- impact on wind speeds, soil erosion and dust deposition. there was no recognition of the environmental conse- ing water and irrigation. Between Cedar Hill and Aztec, Our site has over 150 m of relief that leads to a range quences of direct discharge of mine and mill wastes NM, the Animas River is a gaining reach on a coarse of wind speeds between sites. The soil U content was into the nation’s rivers or their impact on the ecosys- scale; however, observations on a fine scale adjacent compared to site elevation and vegetation height. Evalu- tem. Miners operating on federal lands had little to to the river suggest it can be a losing reach in places, ation suggests that elevation and vegetation height may no requirement for environmental protection until the especially during the winter months when the water ta- impact local erosion and deposition of U contamination. 1960s-970s. It is important to recognize that these ear- ble is lowest. Constituents such as major ions, metals, ly miners were not breaking any laws, because there including As, and Pb, as well as field parameters such were no laws to break. There are tens of thousands as pH, temperature, specific conductance, and turbidity, 3:45 pm of inactive or abandoned mine features throughout are currently being monitored in surface water by the Mining at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant western U.S. Many of them pose only a physical haz- U.S. Geological Survey and in groundwater by the New Z. Hyder and A. Urquidez; Mining, Missouri S&T, ard, which is easily but costly to remediate. Mine ac- Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources. Rolla, MO cidents that were once common in the late 1800s to The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is owned and op- 1900s, are rare today, but still occasionally happen. erated by the U.S. Department of Energy. In addition, the On August 5, 2015, EPA personnel released ~3 mil- 3:05 pm WIPP is co-operated by the Management and Operating lion gallons of acid water from the Gold King mine, The Characterization Of Abandoned Uranium Contractor, Nuclear Waste Partnership LLC. The WIPP CO into the Animas River, resulting in re-evaluation Mines In New Mexico 1 1 2 was designed for the permanent disposal of transura- of reclamation of mines throughout the U.S. Legacy is- J. Asafo-Akowuah , A. Winton and V. McLemore ; nic (TRU) radioactive waste and TRU-mixed radioactive sues still remain and should be inventoried. Today, one 1Mineral Engineering, New Mexico Institute of Mining 2 waste resulting from the United States of America’s nu- important aspect of mine planning in a modern regula- and Technology, Socorro, NM and New Mexico clear defense programs. Transuranic radioactive waste tory setting is the philosophy, actually, the requirement in Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources, New Mexi- destined for the WIPP is mostly comprised of contami- most cases, that new mines and mine expansions must co Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, NM nated tools, clothing, and other contaminated materials. have plans and designs for closure. Although the physical safety hazard of some U mines The WIPP is a unique facility because the ore that is in NM have been mitigated, especially in the Grants extracted from the mine is not used for profit; therefore, district, there still remain many inactive/abandoned U it is not a production mine from a conventional mining 2:25 pm mines that are yet to be prioritized for reclamation. Min- perspective. This paper provides a detailed discussion How Could the Gold King Mine Water be ers operating on federal lands had little to no require- of mining plans and operations as well as safety and Passively Treated? ment for environmental protection until the 1960s and environmental considerations of this project. J. Gusek; Sovereign Consulting Inc., Lakewood, CO 1970s, although the dumping of mine wastes and mill The images of the August 2015 blowout of the Gold King tailings directly into the nation’s rivers was halted by an 4:05 pm mine pool above Silverton were dramatic. The chemical Executive Order in 1935. The objective of our research Leachability of Primary and Secondary treatment measure that was implemented is expen- is to develop a relativity inexpensive procedure to inven- tory and characterize abandoned U mines in the state Uranium Minerals sive and is certainly temporary; clearly, the thought A. Pearce and I. Walder; Earth and Environmental of addressing this situation in-perpetuity with active using the Lucky Don and Little Davie U mines as case studies. U production at the Lucky Don and Little Davie Science, New Mexico Institute of Mining and treatment is unacceptable on a number of levels. Im- Technology, Socorro, NM plementing low-tech passive treatment techniques (aka mines (Chupadero district, Socorro County) occurred constructed wetlands), coupled with innovative source 1956-1959 and 1968-1969 from several adits. Haz- Improved exploitation of the remaining uranium (U) in the control technologies are the first logical step on a “path- ard ranking of mine openings and features, using BLM Grants Mineral District, NM hinges on the development way to walk away” for this site and perhaps others in ranking methodology will be utilized for most sites. Also of a mineral-element speciation determination method. the Animas River Basin. This paper examines several we want to suggest remedial activities that would man- Understanding the mobility and leachability of U in mine logical concepts for passively treating Gold King Mine age or mitigate dangers to the environment and public wastes and ores has importance in both industrial and discharge using processes developed by Mother Nature health, while taking into consideration historical, cultural environmental applications. To this end, we evaluated herself. While passive treatment systems are viewed as and wildlife issues and mineral resource potential. the applicability of a previously established method for

10 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

copper mine waste via sequential chemical extraction: 2:25 pm and, as such, community stakeholders often focus on deionized water, NH4-acetate, NH4-oxalate, H2O2 with Digging for Survival: Female Participation the non-technical aspects of closure. Companies on carbonic acid, a combination of KClO3 and HCl followed in Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining in the the other hand often focus their closure planning efforts by boiling in HNO3, and a four-acid digestion (HNO3, HF, Tarkwa Mining Area of Ghana to meeting environmental and technical requirements HClO4, HCl) on U ores and mine waste. K. Bansah2, N. Dumakor-Dupey1 and identified by regulators. To minimize the socio-economic G. Barnes-Sakyi-Addo3; 1Mining Engineering, impacts of closure, and to ensure a shared vision for University of Mines and Technology, Tarkwa, Ghana; regional or community economic transition and devel- 2Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, opment, a strategic and inclusive approach is needed. MO and 3Georgette Barnes Limited, Accra, Ghana This paper will share knowledge on the integration of social planning into your mine closure strategy and plan. Artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) occurs in many We will share learnings from a closure process in which MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20 countries around the world, and provides a source of a diverse group of community leaders came to agree AFTERNOON livelihood for many impoverished local population in on specific actions to support economic diversification, areas where the mining occurs. This paper reports the knowing they would face closure in a 5-year timeframe. 2 pm Room 104 findings of a study that aimed at ascertaining the role of female miners in ASM and reasons why they engage such operations. Field visits were made to 12 ASM sites 3:25 pm Environmental: Sustainable in the Tarkwa Mining Area located in the Western Region Holistic Management of Water at Mine Sites of Ghana to conduct interviews with miners and espe- S. Truby and D. Gibson; Black & Veatch, Denver, CO Development cially, female participants. It was observed that over 100 Chairs: S. Fecht, Ramboll ENVIRON, women miners between the ages of 20 and 50 partici- Climate change is having an increasing impact on pate in ASM for survival. They engage in ASM because mine sites. Regional droughts have resulted in tempo- Westford, MA they have no alternative employable skills and income. rary plant closures, water quality issues, and difficulty L. Wrong, Lundin Mining, Toronto, ON, These female participants depend on ASM to sustain the meeting downstream release requirements. In other Canada lives of their dependants. areas above average rainfall has resulted in excess water being stored, complicating facility management and compliance, at times resulting in the release of 2 pm contact water to the environment, and potentially com- Introduction 2:45 pm Index of Nature Friendly Sustainability (NFS) promising facility safety. Black & Veatch has developed in Mining proven pro-active water management strategies. This 2:05 pm M. Javier; EnviroMINE, Denver, CO includes audits to identify risks, water balance model- A Stepped Approach to Integrating ing to assess the risk of shortages or surpluses, and Renewable Energy into Mining Operations Mining is the main activity that supports civilization. Ac- developing strategies to manage risks before they be- S. Tampke; Black & Veatch, Denver, CO tual mining presents contradictory concepts to health of come problems. Due to diverse capabilities we are able planet. Its business model is linear, fragmented &char- Mining requires significant amounts of reliable electric- to adopt a holistic risk management strategy. This can acterized by inefficiencies in the utilization of water, include developing strategies to release excess wa- ity to perform the necessary operations. In most cases, energy &mineral resources which generate unlimited mining operations are highly mechanical and vary de- ter, manage non-contact water, manage water quality, waste &pollution. Before mining, it is critical to deter- increase plant efficiency, and improve water supply. pending upon location and type of mining being con- mine vulnerability of ecosystem &after mining is also ducted. As operators seek an assurance of electricity The presentation will review some of the issues that critical to determine depletion of nature. Attending to are being experienced at mines, and how they can be pricing going forward and work toward sustainability these vital matters will require quantifying &measur- goals that seek to reduce the use of fossil fuels, explor- pro-actively managed using Black & Veatch’s diverse ing them. Purpose of study is to provide &establish the expertise. ing renewable energy generation has recently garnered metric to assess performance &manage a sustainable more interest. While predictable, renewable energy gen- future for our existence &that of our planet. Index is de- eration is commonly fueled by variable resources, such fined to measure & control NFS based on understanding as the sun and wind. Understanding the complexities of 3:45 pm nature, it will determine condition of nature constructed Sustainable Development with Sense and assessing, designing, managing, specifying, procuring, on the measurement of physical chemical &biological constructing, and integrating these resources with in- Sensibility: Shared Value and Stakeholder equilibrium. Proposing a new mindset in mine design Participation in a Complex Environment dustries to provide the desired power requirements is no to satisfy nature’s needs would be to offer same op- simple task. During this meeting we intend to facilitate C. Eddine; Public Admin, University of Victoria, portunities to future generations. Hence, sustainability Vancouver, BC, Canada an interactive environment where we will present the is synonymous of equilibrium under limited ecosystem. state of renewable energy (past, present, and future), Nature is interconnected. Finally, index of NFS is read- Can sustainable development and shared value be invite discussion of how the mining industry might in- able, standardized &relevant to keep nature’s needs in achieved with proper engagement? There is an ex- troduce RE into their electrical supply needs, and how equilibrium. NFS index is next metric for humanity. pectation that mineral exploration companies adopt a Black&Veatch’s global experience can be leveraged to shared-value approach to maximize local impact to- assist energy users in making decisions that fit their use wards integrated sustainable development and social profiles and corporate sustainability goals. 3:05 pm well-being. In addition, there is a demand for the sector Towards achieving a sustainable community to embrace and live by a triple bottom line framework, to meet your closure goals. aligning financial accomplishment with environmental K. Ashenbrenner and G. Burt; ERM, Minneapolis, MN respect and contribution to social development. Good governance is the epitome of sustainable development. ERM research shows that over 50% of resource develop- It encompasses informed and organized participation ment projects are delayed, with stakeholder opposition within a fair framework (rule of law) that provides acces- contributing up to 52% of those delays. Just as social sible information (transparency) and a clear and reason- risk management is a key determinant of project suc- able timeframe (responsiveness), leading to a mediation cess, it is equally important towards the end of a project of different interests towards a broad and long-term per- lifecycle in achieving your closure goals. Closure carries spective that finally results in sustainable development implications for a community’s economy, workforce, (consensus). Accountability is a key condition for good infrastructure needs, land values and site re-purposing governance. Sustainability requires a strategic partici- TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 11 patory approach through multi-stakeholder involvement are struggling with selenium include coal, copper and dewatering. The residuals from the treatment process, and can only be achieved with a holistic approach that iron ore. In the USA selenium is an issue in Utah, Arizo- including softening sludge and mixed salt cake, are con- integrates social, economic and environmental values. na, Wisconsin, Indiana, Texas and Minnesota. In Canada, centrated into a solid waste that is disposed in a landfill selenium problem is concentrated to Northern Territo- on site. Since no liquid waste leaves this facility, so this ries and British Columbia. It has been estimated that facility is called Zero Liquid Waste Facility. Our paper will 4:05 pm 15-20% of the mines in Canada need to start manage discuss the challenges faced in the design, construction Running With Scissors; How to Avoid Unforced selenium in their discharge waters. Regulation towards and operation, describe the various treatment steps and Errors Prior and During The Permitting Process: selenium is changing also in rest of the world. Brazil just present two years of operational data. Setting Yourself Up to Succeed recently released discharge limit of 6ppb and Chile and C. Hopkins; Principal, River Landing Solutions LLC, Peru are working on regulatory limits. In Europe seleni- Franklin, TN um is a problem in coal industry (Eastern Europe) and in 3:05 pm copper industry in Spain, Portugal and Poland. There are Mercury Removal from Tailings Water Most mining companies conduct endless test drilling, new technologies under development to treat selenium S. Barton; Linkan Engineering, Elko, NV environmental studies, economic studies, but they either from mine effluent waters. We have been developing forget or do not attach as much importance to the polit- two different approaches for selenium management; Abstract: Due to the high toxicity of mercury, the regu- ical aspects of the application This session will focus on Enhanced Chemical Precipitation process and Electro- latory compliance limits for discharge of treated waters identifying ways to anticipate political issues that may be chemical precipitation process. In this presentation the is 2 parts per billion, implemented in order to safeguard facing an applicant. This interactive session will provide advantage of these new technologies are compared to the downstream natural ecosystems. In some gold pro- a dialogue on how to avoid “unforced errors” that can conventional selenium management technologies cessing circuits that have high levels of mercury in the occur during the process. There is typically enough fod- ore, it can remain in aqueous solution after gold disso- der for any opponents and enough stress on the appli- lution and removal. This presentation summarizes the cant due to the opponents and finally enough pressure 2:25 pm challenges associated with treating water containing placed on the decision makers by the opponents without this problematic pollutant, as well as presents the re- Major Contributors to Mine Water Treatment sults of a multi-faceted pilot test, designed to compare making mistakes that will only increase all of these. We Design for Nonferrous Mines will discuss the need to identify and provide vital infor- select mercury removal methods, that was performed A. Martin; Mining, Foth Infrastructure & Environment, at one such mine site. This evaluation involved the use mation on the decision makers at every level, who and LLC, De Pere, WI where your opposition is likely to come from and how to of Granular Activated Carbon (GAC), a mercury-selective identify and mobilize supporters for an application that Water management, use, and treatment are an import- Ion Exchange (IX) media, and a chemical agent, sodium will counter the opponents. There is a need to put the ap- ant part of mine operations and closure. We will discuss dithiocarbamate (NaDTC), which were tested to un- plication into perspective and create a campaign for the the significant contributors to water treatment design: derstand their effectiveness and to enable selection of project in order reduce the chances of delay or defeat. tailings facility design, waste characterization, ore pro- the best overall mitigation process for the site-specific We will discuss ways to work with the community and cessing and effluent characteristics, and discharge per- waters. This presentation cites the test data associated what gets the applicant the most return on their invest- mit limits. Modeling the contributors must suffice for a with each trialed method of contaminant reduction, and ments with the local community. project under development, however; operating mines the test data that suggested desorption of thallium from have real data to optimize operations and refine model iron salt coagulants as a result of the sodium dithiocar- predictions. Ore processing and tailings geochemistry in bamate addition. particular drive the liberation of metals and the potential for acid mine drainage (ARD), affecting short- and long- term water treatment needs. That said, a rigorous waste 3:25 pm characterization program provides value throughout Dissolved Silica Removal from RO Brine MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20 mine life and in many Midwestern states is subject to J. Wheeler and S. Billin; Linkan Engineering, Elko, NV AFTERNOON regulatory requirements. We will discuss how an inte- The potential for silica scale is real and can be very grated approach to design, operations, closure, and the detrimental to the health of any Reverse Osmosis (RO) priority and variability of various contributors impact the 2 pm Room 108 system. Silica not only decreases performance, but can ultimate water treatment design and operations and can irreparably damage the surface of an RO membrane to significantly affect project economics. the extent that replacement is the only remediation. The Environmental: risk of silica fouling is especially high in systems that either reprocess or treat RO brine through multiple RO Water Treatment 2:45 pm passes. Systems in remote areas where brine storage is Chairs: D. Graves, TREC, Inc., Two Years of Operational Experience of limited and/or waste volumes must remain low are often Bozeman, MT Centralized Mine Water Treatment Facility in known to operate this way. In situations like this, anti- West Virginia scalant is not enough and either pretreatment of silica or I. Montero, BP Remediation Manage- S. Muddasani, K. Banerjee and K. Benson; Veolia a different technology is required. This presentation will ment, Houston, TX water, Pittsburgh, PA discuss the limitations of antiscalant and the equipment A centralized mine water treatment plant was built in and adsorption options that are available to mitigate 2 pm 2011 in West Virginia to treat mine water collected from the risk of silica scale. It will also discuss a recent pond Introduction six different locations. The objective of this advanced wa- treatment application in which silica was sufficiently re- ter treatment system was to meet a strict regulatory lim- moved for RO processing. 2:05 pm itation imposed by the West Virginia Department of Envi- Selenium in Mining Industry Waters – New ronmental Protection for chlorides discharged to surface Solutions for this Challenging Element water. The system is designed to treat a maximum flow of M. Martikainen, N. Isomäki, A. Mäkinen 5 million gallons per day of mine water. The mine wa- and T. van der Meer; Outotec, Espoo, Finland ter is treated using advanced treatment technology to produce clean water for reuse or discharge. The treat- Selenium is a growing problem in North America with ment process consists of aeration, softening, filtration, regulatory limits for discharge water in Canada and USA reverse osmosis (RO), RO reject softening, evaporation, as low as 5 ppb. In the USA, major mining industries that crystallization, final effluent remineralization and sludge

12 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

3:45 pm MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20 evaluating and comparing the effectiveness of HEPA vs MERV 16 quality filters in the system, and 3) evaluating A Next-Generation Approach to Bioreactor AFTERNOON Optimization for Selenium and Nitrate and comparing the use of three different pressure mon- itoring devices as a method of determining the perfor- Treatment Using Microbial Community 2 pm Room 612 Profiling (MCP Testing) mance of the filtration and pressurization system over V. Friesen and M. Haakensen; Contango Strategies, time. The protection factor was quantified on a monthly Saskatoon, SK, Canada basis using particle counters in the respirable range (1 – Health & Safety: Metric-Driven 10 um), and gravimetric dust samples were gathered at Advances in microbial technologies in the past five years Approaches to Implementing the beginning and end of the overall study. Under static have revolutionized the understanding of how microbes conditions the single filter filtration unit installed offered affect mining processes, and improved accessibility of H&S Interventions: A Series a protection factor between 25 and 244, depending on testing. Microbes are now known to impact a wide range the filter type and loading condition. The particle count- of mining activities, including heap-leaching, bioreac- of Case Studies ing analysis shows that the MERV 16 filter offers a pro- tors, acid rock drainage, and passive water treatment. Chairs: E. Haas, National Institute tection factor greater than 4 times that of the HEPA filter Next-generation microbial community profiling (MCP) for Occupational Safety and Health, when evaluated over 60 minutes. The booth pressure testing now enables effective decision making associ- Pittsburgh, PA monitors provided data that proved to be a valid indica- ated with activities that are impacted by microbes. This tor of system performance over time. presentation will provide an introduction to the current C. Smith state of technologies used to understand microbial biogeochemical processes as they relate to the mining 2 pm 2:45 pm sector (such as bioreactors). The application of microbial Introduction Research of the Injury Rates in Selected community profiling technologies will be presented in the Mining Sectors and the Economic Benefits context of a bioreactor case study, where systems were 2:05 pm of Mine Safety Improvements operated under different conditions for processes and A Case Study Exploring Field Level Risk C. Fuellenbach1, J. Brune2 and H. Mischo1; 1Technical cost optimization for treatment of nitrate and selenium. Assessments as a Leading Safety Indicator University Bergakademie Freiberg, Freiberg, Germany E. Haas1, B. Connor1, R. Heiser2 and J. Vendetti2; and 2Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 1Office of Mine Safety and Health Research, National Occupational safety and health plays an important role 4:05 pm Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Pitts- in the mining industry. An example for a safety improve- 2 Preparation of Fe 2O 3-Opal as a burgh, PA and Solvay Soda Ash & Derivatives North ment program in Germany is the “Vision Zero” program Heterogeneous Fenton Catalyst and America, Green River, WY developed by the German professional association for Degradation Characteristics of Dye Waste Health and safety indicators help minesites predict the the raw materials and chemical industries (BG RCI). Water likelihood of an event, advance initiatives that may con- Researchers at the Colorado School of Mines have in- X. Wang, H. Li and J. Chen; Department of Mineral trol risks, and track progress. Although useful to encour- vestigated the correlation between safety performance processing, Henan polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, age organizational entities to work together, executing and profitability in several mining companies. The goal Henan, China such risk assessments comes with challenges. This of this research was to use engineering and econom- paper focuses on one trona mine’s experience in the ic methods to determine whether mines with lower An efficient Fe2O3–Opal was synthesized as a het- erogeneous catalyst for photo-Fenton degradation of development and implementation of a field level risk as- accident frequencies and severity rates are also more organic contaminants. Rhodamine B was chosen as sessment (FLRA) program to help their workers under- productive and profitable operations. The research aims the model organic pollutant and factors affecting the stand and manage risk to an acceptable level. Through to quantify economic benefits of safety improvements dye degradation were investigated. Rhodamine B deg- a transformational process of ongoing support and com- in the German mining industry, with special regards to radation was excellent at pH 3. When the catalyst of munication, Solvay Chemicals fostered a culture of trust salt and potash and aggregates mining. The research and safety grounded in risk assessment, safety interac- focuses on the evaluation of incident rates across the 0.1 g/L and H2O2 of 5.0 mmol/L and rhodamine B of 8.5 mg/L were introduced to the reaction solution, the tions, and hazard correction. The application of consis- last decades and its correlation to business numbers degradation ratio of rhodamine B was 100% under solar tent tools was critical to create a participatory workforce like profit and productivity. Another aspect studied is the light irradiation in 100 minutes. In addition, the effects that not only talks about safety, but actively identifies comparison of incidence rates between the western and of different light, materials, and systems on removal ef- energies that contribute to hazards and potential inci- eastern States of Germany as well as the dependence of ficiency of rhodamine B was investigated. The results dents. Reflecting on their process of FLRA implementa- the injury rates from the enterprise size. showed that the degradation of rhodamine B in the opti- tion, this paper provides examples of likely barriers sites mum condition of visible light photo-Fenton system had may encounter when trying to improve safety culture 3:05 pm been reached. and manage risks. However, the performance metrics Accidents of the Past Compared with Acci- as provided on these qualitative FLRA’s are well worth dents of Today the initial struggle to minimize incidents on site. C. Enright and J. Brune; Mining Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 2:25 pm While mining has evolved in technology, techniques, Quantifying and Monitoring Control Room equipment and design, have accidents changed? The Protection Factors Against Respirable Dust authors present a detailed comparison for accidents at at an Underground Crusher Booth a single metal mine in 1973 with accident and injury J. Patts, A. Cecala, J. Rider, J. Organiscak and statistics from a comparable mine in 2013. The authors J. Zimmer; Pittsburgh Mining Research Division, compare and contrast different mechanisms of injury, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, locations and types of accidents, and other pertinent Pittsburgh, PA details to determine if and how accidents have changed NIOSH recently completed a 15-month study at an un- in 40 years. derground limestone mine crusher booth which eval- uated three research parameters: 1) the effectiveness of a single filter filtration and pressurization system for improving the air quality inside the operator booth, 2)

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 13 3:25 pm both field employees and management are accountable 3:05 pm Driving Leadership Interventions Using to participate? Does this process of combined effort Electromagnetic Interference with Proximity Metrics and the Positive ‘Name And Shame’ and accountability on behalf of management and field Detection Systems Methodology - Case Study: Asahi Refining workers yield a more positive safety culture?For two J. Noll, R. Matetic, J. Li, J. Srednicki, C. Zhou, US and Canada and half years executive management participation was J. Ducarme and M. Reyes; NIOSH, Pittsburgh, Pa, M. Routledge; H&S Division Board, Park City, UT recorded on a daily basis with simple safety expecta- United States Minor Outlying Islands tions, similar to those of field employees. Thousands of Using simple metrics and displaying results of perfor- active efforts and example setting opportunities were In April 2016, MSHA began requiring the use of con- mance, Asahi Refining created a “Visible Safety Cul- tracked and identified. Executive leadership support tinuous personal dust monitors (CPDM) to monitor and ture’ that drove significant risk reduction across the and self-discipline as a tool to motivate and influence measure respirable coal dust exposures to underground operations. Setting targets for all employees from the field worker safety behavior was utilized and tracked. miners. After its implementation, mine operators dis- operators through to the president and using mobile The results were critical in identifying the greater impact covered that the CPDM caused malfunctions to prox- technology for recording field based safety interven- that Upper management can have on the safety culture imity detection systems (PDS), thus exposing miners to tions, the organization held each other accountable for of an organization when combined with the efforts of all striking and pinning from continuous mining machine. proactively looking for and addressing hazards that may employees. NIOSH was sought out by MSHA and the mining industry cause injury or fatality. In measuring the performance of to determine the cause of the malfunction of the PDS. each employee equally and following up on expectations NIOSH investigated existing standards, developed test using lean boards and a web based portal, the whole 2:25 pm protocols, designed experiments, and conducted lab team through a positive ‘name and shame’ process, Learning from the Manefay Highwall Failure and field evaluations. The malfunctions were found to were held accountable to take action. The visibility of B. Ross; 90 Degree Consulting LLC, Tucson, AZ be caused from electromagnetic interference (EMI) from risk across the busniess gave the senior team the infor- The Manefay highwall failure at Rio Tinto Kennecott’s the CPDM. Results showed that there was interference mation needed to prioritize resources and focus them Bingham Canyon Mine was significantly larger and had negligible to the PDS at a separation distance between on both high frequency injury mechanisms and more a very different failure mechanism than any failure the the CPDM and the miner wearable component of the importantly low frequency high consequence events that mine had experienced in its 107-year history. This fail- PDS of at least 6 inches. In order to operate the CPDM could cause fatality. After 1 year of using the methodol- ure forced the mine personnel to look at potential high- and PDS simultaneously, the CPDM and miner wearable ogy, Asahi Refining has removed significant fatal risks wall failures differently that it had in the past. This paper, component currently need to be equal or greater than 6 from the business and achieved an 80% reduction in which is based on the new book, Rising to the Occasion inches from each other. all injury rates. – Lessons from the Bingham Canyon Manefay Slide describes how the knowledge gained from the Mane- fay was used to identify and prevent a second potential 3:25 pm failure that could have been even more devastating than Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) the Manefay itself. Applications in Underground Coal Mines C. Zhou, N. Damiano, B. Whisner and M. Reyes; NIOSH, Pittsburgh, PA MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20 2:45 pm AFTERNOON Impact of Aging on Performance of Impactor The industrial Internet of Things (IIOT), a concept that combines sensor networks and control systems, has and Sharp-Cut Cyclone Size Selectors for been employed in several industries to improve produc- 2 pm Room 610 DPM Sampling tivity and safety. NIOSH researchers are investigating IIOT S. Gaillard and E. Sarver; Mining and Minerals applications to identify challenges and potential solutions Engineering, Virgina Tech, Blacksburg, VA for transferability from other industries to mining. Spe- Health & Safety: Technology Diesel particulate matter (DPM) is an occupational health cifically, NIOSH reviewed existing communications and hazard in underground mining environments. DPM con- tracking systems used in underground U.S. coal mines Development, Adaptation, centrations are generally determined by collecting filter to determine capabilities to support IIOT networks. The and Integration to Address samples for subsequent analysis by the NIOSH 5040 (or results showed that about 40% of the installed post- similar) standard method. Since DPM generally occurs in accident communication systems in 2014 require min- H&S Challenges the submicron size range, a size selector is used during imal or no modification to support IIOT applications by Chairs: M. Routledge, H&S Division Board sampling to exclude larger particles that could compli- providing internet access to underground coal mines. E. Clausen, TU Clausthal, cate analysis. The SKC diesel particulate matter impactor NIOSH researchers also developed an IIoT monitoring (DPMI) is commonly used in conjunction with a Dorr-Oliver and control prototype system based on low cost circuit Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Germany cyclone to exclude particles greater than about 0.8µm; boards, to detect a door opening on a refuge alternative, and a sharp-cut cyclone (SCC), used alone, has recently activate fans located inside the Pittsburgh experimental 2 pm been shown to perform comparably. DPMIs are single-use mine and activate an alarm beacon on the surface. The Introduction devices that become loaded over time, and replacement results of this feasibility study can be used to explore is recommend after about 8 hours of use; overloading can IIOT applications in underground coal mines based on 2:05 pm impact DPM measurements. SCCs can be used repeat- existing communications and tracking infrastructure. Tracking the Leading Indicators by Utilizing edly, but they may require periodic cleaning to maintain Leaderhsip Participation desired performance. This study evaluates the effect of J. Wickizer; Brahma Group Inc, Salt Lake City, UT DPMI and SCC aging (i.e., gradual accumulation of par- ticulates) on accuracy of DPM measurements in a real Safety and health statistics have been measured using mine environment. negative outcomes determined by field worker experi- ences, incident and accident data as one example. The measurement criterion for field service worker perfor- mance is determined by expectations set by regulatory agencies, customer expectations and internal corporate management. What is the outcome if more proactive safety measures are implemented by management and

14 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

3:45 pm MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20 worldwide. These applications have spanned over sev- eral areas such as heavy metals remediation, phospho- MINER Act Technology: Past, Present, AFTERNOON and Future rous remediation and neutralization of acid mine drain- D. Snyder, S. Moore and J. Burr; NIOSH, Pittsburgh, PA age. This presentation will cover the role the chemistry, 2 pm Room 110 mineralogy, and physical nature of these materials plays The Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response in their success. Act of 2006 (MINER Act Public Law 109-206) was passed by Congress in response to three major under- Industrial Minerals & ground coal mine accidents in the United States that 3:05 pm claimed the lives of 19 miners. The Act resulted in sub- Aggregates: Innovations in Improving the Process of Blending Consistent stantial changes in the underground coal industry rela- tive to the use of technology for mine escape, rescue, Agriculture and Predictable Feed in the Nickel Smelting disaster response, and other areas where the lack of Chairs: L. Moore, ArrMaz, Mulberry, FL Process Using PGNAA Technology these technologies contributed to the fatalities caused P. Golbayani, Imerys, Kennesaw, GA A. Montera; SABIA, Inc., San Diego, CA by these disasters. This year marks the 10th anniversary ABSTRACT The process of blending consistent and of the MINER Act, which makes it an opportune time to 2 pm predictable feed for the roasters is critical to optimiz- reflect on the events that led to its passage, the chang- Introduction ing product quality and controlling production costs. To es that have been made since then, and the work that assist in this process, Online PGNAA Slurry Analyzers remains to be done. The last decade has demonstrated have been installed and evaluated at a Sudbury Ontario tremendous cooperative efforts between the mining op- 2:05 pm smelter. They are used to measure 100% of the full pro- erators, technology innovators, labor, NIOSH, and regu- Impact of Clay on Phosphate Beneficiation cess stream to obtain elemental composition data in real lators, resulting in substantial improvement of the tech- L. Moore, G. Wang, R. Xiong, Z. Gu and S. Renslow; time. This paper explains the application details at Sud- nologies used for escape and rescue and noteworthy Mining, ArrMaz, Mulberry, FL bury and the benefits achieved from their Full Stream, progress towards meeting many of the goals of the MIN- Clays are known to contribute to a wide range of mineral Elemental Slurry Analyzers. ER Act. This paper will review these accomplishments of processing challenges. These challenges can haunt a the past, and the challenges of the future, relative to the plant from the pit, through the beneficiation plant and MINER Act technology development objectives. even to the tailings pond and process water. Each step that the clay is present can potentially experience signif- icant and costly impacts to the process efficiencies. The 4:05 pm effect of clay minerals on the performance of phosphate MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20 Characteristics and Controlling Factors of flotation was investigated. The investigation led to an un- the E-Field of Electrode-Based Through-the- derstanding of the movement of clay through the benefi- AFTERNOON Earth (TTE) Communication ciation plant, the impact on reagent usage, and the overall L. Yan, C. Zhou and M. Reyes; CDC/NIOSH, flotation performance. 2 pm Room 112 Pittsburgh, PA The MINER Act requires the installation of post-acci- 2:25 pm Industrial Minerals & dent, two-way communications and electronic track- Overview of Calcium Carbonate ing systems for all coal mines. One communication Aggregates: Mine Plan system which can satisfy this requirement is an elec- Applications in Agriculture trode-based, TTE communication system which sends P. Golbayani; Carbonates, Imerys, Kennesaw, GA Optimization its signal directly through the overburden of a mine. The Calcium carbonate use in agriculture is vast and varied. Chairs: E. Tarshizi, Michigan performance of these types of systems relies on sever- There are a variety of ground calcium carbonate prod- Technological University, Houghton, MI al controlling factors such as communication distance, ucts used in various agricultural applications, including a conductivity of the ground and antenna alignment. carrier for agricultural chemicals, a soil sweetener, crop J. Zdunczyk, Pike Industries, Inc., In an effort to estimate attenuation through the earth, UV protection, and mineral supplement for farm animals. Westbrook, ME NIOSH researchers developed an analytic solution for In addition, agricultural lime is a mineral fertilizer used the electrical field distribution of an electrode-based to neutralize and nourish the agricultural land. It cor- 2 pm TTE communication system and validated it using rects soil acidity and pH levels by neutralizing the acids Introduction field data measured at an operating coal mine. The re- in soils so that the micro-organisms can thrive break sults of the validation will be discussed in this paper. down plant and animal residues and free the elements 2:05 pm The validated model can be used to optimize the oper- required for healthy growth of the land. This is vital to Be Aware of Partial Passes ating frequency, estimate the required transmitting cur- maximizing crop yield, animal grazing, and good quality L. Tolley, J. Wientjes, R. Kafka and J. Mills; Application rent, choose appropriate TX/RX orientation, and predict silage/hay. In this study, we provide the overview of cal- Engineering, Komatsu America Corp., Peoria, IL the performance of an electrode-based TTE system at cium carbonate application in the agricultural industry. a coal mine. As a leading manufacturer and supplier of large-scale mining equipment, Komatsu strives to offer exceptional 2:45 pm support to its customers, including through application Utilization of Steel Furnace Slag in studies. The Komatsu America Corp. (KAC) Application Environmental Remediation Engineering group conducts mine site visits in hopes of J. Yzenas; Edw. C. Levy Co., Valparaiso, IN optimizing production and reducing costs. Recently the group has been involved in multiple studies involving the While Blast Furnace Slag (Iron) have been utilized in effectiveness of partial passes. These analyses include many aggregate applications over the years, Steel Slag the production impact of partial passes for a loader is just starting to come into its own. One of the more in- dependent versus truck dependent application. Infor- teresting applications for steel furnace slag is in environ- mation considered in these analyses include such pa- mental remediation. This is a somewhat non-traditional rameters as fleet specifications, bucket size, bucket fill role for these materials, but it has seen acceptance factor, cycle times, spot times, number of passes, loose

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 15 density, etc. This paper will review the key processes 3:05 pm and defining mineral resources. Various modeling and calculations incorporated in the productivity aspect Integrated Uncertainty and Risk-Informed techniques can be utilized to assess multiple forms of of using partial passes. Effort will be made to convey Decision Making Framework: Using Key Risk data layers supplying a singular thematic output. Using these procedures both numerically and graphically in a Drivers for Optimizing the Mine Plan Fuzzy Logic modeling, we have generated mineraliza- concise step by step manner. The intent is to provide P. Felli and V. Tenorio; Mining and Geological Engi- tion potential models for various mineral commodities a conceptual understanding of appropriate scenarios to neering, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ throughout North America. This presentation will high- utilize partial passes and the possible negative impact light our methods, results, and applications of utilizing partial passes can have on production. In the process of developing a strategic mine plan for these modern techniques to generate and evaluate frac large-scale open pit mines during times of operation sand potential throughout WI. and financial uncertainty, an approach that combines 2:25 pm systems engineering processes and decision theories Using a QSO Expert Model to Generate which emphasize the proper use of risk analysis is re- 2:25 pm Quarry Optimization Plan to Improve quired in order to achieve project success. This study is Using Public Data to Generate Exploration Operation at Holcim Limestone Quarry, focused on providing an understanding of how uncer- Targets in the Midwestern United States: a tainty and risk are leveraged for effective strategic deci- Minnesota Example Crystal River, Florida, USA sion-making. The key assumption is that mine planning R. Murphy; Clay Exploration, Acme Brick Company, K. Boakye, T. Newman, M. Toelle and P. Bláha; Cement can be modelled as a complex distributed organization, Denton, TX Manufacturing, LafargeHolcim, Crystal River, FL where each model component has its own unique ob- Acme Brick Company manufactures fired clay brick for This paper presents a quarry optimization plan using a jectives. Full value is only realized when all objectives residential and commercial use. Various publicly avail- block model and an in-house developed quarry sched- are met. Key risk drivers that have a profound interest able datasets are used within Acme Brick for gener- uling and optimization software (QSO Expert) to help on the success or failure of the project are identified ating exploration targets for the expansion of our clay improve quarry operation at Crystal River. The Crystal and analyzed for each sub-unit. These are classified into reserves. A discussion of commonly used data and tech- River Quarry is an underwater quarrying operation that focus areas, pertinent to strategic mine planning and niques is useful as is a concrete example of this process barges limestone via the Gulf of Mexico, as the main design, namely block modeling, ultimate pit design, pit in action. Acme acquired the Ochs Brick Company in source of raw material to a cement plant in Theodore, optimization, pushback design, production scheduling Springfield Minnesota in late 2008 and the Exploration Alabama. To improve the quarry operation, an evalua- and optimization. Each of these groups is then analyzed Department was assigned the task of assessing raw tion was completed to optimize the quarry planning and based on six categories: objectives, preparation, execu- material reserves for the new acquisition. Exploration extraction procedures of the quarry. In order to achieve tion, environment, resilience, and results. for industrial minerals such as clay and aggregates in this, additional exploration drilling campaign was imple- southern Minnesota is very challenging due to the ge- mented, a new block model was re-calculated and the ology of the region. With assistance from the Minnesota latest version of QSO Expert software was used. The pri- Natural Resources Research Institute and the Minnesota mary economic impact is a higher recovery of limestone Geological Survey, Acme Exp was able to locate and se- reserves sustainability of resources, corresponding cure suitable raw materials for the Ochs Plant. higher quarry life. Secondarily as the limestone is mined MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20 underwater, a reduction in moisture content is achieved AFTERNOON with direct cost impact on limestone shipping. In addi- 2:45 pm tion, a considerable reduction in operational cost was Enhanced Online Public Access to Minnesota achieved due to significant decrease in consumption of 2 pm Room 502 Minerals and Geology Data Using ArcGIS electrical energy, reduced dragline maintenance costs Online Web Maps and reduced dragline movements within the operation. K. Hanson; Lands and Minerals Division, Minnesota Mining & Exploration: Department of Natural Resources, St. Paul, MN 2:45 pm Geology: Midwest Exploration The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Pit Optimization & Optimal Waste Dumping Chair: L. Johnson, Minneapolis, MN uses Esri’s ArcGIS Online to facilitate public access to in a Land Constraint Deposit GIS data through web map applications, which are re- F. van Beuningen; Lhoist North America, Henderson, NV 2 pm placing or supplementing printed maps and GIS data Introduction downloads as sources of geological and minerals data. How to optimize reserves in a land constraint depos- One DNR web map application focuses on the potential it where dumping on potential reserves is inevitable? 2:05 pm for construction aggregate resources across the state. A During this project the land configuration was a con- Lead Generation and Evaluation of Frac Sand second identifies the locations of exploratory boreholes straining factor, and the pit optimization process re- and areas of metallic mineral exploration. Supplemental quired an iterative approach in which the topography is Targets in the Midwestern US; A Geospatial map layers, such as Minnesota Geological Survey’s GIS changing after every run due to the fact that the waste Perspective data, add additional value to these web maps, which dump is created on top of potential future ore reserves. R. Bergmann and B. Lentz; Big Rock Exploration LLC, can be used by the public without need of GIS software. Original Whittle pit shapes are not valid after the creation Minneapolis, MN of these waste dumps and require an updated topogra- Industrial silica sand has been a strong topic of dis- phy. A good understanding of the deposit – including a cussion over the last five years due to the emerging 3:05 pm good knowledge of the areas which can be ‘sacrificed’ frac sand markets. In light of this, it is imperative to New Structural Theory Ignites Innovative for waste storage – is required to locate the waste understand the distribution and potential of industrial Gold Exploration in the Black Hills, South dumps in the best location. The potential re-handling of sand production throughout the Midwestern U.S. This Dakota waste dumps in order to maximize NPV and ore utiliza- study focuses on modeling 5 years of data compilation B. Lentz and R. Bergmann; F3 Gold, LLC, tion was an ongoing question during this project. This and field work aimed at defining areas of high po- Minneapolis, MN process required a high level of manual adjustments tential for future Tier 1 frac sand production. The The Black Hills of South Dakota have a long history of since not all steps can be automated by the software. study criteria include: scientific, geospatial, trans- economic gold production. The Homestake mine was The report shows the approach and corresponding ben- portation, and socio-economic factors contributing the most prolific and produced over 40M oz of gold av- efit of including mining cost per location in the geologi- to frac sand developments throughout MN and WI. eraging 8.35 g/ton in its 100+ year history. It is consid- cal block model for a dipping deposit. The ability to spatially analyze massive amounts of ered to be one of the richest and largest iron-formation data has developed new approaches to exploring hosted gold mines on earth and to date, a comparable

16 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

deposit of size and grade has yet been found within the more than 30 years since SEC’s rules were last revised Key hydrogeologic parameters like specific yield, aquifer Black Hills region. Recent academic studies propose a even though other jurisdictions, as part of the CRIRSCO thickness, heterogeneity, Li grade, ion-exchange, and new structural model for the eastern Black Hills with framework, have streamlined reporting rules in response groundwater budget control the Resource evaluation. striking comparisons to mineralizing structures present to increased globalization of the mining industry. The Conversion of Resources to Reserves must be evaluated at Homestake. This modern theory combined with our proposed rules, generally, align the SEC’s rules with the in the context of fluid flow dynamics and brine extract- extensive database and field work suggests numerous CRIRSCO template and similar rules such as the SME’s ability. This paper identifies hydrogeologic parameters, targets containing favorable geology, alteration, and Guide for Reporting Exploration Results, Mineral Resourc- describes industry standard evaluation methods, and structure to host another Homestake like deposit. F3 es and Mineral Reserves. Among other things, the rules develops the framework to convert Resources to Re- Gold, LLC, a privately held gold company, has completed require companies with material mining operations to serves. Evaluation methods that could affect Reserve years of research and exploration work in collaboration disclose mineral resources, mineral reserves and mate- estimates, such as dilution, in-situ recovery, well field with numerous Universities and Big Rock Exploration, rial exploration results. They also stipulate that any such design, chemical transport, and processing controls are LLC, an exploration consulting company. The results of disclosure must be based on, and accurately reflect, work considered. this study work are exhibited in this presentation and done by a qualified person. These rules represent a signif- include; detailed geological mapping, geophysics, and icant change in the disclosure framework for mining com- geochemical sampling suggesting untapped potential panies raising capital on US markets. This presentation 3:05 pm for gold in the Black Hills of South Dakota. discusses the major differences between the proposed Integrating Artificial Neural Networks And rules, Guide 7, and CRIRSCO-type rules and the implica- Geostatistics for Optimum 3D Geological 3:25 pm tions for mining professionals. Block Modeling in Mineral Reserve Geology, Ore Deposits, and the Mineral Estimation: A Case Study Potential of the Precambrian Rocks of A. Jalloh; Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan 2:25 pm Northern Minnesota In this research, a method called ANNMG is presented D. Peterson; Peterson Geoscience LLC, Duluth, MN Economic Evaluation of Rare Earth Elements (REEs) in Alaskan Coals to integrate Artificial Neural Networks and Geostatis- Precambrian terranes of northeastern Minnesota host nu- R. Pothina, T. Gupta, T. Ghosh and R. GANGULI; tics for optimum mineral reserve evaluation. The word merous world-class ore deposits. Mesoproterozoic rocks Mining Engineering, University of Alaska Fairbanks, ANNMG simply means Artificial Neural Network Model of theMid-Continent Rift contain both large tonnage dis- Fairbanks, AK integrated with Geostatiscs. In this procedure, the Arti- seminated Cu-Ni-PGE deposits in the Duluth Complex and a ficial Neural Network was trained, tested and validated high-grade Ni-Cu-PGE deposit hosted in conduit-type Alaska is endowed with rich mineral deposits that using assay values obtained from exploratory drillholes. settings. The sedimentary rocks of the Paleoproterozoic consist of potential strategic, critical, and rare earth Next, the validated model was used to generalize min- Animikie basin host the great iron deposits of the Mesabi elements. REEs play a critical role in national defense, eral grades at known and unknown sampled locations Iron Range, and historically great massive hematite ores aerospace, renewable energy, high-tech, health care inside the drilling region respectively. Finally, the repro- were mined from the Neoarchean Vermilion greenstone and many other industries. Increasing demand for duced and generalized assay values were combined belt. In addition to discussing these known deposits, the REE and critical minerals warrants the search for new and fed to geostatistics in order to develop a geological talk will highlight recent geologic work on the mineral resources, such as coal and its byproducts. Alaskan 3D block model. The regression analysis revealed that potential of other deposit types, including lode gold, Cu- coal deposits are rich in REEs and comprises of both the predicted sample grades were in close proximity to Zn massive sulfides, titanium, graphite, and diamonds. Light and Heavy REEs. However, the economic viability the actual sample grades. The generalized grades from and feasibility of Alaskan coal deposits as a secondary the ANNMG show that this process could be used to source of REEs needed to be investigated. The authors complement exploration activities thereby reducing drill- conducted economic analyses on certain Alaska coals ing requirement. It could also be an effective mineral for their economic viability. Two Alaskan coals (samples) reserve evaluation method that could produce optimum MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20 from Wishbone Hill and Healy were successfully ana- block model for mine design. AFTERNOON lyzed in the past, for the presence of REEs. Important characteristics of these REEs like density and concen- tration were also investigated through size analysis, 3:25 pm 2 pm Room 504 float-sink tests, and magnetic separation. The authors Identifying Oppertunities for Selective conducted a feasibility study, cost-benefit analysis, Mining in Open Pit Bulk Mining Operations: A Mining & Exploration: Geology: cash-flow analysis along with establishment of pricing Case Study from Cortez Hills Open Pit and marketing strategies. The results were subsequent- J. Baar, M. McMullen and G. Kurz; Technical Services, Mineral Evaluation ly compared with emerging pricing models like ‘micro Barrick Gold Cortez, Elko, NV economic pricing’. Chairs: A. Samal, GeoGlobal LLC, Barrick’s Cortez Hills Open Pit recently encountered a Riverton, UT previously unidentifed, isolated high grade ore zone in B. Atkinson, Denver, CO 2:45 pm the middle of their active open pit operation. This nar- Resource and Reserve Evaluation Factors for row and steeply dipping ore zone was located in an area 2 pm Lithium Brines designed for Life of Mine ramps. As a bulk mining gold Introduction T. Cluff; WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff, Reno, NV operation, the narrow ore zone presented previously unencountered issues with extraction. The orientation Exploration for lithium (Li) resources in brine ground- and constrained nature of the the ore zone required high 2:05 pm water has jumped in recent years to meet anticipated definition for minimal dilution. The challenge was miti- Proposed SEC Rules for Disclosure of demand. Unlike hard rock resources, evaluating a brine gated with a series of reverse circulation (RC) drilling as Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and resource and converting to a reserve statement en- well as selective infill blast hole campaigns. Mineral Reserves: What You Need to Know tail unique considerations pertaining to brine flow and K. Awuah-Offei; Mining & Nuclear Engineering, Mis- capture. This difference between hard rock and fluid souri University of Science & Technology, Rolla, MO ore requires additional guidance for mineral resource The Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) recently statements to meet SEDAR 43-101standards. Li brine proposed revisions to the property disclosure require- resources are controlled by the host aquifer’s charac- ments for mining companies, which are contained in Item teristics and require thorough characterization of hydro- 102 of Regulation S-K and Industry Guide 7. It has been geologic properties, the Li resource, and provenance.

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 17 3:45 pm to self-select these characteristics. By most standards, mine in NSW, Australia. For analysis, authors con- Risk Analyses in a Mineral Resource you would expect workers exhibiting these traits to re- sidered several productivity indices such as labour Estimate: Useful Technical Details for quire minimal supervision. But is this true? Is this how productivity and cost-based productivity. In the long- Project Financing most current engineering managers lead? Looking at wall extraction process, an average equipment A. Samal; GeoGlobal LLC, Riverton, UT some current theories on leadership combined with downtime such as belt or shearer, AFC, BSL, roof personal anecdotes, this presentation will look at some supporter issues is 574 minutes per month. This Use of single estimate of tonnage and associated grade common misconceptions about leading engineers. accounts for 59% of the frequency of delay and of the mineral resource, at a predefined (or calculated) 39% of the total downtime. Regression results show cutoff grade is common practice in the mining industry. as follows: First, reducing equipment-related down- Key technical risks and opportunities associated with 2:45 pm time of the longwall system by one hour can save estimated resource can be translated into reduction or, Leadership During Times of Crisis 4,590 AUD. Second, reducing the cost share of the an increase of tonnages and improvement or decline of B. Ross; 90 Degree Consulting LLC, Tucson, AZ maintenance and repair by 1% can save the unit cost quality of the mineable mineral resources. The resource per shift by 2,938 AUD. Third, the relationship between estimation techniques should be dictated by the style of Leadership is always critical for organizations – but es- equipment related downtime and labour productivity is mineralization. Often non-linear estimation techniques pecially when that organization is in a crisis situation. negative with statistically low significance. Considering are powerful in predicting potential risks and opportu- This paper, which is based on the new book, Rising estimation results in this study, to improve the produc- nities in mineral resource estimates. Using anonymous to the Occasion – Lessons from the Bingham Canyon tivity of a mine, the advanced total management system examples, this presentation will discuss how an investor Manefay Slide, describes some of the methods used by including proper maintenance intervals of equipments can gain very useful regarding risks and opportunities the leadership at Rio Tinto Kennecott’s Bingham Can- is needed and should be reflected in a scope of mine attributed to the geological nature of the mineralization yon Mine to prepare for and recover from the largest planning, also. and the procedures followed in the assessment of min- mining landslide in history. These methods were essen- eral resources for investment related decision making. tial in keeping people safe and returning the mine to production much faster than just about anyone thought 3:45 pm possible – and are applicable to everyday operations. Effects of the Blast Induced Vibrations on Mine Planning According to Relocation 3:05 pm of Existing Administrative Buildings, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20 a Case Study Improving Mine Performance through 1 2 1 AFTERNOON Communication J. Sattarvand and M. Baseri ; Mining and Metallurgi- F. Arboleda; Research, acQuire Technology Solutions, cal Engineering, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, NV 2Mining Eng., Sahand University, Tabriz, Iran (the 2 pm Room 506 Applecross, WA, Australia and Islamic Republic of) A critical component to optimize performance and The study conducted to determine the best site specific productivity at mine operations is to ensure material is Mining & Exploration: vibration propagation law through numerous measured routed correctly and efficiently through the core mine blast events at a large open pit copper mine. Severe Management: production activities of drilling, blasting and grade con- topographical condition of the mine site along with the trol. Multiple teams are involved in the mining extraction low prices of the copper during start up time of the mine Mine Management process. These teams are all under time pressure to led to a mine facilities layout selection that was quite Chair: T. Camm, Montana Tech, Butte, MT perform. One of the root causes of this pressure is the close to the open pit and had to be replaced after market dependencies between the teams. They do not operate recovery and expansion of the ultimate pit limits. Study in isolation, but are a link in a chain depending on the revealed that under current blasting condition and pro- 2 pm outcomes of each activity. It is essential communication duction plan, mine facilities will be highly damaged after Introduction is efficient so tasks can be completed according to the less than two years that is a very short notice for estab- production schedule. With different systems used for the lishment of the new site. However, required modifica- 2:05 pm parts of a common goal, supervisors and managers lack tions in blasting technique and production scheduling to Luck & Skill: Black Swans & Machiavelli’s visibility of the process. This makes it difficult to iden- differ repositioning long enough are studied and offered. Ideas on Power, Fortune, Virtù tify process improvement opportunities. The proposed T. Camm; Montana Tech, Butte, MT streamlined communication solution consolidates all We hear all the time about the value of hard work and data and activities resulting in improved cooperation be- tween mine production teams. This situation raises the 4:05 pm perseverance, and the part they play in the professional Mining’s Digital Communications: Utilizing life of successful peopple. What we do not hear so much confidence and efficiency of material routing decisions. Having everyone collaborating off the same trusted data, Web Tools and Data for Enhanced Value about are the many professionals who work hard and T. Hall; Clear Creek Digital, LLC, Wheat Ridge, CO persevere, yet never seem to quite reach the level of suc- helps teams identify with common goals and find busi- cess they aim for. Some current authors are beginning to ness improvement opportunities as they appear Global connectivity provides many platforms for infor- give more attention to the part luck/black swans/tipping mation, dialogue and content sharing extending well be- points play in success. This is not a new phenomenon, yond a corporate website. Unfortunately, web sites and Machiavelli had a lot to say about it back in the Renais- 3:25 pm social media frequently curate inaccurate information sance. So how can knowledge of this dynamic help in a Effects of Equipment-Related Downtime on seldom policed. A digital reputation and footprint on- modern organization? the Productivity in Longwall Coal Mining line is becoming more critical for every business. Min- System ing companies are no exception. An inactive presence Y. Jeong1, K. Kim1 and C. Koo2; 1Mining and Geolog- through communication platforms will not strengthen a 2:25 pm icla Engineering, University of Arizona, Oro Valley, company’s reputation. Online opinions and falsehoods Managing Engineering Talent: Unique AZ and 2Korea Resources Corporation, Investment will continue to be shared with or without a mining com- Challenges to Optimize the Best and Brightest Strategy Team, Gangwon-do, Korea (the Republic of) pany’s engagement. These dialogues, however, should T. Camm1 and J. Johnson2; 1Montana Tech, Butte, MT and be seen more of an opportunity rather than a hindrance. Authors attempt to analyze the relationship between 2Mining Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT This presentation, organized into 5 topics, will provide downtimes caused by unplanned events and the introductions to finding the value these platforms offer Most engineers are bright, hard-working, reliable, and productivity of the longwall mine system, by utiliz- in stakeholder data and engagement. Topics include: prefer to avoid conflict. An engineering curriculum tends ing the monthly data collected in a underground coal 1. Understand Your Digital Footprint and Reputation, 2. 18 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

Web Analytics and Social Media Data, 3. Social Listening to FSE of the various stages of sampling and analysis. the governing colonies; however, revolutions might hap- and Engaging (Even through negative dialogue), 4. The The total relative standard deviation (RSD) of sampling pen in countries. Countries can also leave their empire User Experience, and 5. Importance of Being Mobile Re- error was determined to be 32% and 49.4% for copper to others if they see higher chance of promotion. The sponsive. Clear Creek Digital will offer examples of both and molybdenum respectively. A classical statistics anal- proposed open pit optimization algorithm presents new major mining companies and mid-caps utilizing digital ysis conducted on the data confirmed the level of RSD. rules of the assimilation to the original process. Results communication tools for their projects. About 95% of the sampling error was produced from from the application of the algorithm is studied and one step in the sampling protocol: when the 1kg sample compared to that of mathematical programming on a was reduced to 50g sample for analysis. Therefore, it real scale copper mine block model. was recommended that the 1 kg sample be ground be- fore it is split for analysis, reducing the FSE to 7.9% and 17% for copper and molybdenum respectively. 3:25 pm MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20 Building a Stockpile Model and Integrat- AFTERNOON ing Systems for Modelling Gold Grade to 2:45 pm Increase Confidence to Reduce the Risk into Industrial Strength Mine Haulage and the Short Term Mine Planning in Newmont 2 pm Room 503 Extraction Simulation: A key Towards Akyem Mine Operational Excellence B. Perez; Newmont Mining, Greenwood Village, CO H. Askari-Nasab1, M. Tabesh2 and S. Upadhyay2; Mining & Exploration: 1OpitTek Mining Consulting / University of Alberta, Newmont Akyem mine in Ghana is committed to op- Operations: Mine Planning Edmonton, AB, Canada and 2OptiTek Mining Consult- timizing results. A changing environment requires of ing Ltd, Edmonton, AB, Canada a better understanding of the deposit and the gold and Development for contained in the ore. This allowed the mine plan- A mine and extraction simulation operational planning ners to adjust and response to economic changes for Operational Excellence tool with Excel input/output interface and automated re- Gold price. Newmont Akyem Mine has approximately Chair: R. Rojas, Freeport McMoRan, porting has been developed, validated and used as part 10 million tons of ore in the stockpiles. Mine planers Tucson, AZ of the short-range planning of a large-scale oil sands were using average grade in all stockpiles. Data mining open pit operation in Canada. The simulation tool takes techniques were applied to extract several years of in- 2 pm the mine production schedule as an input and imitates formation to model with a more confident grade at the Introduction the truck-shovel haulage-systems and its interaction stockpile. A simulation of grade variation on the blend with the extraction plant including crushers and down- using the results of the produced stockpile model calcu- stream assets. The simulation tool accurately reported lates the risk of assuming average grade in the stock- 2:05 pm the major system’s KPIs at 95% level of statistical confi- piles vs. the new model. This paper describes how the Haulage Calculations for Adjacent Pushbacks dence within 3% accuracy of the historical dispatch data information in the operation database integrates with 1 2 2 1 J. Gonzales , A. Moharana and Z. Huang ; Freeport for the project. Major KPIs reported by the automated MineSight to create a stockpile model using the existing 2 McMoRan Copper & Gold, Thatcher, AZ and Hexagon output reporting system are: ore and waste production, tools used for the ore control in Newmont Akyem mine. Mining - Minesight, Tucson, AZ queue time, spot time, load time, dipper tonnage, haul Stockpiles are the main component in the weekly pro- One of the major components of Life-of-Mine plans for time, dump time, truck speeds, backup time, loading duction plans for the mine to achieve production goals. open pit mines is to calculate truck requirements, and cycle time, head grade, time and number of trucks in The stockpiles management is also crucial to response several software packages are available to the Mine En- queue, and truck-and-shovel operational KPIs. The sim- to changes in cutoff grades, sequencing, adjustment per gineer in order to automate this task. However, a recent ulation tool gives the planner capability to assess the contingency, gold price and reduction in cost in the Short application of Minesight Haulage® put into closer exam- impact of changing operational scenarios such as stock- Term Planning. ination the case when an open pit has a pair of adjacent piling, different sizes of mixed-fleet trucks, and introduc- pushbacks that are mined concurrently, and where the tion of new haul-roads into to the mine plan. Normalized haul profile corresponding to one of them is being mined results of the project will be presented. 3:45 pm by the next pushback. This paper shows how to deal Blending Confidence Classes from with this case, as the user needs to ensure that haulage Resource/Reserve Reporting Standards to calculations using Minesight Haulage® are taking into 3:05 pm Control Production Performance – a Full consideration the proper haul profile at any period. Long-term Production Scheduling of Open Case Optimization Study in a Gold Deposit Pit Mines through Imperialist Competitive M. Bijmolt1, J. Benndorf2 and M. Godoy3; 1TU Delft - Algorithm Resource Engineering, Student, DELFT, Netherlands; 2:25 pm J. Sattarvand1 and M. Mokhtarian Asl2; 1Mining and 2Professor, Freiberg, Germany and 3Group Executive, Fundamental Error Estimation and Metallurgical Engineering, University of Nevada Reno, Resource Modelling - Newmont, Denver, CO Reno, NV and 2Mining Eng., Sahand University of Accounting in the Blasthole Sampling Meeting short-term production targets is desired by Protocol at a Copper Mine Technology, Tabriz, Iran (the Islamic Republic of) 1 2 3 1 many companies, since this enables to fine-tune the R. GangulI , A. Chieregati and A. Purvee ; University Long-term production planning of an open-pit mine processing operation, meet budget plans and obey of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK; 2University of Sao is the procedure during which the rock blocks are as- 3 contract requirements. Recently stochastic optimization Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil and Mongolian University of signed to different production periods in a way that the solutions have been developed requiring geostatistical Science and Technology, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia highest net present value of the project achieved sub- simulations as input. The significant value added has A heterogeneity study was conducted at Erdenet Copper ject to operational constraints. The paper introduces a been demonstrated, however, an operational implemen- Mine in Erdenet, Mongolia, to determine the fundamental new meta-heuristic technique for this problem called tation of such approaches for day-to-day use is complex sampling error (FSE) associated with blasthole sampling. Imperialist Competitive Algorithm (ICA) inspired by the and seems currently difficult as it requires expert knowl- Using a custom designed sector sampler, six large blast- socio-political process in imperialistic competition and edge and extensive computational capacity. To control hole samples were collected to perform the test that was construction of the colonies. It starts with an initial popu- short-term deviations from production targets, a new developed by Pierre Gy to estimate the constitutional lation of solutions, representing the nations and, accord- short-term scheduler is presented that optimizes block- heterogeneity factor for several types of ore. The study ing to the quality of objective function in each solution, blends for target ratios of Geological Confidence Class- investigated the entire sampling protocol, from mine site a series of empires are built by designating some of the es. This rather simple approach uses typical uncertainty to analytical laboratory, and quantified the contributions best countries as imperialists and the rest as colonies. information available in a mine, namely classifications of Over the time, imperialists try to extend their features to TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 19 resource or grade control blocks according to interna- developing an open slot through the deposit and utilizing for ore production by adding stope access along strike. tional reporting standards with its associated levels of a longhole open stope mining method. The presentation The method is planned to be implemented over the next confidence. The optimization approach will be present- will provide a mine development update, discussion of two years as Lucky Friday commissions the new #4 ed, including a method to define critical target ratios of the mine plan, project challenges, and lessons learned. shaft and expands to greater depths. measured to indicated resource blocks. The ability of the The project challenges include intense regulatory scruti- optimizer to control target deviations is demonstrated in ny due to the project location, fast tracked underground a full scale case study in a gold deposit. delineation drilling and orebody modelling to keep pace with mine development, and development cost reduc- tions during a period of low uranium prices. 4:05 pm MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20 Extreme Redesign of the Mine Plan and Sequencing as a Safety Measure for Stability 2:25 pm AFTERNOON of Infrastructure and Ore Extraction of the Roadheader Use For Development Tunneling Turf Deposit at Newmont’s Leeville in Nevada 2 pm Room 501 Underground Mine X. Naeger; Cortez Hills, Barrick Gold, Crescent Valley, W. Robertson and K. Geddes; Engineering, Newmont NV Mining Corp., Elko, NV Barrick Cortez Underground is currently undergoing its Mining & Exploration: A full scale redesign of the mining method and se- Lower Zone Expansion project. The project includes Technology Innovations in quence has been implemented at Newmont’s Leeville underground maintenance shop, batch and shotcrete Underground Mine as a safety measure to protect the plant, loading bins and conveyor belt to deliver material Surface Mining recently completed #3 Shaft as well as all associated to surface. As part of this project, two parallel declines Chairs: E. Fretheim, Freeport-McMoRan, LOM and short term mining excavations. An increased will be mined to support the conveyor and secondary Oro Valley, AZ understanding of the geologic and geotechnical environ- traffic. The declines will be driven via use of a Sand- ments in the north areas of the Turf deposit has forced vik MH620 Roadheader. This presentation will cover an H. Ednie, GMSG, Montreal, PQ, Canada an extreme shift in production potential and ground overview of the expansion and focus on challenges and support requirements. Utilizing a site specific ground advantages with regards to roadheader use as well as 2 pm hazard model, numerical models, and an iterative cost data acquired from the first months of the project. Introduction analysis process, the northern zones of the Turf deposit have been redesigned to ensure safe and profitable pro- 2:05 pm duction of the deposit. 2:45 pm Getting Digital: How Barrick Cortez Application of Virtual Reality in Mine Embraces Digital Technology to Improve Engineering and Construction Safety and Efficiency C. Vought and C. Haws; Engineering, Cementation H. Dahlman; OP Tech Services, Barrick Cortez, Elko, USA, Sandy, UT NV The purpose of this paper is to document the investiga- Mining is an age old practice with a virtually unchang- MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20 tion and application of Virtual Reality (VR) hardware and ing method: drill, blast, load haul. In a time of limitless AFTERNOON software within the mining and minerals industry. VR is access to technology and data collection, it is time to re- an emerging technology primarily focused on gaming brand the industry. To harness new technologies to make 2 pm Room 505 that has tremendous potential as an advantageous mining the safest industry in the world while, achieving tool for the Architectural, Engineering and Construction efficiencies that will drive costs down and revenue up. (AEC) trades. By its very immersive nature, VR has po- Barrick Cortez is entertaining existing technologies while Mining & Exploration: tential to be a key tool to convey clear design intents also challenging our partners in innovation to provide out and identify potential safety concerns in a true perspec- of the box solutions. Through a site wide initiative with Operations: New and tive experience. This paper will document not only the inputs from every division, Barrick Cortez is marching Expansion Underground knowledge, hardware, and software requirements of forward in becoming the technological flagship for Bar- applying VR to mine engineering and construction, but rick as a whole. Implementing safety technologies that Operations Overview also firsthand experience in using Virtual Reality in the will make Barrick Cortez the safest mine in the world Chair: M. Tilley, Cementation USA Inc., following real world applications: Infrastructure Design and plan compliance technologies supplying real time and Review (COMS) Virtual preconstruction services tool data for optimal decision making. The sky is the limit as Sandy, UT Risk analysis with first person presence Marketing to we work to find safety and efficiency solutions that will minerals project investors become the next standards in the mining industry. 2 pm Introduction 3:05 pm 2:25 pm 2:05 pm Lucky Friday Mine - Stepped Longwall Optimum Dig Line Design for Open Pit Grade Canyon – Development of a High Grade Mining Method Control Uranium Mine in Arizona W. Johnson; Technical Servces, Hecla Mining Lucky E. Isaaks; Earth Sciences, Isaaks & Co., Emerald Hills, CA T. White; SME, Lakewood, CO Friday Unit, Mullan, ID Open pit grade control is a series of tasks beginning The Canyon Mine Project is a high-grade uranium, small The Lucky Friday Mine employs the mechanical cut and with blast design and drill, followed by the sampling diameter breccia pipe deposit that is orientated vertically fill mining method, developed in the mid 1980’s to ad- and laboratory analysis of drill cuttings, the estimation from 900 to 2,000 feet below the surface. The Project dress issues of deep mine induced seismicity. To better of block grades, and finally dig line design. As the name is located 55 miles northwest of Flagstaff, Arizona and manage the reserve at great depths, a modification of suggests “grade control” is critical to ensuring mined 7.5 miles south of the Grand Canyon National Park the mining method has been proposed and aims to fur- material is sent to the correct destination. However, a boundary. The deposit will be accessed by a rectangular ther reduce mining induced seismicity, improve ore face number of challenges bedevil the various tasks. Careers 3-compartment shaft that is being sunk conventionally availability, and sublevel efficiency. The stepped longwall have been made out of solving blast hole sampling and by Energy Fuels crews. The deposit will be extracted by method moves the backfill cycle out of the critical path laboratory problems. Books have been written on how

20 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

to best estimate ore control block grades. But relatively will present newly-emerging technologies and process- MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20 little attention has been paid to dig line design. Indeed, es that can account for all competing factors, allowing AFTERNOON the manual contouring of block grades and sample as- for a holistic approach to optimizing load cycles. Data says with colored crayons appears to be the industry will show that these new technologies can achieve a re- standard. As an alternative, it’s very easy to show that a duction of more than 30% in the load cycle, as well as 2 pm Rooms: 705, 707, 709 smart computer program designed to optimize dig line improved predictability, aiding in improved planning and design will generally increase net revenue over manual adherence to plan. designs by 2% to 7%. This is accomplished by mini- MPD: Plenary Session mizing the number of blocks sent to the wrong desti- Chairs: Erik Spiller, nation. An algorithm for the design of optimum dig lines 3:25 pm Komar Kawatra, Corale Brierly constrained by a minimum mining width is presented A New Approach to Mine Management Sys- together with examples from current mine operations. tems Utilizing the Internet of Thing Gaudin Lecturer: Gerald Luttrell M. Baker; CheckMark Consulting, Tucson, AZ Richards Lecturer: S A Ravishankar Wadsworth Lecturer: Fiona Doyle 2:45 pm The Internet of Things (IoT) is a disruptive technology Optimizing Ore Diglines with Consideration that has revolutionized the systems approach to solving problems in all industries. It refers to uniquely identi- for Dig Direction and Blast Movement in fiable objects and their virtual representation on the Surface Mines 1 1 2 3 internet. IoT applications consist of data capture, the re- W. Hunt , J. Loeb , A. Cervantes , J. Kalla , B. Hip- duction of the data into meaningful information and the MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20 well3 and J. Cooper4; 1Blast Movement Technologies, 2 process of acting on that information. Devices that gath- AFTERNOON Denver, CO; Compania Minera Dolores, Chihuahua, er data range from simple RFID tags to complex devices Mexico; 3Geology, Boliden Kevitsa, Petkula, Finland 4 that incorporate multiple sensors and actuators includ- and Anaconda Mining, Baie Verte, NL, Canada ing smart phones and tablets. Cloud based computing 2 pm Room 212 In single-flitch surface mines, ore and waste boundaries eliminates the need for local servers. Gamification is the are often designated by creation of 2D polygons. Opti- incorporation of game elements, like rewards, to moti- mizing the dig limits for these polygons through statisti- vate people to achieve goals. Gamification minimizes the Society of Mining Professors cal and probabilistic methods is critical, but blast move- often overlooked change management efforts that have Session: Distance Education – ment alters the shapes and locations of these polygons. been the root cause for the failings of traditional tech- Can a polygon created at mid-bench be projected to the nology-based systems. These new relatively low cost Pitfalls and Opportunities surface with the same unavoidable dilution/ore loss that disruptive technologies have been combined to create Chairs: V. Kecojevic, West Virginia existed in the pre-blast state? Is there a better way of a platform for the next generation of Fleet Management University, Morgantown, WV performing field ore control? To know the answer, the Systems. This presentation highlights one approach to three-dimensional post-blast shape of the ore body effectively track and improve production, productivity B. Hebblewhite, University of New South must be known. In structurally controlled mines where and availability of fleets of equipment and operators for Wales, Sydney, Australia the ore body is accurately defined, an opportunity exists both open pit and underground operations. to optimize the dig limits by evaluating the post-blast 3D 2 pm shape of the ore body using Blast Movement Monitors Introduction (BMMs) at various depths. Here, a solution has been 3:45 pm created to optimize the 2D digging polygons to increase Developing a Global Vision of Autonomous 2:05 pm recovery of the 3D post-blast ore body. The method Mining: Industry-Wide Collaboration to and results are presented in use at Dolores silver mine, Diversity in Mining Engineering Faculty Enable an Innovative, Safe Future of Mining Worldwide: Data Collection, Analysis, and Kevitsa nickel-copper mine, and Pine Cove gold mine. A. Scott; Barrick, Toronto, ON, Canada The benefits are significant when compared with simply Visualization 1 2 1 2 creating a polygon at mid-bench and ignoring the post- As mining companies continue to experience increased E. Tarshizi , E. Sarver , R. Setterlind , Z. Scopa , 1 2 1 blast shape of the ore body. cost pressure from low commodity prices, there is a grow- R. Livernois and L. Frost ; Department of Geological ing expectation within the industry for better adoption and and Mining Engineering and Sciences, Michigan use of technology to improve the efficiency and profitabil- Technological University, Houghton, MI and 2Department 3:05 pm ity of the operating model. While many other industries of Mining & Minerals Engineering, Virginia Tech, Improving Excavation Load Cycles through have benefited from the innovative use of automation Blacksburg, VA and information, mining has continued to rely on a more Technology manual, batch driven process. To support the next gen- The mines of the future will present a host of engineer- C. Orr; Modular Mining Systems, Inc., Tucson, AZ eration of mining, operators will need to integrate their ing challenges including needs for new technologies, The excavation load cycle in open-cut mining is central production processes from mine to port, and optimize the systems integration with big data issues, increas- to efficient operations, making it a key target for opti- end to end performance in support of a more continu- ingly complex environmental problems, and evolving mization. However, optimizing this cycle poses many ous and predictable operating model. Through a series of demands regarding social responsibility. The mining challenges and is often complex due to the numerous 2016 workshops, a global vision of autonomous mining engineers of the future must then have highly diverse competing factors involved, including bench design, has been developed by GMSG. Key areas of focus within skillsets, meshing traditional and contemporary compe- safety, truck spotting, truck and shovel size, operator the vision include integrated operations, interoperability, tencies. How ready are the world’s leading educational skill levels, and single- or double-side loading. Effective the need for mining solutions to have an extendable ar- programs to meet these needs? Beginning with a search optimization requires maximizing each segment of the chitecture on which to build, and integration into manual of the SOMP membership, we conducted an online sur- load cycle while accounting for these factors. Tradition- systems. Agreement on a global industry vision of auton- vey to collect demographic data on over 700 mining ally, operations, engineering, safety, and training de- omous mining will act as a guiding framework for mine faculty worldwide. Analysis of this rich dataset provides partments within an organization undertake the efforts operators, OEMs, and technology developers, and provide a glimpse into the current strengths and needs of mining to optimize excavation load cycles, often focusing on a framework to enable a systemic approach to drive in- programs. This work will summarize results and discuss specific portions of the cycle, rather than the load cycle dustry guidelines of the future. the benefits of diverse faculty groups in terms of ap- and its competing factors as a whole. This traditional pointment types and levels, areas of expertise, gender, method rarely yields sustainable outcomes. This paper and cultural backgrounds.

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 21 2:25 pm TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 Society of Mining Professors Session: MORNING MORNING Distance education – Pitfalls and Opportunities 9 am Room 107 9 am Room 706 B. Hebblewhite2 and V. Kecojevic1; 1Mining Engineering, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV and 2Mining Engineering, UNSW Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia Bulk Material Handling: Coal & Energy: Best of Mine This session is organized by the Society of Mining Pro- Advances in Conveyor Health & Safety fessors. We focus on experiences in distance education – good, bad or indifferent, with the idea of stimulating a System Component Design Chair: N. LaBranche, Deswik Mining good discussion session. Chair: D. Bailey, CONetic Resources, Consultants Pty Ltd, Brisbane, QLD, Lakewood, CO Australia 2:45 pm Practical Online Learning for Cross- 9 am 9 am Generational Skill Development Introduction Introduction C. Johnson; Technical Services, Maptek, Lakewood, CO 9:05 am Knowledge today flows to almost any location with a 9:05 am Portable Chilled Air for Underground and quick swipe across a smart phone or tablet. While mil- Design and Analysis of Conveyor Pulleys Surface Mining lennial brains are hard-wired to learn from short bursts Using a Precise Finite-Element Model based M. Gleadhill; Anglo American, Lammermoor, QLD, of information delivered in a world of distraction, older on the Hamiltonian Form of Elasticity Australia generations are wired to absorb information differently. A. Hustrulid; Hustrulid Technologies, Bonita Springs, FL Heat management in Underground Mining remains one This dichotomy of learners presents a unique challenge Conveyor pulleys are used in mining and industrial for instructional designers. In a society with so many of mining’s foremost risks to both the health and safety applications to change the direction of the conveyor of mine workers and the operational stability of the mine. distractions, opportunities, and obligations, classroom belt and apply or remove power from the conveyor. learning is an inconvenient option for most. In our fast- Harnessing a phenomenon of thermodynamics, we are This paper reviews the traditional design approaches using mine compliant, compressed air driven, low noise paced and demanding culture, learners are well-served for pulleys such as Sitzwohl, Lange and Schmolt- by asynchronous or blended learning platforms. To meet level, portable “air conditioners”, capable of delivering zi and contrasts them with a modern precise finite super cooled additional air to a workplace. “The Cool the needs of all current and future industry profession- element model based on the Hamilitonian form of als, learning must be easily accessible, user-friendly, Tube” devices were developed for the intended use elasticity. The applied loads from the belt, the lock- of – Cooled air on longwall faces, development faces, and make the most efficient use of precious time. As ing assembly and the overhung load on the shaft are instructional design professionals, we must incorporate conveyors – Seal build sites, face drilling activities and reviewed. Using these finite element results common secondary support - Confined space locations, hoppers, multidisciplinary learning and cross-functional lessons industry design criteria are reviewed including shell to ensure learners grow into resourceful, and valuable dragline tubs and workshops - Fixed equipment / infra- stresses, shaft stress and deflection, end disk stress- structure cooling of transformers and drives - Cooling employees. This discussion explores the philosophy of es and bending moments in the locking assembly. education behind one practical training model solution and dehumidifying of water body areas / sumps or any Conclusions are drawn regarding current pulley work area affected by hot and or humid conditions - Fric- aimed at professionals who must acquire and immedi- design methods for CEMA class pulleys, for wide, ately apply skills to unique industry challenges. tional ignition ventilation without recirculation concerns - high tension but low diameters pulleys and for very Positive pressure air conditioned refuge chambers, high-tension pulleys being considered for ST 10,000 change over bases and bratticed crib area cut throughs. 3:05 pm conveyor belt systems. “The Cool Tube”, devices weigh from 6 - 8 KG and deliv- Engineering Online: Program Development er on average 4° Celsius chilled air at a rate of 35 - 60L/ to Address the Educational Needs of the 9:25 am Sec when supplied with 5 - 8 Bar of compressed air. Mining Industry A Finite Element Analysis on the Troughed Noise pressure levels range from 76 - 89 dBA at 1m. D. Yokom and T. Katsabanis; Robert M. Buchan Belt Turnover Department of Mining, Queen’s University, Kingston, Y. Zhang; Conveyor Dynamics Inc., Bellingham, WA ON, Canada Belt turnover is an effective way to reduce material 9:25 am The mining industry is facing a human resources chal- carry-back on the return side. It reduces environmental Overview of Queensland Mining Inspectorate lenge: a large percentage of the working population is set contamination and maintenance work, and improves the R. Albury; AUS IMM, Brisbane, QLD, Australia to retire in the next decade. Replacement has traditionally idler roll life on the return side. Flat turnover has been The paper will describe the location, structure and role come from current mining programs; however, these pro- the dominant belt turnover method. For extra wide and of the Queensland mines inspectorate in the coal mining grams have been declining in numbers, and those that high duty belt, the concern is the flat turnover requires industry. The introduction will include a brief summary remain face challenges such as fluctuating enrollments, long turnover length, large space, and causes extra sag of the history of the Qld legislation and some context and reduced budgets. Queen’s University and Northern and stress in the belt. Troughed belt turnover thus is in- around the major events that have shaped the en- College have partnered to develop an innovative new pro- troduced to address these concerns, where the belt is abling framework. Following the introduction will be a gram that offers online mining education to engineering folded into a troughed or semi-circular shape by guide description of incident details, emerging issues for the technologists seeking to upgrade their skills and obtain rollers during the turnover. However, there isn’t a clear inspectorate and a description of the priority issues the a Bachelor’s degree. The flexible curriculum, offered and effective method to analyze the troughed turnover, inspectorate is dealing with at the present time. This will online, includes a wide range of learning technologies, due its increased complexity. There is a wide range of also include detail regarding the journey the Queensland such as purpose-built video, web conferencing, and mechanical designs to induce the troughed belt turn- industry has embarked upon in the re-emergence and state-of-the-art simulation software. The material covers over, without the clear understanding of their effective- subsequent changes to legislation around dust exposure a balance of technical, managerial, and sustainability con- ness. This study uses the finite element method to ana- and health monitoring of workers. tent. The program also includes short summer field school lyze a troughed belt turnover. The purpose is to establish sessions, where students gain practical application skills. an analysis tool and initial study on the intrinsic nature of the troughed turnover.

22 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

9:45 am TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 opment of the rule I’ll go over the long and sometimes contentious process of developing the new dust rule. Simtars Update: Queensland Health & Safety MORNING N. LaBranche; Simtars, Brisbane, QLD, Australia Part 3: Implementation of the Rule We’ll take a look at the different stages of implementation and how workers Simtars is the Safety in Mines Testing and Research 9 am Room 711 and employers adapted. Part 4: The Results are in: We Station as part of the Queensland Government in Aus- look over the early results of the new rule since being tralia. This talk will provide an overview of Simtars’ role implemented. Part 5: Where do we go from here? I’ll go in providing health & safety research for the mining in- Coal & Energy: over some ideas of where we may/can go from here. As dustry and the status of current projects and research. well as ways we can improve on the new rule. Each year Simtars selects one underground coal mine Impact of MSHA’s and implements a full scale mine disaster scenario to test the mines systems for self-escape and emergency Respirable Dust Rule Chairs: P. Chugh, 10:05 am response as well as mines rescue. Methods for Controlling Respirable Dust in J. Colinet, NIOSH, Pittsburgh, PA an Underground Mining Environment 10:05 am S. McQuerrey; Research & Development, JH Fletcher Managing Occupational Health in the 9 am & Co., Huntington, WV Introduction Mining Industry According to the CDC, the prevalence of CWP (Coal D. Cliff; Minerals Industry Safety and Health Centre, Workers’ Pneumoconiosis) has increased after a 30 year University of Queensland, University of Queensland, 9:05 am Impact of MSHA’s Dust Rule downward trend. This has led to new regulation reducing QLD, Australia the amount of respirable dust exposure from 2.0 to 1.5 G. Meikle; Coal Mine Safety and Health Division of mg/m3. Roof bolter operators are commonly exposed to Wth the recent resurgence of “black lung” detection Health, USDOL - MSHA, Arlington, VA in the Australian Coal Mining Industrythe spotlight has respirable dust that can lead to CWP. In association with fallen onto the health aspect of health and safety. Too On Thursday, May 1, 2014 the Mine Safety and Health the NIOSH, J.H. Fletcher & Co. has worked to reduce often health is seen as being hard to manage because Administration (MSHA) published in the Federal Regis- roof bolter exposure with the development of the Fletch- it may relate to chronic and/or extended exposure to ter a Final Rule “Lowering Miners’ Exposure to Respi- er® Dry Scrubber and canopy air curtains. In addition to harm. However proper application of risk management rable Coal Mine Dust, Including Continuous Personal these components, improved drilling methods continue techniques including focussing on critical controls and Dust Monitors. The purpose of this final rule was and to be a way to reduce the generation of respirable dust. the continued effectiveness of these controls works as is to reduce occupational lung diseases in coal miners. It is important to understand the source of the dust in well on occupational health issues as it does on safety Chronic exposure to respirable coal mine dust causes order to mitigate the exposure. When the roof bolter issues. This paper will demonstrate the application of lung diseases including coal workers’ pneumoconiosis operator is downstream of a respirable dust source in risk management to a range of health issues using the (CWP), emphysema, silicosis, and chronic bronchitis, the mine ventilation, then a means of reducing exposure RISKGATE online bowtie methodology, including respira- known collectively as ‘‘black lung.’’ Based on data from external to the roof bolter has shown to be a very effec- ble dust, fatigue and psychogical impairment. The resur- the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health tive method for exposure mitigation. The Fletcher® Dry gence of ‘black lung” will be used as a case study to un- (NIOSH), new cases continue to occur among coal min- Scrubber has been effective in reducing respirable dust derline the need to identify critical controls and institute ers. This final rule will reduce coal miners’ occupational by over 93% in lab testing. Field testing yielded an over processes to measuer and maintain their effectiveness exposure to respirable coal mine dust. As a result, it will 49% reduction when handling only part (approximately and not allow them to be eroded. lower their risk of developing black lung disease and ½) of the ventilation airflow to the operators. suffering material impairment of health or functional ca- pacity. This presentation will review the data and experi- 10:25 am ernce from respirable dust sampling under the new rule. 10:25 am Grasstree Mine – Airodusting (the Most Respirable Dust Measured Downwind During Efficient Stonedust Application) Rock Dust Application D. Proffitt; non member, Gracemere, QLD, Australia 9:25 am M. Harris, J. Organiscak and S. Klima; NIOSH, Grasstree mine achieved a new benchmark in produc- MSHA’s New Dust Regulations – The Pittsburgh, PA Industry’s Perspective tivity in 2015 and finally did what no other Australian The Office of Mine Safety and Health Research (OMSHR) B. Watzman; National Mining Association, mine has done before, cracking the 10 million tonne conducted underground evaluations to quantify differ- Washington, DC mark. With such high production levels and generation ences in respirable rock dust generation when using of coal dust into roadways, it was necessary to rethink The new MSHA respirable coal mine dust rule has an untreated rock dust and a rock dust treated with an the way in which we apply incombustible materials to brought widespread changes to the sampling program anti-caking additive. Using CPDMs, these evaluations our roadways. Therefore the testing and subsequent conducted by mine operators. In order to address these measured respirable rock dust levels arising from a approving of a different and more efficient method for new requirements multiple changes have been im- flinger-type application of rock dust on rib and roof sur- applying stonedust (calcium carbonate) to our roadways plemented that have impacted personnel allocations, faces and during tramming of a battery scoop through was utilised. Underground coal mines in Queensland operations, and budgets at coal mines. This has oc- accumulations of rock dust on the mine floor. Rock dust were required pre-2000 to have barriers installed (water curred against a backdrop of continued questioning of with a majority of the respirable component removed barriers, stonedust barriers) at specified locations. New the science underlying this rule and its reach acros the was also applied in the Bruceton Experimental Mine legislation introduced following the Moura mine disas- entire coal industry. An overview of the impact of these using a bantam duster. The respirable dust measure- ters required that each specific roadway in the mine was changes and feedback from the coal mining industry will ments obtained downwind from both of these tests are fully treated to certain incombustible levels and sampled be provided. presented and discussed. This testing did not measure at prescribed intervals. One of the major benefits that miners’ exposure to respirable coal mine dust under ac- airo-dust has over conventional dusting is that it can be ceptable mining practices but indicates the need for ad- done anywhere in the mine and does not generate any 9:45 am ministrative controls to be exercised when rock dusting. dust as it applies in a wet state. This also helps it stick Impact of MSHA’s Dust Control Regulation to the walls and roof of the mine significantly better than J. Roberts; Health and Safety, UMWA, Beckley, WV conventional stonedust. The easiest way to describe how it applies is like shaving cream. Part 1: How We Got Here Before we can begin delve into the impact of MSHA’s new dust rule. We have to know a little bit of history and how we got here. Part 2: Devel-

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 23 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 implement automation into mines for improving safety 10:25 am and productivity. The Department of Mining Engineering MORNING The Integration of Automation Platforms at the University of Kentucky has recognized this edu- with OEM Controls Technologies on Blast cational gap and developed an automation laboratory, Hole Drills 9 am Room 704 along with project oriented courses at the undergradu- C. Stacy and M. Baker; Phoenix Drill Control, Tucson, AZ ate and graduate levels. The laboratory and the course objectives will be described in this paper, as well as the Autonomous drilling has come a long way since the first Coal & Energy: obtained skills and abilities that students achieve at the systems were deployed over 20 years ago. Today, OEM completion of the course(s). and aftermarket solutions exist that enable users to take Mine Automation advantage of automated drill control features and ben- Chairs: T. Novak, University of Kentucky, efits. What is often lost in the discussion is the effect of Lexington, KY 9:45 am application of aftermarket automation kits on the OEM System for Managing Advanced Response control systems and established support infrastructure H. Akbari, North Carolina State Technology (SMART) in Mines both in terms of technical support and parts support. University, Raleigh, NC M. Momayez; Mining and Geological Engineering, While barriers to application of aftermarket technology University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ platforms that allow the OEM control system to remain 9 am We propose a new approach for mine-wide distribut- intact, Phoenix Drill Control has developed an innova- Introduction ed sensing, monitoring and communication based on a tive approach that protects the OEM control system scalable platform of nano sensors, nodes, and gateways. and support infrastructure while allowing a common 9:05 am The system is deployed at the University of Arizona’s San technology platform to be deployed on a mixed man- Xavier Mine for safety (worker health and vital statistics, ufacturer drill fleet. This paper discusses the approach The Value of Integrating Power and Process from a technical perspective as well as the risks and for the Mining Industry emergency response, engineered environments such as ambient air quality, ground stability), tracking (accurate mitigation strategies used to protect the end user and D. Mazur, B. Venne and R. Entzminger; Rockwell their equipment. Automation, Milwaukee, WI underground geolocation of assets such as workers and equipment), and communication (audio, video, phone Coordination of large distributed measurement and con- conversation, making calls and sending text messages trol systems, such as SCADA and other process control from a smartphone). Sensors such as accelerometer, 10:45 am system implementations, require robust networks that gyroscope, temperature, humidity, VOC detectors, and Current Progress in the Development of the connect thousands of remote devices from multiple lo- bio-physical sensors all provide the opportunity to mea- webGroundControl Application cations. The mining industry has increasing demands of sure real-time, continuous conditions within the mining C. Newman, Z. Agioutantis and N. Schaefer; University their infrastructure to handle more network services and environment. A long-life battery provides up to 2 years of Kentucky, Lexington, KY deliver a full spectrum of control and monitoring within of power for the nodes, as well as the emergency LED webGroundControl provides access to NIOSH ground their global operations. Conventional methods for mining directional flashlight has been configured as part of the control design software (ARBS, ALPS, and ARMPS) applications provide two separate domains, infrastructure smart mine. The strategic placement of Wireless Nano utilizing a web-based multiple tier architecture. Taking and process automation that typically do not communi- Sensor (WNS) nodes allows all areas of the mine to be advantage of current internet technologies, increased cate. With the advancement of the industrial communica- monitored, and where needed, provides the ability to internet availability (even underground), data security tions and rising energy costs, these domains can provide install a denser array in targeted areas. The network au- for cloud computing, and cross-platform compatibility, value to mining applications when logically integrated. tomatically adjusts when nodes are moved or changed. webGroundControl provides users with faster and easi- Unifying the power and process systems within an oper- er access to existing ground control designs, on-the-fly ation provides value by creating a single visualization and calculations for infield use, and instant online collab- reporting environment. This paper will outline a method of 10:05 am oration between operational personnel and planning providing a convergent use of the IEC 61850 standard, Automation and Control System for Coal engineers. Overall, the webGroundControl package aids within process control networks, to provide enhanced Spirals in the development of safer mining environments with process control, monitoring and energy management. The B. Zhang1 and M. Mohanty2; 1Derrick Corporation, respect to improved roof support performance, pillar paper will discuss benefits of a unified power and process Buffalo, NY and 2MMRE, SIU Carbondale, Carbondale, IL stability in longwall and room and pillar mines, formation architecture with enhancements provided by visualization, This paper describes the development of a suitable sen- characterization, the prediction of roof conditions, etc. archiving, and reporting. sor and control system to adjust the product splitter po- Through introductions to and discussions of the current sition of a full-scale spiral. A thorough investigation was back-end database development, front-end user-appli- made to make use of a basic property of coal slurry that cation interfaces, and the deployment of beta modules, 9:25 am can be measured on-line to correlate it to the constituent it is the purpose of this paper to raise interest in the Development of an Automation Laboratory solid density and thus monitor the change in the density webGroundControl such that the industry will have full and Courses for Mining Engineering Education gradient across the spiral trough at the discharge end understanding and experience with the application be- T. Novak and K. Mayfield; Mining Engineering, resulting from the usual fluctuation in feed characteris- fore launching the product in the summer of 2018. University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY tics. An electrical conductivity-based sensing technique The applications for automation continue to expand in was preferred over a capacitive sensor to measure the the mining industry. These applications can range from density gradient using two sensor tubes placed at the the startup, control, and shutdown of processing plants critical separation zone of the spiral trough. A PIC24 mi- to the autonomous operation of surface haulage trucks. crocontroller was programmed to send a signal to a DC However, the term “automation” should not necessarily gear motor based on the new density gradient measured be interpreted as the total elimination of human interven- in real time to turn clockwise, counter-clockwise or stay tions since there are many portions of mining processes at the same position based on the difference between that can be automated. The future survivability of many the conductivity measurement of the present cycle and mining operations will be influenced by a company’s that of the previous cycle. The automation system was willingness and ability to understand, accept, and use validated by examining the performance of a full-scale this technology. The mining workforce, including man- spiral while deliberately changing factors like feed solid agement and engineering, should be educated on the content, feed washability characteristics, and feed slurry technological capabilities and limitations to effectively ionic concentration.

24 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 9:45 am 10:25 am MORNING Management of Explosion Risks in Effects of Skew Angle On Cutting Tool Underground Coal Mines with the use Temperature Increment, Wear, and of Bag Barriers Performance 9 am Room 708 J. Schafler1, J. Brinkman1, C. Johnson1, E. Kim; Mining Engineering, Colorado School of D. Humphreys2 and T. O’Beirne2; 1Mining and Mines, Golden, CO Nuclear Engineering, Missouri University of Science & Understanding the contact mechanism between a Coal & Energy: Technology, Rolla, MO and 2Skillpro Services Pty Ltd, cutting tool and rock is critical to improve excavation Emerald, QLD, Australia Mine Fire Prevention II performance, reduce downtime of replacing bits in Chair: M. Trevits, Xtraction Science and Since the year 2000, 59 miners have lost their lives to mining and tunneling projects, and workplace safety by Technology, PIttsburgh, PA explosions occurring in underground coal mines in the reducing frictional sparking occurrence. For these rea- US. More accurately, those explosions were methane sons, a bench-scale device was fabricated and used to ignitions that propagated through the mines due to coal understand and characterize bit wear, rock excavation 9 am dust involvement; despite current explosion prevention performance, and the temperature increment of cutting Introduction standards. There are 4 basic strategies employed to bits. With same weight machined cutting tools (S1, S2, manage the risk of coal dust explosions in many other B1, and B2) at skew angles of 0° to 18° in 6° steps, the 9:05 am coal mining countries around the world: removal of the effects of the skew angle on bit wear, rock excavation, Examining the Resilience of a Ventilation coal dust, wetting of the coal dust to prevent it from be- and bit temperature increment (°C) were examined with System in a Longwall Mine: Network coming airborne, mixing of the coal dust with stone dust 50-Hz infrared (IR) cameras. First, bit tip surface area Modeling and Analysis of Fire Scenarios to increase the total incombustible content, and explo- was negatively related to increment of bit temperature K. Musick, E. Watkins, S. Schafrik, M. Barros Daza sion activated barriers which make the entire roadway during friction tests. Tests conducted with B2 (largest tip and K. Luxbacher; Mining and Minerals Engineering, inert. However, American standards only mandate the surface area) revealed a significant effect of the skew Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA first 3 of these 4 methods. It is possible that US coal angle on the bit temperature increment. In addition, bit mine safety measures could benefit from the implemen- wear of B2 and S1 was significantly reduced at 12° and There are many conditions that can cause a fire to start th in or at a mine such as spontaneous combustion, elec- tation of the 4 method, the use of explosion barriers. 18° skew angle, respectively, when compared with zero trical malfunction, ignition of methane, etc. This project This presentation will discuss differences/similarities in skew angle. The results of this study will be useful for will focus on network modeling of fires in a longwall barrier regulations used in other countries, as well as cutting bit technology, and should be informative for mine in the United States. Fires in underground coal some potential difficulties with adapting a stone dust drum designers, civil engineers, and miners. mines can have adverse effects on the mine ventilation bag barrier system to US underground coal mines. Also, system. Using MineFire Pro+ we aim to model a venti- details and feedback gathered from two operating mine lation system at a partner mine, and identify and model site trial barrier installations will be shared. 10:45 am fires in several key areas identified as high risk. This will The Fire-Fighting Technology with include the identification and estimation of parameters Composite Gel – an Application for entered in MineFire such as: air temperature, air density, 10:05 am Controlling Coal Fires in No.4 seam in conductivity, diffusivity, duration of fire, heat release rate, Development, Testing, and Proposed Bozidun, Wensu, Xinjiang, China heat transfer to determine how each situation will affect Application of Multiple Passive Source Y. Xiao, J. Deng, Y. Jin and Q. Li; School of Safety the mine ventilation system. Scenarios will be analyzed Tracers in Underground Mine Ventilation Science and Engineering, Xi’an University of Science to determine how resilient the ventilation system is, and Systems and Technology, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China E. Watkins, E. Jong, K. Musick and K. Luxbacher; to recommend best emergency response practices. Coal fire of Xinjiang China is the most serious in the Mining and Minerals Engineering, Virginia Tech, world. This paper study the coal fire-fighting in No.4 Blacksburg, VA seam, which is lasted over 60 years. For planning com- 9:25 am The application of passive tracer gas sources in under- prehensive fire prevention and extinguishment, firstly, The Use of Atmospheric Monitoring Systems ground mines is particularly useful for long-term tracer we took the radon detecting technology to get to the in U.S. Underground Coal Mines gas studies, as well as studies with sources originat- fire area which was ~80000 m2, and was divided into 2 J. Rowland1, S. Harteis2 and L. Yuan1; 1Fires & ing in permissible areas of underground coal mines. parts of east and west to control respectively. Secondly, Explosions Branch, NIOSH, Pittsburgh, PA and 2Fires We have previously demonstrated the use of a passive the ground mobile system for fire prevention and extinc- & Explosion Branch, NIOSH, Pittsburgh, PA perfluoromethylcyclohexane (PMCH) sources in mines, tion by grouting and injecting gel had been established, In 1995 and 2003 the Mine Safety Health Administra- but this new work details the development and testing the fire-fighting material of composite gel was taken to tion (MSHA) conducted surveys to determine the num- of multiple fluorinated sources, as well as their applica- inject in the west of the coal fire area. Furthermore, the ber of atmospheric monitoring systems (AMS) that were tion in mine ventilation systems. We detail the design isolation belt with gel had been established to effective- being used in underground coal mines in the United of sources for three gases: PMCH, PECH and PMCP, as ly prohibit the fire extending downward. The west and States. The survey reports showed data for the different well as corresponding release rates over the long term east fires were all extinguished respectively by injecting manufacturers of AMS, the different types of equipment at multiple temperatures. The advantages and disadvan- composite gel. Thirdly, High-temperature regions with monitored, the different type of gas sensors and their tages of these sources are presented, along with their bigger goaf formed by combustion of coal seam were locations. Since the last survey in 2003, MSHA has applications in understanding complicated ventilation adopted the method of deep borehole blasting, and then changed the regulation requirements for early fire de- circuits, flow through gob, and leakage. the composite gel would be injected to the subsidence tection along the belt haulage entries. On December 31, areas for achieving effective coverage. Finally, the data 2009 point type heat sensors are prohibited for use for of CO and temperature were analyzed by arranged mon- an early fire detection system, instead carbon monoxide itoring boreholes. It showed that the fire area has been (CO) sensors are now required. This report will exam- effectively controlled. ine the number of AMS currently used in underground mines in the United States to see if there is a change in their use. The locations and parameters monitored by AMS are discussed.

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 25 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 demonstrated the greatest temperature differential over trapped miners. The current guidelines may represent a the course of the year resulted in a mine air temperature significantly higher demand on the RA than is necessary. MORNING that ranged from 53.4F to 84.2F and a rib surface tem- Several studies were reviewed to determine miner size, perature that ranged from 55.4F to 82.8F. This suggests and additional self-reported miner size information was 9 am Room 702 that the location and seasonal peak temperature can gathered through post-card submissions. Miner size significantly affect the mine strata temperature, which and activity level was used with several caloric expen- could lead to a fully occupied RA exceeding the 95F diture equations to estimate the metabolic heat rate of Coal & Energy: limit over the course of 96 hours. As such, geographic miners in a refuge scenario. RMR should be used as the location, seasonal temperatures, and strata composition metabolic heat input of miners. The heat rate that should Refuge Alternatives for should be used to determine occupancy limits for RAs be used to represent miners in an RA scenario should Underground Coal Mines I such that the mandated 95F temperature limit is met. vary according to number of occupants, from 135 W for Chairs: T. Lutz, DHHS/CDC/NIOSH, a single occupant to 113 W for 25 or more occupants. Pittsburgh, PA 9:45 am D. Yantek, NIOSH OMSHR, A Universal Mobile Refuge Alternative 10:25 am Pittsburgh, PA Thermal-Humidity Modeling Tool for Satisfying Apparent Temperature Compliance Verification Requirements in Mobile Refuge Alternatives 9 am D. Bahrami1, C. Stewart2 and G. Danko1; 1Mining Using Vapor Compression Refrigeration and Introduction Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV Expendable Desiccant and 2University of Queensland, Capalaba, K. Deaton; Engineering, DRS Environmental Systems, QLD, Australia Cincinnati, OH 9:05 am Temperature and Humidity Tests The Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Research investigations sponsored by NIOSH have for Mobile Refuge Alternatives Act of 2006 mandates the use of emergency rescue shown that heat buildup caused by occupants in mobile L. Yan, D. Yantek and P. Bissert; CDC/NIOSH, chambers in all US coal mines. A Universal, Thermal, refuge alternatives (RA) will result in apparent tempera- Pittsburgh, PA Humidity, and Airflow (UTHA) model has been developed tures that exceed the 95°F limit established in 30 CFR in MULTIFLUX, an advanced, high-density network mod- 7.504. This paper describes testing on a cooling system Federal regulations require refuge alternatives (RAs) el for the solution of coupled air flow, heat, humidity and that uses proven vapor compression technology pow- in underground coal mines to sustain life for 96 hours contaminant transport problems. A Graphical User Inter- ered by batteries to keep the RA interior below the 95° while maintaining an apparent temperature (AT) below face (GUI), has been developed within the mainstream limit for a minimum of 96 hours. Testing of a prototype 35°C. NIOSH research has shown that heat and humid- mine ventilation software, Ventsim Visual, to define the cooling system was conducted in December of 2015 ity buildup is a major concern with RAs because high RA model and to evaluate the safe deployment of any and January of 2016 at the NIOSH test mine. Initial levels may expose occupants to physiological hazards RA in any underground mine in-situ conditions. The pa- testing was conducted at the prevailing cool mine am- such as heat stress. The heat transfer process within per discusses the elements of the model building for a bient temperature. Subsequent testing was done with and surrounding a RA is very complex and is not easily selected RA using the GUI. Application examples of tent- the mine ambient temperature in the immediate vicinity defined analytically nor experimentally. To investigate type, hard-shell metal, or built-in-place RA types are of the RA artificially elevated to 85°F. Results of cool- the process, NIOSH conducted multiple 96-hour tests included with comparison of simulation results against ing system performance at the two ambient conditions on a 6-person metal-type RA, a 23-person tent-type field measurement. The acceptance of the model sim- are presented. This work documents the ability of the RA, and a 10-person tent-type RA in an underground ulation for deciding the acceptance of an RA at a given cooling system to meet the established apparent tem- mine environment. The test results show that the aver- in situ condition of an operating mine is also discussed perature limit at the full occupancy rating of a six person age measured air temperature within the RA increased based on the scaling demonstrations. Conclusions are RA. Larger cooling systems are currently in development by 9.0°C, 9.4°C, 11.4°C, and that the relative humidi- drawn regarding the reduction of burden on mines and and will be described. Expendable desiccant modules ty (RH) approached 91 %, 94 %, 90 %, respectively. A manufactures by using the UTHA model after its suffi- were also used to provide supplemental water vapor comparison of the test results also show that, provided cient verification on the basis of the experiments con- removal and their role in mitigating power consumption the same initial conditions, a fully occupied 10-person ducted by NIOSH. is adressed. tent-type RA has the highest interior AT at 29.4 °C. These results may provide RA manufacturers and mine operators guidelines and considerations for determining 10:05 am 10:45 am mobile RA types and occupancy ratings for mines. Estimation of Metabolic Heat for Implications of Coupled Heat and Refuge Alternative Testing and Potential Contaminant Transport to RA Safety Tolerance Limits G. Danko; Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, 9:25 am T. Bernard1, D. Yantek2, C. Ashley3, R. Lopez4 and Univ. of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV The Effects of Seasonal Heat and E. Thimons2; 1College of Public Health, University Trapped miners continuously emit heat, humidity and Humidity on Mine Strata Temperatures in of South Florida, Tampa, FL; 2OMSHR, NIOSH, CO , all to be continuously absorbed or transmitted at Underground Coal Mines 3Col of Education, University of South 2 Pittsburgh, PA; safe internal air conditions according to mass and en- P. Bissert, D. Yantek, L. Yan, J. Srednicki Florida, Tampa, FL and 4Morsani Col of Medicine, ergy balances. The transport of these components is and J. Yonkey; NIOSH, Pittsburgh, PA University of South Florida, Tampa, FL strongly coupled totogether in the closed space of an RA Refuge Alternatives (RAs) are required in underground Underground coal mines are required to install refuge during the containment period of 96 hours. Three critical coal mines to support life post-disaster. RAs are man- alternatives (RA) to provide shelter to miners trapped transport interplays must be verified satisfactorily inside dated by MSHA to maintain an apparent temperature underground during a disaster. RA manufacturers must a closed RA: (1) body water loss by sweat and drippage (AT) below 95F while providing a safe and livable shelter demonstrate that the RA meets requirements for the vs. evaporation beneficial to cooling; (2) spatial CO2 and for a minimum of 96 hours. Since strata composition supply of oxygen and the removal of carbon dioxide. In O concentration distributions inside the RA vs. sufficient and mine temperatures will affect the final AT within an 2 addition, RA manufacturers must show that the internal air circulation driven by natural ventilatin; and (3) CO2 occupied RA, NIOSH researchers have collaborated with apparent temperature of occupied RAs does not exceed scrubber’s conversion capacity vs. air and scrubber’s five underground coal mines across the US to character- 95°F. The purpose of this paper is to present scientifi- temperature and humidity. A CED model is presented ize the effects of geographic location and seasonal tem- cally determined estimates for the oxygen demand, car- for simulating the velocity field of natural circulation for perature fluctuations on mine air temperature, relative bon dioxide generated, and metabolic heat input of en- convective cooling, evaporation, and gas transport by humidity, and mine strata temperatures. The mine which

26 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

mixing. In addition, to advection by air movement, the unit of production; and at certain sites, water availability 10:05 am model includes convection, conduction, diffusion, dis- is the single greatest constraint on mine development. Tailings Risk Management persion, evaporation, condensation and absorption. Crit- Alternative tailing disposal (ATD) has been viewed as a D. van Zyl; UBC, Vancouver, BC, Canada ical thresholds are studied such as due to containment “silver bullet” that will address all tailing management capacity overloads in the RA. Mitigation techniques for issues, especially water concerns, the need for a smaller The Mount Polley and Samarco tailings failures have increased internal air circulation are discussed, support- footprint and reduced environmental impact and risks. eroded the confidence in the mining industry to protect ed by numerical simulations. This presentation looks at the promise and realities of the safety of people and the environment. Do these fail- ATD methods and will provide high-level guidance on ures reflect a tailings management philosophy that is when to use individual technologies and the tradeoffs not focused on zero failures or are engineers and mining of their use compared to conventional wet disposal. The companies too optimistic about their abilities to design various tailing disposal types presented are: filtered, robust tailings facilities for complex site conditions and paste, thickened, and conventional disposal. Energy operate these facilities despite challenges? There are supply, climate, production rates, project economics, clear risks associated with tailings management and it TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 operational predictability, topography, seismicity, and is good practice to reduce these risks as much as pos- MORNING water are used to frame the benefits and limiting factors sible. However, zero risk does not exist and ongoing risk behind each ATD method. management is essential for all tailings management facilities. Tailings risk management is an integrated 9 am Room 108 approach to the technical, operational, management, 9:35 am corporate governance and regulatory aspects of tailings management facilities. This presentation will highlight Environmental: Holden Mine — Application of Jet Grouting current approaches and will reflect on what will be re- to Improve Stabilization of a Tailing quired to move towards zero failures. Environmental Aspects of Embankment in a Narrow Mountain Valley P. Crouse, J. Obermeyer and C. Weber; MWH, Tailing Management Denver, CO Chairs: R. Furey, MWH, Broomfield, CO 10:20 am Rio Tinto is reclaiming an abandoned copper mine near Panel Discussion: Environmental Aspects of E. Bingham, AECOM, Los Angeles, CA Lake Chelan in the remote reaches of north-central Tailing Management Washington State. The Holden Mine was one of the larg- E. Bingham; Mining, AECOM, Denver, CO 9 am est operating underground mines in the U.S. consisting Introduction of nearly 100 km of underground tunnels and 7.6 million The final time slot for the session will be a panel dis- tonnes of mill tailings. Although Rio Tinto never owned cussion focusing on the environmental aspects of tailing 9:05 am or operated the mine, they are managing and funding management. Panelists -- Dirk Van Zyl, Luke Danielson, a several hundred million dollar clean-up to prevent fu- Andrew Watson and Cecil Urlich -- will delve deeper into Tailings and the Environment 101 the issues the industry faces with respect to tailings and C. Urlich; Mining, AECOM, Seattle, WA ture water and soil contamination. A primary component of the reclamation involved addressing the stability of the environment and will debate the merits of the dif- This presentation describes the planning, design, con- a tailing embankment under seismic conditions and ferent approaches. The discussion will include time for struction, operations, maintenance and surveillance the potential release of mine tailings into two adjacent audience questions and participation. Does protecting practices for tailings dams and illustrates the positive creeks. Due to space constraints, a creative approach the environment mean that all new mines must filter and progressive nature of our collective ability as an using Jet Grout columns was applied to provide seis- their tailings? What about wet vs. dry closure of tailing industry to manage tailings facilities while protecting mic stability and strengthen the foundation, without the storage facilities? How can the industry best manage the environment. Tailings dams are raised by optimiz- need of a large rock toe buttress. This unique application these risks? Panel moderator: Eve Bingham. ing downstream, centerline and upstream construction required a combination of engineering analysis, investi- methods to fit site conditions, land constraints and mine gation, field trials, and a robust quality control program operations and protect the environment. Tailings facil- during construction. The columns were anchored into ities use a variety of tailings disposal and water man- non-liquefiable materials above and below the poten- agement methods to optimize storage space, minimize tially liquefiable overbank and saturated tailings layer at footprints, and maintain dam stability and environmental a minimum strength of 3.45 MPA. protection. Tailings dams that have failed were com- TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 promised by improper practices that could have been MORNING avoided, and so provide lessons learnt for future mine 9:50 am operations and environmental protection. This serious 9 am Room 104 concern can be mitigated by proper and proven tail- Forty Years of Mine Closure: Where Have We ings dam and management practices with appropriate Been and Are There Lessons for the Future? L. Danielson2 and R. Furey1; 1MWH, Broomfield, CO environmental controls. This presentation emphasizes 2 Environmental: the importance of integrating tailings dam development and Western State Colorado University, Gunnison, CO phases with each other and with the ultimate closure The practice of tailing dam and mine closure has come a Responsible Mining and post-closure phases for physical stability and envi- long way over the past 40 years. In the past mines were Chairs: G. Sutton, The Doe Run ronmental protection. developed with little thought on how to close the mine, Company, Boss, MO today in the industrialized countries it is now impossible S. Anderson, The Doe Run Company, to open a mine without a closure plan in place. Yet laws 9:20 am in many countries have failed to provide a mechanism Viburnum, MO Alternative Tailings Management through which a mining company can define its closure Technologies and Why or Why Not? obligation and relinquish a closed mine and this inability 9 am A. Watson and R. Furey; MWH, Broomfield, CO to relinquish a mine often challenges a mining compa- Introduction ny’s financial position. This presentation will take a look Despite technological advances in mineral processing, back at the environmental and legal aspects of mine mining companies still face challenges in how to best closure and will make suggestions for the future. manage tailing materials. In addition, mining lower grades of ore has resulted in increased water use per

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 27 9:05 am (<74um) was measured from haul roads in semi-arid 10:45 am Site-Specific Prediction of Ground Vibrations Wyoming. Stationary collectors were positioned in half Energy Management – a Smart Approach to Induced by Bench Blasting Using Machine mile segments of no-treatment, water-only treatment Reducing Spend Learning Techniques and water treatments incorporating low concentrations M. Atkins; Institute of Management Consulting, A. Kumar; Mining Engineerin, Student, Dhanbad, of engineered biopolymer. The results show not only Houston, TX Jharkhand, India visible reductions in dust generation, but also quanti- fied dust reductions of at least 50%. With respect to the Most mining companies do not measure or manage their Blasting is a widely used method for rock fragmenta- water footprint, daily watering was reduced by 50% for energy consumption in a systematic way. They have tion in mining. Environmental effects such as air shocks, the treated road. Finally, watering was reduced to a four become locked into particular fuel sources, particular noxious fumes, dust, fly-rocks and ground vibration are day program at a reduced rate after the initial seeding types of technology and particular mining methods. This undesired effects of blasting. Among these, ground vi- of the roads. Our evidence shows that the water-based Presentation will demonstrate that there is considerable brations can have a damaging effect and may influence biopolymer continues to immobilize potential air-borne upside when organizations begin to manage energy as a large area. Therefore, various researchers have devel- material with additional opportunity for dust manage- portfolio, explore flexibility across different fuel sources, oped mathematical models to predict ground vibrations ment at mineral stockpiles, conveyance and trans-load- embrace new proven technologies that can dramatically induced by blasting. The selections of the most suitable ing sites. reduce costs and improve efficiency and drive energy model require engineering judgment and evaluation of metrics at a mine level. To realize gains in Energy man- models. However, site-specific blast vibration prediction agement a systematic approach is required, which re- can be more useful than using a universal prediction 10:05 am quires the organization to pull on key organization levers equation. In this paper, we have applied multiple ma- Mining-related Selenium Contamination in to drive and embed the change, Mines that overcome chine learning techniques like gradient boosting, neural this can realize savings of between 15% to 50% on their Alaska: State of Knowledge energy costs. This Presentation will include the following networks and PCA to predict the peak particle velocity A. Khamkhash1, T. Ghosh1, S. Aggarwal2, G. Akdogan1 Case Study: Facing falling commodity prices, declining of the ground vibrations induced by blasting using the and R. Ganguli1; 1Mining Engineering, University of grades, rising energy costs, and heightened pressure on data from an iron ore mine in North-Eastern India. The Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK and 2Civil and miners to minimize the impact of operations on commu- sensitivity analysis methods like garson’s, olden’s and Environmental Engineering, University of Alaska nities and the environment, a large global mining corpo- PCA have been applied to get the relative importance Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK of the variables in prediction of the output. This paper ration sought to reduce its energy spend by 10% over a introduces and presents a model to estimate ground vi- Selenium is one of the main contaminant elements in 5-year period - the case study will outline the steps they bration to provide blasting engineers a tool to optimize Alaskan mining waste streams. The most common are taking to achieve their goal. blast design for safe blasting. forms of selenium released during mining processes are selenite and selenates. There are several treatment technologies such as: precipitation, adsorption, ion ex- 11:05 am 9:25 am change, membrane processes and biological removal. Novel Use and Treatment of Waste Streams Corporate Social Responsibility as an The paper would review Selenium concentration levels in Mining – Three Case Studies Engineering Competency for the Mining in Alaskan mine and plant discharge in the past 15 M. McCaslin; WesTech Engineering, Murray, UT Industry years. The mitigation strategies and sources of selenium are briefly explained in this paper. The paper examines three unique case studies: Water N. Smith and J. Smith; Colorado School of Mines, from a sewage treatment plant is further polished for Golden, CO use as plant water in reprocessing gold tailings. Tertiary Divisions between the “technical” and “social” dimen- 10:25 am water treatment removes suspended solids and organics sions of mining and engineering can cast Corporate Environmental Issues of Artisanal and to maximize carbon performance in the CIL circuit and Social Responsibility (CSR) as the domain of social is substantially less expensive than potable water, used Small-Scale Mining in the Tarkwa Mining previously. Mine runoff frequently contains sulfur com- scientists and community relations experts. Drawing Area on ethnographic research with practicing engineers 2 1 1 pounds. Sulfides tend to be insoluble and are relatively K. Bansah and N. Dumakor-Dupey ; Mining easy to treat. Sulfates are highly soluble and present in the mining industry, we illustrate how CSR is inher- Engineering, University of Mines and Technology, ent to their work as engineers. We examine the ways 2 challenges. An approach that leverages known meth- Tarkwa, Ghana and Missouri University of Science ods has been successfully pilot tested and a full-stage in which social concerns shape their work throughout and Technology, Rolla, MO the life cycle of a mine, and how their work blurs the treatment facility is under construction. Regulators and lines between the social and technical aspects of natural We made site visits and conducted interviews with industry cooperate to treat acid mine drainage prior to resource development. This work suggests that CSR is diggers to determine potential environmental issues discharge. The original concept was to use effluent from not peripheral to engineering, but is a key competency caused by artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) in the treatment flowsheet as process water in a nearby required for careers in the global mining industry. the Tarkwa Mining Area (TMA) of Ghana. Activities of the power plant. The needed pipeline was not economically diggers were observed to cause soil degradation and feasible, but the treatment plant did permit the mine to water and noise pollution. Improper handling of mercury pump levels down and expose a previously inaccessi- 9:45 am was also identified as a major threat to people and eco- ble coal seam, and that coal is used in the same power Engineered Biopolymer for Dust Control in system. Large abandoned pits and trenches posed fall plant. Attendees will learn what can be accomplished by the Mining Industry: Mine Haul Road Case traps to farmers, hunters and wildlife. We argue that lack thinking beyond treating waste streams and considering History of adequate monitoring and regulatory enforcement by how they might apply the effluent to useful purposes. L. Kuri1, C. Landis1, R. Falco2 and A. Madduri1; 1HPPE Ghanaian authorities, together with inappropriate mining LLC, Columbus, GA and 2Seatex Ltd, Rosenberg, TX processes, probably due to lack of technical expertise are contributing factors to the environmental issues of A new functionalized biopolymer is introduced as an al- artisanal and small-scale mining in the TMA. ternative to common chloride and sulfate-based chem- istries for dust suppression. Dust management on mine haul roads is one of the most challenging opportunities for the industry to improve everything from compliance to driver safety to its water footprint. In this study, dust

28 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 reducing conditions, especially in the Morrison Forma- troscopy (EDS) was used to identify amorphous and crys- tion, a uranium-hosted sandstone in the district. Past talline U-V phases in unreacted mine waste sediments. MORNING mining and milling of uranium ore has led to contam- The sediments were sequentially reacted with 18MΩ - ination of water resources. Arroyos in the district have water (pH 5.4), 10mM HCO3 (pH 7.9) and 10mM CH- 9 am Four Seasons Foyer shown evidence of uranium contamination. Although, 3COOH (pH 3.4) to simulate relevant oxidizing conditions some mine sites have previously been reclaimed, con- encountered at the Blue Gap/Tachee mine site and inves- tamination is still occurring and threatens local water tigate the reactive transport of U and V. Reactive transport - Environmental: supplies. In an attempt to determine mineral sources simulations of mine wastes reaction with 10mM HCO3 of the contamination and transformations associated and CH3COOH suggest dissolution of U-V bearing mineral Student Posters with uranium chemistry, we are conducting preliminary phases as a key process controlling transport of U and Chairs: V. McLemore, NMBGMR/NM leaching tests on the waste rock from selected mines to V, attributing difference in their release to different U and Tech, Socorro, NM evaluate the geochemical behavior of mining material. V phases, possibly to the identified multi-crystalline U-V A series of laboratory experiments are being conducted phases. Therefore, this study provides insights of inter- B. Nielsen, Freeport-McMoRan Copper to assess the mineralogy and geochemistry of the ma- facial processes affecting the transport U and V in water and Gold, Phoenix, AZ terial to estimate the leaching potential, acid generation resources adjacent to mine wastes. and neutralization potential. The assumption is that if 9 am the constituent doesn’t leach from the waste, then it is Introduction not a threat to the groundwater. Weekly changes will be 10:25 am monitored to determine leaching plateaus. Copper Recovery From Waste Printed 9:05 am Circuit Boards The Characterization of Abandoned N. Santa Cano; Materials and Minerals, Universidad Mines in Jicarilla Mining District, NM 9:45 am Nacional, Medellin, Antioquia, Colombia 1 2 1 The Characterization of the Rosedale Mine J. Asafo-Akowuah and V. McLemore ; Mineral Printed circuit boards are potencially reciclable ma- Engineering, New Mexico Institute of Mining and District, Socorro County, New Mexico terials. Developing suitable methodologies for proper 2 A. Winton and V. McLemore; Mineral Engineering, Technology, Socorro, NM and New Mexico Bureau of disposal and better utilization, brings major environ- New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Geology and Mineral Resources, New Mexico Institute mental and economic benefits. A methodology for cop- Socorro, NM of Mining and Technology, Socorro, NM per recovery using heat treatment before conventional Gold-silver production in the Jicarilla district, Lincoln Mining has played a remarkable role in the economic leaching is carried out. A comparison between conven- County occurred 1892-1942 from hundreds of pits and development of the United States. Despite the closure of tional methodology and the one that includes incinera- shafts. Many of these mines were abandoned with no many mine features as a way to mitigate physical safety tion treatment is presented. It concludes about results remediation. It is important to recognize that these early hazards, state and federal agencies are concerned that and differences in terms of the percentage of copper miners were not breaking any laws, because there were some of these features could still pose an environmen- leached over time. This research aims to determine no laws to break. Many state and federal agencies have tal affect after closure and some of these effects could how printed circuit boards incineration intervenes in the mitigated the physical safety hazards by closing these increase due to natural hazards that occur especially in copper recovery during the leaching process and how mine features, but very few of these reclamation efforts desert environments, such as wildfires and periods of effective it is. Also, how incineration could be changed have examined the long-term chemical effects. Many of regional monsoonal flow. The objective of this research to mechanical and dismantling methods to avoid the these mine features do not pose any physical or envi- is to develop cost-efficient methods of inventorying generation of toxic gases. ronmental hazard and many more, pose only a physical and characterizing these abandoned mine lands, using hazard, which is easily but costly to remediate. The ob- the Rosedale gold-silver mine in the Rosedale mining jective of this research is to develop a better procedure district, Socorro County, New Mexico as an example. 10:45 am to inventory and characterize abandoned mine features By utilizing the BLM ranking methodology, along with Metal Leaching from the Sulitjelma (Volcanic not only in the Jicarilla district, but this procedure can be standard kinetic column testing of waste rock material, Massive Sulfide) Mining District, Norway applied to other districts. Hazard ranking of mine open- potential physical and chemical hazards posed by these F. Stopa and M. Tinsley; New Mexico Institute of ings and features, using BLM ranking methodology will abandoned mine sites will be evaluated. Concentrations Mining and Technology, Socorro, NM of metals will be measured in stream sediments and be utilized for most sites. Also we want to suggest re- The Sulitjelma mining district, in Northern Norway, has medial activities that would manage or mitigate dangers stream-water, collected downstream from the mine site to evaluate environmental effects following the recent produced some 26 million tons of ore. The ore deposits to the environment and public health, while taking into (VMS) were mined for S, Cu, and Zn. Ore processing and consideration historical, cultural and wildlife issues and burning of 42,102 acres of the North Fire in the Cibola National Forest, San Mateo Mountains. exposed waste rock has resulted in soil contamination, mineral resource potential. ARD, and leached metals into lake Langvatn. Mine adit discharge also contributes to the contaminant load on the lake. After closure the mining district was mitigated, 9:25 am 10:05 am Reactive Transport of U and V from based on little characterization data, by leading some Evaluation of Leaching Tests on Waste adit water into underground mine areas and plugging Materials from the Grants Mineral District, Abandoned Mine Waste Sites lower portals. However, this failed in reducing the mass S. Avasarala1, P. Lichtner2, A. Ali3, R. González-Pinzón1 New Mexico loading to the receiving environment. To understand the 1 1 2 3 1 and J. Cerrato1; 1Civil Engineering, University of New Y. Li , I. Walder , B. Frey and V. McLemore ; Earth contamination waste dumps were sampled, with four Mexico, Albuquerque, NM; 2Los Alamos National and Environmental Science, New Mexico Institute mine areas extensively in summer 2016. Water samples of Mining and Technology, Socorro, NM; 2Analytical Laboratory, Santa Fe, NM and 3Earth and Planetary were tested for Cu, Zn, Fe and SO4. The data shows Chemistry Laboratory Manager/Geochemist, New Sciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM highest concentrations near an open pit mine, Furuha- Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources, In this study, we investigate the reactive transport of ura- gen. Ten waste rock kinetic column tests will determine Socorro, NM and 3Senior Economic Geologist, New nium (U) and vanadium (V) from abandoned mine wastes mineral reactions, further leaching potential, mineralo- Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources, collected from Blue Gap/Tachee, AZ by integrating flow gy, acid base accounting, and sequential chemical ex- Socorro, NM through column experiments, reactive transport model- traction. The results will be combined with water data The Grants Mineral District, N.M., was a primary uranium ling (PFLOTRAN), and electron microscopy. Transmission to estimate contaminant load to Langvatn. Without this district from 1950s-1980s. Uranium is mobile as uranyl electron microscopy (TEM) integrated with selected area more extensive mineralogical and geochemical charac- and carbonate complexes, forming stable minerals in electron diffraction (SAED) and electron dispersive spec- terization of the district any remediation is likely to fail.

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 29 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 num, and other metals, it has experienced significant chemical reactor (BCR) to neutralize acidity and remove operational challenges due to viscous, sticky sludge, residual trace metals, respectively. Results indicate a MORNING which is relatively slow to dewater and does not achieve full-scale ANC with 6-hour hydraulic residence time desired density. CH2M was contracted to identify op- (HRT) and a BCR with approximately 4-day HRT at both 9 am Room 102 tions, with the primary goal of producing sludge of high sites to meet treatment goals. This presentation will pro- weight percent solids with good handling characteristics vide experimental design and results of the field pilot and dewaterability. CH2M conducted onsite pilot testing and laboratory column studies, contaminant removal Environmental: which optimized removal of ferric iron and aluminum, rates, and recommended full-scale design at both sites. and demonstrated significantly improved sludge prop- Water Treatment and erties. Density was also significantly improved with the Water Management at surprising exception of water from early-season snow- 10:25 am melt which produced a difficult to explain HDS inhibition DEMET Technology ARD Treatment: Closed Mines effect. Options were developed that cost-effectively re- Economics and Revenue Potential Chairs: L. Platt, Freeport McMoRan, used existing tanks and equipment. – a Mine Site Assessment Tucson, AZ P. James; Blue Planet Strategies, Madison, WI D. Yantorno, ASARCO LLC, Tucson, AZ 9:45 am DEMET electrolytically based treatment to clean, neu- The Next Big Mining Investments tralize, and selectively target and transform ARD waste 9 am D. Eyde; St Cloud Mining, Tucson, AZ into value-added potentially revenue generating prod- Introduction ucts is presented. Recovery of potential valuable metal Capital requirements for mining operations will include salt products is illustrated for a representative ARD site 9:05 am an increasingly upward trend in investments in water and an associated economic assessment developed Selection and Implementation of a infrastructure and treatment, relative to conveyors, for the site is discussed. Comparisons and contrasts crushers, trucks and shovels. One of the largest ongoing to conventional treatment and highlighting benefits and Post-Closure Mine Dewatering System at the expenses during the life cycle of a mining operation is Chevron Mining Inc., Questa Mine, challenges to be considered for application will be pre- the treatment of effluents that leave the property. Efflu- sented. Implementation options for ARD scenarios and New Mexico ent treatment requirements of mining operations, with mining operations will be explored. T. Cox and J. Gilbert; Arcadis, Highlands Ranch, CO the affiliated bonding requirements will require new long The Questa Mine is a former underground and open pit term treatment technologies. These treatment require- molybdenum mine in Taos County, New Mexico. The un- ments continue past the economic recovery of ore at 10:45 am derground mine was dewatered by pumping water from the operation. Bonding is now often required for water Kori Kollo Mine Closure: Rapid Filling and the lowermost haulage drift through a conveyor decline treatment in perpetuity. Meeting this challenge is proba- Long Term Management of the Pit Lake in a to the surface. The mine was closed in June 2014 bly one of the more difficult challenges for the minerals Complex Saline Environment and closure efforts included evaluation of a new sur- industry. Natural zeolites may represent a part of the J. Reidel; WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff, Reno, NV face-base dewatering system, shutdown of the existing solution. Their effectiveness in different technological underground dewatering system, and allowing a portion processes has been confirmed by numerous studies on Kori Kollo is in a floodplain that serves as the prima- of the mine to fill. A performance objective of a new de- the removal of metal cations from wastewaters. They ry drainage of an endoeric river basin where natural watering system is to maintain a mine pool elevation be- have advantages over other materials because they groundwater total dissolved solids (TDS) increase with low the bordering Red River. Various dewatering alterna- are cheap, and exhibit excellent selectivity for different depth. Stream loss into alluvial sediments & underlying tives were vetted against construction, safety, feasibility, cations. Several case studies, and US government lab bedrock influence groundH2O salinity. The TDS of the and cost criteria, and a wellfield dewatering system was testing (USGS, EPA) are examining the viability of their bedrock groundwater system exceeds 200k mg/l with selected. Three dewatering wells were drilled using con- use under natural field conditions. increasing salinity with distance from the river system. ventional and real-time directional drilling techniques, Closure planning required controlled rapid pit filling with the wells targeting the lowermost haulage drift in using high TDS groundH2O & fresh H2O diverted from the underground mine. Groundwater inflow to the un- 10:05 am the river. The goal was to re-establish the natural salin- derground mine and the volume of workings were used Passive Treatment of Mine Effluent from the ity gradient of the adjacent groundH2O system Densi- to estimate the mine filling rate. A monitoring plan was Crystal and Bullion Mines, Basin Mining Area ty-driven pit lake stratification was quickly established. prepared to monitor groundwater levels and quality in Superfund Site, Montana - Field Pilot and Pit lake chemistry evolution for the first 5 yrs showed the surrounding bedrock aquifer to document that the Laboratory Column Treatability Studies a gradual increase in thickness & dilution of the lower performance objective is achieved. R. Thomas1, G. Hickman1, D. Smith1 and K. Edwards2; layer TDS while TDS of the middle layer rose, due to the 1CH2M HILL, Bishop, GA and 2Region 8 Montana fully mixed conditions in the layer & ion dispersion at Office, U.S. EPA (retired), Helena, MT the base of its contact with the lower layer. TDS in the 9:25 am upper layer is managed by seasonal diversion of river Deciphering and Improving Sludge Quality The Bullion and Crystal Mines are abandoned mine H2O. Thermal gradients & seasonal mixing are observed at the Summitville Mine Water Treatment sites located between Helena and Butte, Montana. The to affect only the upper layer. Geochemically, the middle adit discharge at both mine sites is acidic and contains layer is the most dynamic, owing to decreasing pH with Facility, Colorado, USA elevated concentrations of dissolved elements/metals depth, seasonal inflows, & wind driven currents J. Stefanoff, G. Hickman, A. Campbell such as aluminum, antimony, arsenic, cadmium, cop- and S. Champlin; CH2M, Spokane, WA per, iron, lead, and zinc. The sites are remote, at high The Summitville Mine Water Treatment Facility, con- elevation (>7,300 feet amsl), not supplied by utilities, structed at 11,500 feet near the top of the Alamosa River and are difficult to access in winter. The adit discharge watershed by the U.S. EPA and State of Colorado, treats flow rates are relatively low and the contaminant loading mining-influenced water to improve downstream water is modest. Field-scale pilot and lab column studies were quality and habitat. It has a design flowrate of 1,400 performed in advance of preliminary design of passive gpm and uses lime neutralization in the standard high treatment systems (PTS) to mitigate adit discharge at density sludge (HDS) configuration. Due to challenging both sites. The main components of the PTS tested influent with high concentrations of ferric iron, alumi- include an acidity-neutralization cell (ANC) and a bio-

30 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 knowledge redundancy, eases knowledge transfer, and exercises. But, are we doing these two things enough or contributes to a continuity of institutional information as should trainers be adding more and doing more? How MORNING junior personnel move into key roles at mines. are mine trainers supposed to know what theories to ap- ply and how to apply them? In this program we will dis- 9 am Room 612 cuss the creation of the Mine Trainer Competency Model 9:45 am and how it can be used to help mine trainers (and mine Simulation Assisted Incident Command operators) identify the knowledge, skills, abilities and Health & Safety: Training for Mines traits that highly successful mine trainers exhibit. We will C. Harman; Mining Engineering, Colorado School of provide each participant with a copy of the model and Developing Mine Worker Mines, Golden, CO competencies for review, comment, feedback and use. H&S Knowledge, Skills, Mine emergencies present unique challenges when compared to other industrial locations. Using FEMA’s and Abilities National Incident Management System (NIMS) most 10:45 am Chairs: L. Guasta, Safety Solutions mine operators will establish an incident command Interactive Annual Refresher Training – International, Inc., Parker, CO structure to facilitate an organized and efficient re- Innovative MSHA Compliance Tool K. McDaniel, Colorado School of Mines, sponse. The Energy, Mining and Construction Industry W. York-Feirn; Colorado Department of Natural Safety (EMCIS) Program at the Colorado School of Mines Resources, Colorado Division of Reclamation Mining Golden, CO has developed a mine rescue simulator program with & Safety, Denver, CO grant support from MSHA. Previous training utilizing the A new, innovative and effective tool for creating and de- 9 am computer simulator in conjunction with an incident com- livering MSHA compliant annual refresher training was Introduction mand structure has shown the mine rescue teams as developed and released in late 2015 by the Colorado proficient. However, many of those in incident command Stone Sand & Gravel Association and the Colorado Divi- 9:05 am were unaware of the capabilities and limitations of the sion of Reclamation Mining & Safety. Users choose from A Workflow for Mine Safety Training Using responders they were supposed to be in command of. 23 modules covering a wide range of mine safety and Serious Games: Design and Evaluation It was found that mine rescue teams and fire brigades health topics (and up to 8 hours of training) to create a L. Brown and M. Poulton; Lowell Institute for Mineral are prepared in general to respond to a mine emergen- unique, fresh annual refresher training session that is Resources, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ cy but there was room for improvement with regards to supplement with your site-specific content. The program New approaches are needed to improve worker com- incident command. This paper will address the need for includes quizzes and exercises to test information re- petencies in mine safety training. Following a detailed comprehensive training of personnel who would act in tention and allows the user to track and document the needs assessment and field studies of current training an incident command role in conjunction with their on- completion of modules for each participant. Exciting fea- methodologies, we will develop and validate a new site emergency response resources. tures such as ‘You Are The Inpsector’ hazard recognition approach to safety training that uses advances in “se- exercise and the ‘Mine Game’ jeopardy-type section rious games” to improve training workflows. Five spe- encourage enthusiastic group participation and promote 10:05 am effective adult learning. This new tool is available in DVD cific enhancements will be proposed. Through serious Predicting Employee Success in games, the training content, practices, and outcomes or flash drive format. Availability on a web-based plat- Training and Development Programs: form is planned for early 2017. may be illustrated using non-linear stories with conse- A Review of the Literature. quence-driven game play in a realistic, “sandbox” world. M. Lutz1 and M. Poulton2; 1Custos Fratris, L3C, Practical gaming examples will be presented, including Tucson, AZ and 2University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ our experiences with “Harry’s Hard Choices Interactive.” 11:05 am We will also discuss usability studies that were conduct- Each year mine operators around the world spend mil- Evaluation Results from a Year of ed to evaluate the serious games approach. Our studies lions of dollars to increase the knowledge, skills, and Leadership Development Training for Front- suggest a high level of user acceptance among mine abilities of their workforce in an attempt to increase Line Supervisors in Western Mines workers. productivity and reduce safety incidents. Unfortunately, L. Guasta; Safety Solutions International, Inc., only some of these training interventions are consid- Parker, CO ered successful – employees don’t always learn what The current retirement of veteran miners and influx of 9:25 am is expected and more often they don’t apply what they learned back on the job. What if we could predict which inexperienced workers in the mining industry is creat- Knowledge Transfer at Mines: How ing a unique challenge in ensuring that supervisors are E-Learning Technology Can Ease the Burden employees were likely to be the most successful in train- ing programs? What if we could use these predictions to equipped with skills necessary to lead workers on the A. Dean and D. Wells; Wenco International Mining frontline. The changing labor needs in the industry is at- Systems, Seattle, WA change how we design training to make it better for em- ployees that may struggle? This talk will provide a review tracting younger, inexperienced employees who repre- Knowledge management is a growing concern for of the literature on the tools and methods available to sent a change in culture and increased risk in the safety mining and other heavy industries. Many operations in predict employee success in training and development and health environment. These challenges present the these fields subsist through ad hoc decisions and in- programs and provide recommendations specific to the need for refined training approaches and the capture stitutional knowledge held by experienced personnel. mining industry. of veteran worker experience. The University of Texas However, these fields also see significant turnover as at Arlington (UTA) and Safety Solutions International, personnel retire, advance into senior roles, or migrate Inc. has developed a NIOSH supported, two-day lead- to other sites and operations. An aging workforce only 10:25 am ership development course for front-line supervisors compounds this issue. This regular turnover contributes Required Competencies for the in Western mines to address the immediate needs of to the vulnerability of institutional knowledge and may Mine Trainer: A New Path Forward supervisors facing a new dimension of workers. By in- reduce the efficacy of these operations as a whole. As M. Lutz1 and M. Poulton2; 1Custos Fratris, L3C, corporating best practice adult learning principles and a result, facilitating the transfer of knowledge presents Tucson, AZ and 2University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ a systems approach, the course focuses on the funda- mental development of leaders in the mining workforce, a major challenge for mining operations and their hu- For more than a decade, regulators and researchers man resource departments. This paper demonstrates strengthening existing on-the-job-training (OJT) practic- have suggested that mine training needs to be more en- es with train-the-trainer (T3) concepts, and enabling the the potential for technological solutions – in particular, gaging and effective in order to help workers learn to be e-learning software – to mitigate the impact of person- occupational culture to pursue a prevention practice that safe. Researchers have called for mine trainers to apply will move the industry closer to accomplishing “zero”. nel changes in mining. It shows how e-learning creates adult learning theory to their courses and create active

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 31 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 though traditional surveying techniques are widely used challenges and face increased scrutiny. Monitoring to detect these movements to extreme accuracy, they fugitive methane emissions from these sources is ex- MORNING prove to be costly and time consuming. InSAR offers a pensive, relies heavily on manpower, is prone to error, lower cost technique to not only detect, but continuously and provides limited data to the end user. With the ad- 9 am Room 610 monitor ground deformation in subsidence prone areas. vent of the Internet of Things (IoT) cost effective wire- In this presentation we will discuss the advantages and less continuous monitoring solutions are now a reality. disadvantages of the different InSAR techniques for These systems provide sound scientific data through Health & Safety: detecting and monitoring subsidence. Examples will be long-term baseline remote monitoring and real-time given from urban and rural areas. analysis. Remote monitoring system transmits real-time Innovative H&S Technology data over various wireless telemetry options to a cloud Applications based dashboard allowing experts to analyze problems Chair: S. Schafrik, Virginia Tech, 9:45 am and abnormal situations. These man portable systems Blacksburg, VA An Innovative Online Platform for include integrated batteries and solar charging provid- Professional Development for Mine ing long-term deployments in remote locations saving Ventilation Professionals on labor intensive manual data sampling and costly trav- 9 am el. As a result better data collection and measurement Introduction J. Stinnette, K. Luxbacher, S. Schafrik and E. Jong; Dept. of Mining and Minerals, Virginia will improve our understanding of methane sources and Tech, Blacksburg, VA trends, and enable more effective management of op- 9:05 am portunities to reduce methane emissions. DPM Removal Using Micron-scale Drops: Lifelong learning is important to all professionals, allow- A Novel Diesel After-treatment? ing them to stay abreast of the latest developments in Z. Henderson1, L. Rojas Mendoza1, E. Sarver1 and their respective fields and to refresh their knowledge 10:45 am J. Saylor2; 1Mining and Minerals Engineering, Virginia amongst specialties. For mining engineers and other Use of Shrinkage Compensating/Reducing Tech, Blacksburg, VA and 2Department of Mechanical resource professionals, lifelong learning via professional Admixtures in Portland Cement based Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC development can be scarce or difficult to access, partic- ularly for people at remote sites with rigorous produc- Materials for Safer Mining and Closure Occupational exposures to diesel particulate matter tion schedules. We propose an online learning platform Environments (DPM) present significant health risks, including in- specific to competency in mine ventilation. Details about J. Preskenis; Premier Magnesia, LLC, Dover, DE creased risk of lung cancer and a range of acute (e.g., platform development, learning module content, and Premier Magnesia, LLC, the global innovative leader eye, nose, and throat irritation) and chronic health ef- integrated pedagogical theory related to online learn- in magnesium-based technologies has introduced a fects (e.g., damage to respiratory and immune systems). ing and engineering education are provided. The pro- novel technology to combat shrinkage and cracking in Personnel in underground mine environments can ex- posed platform is free, open source, and is intended to Portland cement and concrete based structures. The perience relatively high DPM exposures, since mines be maintained by a committee of experts in the field. primary use of concrete in the mining industry is to pro- often use heavy diesel equipment in confined spaces. The successful deployment of this platform can serve vide a safer and healthier working environment during In large-opening mines where ventilation is difficult, re- as model for other competencies in mining engineering mining and closure and/or to reduce the environmental ducing exposures can be challenging despite the variety (e.g., ground control, safety management, sustainable risk potential from contamination via AMD. Commercial of existing control technologies. New technologies and practices), and will help to further elevate the practice advances in concrete technology can provide a very im- abatement strategies are needed. Fundamental flu- of mining engineering and the principles of responsible permeable material for mining applications, but cracking id mechanics and preliminary experimental work has mining. can still occur as a result of shrinkage. These cracks shown potential for removal of DPM from diesel exhaust eliminate the very low permeability benefit provided by means of thermal coagulation between DPM parti- by the material by allowing a direct pathway both into cles and micron-scale water drops. Here we present 10:05 am and out of a structure. These cracks can allow passage promising experimental results demonstrating approx- Improved Safety and Compliance with of both liquids and gas easily through the structure. imately 45% (number concentration) removal of DPM Wireless SCSR Inspection Technology Shrinkage is a three dimensional phenomenon in con- from a diesel exhaust stream under low-flow conditions S. Shearer; Self, Export, PA crete and leads to delamination of the concrete. Once using a fog of micron-scale drops. A discussion of fu- the delamination from the substrate begins it is typically ture work is also presented including challenges and New SCSR regulations have increased inspection and irreversible without major repair. This work includes suc- experimentation necessary for scaling up such a control maintenance requirements for miners and operators. At cessful case studies of MgO-based Shrinking Compen- technology for field application. the same time, there are shrinking resources of time and sating / Reducing admixtures. money available to inspect SCSRs. Current SCSRs rely on employees to thoroughly and accurately inspect their 9:25 am personal life-saving devices. Commonly, SCSR caches 11:05 am Overview of InSAR Technology for contain hundreds of units, making for a time consuming Tele-Robotic Hang-up Assessment and Monitoring Subsidence Over and subjective inspection often without auditable proof. Presented is a newly developed “smart” sensing tech- Removal of Rock Blockages in Mining Undermined Areas Operations using Virtual Reality Gaming to N. Schaefer1, Z. Agioutantis1, J. Silva-Castro1 and nology incorporated with the SCSR that will improve the 2 1 safety of miners and help to reduce the cost and burden Improve Safety J. Robertson ; Mining Engineering, University of G. Baiden; Penguin Automated Systems Inc., 2 of compliance with the new rules. Kentucky, Lexington, KY and Illinois Mine Subsidence Naughton, ON, Canada Fund, Chicago, IL The removal of rock blockages in cave mining opera- Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) has 10:25 am tions has long been a risky undertaking especially in experienced a surge in the past decade due to advance- Cost Effective Wireless IoT Solutions for high overhead conditions. Moreover, the assessment of ments in technology and the proliferation of SAR-capable Monitoring Fugitive Methane Emissions where to put charges and placement of those charges satellite instrumentation. Numerous technologies have W. Powers; Pix Controller, Export, PA has been difficult to do, due to the lack of visibility and been developed that stem from InSAR, such as DInSAR safe access to the area. Thus the traditional practise and PSInSAR. These technologies are of great use to Liberation of coal mine methane (CMM) from sources that include ventilation air from underground mines, of the wedging of long poles with explosives on them, the mining industry, as they can detect ground surface keeping the operator in a potentially safe location has deformation to within a few millimeters of accuracy. Al- abandoned or closed mines, and surface mines pose

32 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

been one of the tried and true methods of attempting 9:25 am 10:05 am to remove the blockages. Unfortunately, this is less than Improving Tailings Storage Facility Effects of Corrosion on Ground Support and a perfect system usually taking several attempts to Safety in the US Corrosion Monitoring Methods achieve the blockage removal. Each successive attempt O. Chernoloz1 and M. Poulton2; 1Mining and A. Chambers1, D. Benton1, M. Stepan1 and D. Orr2; can result in an even more dangerous condition for the Geological Engineering, University of Arizona, Tucson, 1NIOSH, Spokane, WA and 2Hecla Mining Co, Juneau, AK worker and/or damage to the mine. Due to successive- 2Lowell Institute for Mineral Resources, AZ and Corrosion of ground support can lead to falls of ground, ly larger amounts of explosives used until the hang-up University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ finally comes down. After understanding the process posing a significant risk to miner safety. To address this thoroughly, Penguin Automated Systems has developed Tailings storage facilities (TSFs) and water retaining dams problem, the National Institute for Occupational Safe- a robot system capable of working in a rock blockage are the largest manmade structures on Earth. Statistics ty and Health (NIOSH) is investigating corrosion at the safely. The idea draws on the latest in telerobotics tech- show that TSFs are more likely to fail than other dams. Hecla Mining Company’s Greens Creek Mine, located in nology combined with 3D scanning and underground As the scale of mining increases, TSFs increase in height Juneau Alaska. Laboratory studies at NIOSH’s Spokane geospatial positioning. This paper will review the devel- and volume, therefore increasing the consequence of Research Laboratory investigate the effects of corrosion opment of the system and present the results. failure. To help mitigate risk, mining companies impanel on ground support integrity. Field studies consist of pho- expert groups to review operations of TSFs. In the US the togrammetry surveys of wire mesh corrosion. Ongoing MSHA has inspection authority for TSFs. We have exam- field surveys examine current potentials, rock mass ined the regulatory practices, the industry practices and conductivity, and microbial effects. Findings include (1) public data on TSFs in Arizona. We address inadequacies a linear relationship between loss of load baring capacity of the official government records on TSFs in the two and the diameter loss due to corrosion in the welded largest publicly accessible US databases, the National In- wire mesh and (2) corrosion monitoring through pho- TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 ventory of Dams, and the National Performance of Dams togrammetric methods have shown to be effective in MORNING Program. Both databases contain many errors, including measuring the diameter of the wire mesh. Photogram- descriptions and geographic coordinates of TSFs that are metry, when combined with the models produced in lab- inaccurate by many kilometers. We address these short- oratory tests, may offer a means of not only monitoring 9 am Room 506 comings with a pilot project for Arizona that demonstrates corrosion levels, but also overall rock mass conditions. recording accurate information in a database is neither expensive nor onerous, communicating best practices Health & Safety: for operation can help alleviate community concerns, and 10:25 am Monitoring, Interpreting, and continuous monitoring technology can resolve shortcom- Comparison of Underground Coal and Trona ings with visual inspections. Mine Seismicity Reacting to H&S Hazards W. Pariseau; Mining Engineering, University of Utah, Chairs: J. Brune, Colorado School of Salt Lake City, UT 9:45 am Mines, Golden, CO Exploring the Use of Situation Awareness in Recent studies of underground coal mine seis- micity using a novel finite element technique that E. Haas, NIOSH, Pittsburgh, PA H&S Leaders Behaviors and Practices allows for whole mine analysis show strong cor- D. Willmer; NIOSH, Pittsburgh, PA relations between event count, face advance and 9 am Gaining an understanding of how health and safety element failures. The analysis technique of dual Introduction management systems (HSMS) reduce worksite injuries, node – dual mesh allows for whole mine analysis at the illness and fatalities can occur in studying the behaviors kilometer scale where surface subsidence is of interest 9:05 am and practices of health and safety (H&S) leaders. These and at the meter scale near a working face where details Field Association of FLIR Airtec Real-time leaders bear the responsibility for identifying, under- of stress distribution is important to safety. Variability of DPM Monitor to the NIOSH 5040 Sampling standing and managing the risks of a mining operation. strata properties, jointing and topography are taken into Method More importantly they have to transfer this knowledge of account as mining progresses. While there are strong M. Khan, K. Homan and S. Gillies; Mining and Nuclear perception, recognition and response to risks in the min- similarities between the coal mines studied in central Engineering, Missouri S & T, Rolla, MO ing environment to their workers. The leaders’ efforts Utah and underground trona mining in southern Wyo- to build and maintain a mining operation’s workforce ming, thereare noticeable differences. Application of the Diesel Particulate Matter (DPM) exposure to under- that consistently executes safe work practices can be dual node – dual mesh technique indicates the differ- ground miners is a world-wide issue due to the reported captured through more than just lagging indicators of ence in mine seismicity is largely attributable to differ- adverse health effects. In underground mines, the mon- health and safety performance. This exploratory study ences in the strata properties and element failures and itoring, control and treatment of diesel engine exhaust interviewed six site level H&S leaders at U.S. surface and thus offers a simple engineering alternative to seismic has become an integral part of mine safety and health underground stone/sand/gravel and metal-non-metal system installation and monitoring. programs. The NIOSH 5040 method is a standard tech- mine sites with employee populations of 40 to 175. In nique used for DPM regulatory compliance in U.S. metal exploring leaders’ perspective on how they systemati- and nonmetal mines. The NIOSH 5040 method mea- cally manage health and safety, examples such as ap- 10:45 am sures DPM on a shift-average basis. However, a number proaches to task training, handling near-miss incidents, Geohazards – Early Detection, of portable real-time DPM monitors are now available to and building a leadership pipeline offer insights into Avoidance and Countermeasures the mining industry. This study focuses on a comparison 2 1 1 leaders’ use of situation awareness to manage site level G. Brunet and E. Michiels ; Maccaferri Mining of extensive DPM measurements in five underground 2 risks and how they work to communicate it to others. Solutions, Lithia, FL and Maccaferri Inc, U.S. mines using a commercially available real-time Williamsport, MD DPM monitor (FLIR Airtec) and the NIOSH 5040 meth- od. The samples were collected in metal mines which Rockfalls are a serious and common occurrence in min- use high percent biodiesel as a primary engine fuel. ing operations. Mining inherently destabilizes ground The results from the two methods showed a slight bias conditions while vibrations and environmental conditions in Airtec measurements at low DPM concentrations. A exacerbate the situation. Understanding the changing correlation equation with high correlation coefficient strata and hydraulic movement within the mine face can (R2 = 0.92) was obtained. The correlation model was provide direction on blasting. Wall height plays a signifi- validated by an independent set of samples and the re- cant role in how far debris will move horizontally as that sults were found to be satisfactory. distance is proportional to the height. Benches are often designed to ensure global stability is addressed, but is the

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 33 bench wide enough to catch debris should it fall? Freeze- ments pinpointed individual mine risk and readiness search examines the global supply side of Yttrium, the Thaw cycles will also have a significant impact as water deficiencies and help mine management prioritize the most commonly used rare earth element in new lighting seeping between cracks will drive a wedge between the gaps and devise action plans to quickly address them. technology, wind turbine additive, and other renewables loose materials and push it outward. How do you secure The assessments allowe them to track their progress, for a sustainable society. Yttrium currently comes large- the face in this environment? Being able to recognize share best practices potentially lower insurance rates. ly from only a few areas in south China, increasing the surficial erosion and potential landslides or global stability resulting economic vulnerability in short term. In the me- issues are important in maintaining a safe working envi- dium term, however, the supply threat for Yttrium may ronment. Understanding early detection of these issues decrease as more sources become available. In south can help deploy countermeasures such as: precision China, which is the major source of world Yttrium supply, blasting, installation of screens and meshes or when a Yttrium is produced with other REEs. As Yttrium’s con- barrier may be needed to protect equipment below. tent is high in the ion adsorption clays in south China, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 its supply is not likely to be disturbed by price changes MORNING of other co-products. In north China (Baiyun Ebo), where 11:05 am the content of Yttrium is lower, rare earth elements are Working Minds: Suicide Prevention and 9 am Room 110 usually produced as by-product of iron. Meanwhile, Yt- Mental Health Promotion in Mining trium production causes a variety of environmental/sus- T. Buchholz1 and S. Spencer-Thomas2; 1MarGeo tainability issues, making the supply stream vulnerable Inc, Arvada, CO and 2Carson J Spencer Foundation, Industrial Minerals & to more stringent environmental politics. Denver, CO Aggregates: Critical Mining continuously strives to make safety management 9:45 am a core value and practice – aiming toward attaining zero Minerals Coal and Coal Byproducts: incidents and injuries. Still, a recent report by the CDC Chairs: S. Ravishankar, Solvay, A Resource for Critical Materials found construction/extraction ranks #2 for occupations Stamford, CT R. Honaker1, R. Yoon2, G. Luttrell2, W. Zhang1, C. Eble3 with highest suicide rates and #1 for highest numbers. H. Kim, Chonbuk National University, and J. Hower4; 1Mining Engineering, University Thus, recently an expanded emphasis on behavioral of Kentucky, Lexington, KY; 2Mining and Minerals safety approaches challenges business owners to widen Jeonju, Korea Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA; 3Kentucky definitions of what it means to value health and safety. Geological Survey, University of Kentucky, Lexington, A construction/extraction industry initiative addressing 9 am KY and 4Center for Applied Energy Research, mental health and suicide prevention is ushering in a Introduction University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY new frontier for safety. Sadly, too many business owners The U.S. Department of Energy has recently identified have faced the tragedy of losing an employee to suicide. 9:05 am a list of critical elements that are needed to ensure the Because mental health conditions and suicidal thoughts Lithium and Vanadium: Critical Metals in ability to provide a sustainable source of clean energy are often invisible to the outside world, many people do Energy Storage of which several are rare earth elements. The supply of not realize how common these challenges are. This pre- T. Hammond; Hammond Swayne LLC, these rare earth elements (REEs) is a significant national sentation lets mining leaders know they are not alone San Manuel, AZ concern given that the source is mainly from internation- when facing these challenges and provides proven al markets. Recent studies have found that the national strategies in building a comprehensive and sustained At the 2015 US Energy Storage Summit, financial an- demand for REEs could be met as a byproduct from the approach to saving lives. Using science, stories – and alysts projected the energy storage space to grow production of coal. In this study, coal samples from three even a touch of humor – the presenters engage and exponentially in the next decade with investment different coal basins were characterized for REE content inspire participants and invite them to “be bold” to lead totaling 150 billion dollars in the said period. Currently, and the distribution quantified within the seam as well their companies in psychological health and safety. lithium-ion batteries account for 70% of all batteries deployed worldwide. Global battery consumption has as by particle size and density. The REE content of frac- increased 80% in two years to 70 GWh in 2015, of tions created using standard froth flotation tests were 11:25 am which electric vehicles accounted for 35%. Vanadium also evaluated. Finally, the overall amount of REEs in the Mine Emergency Risk/Readiness flow batteries are displacing lithium-ion batteries in a coal and coal waste at a number of processing plants Self-Assessments – A Pro-Active Approach number of grid energy storage applications such as were quantified. W. York-Feirn; Colorado Department of Natural load-levelling, emergency back-up, and rural electrifi- Resources, Colorado Division of Reclamation Mining cation. Advances in technology enable vanadium flow 10:05 am & Safety, Denver, CO batteries to be competitive at equal or lower cost per KWh relative to lithium-ion, when measured in terms Rare Earths in Review - A Decade of Decline An effective, rapid and easy to use pro-active tool for un- of levelized cost of electricity. This scenario suggests & Deception derground coal mine operators to self-assess their risks that future energy storage demands will make use of J. Kennedy; ThREE Consulting, St. Louis, MO for a potential mine emergency, and the preparedness both battery technologies and as a result, new sources The Rare Earth issue began its journey to prominence in to respond to an emergency were developed through a of lithium and vanadium will be necessary. This paper 2007 as the finance industry maneuvered to re-launch partnership between the mining industry, states, MSHA summarizes the current state of exploration for lithium Molycorp as an Initial Public Offering. The Molycorp tech support, and ABS Group, Inc., a risk management and vanadium as well as compares the advantages of Mountain Pass deposit was far from ideal, as it only consultant, in 2013. Four models were developed via each battery technology. contained the lower-value half of the 17 rare earth el- industry input that : (1) assess the mine-specific risks ements. This unfortunate reality was concealed from at a particular mine and evaluates (2) the mine’s overall investors, Congress and the Pentagon by promoting an preparedness to respond to an emergency, (3) readiness 9:25 am over-simplistic narrative that embellished Molycorp’s of mine rescue teams to respond, and (4) readiness of historical supply, geochemical & metallurgical contribu- responsible persons to execute the emergency plan. Global Supply Side Analysis and International tions and capabilities. The consequences of this façade The self-assessments were enthusiastically received at Trade of Rare Earth Element - Yttrium have greatly contributed to the decline of U.S. and underground coal mines and by mine management in K. Zhang and A. Nieto; Energy and Mineral Engineering, non-Chinese national economies and national security. Colorado and West Virginia and the models were refined Penn State University, University Park, PA How did this happen in full view of the SEM ? according to the insightful feedback received from the 9 The supply of various rare earth elements (REEs) have assessments completed. The results of these assess- been of great concern over the last decade. This re-

34 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

10:25 am TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 9:45 am Peat Based Sorption Media; a New Method MORNING Producing Fundamental Mapping for Treating Mine Drainage Products from sUAS Data P. Eger; Global Minerals Engineering, Hibbing, MN L. Graham; Engineering, GeoCue Group, Inc., 9 am Room 112 Mine water often contains trace metals that must be re- Madison, AL moved prior to discharge. Conventional treatment tech- The use of Structure from Motion (SfM) point clouds nologies are labor intensive and expensive. Peat-based collected from low altitude drones has skyrocketed in sorption material can be a less expensive alternative Industrial Minerals & the past several years. Vendors of systems and work- and is easily deployed in either “semi-active” or passive Aggregates: Mine Planning flows offer a wide variety of standard mapping products, treatment designs. The media is a hardened granular from ortho images to topographic contours. However, material produced from reed sedge peat, with a hydrau- (Aggregates) little is being said about the techniques used to achieve lic conductivity of around 1 cm/sec and metal removal Chair: K. Kosloski, Luck Stone, the accuracy levels of the various products or, indeed, capacities ranging from 1 -15% dry weight. The media of the products themselves. In this paper, we present has been used successfully to remove copper, alumi- Richmond, VA the common products generated in the course of small num, lead, zinc and cadmium. Treatment efficiencies unmanned aerial system (sUAS). These products are ex- range from 75% for fine particulate metal to over 90% 9 am amined from an accuracy and precision perspective. We for dissolved metals. Introduction then examine how the required level of network and/ or local accuracy can be achieved in sUAS operations. 9:05 am Finally, we present a comparison of three different levels 10:45 am Mine Portal Protection of sUAS data collection; a high end multirotor with PPK Lithium Extraction From hard Rock Deposits F. Stevens and H. Gibson; Cowin & Company, Inc., positioning, a mid-range wing with RTK and a very low M. Aghamirian1, T. Grammatikopoulos2 and C. Gib- Birmingham, AL end consumer grade quadcopter with navigation grade son1; 1Mineral Processing, SGS Canada Inc., Lake- GNSS only. Participants in this presentation will gain an 2 Mine portals are critical locations for underground mines field, ON, Canada and Mineralogy, SGS Canada Inc., and tunnels. In additional to the safety and regulatory understanding of sUAS mapping terminology and the Lakefield, ON, Canada concerns related to portals, a failure at this location can approaches that must be taken to generate the products used in their day to day operations. Lithium is a silver-white alkali metal that has recently shut down mining operations by compromising prima- become an exploration target for many junior mining ry or secondary access, ventilation, product removal or multiple combinations of the same. Some common por- companies. The current popularity of lithium can be 10:05 am attributed to increasing demand for lithium ion batter- tal failure categories will be reviewed as well as the spe- ies. The main lithium-bearing minerals occur globally in cific characteristics of a portal opening that contribute 2015 Hickory Sandstone Exploration to increased risks of these failure types. The structural Summary Voca, Mcculloch County, Texas pegmatites and granites. Spodumene ([LiAl(Si2O6)] is the most attractive economic lithium bearing mineral due to integrity of the rock at and near the portal always leads M. Lee; Westward Environmental, Boerne, TX the list of considerations. However, other common points its high lithium content (theoretical Li2O content of about In late 2015, the Westward Geological Services group 8 wt%). There are a significant number of spodumene of concern that will be discussed include protection from cored over 2,700 ft. of the Cambrian-aged Hicko- deposits across Ontario and Quebec, which are well the rock fall potential of adjacent highwalls, flooding, ice ry Sandstone Member of the Riley Formation in Voca, suited for lithium ion battery applications. Over the past (and other seasonal changes), visibility, traffic and width/ McCulloch County, Texas. This area of Central Texas several years, SGS Lakefield has been involved with a height/weight/grade restrictions, ventilation direction, has long been known for its silica sand deposits which number of lithium projects across Canada with the ob- groundwater, blast damage, and vegetation. Examples are used for making glass and proppant, or frac sand. jective to develop a process flowsheet that generates a of portal protection challenges and remediation options Performance of the ‘Brady Brown’ is comparable to its will be discussed. spodumene concentrate containing at least 6.0% Li2O cousin the ‘Northern White’ in many areas. This presen- (~75% spodumene), followed by a hydrometallurgi- tation will discuss the methodologies and results from cal process to produce lithium compounds for use in this exploration event. lithium ion batteries. This paper discusses a number of 9:25 am hard rock lithium flowsheet development case studies, Load and Carry: A Viable Alternative including a review of the use of dense media separation R. Kafka, J. Wientjes, J. Mills and L. Tolley; Komatsu (DMS), flotation, magnetic separation, and roasting as America Corp, Peoria, IL means to process spodumene bearing ores. The Application Engineering department within Komatsu America Corp. (KAC) was asked by a customer to con- duct an evaluation of a Load and Carry operation in a TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 high production application. The mine site had little ex- MORNING perience with a load and carry operation. Consequently, this study had to encompass the key variables that can affect the production of a wheel loader fleet. Due to the 9 am Room 212 complexity of operating multiple wheel loaders in a limit- International I ed area, and the uncertainty with the implementation of a new mining technique, this study also had to deviate Chairs: M. Gavrilovic, GR Engineering from producing a finite result. Thus, KAC created a se- Services, Denver, CO ries of dynamic tools that allow the consideration of nu- D. Malhotra, Resource Dev Inc, Wheat merous performance variables and production targets. Known Load and Carry application data was used to de- Ridge, CO fine typical cycle component times, and a multiple-serv- er machine servicing model was utilized to project wheel 9 am loader interaction, and subsequently the impact of such Introduction interaction on productivity. This presentation describes the processes used to perform this exercise.

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 35 9:05 am mining is strictly finalized and has to be prepared for the tent, in the context of industry case studies. Participants Palmarejo Mine Transformation post-mining era. To make a sustainable development will learn ways to potentially identify developing conflicts J. Diaz; Colorado, SME, Chihuahua, strategy; the long-term impacts of mining activities in before they manifest, as well as ongoing monitoring Chihuahua, Mexico Germany concerning the environmental, economic and through traditional and digital methods. Using these, social dimensions will be analyzed systematically and managers will be better able to manage or avert social Abstract: Palmarejo Mine transformation. Mining opera- forward-looking. The regional and social responsibility of risks, and even turn them into competitive advantages in tions are entrusted with the task of delivering their cor- the coal industry during the closing process and for the the marketplace for mineral projects. porate goals. This is not an easy task given the uniquely post-mining era after 2018 will be emphasized. Environ- challenging operating conditions, and Palmarejo Mine mental protection and post-mining technologies, as well (PJO) is not the exception, PJO has changed significantly as the development of mine sites to create new jobs are 10:45 am since 2013, at the time, the 6000 tpd. process plant was significant from an international point of view and are fed by nearby open pit and underground operation. Three Contribution of Mining Industry to likely to attract worldwide attention. The sustainability Sustainable Development of Territories: years later, PJO is a 4000 tpd process plant feed by two strategy of the German hard coal mining industry can be underground operations in a growing exploration district, The Latin American Case. regarded as a role model for other mining countries and O. Restrepo Baena, G. Aristizabal and A. Delgado; but this is the perceived change just on the surface, the regions facing similar transition challenges. most important transformation has happened on safe- Materials and Minerals, Universidad Nacional de ty, management and operational culture at all levels of Colombia, Medellin, Antioquia, Colombia organizational structure. This transformation has hap- 10:05 am Mining industry as a source of raw material is essential pened during a challenge time for the industry as declin- When Old Ideas Dissuade New Students: to society however, it lacks of good reputation due to the ing metal prices were reigning on precious metals and type of management historically applied to many of its Palmarejo Mine was facing a rapid decrease of mineral Teaching Mining Sciences in Sweden T. Jones; Mining and Rock Engineering, Department of social and environmental impacts. It is argued that this resources inventory. The pressure to develop and exe- situation has hampered the obtaining of social license to cute a strategy with no failure, in a record time was im- Civil, Environmental and Natural Resources Engineer- ing, Luleå University of Technology, Råneå, Sweden operate of a lot of mining projects around the world. The perative. This paper describes how these changes were last considerations are very common in Latin American implemented to support a successful transformation and The Luleå University of Technology (LTU) is the only countries. Contributing to the development of territories how Palmarejo team is getting ready to overcome new mining school in Sweden, and the country’s premier around mining projects constitutes a fundamental as- challenges in an always changing environment. location for education in rock mechanics. Located less pect of the business competitiveness through reducing than 70 miles from the arctic circle, it is near to ma- cost and risks of stopping projects, innovating new ways jor deposits of zinc, copper, lead, gold, silver, molybde- of relationship with stakeholders, improving the level 9:25 am num, and of course, iron. The nearby Kiruna iron mine of reputation of the industry as well as its position in Recruiting Internationally – is the world’s-largest underground iron mine and the the market. However, this contribution requires formal Challenges & Considerations most technologically-advanced underground mine in strategies and models that enable companies under- B. Lundblad; Mine Staffing International, Carlsbad, CA the world. These factors are placed against a highly stand the different resources in the territories where environmentally-conscious, and equality-conscious cul- their mining activities are developed and those resource Human resources challenges continue to cast shadows ture where mining has acquired an undeserved repu- transformations, in order to establish the best way to over the mining industry. The aging workforce, loss of in- tation for unacceptability. Old environmental concerns articulate the project with the territory, pursuing an ef- dustry knowledge and experience, a lack of young peo- and concerns over racial and gender equality within fective contribution to its development, truly sustainable ple with the right skills to fill vacant positions, will pres- the industry persist. Young people raised in this culture over time even after the mine closure. ent the mining sector with critical challenges in meeting acquire a distrust of the mining industry which creates future needs. Then when you add additional hurdles of difficulty in attracting and keeping university students in recruiting and placing general and project management the mining sciences. This paper looks at the efforts taken 11:05 am personnel internationally, it’s not easy finding and select- at LTU to attract, retain, and educate students in mining ing competent people that want to work internationally, Development of Flowsheet for a Low Grade engineering. A new CDIO initiative, industrial partner- Chromite Ore in Turkey have language skills, and also have the social/technical/ ships, redesigned courses, and re-education all play a interpersonal skills to pull it all together in difficult far- S. Ergun, I. Celik and O. Gulsoy; Mining Engineering, crucial role in improving the student’s opinions of mining, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey away places. We will need to have strategic Recruiting and in providing them with a high-quality education. plans in place. Post and Pray won’t work. As the war In this study, the studies to develop a flowsheet for a low for talent grows, it is ever more important to make sure grade chromite ore are presented. The existing concen- you have your strategic recruiting plans in place to de- 10:25 am trator had to be suspended due to the decreasing met- termine what kinds of jobs and how many, and then be al prices. The study commenced with mineralogy and absolutely determined to be smarter than ever in hiring. Seeking Better Investment Returns through Social Risk Management: from Exploration liberation profile of the chromite. The valuable mineral This paper looks at the challenges and considerations of is chromite and the major gangue mineral is lizardite recruiting internationally from three perspectives - the to Closure together with small amount of brucite and calcite Heavy M. Upton; SRK Consulting, Denver, CO hiring company, a professional recruiter’s insight, and liquid tests were performed on different size fractions the candidates themselves. Investors and companies involved in exploration, acqui- without any acceptable success. The concentration sition, operation and closure of mining properties face tests were performed using teetered bed separator(TBS) social risks. These can manifest as minor disruptions to +shaking table, spiral concentrator+TBS+shaking table 9:45 am business activity or permanent suspension of a project. for different grind size. Based on the test results, 100% Until the End and beyond: The Sustainable Social risks can be more challenging to manage than finer than 0.4mm was found to be optimum for grind Development Strategy of the German Hard many technical risks because the likelihood and the se- size. Comparison of alternative circuits showed that the Coal Mining Industry verity of negatives outcomes is hard to predict. However, performance of both alternatives would be similar. A J. Kretschmann; TH Georg Agricola University, a rigorous approach with predictive capability can allow flowsheet was designed and operated for as 25 tph trial Bochum, Germany managers to mitigate these risks. For investors or proj- circuit in the existing plant. The results showed that the ect acquirers, socially-flawed projects can provide the performance of the plant predicted was very close to the In 2007, a political understanding was arranged to highest return on investment as these hard-to-quantify actual plant data. The paper describes the methodology phase out German hard coal mining in a socially accept- risks may place a disproportionate discount on the prop- used, presents the experimental data and actual perfor- able manner by the end of 2018. This decision required erty. This presentation will discuss social risks to mining mance figures. a new strategy for the coal mining industry. German coal properties and tools to determine their nature and ex-

36 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

11:25 am 9:25 am is especially important in localities with relatively few Opportunities and Realities Faced by Mining A Critique of the “Apprised Value” Method for competent oil & gas appraisers where values are fre- Companies Entering Colombia Valuation of Grass Roots Mineral Properties quently dramatically overstated, either through applica- C. Barrera; South America, John T. Boyd Company, J. Botin1 and G. Davis2; 1Mining Engineering, tion of incorrect methodology or appraisal of the wrong Bogota, Colombia Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Las Rozas, Madrid, ownership interest. 2Economics and Business, Colorado School Carlos Felipe Barrera. Master of Commerce & Interna- Spain and of Mines, Golden, CO tional Business (University of New South Wales, Austra- 10:25 am lia) 2001. Currently Managing Director of South America Most internationally recognized mineral property valuation Thoughts on Valuing Deep Sea Manganese for John T. Boyd Company Although Colombia’s ranking standards consider four stages of property development: as an attractive mining destination has been recently ef- Exploration, Mineral Resource, Development and Produc- Nodule Deposits in the CCZ C. Wyatt; Mining and Management, South Dakota fected by commodity prices and internal struggles, the tion. Depending on the stage, three valuation approaches School of Mines, Rapid City, SD country remains an appealing target given its geological are recommended. These are: the Income Approach, the potential and strategic location. Coal, metals, emeralds Market Approach and the Cost Approach. For mineral The existence of deep sea manganese nodules in the and industrial minerals are the main focus of local and properties at the “exploration” stage, the Cost Approach Pacific Ocean has been known for some time. Manga- international investment in the mining sector. Govern- is a primary methodology. Within this approach the “ap- nese nodules deposits in the Clarion Clipperton Zone ment efforts to further advance the knowledge of the praised value method” (Roscoe, 2002) is often used. The (CCZ) have underwent two periods of active exploration country’s mineral endowment have been significant but appraised value method is based on the premises that the and development. The first period lasted more than a are shadowed by weak social and environmental regula- fair market value of an exploration property is the sum of decade and ended in the 1980’s, with millions of dollars tory frameworks that discourage investors. Mining com- the meaningful past exploration expenditures and warrant- spent but without sustained commercial production. The panies that are newcomers to the Latin arena face mul- ed future costs to test remaining exploration potential. The second period is less than a decade old and is ongoing. tiple difficulties including lack of international standards, “appraised value method” carries two important limitations: Countries and companies are again spending millions complex institutional structures, high government take i) The value of the property is only determined by past and of dollars on exploration and development. The level of and increasing social and environmental requirements. future exploration expenditure; and ii) The value impact expenditure indicates there should be substantial value Colombia is an example of challenges and opportunities. from a possible future discovery or lack thereof is not con- in the development of this resource. This paper looks at sidered. This paper focuses on the merits and limitations of how applying standard mineral valuations techniques to the “appraised value method” for the valuation of green- a hypothetical manganese nodule deposit located in the field exploration properties and suggests a new conceptual CCZ and how the resulting values compare to the level model that takes geological context into account. of expenditure.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 9:45 am 10:45 am MORNING The Market Capitalization Gold Property Transaction Trends 2014-16 Approach to Valuation Using a Common Comparison Metric 9 am Room 210 G. Davis; Economics and Business, Colorado School W. Roscoe; RPA Inc., Toronto, ON, Canada of Mines, Golden, CO We have reviewed transactions over the past three years There is considerable distrust of the market capitaliza- on more than 100 gold properties containing mineral Mineral Valuation I: Case tion approach to valuing mineral assets. CIMVal lists resources and mineral reserves. The property values the approach as a secondary valuation method, and derived from the transactions have been normalized in Studies and Methodologies the SME Valuation Committee’s comments to the IVSC Chairs: B. Guarnera, Broadlands Minerals terms of $/oz contained gold or gold equivalent where indicate disagreement within that committee as to the gold is the dominant component. Another useful metric Advisory Services Ltd., Las Vegas, NV approach’s validity. This paper provides the theory and for comparing resource properties is the Metal Transac- practice of the capitalization approach, showing where tion Ratio (MTR) which is the $/oz value divided by the M. Shumway, The Ohio State University, it may be useful and were it may not be useful. It cer- Worthington, OH gold price at the transaction date, or its mathematical tainly should be considered a primary approach in single equivalent, the property value divided by the in situ dol- asset companies or in companies where a single asset lar content of the mineral resources/reserves. Trends in 9 am dominates its portfolio. Worries that the capitalization $/oz value and MTR are examined over the three year Introduction approach does not take into account acquisition premia period for the properties, in different stages of develop- are easily addressed. ment, in different political jurisdictions, and with different 9:05 am resource/reserve sizes. The SME Valuation Standards – Present Implementation and Future Role 10:05 am T. Ellis; Ellis International Services, Denver, CO Sensitivity Analysis: Tools for Litigation in 11:05 am Rapidly Changing Markets The Impact on Mineral Property Valuations of In January 2016, SME published its “SME Standards Z. Smith; Congdon & Company, Endicott, NY and Guidelines for Valuation of Mineral Properties, First the Proposed SEC Reporting Requirements for Edition, 2016” (SME Valuation Standards). The stan- Since Fall 2014, oil & gas markets have experienced Mining Properties from Technical Perspective dards closely align with the “International Mineral Valu- unprecedented volatility with prices fluctuating, in some B. Guarnera1 and J. Fogani2; 1Broadlands Mineral ation Template,” under development by the International instances, by over 40% in six weeks. Volatility also re- Advisory Services LTD, Las Vegas, NV and 2Energy, Mineral Valuation Committee (IMVAL) since 2012. The sults in fluctuating discount rates as risk increases or Power, and Natural Resources, Haynesboone, author, who chairs the SME Valuation Standards Com- decreases and may drive financially distressed firms Denver, CO to alter expense deduction practices. This can result in mittee, will address the purpose and application of the The SEC has proposed new requirements for Regis- dramatic differences in value over short periods of time standards within the global setting of standards and trants with mining properties or operations. The purpose rendering direct comparison of “expert” reports submit- financial regulations. He will then provide his expecta- of the new requirements is to bring the SEC standards ted for litigation difficult and confuse clients, attorneys, tions for continuing enhancements to the SME Valuation into accord with other geographies regarding the report- and judges. Sensitivity Analysis can be used to bridge Standards and improved harmonization with the other ing for Mineral Resources ad Mineral Reserves as well the gap between reports, provide a “test of reasonable- major mineral valuation standards, such as the Canadi- as for exploration properties. These new requirements ness” for opposing reports, and give the stakeholders a an CIMVal Standards. will have an impact on valuations performed on mining framework through which to reconcile differences. This TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 37 properties and other mineral assets. Mr. Fognani will re- procedure is for shotcrete placement after bolts and 10:05 am view the legal implications of the changes on valuations mesh have been installed to prevent unraveling in weak Slope Performance and Reconciliation at and Mr. Guarnera will review the technical implications rock masses with low standup times. Early strength Newmont’s Akyem Open Pit on valuations. shotcrete (1MPa in 1 hour) is an important part of fu- E. Amakye2, M. Boatemaa2 and J. Lupo1; 1Newmont ture shotcrete design to allow shotcrete placement early Mining Corporation, Greenwood Village, CO and in the drift cycle. This also has important implications 2Newmont Golden Ridge Ltd, Accra, Ghana 11:25 am for the rapid development from mechanical excavation The Impact on Mineral Property Valuations of methods. Newmont’s Akyem Mine, located in the Birim North Dis- trict of Eastern Region in Ghana, is an open pit truck and the Proposed SEC Reporting Requirements shovel operation that has been operating for 3 years. for Mining Properties from Legal Perspective The pit slopes for the open pit are being developed 2 1 1 9:25 am J. Fogani and B. Guarnera ; AIMA, Marietta, OH and through a thick sequence of saprolite soils and sap- 2 Design Considerations for Carlin Formation Energy, Power, and Natural Resources, Haynesboone, rock, a meta-sediment hanging wall, and a meta-vol- Denver, CO Slopes in the Arturo West Button Pit canic footwall. In addition, there are a series of graphitic J. Mattern; Barrick Goldstrike Mine, Elko, NV The SEC has proposed new requirements for Regis- shears that cut through the pit, paralleling the mineral- trants with mining properties or operations. The purpose During the past few decades, the Carlin Formation has ized zone, exposed on the footwall. As with any open of the new requirements is to bring the SEC standards presented slope design and stability challenges at sever- pit mine, slope reconciliation is an important aspect of into accord with other geographies regarding the report- al mines along the Carlin Trend in northeastern Nevada, the overall mine operation and its ability to achieve their ing for Mineral Resources ad Mineral Reserves as well with slope “stand-up time” varying from hours to years. plan. At the Akyem Mine, slope reconciliation efforts are as for exploration properties. These new requirements Ancient pre-existing landslides, weak lakebed sediments, not only used to support operations, but to evaluate the will have an impact on valuations performed on mining and altered volcanic ash layers have all played roles. suitability of the pit slope design with respect to the site properties and other mineral assets. Mr. Fognani will re- These units have variable lithologic character and can conditions. This paper discuss the pit slope performance view the legal implications of the changes on valuations be difficult to model with confidence in 3-dimensions. experienced to-date at the Akyem Mine site and the out- and Mr. Guarnera will review the technical implications Laboratory testing has also shown a relatively wide range come from the slope reconciliation program. The paper on valuations. of material properties, which when added to localized also discusses the difficulties with slope reconciliation perched and confined groundwater, also affects slope de- and how some of these difficulties were addressed at sign decisions. Risk based design is therefore a valuable the operation. tool, requiring back-analysis results from previous small instabilities and large slope failures. The Arturo West But- ton Hill Mine is a single cut open pit with a single access 10:25 am through Carlin Formation and a requirement for preserv- Why The Bingham Canyon Manefay TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 ing stable slopes well beyond open pit mine life in order Landslide Failed MORNING to maintain access to potential underground portals that B. Ross; 90 Degree Consulting LLC, Tucson, AZ would be located near the pit bottom. A synopsis of slope On April 10th 2013, the Rio Tinto Kennecott’s Bingham stability design inputs, mine design options, and resulting Canyon Mine experienced the largest highwall failure in 9 am Room 502 slope performance will be presented. mining history when 144 million tons of material fell into the historic pit. This paper, which is based on the new book, Rising to the Occasion – Lessons from the Bing- Mining & Exploration: 9:45 am ham Canyon Manefay Slide, describes the geologic con- Geology: Mining Geotechnical Newmont’s Boddington Open Pit Slope ditions, sequence of events, and the failure mechanism Steepening Program that led to this gigantic event. This paper will also detail Chair: C. Rehn, Barr Engineering A. Jack2, N. Brockhurst2, F. Basson3 and J. Lupo1; some of the geotechnical monitoring used to predict the 1Newmont Mining Corporation, Greenwood Village, failure that was critical in preventing injuries or fatalities. 9 am CO; 2Newmont Boddington Gold, Boddington, WA, Introduction Australia and 3Newmont Asia Pacific, Perth, WA, Australia 10:45 am 9:05 am Comparison of Real Aperture Radar and Newmont’s Boddington Mine, located in Western Austra- Synthetic Aperture Radar at the BDMV Arturo Safety Factor Design Analysis; Intergration lia, is an 230,000 tonnes per day open pit and shovel of bolts, mesh, and shotcrete support in Open Pit Gold Mine operation. Over the past year, the operation has been tri- B. Olewinski; Barrick Goldstrike Mines Inc., Elko, NV weak rock masses, Turquoise Ridge Mine, alling a slope steepening program, with the objective to Nevada consistently achieve an inter-ramp slope angle of about There are two main types of open pit slope monitoring L. Sandbak; Tech Services, TRJV; Barrick, 61 degrees, while minimizing crest loss and toe flare, radar technologies in use today, Synthetic Aperture Ra- Winnemucca, NV and improve overall wall performance. The current trial dar (SAR) and Real Aperture Radar (RAR). Over the past few years, radar companies have improved the software Current ground support is based on empirical design of consists of a triple 12-meter bench (e.g. 36 meter overall bench height), with an average (triple) bench face angle of packages and made further advancements with radar weak rock masses typically encountered in the ore body technology itself. A side by side evaluation of SAR and in an underhand cut and fill gold mine. The primary safe- 85 degrees. The average bench face angle is achieved by mining the first bench to a 75 degree bench face angle; RAR was completed at Barrick Dee Mining Venture’s ty factor is based on bolts only, while the shotcrete and Arturo Open Pit Mine, and involves comparing displace- wire mesh provide a local safety factor to account for the and the second and third benches having a 90 degree bench face angle. Throughout the slope steepening trial, ment and velocity values of various points throughout rock between the bolts. This report quantifies the safety the scan regions and an assessment of their current factor and optimum design parameters including mesh a number of lessons were learned regarding the impor- tance of understanding risks associated with developing software package capabilities. While the software pack- and shotcrete into the design of topcut, tertiary, and de- ages included with radars have little to do with the ra- velopment drifts not associated with backfill or cement- steep pit slope walls, structural controls, drilling and blast- ing techniques on wall performance, communication, and dar technology, they play a vital role in radar operation. ed rock fill design. The safety factor for ground support Software can be very useful in allowing practicing slope from bolting is described by Pakalnis (2014), and the monitoring. This paper presents the results of the slope steepening program, the processes and procedures used engineers the ability to communicate to operators and design capacity of the shotcrete is based on the rock upper management by using options such as videos or mass rating (RMR) and empirical methods described by during the trial to maintain a safe working environment and the lessons learned. screenshots. It can also make reviewing data very easy Bieniawski and Larson (2013). Current ground support or difficult based on its user friendliness.

38 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

11:05 am 9:05 am 10:05 am Geologic Factors in Selecting Rock Bolt Type All-in Sustaining Cost Analysis: Pros and Cons MAFMINE: A Cost Estimator Tool for for Tunnnel Design T. Camm and A. Yapo; Montana Tech, Butte, MT Quick Evaluation A. Schissler; Mining Engineering, Colorado School of C. Petter1, R. D’Arrigo1, G. Scheffer1, R. Petter1, All-in sustaining cost is a metric used by mining 1 2 1 Mines, Littleton, CO companies to reflect the cost of gold expectation in a L. Wives and M. Armstrong ; UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil and 2Economy, Fundação Getúlio Vargas, Rio de Interpreting geologic factors are critical to select the consistent format useful to both investors and mining Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil rock bolt type, spacing, and length for tunnel design. professionals. Cost reporting focused on the direct cost The selection must obey the continuum of design which of mining and processing ore was summarized in the There are many methods to estimate costs in a quick is to assess load demand, compile the design basis, and non-GAAP cash cost developed by the Gold Institute in way. One of these methods is the Parametric Method, then to select the rock bolt appliance. The purpose of 1996. In 2013, a group of mining companies, working where costs are derived from general algorithms (or this paper is to present a design process applied by the with the World Gold Council, developed a more inclu- curves). In the early 80’s, T. Alan O’Hara developed author using 3 recent case histories for tunnel design sive approach to reporting costs designed to solve the parametrical models to estimate costs in mining. De- projects in Greenland, Peru, and the United States. The dilemma of showing a more comprehensive reflection rived from an original tool based on the O’Hara model, examples utilized will illustrate the design repsonse to of recurring costs involved in producing gold, without done by the Ecole des Mines de Paris in the 90’s, a load demand in widely varying conditions and results. discouraging investors. software called MAFMINE is on the way of development. The O’Hara Model, as well as other existing models, is based on foreign economies. There is no mining cost 11:25 am 9:25 am model using or based in Brazilian data, so because of Construction of a Seepage Barrier Helps to Acquiring Cost Data for Prefeasibility Studies this, the so-called burgernomics was tested as an ad- Improve Water Management and Safety at a B. Terhune; InfoMine USA, CostMine Division, justment factor when considering all the structural pe- Tailings Basin Spokane Valley, WA culiarities when investing in Brazil. The MAFMINE soft- G. Bryant; Barr Engineering Company, Minneapolis, MN ware itself involved the use of a computer model known The procurement of reliable cost data is an essential as client-server. Client-server is a computational model In the 1990’s the Cross Delta Dike was constructed by step in the development of sound prefeasibility level which separates clients and server which are usually placing random fill over hydraulically deposited tailings. studies. This paper highlights the differences between interconnected using a computer network. MAFMINE This 3,500 foot long dike transected the tailings basin prefeasibility and final feasibility mine cost estimating, in generates an order of magnitude for CAPEX and OPEX as a haul road and to facilitate water management. The terms of accuracy and detail, and how those differenc- to establish a very first Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) in a dike provided separation between solids storage on the es affect cost data requirements. The author details the mining venture. For quick evaluations, in a business plan upstream side, and water storage on the downstream process of obtaining cost data, including procurement level, the results are very promising. side. Operational issues related to seepage, piping de- methodologies, time investment, the need for cost data velopment, voids, and dike stability required attention to make engineering sense, and how to approach highly in order to maintain safe operation and efficient water engineered systems. Specific examples are discussed 10:25 am management. As such, a seepage barrier was designed to demonstrate the process. Cost data must be updated The Progression of Mine Operating Cost and constructed. Unique characteristics of the tailings on a regular basis to avoid out of date estimates. Finally, Estimation for the Newmont Mining and wastewater include high salinity, alkalinity, and the author stresses the importance of networking and sulfates, as well as layers and deposits formed from personal relationships for successful data acquisition. Corp-Ahafo North Project. C. Weber; Techncial Services, Newmont Mining Corp, precipitates. The final design and construction includ- Greenwood Village, CO ed a composite seepage barrier consisting of a primary soil mix wall using TRD technology and secondary vinyl 9:45 am This presentation will discuss the Ahafo North Project, sheetpile wall within the soil mix. The paper presents the Surface Mining Operating Cost Estimation located in South Central Ghana, approximately 30 km different phases of the project and discusses the various Check Value Using Regression Analysis and north of Newmont’s Ahafo South operating mine. The design and construction considerations. Transformation by Known Costs author has been involved since 2012 with several stud- E. Roe; Gustavson Associates LLC, Lakewood, CO ies following Newmont’s Stage Gate process. The meth- ods for mine operating cost estimating, including bench- This study is an update to the regression estimation marking, development of costs through first principles, methodology posited by Camm in Information Circular independent reviews, cost estimate range assessments 9298. Using regression equations derived from Mine and incorporating new information as the project moved Cost Services cost models the surface mining operating through scoping, pre-feasibility and feasibility study will TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 cost for international mines can be predicted with some be discussed. MORNING accuracy. The regression equation must be transformed by a known cost value from a mine using a mining method similar to the mine being estimated. Stripping 9 am Room 501 10:45 am ratio and production rate does not have to be similar. Case Study: Financial Evaluation of This study examines actual surface mining operating Free-Digging versus Drilling and Blasting Mining & Exploration: costs as compared to the costs predicted by technical N. Rouse and T. Worsey; Respec, Lexington, KY studies prior to mine production and the value estimated Management: Mine Cost from a transformed regression equation. This study describes the field testing and first-pass financial evaluation used to compare free-digging to Estimation and Economic drilling and blasting at a cement raw material quarry. Analysis I The quarry currently uses two 230 plus tonne excava- Chair: S. Stebbins, Aventurine tors and a 230 tonne face shovel to excavate 1.5 million tonnes of raw materials per year. Two of the three kits Engineering, Inc., Elk, WA must be replaced in the next two years, amounting to significant capital expenditures. As such, the operation 9 am decided to evaluate an alternative extraction method us- Introduction ing drilling and blasting and excavating with a smaller 90 tonne wheel loader or 70 tonne excavator. The study required a full load and haul fleet study, drill and blast

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 39 trial evaluation, and financial comparison. This presen- stope boundary control and keeping track of the stabili- optimization has resulted in significant improvement in tation focuses on the financial model evaluation, which ty, but also because the conversion of mineral resources costs, drilling methodologies, increased flows, and bet- takes into account the results of six weeks of field work into reserves will determine the economic viability of any ter responses in the Open-Pit mine piezometers. required to fully characterize each mining option. project, in accordance with Canada’s NI 43-101, as per- taining to information on mining projects. Nevertheless, some voids have been detected in the literature regard- 10:05 am 11:05 am ing the effectiveness of ore loss being the only parame- Business Excellence in Underground Mining Early-stage Open Pit Cost Estimation ter used to calculate a recovery factor, which could lead Cycle- A Case Study D. Tutton; Consultant Mining Engineer, Dierdorf, to a misinterpretation of technical performance. This A. Rai; Chief Engineer, Technical Services, Barrick Germany article shows that said performance described in terms Turquoise Ridge Inc, Winnemucca, NV of a recovery factor might underestimate actual ore loss. Cost curves proved invaluable in early-stage estimation Mining companies are welcomed to reflect on how they Last decade, Underground Mining Operations has ex- of mining costs when mining inflation was at a low level. could benefit from complete and precise information. perienced significant challenges to maintain or improve Their use was well documented by O’Hara, Camm and productivity with current operating practices. Continuous the USBM. From about 2003, inflation of mining costs mining cycle is the key to engage front lead supervisor and their subsequent deflation have made the use of 9:25 am with a track record on effective use of process controls. cost curves unreliable. In addition, cost variability by Turquoise Ridge performed a study to understand signifi- location has impacted result accuracy. In this paper, Mine Power Quality J. Fisher; Stantec, Tempe, AZ cant opportunity loss of ore to waste leading to minimum the use of consumption curves and their modification 1000-1200 ounces per month loss to the site (Jan-March to cost estimates based on local price bundles are Large modern underground mines produce and trans- 2015). The culture change and functional controls were presented as an alternative approach for the estima- port huge quantities of rock, which is a logistical mar- identified as challenges that left all department expe- tion of open pit capital and operating costs. Results of vel. To do so, electricity is used in drilling, blasting, rience (internal and external customer) dissatisfaction. consumption-curve analysis are benchmarked against ventilation, refrigeration, heating, pumping, conveying, The paper discusses a black belt sixsigma approach with underlying first principles cost estimates and show good hoisting, transportation, communications, and con- the initiatives the operations took to continue the drive calibration. It is therefore proposed that the consump- trols. Since most mines are remote from large support to develop an in-house Ore Loss & Dilution assessment tion-curve approach provides a good basis for ear- infrastructure, basic utilities require thorough upfront process. The team improved site ROI (approximately $7.2 ly-stage cost estimation. consideration. An exploration drilling program may re- M in year 1) with Muck Routing, Muck Handling Process, quire minimal camp infrastructure and electrical sup- and Delivery to end-user matrix. port, but a large underground mine will require signif- icant utility power. Providing power distribution to meet development and production demands with redundancy, 10:25 am suitable power quality, and appropriate life safety mea- Production Driver Tree – Tool for Finding TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 sures can be challenging; similarly, communications and Value Quick control systems have complex requirements. Maintain- R. Robison; Breakthrough Mining Services, LLC, MORNING ing production while safely minimizing workforce and Wildwood, MO maximizing efficiency requires control and management After safety, many mining operations focus on production 9 am Room 504 of all systems. This has to work cost effectively and re- liably—poor power quality can disrupt production. This - output. Output is like the score on a sports scoreboard. paper overviews the electrical systems in complex un- The score lets you know if you are winning or losing but Mining & Exploration: derground mines, their interactions, the resulting power conveys nothing about what is possible or what needs to quality issues, and the associated mitigations. be improved. Mining output is simply defined as dig time Operations: Continuous multiplied by dig rate. A deeper understanding is started Improvement in by expanding the elements of dig time and dig rate into a 9:45 am “tree” of production drivers. Dig time is usually the best Underground Operations Optimization of Underground Dewatering place to start a Production Tree Model because there are and Depressurization of an Open Pit always opportunities for change. Elements of dig time Chairs. J. Rahn, Newmont, Elko, NV include scheduled time, startup time, sources of down- G. Wilson, Barrick Gold Corp, Elko, NV C. Shaw; Underground Mining Engineering, Rio Tinto, Saratoga Springs, UT time and mine design. Dig rate is usually more difficult to change. Equipment selection defines the potential dig 9 am Rio Tinto has designed and constructed underground rate. Operator skill and geologic conditions de-rate po- Introduction depressurization / dewatering galleries to improve slope tential dig rates. Each of these elements can be broken stability of the Open-Pit mine. The drainage galleries uti- down further. The financial impact of a change can be 9:05 am lize hundreds of drains drilled in all orientations including estimated using the incremental variable cost margin. Relationships Between Recovery Factor from vertical and +45° up through -45° down. Pumping A Production Tree Model is a powerful tool to visualize, and Operational Ore Loss: Risks Related wells with orientations between -70° and -90° are also identify and quantify improvement opportunities quickly. to the Interpretation of Stope Technical drilled with larger diameters to accommodate pumps. Understanding and managing the drivers will insure a Performance Initial designs were optimized mid-construction to in- winning scoreboard. S. Ibarra-Gutiérrez, M. Laflamme and S. Planeta; crease safety, improve performance, improve schedule Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada and decrease cost. Optimization was based on depres- surization targets using analysis and interpretation of 10:45 am The mine recovery factor corresponds to the ratio be- the dominant fault and fracture network. Drain holes Evolution in Roof Bolting Machine tween the amount of ore which has been effectively were specifically oriented to enhance the intersection Technology extracted from a stope, and the total amount contained of the fracture network using stereonet analysis of the B. Ballamudi and Z. Hyder; Mining, Missouri S&T, inside the planned stope boundaries. Mostly associated pertinent fracture networks. The hypothesis was to use Rolla, MO to ore loss, this factor is used in the industry as a key fracture intersections for increased flows and greater player in the evaluation of stope technical performance. depressurization of the Open-Pit highwall. Underground The safe and optimal installation of roof bolts remains Such an evaluation is critical to mines where the open drill stations were then designed around the depressur- one of the biggest challenges mining industry is still stope method is used, not only because it enforces ization targets and alignments of the drain holes. The facing. Moving from the traditional hand-held drilling to mechanized bolting is one radical leap in removing

40 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

the operator from unsafe to relatively safer conditions. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 9:45 am Statistically speaking the injuries recorded in 1970s MORNING Identifying Opportunities for Mining and were hovering around 300 as opposed to the recent Processing Value Improvement Though Blast trend at less than 50 injuries being reported. In spite Movement Modelling of advancements, the handling of drill steel itself, and 9 am Room 505 E. Sellers and S. Kanchibotla; JKTech, Brisbane, QLD, inserting resin cartridges and bolts remains one of the Australia most hazardous tasks and is a major cause of injuries to mineworkers. Fletcher, being the pioneer in mechanized Mining & Exploration: The objective of mining to maximise output and mi- bolting, has proven its mettle by improving the safety nimise costs becomes a complicated optimisation of procedure. Sandvik, following closely behind Fletcher, Operations: Innovative involving resource variability, mining and processing has made equally good progress in roof bolting tech- Information Mining methods and implementation quality. Generally there is nology. This paper presents an insight into the strides a good understanding of the cost – benefit within each of advancement made in the roof bolting technology, its & Big Data department. New advances in big data analytics have current applications and status, and the future develop- Chair: L. Walker, Freeport McMoRan improved loading, trucking and processing operations. ments in store. The paper aims to identify the customer Inc., Morenci, AZ However, the missing link in operational improvement needs and future developments keeping in view the is quantifying what happened to the rock between the blast and the excavation and the mixed rock mass ac- safety of the workers, removing hazards associated with 9 am the operation and increased productivity. tually presents to the mill. If the correct material is not Introduction identified, correctly blended and sent to the mill at the right time then there is the potential loss of value from 11:05 am 9:05 am reduced throughput and metal. The key to further im- Deploying an Underground Production and Old Trucks, New Ideas: Adding Value provement is modelling the time dependent production Safety Tracking System Using the Internet to Aging Assets of value. A numerical model of blasting has been built B. Brown; Freeport McMoRan Inc, Silver City, NM that associates the blast energy with the 3D distribution of Things, Gamification, and Mobile Apps in of geological, processability and blastability parameters. Present day mining equipment is extremely state-of- Various Cultures The final muckpile can be excavated in any sequence to the-art. Highly technical modern marvels using numer- S. Dessureault; MISOM Tech / U. of Az, Tucson, AZ identify the optimal sequence for processing. The paper ous complicated onboard computer systems process, The advent of low-cost technologies such as the Internet will demonstrate the value using case studies from a communicate & manage large amounts of information of Things (IoT) and Mobile apps has created the oppor- number of mining operations. needed to do business in the modern era. Along with tunity to bring automated production and safety tracking all the latest bells & whistles, they are exceedingly ex- to mines of any size. Underground mines in particular, pensive. One could easily reach a conclusion that older have typically had limited visibility, due to limited loca- equipment is simply not up to the challenge. In this pre- 10:05 am tion tracking, expense of wireless connectivity, and the sentation we examine the successful long-term utiliza- Business Intelligence and Mining: larger number of machines and personnel needed to tion of older large off-highway trucks through the devel- Implementation Issues and Propositions be tracked. Several recent innovations in technology opment of up-to-date technologies, including RAMP® to Address Them and then deployments of innovative IoT nearables for (Remote Asset Monitoring Process™) & ultramodern G. Neill and D. Wells; Wenco International Mining tracking cycles, even sequences automatically, locating Big Data practices. Systems, Seattle, WA personnel, as well as collecting digital safety and main- tenance forms, has shown that technology cost is no The capacity for extensive data collection has trans- longer a challenge to overcome. Suddenly, these mines formed many industries in recent years, including min- have large quantities of digital data, and will be faced 9:25 am ing. Yet, this wealth of data presents a new challenge: with the same problem faced by larger mines: underutili- A Journey towards Mine to Port how to make sense of it. While industries such as retail zation of data. However, a new approach (new to mining) Operational Intelligence. have successfully incorporated off-the-shelf business O. Bascur1, M. Plourde2, D. Gervais1, S. Paquet2 and intelligence platforms, mining has struggled. Historical- to using data can also be brought to bear: gamification, 2 1 2 which is an approach to having users engage with the S. Morissette ; OSIsoft, LLC., Houston, TX and IT, ly, these solutions have proved ineffective at handling data in a more addictive and focused manner. Several ArcelorMittal Mining, Port Cartier, QC, Canada the types of data required for mining analytics, such as the large degree of geospatial records. Likewise, visu- case studies will be analyzed, showing how gamification Michel Plourde, Stephan Paquet, Sophie Morissette alization components of these solutions lacked turnkey can be adjusted to different cultures. affiliated to ArcelorMittal Mining, Canada ArcelorMittal dashboards practical for mining, particularly in terms of Mines Canada is one of the premier Canadian suppli- mapping and location reporting. Custom configuration ers of iron-ore to world steel markets. ArcelorMittal has of these systems greatly increased their demand on re- diverse, geographically dispersed operations, including sources and added a further barrier to their implementa- an open pit mine at Mont-Wright near the town of Fer- tion. This paper discusses the issues interfering with the mont in Quebec, Canada, a pellet plant and a private adoption of business intelligence by the mining industry. port in Port-Cartier, Quebec as well as a 420 km railway Then, it proposes parameters for a mining-specific solu- linking both sites. When logistical issues have cropped tion designed to reduce configuration time, demands on up throughout its supply chain, ArcelorMittal started us- technical support, and logistical hurdles involved with ing their real time data infrastructure to transform and integrating business intelligence into mining. correlate data from disparate key systems to produce information enabling strategic and rapid decision mak- ing. Creating value in cyclical environment is the key. As the cornerstone for transforming data into action. This 10:25 am presentation describes how Arcelor Mittal uses real time Investing in Data to Reduce data and asset framework analysis tools to optimize op- Maintenance Spend erations and logistics to avoid production and equipment M. Atkins; Institute of Management Consulting, losses across their Mining and Mineral processing com- Houston, TX plex. It emphasizes the need to have data and events to The cost of maintaining assets represents a large por- monetize major and minor losses using the latest data tion of the OPEX budget so identifying ways to optimize analytics tools. productivity for the least spend and reduce maintenance

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 41 costs is a perennial goal for most operations. This pre- TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 2015, the draft EIS was published by the lead permitting sentation describes how a number of large multinational agency, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, for public MORNING mining companies independently recently implemented comment. The owners and project team continue to similar approaches to enhance their Asset Management support the completion of the final EIS, as well as other data to enable identification of opportunities to reduce 9 am Room 502 permits required to build and operate the project. This maintenance spend. We will walk through the data en- presentation will discuss the history of the Donlin Gold richment process, from the recognition that there are project, the construction and operation plans as envi- often limitations with existing systems data, through to Mining & Exploration: sioned in the latest feasibility study, and an update on the development of an Enterprise wide Data Warehouse the permitting progress. from which meaningful insights can be extracted. We Operations: New and will describe in pragmatic terms the scalable approach Expansion Surface essential for the successful design and implementation 9:45 am of a broad based enterprise wide information repository Operations Overview Golden Queen Mining Company Begins which can then be used for a variety of purposes in- Chair: P. Harala, Barrick Goldstrike Production at California’s Newest Gold Mine cluding Value Chain (Pit to Port) visualization, role spe- S. Holden; Ore Control, Golden Queen Mining cific KPI dash boards and Data Analytics; identifying, for Mines, Inc., Elko, NV Company, Tehachapi, CA example, opportunities for optimizing processing plant throughput, reducing mobile fleet maintenance materi- 9 am Golden Queen Mining Company, LLC has commenced als costs and rationalizing supply chain inventory. Introduction mining at their100%-owned Soledad Mountain Project. Located in the high desert south of Mojave, California, 9:05 am the project is an open-pit, gold-silver heap leach op- 10:45 am Open Pit, Underground, or Both? New eration. Permitting and preparation for the project has Data for Dollars – Turning Data into Real Exploration Model Unlocking Value at the been ongoing for almost 30 years, with construction initiated in 2015. The mine poured its first doré bar in Business Value in Mining McCoy-Cove Project Chad E. Peters Premier February 2016 from gold and silver extracted via the B. Winters; Marketing, Honeywell, Phoenix, AZ Gold Mines, Ltd., Battle Mountain, NV Merrill-Crowe process. The mine is characterized by With all of the press and focus on Industrial Internet of C. Peters; Exploration, Premier Gold Mines Limited, challenging terrain, narrow vein-hosted mineralization, Things (IIoT) and Big Data some are left wondering what Winnemucca, NV historic underground workings, and stringent environ- it means while others are rapidly harnessing the power. The McCoy-Cove Project is located 35 miles south of mental requirements. This paper outlines the mining While the underlying capabilities and technologies have Battle Mountain in Lander County, Nevada, along the and processing systems and illustrates the challenges been around for some time the actual strategies and prolific Battle Mountain-Eureka gold trend. Echo Bay of opening a mine in California. approaches to derive value will explored in this paper Mines Ltd. conducted open pit and underground min- and how the top players in the space are deploying tech- ing at McCoy-Cove from 1986 to 2001, producing 3.3 niques for intelligent data collection, edge analytics, data million ounces Au and 110+ million ounces Ag. Premier 10:05 am management and aggregation strategies to transform acquired 100% of the property by September 2014 Mining Excellence at Barrick Cortez – the data actionable information and turning the hype and a renewed focus on the Helen zone in early 2016 Expansions and Improvements into real business value. led to an extensive remodeling effort and subsequent C. Cavasin; SME, Crescent Valley, NV reinterpretation of both the Helen and CSD zones as thrust fault-hosted Carlin-style deposits. Recent confir- This session will review upcoming expansion projects 11:05 am mation drilling has validated the new structural model within the Cortez District along with other improvements Geospatial Mapping and Surveying Robotics and identified the Carlin-style CSD Gap target located in the engineering department. for both GPS and GPS Denied Environments between the Helen and CSD zones. Early drilling in the G. Baiden; Penguin Automated Systems Inc., CSD Gap indicates significant potential to further expand Naughton, ON, Canada high-grade mineralization and connect the Helen and CSD zones into one continuous deposit, which may be The introduction of GPS systems to surface mining amenable to a combination of open pit and underground have resulted in significant positive changes to open pit mining methods. Future activity will include a proper- mining techniques. The next step in this trend has been TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 ty-wide mineral resource update in early 2017, as well MORNING to find a way to achieve the differential GPS results for as continued permitting, engineering and metallurgy ac- underground mining (GPS denied environments). The tivities with the goal of potentially re-establishing mine achievement of this result would see a similar para- production at McCoy-Cove. 9 am Room 709 digm result for underground mining quality, mining ma- chine control, rock mechanics and ventilation analysis amongst many more. Our team has researched this pro- 9:25 am MPD: Flotation of cess and achieved a high quality equivalent point over Donlin Gold Project: Development Plans and the last several years and we are now able to report that Rare Earth Minerals a comparable result, a few centimeters of accuracy, has Permitting Update C. Krall; NOVAGOLD RESOURCES, Salt Lake City, UT Chairs: T. Bhambhani, Cytec Industries been achieved for underground mining in terms of map- Inc., Stamford, CT ping and positioning. The system based on a sensor and Donlin Gold is an open pit gold development project lo- software suite has demonstrated this result in actual cated in southwestern Alaska, equally owned by both D. Laney, Newmont Mining Corp, Elko, underground testing and the transition testing between NOVAGOLD RESOURCES Inc. and Barrick Gold Inc. in a NV surface and underground. This paper will describe the 50/50 joint partnership. With almost 34 million ounces technology application, the results achieved to date and of contained gold in proven and probable mineral re- 9 am the potential future uses of the technology for mining, serves and a planned production profile averaging over Introduction civil construction and oil and gas. one million ounces per year over 27 years, Donlin Gold is one of the world’s largest undeveloped gold depos- its. In mid-2012, the owners and project team formally commenced permitting under the NEPA process. In late

42 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

9:05 am individual REEs. Collectors are chemicals which modify 10:45 am Froth Flotation Performance of Novel mineral surfaces so that they may be selectively extracted Flotation Chemistry Considerations in the Collectors for Rare Earth Minerals from a slurry. Studies have shown that hydroxamic ac- Selective Flotation of Bastnaesite with Alkyl R. LaDouceur, A. Aasved and C. Young; Metallurgy, id-based collectors are selective to REE-bearing minerals. Phosphate Collectors Montana Tech, Butte, MT One example is N,3-dihydroxy-2-naphthamide which is W. Liu, X. Wang and J. Miller; Metallurgical colloquially known as H205 and has been thoroughly ex- Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT The lanthanides are more commonly referred to as rare amined by the Baotou Research Institute for Rare Earths earth elements (REEs). Because of molecular similari- (BRIRE) in China. Unfortunately, no characteristic data nor Little attention has been given to the use of lauryl phos- ties in their f-shell orbitals, REE-bearing minerals usu- a documented synthesis route of this proprietary collector phate as a collector for the selective flotation of bastn- ally vary in their compositions as solid solutions. Those are available. In this study, several synthetic approaches aesite from calcite and/or quartz. Recent results from similarities also make separation of individual lanthanide were taken to create this compound. Furthermore, im- captive bubble contact angle measurements, zeta po- elements difficult. In this regard, bulk separations into portant structural and characteristic data was gathered tential measurements, micro-flotation experiments and concentrates are normally done first. Techniques, such such as the pKa’s of the compound, preferred structural universal force field calculations for bastnaesite, calcite as flotation, are utilized to separate REE-minerals from conformers, and adsorption to REE oxides. With this infor- and quartz indicate that better selectivity for bastnaesite invaluable gangue in a slurry. Flotation is a complex mation, optimal conditions for the flotation of REE-bearing is achieved using potassium lauryl phosphate when process that works based on differences in hydropho- minerals were determined. compared with the selectivity using octyl hydroxamate bic minerals. It involves many variables broadly ranging as collector. These results suggest that potassium lauryl from surface chemistry to energy input parameters. Col- phosphate might be a promising collector in the flotation lectors are surfactants that adsorb at mineral surfaces 10:05 am of bastnaesite ores. and modify them to induce hydrophobicity. In this study, Studies on the Nature of Hydroxamate flotation experiments were performed for three novel Complexation on the Surface of Neodymium collectors by varying both collector dosage and pH. Zeta Oxide 11:05 am potential vs. pH measurements were used to elucidate M. Sime, C. Young, A. Das and G. Hope; Metallurgical Fundamental Study of the Hydroxamic Acid the conditions for flotation of a synthetic rare earth ox- and Materials Engineering, Montana Tech, the Adsorption on Monazite ide. Parametric models were created for the flotation University of Montana, Butte, MT W. Zhang, R. Honaker and J. Groppo; Mining experiments to determine maximum grade and recovery Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY for each of the novel collectors. Adsorption of different concentrations of salicyl hy- droxamic acid (SHA) on neodymium oxide surface was Hydroxamic acid is a common flotation collector with studied. The adsorbed surfaces were examined using strong affinity and high selectivity. The adsorption 9:25 am Laser Raman Spectroscopy (LRS) to verify the presence mechanism of hydroxamic acid on monazite was stud- Wetting Behavior of Rare Earth Minerals in of the chelation compound. Precipitates of Nd-com- ied using kinetic, isotherm, and thermodynamic adsorp- the Presence of Ionic liquids and Polymers pound were produced under different SHA concentra- tion tests as well as FTIR, titration and micro-flotation M. Khodakarami and L. Alagha; University of Missouri, tions and subjected to X-Ray diffraction (XRD) and LRS tests. The adsorption was determined to occur due to S&T, Rolla, MO analysis. XRD results established that significant hydrox- a chemisorption/surface reaction/surface precipitation ide formation takes place. However, hydroxamate com- The efficiency of separation of valuable minerals by process. At low hydroxamic acid concentrations, the plexation increased with increasing SHA concentration. initial stage of adsorption was by the reaction between froth flotation depends strongly on the interaction be- Peaks from the C-H stretching band and C=N vibration tween mineral surface and water molecules as well as surface active sites and hydroxamic acid molecules bands were identified and areas under the peaks were (chemisorption). With an increase in concentration and wetting characteristics of different mineral surfaces. The quantified. Formation of the hydroxamate compound contact angle value is a predominant factor to quanti- interaction time, surface active sites were removed from was ascertained from the C=N bands around 1597 their lattice sites and surface reaction became predom- fy the wettability and assess the interaction between cm-1. The area under the aromatic C-H peaks around mineral surface and water molecules. Several surfac- inant. For both chemisorption and surface reaction, ad- 3062 cm-1 established that the extent of hydroxamate sorption was an exothermic and entropy driven process. tants and chemicals have been employed to modify the complexation increased with increasing SHA concentra- wetting behavior of minerals by adsorption of ions on Maximum adsorption was achieved at pH 9.0. However, tion. It was concluded that the chelation occurs through a strong basic and higher temperature environment the solid-liquid interface. Since the properties of ionic chemical bonding between the SHA anion and the tri- liquids (ILs) can be customized and adjusted by select- contributes to surface precipitation of basic rare earth valent Nd cation upon which the hydroxamate complex hydroxamate. ing appropriate ions, they are good options to be used precipitates at the surface. The hydroxamate complex of as suitable surfactants to modify the surface properties Nd was synthesized and compared to verify the com- at the solid-liquid interface. This study investigated the plexation behavior. 11:25 am efficiency of ionic liquids and polymers on the wettability 2+ of rare earth minerals. The contact angle value was used Adsorption of Pb Ions on Ilmenite Surfaces to quantify the hydrophobic characteristics of the rare 10:25 am and Implications for Flotation earth mineral surface in the presence of ionic liquids, Concentration of Rare Earth Minerals from P. Chen, W. Sun and Y. Hu; School of Mineral polymers, and conventional collectors. It is believed that Coal by Froth Flotation Processing and Bioengineering, Central South the floatability of rare earth minerals can be enhanced W. Zhang, R. Honaker and J. Groppo; Mining University, Changsha, China by tailoring the ionic liquids and polymers to different Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY Flotation behaviors of ilmenite treated and untreated by rare earth minerals. Rare earth elements (REEs) found in coal are in the lead ions using sodium oleate as collector were studied. form of minerals, ion-substitution with clays and organic The results of micro-flotation experiments reveal that 9:45 am affinity. Rare earth minerals (REMs) such as monazite ilmenite shows good floatability at pH 6-8. Compared Synthesis and Characterization of the Rare exist in coal and have a grain size less than 5 microns. with flotation recovery of ilmenite untreated by lead ions, Earth Collector N,3-dihydroxy-2-naphthamide Froth flotation was successful in concentrating REMs ilmenite floatability can be enhanced. The recovery in- existing in a thickener underflow material derived from crease over 30% after the addition of lead ions. The re- R. LaDouceur, B. Suslavich and C. Young; Metallurgy, sults of zeta potential tests show that isoelectric point of Montana Tech, Butte, MT Fire Clay seam coal which contained around 300 ppm of rare earth elements (REEs). Conditioning with fatty acid ilmenite can change from 5.2(untreated) to 7.8(treated), Rare earth elements (REEs) play a critical role in modern followed by processing using multiple stages of conven- which is beneficial for the interaction between ilmenite materials including but not limited to electronics, magnet- tional flotation produced a final concentrate containing and collector. Adsorption measurements show that the ics and optics. However, their processing and extraction 2300 ppm REEs. Using a laboratory flotation column, a adsorption amounts of ilmenite treated by lead ions are is first dependent on the concentration of REE- bearing concentrate with more than 5000 ppm REEs was pro- higher than that of ilmenite untreated.XPS tests show minerals from ores and then their selective separation into duced while recovering 30% of the REEs. that the relative contents of elements(iron,titanium) on the TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 43 ilmenite surface which plays leading role in ilmenite flo- 9:25 am act to SX plant upsets and increased turbidity events, tation increase by 5.85% and 4.57% respectively. At the Dynamic Simulation of Precious Metal by increasing flushing without a substantial manpower same time, changes of binding energy are more visible af- Recovery from a Valley-Fill Heap Leach commitment. Since it’s commissioning in Q1 2016 this ter ilmenite is pretreated by lead ions. At the best flotation Facility system has supported decreased plugging, decreased - - 2 2 2 1 pH range, oleate species(RCOO ,RCOO)2H ) can mainly J. Bilant , G. Robinson , B. Robles and J. Donnelly ; raffinate flow variability, and provided a substantial re- react with the iron element on ilmenite surface through 1Hatch, Fort Collins, CO and 2Coeur Mining, Inc., duction in contracted labor costs. This presentation will chemical adsorption in addition to electrostatic effect. Lovelock, NV describe the fundamental components and workings of the system, cover some of the lessons learned during A spatially-discretized heap leach simulation model was installation and commissioning, highlight the substantial TM developed within the GoldSim modeling framework benefits that have been realized, and discuss additional for the Coeur Rochester Mine, Nevada. The model is future opportunities. being evaluated by Rochester as a means of improving TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 forecasting of silver and gold production on an actively loaded valley fill heap leach facility. Optimization of future MORNING 10:25 am heap leach operations and crusher product size is also The Toowong Process: Viable Removal of being evaluated with this software. Simulation modeling Arsenic, Antimony and other Deleterious 9 am Room 703 incorporates metallurgical data such as mine planning, particle size distribution of placed ore, stacking plans, Elements from Base Metal Concentrates pad geometry, and leaching dynamics. The heap leach Using a Novel Alkaline Leaching Process MPD: Leaching model is represented as a discretized matrix with lifts P. Rohner, D. Turner and L. MacDonald; Chairs: J. Lee, University of Arizona, providing vertical separation to form 19,840 spatially Core Resources, Albion, QLD, Australia discrete cells. Each cell is quantified with regard to ore Increasing levels of arsenic in base metals concentrates, Tucson, AZ properties and metal content. The model tracks solution together with tightening restrictions on the trading of K. Garcia, Freeport McMoRan and cyanide-complexed silver and gold within each cell high arsenic concentrates, are posing a substantial risk B. Burrell, Freeport McMoRan, Safford, AZ as a function of time based on pad operations, unsatu- to the global base metals industry. Outside of blending rated flow properties, and kinetic rates. Practical heap the industry still lacks a widely adopted solution to this 9 am leach management and daily operation will be discussed problem. The Toowong Process is an atmospheric al- Introduction as it relates to the simulation and forecasting model. kaline leaching technology for the removal of arsenic, antimony and other elements from base metal con- centrates, and antimony from gold concentrates. The 9:05 am 9:45 am process significantly reduces operating costs compared Heap Leach Modeling – Strategic Approaches Advances in Scale Control Modeling – to existing alkaline leaching technologies by reducing/ for Metal Production Forecasting Where Chemistry Meets the Digital Age eliminating use of sulphide reagent, and process re- J. Marsden1 and M. Botz2; 1John O Marsden LLC, R. Davis1, N. Zwaneveld2 and R. Arndt2; 1Mining 2 cycling of other reagents. The Toowong Process was Phoenix, AZ and 2Elbow Creek Engineering, Research, Nalco Water, Naperville, IL and Mining conceptualised in 2010 as part of the development of Bozeman, MT Marketing, Nalco Water, Naperville, IL the Tampakan project. A patent application was lodged Heap leaching is responsible for approximately 21% This presentation will introduce the new Nalco Mining for the technology in 2011, followed by a 34 day con- (3.9 M metric tonnes) of copper production and 9% (270 Optimizer, a comprehensive tool for predicting the scale tinuous integrated pilot plant operation in 2012. Arse- tonnes or 8.7 M oz) of gold production worldwide. Given stress of mine process waters and for troubleshooting nic reduction to <0.1% from feeds of 1.1% As were metal price assumptions of $2.25/lb Cu and $1,250/oz mine water issues. The Nalco Mining Optimizer is a scale demonstrated at steady state in two extended pilot Au, these portions of global production generate reve- modeling and treatment recommendation program plant campaigns The current paper reviews the process nues of US$19 billion and US$11 billion, respectively. which is a step change project that overcame problems chemistry and results of the pilot plant trials. An techno- For heap leaching operations, variances in actual metal with existing models. A new Mining Industry platform was economic evaluation is also made comparing to existing production from budgetary forecast estimates can mean built specifically to overcome incorrect handling of pH technologies. the difference between success (value creation) and fail- and alkalinity, the addition of common mining reagents ure (value destruction) for a heap leach project. There and the difficulty of modeling complex water blends. 10:45 am are no clear standards or guidelines for developing heap The presentation will describe the current state of the art in scale formation modeling, the mechanisms of scale Recycling of Electric Vehicles Lithium-Ion leach metal production forecasts. There are a variety of Batteries by Physical and Hydrometallugical different modeling approaches that can be utilized for formation and scale inhibition, and the unique challeng- es which must be overcome in the modeling of mining Process this purpose, however, these vary in cost, complexity, H. Kim1, K. Yi1, J. Ahn3, j. Sohn2 and k. lee1; time to implement, accuracy and credibility. This paper waters. 1SungeelHiTech, Gunsan-si, Korea (the Republic of); explores the options available for heap leach modeling, 2KIGAM, DaeJeon, Korea (the Republic of) and 3Daejin discusses the advantages and disadvantages of each University, Pocheon, Korea (the Republic of) approach, and provides guidelines/recommendations 10:05 am for an effective approach to modeling metal production Implementation of Automated Raffinate Recently, the use of the EV(Electric Vehicles) has been at existing or planned heap leach operations. The paper Flushing explosively increased. EV-LIBs (Electric Vehicles Lithi- also provides expected ranges of variation between ac- J. Nunley and C. Wooten; Safford Mine, um-ion batteries) not only contain valuable metals but tual metal production and modeled production. Freeport-McMoRan, Safford, AZ also consist of large metal-containing hazardous waste. The spent lithium-ion battery pack(227 kg) is made of Freeport-McMoRan’s Safford Mine recently implement- 12 modules which are composed of 11 cells. This pack ed a system of automated flush valves for daily flush- was dismantled manually in the dismantling line which ing of each module on their crushed ore heap leach is composed of lift, conveyor belt and hood system with stockpile. Combined with Safford’s existing pressure the dismantling capacity of 50 packs/day. After disman- and flow monitoring systems, these fully automated, tling, cells are mechanically crushed and separated. The radio-controlled valves provide an enhanced level of re- result crushing and separation showed that over 95% of al-time control of the leach pad. The system allows for valuable metals. Through reductive leaching with H2O2 more consistent flushing and more flexibility in flushing and H2SO4, leaching efficiency of valuable metals. After schedules, and can also be utilized to proactively re- removing some impurities such as Cu, Al, and Fe the

44 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

leaching solutions containing Co, Mn, Ni, and Li could terial could provide an important domestic source for 10:05 am be utilized for the source material of Li-ion battery. indium. Here beneficiation of indium from liquid crystal Use of Gravity Spiral Concentrators at Continuous separation using mixer-settler have been display waste is demonstrated via abrasive comminution Greens Creek Mill established to separate Co and Ni from leached Co/Ni/ techniques and subsequent size classification. Both au- D. Tahija; Hecla Greens Creek Mining, Juneau, AK Li solutions by Na-PC88A and Na-D2EHPA dissolved in tomated sanding and attrition scrubbing are investigated Exxol D80 at SungEel HiTech Co. Ltd. in Korea. and shown to produce valorizable indium concentrates. Although Hecla’s Greens Creek Mill primarily produces flotation concentrates, for many years it has also pro- duced a gold-bearing gravity concentrate with grinding 11:05 am 9:25 am cyclone underflow used as gravity circuit feed and gravi- Hydrometallurgical Recovery of Rare Earth Applications of Automatic Sensor Based ty spirals as roughers and cleaners. Until recently, gravity Sorting to Mining Ores cleaner concentrate was reground in a rod mill before Elements from Coal Sources 1 2 1 1 being recleaned on a shaking table. Table concentrate X. Yang1, R. Honaker1 and K. Han2; 1Mining A. Young , M. Veras and C. Petter ; Departamento was processed onsite to produce doré bullion, with ta- Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY and de Engenharia de Minas, Metalurgia, e Sciencâs de ble middlings sent offsite for third-party processing. The 2South Dakota School of Mines, Rapid City, SD Materiais, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil and regrind mill has now been eliminated, along with the An extensive test program was conducted to evaluate 2Departamento de Engenharia de Minas, Metalurgia, shaking table, and a recleaner gravity spiral brought into the ability to recover rare earth elements (REEs) from e Sciencâs de Materiais, Universidade Federal do Rio use in their place. All gravity concentrate is now sent off- pre-combusted coal sources by ion exchange and Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Federal Institute of Amapá site. Other changes to the gravity circuit in recent years leaching. The tests involved coal samples collected (IFAP), Porto Alegre/Amapá, Brazil include increased numbers of spirals employed and de- from three coal preparation plants operating in different creased circuit feed volume. Operating characteristics Due to new technological advancements, automatic basins. In each case, the leachability of the REEs was and performance of gravity spirals for auxiliary precious sensor based sorting has made progress within industri- found to be significantly better for the material within metals recovery in a flotation mill will be discussed. al minerals, precious metals, diamond, and coal mining the specific gravity fraction of around 1.6 to 2.0 (i.e., in recent years. In order to re-introduce the technolo- middlings) as opposed to the total coarse reject and gy to other mining sectors, this research discusses its thickener underflow streams. The recovery of REEs was 10:25 am application to Iron, Manganese, and Zinc ores through limited to around 10% when using ammonium sulfate CCD and High Density Thickeners – test works carried out by the authors. These test works at pH 5 with preferential recovery of the heavy REEs. No-Brainer? A Doddle? Claro? were performed using a laboratory scale automatic However, when using 1 mol/L of nitric acid, nearly 85% M. McCaslin; WesTech Engineering, Murray, UT sorter equiped with Dual Energy X-ray Transmission recovery of the REEs was extracted from the middlings (DE-XRT) and Charge Coupled Device (CCD) Camera There are two key process functions in counter-current of Fire Clay seam coal. For Kentucky No. 13 middlings sensors. Separation of the material was performed by decantation (CCD): 1. Maximizing wash liquor contact material collected in the Illinois basin, 60% of the total use of mechanical flap and ore particles were fed one at with the incoming slurry and 2. Ensuring as much solu- REEs was recovered under the same leaching condi- a time under ideal laboratory conditions. For each ore, tion at the thickener overflow as practical. Because tions. Effects of acid concentration, solids concentration, pre-concentrations were created and analyzed by third paste and high density thickeners are designed to pro- retention time, leaching temperature, and particle size party for their respective mineral concentrations. The re- duce high underflow solids, by extension they maximize on REE leaching efficiency were fully examined and dis- sults of the test works and the potential impacts of the overflow liquid. Hence, they excel at item 2. While the cussed in the paper. application of Automatic Sensor Based Sorting to each use of such thickeners in CCD has been mentioned in ore type are discussed. other publications, the discussion was as a subset of larger paste/high density theses. This paper will focus solely on use of the technology in CCD, addressing the 9:45 am many advantages, but considering the disadvantages as Development of an In-Situ Floc Size well. Attendees will come away knowing that use of high TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 density thickeners in CCD circuits is a straight-forward Measurement System for Thickener decision and how best to leverage that application. MORNING Operation Y. Yang, C. Braun, F. Schoenbrunn and G. Roy; FLSmidth, Midvale, UT 10:45 am 9 am Room 705 The addition of flocculant to the thickener feed slurry Technical and Economic Evaluation of Coal leads to particle agglomeration which increases the Middlings Processing P. Bozzato1, F. Peng2 and N. Re1; 1Ecomin, Genova, MPD: Physical Separations settling velocity. Flocculant overdosage is a very com- 2 Chairs: D. Perkins, Derrick Engineering, mon problem in mineral processing plants due to the Italy and Mining Engineering, West Virginia University, lack of on-line flocculation information. FLSmidth has Morgantown, WV Buffalo, NY developed an in-situ floc vision system to measure and Re-processing of middlings from dense medium sepa- T. Rauch, Jacobs, Venetia, PA monitor floc size, which will help plants to control floc- ration is not new, but technical solutions and economic culant usage and reduce operating cost. The agglom- impact on plant design are now revisited due to mod- 9 am erate suspension behavior and thickener performance ern mining practices, lower commodities prices, and Introduction are determined by the floc size and structure. Although advancing in modern multistage dense medium sepa- large flocs settle faster than small flocs, large flocs are ration technology. Multistage dense medium separation 9:05 am not always desirable and can sometimes inhibit thick- technologies, such as the Tri-Flo® and the 3 Product Selective Comminution for Indium ener’s overall performance. The optimal floc size can be Cyclone (3PC), are now accepted to produce two prod- Beneficiation from Waste LCD Screens determined by checking the floc settling velocity and floc ucts, high quality product at low density separation, and bed density. The floc vision system can be combined low quality byproduct at high density cut. This work fo- T. Boundy and P. Taylor; Colorado School of Mines, ® Golden, CO with FLSmidth’s E-DUC feed dilution technology and cuses on middlings re-processing to increase high value E-VoluteTM feedwell. It has been tested in the laboratory product yield as commonly done in mineral processing. More than three quarters of global indium consumption as well as customers’ full size thickeners. The system Middlings can be recirculated to feed to recover mis- is for the manufacture of liquid crystal displays which includes a submersible camera and corresponding soft- placed material. Middlings washability can further be contain indium at concentrations too low to be econom- ware recording floc images and analyzing the floccule improved before recirculation including a crushing step. ically valorized by hydro- or pyrometallurgical methods. size in real-time. The floc size information can then be Main results and the methodology adopted in particle Development of a viable recycling process for this ma- used by operators or DCS for reagent rate adjustment. liberation studies is detailed to provide useful guidelines

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 45 during the preliminary phases of a project. Examples TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 9:45 am of plant practices and their results are presented and MORNING New Ways of Using Operational Data to discussed together with flowsheet simulations and eco- Create Value in Mining and Metallurgical nomic evaluations. Processing Sites 9 am Room 707 O. Bascur, C. Hertler and L. Garrigues; OSIsoft, LLC., 11:05 am Houston, TX Two-Mass Vibrating Screens for High MPD: Plant Design I: Plant In recent years, metal producing companies have in- Tonnage Applications creased their investment in automation and technolog- E. Wipf; EdRockMan IV LLC, Wonewoc, WI Upgrades and Optimization ical innovation, embracing new opportunities to enable As mine size and tonnage continues to increase, materi- Chair: D. Meadows, Bechtel, Phoenix, AZ transformational change. Internet of Things (IoT) is one al handling/processing equipment has also increased in of many transformational initiatives, which can funda- size. Related equipment including vibrating screens have 9 am mentally revolutionize how industrial complexes operate. also increased in size with screens seeing feed rates of Introduction Applying the latest technologies has become a serious 3000 MTPH. Open circuit SAG Pre-Crush and closed challenge to both management and technical teams due circuit HPGR flowsheets are becoming more common 9:05 am to their rapid change. This paper describes the use of with large screening requirements. Large multi-slope The cPlant at Al Amar Gold Mine real time analytics to capture time based event to an- alyze abnormal situations from the mining and mineral (banana) or horizontal screens are commonly used for A. Priyambodo2, L. Rudolphy1 and B. Murphy1; processing units. The use of self-services BI technolo- these applications, however as the size of these screens 1Flotation, Outotec, Denver, CO and 2Maaden Gold, gies with plant data. Creating value from data in cyclical has increased, the number and size of the brute force/ Riyadh, Saudi Arabia overhead exciters has increased but with limitations. An environment is the key. Classifying data o in real time The cPlant was designed as a modular flotation solu- example is a SAG discharge screen that will see surges to transform the events in to opportunities is the key tion employing state-of-the art technology to minimize of material from the SAG mill which overload the screen, of creating value using operational intelligence tools. capital expenditure for small to medium flotation plants. reducing the screen stroke or throw causing a large re- Examples show the way to leverage existing workers The plant is based on a number of standard modules for duction in screen efficiency with excessive fines & mois- with information technology optimize the performance both flotation equipment and ancillary operating equip- ture in the screen oversize feed to the pebble crushing of their filter operations to extend their quest to reduce ment that are configured based on process require- circuit. This paper will present some actual examples their energy and water consumption. ments. The modules all fit inside standard sea contain- of the use of Two-Mass screens as a solution to these ers and contain structural components so they can be overloading problems and the advantages of Two-Mass easily transported to the most remote site. This not only screens in other high tonnage applications. 10:05 am reduces construction time onsite and the time taken to Thiosulphate Removal from Recycle Water at get the plant making concentrate but also cuts down Greens Creek Mill 11:25 am on engineering requirements and associated costs. The D. Tahija; Hecla Greens Creek Mining, Juneau, AK Gravity Concentration of Chromite Fines first cPlant test modules were sold to Al Amar project in Thiosulphate (S O 2-) is spontaneously generated in N. Duru; Mining and Metallurgical Engineering Saudi Arabia in January 2016. The Al Amar project is 2 3 Department, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV owned by Ma’aden Gold and is a 32 tph copper and zinc water contacting pyrite and other sulphide minerals concentrator. The key stages of the process, from order at a number of mines worldwide, including Hecla’s Gravity concentration is still a challenging area in the placement to commissioning, will be highlighted as well Greens Creek Mine in Juneau, Alaska. When treated mineral industry. This is mainly because of the fine size as some of the lessons learnt along the way. process water from the Greens Creek Mill is recycled valuable mineral losses to the tailings. But the recent for mine or mill uses, high rates of metallic corrosion developments in centrifugal separation methods and occur in piping, valves, equipment etc., with dissolved their mutual application with conventional separation 9:25 am thiosulphate suspected of playing a role. Thiosulphate techniques such as spirals, shaking tables, hydrocy- Then Vs. Now: An Update of OceanaGold’s removal from solution using nanofiltration has been clone units has resulted in mineral recovery increases. Haile Operation investigated on a pilot scale and the use of ettringite In this paper, field application of conventional gravity C. Anderson, C. Larson, M. Deal, Q. Johnston and precipitation is now being investigated. The effect of separation methods with the combination of 2’’ inch D. Carr; OceanaGold Haile Operation, Camden, SC thiosulphate removal on corrosion rates will be dis- cyclone cluster unit and a multi gravity separator (MGS) cussed, as well as potential corrosion mechanisms. system which uses both centrifugal force and a shaking Construction of OceanaGold Haile Operation’s mill near motion by selective addition of water was discussed. Kershaw, South Carolina is currently underway with first Additionally, particle size distribution, pulp density data gold pour expected in late 2016. The mill is designed to treat 6,350 tonnes per day with minor upgrades re- 10:25 am and chromite content of the plant streams were pre- Chromite Plant Capacity Increase Using sented throughout the paper. Field data showed that the quired to achieve 8,270 tonnes per day. Optimization of numerous areas within the plant during detailed engi- Experimental and Modeling Techniques combination of MGS and conventional gravity separation 2 2 1 1 neering, combined with a focus on de-risking the pro- Y. Vural , A. Acar and e. tuzcu ; Head of Mining and techniques resulted in gravity separation of -0.1 mm Mineral Processing, ANKARA, Turkey and 2Mining chromite particles. cess, has resulted in numerous process changes since the initial design. This paper briefly describes some of Engineer, ANKARA, Turkey the process changes that have been made, presents a In order to sustain the operations in chromite process- commissioning strategy modelled after OceanaGold’s ing plants, due to concentrate selling cost, plants are in Didipio successful commissioning, and identifies poten- need of optimization in terms of capacity and recovery tial expansion opportunities. increase. In this study, DAMA Engineering carried out a methodological study for the purpose after a detailed sampling campaign in a plant which is situated in one the main chromite zones in Turkey; 1-The current sta- tus of the plant was investigated quantitatively with the bottlenecks, Plant overall efficiency in terms of recovery, Efficiencies of the particular equipment (mill, screen, gravity circuit), 2-A new circuit was proposed with the

46 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

available equipment, 3-The new circuit that is product TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 9:25 am of modeling and experimental effort, was evaluated MORNING TBM Excavation Technology for quantitatively as if it is a running plant, After 4-5 months Mine Development and Production continuous effort, the capacity of the plant was almost D. Ofiara, The Robbins Company, Solon, OH doubled (37 tph to 70 tph) and the plant overall recovery 9 am Room 106 was increased from 48% to 63% by grinding adjust- Since the development of rock TBMs in the 1950s, ments and additional shaking tables theoretically. It was several TBM type machines have been used to drive Underground Construction tunnels in mines. These machines include the typical shown that the plant may move into profit with the mini- circular cross section TBMs, and specialized machines mum amount investment using readily available system. Association of SME: Tunnels that utilize disc cutters, but excavate non-circular cross and Shafts sections. This paper reviews the success of these ma- 10:45 am Chairs: J. Rostami, Pennsylvania State chines, and describes development and future applica- Adapting to a Cyclical Market – Intrepid tion of this equipment in mining applications. The rela- University, University Park, PA tive merits of various cross sections will be compared, Potash’s Carlsbad, NM East Facility Transition and the excavation efficiencies of the machines that B. Berg, J. Mansanti and C. Nyikos; Intrepid Potash, J. Larsen, Cementation, Sandy, UT produce these cross sections. Continuous conveyor sys- Denver, CO tems and other ancillary equipment is needed to allow The Carlsbad East facility has produced muriate of potash 9 am efficient utilization of these excavation machines. These (MOP) since 1965. In addition to MOP Intrepid Potash Introduction ancillary systems, and adaptations necessary for mining began recovering langbeinite from a mixed ore reserve applications, will also be described. in 2005. In 2011 a new langbeinite recovery process for 9:05 am the coarse (+850 micron) size fraction was constructed A Machine Learning Approach for Predicting 9:45 am to enhance the overall langbeinite recovery. Based on the the Performance of an Earth Pressure Rehabilitating the Bingham Tunnel – limited mixed ore reserve the transition of the East plant Balance Machine (EPBM) in Difficult Ground Challenging the Means and Methods to to a langbeinite only facility was targeted for 2021. Due S. Arora and R. Kaunda; Mining Engineering, Colorado Reduce Risk by Applying Technologies in to a decreasing grade of the mixed ore reserve, declining School of Mines, Lakewood, CO Rehabilitation in a 60 Year Old Tunnel sales pricing, and high sylvite operating costs a strategic Although machine learning studies have been conducted M. Bartlett; AusIMM, Sandy, UT decision was made to accelerate the transition into 2016. for TBM performance in hard rock, relatively few have been To enable a successful transition, a fines recovery system done for EPBMs. A useful way of gauging performance is The Bingham Tunnel is a historical rail haulage tunnel needed to be developed constructed, and implemented. the use of the rate of advance (ROA), which comprises of driven in the 1950’s for access to the historical Lark This paper describes the planning, development, and penetration rate (PR), utilization factor, and other fac- mine. The tunnel is now used by the Rio Tinto’s Bingham successful execution of the transition. tors. An accurate estimation of ROA is fundamental to Canyon open pit mine located in Salt Lake City Utah for project planning and cost estimation. This study em- water management. The tunnel is situated on the east ploys proper scientific procedures like machine learning side of the open pit mine under the expanding East 11:05 am algorithms for the prediction of one of the important Waste Rock (EWR) mine waste dumps. Rehabilitation of Potash Production Hoisting Plant inputs to ROA - the PR. The approach is illustrated by Bingham Tunnel consisted of assessment and rehabili- Upgrade & Beyond using example data collected from the University Link tation of 7500 linear feet in a 9 x 9ft tunnel. This case D. Ziebarth; WSP Group, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada tunnel project in Seattle, WA. The dimension of the data study highlights the challenges faced by the Bingham During the mid to late 1960’s, the underground potash is reduced by identifying the important EPBM’s sensor Tunnel Rehabilitation team relating to risk and execution industry in Saskatchewan was born. For the next four data (representing different machine parameters: cutter in the Bingham tunnel and how this is tied to the risk head torque, rotational speed, etc.) that have a direct management approach of all parties involved. The study decades the industry operated at a steady pace sup- correlation with the PR. This reduced data set was then porting a large part of the world demand; until 2008 also aims to highlight the innovative and new method- subjected to automatic feature selection (AFS), viz., prin- ologies developed by the team to execute the work in a when the potash market heightened. Operators were cipal component analysis and Gamma test to prepare motivated to capitalize on this increased demand, new two separate sets of input data to be fed to artificial safe manner. mines were proposed while existing mines were plan- neural networks (ANNs). The performance of ANNs was ning upgrades. Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan then analyzed in terms of their PR prediction capability (PCS) was one of the major players looking to upgrade to identify the best AFS technique. 10:05 am their production facilities quickly, including modifying the Development of Haulage Boring Machine existing headframe and shaft at the PCS Cory Site to ac- P. Rennkamp and S. Dube; Herrenknecht, Etobicoke, commodate a new 1500 tonnes per hour hoisting plant. ON, Canada Upon completion of the project, the innovative opera- The Haulage Boring Machine of Herrenknecht is a com- tions group continuously reviewed methods to increase pact, mobile boring machine which achieves small di- production or reduce operating cost, allowing PCS to ameters for access or production. Its compact layout is be competitive on the world market. This paper will designed to enter the market and give an alternative to describe the design challenges encountered during the conventional methods which were the only option when development of the infrastructure around an operating Tunnel Boring Machines could not achieve the diameter facility whilst minimizing down time, schedule, capital requirements. This paper will outline the functionality as and construction costs. The paper will also explore the well as new development stages including material han- strategy to squeeze additional capacity out of the newly dling, detailed engineering and rock strength capabilities. commissioned hoisting plant.

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 47 10:25 am 11:05 am TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 Improved Roller Cutters for Shaft Excavation Application of Ground Support Spiling in a AFTERNOON D. Krauter and S. Dube; Herrenknecht, Etobicoke, ON, Vertical Shaft – Nevada Copper Pumpkin Canada Hollow East Shaft 2 pm Room 107 One type of roller cutting excavation tools that are often M. Miniely; Mining Operations, Cementation USA, used on a variety of mechanical underground excavation Bunker, MO machines are Multi-row tungsten carbide insert (TCI) Nevada Copper’s Pumpkin Hollow Property is a high- Bulk Material Handling: roller cutters. Herrenknecht has recently implemented grade skarn/Iron Oxide Copper Gold (IOCG) deposit lo- several improvements in the design of multi-row TCI cated within a porphyry copper district in Lyon County, Improvements in Conveyor cutters to increase load capacity, reduce body washout Nevada, USA. Construction to support accessing the un- Reliability and Availablility and improve high pressure sealing applications. This derground operation began in 2012, with the 1900 level paper will detail these improvements and present proj- reached in 2015. The East Shaft was constructed by Chair: S. Shadow, Baldor/ABB Inc., ects where these cutters have been successfully used in blind sinking method, with the upper portion of the shaft Parker, CO challenging shaft boring applications. having good to fair ground conditions. A zone encoun- tered below mid shaft, approximately 1,000 feet below 2 pm 10:45 am surface, required additional support over and above the Introduction Development and Evaluation of the prescribed temporary support consisting of friction bolts, screen, and shotcrete, prior to installing the permanent 2:05 pm Inflatable PythonM3 Bolt and Innovative lining. Cementation Operations, Engineering, and Proj- PyFlexU2TM Coating Against Improving Conveyor Transfer Point ect Services groups, along with client representatives, Performance in Hard Rock Mines Highly-Corrosive Ground Conditions developed a method that consisted of installing spilings K. Ma, J. Stankus, D. Faulkner and L. Ma, R. Shields and A. Marti; Corporate Marketing, Martin vertically, in order to support the rock prior to excavation, Engineering, Neponset, IL Keystone Mining Services LLC, Pittsburgh, PA allowing safe access to install the prescribed temporary Inflatable rock bolts are widely used in hard rock mines support. This presentation will discuss the challenges Hard rock mines move large volumes of material. But as an efficient ground control product. However, its ca- and successes that went along with the application of the conveyors essential to this movement suffer lots of pacity and service life can be significantly reduced if the the pre-supporting system. problems, including carryback, spillage, dust, and belt metallic body is subjected to corrosion. In some hard wander. Many of these issues are created at the trans- rock mines in the U.S., highly corrosive ground condi- fer points where the belts are loaded. This presentation 11:25 am will start with an overview of the latest transfer point tion exists, and has been reported that inflatable rock An Optimum Design for Hard Rock TBM Site bolts corroded within a few months of installation. The systems that incorporate safety and serviceability by de- unexpected failure and short service life resulted in roof Installation sign. He will then report on recent projects. One project O. Frough and J. Rostami, Colorado School of Mines, falls, interrupted mining operations, and consequently is the Conveyor B Transfer at the Coeur Rochester silver Golden, CO required constant rehabilitation. In the past, the mining mine near Lovelock, Nevada. Here performance was industry commonly relied on either a cathodic sacrificial One of the most important items in mechanized tunnel- improved with the installation of belt support cradles, coating (galvanization, zinc epoxy, etc.) or barrier type ing is TBM Launching portal design for TBM assembly, engineered chute walls with external wear liner, and a coating (epoxy, polyurethane, plastic, etc.) to protect commissioning of tunnel boring and supplying the tun- compact dust collector. A second project is the improve- the roof bolt. However, in highly corrosive conditions, nel operation. The minimum required length and width ment of belt support idlers and skirtboard sealing in the the coating systems are either ineffective or vulnerable of the portal is dependent on the length of TBM and back loading zone on Conveyor Number 9 at Freeport-McMo- due to coating micro-cracking and/or splitting during up, transport system type, muck discharging capacity, ran’s Morenci Mine in Morenci, Arizona. The objectives inflation, and scratch damage by borehole sharp edges storage areas and workshops. An optimum length and of this presentation include allowing mine personnel to during bolt insertion, all of which exposes the metal to well arrangement site design is more productive than a understand the technologies available to improve trans- the corrosive medium. large uncoordinated tunnel site. The portal activity has fer points. The presentation will provide a frame of ref- a greet roll in TBM downtimes and utilization factor. In erence to examine an operation’s conveyors, to consider order to design a site installation the location of access what improvements could and should be made, and the roads, topography, excising rivers and other facilities benefits these improvements would provide. must be considered. In this presentation the basic prin- ciple of the site installation design for hard rock TBM 2:25 pm tunneling will be discussed and some case studies in Intelligent Mining Meets Proven Reliability: different situations will be explained. Using Intelligent Drive Control Systems to Increase Production and Performance Voith / A Case Study of controls installations at United Bulk Terminal and SsangYong Cement K. Kluttz; Voith Turbo, Inc., York, PA Today’s manufacturers and producers face a daunting challenge: increase production and guarantee uptime, while maintaining or even reducing costs. United Bulk Terminal’s coal handling facility in Davant, Louisiana, uti- lizes a reversing conveyor to load and unload vessels at the port. Voith is now installing two Voith 562TPKL-BiDi couplings that can efficiently operate the belt in either direction and will help nearly double the productivity. In

48 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

2014, SsangYong Cement consulted with Voith to in- chute surfaces, unacceptable dust generation, high belt TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 crease the conveyed tonnage from the main quarry to wear, and product spillage. These problems often lead AFTERNOON the cement plant. Voith started with an initial analysis to significant maintenance costs because of the need of the conveyor system to outline project requirements to unplug chutes, pick up spillage, or frequently replace especially for the 12.8 km one-flight conveyor - one of wear liners. Poorly performing chutes can cause envi- 2 pm Room 704 the five longest single conveyors worldwide. This paper ronmental problems and production losses. This talk outlines the process Voith instituted to implement the discusses the best approach to evaluate if the through- Voith TurboBelt DriveControl, and overcome local and put of an existing transfer chute can successfully be Coal & Energy: Blasting regional material handling process challenges to reach increased, and whether or not a new material will flow and Explosive Technologies production goals. Features like cascaded smart control through an existing chute. logics and self-learning capabilities will allow these fa- for Surface Coal Mines cilities to realize increased belt life, reduced wear and Chairs: J. Silva, University of Kentucky, 3:25 pm maintenance demand, and the ability to align belt con- Lexington, KY veyor drives onto one controls platform. Methods to Increase the Availability of Mine Hoisting Systems E. Jong, Virginia Tech, Arlington, VA R. Gebhard; PD SLN MN / Minerals, Siemens AG 2:45 pm (Germany), Erlangen, Germany 2 pm Improve Bearing Service Life and Your Not every “peanut“ leads to a breakdown. How to realize Introduction Operations Using Sealed Bearings this requirement? The presentation describes different on Conveyors methods to increase the availability of mine hoists. A 2:05 pm J. Goldman1, R. Baratta2 and J. Oliver3; 1Applications 2 common way of realisation is to install redundant sys- Comprehensive Shock Physics Studies of Engineering, SKF USA, Lansdale, PA; Mining Industry tems. As a second method the minimisation of shut- Air-Deck Behavior during Rock Blasting Specalists, SKF USA, Lansdale, PA and 3Director of downs and the reduction of shut-down-time need to be D. Preece1, D. Johnson2 and R. Yang3; 1Technology, Industry Specialists, SKF USA, Lansdale, PA considered. We will show and explain different solutions Analytics & Automation, Orica Mining Services, Conveyors are integral to mining operations as they on the example of installed systems. The importance of Saratoga Springs, UT; 2Explosives & Initiating feed operations throughout the entire process. When a availability sometime depends on the type of the hoist. Systems, Orica Mining Services, Watkins, CO and primary conveyor goes down, costly repairs and a loss At production (or rock) hoists the amount of hoisted ma- 3Blast Modeling Development and Support, Orica of valuable production time are incurred. Frequently, the terial is the key figure. At service (or personnel) hoists Mining Services, Watkins, CO interruption in conveyor operations is caused by a pre- mainly the safety of personnel needs to be considered, Air-decks are often employed in rock blasting for pre- mature bearing failure on a pulley. Changing a pulley not to forget the availability to transport people under splitting along the final highwall of a blast and are some- bearing can be a dangerous, lengthy, and labor-inten- every circumstance. Sometimes it seem that words like times also included elsewhere in explosive columns. sive activity. Sealed bearings coupled with a proactive “safety”, “availability” or “price” don’t match. We will Shock wave physics is an important part of air-deck and predictive maintenance program have been shown show that you can combine this aims. Newer concepts behavior since the bulk explosives in the column im- to virtually eliminate premature bearing failures and, at for low voltage solutions show how to increase availabil- part a shock into the air-deck where the air shock then the same time, dramatically reduce grease consump- ity without spending the double amount of money for a passes through the air-deck at a velocity substantially tion; consequently, reducing the need for maintenance, redundant system. We are going to show concepts and less than the explosive VOD. Air-shocks ring back and which improves worker safety and allows them to focus solutions realised in different countries. For example in forth in the air-deck for a few 10’s of milliseconds. When their time on other duties. This paper will explore the Asia, Europe or South Africa. the shock wave reflects off the sides and bottom of the causes of these bearing failures and how to implement blasthole, the pressure is doubled for a few milliseconds. the solution accompanied by case studies where adopt- The magnitude of this reflected pressure is at least an ers have significantly reduced unplanned downtime, order of magnitude less than the detonation pressure. extended bearing service life, reduced maintenance Replacing high energy explosives with zero energy air- expenditures and ultimately improved their bottom line. decks in a blasthole will always have a negative impact on the adjacent rock fragmentation and movement. The 3:05 pm behavior of air-decks in explosive columns is well un- Evaluating Transfer Chute Design for derstood and can be modeled with shock physics theory Increased Throughput or For Use with a as well as with finite difference or Lagrangian computer Different Material programs. Both approaches will be used in this paper to C. Hartford; Jenike & Johanson, San Luis Obispo, CA aid those interested in understanding the behavior and impact of air-decks in blasting. In this cyclic environment, capital costs are kept to a min- imum during downturns. This requires existing assets to be used to their full potential. Other times it means 2:25 pm exploring different types of material to mine while using Prediction of Rock Fragmentation in Bench the existing equipment to handle the different ore. While Blasting Using Neural Networks these changes may make sense on the books, it critical to P. Sinha; Mining Engineering, Indian School of Mines, evaluate how the new material or increased throughput Dhanbad, Dhanbad, India will flow in the existing system. When a plant increases throughput or changes the material, handling equipment Despite of technological advancement in the field of such as belt-to-belt transfer chutes often fail to perform rock breakage, blasting is still an economical means of reliably. Some of the problems associated with failed rock excavation for mining and civil engineering projects. chute designs include: plugging, excessive wear of Considering the various blast parameters together to pre-

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 49 dict the fragmentation is subtle and can lead to wrong conducted to evaluate the effect of highwall stability due TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 conclusions. In this paper, a different approach has been to ground vibrations from blasting events. Additionally, AFTERNOON followed to combine the representational power of mul- the relationship of amplitude and frequency, and their tilayer neural networks and various machine learning impact on highwall stability is investigated. The results techniques to predict the fragmentation of a bench blast of this modeling indicate that amplitude has little impact 2 pm Room 711 using the data from a limestone ore mine located in cen- on stability. However, frequency has a significant impact tral India. The results obtained here, are compared with on highwall stability. those predicted by image analysis method and it has been Coal & Energy: Dust Control I observed that neural networks can be used efficiently in Chairs: T. Beck, NIOSH, Pittsburgh, PA such cases with a high degree of accuracy. The sensitivity 3:25 pm P. Conrad, Montana Tech, Butte, MT analysis has been done to get the relative importance of Approach to Predict Ground Vibrations the variables in prediction of the output. The results ob- in Surface Blasting Using Artificial tained in this study and the methodology introduced, can 2 pm Neural Network Introduction assist the mining design engineer to decide on a drilling K. Bhatia; Mining Engineering, Indian School Of and blasting pattern that produces the most suitable frag- Mines, Dhanbad, Dhanbad, India mentation of the blasted ore and hence minimize the total 2:05 pm cost of the mining operations. In surface blasting, ground vibrations is one of the prin- Considerations for the Construction of a cipal disturbances caused. The explosion energy, which Face Ventilation Gallery in an Underground breaks the rock mass, is not fully utilized and gets wast- Limestone Mine using Computational Fluid 2:45 pm ed in the form of ground vibrations, air blast, fly rock, etc. Precision Presplit Design Among them, ground vibrations is considered to have Dynamics Modeling A. Konya and C. Konya; Explosive Engineering, most damaging effect. In this paper, attempts have been B. Coleman, W. Wedding and T. Petrov; Mining Precision Blasting Services, Montville, OH made to investigate the potential of ANN in prediction of Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY In the mining industry highwall stability is often a major ground vibration due to blasting in open pit mines. The The Department of labor has recently enacted de- concern for both the safety of the employees and the PPV and Scaled Distance are taken into consideration creased respirable dust exposure limits in coal mines overall feasibility of the mine. Traditionally, mines em- to develop an empirical formula. However, these rela- along with laws which require continuous monitoring ployee some form of overbreak control in their blast- tionships are not able to consider the variation in rock and immediate correction when exposed to dangerous ing process to help protect the final walls and allow for parameters and uncertainty of Insitu conditions. The levels. Engineering controls in the coal mining face must steeper pit slope angles. This overbreak control is typi- formula generated will be compared with the available improve to protect the health and safety of miners. A full cally in the form of: airdecking, buffered blasting, cush- empirical formulas for blast vibrations predictions. Key scale test gallery is being constructed to investigate the ion blasting, or traditional presplitting and works with words: ground vibrations, PPV, Scaled distance, ANN. effectiveness of current methods and help develop new varied results. Typically these methods suffer in weaker solutions to the problem of face ventilation. Our design or highly structured rocks leading to insufficient results of a full scale coal mine face includes an intersection in the form of backbreak or large toes; forcing the mine with a face extending 15 meters (50 feet) forward. On to employee secondary blasting or modify mine plans. In 3:45 pm the right and outby sides, we have a 6 meter (20 feet) this paper the authors have created and tested a new Deconvolution of Blast-Induced Ground entry and on the left we have a 2.4 meter (8 feet) section method of presplitting termed “Precision Presplitting” Vibration by Wiener Filtering to serve as the exhaust. The gallery will be 2.1 meter which is now being used worldwide in major mines and L. Li and J. Silva; Department of Mining Engineering, (7 feet) tall and will include a mockup of a continuous large construction project. This method of presplitting University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY miner with a functional scrubber and body sprays. The uses both the rock mechanics and structural geology to gallery will also be located in an underground limestone Ground vibration is one of the environmental concerns mine, which can provide its own set of problems. This design a highly-controlled, reliable final wall while mit- caused by mine blasts. The signature hole technique, es- igating backbreak and toe problems. The authors have research project investigates the possibility of recircu- sentially the convolution of a single-hole vibration wave- lation of air through the gallery given the conditions at also developed models to determine the presplit factor form (also called a signature waveform) with a timing se- of rock and design an appropriate presplit for any rock the location through the use of computational fluid dy- quence, is one method used to predict and control ground namics modeling. type at variable spacing. vibrations. This method first requires measuring a signa- ture waveform, which may be a limitation. Deconvolution 3:05 pm of vibration signals from a production blast can solve that 2:25 pm Evaluation of Blasting-Induced Ground limitation. Among the diverse approaches to deconvolu- Numerical Modeling of Particle/Droplet Vibrations on Highwall Stability tion, the Wiener filtering is one of the most widely used Interaction to Evaluate Dust Control in methods. The timing sequence is assumed as known in Mining R. Eades and K. Perry; Mining Engineering, 2 1 1 University of Kentucky, Paris, KY electronic detonation. Then a Wiener filter can be designed J. Swanson and C. Negoita ; Oregon Institute of to compress a blast signal into spikes in accordance with Technology, Klamath Falls, OR and 2Staffordshire Highwall miners continue to be implemented by opera- the timing sequence. The resultant Wiener filter is actu- University, Stoke-on-Trent, UK tions to increase recovery, improve margins, and justify ally the inverse of the signature waveform. The proposed higher stripping ratios as high quality surface reserves Spray systems are a common method used for dust methodology in this paper will eliminate the need for mea- control in mining, often provided by a manufacturer or become increasingly rare. Many times, operations fa- suring signature waveforms by using all the seismograph cilitate projected underground operations by leaving chosen based upon experience. This does not always information collected in regular mine operations. The lead to the best dust control. An understanding of rel- an intact highwall for development purposes. These methodology can also be combined with the improved facts result in larger highwalls that are left standing ative sizes of water droplets and dust particles as well signature hole technique proposed by Silva (2012) for as relative speed, concentration and properties com- for increased periods of time prior to reclamation. As ground vibration reduction. a consequence, worker exposure and risk is also been bined with the interaction environment provides the elevated, resulting in higher potential for accidents or information needed to evaluate the quality of a dust fatalities relating to surface highwalls. Highwall stabili- control system. A mathematical model that uses these ty is a complex issue, dependent on both geologic and criteria allows the miner to evaluate the best nozzle to mining factors. Dynamic numerical modeling offers the install. Using Navier-Stokes Equations, the flow around capability to assess possible stability issues related to a water droplet is modeled and modified to represent blasting-induced ground vibrations. Research has been the two-phase fluid flow. The dynamics of the system

50 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

are governed by the continuous phase of ventilation air modeling of dynamics of a thin film in a one-third scaled 4:05 pm containing dust particles and the relative velocity to the vortecone system. CFD models show the phases of thin Comparison of Respirable Mine Dust water droplets. Incorporating the momentum equations, film running on the internal surfaces of the scrubber and Characteristics Across Mines in Central and the pathlines of the dust particles and collision with wa- air under the combined effects of centrifugal forces, Northern Appalachia ter droplets can be described. The capture efficiency of gravity and surface tension. V. Johann, C. Keles and E. Sarver; Mining and a nozzle can be taken from the model. Providing the en- Minerals Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA gineer with simple nozzle selection criteria based upon known information will provide for a better use of water 3:25 pm Increased incidence of coal workers’ pneumoconiosis and best dust control for specific applications. Material Property Tests of Foam Agents (CWP) and related occupational lung diseases amongst to Determine their Potential for Longwall underground coal miners in parts of Appalachia has Mining Dust Control Research prompted research on the issue. One focus has been 2:45 pm W. Reed, T. Beck, Y. Zheng, S. Klima and J. Driscoll; on specific mine dust characteristics that may provide Comparison of Different Hollow Cone Water DCVTSB, NIOSH, Pittsburgh, PA insights into health outcomes. Over 16 months, 210 Sprays for Continuous Miner Dust Control samples of respirable dust were collected in eight un- Foam has been used for past dust control in mining and derground coal mines, including two in Northern Ap- Applications is currently being reconsidered for use in underground S. Klima, C. Seaman, J. Organiscak and S. Mischler; palachia, four in Central Appalachia, and two in South coal longwall operations to help comply with MSHA’s NIOSH, Jefferson Hills, PA Central Appalachia. These operations vary in terms of lower coal mine respirable dust standard (1.5 mg/m3). mining method, coal seam thickness, and mined strata Researchers at NIOSH’s Pittsburgh Mining Research Foams were generated using two different methods. geology. Dust samples were taken in various locations Division performed comparative testing of six hollow One method made compressed-air-generated (CA) within each mine, including in the intake and return, cone water sprays; static sprays from Spraying Sys- foam, while the other method used a NIOSH developed near the feeder or conveyance, and near major produc- tems (BD-3, BD-5) and Steinen-Hahn (SH-3, SH-5), foam generator which produced blower-air-generated tion activities such as coal cutting and roof-bolting. An and self-cleaning sprays from Repair King (RK-3, RK-5). (BA) foam. Three foam property tests were used to automated SEM-EDX routine was implemented to char- Water flow testing was completed at 60, 80 and 100 classify foams; bottle shake test, foam expansion ratio, acterize up to 500 respirable dust particles per sam- psig for both sets of sprays (3s and 5s). Airflow induction and water drainage. The bottle shake tests determined ple such that distributions in size, shape, and chemical testing was completed at 80 psig using a hot wire an- that the lowest concentration of foam agent to be used composition could be determined. This paper compares emometer to take air velocity measurements upstream was about 1.5%. CA foams tended to have low expan- results between and within mines, and also examines of the sprays. Respirable dust capture efficiency testing sion ratios (10-19) with high water drainage. BA foams relationships between dust particle size, shape, and was completed in a 512 ft3 closed system dust chamber had higher foam expansion ratios (30-60) with lower chemical composition. at 80 psig. Sprays were analyzed with a Cloud Aerosol water drainage. Foams produced within these ranges Spectrometer, using light scattering to count and size of expansion ratios are stable and potentially suitable the airborne water droplets from each spray. Water flow for dust control. Results of testing eliminated two foam testing produced deviations less than 8% from the av- agents for future testing due to poor expansion ratios. erage water flow rate for each set of sprays. The RK-5 These material property tests can be used to classify spray showed the largest difference in airflow induction, foams for their research potential in longwall mining moving just over 76% of air compared to the BD-5 and dust control. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 SH-5 sprays. The dust capture efficiency for the 3 series AFTERNOON sprays ranged from 7.2% to 9.9%, while the 5 series sprays ranged from 5.3% to 7.1%. Spraying Systems 3:45 pm sprays produced the largest mean droplet size of the Investigation on the Use of Chemical Dust 2 pm Room 706 three manufacturers. Suppressants on Ash Emissions due to Fort McMurray Wildfire D. Omane, H. Yu, W. Liu and Y. Pourrahimian; School Coal & Energy: Rare Earth 3:05 pm of Mining and Petroleum Engineering, University of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada Mineral Extraction from Coal Modeling of Dynamics of Liquid Film A large scale wildfire had broken out at Fort McMurray Tailings & Byproducts Circulating Inside a Reduced Scaled Model in Alberta, Canada during May 2016. Many oil sands Chairs: A. Noble, West Virginia of a Vortecone Scrubber mining activities were affected due to the wildfire and University, Morgantown, WV A. Kumar, W. Wedding and S. Arya; Department of its ash emissions. Ash emission generated from fire Mining Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, outbreak is also a huge problem during post-fire clean M. Fan, Eriez Manufacturing Co., Erie, PA KY up. These emissions pose a health hazard to workers, Dust is a nuisance in all underground mining operations. create environmental problems and enhance global 2 pm Scrubbers are commonly used in underground room warming. This emission is caused either by human ac- Introduction and pillar coal mines to reduce miners’ exposure to re- tivities or wind effect. The objective of this research is to spirable dust. Particulate exposure in the working envi- monitor the effect of dust suppressants (#1 surfactants 2:05 pm ronment occurs in other industries, such as automotive and #2 polymers) at various dilutions on ashes from Fort Process Evaluation and Flowsheet painting. This research effort is a technology transfer of McMurray. It is found that both #1and #2 suppressants Development for the Recovery of Rare Earth a scrubber developed for controlling automotive over- are highly effective in retaining Fort McMurray dust at Elements from Coal and Associated Waste spray, named the Vortecone scrubber. The Vortecone different dilutions. All dilutions tested (0.05% for #1 and R. Honaker1, J. Groppo1, R. Yoon2, G. Luttrell2, works on the principle of centrifuges. Dust laden air and 5% to 15% for #2) provide dust retention rate greater A. Noble3 and J. Herbst3; 1Mining Engineering, water are drawn into the device. Dust particles are pref- than 99% five minutes after suppressant spraying. It is University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY; 2Mining and erentially carried towards the outer curved surface of the found that both suppressants maintain a dust retention Minerals Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA mixing chamber. This curved surface is continually wet- rate higher than 99.6% after 24 hours while water’s re- and 3Mining Engineering, West Virginia University, ted by a supply of water providing a means to capture tention rate drops to 97.6%, suggesting that dust sup- Morgantown, WV the airborne dust. The spent water is then brought out pressants has merit over longer period of time, which is of the system via the outlet thereby cleansing the air of proven by the 72 hour data. Recent studies have revealed that the coal and coal by- dust. Varying the quantity of water is expected to affect products produced annually contain enough rare earth the performance of scrubber. The paper discusses the elements (REEs) to meet current U.S. demand. The REEs exist in the form of minerals, ion-exchanged elements

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 51 associated with clays and chemically bonded elements REE content. A comprehensive feasibility study will be 3:45 pm within the organic coal matrix. Researchers at three uni- conducted including bench-scale experiments using a Application of Hydrophobic-Hydrophilic versities have collaborated to evaluate the effectiveness plasma furnace to determine the fate of REEs in the sep- Separation (HHS) Process for the Recovery of existing physical and chemical concentration pro- aration between the slag and metal layers, evaluation of of Rare Earth Minerals from Coal Refuse cesses for the recovery of the REEs. The efforts have potential enhancements to promote the partitioning of B. Li, S. Park, N. Gupta, G. Luttrell and R. Yoon; Mining found that physical separation processes have the ability REEs to the molten metal layer, and the plasma volatil- & Minerals Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA to increase the total REE content in the thickener un- ization of the molten metal layer will be modeled, includ- derflow material collected from a Central Appalachian ing the sequential condensation of REE-enriched vapors. Rare earth elements (REEs) are critically important in ad- coal cleaning facility from around 300 ppm to values vanced manufacturing, renewable energy and defense greater than 9500 ppm on an ash basis. On the other industries. Significant amounts of REEs are present in hand, leaching was effective in recovering REEs from 3:05 pm coal that can potentially be recovered as byproducts using coarse middlings materials collected from multiple coal Recovery of Valuable Elements from Chinese physical and chemical separation methods. A challenge basins as indicated by recovery values exceeding 85%. Coal and its By-Products associated with physical separation is that the rare earth Based on material characterization data and process M. Fan1, Y. Zhao2, Z. Long3 and W. Liu4; 1Eriez minerals (REMs) are of micron and submicron sizes. There- evaluations conducted for a number of potential feed Flotation Division, Eriez Manufacturing Co., Erie, PA; fore, it is difficult to recover them by flotation, which is in- coal sources, economic recovery of the REEs will require 2School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, efficient with ultrafine fine particles. In the present work, byproduct production of both clean coal and REE con- China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, REM concentrates have been recovered from fine coal re- centrate using a process flowsheet that is unique for Jiangsu, China; 3Guizhou Shuicheng mining (Group) fuse streams using the hydrophobic-hydrophilic separation each source. Co., Ltd, Liupanshui, Guizhou, China and 4Datong (HHS) process. Initially, the HHS process is used to produce Coal Mine Group Co., Ltd, Datong, Shanxi, China low-ash and low-moisture clean coal products and subse- quently salable REMs concentrates. In the latter step, po- 2:25 pm This paper presents the concentrations of valuable tassium octyl hydroxamate (KOHX) has been used to selec- Assessing the Potential of Acid Mine elements including rare earth elements in various tively hydrophobize REMs. SEM images of the concentrates Drainage Sludge as Rare Earth Elements Chinese coal deposits and their corresponding coal show a large number of liberated REMs, while those of the by-products. Some economic potential recovery meth- tailings show some REM particles interlocked with gangue. Feedstock ods are discussed in this study. Magnetically sta- It appears that the HHS process is very efficient with the P. Ziemkiewicz; Water Research Institute, bilized air-dense medium fluidized bed separation, recovery of ultrafine particles, the fundamental reasons for West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV tribo-electrostatic separation, and froth flotation tech- which will be discussed in this presentation. During this study we found that metal precipitates re- nologies are evaluated in recovering various valuable sulting from acid mine drainage treatment (AMD sludge) elements in Chinese coal and coal by-products from contained, on an average 500 mg total rare earth el- different coalfields. These valuable elements include 4:05 pm ements (TREE)/kg on a dry weight basis. TREE ranged rare earth elements, gallium, lithium, phosphorus, and Chemical Extraction of Rare Earth Elements from 1,435 mg/kg (g/t) to a low of 0.6 mg/kg. Most of germanium, etc. from Coal Ash 1 1 1 1 the samples (73%) exceeded 300 mg TREE/kg and 50% M. Peiravi , L. Ackah , R. Guru , M. Mohanty and 2 1 exceeded 427 mg TREE/kg. The lowest TREE values re- Q. Zhang ; Southern Illinois University Carbondale, 2 sulted from treatment of circumneutral AMD and the Carbondale, IL and Department of Mineral Processing, highest values from AMD with pH < 4.5. Even higher av- 3:25 pm Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, Henan, China erage concentrations (1,137 mg TREE/kg) resulted from Maximizing REE Enrichment of Alaskan The overall goal of this laboratory-scale study was to AMD treatment plants using caustic soda cf. hydrated Coals using Froth Flotation develop a suitable flow sheet to extract rare earth ele- lime as the neutralizing agent. Laboratory experiments T. Gupta, T. Ghosh, G. Akdogan and S. Bandopadhyay; ments (REEs) from coal ash. An anthracite coal sample, indicated nearly 100% extraction of REE from AMD pre- Mining Engineering, University of Alaska Fairbanks, originating from the Lykens Valley #2 seam in Pennsyl- cipitates under acid leaching and re-precipitation as pH Fairbanks, AK vania, was found to have the highest REE concentration was adjusted upward. This confirmed that these REE are Rare Earth Elements (REEs) and their compounds are of more than 700 ppm (in the coal ash) among a total of present in AMD precipitates as hydroxides/oxy-hydrox- in high demand due to their numerous commercial and fourteen coal samples of different ranks examined. The ides and their dissolution/precipitation response is near- critical applications. Cost effective and eco-friendly op- same sample was used for the REE extraction tests, that ly identical to that of Fe3+. Preliminary findings indicated portunities are being explored for extraction of REEs from included high temperature leaching using nitric acid, that the ratio of critical to non-critical REE was found to non-conventional mineral sources such as coal and coal followed by the solvent extraction tests. A 4x2x2 exper- exceed a ratio of 1.0 across 30 samples. byproducts to stabilize the supply chain. Coal from Central imental design was used to conduct a total of thirty-two Alaska (Healy Coal Mine) and Southern Alaska-Cook Inlet high temperature leaching experiments by varying acid (Wishbone Hill) provinces have been found to possess el- molarity, solid content and leaching time. The highest 2:45 pm evated concentrations of critical REEs. The objective of the LREE (light REE) recovery of 90% and HREE (heavy REE) Plasma-Based Rare Earth Element Recovery study was to enrich the REEs in the fine size fraction (-75 recovery of 94% were obtained from the most optimum from Coal Fly Ash Microns) from Healy and Wishbone Hill by Froth Flotation. leaching test condition while maintaining the impurity re- K. Jeffers and J. Renew; Southern Research, A Box-Behnken design was applied for modeling and op- covery the leachate at less than 40%. Solvent extraction Birmingham, AL timizing the operating variables such as frother dosage, experiments were conducted to extract the REE’s from Southern Research is evaluating the feasibility of an in- pulp density and collector dosage of Froth Flotation to the above leachate solutions using extractants such as, novative process for concentrating rare earth elements maximize REE enrichment. The optimum flot conditions TBP, Cyanex, D2EHPA and their combinations. D2EHPA (REEs) from coal fly ash (CFA). The process uses plasma for maximum REE enrichment in the froth fraction were was found to be the best extractant during this SX text technology in 2 proposed steps. Step 1 is a smelting at 4.2% Solids and 32.7 ppm of Frother dosage for Healy series providing nearly 99% recovery of REEs. process to separate coal ash into slag and metal layers Coal sample and 10% Solids and 37.9 ppm of Frother where it is expected that the REEs will collect into the dosage for Wishbone Hill Coal sample. The empirical re- metal layer. In Step 2, the molten metal pool is vola- lationship for modelling and optimizing the response vari- tilized, and the vapors are condensed in sequential able were found to be independent of Collector Dosage. temperature zones to produce REE-enriched metal frac- tions. The initial project work includes acquiring coal ash samples from several coal-fired power plants fueled on eastern bituminous coal and characterizing the ash for

52 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 Kentucky to carry out research regarding the design and 3:25 pm construction of possible air supply systems. This pre- AFTERNOON Cryogenic Breathable Air Supply/Heat & sentation covers testing of various airline materials and Humidity Mitigation System for RA protection methods. The conclusions obtained through E. Blalock; Private Contractor, Titusville, FL 2 pm Room 702 analysis of the results will be presented and used to offer a set of recommendations and design considerations. For underground coal mines, heat buildup inside an occupied RA/BIP is a serious concern especially where Coal & Energy: Refuge ambient mine temperatures are routinely at or above 2:45 pm 24°C (75°F). In addition, relative humidity approaching Alternatives for Underground Prediction of Human Core Temperature Rise 100% is expected inside an occupied refuge. Without a Coal Mines II and Moisture Loss in Coal Mine Refuge means to dissipate the heat and humidity generated by Alternatives the occupants and the carbon dioxide scrubbing system, Chairs: D. Yantek, NIOSH, Pittsburgh, PA M. Klein1, D. Yantek2, M. Hepokoski1 and L. Yan2; the temperature and humidity inside an RA or BIP could T. Lutz, DHHS/CDC/NIOSH, Pittsburgh, PA 1ThermoAnalytics, Inc., Calumet, MI and 2CDC NIOSH, lead to severe discomfort, heat stress or worse, depend- Pittsburgh, PA ing on the initial inside temperature which is directly re- lated to the mine ambient temperature. An effective heat 2 pm NIOSH research has shown that heat/humidity buildup Introduction and humidity mitigation system will enable miners to use is a major concern with refuge alternatives (RA). These RAs and BIP shelters at their design capacity instead of high temperature and humidity levels inside a RA may derating their occupancy, in some cases by as much as 2:05 pm expose occupants to heat stress. Due to the safety risks half. CLSS has developed a comprehensive “RA Cryo- Refuge Alternatives Relief Valve Testing and associated with testing using human subjects, NIOSH genic Air Supply & Cooling System” in preparation for Design with Updated Test Stand partnered with ThermoAnalytics to create detailed the execution of CDC BAA Number: 2016-N-17685 T. Lutz, P. Bissert, G. Homce and J. Yonkey; PMRD, thermal simulation models of shelters with human oc- “Refuge Alternative Heat Mitigation System Utilizing Ad- DHHS/CDC/NIOSH, Pittsburgh, PA cupants. The objective of this effort was to predict a vanced Liquid Air Technologies”. miner’s core temperature response and moisture loss Underground refuge alternatives (RAs) require an air in environments that may be encountered in a coal mine source, This requires pressure relief valves (PRVs) to RA. These parameters were studied across a range of prevent unsafe pressures. Research to date by NIOSH temperatures and relative humidity values to determine suggests that the design and implementation of RA if the current 95°F apparent temperature limit for RAs is relief valves has not yet had sufficient performance reasonable. The results indicated that the 95°F appar- analysis or technical development. In response to this ent temperature limit is protective provided that miners TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 need, NIOSH tested a variety of PRVs using an instru- are supplied with sufficient water. The results also in- AFTERNOON mented test fixture with computer data acquisition using dicated that the body core temperature did not reach a centrifugal blower, ductwork, and various sensors to dangerous levels even at an apparent temperature of determine if they meet the MSHA requirement. Relief 130°F. However, the results showed that moisture loss 2 pm Room 708 pressures and flow characteristics including opening increases with apparent temperature. Therefore, if the pressure, pressure drop and flow rate were measured apparent temperature limit were increased, the water for 5 PRVs. Testing included two modified check valves, provided in an RA would have to be increased to offset Coal & Energy: two check valves used in MSHA approved built-in-place moisture loss. (BIP) chambers, and a commercially available valve that Unconventional Energy: was designed for a steel RA and used in some BIP RAs. CBM, CMM, and Shale Gas The test results showed relief pressures ranging from 3:05 pm Chairs: N. Gupta, Virginia Tech, 0.6 kPa to 1.5 kPa and flow rates from 10.1 to 18.0 Heat/Humidity Tests of a Built-in-Place m3/min. All of the relief valves met the MSHA maximum Refuge Alternative Blacksburg, VA relief pressure specification except the commercially D. Yantek, G. Homce, L. Yan, T. Lutz, J. Srednicki, N. Ripepi, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA available valve designed for a steel RA. J. Yonkey and R. Matetic; NIOSH PMRD, Pittsburgh, PA Federal regulations require the installation of refuge al- 2 pm 2:25 pm ternatives (RAs) in underground coal mines. Of the in-use Introduction Design and Construction Considerations for RAs, over 95% are mobile RAs with the remainder being Compressed Air Lines to Refuge Alternatives built-in-place (BIP) RAs. Heat/humidity buildup has been 2:05 pm R. Lamont and J. Silva; Mining Engineering, University one of the major concerns with mobile RAs. For BIP RAs, Opportunities for Recovery and Use of of Kentucky, Lexington, KY however, there is a lack of in-mine heat/humidity test data Methane from Abandoned Underground to determine the extent of heat and humidity buildup. To Coal Mines Entrapment of underground mine workers may re- quantify heat/humidity buildup in BIP RAs, NIOSH per- F. Ruiz1 and M. Cote2; 1Climate Change Division, U.S. sult from mine disasters such as explosions, fires, and formed a series of heat/humidity tests on a 60-person Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC major collapses. The 2006 MINER Act recognized this BIP RA with and without a borehole air supply. At various and 2Ruby Canyon Engineering, Grand Junction, CO danger to the health and safety of underground coal times during the year, tests were performed with cooled miners, and established requirements regarding emer- and heated borehole air and unconditioned borehole air The economic value of coal mine methane (CMM) can gency breathable air supplies for each worker at under- to examine how various outdoor temperatures may affect be extended well past the time of abandonment of un- ground “Refuge Alternatives”. Industry compliance with the thermal conditions inside a BIP RA. The results show derground coal mines. Abandoned mine methane (AMM) these supply levels has thus far centered on discrete that the air supplied to a BIP RA may require heating and projects, while smaller in size than CMM projects, have volumes stored in tanks. A preferable solution would cooling, depending on the outside air temperatures and proven to be a stable, long-term source of methane for provide an unlimited air supply by installing a transport the temperature of the mine. For example, during tests energy projects. Most or all of this methane would even- system (compressed airlines) from surface site(s) to ref- with an external ambient temperature above 70°F and a tually reach the atmosphere through fugitive emissions, uge locations throughout the mine. Air supply system humidity that reached 90%RH, providing 55°F dew point thus projects can also be important GHG emission re- design must be capable of withstanding normal mine air was able to keep the internal apparent temperature duction projects. Given methane’s high global warming operational hazards and possible disaster events, while below the mandated 95°F. Results for each test case will potential, GHG emission reduction credits generated by emphasizing ease of installation and economic viability. be presented. AMM projects can add an important revenue stream. A NIOSH funded project was awarded to the University of Since the 1990s a number of AMM projects have been

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 53 developed in Germany and U. K. generating hundreds of 3:05 pm 3:45 pm MW of electrical and thermal energy. Currently, there are Modeling of CO2 and Tracer Injection in Deep Modification of Coal Failure Criteria about 20 amM projects operating in the U.S., mostly sell- Unmineable Coal Seams Incorporating Anisotropy and Sorption ing AMM to pipelines. As the restructuring of the coal in- C. Keles, A. Louk and N. Ripepi; Virginia Tech, Characteristics of Coalbed Methane dustry continues in the U.S. and more gassy mines close, Blacksburg, VA Reservoirs AMM project opportunities will increase. This presentation Carbon sequestration is the process of capturing and S. Saurabh and S. Harpalani; Southern Illinois will focus on AMM as a proven energy source and U.S. University, Carbondale, IL project opportunities, as well as highlight the U.S. EPA’s storing carbon dioxide (CO2) in order to mitigate carbon Coalbed Methane Outreach Program’s role in assessing dioxide emissions. One of the carbon sequestration op- The phenomenon of in situ coal failure is commonly en- and promoting AMM project development worldwide. tions is geological storage of CO2 in deep unmineable countered in deeper coalbed methane (CBM) reservoirs coal seams. Coal prefers adsorbing CO2 to methane after substantial depletion, resulting in creation of new therefore CO2 injection into coalbeds can enhance nat- fractures/cracks. Whereas these provide additional flow 2:25 pm ural gas production, while at the same time mitigating paths for gas, failure is often accompanied by produc- Composition Analysis of Coalbed Methane CO2 emissions. CO2 plume movement within the reser- tion of fines and coal rubble, requiring time consuming voir can be estimated using tracer gases by monitoring and expensive well cleanouts as well as temporary drop from the Central Appalachian Coalfields the arrival times and concentrations at offset wells. In X. Tang1, N. Ripepi1, A. Louk1, S. Keim2 in permeability. This paper presents the various coal fail- this paper, CO2 and tracer injections were modeled to- and M. McClure2; 1Department of Mining & Minerals ure criteria, modified for application to CBM reservoirs gether in a reservoir simulator to estimate CO2 plume Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State since most theories have been developed for isotropic and tracer movement. The reservoir model was created University, Blacksburg, VA and 2Cardno, Bluefield, VA and non-sorptive rocks. For CBM reservoirs, a model is based on real data collected from an ongoing US De- proposed that takes into account the unique behavior Coalbed methane (CBM) components are analyzed in partment of Energy funded pilot project. As a part of the of gas transport in coal, namely anisotropy, adsorption the Central Appalachian coalfields to see how the CBM ongoing pilot project, up to twenty thousand tonnes of stresses and triaxial stress conditions. The model for in components change with desorption time and coal CO2 is planned to be injected into three vertical coal- situ failure is validated using experimental data obtained seam depth. Gas samples are obtained directly from bed methane wells over a one-year period in Buchanan in a pressure-dependent-permeability study completed a desorption canister of each coal seam that was col- County, VA. Tracer gas concentrations at offset wells for San Juan coal. The data included sorption and ma- lected during vertical core drilling. Each gas sample is predicted by the model were compared with field data. trix shrinkage characteristics, geomechanical testing for obtained subsequently at different times from desorp- Young’s modulus, Poisson’s ratio and failure envelope, tion canisters using vacuum Serum-separating tubes and changes in permeability with continued depletion. during the desorption gas measurement process. Gas 3:25 pm There was excellent agreement between the experi- samples are analyzed using gas chromatography-mass Interaction between Proppant Packing, mental data and the proposed model. spectrometer for C1 to C5 hydrocarbons and for carbon Reservoir Depletion, and Fluid Flow in dioxide. Test results show that both methane and car- Pore Space bon dioxide content decrease with time in the desorp- M. Fan1, J. McClure3, Y. Han2 and C. Chen1; 1Mining 4:05 pm 2 tion canister while heavier hydrocarbons (C2-C5) tend to Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA; Petro- Changes in Gas Storage, Transport and increase. Gas samples from deeper coal seam contain leum Engineer, Huston, TX and 3Advanced Research Mechanical Properties of Coal with more heavier hydrocarbons. Computing, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA Continued Microbial Bioconversion In the oil and gas industry, the performance of proppant R. Pandey and S. Harpalani; Mining and Mineral 2:45 pm pack in hydraulically created fractures has a signifi- Resources Engineering, Southern Illinois University Adsorption and Desorption Behavior of cant influence on fracture conductivity and, ultimately, Carbondale, Carbondale, IL Methane in Marcellus Shale oil recovery. In this research, a numerical modeling This paper discusses the preliminary work completed X. Tang and N. Ripepi; Department of Mining & approach, combining Particle Flow Code (PFC) and and the ongoing effort aimed at imitating the microbial Minerals Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & GPU-enhanced lattice Boltzmann simulator (GELBS), is process of biogenic gasification of coal as a means to State University, Blacksburg, VA adopted to advance the understanding of the interaction recharge depleted coalbed methane (CBM) reservoirs Shale gas recovery from shale formations is a desorp- between proppant particle packing, depletion of reser- and/or increase their gas content. Preliminary results tion process driven by reservoir pressure depletion. voir formation, and transport of reservoir flow through using coal fines have shown that the sorption capaci- However, methane adsorption isotherms in shale are the pore space. In this numerical work flow, PFC is used ty and diffusion of gases in coal improve considerably routinely used for shale gas resource estimation and to simulate effective stress increase and proppant par- post-treatment. In order to move forward with com- developing shale gas transport models rather than ticle movement and rearrangement under increasing mercialization of the technology for in situ applications, the desorption isotherm. The difference between the mechanical loading. The pore structure of the proppant changes in mechanical/transport properties of coal are adsorption and desorption isotherms and how this pack evolves subsequently and the geometrical data are being currently evaluated. At this time, matrix shrinkage difference will influence the shale gas recovery have output for lattice Boltzmann (LB) simulation of proppant behavior of solid coal is being evaluated for helium/ rarely been considered. This work conducts methane pack permeability. The proppant pack permeability as methane flooding pre- and post- microbial treatment. adsorption and desorption tests using a volumetric test functions of effective stress and porosity is investigated, It is expected that changes in porosity post-treatment approach under different temperatures and maximum showing that the proppant pack with a higher proppant would result in its increase and, hence, a large increase equilibrium pressures to investigate how temperature diameter coefficient of variation has lower permeability in permeability, significantly impacting the commercial and equilibrium pressures will influence the adsorption and porosity under the same effective stress. Relative viability of a CBM reservoir. Additionally, changes in and desorption behavior of methane in shale. The influ- permeability curves are also obtained using multiphase matrix compressibility due to bio-conversion, along with ence of equilibrium time on adsorption and desorption LB simulation to study non-wetting phase trapping. geologic analysis of the coal fabric, would indicate if mi- isotherms will also be considered. The findings of this crobes are able to access only the area along coal cleats study will be fundamental for accurately estimating the and/or the micropores as well. shale gas resource and investigating gas sorption effect on shale gas transport behavior.

54 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 mine is shortened. Contrary to popular belief zero stock 3:25 pm pollution is not optimal in this regulated environment. AFTERNOON Effects of Longwall Mining on Aquatic Rather, the costs of controlling the stock pollutant must Resources at the Bailey Mine in Southwest- be weighed up against the costs of controlling the pol- ern Pennsylvania 2 pm Room 102 lution. Where the costs of control are high more stock M. Shema1 and J. Silvis2; 1Ecological Services, Civil & pollution is desirable, and where control costs are low Environmental Consultants, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA and less stock pollution is desirable. The paper provides 2Consol Energy, Inc., Canonsburg, PA Environmental: simulated outcomes that demonstrate these concepts. Since 2005, longwall coal mine operators in Penn- Compliance and Permitting sylvania (US) have been required to collect extensive Chairs: L. Stegink, Barr Engineering, 2:45 pm biological and hydrologic data to document pre- and Minneapolis, MN Gates & Schedules in Permitting: the Waste post-mining conditions of aquatic resources overlying the subsidence control plan areas (SCPA). Continued D. Heinze, ENVIRON International Corp Characterization Program M. Ciardelli, A. Haus and J. Lynott; Foth Infrastructure operation of the longwall mine is dependent upon em- & Environment, LLC, De Pere, WI pirical data demonstrating that the undermined aquatic 2 pm resources have either maintained or been restored to Introduction Mine permits require that potential impacts to the en- the normal range of pre-mining conditions. This presen- vironment resulting from mining activities, particularly tation examines the extent to which aquatic resources 2:05 pm water quality impacts associated with acid rock drain- (streams and wetlands) have responded to longwall Financial Assurance, Closure Cost Estimates age (ARD) and metal leaching (ML), be clearly delineated subsidence at Bailey Mine, Greene County, Pennsyl- and Asset Retirement Obligations for Mining and mitigated. During the mine permitting and planning vania. Comparative biological metrics and quantitative Projects – Different Numbers for Different processes, waste characterization programs are used hydrologic methods will be discussed in order to give a to determine potential ARD and ML, and subsequent full perspective on the scope of change that is being re- Reasons geochemical modeling is utilized to support the de- T. Braun; SRK Consulting (U.S.), Inc., Denver, CO alized. Overall, the hydrologic balance is being protected sign of appropriate methods for managing waste rock, and the aquatic life use of streams has been maintained Within the last 20 years, mine closure liabilities rep- tailings, and contact water. Waste characterization is a within the Bailey Mine’s SCPA. Pennsylvania’s stream resent an increasing proportion of the balance sheet critical but time-consuming step; changes in the mine protection requirements mirror those in the pending fi- of a mining company. This presentation examines plan have the potential to “reset the clock” here. To nal federal stream protection rule, so the Bailey Mine regulatory trends related to closure obligations in the avoid delays in permitting related to waste characteri- example may foreshadow stream monitoring and miti- Americas as well as financial disclosures by public zation programs, the programs must be designed such gation requirements for the mining industry throughout mining companies with regard to asset retirement that changes in mine planning can be accounted for. the United States. obligations and environmental liabilities. Regulatory This presentation will demonstrate how changes in mine trends include national and, where applicable, region- planning can impact waste characterization programs al (e.g., provincial, state) governmental regulations and the permitting schedule if not properly accounted 3:45 pm that monitor and revisit mine permitting requirements. for and managed, and also suggest some tools and Remote Sensing of Wetlands for Land Use In North and South America, the sharing of experienc- solutions. Planning and Environmental Permitting es related to mining legacy issues triggers regulatory B. Tolcser and A. Kramer; Short Elliott Hendrickson revisions at a national and/or international basis. In Inc., Duluth, MN addition to permitting trends, international accounting 3:05 pm standards recognize reclamation and closure obliga- Cyanide Recovery from Barren Solution The wetland permitting process can be cumbersome tions of public mining companies by estimating Asset Using UV Photodissociation and Gas Filled for large projects involving many site design alterna- Retirement Obligations through use of financial mod- tives or vast areas of landscape to evaluate. Remote Membrane (GFM) Technology sensing can be used as a tool during preliminary els. Whether a mining company is audited under U.S. K. Banerjee and H. Buisson; Veolia Water Solutions project planning and environmental review to identify Generally Accepted Accounting Principles or Interna- and Technologies, Moon Township, PA tional Financial Reporting Standards, accounting firms wetland areas to be avoided or minimized for project demand a fair-value estimate of the legal closure ob- A process was developed to recover cyanide from bar- site selection, placement of site infrastructure, and ligation for each mining property. ren solution containing simple and metal-cyanide com- alternatives analysis. Better technology and newer, plex. The technology includes pretreatment of metals higher quality aerial imagery and LiDAR data make and oxyanions, UV-light-aided photodissociation of met- it possible to achieve a level of wetland mapping ac- 2:25 pm al-cyanide complex, and Gas Filled Membrane (GFM). curacy adequate for project site design alternatives Regulating Mines When They Emit Stock Using a 200w medium pressure UV light at 254nm analysis. This approach is more efficient than onsite field Pollutants wave length, more than 85% cyanide ions (CN-) were delineation and can provide substantial cost savings G. Davis1 and P. Yang2; 1Economics and Business, recovered from soluble iron cyanide complex at pH be- during environmental review by screening alternatives Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO and 2China tween 10.0 and 10.5 within one hour of reaction. The for potential wetland impacts. The presentation will cov- University of Petroleum, Beijing, China effluent from the UV reactor was filtered and pH was er a case study for a road design project in Minnesota. adjusted between 5.0 and 5.5 in a leak proof container, Stock pollutants are pollutants that build up in the en- Remote sensing of wetlands was utilized throughout the prior to pumping to the GFM that separated hydrocyanic vironment over time. Coal mining in China has been project design phase to efficiently navigate the com- acid (HCN°) from water. Liquid solutions were pumped shown to emit heavy metals, a stock pollutant that plexities of state and federal wetland permit process- on the both sides of the membrane. One side contained builds up in surrounding agricultural soils and renders es including wetland delineations over a large spatial hydrocyanic acid solution, and 1 N sodium hydroxide the land unsuitable for farming. Most mines are regulat- area, analysis of alternatives, establishing avoidance solution was recirculated on the other side of the mem- ed over flow pollutants, whose impact is immediate but and minimization measures, and determining wetland brane. Within one hour, more than 90% cyanide was temporary. Stock pollutants require a different kind of jurisdiction. recovered in the sodium hydroxide solution. The prelim- regulation. This paper uses an economic model of prof- inary results including the impacts of pH, UV dosage, it maximization to examine how profit-seeking mining sequestering agent dosages, and reaction time on the operations may respond to a special tax on stock pollu- photodissociation efficiency will be presented. Also, the tion. We find that the tax encourages firms to control the impacts of temperature and membrane flux rate on the emissions of stock pollutants, clean up stock pollutants cyanide recovery will be disussed. upon closure, and accelerate mining such that the life of

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 55 4:05 pm 2:25 pm struction material using geopolymerization for a sustain- AERMOD Deposition Algorithm Method Constructed Wetland Design and able development. Through the present investigation, a Selection and its Impacts on Fugitive Source Optimization for Metal and Metalloid protocol to make construction materials using the mine Model Results Treatment at the Minto Mine, in the tailings has been built up. The experiment results of E. Edwalds, T. Fasking, J. Bennett Yukon, Canada present work also help optimize the working conditions and J. Koenen; Barr Engineering, Minneapolis, MN M. Haakensen, V. Friesen and R. Herbert; Contango such as activation temperature and time, the addition of Strategies, Saskatoon, SK, Canada NaOH, water glass and others, curing temperature and With any modeled exercise, the results determine curing time. The findings of the present work provide a regulatory project approvability. To that end, AERMOD Results of 2 years of operation of a site-specific demon- novel method for the geopolymerization of mine tailing dispersion modeling of fugitive dust sources at mining stration Constructed Wetland Treatment System (CWTS) as a construction material, such as bricks for construc- operations has been shown to significantly overpredict developed for Capstone Mining Corporation’s Minto tion and road pavement. air concentrations. AERMOD includes two particle depo- Mine (Yukon) will be presented. A scaled phased ap- sition algorithms (Methods 1 and 2) which can be used proach is being used to develop the full-scale system. to calculate plume depletion (removal) and provide more Phases are: 1)site assessment and information gather- 3:25 pm representative modeled concentrations. Further, AER- ing, 2)technology selection and conceptual design, 3) Mineral Leaching Rates from a Tailings MOD includes a half-life (decay) term which can also be pilot-scale testing and optimization (controlled environ- Deposited in an Intertidal Zone: Results from effectively used to represent plume depletion. This paper ment), 4)onsite demonstration-scale confirmation and will highlight the differences between the methods and Kinetic Testing and Geochemical Modelling optimization and 5)full-scale implementation. Highlights R. Embile1, I. Walder1 and J. Donatelli2; 1EES, New provide examples of how modeled air concentrations include application of modern day biogeochemical tech- Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, can vary based on the method and inputs chosen. nologies such as microbial community profiling (MCP NM and 2Kjeoy Research and Education Center, testing) to guide system design in a site-specific con- Vestbygd, Norway text. Pilot-scale studies selected the optimal design from TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 several options and tested different predicted closure Mine tailings from the Råna Nickel-olivine mine were water chemistries. The selected designs are treating the deposited over a massive sulfide tailings deposit in the AFTERNOON water for the targeted constituents of cadmium, copper, intertidal zone of the Ballangen Fjord, Norway. Leach- and selenium, with polishing achieved for several addi- ing of metals (Ni, Cu, Fe) to the fjord has not been fully 2 pm Room 104 tional metals. Removal rate coefficients were developed understood. Kinetic testing of the tailings material from for modelling and sizing of full-scale systems. the upper 2-3 feet of the tailings deposit was conducted for seventy weeks. A beach sand and creek sediment Environmental: adjacent to the tailings deposit was also used. Weekly 2:45 pm leachate data were used as input parameters in mod- Environmental Research Making Business Decisions for Phosphate elling mineral dissolution and precipitation rates using Chairs: B. Greer, Solid Solution Mining Operations through Modeling PHREEQC. Results from kinetic testing show spatial vari- Geosciences, Louisville, CO R. Davis; Cardno, West Valley, UT ation in pH and metals concentration within the tailings The daily volume of water handled at a Florida Phos- deposit. The tailings sample closest to the beach and to B. Hanna, Itasca Denver Inc., phate mine is great and on average it amounts to the western edge of the deposit generally have higher Lakewood, CO moving several hundred thousand gallons per minute pH in the range of 5 to 7 while those closer to the creek of water around the property. Prudent management of (eastern edge) are more acidic with pH of 3 to 4. Cu is 2 pm the water and its chemical composition is critical to the highest in the stream sediment, while the middle close Introduction sustainability of this business; any failure to do so has to the stream has elevated Ni and Fe. All the metals the potential for consequences well beyond the proper- analyzed (Ni, Cu and Fe) decrease in concentration in 2+ 2:05 pm ty line of the mine. Historically, water management has time. Elevated Mg concentration suggests significant relied upon human judgment of a few individuals, and weathering of forsterite which is strongly correlated to A Key Geochemical Variable Appears to the release of Ni. Control Waste Rock Acid Generation while they have done a very good job, the industry fac- A. Davis; Geomega, Boulder, CO es ever stricter discharge limitations. To ensure a mine is properly positioned to comply with these limitations Potentially acid-generating (PAG) waste rock has an ac- and a desire to further improve water management de- 3:45 pm id-base accounting (ABA) ratio <1.2. At the Robinson cisions, water balance models have been created for the DEMET Electrolytic Neutralization: Mine, Ely NV, 177 humidity cell tests (HCTs) run for up to phosphate mining industry. These models were created Economics and Treatment Options 108 weeks supported a mine-specific PAG cut-off of 0.3 to determine if the complexities of an active phosphate P. James; Blue Planet Strategies, Madison, WI resulting in re-classification of 125 million tons of waste mine and reclamation activities can be successfully re- rock, allowing shorter haul distances and improved mine DEMET technology’s recently demonstrated and over- duced to mathematical simulations. The presentation viewed (SME-2015, SME proceeds 15-095) new ca- economics. At Mine B in Brazil, 343 profile and 33 surfi- will discuss how these models were created including cial waste rock grab samples exposed to the elements pability to cleanly and cost-effectively electrolytically all the parameters considered for inputs and outputs neutralize acidic MIW (Mining Influenced Waters) is for >8 years evinced a similar phenomenon, with a PAG (ore mined, rainfall, evaporation, seepage, ground water examined in greater detail. Its general application to a cut-off of 0.4. At the Turquoise Ridge Joint Venture, NV use, beneficiation impacts, reclamation activities, etc.). the cutoff for 98 HCTs representing 10 separate litholo- variety of MIW sources considered and economic com- gies ranges from 0.5-1.1. However, at Mine D, the ABA parisons to conventional chemical neutralization ap- cutoff for 63 HCTs was 1.6, demonstrating the need for 3:05 pm proaches made. Economic and environmental benefits mine specific ABA ratios. 28 Hycroft HCTs also results in a Applying Mine Tailing as a Construction along with the treatment’s potential to recover valuable 0.3 cutoff, while at the Marigold Mine, 574 pH waste rock Material Using Geopolymerization for a revenue generating residuals from the MIW is discussed and estimated along with potential DEMET treatment and 31 HCT pH measurements with an ABA ratio >0.3 failed Sustainable Development to generate sub pH-6 leachate. Post-mortem HCT miner- J. Zhang and W. Zhang; University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ options and practical considerations for situations of low to plentiful makeup water availability. alogy demonstrated that pyrite in waste rock with sub-1.2 In mining activity, the impoundment of mine tailing oc- ABA ratios was frequently encapsulated by quartz, while cupies a huge area of land and leads to high monetary, the perimeter surfaces of “nano-pyrite” particles exhibit- environmental and ecological costs. In present study, ed secondary rinding by iron oxide thwarting the onset of efforts have been tried to apply mine tailing as a con- acidification.

56 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 fully remediate and eliminate all environmental hazards 3:45 pm associated with AML sites. A risk-based approach to AFTERNOON Characterization of Historical Metal Mining setting goals for AML remediation is presented which Wastes for Potential Metal Recovery takes into account the relative risks posed by an AML K. Smith, P. Hageman and G. Plumlee; U.S. Geological 2 pm Room 108 site in long-term management and remediation strategy. Survey, Golden, CO An exampple of this risk-based approach is presented for the Perry Canyon AML site located in Washoe Coun- Historical metal mining wastes may contain precious Environmental: Technologies ty, NV. Relative risk of the Perry Canyon AML is present- metals or critical mineral commodities that represent ed both from an environmental impact and potential untapped resources for recovery and reuse. Elemental for Management of Mining cost of cleanup standpoint. Discussion of how long-term concentrations can be quite variable among different Influenced Water in Historic management strategies and site prioritization can be mining waste samples due to the type of mineral deposit, informed by this risk-based approach is also provided. type of host rock, mining and ore-processing techniques, Mine Pools (ADTI-MMS) types of mineral phases present that contain trace ele- Chairs: D. Williams ments, and mineralogical variability that can occur within C. Buck, Au (Analytical Unlimited LLC) 2:45 pm a single deposit. The U.S. Geological Survey has char- New World Mine Paper, Lisa Kirk acterized about 100 samples from historical solid metal mining wastes to determine the degree to which they 2 pm contain enriched concentrations of trace elements and Introduction metals, and how their enrichments vary as a function 3:05 pm of mineral deposit type. Findings indicate that elemental 2:05 pm Treatment of mining impacted waters in concentrations determined in some deposit types, such Risk Analysis for Evaluation of Mine historic mine pools at the London Mine as polymetallic veins, are quite variable. Consequently, Impounded Water J. Harrington; MineWater LLC, Northglenn, CO the economic and technical feasibility of metal recovery M. Gobla; Bureau of Reclamaiton, Denver, CO MineWater has recently entered into a unique Consent needs to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Although Order with the State of Colorado for the remediation of metal recovery may not currently be economically viable, Since 1994 the Bureau of Reclamation has used risk removal of some metals may reduce future liability and analysis to evaluate dams. Risk considers both the the London Mine near Fairplay Colorado. The scope of the Consent Order includes the treatment of the histor- revenue produced through recovery can be used to off- likelihood of failure and the expected consequences set treatment and disposal costs. should failure occur. Risk analysis relies on the detailed ic mine pool impacted with cadmium, zinc and other formulation and critical analysis of all possible potential contaminants, and resolves one of the largest penalties failure modes. A potential failure mode is formulated by levied against a mine, on a monetary basis, by the Water describing the sequence of events that must occur to Quality Division of CDPHE. MineWater through its affili- result in failure, where failure is defined as the uncon- ate MineWater Finance LLC has taken title to the Mine trolled release of the impounded reservior. Failure occurs and is on track to redevelopment of the Mine including in response to loadings such as water seepage through the unlocking of water rights that have been under-de- TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 a dam (static forces), shaking from an earthquake (dy- veloped since 1986. In this presentation we will address AFTERNOON namic forces), sudden flood inflows (hydrologic forces), the technical, regulatory and legal challenges of the re- or accidental overfilling (operational errors). Reclama- mediation of the historic past-producing 1.2 million oz tion has applied risk analysis methods to inactive and (gold) London Mine. 2 pm Room 610 abandoned mines to evaluate tailings dams and flooded underground mines. Case histories of potential failure mode analysis as applied to mine impounded water il- 3:25 pm Health & Safety: Collision lustrates what critical technical information is needed to 3-Dimentional Imaging of Abandoned Avoidance Technologies: determine if failure is likely, what the consequences of Underground Mine Workings with failure are likely to be, and what are the highest risks Borehole Sonar Challenges and Applications that should be addressed first. M. Culig and N. Davis; Colog, Inc., Lakewood, CO for Surface and Underground Understand the extent of old abandoned underground mine workings, shafts and voids are difficult to char- Operations 2:25 pm acterize especially if they are flooded. Borehole sonar Chairs: J. Keyes, Barrick, Salt Lake City, UT Developing Realistic Goals for has been used as a tool to help image the intersected T. Ruff, NIOSH, Spokane, WA Long-term Management and Remediation openings and to map the 3-dimentional geometry. There of Abandoned Mine Sites: Monitoring and is a growing environmental concern to try to remedi- 2 pm Corrective Action based on Assessment ate these underground storage bodies of contaminated Introduction of Risks water and to predict the impact if something within the R. Breitmeyer and R. Thomas; Geological Sciences/ mine fails. Drilled holes from the surface that intersect 2:05 pm Graduate Program of Hydrologic Sciences, University mine working are used to provide the necessary access of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV to deploy the wireline based sonar profiling device. The Safety: Collision Mitigation Technologies profiling sonar probe houses a rotating multi-frequency Empower Operators and Minimize Risk of The release of over one million gallons of mine-impact- Surface Mining Sites ed water from the Gold King mine into the Animas River acoustic head that measures the reflected travel dis- tance. Imaging data are merged with orientation data M. Wood; Mining Worldwide Sales, Preco Electronics, in 2015 provided a shocking illustration of the persitant Boise, ID environmental hazards posed by abaondoned mine and processed with SonarSHED™ for presentation. sites. Current estimates put the number of abandoned Once a void has been characterized other geophysical Surface mining presents unique challenges for equip- mine sites with potential environmental hazards in the methods are used to further identify the water quality ment operators and the technology that supports day-to- thousands across the Western United States. Given that and horizontal/vertical flow parameters. day operations at the site. Operating in harsh conditions, many abandoned mine land (AML) sites are located on operators of heavy-duty equipment rely heavily on the public land, and highly constrained agency budgets, latest collision mitigation technology to save lives, re- there are not enough financial or human resources to duce the severity of potential accidents, protect property and minimize risk. Mr. Wood will cover current MSHA

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 57 standards, best safety practices, as well as technology with fleet management data adds this necessary con- 3:45 pm solutions available today for OEMs and the aftermarket. text. Equipment status, elevation, and other parameters Pilot of a Collision Avoidance System at Mr. Wood will look toward the future and share how the collected by a real-time fleet management system can Barrick’s Cortez Mine industry is changing and how it differs domestically in affect the severity of hazards found through a collision C. Erickson; Engineering, Barrick Gold Cortez Mines, comparison to abroad. Key takeaways that the audience avoidance system. This paper discusses the impacts to Elko, NV will receive about Collision Mitigation Solutions MSHA mining safety that arise as a result of incorporating con- standards: Evolving role in shaping practices and equip- textual fleet management data into collision avoidance A pilot of Hexagon Mining’s SAFEmine Traffic Awareness ment builds Challenges: Safety solutions need to ensure logic scenarios. and Collision Avoidance System was conducted on sur- accurate alerts Technology: Critical role in the operation face mining equipment and light vehicles at Barrick’s today and in the future OEM vs. aftermarket: What are Cortez operation in Nevada. The SAFEmine system the options for both markets? Integration: Introduction 3:05 pm determines vehicle location and movement informa- of open solutions to fit within existing equipment Inter- Integrating Mine Operations tion using GPS, while peer-to-peer radios are used to national vs. Domestic: How do they compare and differ. with Collision Avoidance communicate this information to surrounding vehicles. M. Romero; Hexagon Mining, Tucson, AZ The addition of TrackingRadar on haulage equipment In the modern mine, safety is an essential part of daily op- and water trucks enable detection of untagged objects 2:25 pm erations which has caused the industry to see a steady such as people or vehicles without the GPS-based sys- Alternate Technologies Applicable to increase in providers of safety solutions including col- tem. The technology provides an integrated system that lision avoidance (CAS). What has largely been missing combines the GPS-based vehicle tracking information Proximity Detection on Mobile Machines with TrackingRadar to monitor blind spots. The pilot was in Underground Coal Mines has been a robust integration with fleet management system (FMS) solutions. This technology gap has meant designed to evaluate the effectiveness of SAFEmine in P. Bissert, J. Ducarme, J. Noll and C. Jobes; NIOSH, increasing operator situational awareness and providing Pittsburgh, PA more clutter in operator cabins, different office applica- tions for vehicle safety and fleet management, and a warnings of potential collisions on a large scale (300 There have been 40 fatalities in underground coal lack of ability to analyze the relationship between safety vehicles). The systems’ capabilities to share data and mines between 1984 and 2015 where the victim was and production. In this presentation we will provide an present SAFEmine collision avoidance and vehicle track- struck, pinned, or run over by a mobile machine (MM) overview of how Hexagon Mining has successfully in- ing information on the Leica Fleet Management System such as a shuttle car, scoop or battery hauler. MSHA tegrated CAS into its FMS system, strengthening both will also be evaluated. Pilot methodology and key perfor- has issued a proposed rule requiring proximity detec- operations and safety. We will delve into the integrations mance indicators, along with results and recommenda- tion systems (PDS) on MMs in an effort to prevent future in both light and heavy equipment as well as office ap- tions, will be discussed. fatalities. Currently approved PDSs use electromagnetic plications and reporting. Through this integration, both (EM) technology to detect the presence of a miner and light and heavy equipment can be monitored online al- impose machine controls to prevent contact. The dis- lowing better analysis of near-miss events, including the advantages of an EM-based PDS on MMs include the behaviors and conditions that cause them. Additional, miner-wearable component, environmental interferenc- safety and production can be monitored within one sys- es, EM interferences from other devices, and localization tem reducing clutter in the control room creating a more TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 range & accuracy. NIOSH researchers are investigating transparent monitoring environment. Development and AFTERNOON alternate technologies that could mitigate these defi- initial deployment results will be discussed. ciencies. Many technologies were reviewed, and NIOSH researchers identified RFID, LiDAR, RADAR, ultrasonic 2 pm Room 612 detection, and computer vision as candidates for PDS 3:25 pm development. The performance characteristics of each Proximity Detection with Reduced Nuisance technology and its applicability to an underground min- Health & Safety: ing environment will be discussed, along with interna- Alarms, Purpose-Built for Underground Hard tional developments and implementations, and the con- Rock Mines Improving Your HSMS: cept of sensor fusion. A. Cervinka and C. Younes; Newtrax, Montreal, QC, Canada Best Practices, Metrics, and The ultimate safety goal for mining companies is achiev- Lessons Learned 2:45 pm ing a zero-incident work environment. One issue that Chairs: T. Hethmon, University of Utah, Mining Safer Together: Stronger Collision consistently ranks as a major risk by the mining indus- Salt Lake City, UT Avoidance Through Integrating Contextual try is the potential for collisions between underground FMS Data mobile equipment and pedestrians. Using sub-GHz RF J. Seiter, Bowie Resources Sufco Mine, J. Clarke and D. Wells; Wenco International Mining technology to form a peer-to-peer network of miners Bountiful, UT Systems, Seattle, WA and vehicles, Newtrax has developed a proven technol- ogy to detect pedestrians around corners, and in blind Safety remains a major concern of the mining indus- 2 pm spots that cannot be covered with other technologies. Introduction try. Research from groups such as the Earth Moving Consistently and accurately distinguishing passengers Equipment Safety Round Table (EMESRT) has helped to from pedestrians is a common problem in proximity establish best practices for operating heavy equipment warning systems. Due to the pervasive nature of RF, 2:05 pm in a safe manner. EMESRT recommendations contribute these systems typically cannot differentiate between a Leveraging Generational Differences to to equipment and software designs that reduce fatali- passenger inside the vehicle and a pedestrian standing Enhance Workplace Safety ties, injuries, and occupational illnesses associated with just beside it. The patent-pending solution to this prob- R. Jameson and S. Ratliff; Consulting, Danville, KY mining equipment. Many collision avoidance systems lem that Newtrax has devised can reduce the noise from The landscape of the American workforce is changing. incorporate logic based on these recommendations to these nuisance alarms by 90-95% for a more accurate Based on a recent analysis by the Pew Research Center, sort real safety hazards from benign proximity events. and reliable system that ensures the safety of miners Millennials have surpassed both Baby Boomers and Gen- Although this technology functions with greater effi- working underground. This case study will examine how eration X as the largest working generation. Furthermore, cacy than previous systems, it does little to address a Fresnillo’s Juanicipio Project, a silver mine in Mexico re- a recent Gallop Poll indicates that nearly 50% of Baby persistent issue inherent to any rule-based proximity duced the number of near-miss incidents as well as lost Boomers plan to continue working beyond the age of 65. detection logic: false positives due to missing contex- time with this system. Consequently, employers will soon be facing the most tual awareness. Integrating collision avoidance systems generationally diverse workforce in American histo-

58 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

ry, and many companies are already confronting the rymple Scheme for a modern benchmark. The objective 3:45 pm challenge of managing two distinct groups of workers, for this report is to demonstrate the application of the Hazard Identification and Risk Analysis of Baby Boomers and Millennials, with completely different CORESafety structural elements for the use as a modern Fire and Explosion in Underground Coal views of life, work, and the world in general. Based on benchmark for SHMS structure research. The proposed Mines the mainstream stereotypes surrounding each of these benchmark was compared to seven globally recognized M. Shriwas and A. Jha; Mining Engineering, University generations, this can seem like an impossible task. If not SHMS and 10 mining industry specific SHMS. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT addressed and managed properly, these differences can result in devastating consequences for any company’s Historically, fire and explosions have been major causes safety management system; however, with the correct 3:05 pm for fatality in underground U.S. coal mines. On Dec 19, understanding and a pro-active approach, these differ- Cost of Accident Analysis in Surface Mining 1984 Wilberg mine fire resulted into 27 fatality. On April ences can actually be leveraged to advance the work- Operations – A Case Study 5, 2010 Upper Big Branch mine explosion resulted into place and enhance employee safety. K. Bansah1 and M. Kubi Appiah2; 1Mining 29 fatality. Investigation reports show that such event Engineering and Nuclear, Missouri University of could have been prevented if hazards were identified Science and Technology, Rolla, MO and 2African and associated risks were analyzed to develop and ex- 2:25 pm Mining Services, Tarkwa, Ghana ecute control measures. The methodology included re- Culture Always Trumps Your Risk System viewing the investigation reports and published papers – So What Can You Measure to Take the Accidents can be costly due to injuries, damage to identify contributing factors that resulted into fire and Right Actions. A Case Study Demonstrating to equipment, fines and legal fees, compensation explosion. This study used two risk tools - Workplace a Leading Indicator of Culture And Risk claims, loss of employee morale and skilled per- Risk Assessment and Bow Tie Analysis- to analyze the sonnel, and loss of corporate image which can re- corresponding risk. As a result of this study, guidelines System Strength sult in crippling industrial growth. In this paper, E. Alexander; HSE, Saskatoon, SK, Canada and control measures were developed to reduce the accident data from February, 2014 to December, 2015 number of fires and explosions. This paper provides an Companies known for the strength of their risk and safe- obtained from African Mining Services (AMS) at Anglo- insight to comprehend the nature of fire and explosion ty management systems continue to experience signifi- Gold’s Iduapriem mine at Tarkwa in western Ghana were in underground coal mines. cant incidents, and in some cases catastrophes. It is only analyzed to assess the direct and indirect costs of ac- when leadership, culture and systems work in complete cident. Additionally, insured and uninsured costs were harmony that the resilience of an organization to man- analyzed to estimate the impact of accident on revenue. age its significant risk is at an optimal level. And even The maintenance department was observed to have then, it is a precarious balance to maintain that optimal recorded the highest number of injury incidents while mindset in the organization. A case study is presented load and haul recorded more damage incidents. Devot- that demonstrates how the maturity of the company’s ing more resources to high risk operational areas would TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 risk systems and safety culture have been benchmarked improve safety and mitigate accidents. AFTERNOON against a global data base of companies. The risk ma- turity model and the scientific basis of measurement of culture are presented. The case study will demonstrate 3:25 pm 2 pm Room 110 the practical application of the approach, and how the Identified Best Practices for Optimizing outcomes of the study provide input to leadership to Data Management in a Health and Safety make the necessary changes to the culture and the risk Management System Industrial Minerals & systems. All before significant events strike. It will also W. Rogers2, M. Nelson1 and P. Guild1; 1Mining Aggregates: Health and highlight how the process provides input to companies Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT and which enables them to build systems that are more ro- 2Mining Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Safety bust. The presentation will appeal to those who want to UT, Afghanistan Chairs: P. Roghanchi, University of use culture and risk system maturity to maximize the Many HSMS suffer from high levels of redundancies Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV performance of their risk management systems. which manifest themselves in a variety of ways; du- A. Jolly, Martin Marietta, Summerville, SC plicate processes, forms, permits, and tracking mech- 2:45 pm anisms. These redundancies have severe impacts on 2 pm Safety and Health Management Systems: the overall system and absorb critical “culture energy”. Introduction A Comparison of Structural Elements The root cause of many of these breakdowns is a lack J. Seiter; Safety, Bowie Resources Sufco Mine, of proper data management and HSMS integration with 2:05 pm Bountiful, UT other initiatives. A land mark study initiated by the Uni- versity of Utah and sponsored by the Alpha Foundation Time Series Analysis and Statistical A review of the limited literature on SHMS provided a is being conducted studying the effectiveness of HSMS Visualization of Fatalities and Citations in justification for a concept to elaborate on the structure across 16 different mining companies. A large amount Sand and Gravel and Stone Mine Operations 1 2 3 4 of SHMS and the determination of a modern benchmark of data is being captured which characterizes elements P. Roghanchi , E. Tarshizi , L. Brown and K. Kocsis ; 1 for future SHMS structural research. As a basis for the of HSMS and correlates their impact on safety out- Mining Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno, 2 procedure an initial benchmark list of SHMS structure comes. Two variables being assessed are the overall in- Reno, NV; Department of Geological and Mining elements was determined to exist in the Dalrymple tegration of the HSMS in process improvement and data Engineering, Assistant Professor, Houghton, MI; 3 Scheme presented by Redinger and Levine in the late management. A wide variety of approaches were seen Department of Computer Science, Associate 4 1990s. The Dalrymple Scheme is considered to be a through the study. A series of case studies are presented Professor, Houghton, MI and Department of Mining universal occupational safety and health management which develop some specific best practices for proper Engineering, Associate Professor, Reno, NV system (OHSMS) model, composed of 27 structural el- data management and integration of HSMS. Mining occupational injuries and fatalities have signif- ements, assigned respectively to one of five categories. icant social and economic implications for individuals, Next for the establishment of a modern benchmark, their families, and the industry. Despite the progress a list of additional SHMS structural elements was de- that has been achieved in reducing mining injuries and termined through analysis of the National Mining As- fatalities, both the number and severity of mining acci- sociation (NMA) management system, CORESafety. dents occurring are still ameliorable. In this research, The analysis determined the need for seven additional MSHA data from 2007 to 2015 was used to classify SHMS structural elements to be included with the Dal- the fatalities based on the types of accidents in order to

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 59 identify which types were most often involved in Sand 3:05 pm TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 and Gravel and Stone mining operations separately. An Affordable Mine Monitoring and AFTERNOON Fatalities were also categorized by mine sizes, occupa- Proximity Detection Tool for Aggregate tions, total experience, job experience, and age. A series Mining Operations of statistical and time series analyses were performed J. Sattarvand and V. Abdollahi; Mining and Metallurgical 2 pm Room 112 on the number of fatalities and violation citations in the Engineering, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, NV aggregate and for stone mines to determine whether the violation citations could have relative impacts on the Proximity detection systems and mining equipment Industrial Minerals & fatality trend in this period. monitoring instrumentations are not normally utilized in aggregate mining operations due to the high capital cost Aggregates: Non Traditional involved in purchasing these technologies; however, a Aggregate Sources 2:25 pm considerable number of loading and hauling machines Prediction of the Whole Body Vibration in are working in aggregate operations and the risk of fatal Chairs: S. Stokowski, TEC Services, Mining Truck Driver seats using Artificial accidents seems to be higher than that of large-scale Lawrenceville, GA operations. The paper describes cons and pros of a new Neural Network mobile applications-based technology developed for en- R. Winn, R.E. Janes Gravel Co, Slaton, TX J. Sattarvand1, M. Rahim Del2 and M. Mirzaei2; hancing the operational safety of the truck drivers. The 1Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, University of technology aims to decrease the complexities involved 2 pm Nevada Reno, Reno, NV and 2Mining Engineering, in current mine monitoring systems by designating all Introduction Sahand University of Technology, Tabriz, Eastern truck instrumentation to a conventional tablet and all Azerbaijan, Iran (the Islamic Republic of) data communications are done based on the mobile The research is conducted to study the Whole Body Vi- telecommunications infrastructures that dramatically 2:05 pm bration (WBV) of the truck fleet operating at a Caoline decreases the production and installations costs. By Types of Non-Traditional Aggregate Sources mine during various operational conditions in order to knowing the position of all equipment and even per- – You Made a Cementitious Material out of identify critical causes of the low back pain health is- sonnel around a machine, the system sends required What? sues among truck drivers. For this purpose, Root Mean warnings to the related truck or loader drivers to take M. Lee; Westward Environmental, Boerne, TX Squares (RMS) of the vibrations in different speeds, care of their surrounding objects. The system has been loaded weights and load distribution profiles inside the tested in a mine with the intensive foggy condition and We are all familiar with the standard sources for ag- truck buckets at different haul road qualities are mea- has considerably improved the safety level. gregates such as limestone, granite, sand & gravel and sured through instrumentations on truck body and driver so forth. For most markets, sources are nearby and the seats. Then, vibrational health risk at all operational con- availability of material isn’t a concern. For the rest, lo- ditions is analyzed according to ISO 2631-1 standard. 3:25 pm cating and economically extracting naturally occurring An optimization model is constructed in the next step A Review and Evaluation of Mine Safety and materials isn’t a given. Alternative sources for construc- to enhance the working health condition of the drivers Health Regulation in USA and Major Mining tion materials is a must have in order to keep costs in and artificial neural network (ANN) is used to predict Countries check. This presentation will look at different types of the vibrational health risk of different scenarios. Results B. Abbasi; Golder Associates Inc., Reno, NV non-traditional sources being used to make different showed that the mining haul road quality, truck speed, kinds of aggregates. and the materials distribution quality have significant ef- This paper reviews Mine Safety and Health Regulation in fects on the WBV respectively, whereas the load weight USA, Australia, Canada and China. Mining operation is had a negligible effect on RMS of the vibrations. inherently risky. These risks, hazards and disasters are 2:25 pm very similar in different mines. To improve working envi- The Study of Utility of Tailings for Shotcrete ronment safety different agencies have developed strict Production 2:45 pm and extensive set of laws and regulations and these A. Bascetin, d. adiguzel and S. Tuylu; Mining Engi- Pre-shift Inspection Training for Industrial systems share many attributes. Despite similarities be- neering, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Avcilar, Turkey Aggregates using Serious Games tween the separate systems of mining law, the disaster record is significantly and meaningfully varies. Several In recent years the fact that mining tailings cause serious L. Brown, M. Peltier and M. Poulton; Lowell Institute for environmental problems resulted in increasing number Mineral Resources, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ arguments have been made as to the cause of this, including geographical difficulties, Miner’s training, and of studies about their disposal, storage and usability in Motivated by MSHA’s 24 “Rules to Live By,” we are lack of up to date regulations the meet the needs of cur- various areas. Therefore the new studies about using the developing “serious games” to address three training rent mining operation. This article explores similarities tailings for some purposes such as using in shotcrete or objectives: 1) Improve workers’ technical competen- and differences between the mining safety and health producing concrete have been increasing recently. The cies in the site inspection process; 2) Facilitate efficient regulation in the major mining countries and introduces study is focused on applicability of tailings for producing communication and understanding of related rights some of the key reasons in the gap in safety. shotcrete. Under this scope it is considered that mining and responsibilities, within the operational structure of tailings can bring many advantages in case of that they the organization; and 3) Augment workers’ situational are used instead of sand, silt or fine aggregate in shot- awareness during the course of daily job activities. In crete applications. Most important advantages can be this talk, we will present a serious game for pre-shift listed as decreasing shotcrete cost, decreasing amount inspections in sand, gravel, and cement that features a if mining tailings to be disposed and the contribution to realistic gaming world and modular content. The game be provided on sustainable production of sources. In this was developed in close collaboration with industry study, effect of mining process tailings, which will be stakeholders and addresses many of the top 20 types added to shotcrete mixture on various ratios to obtain of MSHA violations, ranging from high-risk guarding and required strength was investigated. ground control problems to relatively minor housekeep- ing issues. We will discuss important factors in the game design, as well as initial results and industry feedback. A virtual reality-enabled adaptation, using commodity VR headsets, will also be presented.

60 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

2:45 pm TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 at the same time. This inspiring presentation will espe- cially benefit students, women and young professionals. Iron Ore (Taconite) Mining By-Product Mate- AFTERNOON rials as Aggregate L. Zanko; Natural Resources Research Institute, 2 pm Room 212 3:25 pm University of Minnesota Duluth, Duluth, MN Dry Stack Tailings – the Importance of the By-products and co-products generated by Minnesota’s Complete System iron ore (taconite) mining industry – such as low grade International II M. Blois and M. Erickson; Business Development, overburden rock and tailings – have been a major focus Chairs: M. Gavrilovic, GR Engineering TAKRAF USA, DEnver, CO of the University of Minnesota Duluth’s Natural Resourc- Services, Denver, CO Within the last couple of years, there have been two sig- es Research Institute (NRRI). NRRI’s efforts have shown nificant failures of tailings impoundments. The first of that these materials can be a significant and environ- R. Furey, MWH, Broomfield, CO these highly publicized failures was at the Mount Polley mentally sound source of high-quality aggregate for a mine in British Columbia, in 2014. The second at the variety of conventional and value-added applications. 2 pm Samarco mine in Brazil in 2015, which sadly involved When considered within the context of the critical need Introduction significant loss of life. These have focused the attention for repairing, maintaining, and upgrading the nation’s of regulators and investors on the environmental and so- transportation infrastructure, these iron ore mining-de- 2:05 pm cial license to operate risks associated with tailings im- rived materials can represent a significant alternative to What’s Driving the Market? poundments. Further, they have highlighted the potential traditional industrial mineral aggregate sources, inside R. Furey and A. Watson; MWH, Broomfield, CO financial implications, both compensatory and punitive, and outside of Minnesota. The mining industry is cyclical by nature and knowing that result from these failures. The use of the Dry Stack where we are in the cycle can be extremely valuable! Tailings approach is becoming increasingly recognized 3:05 pm This presentation will provide a high level summary of as a method of mitigating the risks, both technical and the current global market, the market outlook as well as financial, associated with tailings impoundments. The Hydraulic Behavior of Recycled Asphalt Complete Dry Stack Tailings System comprises the ge- Pavement (RAP) Materials Used in Highway market drivers and what they mean. The presentation will also focus on a few commodities and some of the otechnical aspects of the stack itself, the stacking plan, Shoulders trends driving those markets. the mode of transport of the tailings to the stack, the B. Cetin; Iowa State University, Ames, IA filtration stage and the thickening stage. This paper will The objective of this study is to evaluate the hydrau- 2:25 pm discuss TAKRAF’s decision making logic of each of these lic properties of RAP materials in shoulder applications The ILO 169 Convention in Peru stages and it will emphasize the necessity of iterative collected from different locations in Maryland. In order M. Cedron; Mining Department, PUCP, Lima, Peru communications between those involved with each of to determine the hydraulic properties, a series of grain the stages. size distribution tests and bubble tube permeameter The International Labour Organization 169 Convention tests were performed on the samples. The results of on Indigenous and Tribal peoples issued in 1989 was grain size distributions indicated that the RAP samples ratified by the Peruvian government in 1994. However 3:45 pm collected from different locations within Maryland can for different reasons it was not applied to mining proj- Mining and Agriculture: Big Opportunities for be identified as well-graded sand sized with gravel sized ects until last year. This presentation deals with the diffi- Peru’s Development material and poorly-graded sand sized with gravel sized culties encountered in the application of this Convention R. Mucho; Pevoex Contratistas SAC, Lima, Lima, Peru and the criticisms of it. material. The data also indicates that the hydraulic con- Some Peruvian politicians have created a false dispute ductivity of as-received RAP can be classified as similar between mining and agriculture, both of which are fully to that of conventional granular material with similar 2:45 pm The Importance of Community Agreements compatible activities. Given this, we would like create a gradation; however, hydraulic conductivity is significant- synergy because both activities are very important for ly influenced by the size distribution of the RAP. to Enable Mine Developments in Peru D. Benavides; Minera IRL S.A., Lima, Miraflores, Peru the development of Peru. Agriculture exports are US$6 billion and growing 15% annually, with about 500,000 Minera IRL SA, developing the Ollachea gold project in Ha. available for new irrigation projects. Therefore an 3:25 pm Puno, Southern Peru, has entered into an agreement investment of US$15 billion is required, and exports will Product-Driven Assessment of Alternative with the Ollachea Community that provides a level of reach US$20 billion within the next 10 years. Mining is Aggregates ownership and participation by the local community. an opportunity for Peru as we have reserves of more S. Stokowski; TEC Services, Lawrenceville, GA This ensures all parties are working to a common goal than 80 Mt of copper, 25 Mt of zinc, and important The optimum method to successfully develop products to achieve the construction and operation of the mine amounts of gold and silver. In 2016 Peru will produce from non-traditional aggregate sources is to identify and processing facility, which will bring much needed 2.4 million tons of copper, and will become the second and then exploit unique features. Unique and valuable jobs and training to the region. largest producer in the world. Mining and agriculture are features are often: color, shape, specific gravity, reflec- very important because each generates more employ- tivity, crystalline texture, hardness, porosity, pH, chem- 3:05 pm ment, more exports, and an increase in GDP. ical composition, and fire resistance. These features From Graduate Metallurgist to General allow notntraditional aggregates to expand markets not Manager – Sharing my Story J. Shuttleworth; Fortescue Metals Group, East Perth, 4:05 pm served well by traditional aggregate sources. New ag- Mine to Mill Value Creation at CIL, Heap Leach gregate products from non-traditional sources expand WA, Australia market share without negatively competing with tradi- Gold Mining Operations in Saudi Arabia Julie Shuttleworth shares her career journey from Grad- E. Sellers and S. Kanchibotla; JKTech, Brisbane, QLD, tional rock aggregate. Some non-traditional aggregate uate Metallurgist to General Manager, where she cur- Australia products currently in the market are: slate chips, shell, rently manages one of the world’s largest iron ore min- ceramic chips, rubber chips, brick chips, red dog slag, ing operations. Julie has worked in Australia, China and Sukhaybarat and Bulghah are two open pit gold 74 ki- mica, bottom ash, and iron & steel slag. Tanzania, and travelled to over 100 countries for work lometres apart from each other. Ore is trucked between and recreation. Julie shares her adventures, challenges, the operations with low grade ore processed in a heap lessons learnt, leadership and career tips, demonstrat- leach at Bulghah while high grade ore is processed at ing you can have a very rewarding career and a lot of fun Sukhaybarat via Carbon in Leach (CIL). A review found that it was critical to improve the technical skills at the

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 61 mine and to improve throughput. Mine to Mill process 2:05 pm 3:35 pm improvements studies were carried out with consultants PANEL DISCUSSION – Sales Comparison Influence of Market Factors and Freight visiting the operations and site engineers undergoing Approach to Energy Minerals Under Logistics on the Valuation of Silica Sand training in Brisbane. Key value drivers on the mines Fluctuating Commodity Prices Deposits Utilized for Frac Sand were found to be increased throughput from process J. Gustavson1, R. Bate2, R. Hart3, S. Melbye4 and E. Mudd1 and M. Springer2; 1Independent Consultant, optimisation and increased fines as well as reduction R. Vass5; 1Mineral Appraiser LLC, Boulder, CO; 2John Holmen, WI and 2Spanish Flat Mining Company, of dilution, ore loss and waste costs. Fragmentation and T. Boyd Company, Denver, CO; 3HartPetro LLC, Garden Valley, CA processing modelling was combined to determine the Charleston, WV; 4Uranium Energy Corp., Corpus With end markets often more than 1,000 miles from the effect of blasting on throughput. Blast model simulations Christi, TX and 5Gauley River Minerals, LLC, mine site, silica sand deposits may appear to have com- indicated that good blast confinement could reduce gold Morgantown, WV loss by US$121,000 per blast. Option analysis identified parable valuations when they are located in geographic a number of value improvement options that required in- Recent history shows drastic changes in energy proximity and are of similar geologic character. However, creasing levels of capital. Opportunities with low capital mineral prices, making valuation adjustments from sand deposits which share physical attributes and are expense offered a 29.3% increase in the gold produc- mineral sales at earlier sale dates to the present date only several miles apart may support very different value tion. More complex changes could provide an additional problematic. The Panel covers valuation of the energy conclusions. Significant departures in value for two simi- 23.9% increase. minerals of coal, oil, uranium and natural gas. Each lar sites may often be attributed to seemingly micro-scale Panelist will briefly cover 1) Price history of each differences in end-user requirements, deposit size, logis- commodity with reasons for price changes, 2) The tics capability and the local regulatory landscape. Silica 4:25 pm Panelist’s personal view of near term and long-term sand that is used to hydraulically fracture oil and gas Nicaragua: A Mining Overview price trends, 3) Recent mineral asset (or company wells (frac sand) is typically shipped via truck or rail to P. Williamson; SRK Consulting US, Denver, CO sales) with data, which are relevant for valuation, 4) the well site. Industrial sand may also be extracted from The Central American nation of Nicaragua has a long Comparison units (acreage, resources, reserves, oth- silica sand deposits to serve markets such as foundry or and intermittent mining history, dating back to the first er), which are found useful for the Sales Comparison glassmaking where the quality, transportation and grain commercial mine in the RAAN district in the 1880s and Approach, 5) His/her personal guidance for adjusting size distribution are entirely different from frac sand ap- continuing with British and American companies up for commodity price from Date of Sale to Effective plications. Some facilities have the logistical capability to through the Sandinista revolution and Contra war (late Date of valuation. The Panelists are: Coal, Richard L. serve oil, gas and industrial markets. This paper describes 1978 – 1989). Nicaragua is one of the poorest na- Bate, John T. Boyd Company, SME; Oil, Robert N. Hart, seemingly small differences in logistics and market fun- tions in Central America, but the government is actively HartPetro Global LLC; Uranium, Scott Melbye, Urani- damentals that may have significant value implications for seeking to develop its extensive gold and silver mineral um Energy Corp., and Natural Gas, Rachel L. Vass, silica sand deposits serving frac sand markets. resources, which include low sulfidation epithermal ore Gauley River Minerals, LLC. John Gustavson is the deposits, porphyries and skarns. The main mining com- Moderator. The format will allow each Panelist to en- tertain 2 questions after each introduction. Additional 3:50 pm pany in Nicaragua is currently B2Gold, which operates The Implications of the Use of a Single the El Limon and La Libertad mines. Numerous projects questions and audience discussion will be deferred to the general discussion period after all introductions. Financial Model in the Income Approach are in development, including Topacio (Oro Verde), La to Value India (Condor Gold) and San Albino (Golden Reign). A. Stagg; Stagg Resource Consultants, Inc., While the permitting process and mining/environmen- Cross Lanes, WV tal regulations are still being refined, Nicaragua has the 3:20 pm advantages of a mining favorable political environment, Mineral Appraisal Education: It is common in conducting mineral appraisals in which very low crime rate, and good infrastructure. The main An Overview and Recent Experiences the standard of value is market value for the appraiser challenges to mine development are strong anti-mining D. Werthessen; Mineral Engineering, New Mexico to develop a single discounted cash flow model as the sentiment and extensive artisanal mining. School of Mines, Rehoboth, MA basis for the opinion of value. Implicit in this technique is Minerals appraisal education is currently provided the assumption that there is a one hundred percent prob- through a variety of different organizations. The AI, ability that the input used in constructing the model will ASA, and ASFMRA provide introductory courses while occur. Upon even the most modest reflection, it should be EduMine is a non-campus based resource for mining evident that this is not going to be the case. The author’s and geological material. For professionals entering the experience in working with those involved in mergers and TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 minerals appraisal industry, the question of where to acquisitions affirms the general use of multiple financial begin can be confusing, the uniqueness of minerals ap- models in establishing a proposed purchase price, with AFTERNOON praisal complicating these introductory stages. Begin- various iterations of the financial model addressing un- ning minerals appraisers and those currently involved in certainty (or, risk) and the sensitivity of value to variations 2 pm Room 210 minerals appraisal education will benefit from this profile in the input. By definition, one would expect an opinion of available courses with feedback from select courses of market value to reflect the practices of market partic- attended by the author. Important take-away concepts ipants, and that the opinion thus would have addressed Mineral Valuation II: Lessons and course material will be highlighted and an idealized these issues. In this presentation, the author addresses flow-chart of coursework will be presented. Obtaining the probabilistic technique in developing an opinion of Learned and Fundamental licensure creates additional considerations as require- market value using the income approach to value and Issues ments and criteria vary by location. A brief discussion of provides examples of its use. Chairs: T. Knobloch, AIMA, Marietta, OH general and specific requirements will follow to provide guidance while the benefits of membership to appraisal D. Collins, DLC Productions, Inc., organizations will be presented and compared. The pre- Littleton, CO sentation will conclude with suggestions for those with appraisal backgrounds seeking coursework in mining 2 pm and geology. Introduction

62 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

4:05 pm 2:25 pm actual tonnages and grades, metallurgical recoveries, Simplified Comparison of the Major Ore Geological Modelling and Resource costs and productivity. Furthermore, the application of Reserve and Mineral Resource Classification Estimation for Pilbara Iron Ore Deposits recent developments in the field of stochastic optimi- Systems for Mineral Appaisers E. Ronald; Rio Tinto, Perth, WA, Australia zation will allow us to unlock additional value from our R. Cameron; Robert Cameron Consulting, Black Hawk, CO deposits and further enhance our ability to succeed in all Rio Tinto, operates 15 mines, four port terminals, and commodity cycles. When conducting an appraisal or issuing an opinion of over 1,700 km of rail in the Pilbara regional of West- value, it is important to understand the resource or re- ern Australia. During H1 2016, production run-rates serve classification used in technical reports and how achieved over 330 Mta of shipped ore to customers. 3:25 pm they relate to the the framework of the valuation code To support operations and provide future sustainability, Development of a Short Range Planning being utilized. This paper will present a simple guide that RTIO maintains a robust program of resource evaluation, Model for Kinross Gold Corporation’s Kettle can be used to help an appraiser to properly understand modelling, and estimation. Over 160 models are main- and evaluate the reported resource or reserve classifi- tained with ~40 model updates annually supported by River – Buckhorn Mine G. Moore and M. Olson; Geology, Kinross Gold Corp, cation assumptions. Although the various resource and drilling programs of 600+ km per annum. Geological Red Lodge, MT reserve reporting standards around the world are con- modelling uses implicit and explicit methods with focus stantly changing, an understanding of the broad prin- on stratigraphic boundaries, structural complexity, min- The Kinross Gold Corporation’s Kettle River-Buckhorn ciples discussed will help the appraiser to better set a eralisation boundaries, and geometallurgical properties. Mine has been in production since 2008. Throughout value on the mineralization being reviewed. Estimation is performed on ten chemical variables, den- the mine life, significant annual fill-in and exploration sity, material types, and Mineral Resource classification core drilling continued, necessitating annual block model for public reporting. Deposits require testing of spatial updates through the end of 2012. In 2013, the technical continuity, neighbourhood analysis, with the common services group identified that more timely block mod- estimation method being Ordinary Kriging. In particular el updates were required. Quarterly, all 3-D models of cases, non-linear estimation such as Indicator Kriging lithology, structure, and gold zones were updated to in- and Uniform Conditioning are available to improve es- clude diamond drill hole data, as well as insights gained TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 timates. A reconciliation system is maintained using through underground face mapping and production AFTERNOON blasthole data to validate the geological model and esti- samples (channel samples and test holes), but the pro- mation techniques against actual mine production. duction samples were never included in the estimates. In 2 pm Room 503 March of 2016, the last resource block model was built and a new methodology was implemented to efficiently 2:45 pm provide for an updated monthly model for short range Mining & Exploration: Tuning of Ordinary Kriging Parameters to planning that includes the channel sample and test hole Accurately Portray a High Variance Gold data. This involves using the resource model as the base Geology: Resource Modeling Deposit for the block morphology, a smaller parent block size, Chairs: M. Moore, Maptek J. Ruffini; Geology, Coeur Mining, Juneau, AK and a short radius estimation of the blocks using the M. Bourget, Maptek production samples. The model process takes 5 hours The use of Ordinary Kriging to estimate mineral resources to run each month and provides a tool to more efficiently is a widespread technique but can be inadequate due to and accurately project the monthly planned ounces. 2 pm the degree of smoothing it produces, especially in a de- Introduction posit with a high variance such as a gold deposit. Coeur Alaska’s Kensington mine is an orogenic gold deposit in 3:45 pm Southeast Alaska, located 40 miles north of Juneau. The A Solution to a Common Problem in Ore 2:05 pm deposit is defined by erratic extension vein arrays with Grade and Tonnage Uncertainty Analysis of highly variable sulfide mineral content, which contains the Reserve Estimation E. Isaaks; Earth Sciences, Isaaks & Co., majority of gold. Historically, an Ordinary Kriging estimate a Copper Deposit from Africa Using Multiple Emerald Hills, CA Point Geostatistics and Sequential Gaussian has been ineffective at predicting the global resource and Simulation reproducing local variability for this deposit due to its high This paper focusses on a solution for ensuring the ore S. Chatterjee and A. Paithankar; Department of variance. It is possible to obtain strong production rec- reserve model accurately predicts the tons and grade Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences, onciliation and prediction of future infill drilling values by that will be available for mining at the time of min- Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI using appropriately tuned estimation parameters such as ing. Generally, the estimates of an ore reserve model capping and high grade restrictive search ellipse and an are poor predictors of future tons and grade due to Spatial uncertainty analysis is complex and difficult for effective geologic model defining the true orientation of “smoothing”. Attempts to control smoothing often in- orebody estimation in mining industry. Conventional continuity and employing subdomains. clude domain controls on sample selection and restric- models with variogram-based statistics fail to capture tions on the number of samples used to make an esti- spatial complexity of orebody. In this situations, tonnage mate. However, a preferred way of controlling smoothing and grade are often over- or underestimated, resulting 3:05 pm is by judicious sample selection. This paper shows how in inaccurate mine plan that lead to costly financial deci- A New Paradigm to Manage Geological Risk local anisotropy kriging (LAK) reduces smoothing by se- sions. The multipoint geostatistical simulation model can lecting samples for each estimate which have values as overcome the limitations of the conventional two-point in Mining M. Godoy; Technical Services, Newmont Mining Corp, close as possible to one another. This not only reduces spatial models. In this study, multiple point geostatstical Greenwood Village, CO smoothing, but also increases the accuracy of the es- method namely Snesim was applied to generate multi- timates. All of this is accomplished without the use of ple equi-probable orebody models for a copper deposit At Newmont Mining, risk management is critical to de- domain boundaries even in significantly zoned deposits. from Africa, that helps to analysis the uncertainty of ore livering our strategy to improve the underlying business, Finally, a simple algorithm is provided which transforms tonnage of the deposit. The grade uncertainty was eval- build a stronger asset portfolio and differentiate our- the estimates of any reserve model to grade tonnage uated by sequential Gaussian simulation within each selves from competitors. A new resource risk manage- curves appropriate for the proposed degree of ore type equi-probable orebody models. The results are validated ment process is creating a paradigm shift at Newmont, selectivity at the time of mining. by reproducing the marginal distribution, and two- and allowing us to minimize risks and capture opportunities three point statistics. more reliably than ever before. While we cannot control gold price, we can narrow the gap in our estimated and

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 63 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 The research project ‘Development of a systematic 3:25 pm cost-calculation method for building services in under- AFTERNOON Long Term Post Reclamation Closure ground mines’ seeks to address the question: ‘Can the Cost Esimates construction costs concerning fixed auxiliary facilities be K. Noyes1 and S. Stebbins2; 1CostMine, InfoMine USA 2 pm Room 504 neglected e.g. within a prefeasibility study?’ The presen- Inc, Spokane Valley, WA and 2Aventurine Engineering, tation will show the monetary relevance and significance Inc., Elk, WA of these auxiliary facilities and introduce a guideline for Mining & Exploration: cost estimators. Costs associated with long-term project closure con- tinue to elude pre-feasibility project evaluators. Tasks Management: Mine Cost such as site monitoring, water treatment, sampling, and Estimation and Economic 2:45 pm re-vegetation may all be necessary for many years after Mine Development Project Risk Analysis the site is reclaimed. Their costs must be considered in Analysis II G. Sturgis; Registered Member, Coeur d’Alene, ID any pre-feasibility (and feasibility) level analysis. Unfor- Chair: S. Stebbins, Aventurine Mine Development project risk is significantly different tunately, the necessity, specifics, and duration of these Engineering, Inc. from ongoing operational risk. The primary reason for tasks will not always be apparent during pre-feasibility. this is the unique facility delivered by a project which Details of a variety of potential long-term post reclama- makes the use of historical performance less reliable for tion tasks, and the process of estimating specific costs 2 pm for these tasks, are discussed in this paper. Long-term Introduction assessing risk. Project risk quantification requires deter- mining the probability of cost and schedule variances, closure costs suffer from an additional complication. then assigning a percentage or a value as contingen- When evaluators look into the economic viability of a 2:05 pm cy for both cost and schedule. It is a formal process proposed mining and mineral processing project, they Reducing Costs without Compromising that includes engagement of the project stakeholders often assume that the value of the source of their reve- Orebody Value – A Geologist’s Role during a using Monte-Carlo techniques. The risk analysis is per- nues (i.e., the recovered commodities) might escalate at Downturn formed on the total project cost, excluding escalation a rate similar to the costs of producing those commod- E. Ronald; Mining Geology HQ, Hillarys, WA, Australia and contingency. Cost elements for all project activities ities. However, because the costs of long-term closure are evaluated for cost risk and an aggregate cost risk must be funded after revenue generation is complete, Geologists in exploration and production roles can this assumption no longer applies. Because of this, greatly influence capital expenditure and C1 costs with- is established. The schedule risk analysis uses similar techniques and focuses on all project activities. The methods of dealing with the possible escalation of clo- out compromising orebody value. During periods of in- sure costs over time are also discussed. dustry downturn, geologists are commonly some of the schedule logic is maintained during the risk analysis first professionals to be retrenched. The repercussions which allows cumulative effects of schedule risk for of this short-term decision have long-lasting negative each project activity to be analyzed. Schedule and cost 3:45 pm effects on both the company and the mining operation. risk are two highly-linked processes and as such overall Cost Estimates as a Design Tool – the This includes under-utilizing orebodies, lost revenue, project risk can only be described by a composite risk Importance of Fully Interactive Modeling and ultimately lost value for shareholders. Empowering analysis that looks at both cost and schedule risk. S. Stebbins; Aventurine Engineering, Inc., Elk, WA geoscientists to think creatively, work smarter, and focus While an abundance of factors drive the design of mine, on economic measures means they can take a proac- 3:05 pm in the end the operation may simply not make a profit tive approach in preserving or even improving orebody Simple Efficient Alternative to NI 43-101 and unless every factor that directly impacts costs is con- knowledge without increasing costs. Industry geologists sidered. Too often, the interaction of an unforeseen or must be the “voice of the orebody” by demonstrating Other Codes A. Ramcharan and N. Del Bel Belluz; Stantec, unanticipated cost parameter with another undermines and communicating the value of geological knowledge Mississauga, ON, Canada profitability after it is too late to remedy the oversight. in optimizing mining operations. This will ultimately lift The work presented here serves to describe mathemat- the profile of industry geologists and direct benefit the Does the NI 43-101 or any other code really work? In ical approaches that can be used to incorporate all such company’s bottom-line. a small global mining community, we should have one set of codes or guidelines. The aim will be to eventually parameters directly into the design of an underground propose a new set of guidelines that will be much easier mine, thereby providing a basis for the equipment and 2:25 pm to aid investors/reviewers and the general non-mining opening-size selection procedures that dictate project Building Services in Underground Mines – public in assessing a mining project and reduce scams. economics. This work details critical algorithms and Significance from a Cost Estimators Mining investors are challenged by the various report- suggests an approach that individual evaluators can use Perspective ing standards worldwide, making it difficult to compare to set up their own spreadsheet-based models. While T. Lupek1, H. Mischo1 and S. Plaum2; 1Institute of multiple international projects. Mining companies tend the data that defines them may not be readily apparent Mining and Special Civil Engineering, to prepare reports for investors based on the eventual or available, most of the parameters required for this TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Freiberg, Germany and stock exchange for which they want the listing. There work can be reliably estimated. And, once the math is 2Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, are many resource/reserve codes worldwide that are in place and the project modeled, an evaluator is provid- University of Applied Sciences Wiesbaden, considered acceptable for economic investments and ed an in-depth look into the balance between machine Wiesbaden, Germany market related reporting. These codes differ on exact type, machine size, opening dimensions, and workforce subject; thus, mining investors don’t have an interna- needs. With the results in hand, adjustments can then The execution of classical building services in under- be made to enhance economic viability. ground mining operations is more truth than myth. From tional standard against which to benchmark projects. small concrete foundations for conveyor belts to the con- With today’s technology, the world is moving towards a struction of huge workshops for large machinery mainte- single market and therefore the mining industry should 4:05 pm nance, nearly every operation requires building services. have one set of guidelines similar to the international A Review of Real Option Models for By creating such fixed facilities, these services ensure environmental and social standards for project financing Mining Resource Investment: An Era of Risk, the efficiency of the production. A distinction must be (Equator Principles). Generating specific global guide- Flexibility and Opportunity made between fixed facilities which directly enable the lines will help investors make prudent investments. K. Zhang; Energy and Mineral Engineering, Penn production and auxiliary facilities which only indirectly State University, University Park, PA support the production. The construction costs of such In the perspective of investment analysis, mining re- auxiliary facilities are often roughly estimated because source production retains critical features of risk man- they do not immediately contribute to mineral extraction.

64 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

agement, flexibility strategy, accurate pricing and profit productivity and financial parameters. While this POC is 3:05 pm optimization. Since the introduction of the Black-Scholes’ not intended to be a detailed model of uncertainty, it is Effective Adaptation of the Mine option pricing model in the 1970s, many efforts have to show that there are stepping stones available for mine Scheduling Workflow to Increase been taken to analyze the mining investment issues planners to begin to embrace uncertainty and produce Implementation Certainty incorporating all or some of these features. A number more achievable plans without requiring a significant J. Kraft, R. Diaz and M. Labonte; Minemax, of vital contributions in this era, theoretically and empir- change in their planning process. Centennial, CO ically, have significantly improves the understanding of the real option value in mining activities. Several trends Implementing a strategic mine plan at a detailed plan- of the relevant literatures have been identified and com- 2:25 pm ning level is a core issue at many operating mine sites. pared interactively, for instance, 1) binomial tree/lattice OMP: A Project Scheduling Approach Historical methods to overcome this issue rely heavily method; 2) strategy based on simulation of stochastic to Mine Planning on individual capability and significant re-iteration and/ process; 3) time to build issues in production; 4) opti- M. Goycoolea, E. Moreno and O. Rivera; Universidad or deviation at the receiving end. This can lead to an mized price threshold strategy and 5) empirical work. Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Peñalolén, Chile unhealthy, unsustainable environment for mine planners This paper presents a comprehensive overview of avail- of both horizons and heightens the risk to losing strate- able literature on the application of real option theory on Project scheduling, in broad terms, consists of sched- gic plan value during implementation. An approach to mining resources, and suggests possible directions of uling activities over time, subject to sequencing con- this problem is presented that focuses on adapting the future research, and provides policy implications. straints, to limited available resources, and various strategic planning horizon with the aim to increase the forms of uncertainty. When viewed this way, schedul- certainty of accomplishing strategic goals when the re- ing a mine plan, be it short term, long term, open pit, sult is translated to higher planning detail environments. or underground, has a lot in common with scheduling any other major engineering project, including civil en- gineering, software development, and defense projects, 3:25 pm among others. We describe OMP, short for Open Mine Evaluation of HAULSIM as a Practical Tool in TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 Planner. OMP is an academic modeling and optimization the Mine Planning Process AFTERNOON tool, comprised of algorithms found in the open academ- C. Gunderson1, C. Roos1, S. Rosenthal1 and T. Bush2; ic literature, designed to model and solve a wide range 1Mining Engineering, Montana Tech, Butte, MT and of project scheduling problems. OMP combines integer 2 2 pm Room 502 Technical Services, Newmont Mining Corporation, programming and heuristics to compute provably opti- Greenwood Village, CO mal (or near optimal) solutions for large-scale problems. OMP has successfully been used for production sched- This project was intended to demonstrate the potential Mining & Exploration: uling of real mining operations, to incorporate complex of in-house simulation software to validate a mine plan’s Management: The Ancient modeling requirements in open pit, underground, and robustness in replicating the actual mining environment. transition (open pit to underground) projects. In this talk Many mining companies have built custom simulations Art of Sandbagging: we share some of the most important algorithmic tech- for feasibility studies, however, most operating mine Ensuring Your Optimal niques in OMP, present case studies, and compare OMP sites still rely on spreadsheets with average cycle times to commercial alternatives. and productivity assumptions to estimate equipment re- Plan is Achievable I quirements and productivity. Using HAULSIM, a software Chairs: C. Roos, Montana Tech, Butte, MT supplied by RungePincockMinarco (RPM), to simulate a mine’s load and haul network, this project has demon- A. Brickey, South Dakota School of 2:45 pm Combining Optimization and Simulation to strated the practicality of using simulation at the mine Mines, Rapid City, SD Generate Better Mine Plans site to certify that the current mine plan is achievable N. Morales, F. Orellana, J. Perez and H. Toro; Delphos with the existing or planned equipment fleet. In-house 2 pm Mine Planning Lab, DIMIN & AMTC, Universidad de simulation also provides the benefit of performing reg- Introduction Chile, Santiago, Chile ular model reconciliation with new information after events to improve the robustness of the model and fu- Optimization and simulation have been widely and suc- ture value it can provide for the mine site. 2:05 pm cessfully applied to mine planning. For example, optimi- Embrace the Unknown: Stop Saying “It’s too zation has been used for maximizing income, reducing Hard” and Start Embracing Uncertainty in costs, assisting the design of the mine, controlling fi- 3:45 pm nancial risks; while simulation has been used to provide A Comparison Between Underground Stopes Your Mine Plans estimations of KPI’s, evaluate the performance of some C. Roos; Mining Engineering, Montana Tech, Butte, MT Designed Using a Stope Optimizing Tool plans, or to improve mine operation models. Howev- Versus Standard Design Methods Nearly every input to a mine plan is based on an esti- er, as these examples indicate, these applications are G. Sobering1 and A. Brickey2; 1Principal Mining mate. The estimates may be from sample data, histor- separated from each other, with optimization in a more Engineer, Gustavson Associates, Lakewood, CO and ical information, models, or personal opinion, but in all strategic scope and simulation being closer to the op- 2Mining, Associate Professor, South Dakota School of cases, these values are simply expected values (means). eration. This separation is good because corresponding Mines & Technology, Rapid City, SD In real life, we don’t get to iterate the exact conditions at models tend to focus on the best possible benefits of our mining operation many times to ensure that that av- the techniques; however, it also has some drawbacks, This paper compares the processes and results in de- erage value is attained. The expected value also tells us as the resulting plans may not be completely realistic fining stopes for a complex, underground narrow-vein nothing about the spread of values that that input might (in the case of optimization) or close to optimality (in the deposit using a stope optimizing tool versus the tradi- take on. The result is a significant amount of unquanti- case of simulation). In this talk, we show some idea as tional manual-design method. The results of these two fied uncertainty in our mine plans. Unfortunately, it is of- to how optimization and simulation can be combined approaches are based on an overhand drift and fill min- ten too expensive or time consuming to update planning so the final results are more realistic and closer to an ing method design. Each case is compared based on the processes and software. This paper presents a proof of operatimal plan. We also present some real applications mineable resources generated, duration of the design concept spreadsheet scheduling tool that can be utilized to problems in open-pit dispatch and underground con- process and financial robustness of the results. to incorporate many geologic realizations (simulated struction and production. models) into the mine scheduling process and a low- cost Microsoft Excel based Monte Carlo Simulation of

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 65 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 2:45 pm 3:25 pm AFTERNOON Time-Dependent, Periodic Heat Flow and Lucky Friday Unit Ventilation System: Temperature Model for Mine Ventilation Infrastructure Expansion and Improvement C. Lu, D. Bahrami and G. Danko; Mining Engineering, M. McGee; Engineering, Hecla Limited - Lucky Friday 2 pm Room 505 University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV Unit, Mullan, ID It is necessary to use the history effects in heat stor- Lucky Friday Mine is a deep, narrow vein silver mine in Mining & Exploration: age, known as the “thermal flywheel” in the rock stra- Mullan, ID. Its ventilation is a high pressure exhausting ta around the shafts and drifts close to the intake of system. In 2015, a series of fan failures on the exhaust Operations: Practical Mine ventilating air. The thermal model of time-dependent booster fans occurred. Lucky Friday reacted to the fail- Ventilation temperature requires large size of data in vector as dis- ure by employing a new booster fan arrangement and cretized function of the temperature variation with time. monitoring program which integrates the ventilation sys- Chair: J. Rahn, Newmont, Elko, NV A known concept is used to reduce the size of history tem into a state-of-the-art automation system installed data by frequency decomposition of the periodic tem- with the #4 Shaft Project. This paper will discuss the 2 pm perature function. Measured temperature data are used cause and result of the exhaust booster fan failure, as Introduction in the study. The temperature vector is decomposed into well as how the program sets up Lucky Friday with a a range of frequencies expressed with the periodic cy- robust system allowing for operation at great depths. cle time of minute, hour, day, week, and month. Each frequency component is characterized by the amplitude 2:05 pm of the temperature signal, reducing the size of the sam- Underground Climatic Monitoring and pled data vector into a single number. The wall heat flux Climatic Modeling: Are We Missing vector as a response to the temperature variation at the Something? strata interface is determined from the signal frequency P. Roghanchi1, K. Kocsis1, G. Danko1 and A. Powell2; and the amplitude using the heat conduction solution in TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 1Mining Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno, the rock. The method is tested for accuracy and size re- AFTERNOON Reno, NV and 2Barrick Turquoise Ridge JV, Ventilation duction of the history data by numerical analysis through Engieer, Winnemucca, NV mine ventilation examples. Conclusions are drawn to 2 pm Room 501 Selecting the most appropriate climatic monitoring sys- evaluate the new solution method. tem depends mainly on the purpose of climatic monitor- ing, the degree of the heat load to be removed, monitoring Mining & Exploration: locations and costs. However, there are several complex 3:05 pm Technology: Reaching events that cannot be captured when simple spot units Numerical Study on the Layouts of Auxiliary are being used for climatic monitoring purposes. This Ventilation Systems for Underground Mines the Mine’s Full Potential: includes the thermal damping effect, thermal flywheel ef- L. Wang2 and S. Que1; 1Mining, Missouri University fect, dynamic heat exchanges between ventilating air and of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO and 2State Key Technology Innovations in surrounding environments, and unknown sharp increas- Lab of Coal Mine Disaster Dynamics and Control, Underground Mining es in temperature during monitoring phases. This paper Chongqing, China Chairs: P. Marshall, Barrick aims to discuss the importance of continuous climatic Optimized auxiliary ventilation design is crucial for an monitoring based on observation of the above-mentioned underground mining ventilation system. The main tasks V. Hui, Barrick phenomena and highlight whether these cases have any of mine auxiliary ventilation systems are dilution of pol- impact on the overall climatic condition of an underground lutants, mainly methane and CO, dust, and remove of 2 pm mine. The discussion will be based on over one year of cli- heat from the blind headings of excavation or working Introduction matic data collected at an underground mine in Nevada. faces. The most commonly used auxiliary ventilation Comparisons will be made between the in-situ data and systems are brattice line, auxiliary fan and ducting, and calibrated ventilation and thermal models at the critical jet fan; each of them has at least two forms: exhausting 2:05 pm locations in the primary ventilation system. At the end, and forcing. The auxiliary fan and ducting system has Development of New Means of Pipeline the importance of developing a dynamic ventilation-ther- another form called overlap. In this study, the total of Communication mal-humidity model will be shown. seven layouts of the auxiliary systems are investigate N. Peter; Development Engineering, Saskatchewan using CFD (computational fluid mechanism) tools. The Research Council, Saskatoon, SK, Canada 2:25 pm numerical experiments are conducted in a 5 m by 5 m Over the years we have seen previously inaccessible Independent Review of the KTI-Plersch Ice by 30 m blind gallery given the distances from the end deposits being successfully mined. Advanced technol- Cooling Plant for Underground Operations of the system to the working face are 2 m, 5 m, and ogy is a key contributor to this success by providing P. Rostami and L. Landon; Stantec, Tempe, AZ 10 m respectively. Four airflow speeds 1, 2, 5, 10 m/s a means to mine more efficiently at lower cost. Data are assigned to each scenario to examine the influence communications plays a huge role in how successfully Stantec Consulting International LLC (Stantec) conducted of air quantity. The turbulent mix, pollutant dilution, and advanced technology can be utilized. Long distances, an independent analysis of the KTI-Plersch cooling plant heat remove effects are investigated and discussed. background noise and inaccessibility limits available for the Phakisa underground mine located in South Africa. options. In many cases, drill strings and pipelines can KTI-Plersch has a long history in the cooling industry and be used as a medium for a reliable, high speed two- has created a modular ice plant that has a low installation way communication between ends utilizing acoustic and cost. This modular ice plant has been has been used in electromagnetic waves. Over the last 10 years Devel- thousands of industrial applications around the world. The opment Engineering of Saskatchewan Research Council Phakisa mine is using multiple modular ice plants located has developed several methods for data communication on the surface to cool their underground workings that and has demonstrated high bandwidth communications would otherwise be too hot for personnel to work in. This over long distances in mining environments. Applica- study is a brief overview of the cooling plant design, pros tions for this technology are numerous, including drilling and cons of their cooling method, and a high-level return and jet boring. An overview of developed technologies of investment (ROI) analysis. will presented, including case studies and discussed.

66 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

2:25 pm 3:05 pm gypsum and trona. The cutting system is a subsystem of A Paradigm Shift: Developing, Refining and Improving Modern Mining Methods for the mechanized mining system and integrated to the ex- Delivering a Mobile Localization and 3D Moderately Inclined Tabular Deposits tent that it could impact the productivity and efficiency in Scanning Technology for the Underground T. Rockley1, L. Rattmann2 and J. Brune1; 1Mining a positive or negative way. The objective with this study Mining Industry Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO is to model the cutting system and validate the model A. Chapman; Peck Tech Consulting Ltd., Montreal, and 2THGA, Bochum, Germany with actual field data. The research design is descriptive QC, Canada with theory building from deductive reasoning. Through The mining of tabular deposits accounts for a significant cases studies and empirical data collection from field While the surface mining industry was greatly advanced portion of modern production in both underground hard observations, it is demonstrated that the productivity with the introduction of global positioning systems (GPS) rock and soft rock mining, but especially in the latter. of the system can be improved up to 23.5%. The case in the 1990s, no comparable technology yet exists There is a large discrepancy between the availability study is from an Industrial minerals application where underground. Similarly, 3D scanning underground is of tabular reserves and the amount of development of the main objective was to improve productivity and re- an emerging field but so far has been constrained to these deposits, particularly when the deposit has a dip duce cost. The case study clearly demonstrated how conventional, stationary surveying set-ups. This presen- of around 25-50 degrees. This project studied the tech- the two factors of the cutting system, productivity and tation covers the authors’ work in developing a mobile nical and practical barriers to the mining of these de- efficiency are linked together to highlight further oppor- underground positioning and mapping technology for posits through modern and historical case studies. The tunities for efficiency improvement of the overall mining the mining industry. This LIDAR-based approach has primary technical barriers to the development of these system with alternative haulage methods. succeeded in its original goal of mine site-wide posi- deposits are material movement and roof support. The tioning with precision comparable to surface L1 GPS, study of historical attempts overcome these barriers and and as a necessity has evolved an impressive capability why they failed allowed us to research implementing 4:05 pm for mobile 3D mapping. The process of commercializing modern technology on previously unsuccessful meth- Increasing Productivity and Equipment this technology from the initial research stage to the fin- ods, allowing for these methods to be reapplied suc- Utilization in Underground Operations ished product is reviewed, including technical challeng- cessfully. If some common mining methods are slightly N. Ferreira; Marketing, Open-Pit, Modular Mining es, input from industrial partners, and results from real altered these deposits can be mined at only a marginal Systems, Tucson, AZ increase in cost and using readily available equipment. world use cases. Also highlighted are capabilities of the One of the most prevalent challenges in underground These modified methods could allow for previously un- finished product’s technology platform, and a few appli- mining is a lack of operational visibility. By implement- derdeveloped deposits to become viable. cations of the technology with the potential to revolution- ing a fleet management system (FMS) designed for the ize underground planning and production operations. underground environment, mines can know where their 3:25 pm mobile equipment is, what it is doing, and how it is per- 2:45 pm Underground Application of Ultra-Wideband forming, at all times. An effective FMS addresses all ma- With Mines Going Deeper, Developing an Radio for Robust Positioning and jor aspects of the development and production process- All-Encompassing Passive RFID Solution Communication es and provides a solution that manages the numerous, can Help with Safety, Productivity, and C. Niestroj, S. Schade, G. Moellemann and ongoing sequential and concurrent efforts present in Profitability K. Nienhaus; RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany underground mining. With the right FMS, mines can realize increased equipment utilization and productivi- M. Brunet; K4 Integration Inc., Sales Manager, Today Ultra-Wideband radio systems (UWB) have gained Sudbury, ON, Canada ty, maximized material movement, reduced waste and special significance for accurate positioning purposes. Its operational costs, and enhanced operator safety. This Many newly discovered ore bodies have been found physical nature, using short wave pulses, allows for pre- presentation will demonstrate how the right under- deep within existing mining infrastucture. Logistical cise and robust positioning tasks especially in closed, nar- ground FMS can help mines automate development costs to access and maintain these areas are high and row spaces such as underground mining environments, and production workflows and gain valuable insight into any reduction in operating expenditures are crutial. but also local machine positioning in open pit applications, activities occurring below the surface. The presentation Deploying a passive RFID in these circumtances or in facing dust, humidity and vibrations. At the same time ro- will also discuss how FMS utilization can facilitate a shift new operations is benificial, as it can be used for: 1) bust, high data transfer rate can be achieved. Through from error-prone, inefficient manual task assignments, Material handling and inventory: knowing what you have smart combination by means of sensor fusion of the UWB personnel management, equipment tracking and record and where in the mine can make inventory manage- with e.g. inertial navigation systems an even more precise keeping methods; to more accurate and reliable auto- ment easy and reliable. Proactive ordering makes sure positioning system is at hand. To achieve this task differ- mated tracking and data collection practices. you never run out. Expensive equipment can be tracked ent filter options like Kalman and particle filtering can be in order to monitor its use. 2) Personnel tracking: energy employed. Also, the propagation of error regarding anchor used for lighting and ventilation can be controlled de- positions and its influence on the precision needs to be 4:25 pm pending on activity in an area of the mine; dispatching analysed and evaluated especially with regard to the cov- Innovative Mine Management through is more efficient; safety accountability time during an erage area. This presentation will give an overview of the Visualization emergency is reduced. Data from work habits can be research activities and results in real world applications at S. Goosney; Stantec, Tempe, AZ stored and reviewed. 3) Ramp optimization is acheived the Institute for Mineral Resources Machine Technology by prioritizing its use depending on equipment. Newly of RWTH Aachen University. This covers especially the In today’s rapidly changing and competitive mining in- developed tags are being introduced every day; these above mentioned fields for an integrated UWB positioning dustry, companies must be attentive to all opportunities only add to the breadth where a passive RFID system system in underground and surface mining applications. available to gain a competitive advantage. Using building can be beneficial. Tags can now be embedded in steel information management (BIM) and visualization soft- or hammered onto a skid, they can be carried by per- ware packages as data gathering and communication 3:45 pm tools, companies can leverage the latest technologies sonnel without being intrusive, or they can be installed JoyCut™, Optimized Cutting Solution on vehicles. and procedures to coordinate and streamline explora- for Underground Mechanized Mining – tion, production, refinement, and delivery of all goods A System Perspective. and services. This paper will present how the effec- D. Van Dyk; Service Products & Consumibles, Joy tive use of 3D modeling and visualization tools can be Global, Pittsburgh, PA leveraged in conjunction with current and emerging Global mining companies are challenged to be viable un- equipment and processes, including advanced digital der given tough market conditions. This is global trend is technologies, to produce more productive and safe work evident in most underground operations and is not only environments, resulting in more profitable outcomes for applicable to coal but also commodities like salt, potash, all stakeholders. The presentation will illustrate the use

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 67 of info graphics, animations, and interactive models in room many kilometers from the mining site, the tele- TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 current workflows, what advantages are achieved by operation of three production drills for a surface control AFTERNOON these, and how to move forward the collected data. that have been in operation for now 25 years amongst many others including a complete teleoperated mine. The question is why have these technologies now over 2 pm Room 707 4:45 pm many decades old have not been adopted? Neurosci- Technology Innovation at Greens Creek Mine ence appears to have a very significant role to play in B. Morgen; Hecla Mining, Juneau, AK change management for our industry. The question is MPD: Industrial how to put the tools in place to support this change Greens Creek Mine is utilizing technology to contin- management. By Penguin, Dr. Baiden creating the 3D Minerals Flotation uously improve day to day operations. In the past 2 virtual Mine Rehearsal environment and Dr Saunders Chairs: T. Olson, FLSmidth, Midvale, UT years Greens Creek has successfully implemented a using his neuroscience capabilities we are working to D. Nagaraj, Cytec Solvay Group, full 3D planning and scheduling software system. This solve this significant problem holding our industry back has helped highlight hazards and eliminate discon- from achieving game changing results. Stamford, CT nects between long range and short range planning. The mine has designed and implemented multiple web 2 pm based utilities for mine inspections and daily shift turn- Introduction overs. Greens Creek has also installed a mine wide fiber optic / Wi-Fi system. This system has enabled Greens 2:05 pm Creek to have more information readily available to mine Optimized Amine Collectors for the supervisors and management. The fiber optic backbone TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 Beneficiation of Phosphate has facilitated Greens Creek in moving forward with a AFTERNOON B. Makin and P. Dopico; Clariant Mining Solutions, centralized blasting system, equipment tracking, per- The Woodlands, TX, Uganda sonnel tracking, VoIP communications, and increased airflow and gas monitoring. In the future Greens Creek is 2 pm Rooms 201-207 Phosphate deposits are beneficiated with the end goal looking at automation and ventilation on demand as well of making phosphate fertilizers (i.e., MAP and DAP). as increased web based applications. While the flotation processes and reagents that are used Move Mining: differ from region to region, in most cases silica remov- Changing the Public’s al is a critical part of the process. Cationic collectors, 5:05 pm such as amines, are often used to float silica particles. Mine Underground Communications Perception of Mining Using experience gained through the flotation of silica Infrastructure Guidelines Chair: R. Kilborn, The Kilborn Group, in the beneficiation of numerous minerals, Clariant has D. Fry; Global Mining Standards & Guidelines, CIM, Buena Vista, CO introduced an amine collector to the North American Toronto, ON, Canada phosphate market that achieves the required grade and recovery targets at much lower dosages than the The scope of the document set is to provide a planning 2 pm amines that are used today. and sustainability tool for mining personnel who are Introduction responsible to design, operate and maintain the com- munications systems and services used for safety and 2:05 pm 2:25 pm production purposes in an underground mine environ- Move Mining: Changing the Public’s Surface Chemistry Issues in the Reverse ment. Some of the advantages for using this document Perception of Mining Flotation of Iron Ore include: *Help non-IT personnel to better understand ba- R. Kilborn; The Kilborn Group LLC, Buena Vista, CO K. Shrimali and J. Miller; Metallurgical Engineering, sic communications requirements during the planning, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT construction and production phases of the underground Move Mining is a team competition open to students and mine. *Provide a standard reference between mine staff, professionals. The goal is to develop a positive message Reverse flotation of silica from hematite is by far the engineering consultants and solutions vendors when campaign to promote mining and the mining efforts most common strategy for the processing of iron ore planning new underground mine communications sys- worldwide. Help us share the positive message of min- containing silica gangue. In reverse flotation, quartz, tems or maintaining existing ones. *Help to identify the ing and the global benefits of this crucial industry. Bring the major impurity in the iron ore, is floated using ether communications assets needed to support current and your dynamic concepts and your creative innovation. amines and iron oxide minerals are depressed using de- future mine technologies. The top five teams will pitch their idea, live, to a panel of pressants such as starch. Analysis of wetting character- industry leaders and communication experts. The win- istics of hematite (Fe2O3) by contact angle, MDS, bubble ners will receive a $5,000 cash prize and support from attachment time and atomic force microscopy (AFM) 5:20 pm SME and sponsoring organizations during 2017 to help force measurements show that the anhydrous hema- The Development of a 3D Virtual Mine promote and package your winning concept. The winner tite 001 surface is slightly hydrophobic at natural pH, in Rehearsal Environment will return in 2018 to the Annual Conference & Expo to the absence of polysaccharides, with a contact angle of G. Baiden; Penguin Automated Systems Inc., share their campaign success and inspire others. around 50°. For alkaline pH, hydroxylation of the hema- Naughton, ON, Canada tite surface occurs rapidly and the hematite becomes hydrophilic with a contact angle of 0°. In this regard the Penguin Automated Systems Inc. and the Centre for role of polysaccharides in reverse flotation is considered Applied Neuroscience in Business have teamed up to since hematite is already hydrophilic at the alkaline pH combine Penguin’s knowledge of mining and emulation where reverse flotation is usually carried out. Contact gaming and neuroscience. Over the years Dr. Baiden angle, AFM and flocculation experiments suggest that has worked on many potentially game changing tech- the role of polysaccharides is to restrict the adsorption of nologies. Some examples include a driverless truck that amine at the hematite surface, and that polysaccharides went into production in 1989 for 2 years moving all the act both as a depressant and as a flocculant for fine mines material for that time until the ore was mined hematite particles. out; teleoperation of three LHDs for a central control

68 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

2:45 pm cover and higher cost to recycle. The goal of this inves- silicate. Flotation experiments in laboratory demonstrat- Frother Evaluation for Improved Recovery tigation is to upgrade the phosphate content of the tail- ed that BHA was an effective collector to mushistonite and Selectivity in Column Flotation ing produced by an elemental phosphorous production activited by lead nitrate. Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) X. Yang, Q. Huang and R. Honaker; Mining plant. Characterization studies such as SEM, EDS, XRD, and sodium fluorosilicate (SSF) used as depressants to Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY mineral liberation analysis and electrophoretic measure- gangue minerals were necessary. Pulp pH value, mixing ments were firstly conducted to understand and identify time and temperature played significant roles in flotation A study was conducted to evaluate and compare the the factors controlling the flotation performance. Labo- of mushistonite. The optimum pH value of pulp was 6.5 to effectiveness of different frother types when used in a ratory experiments are carried out on direct fluorapatite 7.5, the optimum mixing time was more than 30 minutes, three-phase, continuously operating froth flotation sys- flotation from gangue minerals using different dosage of and the optimum temperature was more than 20°C. tem. The frothers included several carbinols and esters collector, frother and depressant. Aluminum polyacryl- that are commonly used in industry as well as unique amide is tested to distinguish its possible role in the flo- frother types. The three-phase tests were conducted tation of fluorapatite and rejection of gangue minerals. in a laboratory flotation column utilizing a metallurgical The results represent that Al-PAM can be considered as coal as the feed material. The use of a flotation column a good assistant not only to improve the grades but also neutralized the impact of water recovery and entrain- to reduce the consumption of other reagents. ment through the application of wash water and bias TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 rate control. Physical properties of each frother were AFTERNOON evaluated which found significant differences in surface 3:45 pm tension and froth stability. The frothers were tested and New Insights into the Role of Pb-BHA compared on the basis of carrying capacity and separa- 2 pm Room 703 tion performance as a function of volumetric and mass Complexes in Flotation of Tungsten Minerals S. Han1, Y. Hu1, W. Sun1, X. Li2 and R. Liu1; 1School feed flow rates. of Mineral Processing and Bioengineering, Central MPD: Plant Design II: South University, Changsha, Hunan, China and 2Hu Nan Shizhuyuan Non-ferrous Metal Limited Liability Panel Discussion: Successful 3:05 pm Corporation, Chenzhou, China Purification of Akselberg Calcite Ore by Project Execution: Cationic and Cationic-Anionic Reverse Lead ions (lead nitrate) were introduced to modify the International Project Delivery Flotation surface properties of tungsten minerals, effectively P. Dhar1, I. Bunkholt2, M. Thornhill1 and H. Kota1; and selectively improving the flotability, with benzohy- Perspectives and Guidance 1Department of Geology and Mineral Resources droxamic acid (BHA) serving as the collector. The ex- Chair: D. Meadows, Bechtel, Phoenix, AZ Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and periments about the mode of addition and the ratio of Technology, Trondheim, Norway and 2Norsk Mineral lead ion to BHA indicated Pb-BHA complexes were the AS, Trondheim, Norway active species responsible for the flotation. The com- 2 pm plexes generated by lead ions and BHA under different Introduction The Akselberg calcite deposit in Norway is a high grade proportions presented different collecting abilities for CaCO3 ore with minor silicate and sulfide impurities such different minerals. Thus the Pb-BHA complexes were as quartz, pyrite, pyrrhotite, etc. Cationic (tallow 1,3-di- designed for the separation of tungsten minerals from 2 pm aminopropane, Duomeen T) and cationic-anionic (tallow calcium minerals with little water glass. Hence a nov- Plant Design and Probability of Success or 1,3-propanediamine-dioleate, Duomeen TDO) collectors el flotation process was developed for the recovery of Failure in Achieving Design Throughput have been attempted in the purification of calcite by flo- tungsten minerals in Shizhuyuan Mine, China. Nor- D. Meadows; Mining and Metals, Bechtel, Phoenix, AZ tation with an aim of achieving calcite concentrate for mal-temperature flotation of tungsten minerals was de- Many recent new plants have experienced long ramp- its use in value added paper industry. The feasibility of veloped as an alternative to the classical Petrov process up times with costly retrofitting necessary to reach sulfides and silicates flotation from calcite by the above for scheelite-calcite-fluorite type ores. The disappear- design throughput. Very often, the original design may collectors has initially been judged from the Hallimond ance, or decrease in, water glass content contributed have been modified to reduce CAPEX in this “cost-con- flotation, zeta-potential and FTIR studies on pure mineral to improving the recovery of tungsten minerals and the scious world” of depressed commodity prices. Proj- systems and the results illustrate selective silicate and circulation of water and reagents. ects with unusually hard and more competent ores sulfide flotation from calcite at neutral pH region with have particularly suffered problems in this regard. In both the collector systems. Further, selective flotation of some cases, the ramp up information and nameplate silicate and sulfide impurities was tested in bench scale 4:05 pm capacity information can be misleading. The empha- flotation with the Akselberg calcite ore and the results Flotation of Mushistonite from Low sis should be on “up-front” process engineering work indeed showed that a calcite concentrate meeting the Grade Tin-Copper Gravity Tailings with to achieve the best balance between study costs and quality requirements for its use in paper industry for the very real risks associated with any mining project coating and filler purposes could be obtained. Benzohydroxamic Acid L. Sun, Y. Hu, W. Sun and M. Tian; School of Minerals development. The upfront work will include appropriate Processing and Bio-engineering, Central South drilling; process mineralogy, acquisition of comminution University, Changsha, Hunan, China and process development samples, as well as resource 3:25 pm definition samples; adequate and properly conducted Recycling the Fluorapatite from Secondary The beneficiation of mushistonite from low grade test work and procedures; and competent interpreta- Sources using Polymer-assisted Flotation tin-copper gravity tailings in Tajikistan by flotation using tion of test work results into sizing of the major process A. Alsafasfeh, M. Khodakarami and L. Alagha; benzohydroxamic acid (BHA) as a collector was studied. equipment. If all the process design tasks fall into place, University of Missouri, S&T, Rolla, MO According to the tailings containing the mass of 0.49% the probability of success will be high. If not, a slow Sn and 0.87% Cu, a concentrate containing the mass The waste produced by the phosphate industry presents ramp up could completely destroy the financial returns of 4.54% Sn and 12.13% Cu was obtained after only from the project. many challenges due to the economic and environmen- one rougher flotation stage, and the recovery of Sn and tal impacts of their disposal. Simultaneously, scarcity of Cu were 57% and 61% respectively. Scanning electron high-grade phosphate ores persuades researchers to microscopy with energy dispersive spectrum analysis find out novel methods to upgrade and recycle these and X-ray fluorescence analysis indicated the main tin secondary sources. Low P grade and high percentage and copper minerals were in the form of mushistonite, of gangue minerals result in more difficult process to re- and main gangue minerals were carbonate, quartz and

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 69 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 trifugal SX plant reduces holdup by up to 99% versus materials for a multitude of applications, and can be a conventional SX plant. Recent trials have shown that adjusted for specific needs in combination with REEs. AFTERNOON centrifuges can substantially reduce the amount of or- The functionalizability of ILS makes them attractive for ganic required to perform continuous solvent extraction. a range of applications such as catalysis, synthesis, 2 pm Room 705 Additional benefits include significant reductions in separation, electrochemistry, materials science and me- evaporation losses, organic entrainment, and plant foot- dicinal chemistry. In this paper, current research trends prints, while significantly improving operator safety and and potential future directions in the design of IL-based MPD: SX-IX-EW environmental measures. technologies for separation of REEs, and functionaliza- Chair: C. Cooper, Cytec, Tempe, AZ tion of ILs by REEs for use in significant fields such as energy and advanced materials are discussed. B. Varela, Freeport McMoRan, Tyrone, NM 2:45 pm Development of An On-Line Tool to Promote 2 pm Optimal Electrowinning Performance 3:45 pm M. Moats1 and C. Ward2; 1Missouri S&T, Rolla, MO Introduction 2 Molybdenum Solvent Extraction Using and AMIRA International, Perth, WA, Australia CYANEX® 600 Extractant 2:05 pm The mining industry is facing the retirement of technical B. Gay2, T. McCallum1 and T. Bednarski1; 1Cytec The Effect of Impeller Design on Phase experts and replacing them with process engineers with Solvay Group, Tempe, AZ and 2Climax Molybdenum, Separation Efficiency for Solvent Extraction less than 10 years of experience. This has caused elec- Sahuarita, AZ Auxiliary Tanks trowinning facilities to re-invent solutions to problems Molybdenum recovery by solvent extraction has gained K. Mallory1, R. Kehn2, A. Iniguez3 and M. Filgueiras4; already solved. To avoid these costly endeavors and interest partly due to advances in concentrate leach 1Application Engineering, SPX FLOW, Inc., Rochester, promote optimal tankhouse performance, the AMIRA technology. In typical Mo SX flow sheets using amine- NY; 2Director of Mixing Research and Development, P705C project is developing an on-line troubleshooting based extractants, rhenium recovery precedes primary SPX FLOW, Inc., Rochester, NY; 3Global Application guide or “expert system”. The guide provides operators molybdenum production due to the ability of the amine Engineer, SPX FLOW, Inc., Rochester, NY and 4Global with tools and information to assist them in rectifying to co-extract Mo and Re. Alternatively, a phosphinic ac- Sales Director, SPX FLOW, Inc., Rochester, NY non-conformances and save their operations significant id-based extractant (CYANEX® 600) can be used de- costs in efficiency improvements and lower product pending on the flow sheet. CYANEX® 600 selectively ex- Solvent Extraction in the mining industry uses mass quality downgrades. transfer between aqueous and organic phases to recov- tracts Mo leaving Re in the raffinate, which is a valuable feature in plants which require rejection of the rhenium er target minerals, such as copper, nickel, or uranium, ® from a pregnant leach solution. The process starts with 3:05 pm from the molybdenum circuit. CYANEX 600 piloting re- either heap leaching or slurry tank leaching. The target Solvent Extraction of Ammonium sults are reviewed including the operational cost savings mineral is leached out and then sent to the Solvent Ex- Peroxodisulfate Assisted Leach PLS Solution generated by the different transfer mechanisms of the traction System, where the mineral is extracted from Using Response Surface Methodology phosphinic acid-based extractant. The results are com- the aqueous phase into an organic phase. The target F. Dakubo; Univ. of Arizona, Tucson, AZ pared to commercial experiences with an amine-based extractant. metal is then extracted again into clean electrolyte solu- Solvent extraction of copper pregnant solution (PLS) ob- tion and sent to the electrowinning plant to plate out tained from peroxodisulfate assisted leach was modeled the pure metal. The Solvent Extraction Primary Pump using response surface methodology. Mixing speed, pH, tank is required to achieve contact between the organic 4:05 pm reagent concentration and organic to aqueous (O/A) Solvent Extraction of Praseodymium (III) and and aqueous phases for mass transfer. The Solvent Ex- ratio were selected for testing. A pitched blade mixer traction Auxiliary tank is required to blend and maintain Terbium (III) from Mixed REEs Solution Using was used in the experiment. The results indicate that, PC88A and Cyanex572 Extractant Diluted in the dispersion formed in the Primary Pump tank for ad- mixing speed, reagent concentration, pH and O/A ratio ditional mass transfer. The Auxiliary tank agitator must were all statistically significant to copper extraction. The Kerosene V. Agarwal and M. Safarzadeh; Materials and provide gentle flow with little shear in order to reduce response model developed has an R2 = 0.97 and Adeq Metallurgical Engineering, South Dakota School of entrainment losses. This paper will cover four different precision of 28.3. A parallel kinetic comparing study us- Mines and Tech., Rapid City, SD agitator setups for the Auxiliary tank applications. Labo- ing a straight blade Rushton turbine mixer showed no ratory test results for each agitator design will be com- difference (p-value =0.308) between peroxodisulfate The solvent extraction of praseodymium (III) and terbi- pared, which will include a phase separation time study assisted leach PLS and conventional ferric and sulfu- um (III) from standard mixed solution of all rare earth and a cost comparison of each agitator design. ric acid leach PLS. Power draw and bubble size also elements (REEs) except promethium using 2-ethyl hex- showed no significant difference between both PLS yl phosphonic acid mono-2-ethyl hexyl ester (PC88A) 2:25 pm solutions. and Cyanex 572, has been investigated. The effects of Reduce Capital and Operating Costs for aqueous equilibrium pH, various acid media (H2SO4, HCl, and HNO ), extractant (PC88A and Cyanex 572) con- Solvent Extraction by Replacing Conventional 3 Mixers and Settlers with Centrifuges 3:25 pm centration, initial metal concentration and temperature R. Finfrock and M. Baker; Resource Recovery Ionic liquids Deal with Rare Earth Elements: on solvent extraction of both praseodymium (III) and Technologies, Tucson, AZ from Separation Technology to Advanced terbium (III) were systematically studied. Based on the Materials experimental results, HNO3 and HCl were found to be Resource Recovery Technologies, LLC offers centrifugal M. Khodakarami and L. Alagha; University of Missouri, the preferred aqueous media for solvent extraction of solvent extraction (SX) plants using one bank of centri- S&T, Rolla, MO both Pr (III) and Tb (III). The most promising experimental fuges for extracting copper and a smaller second bank conditions (pH, concentration of PC88A, metal ion con- of centrifuges for stripping copper. Both contacting and Rare earth elements (REEs) and their derivative products centration and temperature) were identified. separating occur in each centrifuge. Process solution are critical materials in many frontline industries, such holdup in each centrifuge is approximately 652 gallons as clean energy, electronics, vehicles and transporta- or 16,300 gallons in a typical 16,000-gpm centrifugal tion, aerospace and defense, healthcare, and chemicals. SX plant. This compares favorably to nearly 2 million Various approaches have been employed for selective gallons of process solutions (aqueous and organic) in a separation and processing of REEs. Ionic liquids (ILs) are conventional mix-settler SX plant of equal capacity. This not only considered as reagents for recovery of REEs comparison of holdup volumes shows that an MSX cen- but also have emerged as tunable liquid functional

70 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 at the accounting methodologies to use to show the pay- 10:05 am back on improved productivity and reduced accidents AFTERNOON Best Practices for Mechanical Drives on These standards and practices are designed to help the Heavy Duty Conveyors mangers of operations, safety, and maintenance show C. Brown; Baldor-Dodge, Greenville, SC 2 pm Room 506 accountants and executives the payback that can re- sult from improvements in safety. This presentation will Conveyors are complex systems which must provide con- highlight “return on safety” that investments in conveyor tinuous duty operation in challenging environments. The Professional Ethics system systems and culture can provide. The presenta- mechanical drive systems consist of gear reducers, belts tion will showcase the methodologies he developed for and sheaves or a coupling, bearings and pulleys. These Case Histories #1 and as discussed in Martin Engineering’s forthcoming critical components work together to provide reliable, ef- Chair: D. Abbott, book FOUNDATIONS for Conveyor Safety ficient operation. An issue with any one component can lead to system downtime. This session will discuss the Consulting Geologists LLC, Denver, CO best practices for selecting and maintaining a mechanical 9:25 am drive system. Topics will include selection considerations, This 2 hour session will be first in a series of presenta- installation, sealing options and lubrication. tions and webinars that will examine professional ethics Safe Maintenance of Chutes and Equipment case histories. While Mr. Abbott will present scenarios beneath Ore Passes and Bins based on actual cases, participants are encouraged to M. Peden; Stantec, Tempe, AZ contribute their thoughts on the ethical aspects of the Maintenance beneath underground ore passes and scenarios presented and to contribute their experience surface bins has always required well planned and en- with similar cases that may or may have reached the gineered bulkheads to ensure the safety of personnel WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 same ethical conclusion. The discussion will focus undertaking the tasks associated with the work. In many MORNING on both the case history as presented and how slight cases, the installation of the safety bulkhead has proven changes in relevant facts might lead to different ethical to be a dangerous task in itself, exposing workers to conclusions. The session builds on the “Fundamentals of unnecessary risks. A properly engineered system from 9 am Room 704 Professional Ethics” webinar presented on November 3, the early design stages to final detailing provides for not 2016, which is available at http://www.smepromo.com/ only the imperative safety of maintenance personnel, ethics2016. Participants may wish to bring a copy of the but can also enhance maintenance productivity and Coal & Energy: CFD Modelling SME’s Registered Member Code of Ethics with them for reduce plant shut down schedule requirements. The reference during the session, http://www.smenet.org/ following presentation outlines some common design for Mine Ventiliation membership/join-or-renew/registered-membership and techniques available to capture the safety and schedule Chair: K. Raj, University of Alaska click on “Download the Code of Ethics.” benefits desired when undertaking the maintenance of Fairbanks, Spokane, WA chutes and equipment beneath a bin or underground ore pass system. 9 am Introduction WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 9:45 am Abstract-Conveyor Improvements for 9:05 am MORNING Bulk Material Handling Safety by Design – CFD Estimation of Fresh Air Requirements Conveyor Upgrades for DPM Dilution in a Metal Mine Stope M. Khan, K. Homan and S. Gillies; Mining and Nuclear 9 am Room 107 M. Bayley; ASGCO Complete Conveyor Solutions, Allentown, PA Engineering, Missouri S & T, Rolla, MO This paper takes a fresh approach to safety, serviceabil- Bulk Material Handling: ity and lower Total Cost of Ownership, while continuing Exposure to Diesel Particulate Matter (DPM) in under- Conveyor Maintenance a proactive pursuit of minings high internal standards ground (UG) metal and nonmetal (M/NM) mines is a of safety and environmental stewardship. It is critical to serious health concern. Ventilation is a key component and Safety use not only good housekeeping methods but also in- in controlling DPM and gaseous emissions from diesel Chairs: N. Madison, Cornerstone novative and properly designed equipment. Continuous engine exhaust. Especially at the work faces, provid- improvement and performance enhancement efforts re- ing adequate clean air is an important aspect of an Conveyor Engineering, Fayette, AL quire new technology to solve dust and spillage issues in UG mine ventilation program. In US M/NM mines, the bulk material handling conveyors. The topics addressed required airflows are typically calculated by consider- 9 am include dust and spillage control as well as maintenance ing the particulate index and the specific nameplate Introduction and safety upgrades using new technologies. The paper ventilation rate. Overall mine airflow requirements are looks at problems and solutions based on root cause usually determined from total diesel engines power op- analysis and life cycle costing. Specific topics include erating in the particular mine. Since required airflow in 9:05 am a mine is not individualized for a specific work stope, it Speaking the Language of Accountants: belt loading, belt cleaning, belt alignment and mainte- nance down time. Ease of access to eliminate confined can sometimes result in worker overexposure to mine Understanding the Payback of Safety air pollutants. The ventilation air required to provide de- and Justifing Expenditures for Safety space entry and ergonomics to promote a safer envi- ronment for workers is also part of the mining industry sired conditions in a work stope depends upon many Improvements factors. This study uses 2D CFD to model a metal mine 2 1 1 strong commitment to continuous improvement. Provid- R. Swinderman and A. Marti ; Principal, RToddS stope and determines the required air quantity based on 2 ing a safe workplace and meeting internal and global Engineering LLC, Palm Coast, FL and Princaipal, specific diesel engine emission rates. Several scenari- RToddS Engineering LLC, Palm Coast, FL environmental stewardship goals are the cornerstones of commitment to its workers and the community. os were simulated. The findings from this study can be R Todd Swinderman, P.E., explains the benefits from im- applicable to other M/NM mines since DPM and diesel proved conveyor safety as discussed in Martin Engineer- engines characteristics are generally similar in different ing’s recent book FOUNDATIONS for Conveyor Safety: UG mines. Perhaps more importantly, Swinderman presents a look

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 71 9:25 am 10:05 am 10:45 am CFD Analysis on Gas Distribution for Evaluation of Explosive Methane-Air Mixture The Effect of Environmental Factors on Different Scrubber Redirection Leakage from the Gob Due to Atmospheric the Propagation of Methane Flames in the Configurations in Slab Cut Pressure Changes Longwall Gob Y. Zheng1, J. Organiscak1, L. Zhou2, T. Beck1 and S. Lolon1, J. Brune1, G. Bogin2, J. Grubb1, A. Juganda1 M. Fig1, G. Bogin1, J. Brune2 and J. Grubb2; J. Rider1; 1Dust, Ventilation and Toxic Substances and S. Saki1; 1Mining Engineering, Colorado School 1Mechanical Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Branch, National Institute for Occupational Safety of Mines, Golden, CO and 2Mechanical Engineering, Littleton, CO and 2Mining Engineering, Colorado and Health, Pittsburgh, PA and 2Fire and Explosions Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO School of Mines, Golden, CO Branch, NIOSH, Pittsburgh, PA Gob “breathing” has long been acknowledged to oc- Several recent mine explosions, such as the disaster The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health cur during underground longwall mining. Gob breath- at the Upper Big Branch mine in 2010 that caused 29 (NIOSH), Pittsburgh Mining Research Division (PMRD) ing occurs when the pressure conditions across the fatalities, have demonstrated that explosive gases can has recently developed a series of models utilizing CFD gob are disturbed due to barometric pressure swings. accumulate and ignite within and near longwall coal to study gas distribution around a continuous mining These swings may cause the gob to breathe in fresh mine gobs. Prevention and mitigation of explosions of machine with various fan-powered flooded bed scrub- air and breathe out gob air containing methane and this kind require a fundamental understanding of flame ber discharge configurations in an exhaust curtain work- other contaminants. This condition can create explosive propagation in enclosures and through rock features ing face. CFD models utilizing species transport model methane-air mixtures that can migrate into the longwall under varied environmental conditions. A combustion without reactions in FLUENT were constructed to eval- face and other active areas of the mine. Researchers at model was produced to examine the impact of water uate the redirection of scrubber discharge toward the the Colorado School of Mines have developed a series vapor concentration, temperature and surface wetting mining face rather than behind the return curtain. The of Computational Fluid Dynamics models to investigate of simulated gob on the progress of CH4 explosions. The study illustrates the gas distribution in the slab (second) and characterize the explosion hazards caused by gob CFD modeling of CH4 combustion and flame propaga- cut. Three redirection cases were built and compared to breathing. This research is beneficial to determine the tion in humidified cylindrical vessels of various diame- a model with a conventional scrubber discharge where tolerable limits of barometric pressure variations, the ters with simulated gob is detailed, along with corre- air is directed away from the face into the return. The time span before outgassing is expected, the most ef- sponding experimental results. The combustion model models were validated based on experimental data and fective location for methane monitoring system and the was developed in ANSYS for easy coupling to available accurately predicted sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) gas levels recommended frequency and locations to monitor mine ventilation models. Significant results include: 1) The at four gas monitoring locations. One additional predic- atmospheric readings. These findings are also import- CH4 combustion model captures the effect of physical tion model was simulated to consider a different scrub- ant to plan appropriate actions to mitigate the potential scale on explosions; 2) Humidity acts to retard the prog- ber discharge angle for the 100% redirected, equally explosion risks. ress of the flame; 3) Water wetting on the simulated gob divided case. This paper describes the validation of the also acts to cool the flame and aids in quenching; and 4) models based on experimental data and the gas distri- increasing atmospheric and gob temperature increase bution results of the CFD models. 10:25 am burning velocity. A New CED Model for Mine Ventilation G. Danko; Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, Univ. 9:45 am of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV 11:05 am CFD Modeling of Longwall Tailgate A Computational Energy Dynamics (CED) model is pre- CFD Modeling of Pollutants Dispersion Ventilation Condition in Deep Open-Pit Mines under Arctic Air 1 1 2 1 sented for the solution of large ventilation networks. The A. Juganda , J. Brune , G. Bogin , J. Grubb and CED model incorporates the components of convention- Inversion S. Lolon1; 1Mining Engineering, Colorado School of K. Raj and S. Bandopadhyay; Mining Engineering, 2 al CFD solvers including viscous/ turbulent dissipation Mines, Golden, CO and Mechanical Engineering, and psychrometrics for evaporation and condensation. University of Alaska Fairbanks, Spokane, WA Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO The model solves large mine ventilation networks in Air inversion is a meteorological phenomenon generally Ignitions of accumulated methane gas at longwall fac- seconds with tens of thousands of branches, dozens of occurs during winter times. Release of pollutants below es are well known to be some of the major causes fans with performance curves, compression/expansion the inversion height in an open-pit mine during periods of methane explosions in underground coal longwall work, and large elevation and air density differences. of weak winds and consequently weak vertical mixing mining operations. As a preventive measure, MSHA The new element of the CED over a CFD model is the may result in very high concentrations of primary and requires all underground coal operators in the Unit- driving force of fluid motion: the mechanical energy in secondary pollutants, causing serious consequences for ed States to install methane monitoring devices on the CED instead of pressure in the CFD. The flow of heat health and safety of miners. Mine operations cease if longwall shearing machines and at the tailgate end of in the CED is driven by the total thermodynamic poten- the concentration of NOx or CO exceeds the TLV of the the longwall face. Despite these effort, there are still tial lowered by the mechanical energy, as opposed to pollutants. Artificial ventilation is required to dilute the regular occurrences of face ignitions. Some of these temperature difference in the CFD models. This provides pollutants to an extent that mine workers can safely re- ignitions can lead to major mine explosions, such as superior converge in coupled flow and thermal models sume work. Studies of the turbulence parameters sug- the Upper Big Branch mine disaster in 2010, in which typical in deep and hot underground mines with natural gest that effective ventilation of the pit and removal of migrated methane from the gob to the shearer cutting convection. Application examples are presented using pollutants can be accomplished if a large enough mixing drum where it was ignited, resulting in a major mine the new CED model which is integrated in the GUI of a length in the open pit can be created. Turbulent mixing disaster. This methane had not been detected by any of conventional ventilation software. Test results are pre- by eddies of different length scales under an inversion the methane sensors installed near the longwall face. sented against Ventsim and VnetPC solutions as well as layer is product of wind shear, thermal gradient and With the use of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), laboratory measurements in powered and natural ven- buoyancy. The main result of turbulence is mixing of the a more detailed interaction between the intake air tilation problems. atmospheric profile and transport of momentum. CFD flow and various methane inflows at the longwall face Simulation results of a novel mitigation approach using can be modeled and visualized. The resulting airflow cloud cover will be presented in this paper. profiles will provide a better understanding of tailgate ventilation conditions that may lead to an accumulation of methane at the tailgate corner.

72 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 ter and mercury emissions. Technically achievable and 10:25 am economically acceptable practices capable of reducing MORNING Breakage and Washability Characterization of stack emissions include energy efficiency improvement ROM Coal Using X-ray Computed Tomography measures, pre-combustion control measures (e.g., coal C. Lin1, J. Miller1, T. Nguyen2 and A. Nguyen2; 1Metal- 9 am Room 702 cleaning), optimizing existing air pollutants control de- lurgical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, vices. Retrofitting plants with new control technologies UT and 2School of Chemical Engineering, University of involves capital cost, which will ultimately raise the elec- Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia Coal & Energy: Coal tricity cost. Legislations for pollutants such as particu- Characterization of run-of-mine coals is an integral part lates, SOx and NOx are likely to take priority over poten- Characterization to End Use tially more costly requirements set for mercury. of the evaluation process, providing important informa- Chairs: S. Bhattacharya, Indian School tion such as coal reserve size, the mining conditions, the coal quality and its washability characteristics. The most of Mines critical parameters for the efficient design of coal pro- Z. Wang, FLSmidth, Midvale, UT 9:45 am Overview of Current US Longwall cessing operations depend on the accurate prediction of coal breakage and washability characteristics of the 9 am Gateroad Support Practices coal resources. Since coal occurs as banded material, M. Sears, G. Esterhuizen and I. Tulu; CDC/NIOSH, Introduction it is important to evaluate the breakage characteristics Pittsburgh, PA of coal based on rank, composition and texture. X-ray 9:05 am In 2015, longwall mines provided nearly 60% of US computed tomography (XCT) technology has been Resource Quality Assessment of Northeast underground coal production representing an increase demonstrated to have the capability of analyzing wash- Indian High Sulfur Coals for Specific End Use from under 50% over the last 5 years. As a result of this ability and fragmentation parameters (particle size, en- B. Saikia and T. Das; Polymer Petroleum and Coal increased production share, the percentage of ground ergy, coal type). In this regard, progeny size distributions Chemistry, CSIR-North East Institute of Science & fall related fatalities in longwall mines has increased are obtained from sequential shatter drop tests (different Technology, Jorhat, Assam, India compared to other mining methods. Additionally, the de- input energy levels) and from XCT analysis. In this way, cline in non-injury roof falls appears to have stagnated the breakage characteristics (selection and breakage The North-eastern region of India is endowed with a over the past few years. To better understand current functions) for coal particles can be established and good reserve of about a billion tonnes of high sulphur US longwall support practices, site visits were made to prediction of particle size distribution (PSD) for different Tertiary coals, widely distributed in the states of Assam, 11 mines over the past year. Additionally, including data levels of energy input is demonstrated. Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland. In this collected from 10 mines within the last five years re- paper, the coal characterization and resource quality sulted in data from a total of 21 US longwall mines. This assessment of these high sulphur coals are present- includes a broad range of geographic locations, geologic 10:45 am ed aiming technological development in the country. settings, ground conditions, and support designs. Two Combustion Characteristics of Coal Blends This systematic detailed physico-chemical character- of the observed mines had options for cribless tailgates B. Nandi, S. Aich and S. Bhattacharya; Fuel & Mineral ization will be use for promoting efficient and rational using cable bolts while the remaining mines used some Engineering, Indian School Of Mines Dhanbad, Dhan- utilization of the available high sulfur coal resources form of standing support (cribs, posts, etc.). Standing bad, Jharkhand, India in Northeast India in the domestic as well as industrial support densities in the tailgate ranged from 0.05 MPa Coal has been the most significant source of energy for sectors. Advance level coal characterization including to 0.18 MPa and up to as much as 0.35 MPa in the #2 India and would remain so at least for the next few de- optical microscopy, FESEM, HRTEM, Raman, LTAXRD, entry. Both entries averaged a support density of 0.12 cades. Indian coal is of drift origin and of high ash content ICPMS, Mossbauer spectroscopy, Ion chromatography, MPa. This data provides a basis for research into im- (30-45%), most of it being Run-of-Mine coal. Most of the Fluorescence spectroscopy, Photoluminescence spec- proving gateroad support systems. power plants in India source their coal from number of troscopy, Time of Flight Mass spectroscopy were carried mines, most common being multiple sourcing. Usually out towards gainful utilization of these unique coals in coal from each source is burnt separately. For various rea- the world. The chemical desulphurization processes in 10:05 am sons mostly associated with logistics, burning of blended presence of ultrasonic and ionic liquids have removed Advanced Life Support in the Underground coal is rarely practiced. A detailed investigation was there- sulphur contents substantially. Thermo-chemical pro- Environment fore taken up to study in detail the combustion character- cesses also reduce sulphur contents leading to the C. Enright, C. Harman and J. Brune; Mining istics of six individual and their blends via non-isothermal formation high-value carbon products from these high Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO thermogravimetric analysis at 800 °C by computing their sulphur coals. kinetic parameters using Coats-Redfern integration meth- The mining environment presents one of the most chal- od. A significant difference in terms of mass loss with lenging and complex situations where medical care may temperature and activation energies have been observed be required. The combination of remote locations, dan- 9:25 am between the kinetics of individual and blend samples, the gerous work, difficult access and long response times Revised Air Emissions Norms for Indian latter showing better ignition performance and compre- create a perfect storm that we believe creates an in- Coal Electricity Generation Plants: hensive combustion phase. It was also found that particles crease in morbidity and mortality in the event of serious Compliance Strategies. having the lowest percentages of volatile matter and ash accidents. Initial responders at mine sites generally are T. Das and A. Mukherjee; CSIR-CIMFR, Dhanbad, India could possibly be blended with particles having high ash trained no better than the Emergency Medical Techni- and volatile matter to meet the required burning condition. Future of electric power generation is under increasing cian Level (EMT), with MSHA only requiring that mine pressure as environmental regulations become more rescue teams are trained at the Emergency Medical stringent worldwide. The revised norms notified by the Responder (EMR) level, and the training and scope of 11:05 am Indian Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate practice for these providers is not sufficient for response Effect of Feed Characteristics on the Change in December 2015 have made the pollution to a complex or critically injured patient. We believe that Performance of Dense Medium Cyclones: standards more stringent for new coal-based power the introduction of advanced life support (ALS) capable A Literature Review projects as well as old plants. The new standards are providers and equipment, (paramedic-level) can reduce A. Anupam and S. Bhattacharya; Department of Fuel aimed at reducing air emissions of particulates, SO , NO X X morbidity and mortality from serious accidents and crit- and Mineral Engineering, Indian School of Mines, and mercury to bring about an improvement in the ambi- ical medical emergencies dramatically. Dhanbad, Jharkhand, India ent air quality in and around thermal power plants. Many existing plants could be overhauled to improve both The separation in a Dense Medium Cyclone (DMC) has efficiency and output while reducing particulate mat- been reported to be dependent on its geometry, opera- tional parameters and medium properties. The proper-

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 73 ties of the feed coal particularly size and density distribu- ability expansion problem and provides VBA code that 10:05 am tions, have also been, in experience, found to influence can be copied into an Excel spreadsheet. The article also Beneficiation of High Ash Indian Non-Coking the performance of DMCs. The separation efficiency compares several sets of experimental washability data Coals for Use in Power Stations reduces gradually, with decrease in size of feed coal at that have been expanded using unconstrained and con- G. Thonangi1, U. Chattopadhyay3 and K. Sinha2; coarser sizes, and sharply at finer sizes. The presence of strained splines to illustrate the large calculation errors 1Coal Preparation, Senior Principal Scientist, Dhanbad, fine particles in the feed not only hampers the efficiency that can be avoided using this tool. Jharkhand, India; 2Coal Preparation, Principal of a DMC, but also interferes with the recovery of me- Scientist, Dhanbad, Jharkhand, India and 3Coal dium, with moisture removal and increases the overall Preparation, Principal Scientist, Dhanbad, Jharkhand, cost of the process – though the study in this regard has 9:25 am India been limited. The distribution of feed coal in different Retrofit of Deslime Stackcell Flotation at the density ranges, especially in the range ±0.1 of sepa- The Indian non-coking coal is of Gondwana origin, con- Kanawha Eagle Preparation Plant taining high ash wherein the extraneous material was ration density, also appears to negatively influence the P. Bethell2, G. Luttrell1 and M. Mankosa3; 1Mining & intimately mixed in the coal matrix during the formation performance of the DMC. Despite, the significance of Minerals Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA; stage, causing high level of impurities in the run-of-mine feed characteristics on DMC performance, they are gen- 2Cardno, Inc., Bluefield, WV and3 Eriez Manufacturing, material. The stipulation laid by the Government of India erally ignored in industrial practice. This paper examines Erie, PA to transport coal of ash not exceeding 34% beyond 500 the available literature for correlating the performance th of a DMC with the properties of the feed, medium and The StackCell technology is ideally suited for the treat- km with effective from 5 day of June’2016 will pose cyclone geometry. The performance of the DMCs vis-à- ment of by-zero coal feedstocks due to its compact size, problems to different coal suppliers for the dispatch of vis DMC manufacturers has also been reviewed. high throughput and froth washing capability. The tech- coal to the power plants. The only solution to this prob- nology was recently installed in the Kanawha Eagle coal lem appears to be the setting up of washeries to reduce preparation plant to recover lost coal fines. Unfortunate- the ash content. The paper highlights the possible ben- ly, the installation struggled due to support equipment eficiation routes of washing high ash Indian non coking that could not handle the volumes of froth generated. coals with detail characterization of clean coal for use in Therefore, the flotation bank was redesigned as a de- thermal power stations. slime circuit in which slimes finer than 0.045 mm were WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 discarded. This change (i) eliminated of the froth han- dling problem by lowering the frother concentration in 10:25 am the process water, (ii) increased coal recovery due to op- Assessment of Effective Removal of Fine MORNING timal frother dosing for the 0.15x0.045 mm feed, and (iii) Particles from Coal Washery Effluent Using improved moisture by discarding ultrafines. The redesign Bio-Coagulant was challenging, however, since process streams within 9 am Room 711 G. Kapse and S. Samadder; Department of the fine coal circuit had to be rerouted to balance the Environmental Sc. & Engg., Indian School of Mines volumetric flows demanded by the StackCell. This article Dhanbad, Dhanbad, Jharkhand, India Coal & Energy: Coal describes the redesign of the Kanawha Eagle flotation circuit, reviews before and after performance data, and The present study focuses on the use of Moringa Preparation provides guidelines for future installations of the Stack- oleifera pressed cake bio-coagulant (MOPCB) for the Cell technology in deslime coal applications. removal of fine particles from coal washery effluent. Chairs: T. Ghosh, University of Alaska Moringa oleifera (MO) pressed cake/defatted cake Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK (which is generally a waste material) after the extraction A. Noble, West Virginia University, 9:45 am of oil (but containing active flocculation protein) was Particle Size Effect on Charge Distribution considered for the preparation of MOPCB. An attempt Morgantown, WV and the Impact on Triboelectric Separation was made to investigate the relationship between the Efficiency fine particle’s characteristics and properties of MO 9 am J. Chen and R. Honaker; Mining Engineering, pressed cake as a coagulant. Effluent samples were Introduction University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY collected from the thickener outflow and investigated for physico-chemical parameters. Optimum operating Particle size is a key parameter determining the parti- parameters for maximum efficiency of turbidity removal, 9:05 am cle charging and electrostatic separation efficiency. The suspended solid removal and increased settling veloci- Mathematical Expansion of Coal Washability degree of liberation and total particle surface area both ty were examined for varying dose of MOPCB. MOPCB Data Using Constrained Splines increase as the particle size is reduced which provides 1 2 1 as a coagulant achieved excellent reduction in turbidity G. Luttrell and A. Noble ; Mining & Minerals a higher likelihood of surface charge variants among the (97.42 %) and suspended solid contents (97.78 %) Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA and minerals due to differences in surface electronic prop- 2 at optimum dose of MOPCB of 0.8 ml/L ( 64 mg/L) Mining Engineering, West Virginia University, erties. In this study, four particle size fractions of coal < with optimum contact time of 15 min and at 20 min Morgantown, WV (+0.21 mm; 0.21-0.105 mm; 0.105-0.063 mm and of settling time at pH 8.5. As MO is considered as an -0.063 mm) were evaluated in a rotary triboelectrostat- Washability (float-sink) data are routinely used through- environment friendly material therefore it may be rec- ic separator to assess particle charge as a function of out the coal industry for plant design studies and per- ommended as an effective coagulant for treatment of particle size. A modified Gaussian model was developed formance evaluations. In nearly all cases, users of this the coal washery effluent. data are forced to estimate values that fall between the to describe the particle charge distribution which was endpoints of the specific gravity (SG) classes used in used to identify the optimal particle charging conditions. the float-sink tests. This interpolation is often performed Experiment results show that the particles having a size using spline curves that are fit to the float SG versus between 0.105 mm and 0.063 mm produced the high- cumulative mass and ash data. Unfortunately, these fits est quality clean coal with an ash content of 4.88% from often result in back-calculated instantaneous ash values a feed containing 26.31% ash when the particle charge that are unrealistic since they violate the fundamental distribution was the widest. relationship between particle density and composition. To resolve this issue, a routine has been developed that uses an ash-constrained spline to more accurately ex- pand the numerical data. This article reviews the wash-

74 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

10:45 am WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 9:45 am Pico and Nano Bubbles and Coarser MORNING Impact of Coal Ash Disposal on Bubbles Effects on Coal Ultrafine to Coase Coal and Energy Size Particles Capturing in Column Flotation H. Akbari and R. Mensah-Biney; NC State University, F. Peng and Y. Xiong; Mining Engineering, 9 am Room 706 Asheville, NC West Virginia Universitiy, Morgantown, WV In 2015, coal was the energy source for about 33% of Froth flotation with highly dispersed air bubbles tech- Coal & Energy: Impacts of total electricity generated in the US. When coal is burnt niques are used to recovery fine valuable matters from in a power plant, two types of pollutions are left behind: gauges. Flotation efficiency drops sharply with ultraf- Climate Change Policies on first, the greenhouse gas emissions to the air such as ines and coarse particle size ranges. Our previous work CO and N O, and second, the solid residuals known as Coal & Energy 2 2 showed that pico and nano bubble flotation can applied coal combustion by products or coal ash. The climate in recovery of wider particle size ranges in coal flotation, Chairs: H. Akbari, North Carolina State change policies mainly addressing the air pollutions and reverse magnesium oxide flotation in phosphate University, Raleigh, NC coming from coal have recently accelerated the slow- ores. In this work, pico and nano bubbles are gener- R. Mensah-Biney, North Carolina State down in the coal industry. However, millions of tons of ated by packed column and cavitation venturi tube to coal ash residuals disposed of in ponds and landfills improve collision-attachment, and reduce probability of University, Raleigh, NC across the nation have also had negative effects on the ultrafines to coarser particles to enhance coal flotation coal industry. The main purpose of this study was to an- performance. A 50 mm diam and 165 mm high flotation 9 am alyze the current status of coal ash disposed in landfills column was used to study the pico and nano bubbles Introduction and its effect on diverting from coal to natural gas as the affect the recovery of coal particles at various size rang- energy source of electricity. A case study showing a se- es. For -700+325 µm coarser size range, recoveries ries of events including the coal ash spill from a landfill are 27% to 16% higher, while -75 µm fine size range, 9:05 am to the adjacent river providing drinking water for down- 23% to 3% higher, at given product ash contents and Climate Change and Coal Mining: stream communities, changes in regulations regarding recovery range from 60% to 90%, with pico and nano The Hockey Stick and the Puck coal ash disposal and applications, and finally, switching bubbles. Ppico and nano bubbles fill-up column and act G. Luxbacher; MELM Consulting, LLC, Prosper, TX the local power plants from coal to natural gas burning like an additional hydrophobizing agent to increase flota- units in North Carolina is discussed in this paper. tion rate constant and effectively extended ultrafines to In January 2008, when the coal industry was on an coarser coal flotation performance. upswing, President Obama gave a quip in an interview that forecast his intent for coal: “If somebody wants to 10:05 am build a coal-fired power plant, they can. It’s just that it The Role of Research in the Coal Mining 11:05 am will bankrupt them…”. In March 2016 (and with the Industry: Reflecting Back and Looking Ahead Experimental Research on Fine Coal industry in depression), then-presidential candidate Hil- J. Hirschi; Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL lary Clinton made the statement in a West Virginia town Separation by the Centrifugal Gravity hall meeting “Because we’re going to put a lot of coal The US coal industry has undergone some major trans- Separator miners and coal companies out of business, right?”. Its formations in the past half century. Each decade had its Y. Tao; China University of Mining and Technology, easy to look at the policies of the Obama administration, own issues varying from somewhat external concerns Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China often referred to by those in the industry as the “War on such as oil embargos and pollution control to very inter- Fine coal separation has been always concerned. The Coal”, with its roots in climate change, and cast blame nal challenges such as the safety and productivity of the froth flotation is not efficient in desulfurization because for the current and future plight of the US coal industry. workforce. Through these transformations, the role of re- of the low rate of sulfide liberation from raw coal, the Unfortunately, the coal industry finds itself impacted by search has evolved from a proactive, industry-driven effort natural hydrophobicity caused by sulfur concentration a number of factors and decisions, some recent, oth- to a reactive, government-funded enterprise. The pros and on the surface of sulfide, and the presence of large ers long-term, internal as well as external, that have led cons of this evolution will be explored with an eye to the amounts of middling feed. An efficient centrifugal grav- to the current conditions in addition to climate change. future and how research can best serve the industry. ity separator was employed to separate for Shandong This presentation will examine these factors and deci- –0.5mm high sulphur coal, the partition curve of cen- sions, including interrelationships, and discuss what this trifugal separator was obtained with conclusion that the means for the future of coal mining and its coupling with 10:25 am Ecart probable error value of the separator is 0.095, the policies tied to climate change. A Study of Factors in US Coal Mine imperfection I value is 0.128. Finally, comparing with the coal flotation using progressive release method, the Closures Since 1994 J. Brinkman, J. Schafler and C. Johnson; Mining and result shows that the effect of the desulfurization with 9:25 am Nuclear Engineering, Missouri University of Science & centrifugal gravity force field based on density difference Technology, Rolla, MO between coal and minerals are much better than that of Artic Sea Ice Then and Now – The Search for the floatation which operates based on the difference in the Northwest Passage The US coal mining industry has suffered a recent de- surface properties. It provides a efficient technical way B. Arnold; Preptech, Inc., Apollo, PA cline in profits caused by a combination commodity de- for fine coal separation. Much concern has been raised about the diminishing mand and government regulation, forcing coal mining Arctic Sea Ice in recent years. This should be a clear companies to cease production in numerous mines. A sign of global warming or climate change. However, 40% decrease in the total number of coal mines oc- looking back to purposeful voyages to find a Northwest curred from 1994 to 2000. The number of mines re- Passage to the Orient, it is possible to find the adven- mained relatively constant until 2008 when a change tures of wooden sailing ships that made historic reaches of government sparked a series of new environmental toward the North Pole and others that met with disaster. regulations which have contributed to another 15% de- Articles from the Edinburgh Review in 1818 and 1853 crease from 2008 to 2016. In contrast, production has give a unique perspective on Arctic Sea ice and other only decreased by 3%, increasing from 1994 to 2008, indications of the climate in Europe over many centu- and then decreasing since 2008. However, this value ries. A review of these articles and some more recent is skewed by large increases in sub-bituminous coal information on global temperatures will be presented. production and decreases in other coal ranks. Several

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 75 aspects assist in executive decisions on mine longevity WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 of failed rock. Finally, these parameters were used in and economic worth. Studies of open source mine data the numerical simulation of underground excavations. MORNING collected by mandated government surveys coupled Two groups of parameters were used to represent the with commodity history can be used to find relationships time-dependent property for pre- and post-failure con- between mine closures and these elements, which in- 9 am Room 104 ditions. FISH functions within 3DEC were used to mon- clude statistics on production tonnage, seam height, itor the state of each zone and change the parameters coal rank, etc. This paper looks at coal mining trends to the values corresponding to failed rock once failure is since 1994 by comparing mine, market, and regulation Coal & Energy: Research and detected. The results showed that this method accurate- factors that may influence mine closure. ly predicts the time-dependent propagation of plastic Development I zone. The variation of the time-dependent parameters Chairs: M.Trevits, Xtraction Science and significantly affects the behavior of the rockmass. 10:45 am Technology, Inc, Pittsburgh, PA Sustainable Development Of China Coal Industry in the 13th Five Year Plan L. Ackah, Southern Illinois University at 9:45 am B. Zhang; Derrick Corporation, Buffalo, NY Carbondale, Carbondale, IL Effective Application of Synthetic Aperture Global policy momentum is turning toward accelerating Radar Interferometry for Monitoring Mine the inevitable transformation of global energy markets, 9 am Subsidence in the Mountain West United where the renewables, storage and energy efficiency Introduction States are favored over fossil fuels. The outlook for the global J. Wempen and M. McCarter; Mining Engineering, coal industry could be characterized as declining de- 9:05 am University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT mand, excess supply, falling price, stock devaluation, A New Cast Hard Iron Elevated 250% the Differential Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar under-utilized infrastructure, cost-cutting, excessive Service Life of Centrifugal Pumps in Multiple (DInSAR) is a satellite-based remote sensing technique financial leverage, asset write-downs, unprecedented Wear Applications. capable of measuring centimeter level surface displace- stranded assets and shareholder wealth destruction. G. Calboreanu; A.R Wilfley & Sons, Longmont, CO ment with high spatial resolution over large areas. Reg- The coal industry in China is undergoing a very tough ular monitoring of subsidence due to underground mine Hard cast irons are heterogeneous materials contain- period. China released its 13th Five Year Plan (FYP) which development is one potential application of DInSAR, and ing 1,600 HV hard chromium carbides embedded into included its strategic objectives for the coal industry de- in this study, the application of DInSAR for subsidence a martensitic matrix. These are the most used alloys in velopment. The study will discuss about those objectives monitoring is evaluated for two mining regions in the wear resistant operations like mining, chemical indus- and also steps the coal industry will take to achieve mountain west United States. In general, DInSAR has try, fracking, etc. The wear resistance of hard irons are those objectives. potential to identify the shape and extent of subsidence; increased in the following ways: - Reduce / eliminate in some cases, magnitudes and rates of subsidence harmful retained austenite and chromium + carbon can be defined. Importantly, the effectiveness of DInSAR depleted areas especially within eutectic cells. - Delay for subsidence monitoring depends on the radar band delamination between chromium carbides and ma- (wavelength), the subsidence rate and the time between trix especially during sliding abrasion wear operations. image acquisitions, and the topographic and vegetative Once the chromium carbide base is removed acceler- surface characteristics. ated wear degradation occurs; - Evenly randomize and avoid discontinuities in the chromium carbide network. When chromium carbides are perpendicular to the wear surface wear rate is minimized. The new cast hard iron 10:05 am discussed in this paper fulfils and exceeds the above Corrosion Studies of Roof Bolts Tested in requirements increasing the casting service life around an In-House Corrosion Test System with 250% and sometimes more in various wear operations. Simulated Underground Coal Mining Physical and mechanical properties of Max5A are com- Environment pared with well manufactured Industry Standard 25% Cr G. Bylapudi, A. Spearing and K. Mondal; Mining and hard iron. The paper presents practical achievements in Mineral Resources Engineering, Southern Illinois the USA, South America and India. University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL Corrosion of steel roof support systems can be a se- rious threat to rock related safety and the effects can 9:25 am adversely impact the workforce safety. Stress corrosion Variation in Time-Dependent Property of cracking (SCC) is one of the roof support system failure Rock and its Influence with Relaxation Test mechanism that is encountered due to the combined Y. Xue and B. Mishra; Mining Engineering, WVU, action of stresses and corrosion medium. SCC of roof Morgantown, WV bolts in underground mining environment is considered Field observations have demonstrated that roof failure to be a serious concern from the studies around the occur spatially in a mine from the time of excavation. globe (references) and also from the authors’ research. It is suspected that time-dependent deformation prop- An in-house corrosion test system was designed and agates failure in the rock mass. In this paper, relaxation developed to test the full length roof bolts for analyzing test was used to study the variation in time-dependent the materials performance. To begin with, ASTM A615 property and its influence on time-dependent roof failure grade 60 roof bolts were tested with and without stress- was investigated by numerical simulation in 3DEC. The es in a simulated underground coal mining environment relaxation equation was developed from Burger’s model. for approximately 5 months. The mean strength results Variation in the time-dependent property in post-failure showed ≈13% strength loss for stressed bolts and ≈7% region showed negligible variation and therefore were for non-stressed bolts from yield load data whilst from averaged to represent the time-dependent property the peak load data the strength loss is ≈10% for both stressed and unstressed bolts. From these results, it can

76 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

be concluded that this test protocol is applicable to test WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 9:45 am different roof bolts with desired modifications based on MORNING Westmoreland Coal Company - Maintenance the respective underground mine environment. Audit Program J. Jutila, S. Fancey and J. Beard; Equipment Manage- 9 am Room 708 ment, Westmoreland Coal Company, Billings, MT 10:25 am Evaluating the Major Performance The Maintenance Audit program was instituted as part Coal & Energy: Surface of the Physical Asset Management (PAM) strategy. Characteristics of Current Standing The basic tenet of the asset management strategy is Support Systems Mining: Advancement to improve unit cost through improving equipment up- T. Batchler; Engineer, South Park, PA Through Innovation time and productivity and follows asset management Longwall mines typically use some form of standing practices that are globally accepted standards. The support for secondary roof support in longwall tailgate Chairs: J. Wientjes, Komatsu purpose of the audit is to: Assess each site’s compli- entries. Over the years, numerous secondary roof sup- America Corp., Peoria, IL ance to the maintenance strategy and identify areas of ports products have been developed for this application. N. Rutter improvement; Identify Leading Practices and assess Due to the multiple performance profiles, appropriate applicability at other operations; and Serve as the key support selection and adequate support system design tool for developing / improving the company-wide phys- is critical to the prevention of ground falls and ground 9 am ical asset management strategy. The audit consists of: fall accidents. There are several major key areas that Introduction Maintenance Readiness Questionnaire; Tour of oper- can determine the standing support performance char- ations; Employee interviews – cross section of stake- acteristics, including initial support stiffness, peak load 9:05 am holders in the asset management process including capacity and residual load characteristics. The purpose Determine the Potential Drill Utilization maintenance, operations, engineering, human resourc- of this paper is to provide the mining community with Improvements and Rock Fragmentation es, training, hourly, and staff; Attend management meet- a comprehensive assessment of mine roof supports. It Requirements Using Directional Drilling in a ings; Review Relevant Documentation; and Assessment evaluates the impact of various standing support appli- Coal Mining Overburden Highwall Application summary, opportunities, and a close out meeting. The cation obtained through full-scale performance tests K. Dill2 and S. Rosenthal1; 1Mining Engineering, audit is typically conducted by a small team of WCC conducted using the National Institute for Occupational Montana Tech, Butte, MT and 2Design Engineering, maintenance professionals. Each audit is compared to Safety and Health’s Mine Roof Simulator. Through this Atlas Copco Drilling Solutions, Garland, TX prior audits to determine the rate of progression of each program, tests were analyzed to identify correlations be- This project analyzed the efficiency of incorporating the site in each of the audit sections. tween the support design parameters and the resulting use of directional drilling technology into coal overbur- performance. The goal is to properly evaluate and verify den blasting. Directional drilling is currently in use in that the roof supports are capable of proving adequate the petroleum industry and it is believed that it will be 10:05 am roof support for existing ground conditions. a valuable asset in the mining industry. This project has The Value of Automation shown that directional drilling can be a viable technology S. Little; Suncor Energy, Calgary, AB, Canada for use in the coal overburden removal process resulting In recent years, it seems that all facets of the mining 10:45 am in increased drill utilization and potential for cost sav- industry have been striving to achieve unprecedented Fractal and Pore Structure Analysis of ings. Future work regarding blasting and geotechnical performance improvement targets. The oil sands oper- Shengli Lignite During Drying Process evaluation should be performed to solidify the concept. ations in Northern Alberta have not been exempt from L. Feng; China University of Mining and Technology, these activities. Suncor is a leading producer in the oil Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China 9:25 am sands and has been a pioneer regarding many aspects Pore structure is one of the key factors that influence of oil sands development. A clear example of their latest Evaluation & Selection of Novel Surveying technology advancement has been their commitment the dewatering, burning and conversion of lignite. In this Systems for use in Surface Coal Mining study, the pore structure variation and fractal dimension to the evaluation of the Komatsu Ltd. FrontRunner au- M. Drake1, C. Roos1, P. Conrad1 and T. Stack2; 1Mining of Shengli lignite in the drying process(150~5000C) tonomous technology for off-highway mining trucks. Engineering, Montana Tech, Butte, MT and 2Safety, were investigated. The pore structure of lignite sam- This paper will discuss the key aspects of evaluating Health and Industrial Hygiene, Montana Tech, Butte, MT the feasibility of automation technology for the unique ples were obtained by N2 adsorption/desorption at 77 conditions present in the oil sands deposits. Time will K. And two fractal dimensions D1 and D2 were calculated This paper presents the evaluation Montana Tech com- using the Frenkel-Halsey-Hill(FHH) method at relative pleted for the Western Energy Company Rosebud Mine be allocated to the steps used in the evaluation process, pressures of 0 to 0.5 and 0.5 to 0.95, respectively. relating to the benefits of survey data collected using the key milestones achieved to date, and the potential The results show that the general pore structure var- novel technologies over traditional methods for topo- benefits of autonomous mining trucks in the challenging ies slightly in the drying process. Mesopores are mainly graphic surveys. These technologies include Unmanned mining applications of Northern Alberta. The attendee the open cylindrical pores and cracks pores, and mi- Aircraft Systems (UAS), photogrammetry, and laser should obtain a general understanding of how a large cropores are mainly one dead end pores. The variation scanning/LIDAR. Utilizing these technologies, large ar- mining operation has taken the initiative to pursue the trend of specific surface area is opposite to that of av- eas such as reclamation areas and cast blasts can be first large-scale evaluation of autonomous truck tech- erage pore diameter. And before the drying temperature surveyed in a timely manner for use by the mining oper- nology in North America. reaches 3000C, the specific surface area, average pore ation. The areas that were evaluated were the improve- diameter and mesopore volume show a “V” shape vari- ments in the safety of employees and the time required ation trend. The evolution mechanisms mainly included to collect data. In addition, there is also a potential cost moisture evaporated, pore shrinkage and decomposition savings for the operation, all while not affecting the ac- of functional groups. The changes in D1 reflected the curacy of the data that is collected. roughness of mesopore surface. The variation trend of

D2 indicated the volumetric roughness of micropore.

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 77 10:25 am WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 ways to a narrow natural bench containing an unlined sediment pond, which resulted in discharge of storm- Dragline Extraction of 1.5 Million Tons of a MORNING 170 Foot Thick Vertically Dipping Coal Seam water by infiltration. The pond does not appear to have T. Morris; SME, Edmonton, AB, Canada a defined exit discharge channel and appears to be 9 am Room 102 undersized for the permitted disturbed area. CEC pre- From December 2014 through August 2016, Westmo- pared a design of two narrow and long HDPE lined reland’s Coal Valley Mine utilized a Marion 7450 electric forebay ponds and one long and narrow HDPE lined walking dragline to extract more than 1.5 million short Environmental: Surface sediment pond to collect sediment and stormwater tons of raw coal below pit bottom, from a vertically-dip- from disturbed areas. The design accounted for sever- ping, 170 foot fault-thickened seam. Mine planning and Water Management: al unique hydraulic and hydrologic features associated operational hurdles encountered throughout half a mile Life of Mine and Closure with the steep valley slopes. Construction was initiated of mined strike length included highwall instability in both in May of 2015 and completed in October of 2015. hanging and footwall slopes, water management, and Chairs: L. Gonzales, Savci Environmental end-of-life machine reliability and maintenance. The most Technologies, LLC, Mesa, AZ substantial challenge, however, has been the depressed D. Tucker, Arcadis US, Inc., Phoenix, AZ 9:45 am global coal market, and the successful application of this Reduction of Risk with Automated Remote mining method has significantly aided the overall cost of Monitoring production at the site. The valuable experience gained 9 am G. Heath1 and M. Smith2; 1Mining and Geological from this project will be extended to future mining areas Introduction Engineering, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ and where similar approaches may be possible. 2KGHM, Phoenix, AZ 9:05 am Aerial Drones Used to Sample Pit Lake Water Reduction of risk may be achieved with the application 10:45 am Reduce Monitoring Costs and Improve Safety of an automated monitoring suite of sensors that con- 1 1 2 1 sists of an integrated system that includes geophysical, Maximize the Data You Have D. Castendyk , B. Straight and P. Filiatreault ; Hatch, 2 hydrological radiological and a self calibrating chemical 1 2 1 Lakewood, CO and Hatch, Sudbury, ON, Canada N. Priegnitz and K. Krishnamoorthi ; Komatsu sensor network. There is a need by both government America Corp. / Bradley University, Peoria, IL and Aerial drones capable of collecting and retrieving water 2 and private industry for long-term information on earth Industrial Engineering, Bradley University, Peoria, IL samples from pit lakes, tailings ponds and other mine- system behavior. The information needed for monitoring Optimizing the efficiency and productivity of existing site basins will revolutionize environmental programs will vary from site to site but will include things like: wa- mobile equipment with minimal investment becomes a by cutting sampling costs and eliminating safety risks. ter quality, areal distribution, ion specific contaminates more important endeavor in slow market periods, and Costs typically include a boat, boat transport, road temperature, bacterial types and quantities to name a requires increased awareness of how equipment is be- maintenance, floatation devices, water-safety training few. The information need has operational, regulatory ing operated. Data collection systems, factory standard and extra staff. Labor costs alone can exceed $20,000 and scientific drivers. The integrated use of point source on most, if not all, mining equipment are one window US per sampling event. Hazards include potential for sensors with volumetric near surface geophysical meth- on equipment performance; unfortunately, this data is drowning, unstable pit walls and unconsolidated sedi- ods when properly combined provide potential of pro- frequently underutilized. This presentation will discuss ment surrounding tailings ponds. Hatch has developed viding highly detailed localized subsurface information and explore one application of common statistical a novel device for aerial drones which enables the col- on processes and subsurface behavior. techniques applied to haul truck payload data reported lection of water samples from depths up to 150 m. This through standard Komatsu systems. These techniques system only requires a pilot, a sample technician, and a are intended to help identify when an apparent change safe operations point overlooking the water body. Hatch 10:05 am in reported data from one day to the next represents anticipates this will cut monitoring cost by at least 50% Passive Treatment System for Mine a fundamental change in the load-haul process, or is while improving safety, reducing staff and accelerating Influenced Water Discharge from the Iron just reflective of natural variability. An attendee to this data acquisition. When paired with water testing equip- King/Copper Chief Mine presentation should understand the general concepts ment, we can perform site-wide surveys of multiple R. Buchanan; Environmental, Freeport McMoRan, behind, and potential applications for, this and related water bodies to generate a rapid assessment of water Phoenix, AZ process control techniques. quality. This presentation will demonstrate the collection of water samples from a 100-m-deep pit lake, and will A passive sulfate reducing bioreactor (SRBR) with an highlight the potential of this emerging technology. aerobic polishing cell was designed and installed at the Iron King/Copper Chief Mine (Iron King) south of Cotton- wood, Arizona. This system was implemented under the 9:25 am auspices of Arizona’s Voluntary Remediation Program WVDEP Regulations for Drainage and (VRP) to passively treat mine influenced water (MIW) Sediment Pond Construction from two former underground copper mines. Construc- P. Sullivan1 and S. Kisner2; 1Civil & Environmental tion was completed during one construction season in Consultants, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA and 2Engineering, 2009, the system has been operating since that time Greer Limestone, Masontown, WV and in 2016, is in OM&M mode. The SRBR cell was Greer Industries, Inc.operates an underground lime- designed as a down-flow vertical reactor; with intermin- stone quarry near Rowlesburg, WV approximately 500 gled MIW input from two mine adits and conveyed by a ft. above the Cheat River. Conveyors, crushers, stock- subsurface pipeline to the SRBR. The SRBR was con- piles and an inactive railroad right-of-way are locat- structed in the shallow subsurface, with a light-weight ed on a plateau 50 to 60 feet above the river. Greer fill cover consisting of a pumice overlain by wood chips, maintains a NPDES General Water Pollution Control a geomembrane liner, and an upper hydro-seeded cap. Permit (NPDES Permit No. WV0005151) for the Site, The SRBR drains to a concrete-lined mixing pond which which contains a subpart that includes compliance with in turn feeds a multi-terraced aerobic polishing cell an E&SC Plan. Stormwater collected from disturbed (APC), populated with native vegetation. Passively-treat- areas is routed through a series of hydraulic facilities ed MIW may be utilized for native vegetation irrigation. before discharging into natural unforested drainage

78 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

10:25 am Area (RDA). The storm flows in F-Wash drain to Min- tailings site located in the middle of two towns. Prior to Design and Construction of Innovative eral Creek, which is the principal watercourse through the start of reclamation activities, a portion of the site Stormwater Conveyance at the ASARCO the Ray Mine and a designated “waters of the US”. This had been redeveloped into an industrial park, which Ray Mine paper will review the regulatory compliance drivers and included 15 commercial facilities. In addition, 54 resi- D. Tucker; Arcadis US, Inc., Phoenix, AZ their strong influence on the design and construction dential properties and a city park had been developed of the engineered solution to mitigate water quality im- immediately adjacent to the site. As a result, reclamation The 7F Diversion Channel is a recent improvement to a pacts to Mineral Creek. activities had to be completed to address complex ge- 1970’s-era earthen channel constructed to route storm- otechnical design issues, while taking into account the water run-on around the ASARCO Ray Mine’s Number logistical challenges of working in a redeveloped area. 7 rock stockpile. The storm flows in the channel drain Due to the challenging technical and logistical issues, a to Mineral Creek, which is the principal watercourse phased design and construction effort was implemented through the Ray Mine and a designated “waters of the for the reclamation activities. This phased effort utilized a US”. A fast-track value engineering and design-build ap- collaborative design build construction approach, which proach with a partnering general contractor resulted in WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 resulted in reclamation activities being completed in a an innovative solution that enabled ASARCO to achieve MORNING manner that allowed construction to proceed without a critical compliance deadline, while staying within their stopping, while maintaining the agreed upon schedule capital budget allowance. High design storm flows, 9 am Room 108 and causing minimal disturbance to the commercial and complex topography, multiple contributing watersheds, residential properties. and separation of contact and non-contact water along the 2-mile conveyance route were some of the technical Environmental: Sustainability challenges that needed to be overcome. This paper will 9:45 am review the design-build process and present the unique and Remediation Reclamation of Iron Ore Scram Mining features of the constructed project. Chairs: N. Dent, Barr Engineering Co, Tailings: Innovations in Establishing Native Vegetation Knife River, MN A. Kramer1, J. Asp1, N. White1, J. Marinucci1 and 10:45 am K. Tonander, Souder, Miller & Associates, M. Lorenz2; 1Short Elliott Hendrickson Inc., Virginia, How Effective is Your Life-of-Mine Mine Las Cruces, NM MN and 2Mining Resources, LLC., Chisholm, MN Water Management Program ? Minnesota has robust reclamation standards with prov- J. Lupo1 and M. Brunhart-Lupo2; 1Newmont Mining 2 9 am en results in the taconite mining industry. New break- Corporation, Greenwood Village, CO and ReBel Introduction throughs in scram mining technologies are producing Consulting, Golden, CO fine and coarse tailings that have not been encountered Mine water management is a critical component of any 9:05 am nor reclaimed in Minnesota. Innovative research is un- mine operation. Water is required in many areas of the Field Investigation of In Situ Lime derway to investigate and determine successful recla- mine ranging from ore processing (milling and heap Neutralization of Acidic Sediment mation strategies to reclaim tailings from scram mining leaching) to supporting mine reclamation work. However, J. Villinski; Clear Creek Associates, Tucson, AZ operations. Phase I: Bench scale testing to identify suc- as mining operations develop and expand, increasingly cessful treatments to reclaim and restore scram tailings there is competition for the available water resources. Groundwater remediation using technologies such as through evaluating “surface soil” amendments, viable This reality has resulted in focused efforts to minimize pump-and-treat can lead to protracted remediation seed mixes and plant germination, growth and den- water consumption at all levels of a mine operation, with of aquifers impacted by acid mine drainage because sities. Phase II: Field scale pilot trial to test larger scale a Life-of-Mine (LoM) Water Management Plan (WMP) solid phase reactions pose kinetic limitations on the effectiveness of the treatments deemed successful in being central to that effort. A LoM WMP provides specif- release of stored acidity and metals to groundwater. Phase I and test vegetative assemblages and planting ic details how an operation manages its available water Estimates of the time required remediate AMD-im- techniques focused on the unique challenges with scram resources. Ideally, these plans are developed during the pacted aquifers can be many decades or longer. In situ tailing basins. Phase III: Produce a technical report of re- mine planning stage and continually updated throughout alkali application is a potential alternative treatment sults for the research, as well as compile prior reclamation the mine life. While a LoM WMP can be powerful tool for technology to neutralize sediment acidity and seques- results used previously in Minnesota iron mining recla- managing water at a site, the effectiveness and applica- ter metals. A field-scale infiltration test was performed mation projects on tailings basin applications. The pre- tion of the plan must evaluated and adjusted, as need- with a lime solution to evaluate the implementability of sentation will step through the research proposal, Phase ed. Changes are constantly occurring at mine operations in situ neutralization of alluvial sediment impacted by I bench scale results and subsequent Phase II design, that affect water consumption and management. This AMD. Implementation issues included efficiently mix- implementation and year 1 field trial results. paper discusses the important elements to designing, ing solutions near solubility limits, controlling solids formed when mixing lime with makeup water containing implementing, and monitoring an effective WMP. Pitfalls 10:05 am and challenges are discussed as well as opportunities to bicarbonate alkalinity, delivering the lime solution to the reduce water consumption. impacted sediment without clogging the application fa- Sustainable Green Technologies for cility or impacting the aquifer formation, and transport- Remediating AMD Impacted Soil and Water ing the lime alkalinity throughout the treatment volume. L. Ackah1, R. Guru1, M. Peiravi1, M. Mohanty1 and 2 1 11:05 am Q. Zhang ; Mining and Mineral Resources Engineer- Regulatory Drivers for Stormwater ing, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, Car- 9:25 am bondale, IL and 2Department of Mineral Processing, Management Improvements at the ASARCO Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, Henan, China Ray Mine The Benefits of a Collaborative Design Build D. Yantorno; ASARCO LLC, Tucson, AZ Approach to Completing the Investigation and Acid mine drainage (AMD) and acid sulfate soils cause Reclamation of a Legacy Mine Tailings Site surface water pollution through direct discharge, leach- Stormwater discharges often present compliance chal- T. Morris; Barr Engineering, Jefferson City, MO ing and erosion. The study developed two sustainable and lenges for mine environmental managers. The 7F Di- complementary green methods for passive treatment of version Channel (also known as the F-Wash channel), Reclaiming historic mine tailings sites can present unique design and construction challenges, particular- AMD impacted water and soil. One method utilized the is an innovative improvement to a 1970’s-era earthen metal adsorbing and acid-neutralizing capacity of drink- channel constructed to divert stormwater run-on around ly when sites are located in populated areas. Recently, reclamation activities were completed on a historic mine ing water treatment residuals (WTRs) to treat AMD im- the ASARCO Ray Mine’s Number 7 Rock Deposition pacted water and soil. The other green approach applied

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 79 the metal accumulating properties (phytoremediation) of company to integrate closure planning and implemen- 9:05 am two fast-growing, plants/grasses, such as Vetiver (Vet- tation for a more sustainable environment acceptable Inferring the Economic Impact of Safety iviera zizanioides L.) and Pokeweed (Phytolacca ameri- to the stakeholders. It is critical to realize as early as Incidents with a Random Forest Model cana L.) to clean metal-rich mine water and metal-con- possible that Acid Mine Drainage is one of the largest J. Gernand; Energy and Mineral Engineering, Penn taminated soil. Batch adsorption tests, and lab-scale liability and management issue for closure. We provide State University, University Park, PA flow-through study of a designed fluidized filter column effective solutions to minimize seepage through tailings/ that employs WTRs as media significantly reduced the waste rock, assessments of erosion and slope stability, Understanding the economic impact of mine safety in- high iron, aluminum, manganese and sulfate concen- and reprocessing/recycling potential of low-grade waste cidents is one important piece of information to be used trations in the influent acidic water collected from an materials as well as other essential assessments of sur- when making decisions on investment in equipment to abandoned coal mine site in Illinois. A greenhouse col- face water management. We specialize in developing mitigate hazards, changes in work rules, or regulatory umn leaching study was conducted with different rates long-term monitoring programs to evaluate the success policy. However, the infrequent nature of safety incidents of WTR amendment for pH control, metal immobilization of interim remedial actions and closure activities. This and the lack of commonality between them can present and the complementary phytoextraction of the applied presentation will use examples from several mine sites so much uncertainty that decision makers may rely on metal hyperaccumulators. to illustrate many of these critical issues associated with optimistic assumptions for the effectiveness of hazard mine rehabilitation and closure. mitigations. Simultaneously examining many mines can provide such an answer. However, models often used to 10:25 am answer similar questions are based on linear regression The Effect of Mineral Rights and Mining 11:05 am and average out many of the important distinctions be- How the Mining Industry Can tween worksites and individual incidents that they only Activities on Municipal Waste Management find weak effects with any controllable factor. Random in Mining Communities – Case Study in Save the Planet forest models are a “big data” tool with unique capabil- J. Gusek; Sovereign Consulting Inc., Lakewood, CO Tarkwa, Ghana ities including their readability, their facility with incom- E. Kwesi1, K. Awuah-Offei2, R. Amankwah3 and 4 1 In the past 250 years, the mining industry has provided plete data sets, as well as identifying conditional and A. Duker ; Mining/Geomatic Engineering, Missouri Uni- societies world-wide with the raw materials for a mon- threshold relationships that may be obscured by other versity of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO, USA and umental industrial and technological revolution that is methods. The results from these random forest models University of Mines and Technology, Ghana, Rolla, MO; now coupled to global warming. This paper will present demonstrate how this economic impact varies under 2Mining and Nuclear Engineering, Missouri University 3 several easilyimplementable programs of “closing the different conditions and offer possibilities to improve of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO; Mineral Engi- loop” in mining sustainability and carbon sequestration. safety-related decision making. neering, University of Mines and Technology, Tarkwa, 4 Miners have created very big holes (VBHs) either us- Ghana, Tarkwa, Western Region, Ghana and Geomatic ing underground or surface mining techniques that are Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science viewed as liabilities to mining companies or government 9:25 am and Technology, Kumasi, Ashanti Region, Ghana entities that inherited them. Most VBHs are filled with Identifying High-Risk Health Exposure An emerging effect of surface mining in developing mining influenced water (MIW) that is part of their linger- Groups Using K-Means and Hierarchical economies is land scarcity for social and public services ing legacy. Fortunately, these MIW-filled VBHs are ideal Cluster Analysis like housing and sanitation to support urbanization in for sequestering carbon in that they provide an ideal sink R. Reed; Mine Safety and Health Program, University mining communities. This paper examines the effect of for backfilling with anything that will burn, even biosolids. of Arizona, Tucson, AZ mineral rights and mining activities on landfill site selec- Placing organic waste in landfills or incinerating it does tion using the mining communities of Tarkwa, Ghana, as not permanently sequester carbon as both processes Objective: Identify those groups with highest risk of a case study. The paper analyzes the relationship be- yield greenhouse gases. Submergence of backstowed overexposure to health hazards in the mining industry. tween mining and waste generation, the existing mining organic material in pit lakes or underground mine pools Introduction: Preliminary analysis has demonstrated that laws regarding land use, land ownership, and environ- would sequester carbon as bicarbonate ion or elemental exposures such as silver fumes, noise, diesel particulate mental responsibilities, and how these are affecting land carbon. Over time, geochemically reducing conditions matter, and respirable quartz, among others, as those acquisition for waste disposal. The authors observe that: similar to those that created coal deposits would form; health exposures with worst compliance. The states, job (1) the presence of mining is a major factor contributing the carbon loop would be closed. tasks, and mine locations associated with highest expo- to increasing waste generation; (2) much of the land sures have also been identified. Methods: With MSHA’s suitable for waste disposal are within mining conces- publicly-available health sample and address/employ- sions; and (3) mining companies exhibit “not in my back ment data, a relational database was created. K-Means yard” stand towards landfill siting partly because the and Hierarchical Cluster analysis will be performed with laws hold them responsible for environmental pollution the R programming language. Cluster categories will include states, job tasks, mine locations, and commod- within their concessions. The paper recommends that WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 existing mining laws and policies should be reviewed to ity types. Anticipated Results: We anticipate identifying promote cooperation between mining and waste man- MORNING those characteristics associated with highest exposures agement agencies for landfill siting in communities sur- and worst compliance. rounded by large mining concessions. 9 am Room 612 9:45 am 10:45 am Health & Safety: Applying Regressing Into the Future; A Data Driven A Forward Looking Approach to Mine Predictive Approach to Safey Closure and Remediation Big Data to H&S M. Savit; Husch Blackwell LLP, Denver, CO J. Eldridge and T. Moyer; Black & Veatch, Kansas City, MO Chairs: J. Gernand, Penn State Outside of the mining industry, data collected by the dig- Planning and implementation of successful mine clo- University, University Park, PA ital tools we use is accumulated and process to predict sure necessitates that companies, communities and A. Lashgari, Pennsylvania State (with remarkable accuracy) future consumer behavior. Inside the industry, we collect remarkable amounts of regulators assess the future land use of the mine while University, University Park, PA developing remediation strategies. Black & Veatch ex- data from the equipment and tools we use. That data is currently used, almost exclusively to either optimize perience includes risk identification and mitigation, 9 am and understanding social-economic impacts to the equipment utilization or to avoid running components local community. We use multi-disciplines within our Introduction to failure (i.e. preditive maintenance). With very little ef-

80 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

fort, most, if not all of that data, can be tied to particular WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 citations, orders, sns citations, sns orders, inspection equipment operators and compiled to produce an oper- hours, & proposed penalties. Model outputs included: MORNING ational portrait of that individual. Departures from that days lost, restricted activity, days lost & restricted activ- behavioral portrait can then be used to predict behavior ity, & no days lost or restricted activity injuries. Results: which may presage unsafe acts or decisions. A limited 9 am Room 610 Some inputs, such as sns citations, demonstrate a sig- database is already being used to predict fatigue among nificant, positively correlated relationship with injuries. individual equipment operators with surprising accuracy. Health & Safety: Research this paper will discuss the techniques that are current- ly being used for fatigue management, the results of Informing Regulations and 9:45 am that program, the sources of data that might be used An Evaluation of the Relative Safety of U.S. to enhance the predictive power of that program and Compliance Mining Explosion-Protected Equipment the potential for managing behavioral modifiers such as Chairs: E. Lutz, NIOSH, Spokane, WA Approval Requirements Versus Those of distraction or impairment. M. Reiher International Standards W. Calder2, D. Snyder1 and J. Burr1; 1NIOSH, Pittsburgh, PA and 2Calder Enterprises, 9 am The Villages, FL 10:05 am Introduction The Constructive Role of Ventilation Models “Explosion protection” refers to techniques used to mini- in Atmospheric Monitoring Signal Evaluation 9:05 am mize the potential for electrical and electronic equipment W. Asante, D. Bahrami and G. Danko; Mining Does it Protect? The Role of Personal to create an ignition while operating in a hazardous loca- Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV Protective Equipment in Mining tion (HAZLOC). In particular, U.S. coal mines are required It is prudent to interpret atmospheric monitoring sig- S. Moore, R. Stein, D. Chirdon and F. KilincBalci; to use equipment in certain areas of the mine that has nals in real-time for checking the safe limits of the air National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory, been approved by the Mine Safety and Health Adminis- conditions in underground mines. In gassy mines, such NIOSH, PIttsburgh, PA tration (MSHA) for use in a methane and coal dust en- real-time evaluation increases the safety of operation. vironment to limit the risk of the equipment creating an In all mines, the continuous monitoring and evaluation The National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory ignition-capable spark or a thermal energy ignition. In contribute to maintaining air conditions to be within has published a draft National Framework for Personal general, MSHA’s regulations for explosion protection rec- healthy and safe limits. Signal interpretation for safety Protective Equipment (PPE) - A Conformity Assessment ognize two techniques: the use of explosion-proof enclo- conditions in mines is difficult for many reasons. An in- Infrastructure to help ensure that PPE is safe for its in- sures (XP boxes) and 2-fault intrinsic safety for electrical crease of hazardous contaminant concentrations can be tended use. The Framework consists of five steps: 1) and electronic equipment. Outside of U.S. underground predicted by signal pattern recognition, root-cause anal- identify hazard and define risk to workers; 2) identify PPE mining, many industries and countries accept equipment ysis of rapid changes toward deterioration and forward types needed to address hazards; 3) identify and select that is designed to a consensus-based international stan- prediction in time using algorithms and numerical mod- standards which address hazards and link to protection dard (ANSI/ISA 60079-11 is the U.S. version for 2-fault els. This paper focuses on analyzing signal patterns to requirements; 4) based on the risk to the worker, define intrinsic safety). The study presented in this paper pro- recognize dangerous trends as well as forward predict- requirements and activities that will ensure PPE conform vides an overall assessment of the ANSI/ISA 60079-11 ing the various environmental and working conditions to standards; and 5) perform activities to assess con- standard and the MSHA ACRI2001 acceptance criteria, that may affect safety in underground mines. Efficient formity to specified standards. For PPE common to the and determines if the ANSI/ISA document can be an al- numerical ventilation model with heat and gas contam- mining industry—e.g., respirators, hard hats, protective ternative to ACRI2001 while maintaining an equivalent or inant simulation components is needed for the analysis clothing, hearing protection, kneepads, safety glasses, better level of safety for miners. of real-time atmospheric monitoring data. Computation- gloves, and boots—this paper will review pertinent PPE al speed enhancement methods are discussed and test- requirements and activities within the mining sector rela- tive to this Framework. Additionally, this paper will discuss 10:05 am ed in numerical examples, using the Jacobian sensitivity Beyond Compliance: Innovative Monitoring matrices for signal propagation prediction. how mine operators, PPE manufacturers, and regulators may use this Framework to ensure that PPE being used Solutions for Respirable Dust and Crystalline by mine workers will provide the necessary protections. Silica J. Patts and E. Cauda; PMRD, NIOSH, Pittsburgh, PA 10:25 am Roundtable Discussion: Looking Ahead to 9:25 am Worker’s exposure to respirable dust and crystalline Applying Big Data Towards Improving Mine Measuring Relationships Among MSHA silica in the mining industry is a complicated occupa- Health and Safety Regulatory Actions and Injuries with Time tional issue and can be affected by the type of mining, A. Lashgari and J. Gernand; Energy and Mineral Series (Vector Auto-Regressive) Techniques effectiveness of control technologies, and the spatial Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University R. Reed; Mine Safety and Health Program, University variability of the silica content in the dust. Monitoring the Park, PA of Arizona, Tucson, AZ exposure in an effective way is paramount to protect the workers. Traditional monitoring approaches have known A round table discussion will be held at the end of this Objective: To compare the relationships of MSHA regu- latory actions with injury outcomes using vector auto-re- limitations such as the generation of a single data point session to discuss the current state of infrastructure, re- for each sampling event. This can be overcome with the search tools, and achievements related to mine health gression (VAR) in order to understand which may more effectively exert a preventative influence on injuries. NIOSH wearable Helmet-CAM system which combines and safety and highlight areas of significant opportunity video and real-time respirable dust measurements and and continuing needs to apply big data driven research Introduction: To date there is little empirical evidence to support or contradict the effectiveness of MSHA’s can pinpoint specific over-exposures and assess control to this area. As part of this discussion, panelists will de- technologies. The dust sample analyses cost and turn- scribe some of the main high value research questions activities. While some studies have produced evidence to support regulatory actions (Boden LI 1985, John- around time are limitations of the traditional approach. that may be amenable to big-data-type research, as well NIOSH has been working on a new technique for silica as the current impediments in terms of data infrastruc- son GR 1987), more recent studies have questioned their cost-effectiveness (Viscusi WK 1994, Kniesner TJ quantification of collected samples on-site using porta- ture and relevant tools that must be developed to ad- ble infrared instruments. Silica samples have been col- dress those questions. Recent achievements in this area 2004). Methods: Data regarding violations & injuries from 2000-2015 were obtained from MSHA’s publicly lected from various metal/nonmetal mining operations will be put in context of the most important outstanding to develop the calibration models and work is being research needs. available datasets. Time series were divided into sep- arate resolutions (monthly, weekly, & daily) & decom- performed on improving the analytical technique’s re- posed into stochastic processes. VAR models were cre- sponse to confounding artifacts, as well as simplifying ated using multiple sets of lags. Model inputs included: the hardware and software for various instruments.

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 81 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 a conventional single-stage free-fall tribo-electrostatic underway at University of Kentucky to establish coal as separator. The triboelectric belt separator technology a source of rare earth elements. This paper discusses MORNING has been used to separate a wide range of materials the recovery of rare earth elements from the leach- including mixtures of glassy aluminosilicates/carbon, ate solution by solvent extraction methodology using 9 am Room 110 calcite/quartz, talc/magnesite, and barite/quartz. Sep- Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid. The elements were aration results will be presented and economic com- extracted in the organic phase using the D2EHPA and parison of using the tribo-electrostatic belt separation were subsequently stripped in the aqueous phase using Industrial Minerals & versus conventional flotation for barite/quartz separation sulfuric acid. The rare earth elements were then precip- will be evaluated. itated from the solution using oxalic acid. The rare earth Aggregates: Fundamentals & element concentration was increased significantly by Best Practices in Industrial this process. An alternative methodology to recover the 9:45 am rare earth elements using organic ion-exchange beads Minerals Processing Revisiting Scrubbing Unit Operations in the was also evaluated. Chairs: V. Gupta, EP Minerals, Reno, NV Phosphate Industry N. Gupta, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA F. Sotillo; PerUsa EnviroMet, Inc., Lakeland, FL 10:45 am Scrubbing both horizontal and vertical are considered A Microscopic Flow Model for 9 am simple unit operations in the beneficiation of phosphate Introduction ores. In general, the operating conditions are fixed at Ultrafine-Particle Filtration L. Pan1, K. Huang2 and R. Yoon2; 1Chemical Engineer- high solids content based on the experience of the com- ing, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI pany responsible of designing this beneficiation step. 9:05 am and 2Mining and Minerals, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA Microstructural Characteristics of Nevertheless, scrubbing is a complex unit operation Polymer-Induced Kaolinite Flocculation designed to clean the surfaces of phosphate particles Darcy’s law has been used extensively to model cake S. Sharma, C. Lin and J. Miller; Metallurgical of slimes, break loose weak particles of impurities, and filtration. It is a macroscopic model, in which particle Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT break clayish material. Therefore, it is considered that size dominates the filtration kinetics and cake moisture. as high solids content as possible should be used to In the present work, a filtration model based on flow Despite their many uses, fine clay particles, such as ka- enhance particle-particle interactions (impact and rub- through mono-sized capillaries has been developed. olinite, present a problem in the management of tailings bing) without taking into consideration the rheology of The new model differentiates from the Darcy’s equa- in various mineral industries such as the oil sands and the system. However, scrubbing unit operations design tion by incorporating the microscopic parameters such phosphate processing industries. The effective floccula- requires studying the balance between the increase of as capillary radius and disjoining pressure, which may tion, sedimentation and consolidation of these fine parti- particle-particle interactions with the cushion effect of be important for dewatering ultrafine particles. Labora- cles are major challenges. The structure of flocs and the slimes, clays and fines that decrease the availability of tory-scale pressure filtration tests were conducted with water entrapped within the floc (intra-floc water) deter- free water increasing the apparent viscosity of the phos- 2 um top size east Georgia kaolinite clay. The results mine floc behavior and settling characteristics. Polymer phate slurry. This paper presents data from laboratory show that dewatering kinetics is strongly dependent on (PAM)-induced flocculation of kaolinite has been studied tests to determine the best operating conditions for the capillary radius, which in turn is influenced by surface with respect to size, shape and intra-floc water content design of these unit operations based on the highest hydrophobicity and charge. The model parameters de- for the first time by high resolution X-ray micro tomog- P2O5 grade obtained with the lowest impurities for dif- termined experimentally show that use of a hydropho- raphy (HRXMT). About 98% of the flocs were found to ferent size fractions. bizing reagent can greatly improve fine particle filtration have water content in the range 30-80%. Size analysis due to hydrophobic coagulation. It has been found that revealed that about 90% of the flocs are less than 1.5 the kinetics of dewatering kaolin clay is fastest at a pH mm in size. In addition to analysis of individual flocs by 10:05 am where the layer-structured particles coagulate with a HRXMT, flocs were analyzed for their microstructure by face-to-edge orientation. The capillary flow model de- cryo-SEM. Visualization of primary kaolinite particles Retreating Oxide Tin at Lab Level – Gravity, Flotation to Generate Adequate Flowsheet veloped in the present work may be useful for designing and PAM chains in the floc microstructure reveal stabili- filters and optimizing operating conditions. zation of kaolinite microflocs in the web formed by poly- E. Blanco; FLSmidth, Herriman, UT mer chains. The structure of the PAM polymer chains The processes of beneficiation and extractive have been as well as the interaction between microflocs and the reviewed of their main features and recent development. polymer chains is described. Also indicated is the need for development of processes to recover fine tin and tin from low-grade complex tailing ores. Coarse and fine Tin particle size interaction developments 9:25 am of separate stream and the process to build the best flow- Beneficiation of Industrial Minerals Using a sheet design are in progress. Briefly shown are important Tribo-electric Belt Separator tools like equipment features, mineralogy, and a scale from P. Miranda; St Equipment and Technology, Butte, MT lab to industrial equipment. Results indicate additional re- covery using hydoxamates to activate oxide Tin ore. Recently, ST Equipment & Technology, LLC (STET) has developed a processing system based on tribo-elec- trostatic separation. This dry technology provides the 10:25 am mineral processing industry a means to beneficiate fine materials. In contrast to other electrostatic separation Recovery of Rare Earth Elements from Dilute processes that are typically limited to particles great- Leachates Generated from Coal A. Chandra1, R. Honaker1 and K. Han2; 1Mining er than 75µm in size, the triboelectric belt separator is ideally suited for separation of very fine ( 1 m) to Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY and < µ 2South Dakota School of Mines, Rapid City, SD moderately coarse (300µm) particles with very high throughput. The high efficiency multi-stage separation In light of the ever increasing worldwide demand of rare through internal charging/recharging and recycle results earth elements, there is a growing interest in exploration in far superior separations that can be achieved with of viable alternative sources for the same. Efforts are

82 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 9:45 am 10:25 am MORNING Mullitization of Andalusite and Its Effect Impact of Cementation on Hydraulic to Ceramic Sinterability: Microstructural Fracturing Sand Viability Indications K. Anderson; Kraemer Mining & Materials Inc, 9 am Room 112 B. Li1, M. He2 and H. Wang1; 1Michigan Technologi- Burnsville, MN 2 cal University, Houghton, MI and Research Center, The degree and type of cement in sandstone play an Industrial Minerals & Wuhan Iron and Steel Corp. Group, Wuhan, China important role in determining the viability of a deposit for Andalusite is a silicate mineral containing high alumina. It hydraulic fracturing sand. While loosely cemented sand- Aggregates: Innovations in has been used as raw materials for refractory ceramics due stones represent the best deposits, other sandstones Industrial Minerals to its mullitization at high temperature. However, the phase that are more cemented are sometimes advantaged due transformation from andalusite to mullite is not only the to location and or grain size characteristics. Degree of Chair: B. Li, Michigan Technological re-allocation of chemical components but the re-orga- cementing typically can vary throughout deposits caus- University, Houghton, MI nization of microstructure, which plays a critical role for ing possible variability in quality. Both the type and de- the effective applications of andulusite. This study in- gree of development of the cement should be assessed 9 am vestigated the microstructural characteristics during the in sandstone deposits. Various techniques to determine Introduction phase transformation from andalusite to mullite and its and assess hydraulic fracturing sand viability due to de- effect to ceramic sinterability. The results showed that gree of cementation will be evaluated from the present- 9:05 am newly born mullite appeared as rod-like or acicular mi- ers experience with the operation and/or development Recycling Industrial Minerals: A Not crocrystals and dispersed around the initial andalusite. of 6 sandstone mines and numerous exploration and So “Secondary” Raw Material Source At 1150°C, the mullitization of andalusite was started, drilling projects throughout the US. M. O’Driscoll; IMFORMED Industrial Mineral Forums & but the completely mullitization was found until fired at Research Ltd, Leatherhead, UK 1450°C. The compressive strength of the ceramics in- creased from 93.7 to 294.6 MPa while increasing the 10:45 am The strive towards a circular economy has boosted the fire temperature from 1150°C to 1450°C. The appearanc- A New Chemical Scheme for the Flotation of evolution of recycling industrial waste. In turn, this has es and distribution of mullite crystals are critical to the me- Rutile from Garnet increased the potential of recycling industrial minerals chanical properties of the ceramics. The smaller the parti- S. Song; Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, from certain waste streams as technical and economic cle size of initial andalusite, the stronger of the ceramics. Hubei, China challenges in their sourcing, processing, and distribution are overcome. Recycled industrial minerals will soon The common collectors for rutile flotation, such as sal- be a standard option on the mineral consumer’s menu, 10:05 am icylic hydroxamic acid (SHA) and styrene phosphoric competing with primary raw material sources on cost, acid (SPA) are featured by their high selectivity and poor Pre-Concentration by Automatic Sorting collecting. In this work, a new chemical scheme, which quality, and availability. A new supply chain of recycled C. Petter1, A. Young1, M. Veras2, A. Bastos Neto1, used Pb2+as activator and emulsified kerosene as inten- industrial minerals is evolving to meet both market de- 3, E. Gomes3 and C. Sampaio1; 1UFRGS, R. Paranhos sifier, has been developed for the flotation of rutile from mand and our environmental expectations. This paper Porto Alegre, Brazil; 2Tecnologia Mineral, IFAP, garnet. The study was performed on the single minerals reviews some of these new industrial mineral sources, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil and 3UNIPAMPA, Caçapava do of rutile and garnet by micro-flotation and the measure- their markets, and the challenges in their development Sul, Brazil and acceptance. ments of zeta potential, adsorption capacity and XPS. The major challenges of the current mining are the en- Also, the scheme was tested on the artificial mixed min- ergetic optimization, the lowest water consumption and erals. The experimental results have shown that lead ion 9:25 am minimizing environmental impact. One technique that could greatly improve the flotability of rutile with SHA Discriminating Cristobalite and Tridymite eliminates much of the waste avoiding milling sterile, as the collector, but not garnet. It was attributed to the States In Diatomaceous Earths and operating without water and to decrease the generation adsorption of Pb2+ on rutile in the form of Pb(OH)+ com- of waste at the end of the process, must be considered plex interacted with the Ti-OH on rutile surfaces, form- Refractory Matrices Using Thermal-XRD + and TGA-DSC a major innovation. One of the most important devel- ing surface complex Ti-O-Pb . In addition, it was found G. Tomaino; Minerals Technologies Inc, Easton, PA opments in these past 10 years in the mining indus- that emulsified kerosene could significantly improve the try was expanding the use of high-tech sensors aimed flotability of rutile with SHA or SPA as the collector, while Present regulations consider crystalline silica (quartz, at pre-concentration of ore. Among the mining areas garnet did not float. With this scheme, high separation cristobalite, tridymite) as “known human carcinogens”. where this type of technology is booming is the industrial efficiency of rutile from garnet was achieved by flotation. Previous talks at SME sessions centered on discrimi- minerals. The most common sensors are color sensors Also, the new scheme functioned well at a low slurry nating opaline states (opal-A, opal-CT, opal-C) and with Charge – Coupled Devices (CCD cameras) allowing temperature. opaline states versus cristobalite or tridymite within through the RGB colorimetric system, the separation of clay matrices. This talk is an extension of these pre- minerals with different hues, and in many cases, a dif- vious presentations concentrating on the delineation ference in brightness. More recently, the development and determination of cristobalite or tridymite phases of the use of dual energy X-ray transmission (DE-XRT) within diatomaceous earths (flux-calcined and in-situ Dual Zone allowed the separation by atomic density of fluxed calcined) and refractory matrices. To confirm the mineral constituents of the rock. This paper presents a crystalline state of cristobalite or tridymite versus a review of these two techniques (CCD and DE – XRT) as opaline states a combination of known NIST reference well some results showing the use of these two technics materials (1878a quartz and/or 1879a cristobalite) can for Earth Rare and Limestone. be used as internal standards to observe alpha to beta and beta to alpha transition states using Thermal-XRD and TGA-DSC.

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 83 11:05 am WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 9:45 am Phyllosilicate Nanoparticles for Li-Ion MORNING Optimal Pillar Placement in an Batteries Underground Stoping Mine Y. Lin1, X. Wang1, J. Liu2 and J. Miller1; 1Metallurgical L. Sipeki1, A. Newman1 and C. Yano2; 1Operations Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT and 9 am Room 501 Research, Colorado School of Mines, Littleton, CO 2School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South and 2Industrial Engineering and Operations Research University, Changsha, Hunan, China Mining & Exploration: (IEOR), University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA Li-ion battery technology has been applied for both flex- Underground mine design optimization for a top-down, ible portable electronic devices and more recently for Management: The Ancient open-stope retreat operation consists of determining transportation systems including hybrid and fully electric Art of Sandbagging: which blocks should be designated as support pillars vehicles. These markets present different challenges in (and left in situ) and which should be designated as battery cell design, the former requiring generally high- Ensuring your Optimal Plan stopes (and extracted and processed) to minimize the er power density, and the latter requiring higher ener- ore left in situ (i.e., in the pillars). Constraints in making gy density for increased travel distances. The need for Is Achievable II this selection consist of geotechnical restrictions (pillar better technical performance with improved conductivity Chairs: C. Roos, Montana Tech, stress, hydraulic radius, pillar length-to-width ratios and and diffusivity is well documented. A novel nanocom- Butte, MT stope-to-pillar extraction ratios) as well as “common posite organic/inorganic material using certain phyllo- sense” packing constraints. Geotechnical constraints silicate nanoparticles has been identified as a potential A. Brickey, South Dakota School of are difficult to express and the resulting problem in- solid polymer electrolyte system that can exhibit high Mines, Rapid City, SD stances are large and complicated to solve. Therefore, Li-ion conductivity at room temperature. This nano- we devise a constructive heuristic; this method exploits composite PEO-based electrolyte can be used for high 9 am our integer programming structure to produce a struc- energy solid-state Li-ion batteries over a wide range of Introduction turally stable pillar placement design that increases temperatures. The use of such a thin membrane elec- mine profitability by: (1) shifting the pillars to find the trolyte will simplify solid state design, lighten packag- 9:05 am most desirable stopes to extract, (2) minimizing the ore ing and improve safety. Li-ion batteries with this new Efficient Generation of Open Pit Precedences left in pillars, and (3) reducing the total cost of stope solid nanocomposite electrolyte having phyllosilicate for Scheduling and Optimization slotting by creating fewer pillars. We demonstrate the nanoparticles can be used for energy storage, electric M. Deutsch; Maptek, Lakewood, CO quality of our solutions using data from a real-world vehicles, portable electronic devices, and micro-scale mining instance. batteries for sensors. Open pit mine scheduling and optimization relies on first establishing precedence relationships between all of the blocks in the geologic model. Precedences must 10:05 am be constructed so that they balance flexibility, geometric Linear Models for Stockpiling in Open-pit accuracy, and computational efficiency. Common prece- Mine Production Scheduling Problems dence schemes, such as 1:5:9, do not correctly account M. Rezakhah; Economics, Colorado School of Mines, for slope accuracy in the off axis directions or at a large Golden, CO scale. In this paper a computationally efficient, flexible, and accurate scheme for generating, storing, and using The open pit mine production scheduling (OPMPS) prob- precedence arcs is introduced. This scheme defines the lem seeks to determine when, if ever, to extract each precedence graph with fewer ‘arc templates’ and does notional, three-dimensional block of ore and/or waste not require the entire graph to be stored at any one time in a deposit and what to do with each, e.g., send it to a which translates to significant savings in both memory particular processing plant or to the waste dump. Spatial usage and computation time. This is flexible with respect precedence constraints are critical in this type of sched- to arbitrary domains, and varying slope angles and is uling problem, as are resource capacities. Certain mines also designed to support irregular or subblocked data. use stockpiles for blending different grades of material, Various scheduling and optimization algorithms have storing excess mined material until processing capacity been implemented on top of this precedence scheme is available, or keeping low-grade ore for possible future and are compared to their commonplace counterparts processing. Common models assume that material in through a case study. these stockpiles, or ``buckets,” is theoretically immedi- ately mixed and becomes homogeneous. We consider stockpiles as part of our open pit mine scheduling strat- 9:25 am egy, propose a new integer-linear model to solve the Cutoff Grade Optimization for Multiple OPMPS problem, and compare the solution quality and Mining Zones in an Underground Mine tractability of thr proposed integer-linear and existing B. King; Independent Contractor, Denver, CO nonlinear-integer models. Numerical experiments show that our proposed model is tractable, and correspond An important decision for any operational mine is the to instances which can be solved in few seconds up to selection of the cutoff grade. Choosing the correct cutoff a few minutes in contrast to previous nonlinear models grade, which, in turn, determines the mine design and that fail to solve. value, is a strategic decision. We present a mixed-in- teger programming optimization framework whose solution determines the cutoff grades in three different zones for a soon-to-be-operational underground gold mine. Our enumeration strategy, embedded in this optimization framework, provides objective, repeatable solutions for large-scale problems quickly.

84 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

10:25 am 9:25 am 10:25 am Employing Operational Excellence to Drill & Blast Implementation Case Study at Benefits of Using Fleet Management System Optimize Underground Haulage Systems Multiple Sites Within Freeport McMoRan Inc Technology on Auxiliary Equipment Y. Sun and J. Sidhom; Joy Global, Franklin, PA S. Gering; Hexagon Mining, Tucson, AZ C. McElman; Customer Value, Mining Services, As the mining industry continues to face difficult chal- Mines are inundated with information from multiple Modular Mining Systems, Tucson, AZ lenges the need to persistently focus on productivity and systems and sensors. Despite the wealth of data, many Trucks and shovels represent the lion’s share of capital utilization of labor and equipment costs will intensify. sites struggle to use this information due to challenges and operating costs in large open-pit mines. As such, With these challenges in mind, Joy Global is helping with generating meaningful and repeatable analyses. organizations tend to focus their fleet management ef- to bring mining performance and analytics to the next This case study will discuss a Drill&Blast solution that forts on the haulage cycle, with bulldozers, graders, drills level. By evaluating underground haulage, a significant was implemented at Freeport McMoRan Inc. This proj- and other types of supporting equipment managed less component of the Room and Pillar mining value stream, ect required extracting fragmentation, consumables, closely. The presentation will explore the opportunities variables have been identified and sensitivities have and other blasthole information from the individual sites to improve efficiency and minimize waste through the been performed to show opportunities to balance and and the corporate data warehouse. The data extracted application of fleet management technology to auxiliary streamline throughput. As a result of applying operation- helped users make informed decisions, evaluate, and equipment. A productivity model for each piece of equip- al excellence tools to the mining environment, Joy Global improve processes. This paper will review the current ment will be introduced and examined for a collection of is seeking to optimize mining performances by limiting solution, challenges encountered, and some lessons open-pit mines. The concepts behind activity-based cost- waste, simplifying the process, increasing productivity learned from the project. ing, immobility detection and auxiliary task management and machine utilization, as well as removing workers will be explained. Opportunities for improvement will be from harm’s way. reviewed and evaluated based on supporting data. 9:45 am Start with the Basics, Change the Culture then Tackle the Hard Ones and Sustain the Change 10:45 am WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 E. Sellers1, L. Kennelly1 and D. Symonds2; 1JKTech, Modeling of Haulage Fleet Capacity in Open Brisbane, QLD, Australia and 2Phu Bia Mining, Pit Mining under Operational Uncertainties MORNING Vientiane, Lao People’s Democratic Republic J. Sattarvand and A. Moniri Morad; Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, University of Nevada Reno, This paper explores the benefits of creating sustainable Reno, NV 9 am Room 503 improvement on a mine site by identifying challenges and systematically alleviating the cause behind them over a Mining operation resources such as machinery, human period of time while changing the staff culture to suit. A and supplies are utilized to attain production planning Mining & Exploration: case study will be discussed which validates the value goals. However, numerous mining operations experi- Operations: Continuous of ensuring the drill and blast basics are achieved before ence challenges in achieving their target production attempting to overcome the more complex challenges. capacity due to unpredicted factors in the production, Improvement in Surface The operation is a Copper Gold producer in Laos in among which the haulage fleet performance has a vital Operations South East Asia. Reduction in expatriate workforce to role comparatively. The paper describes a new meth- create a culture of localisation and local employment led odology for modeling of haulage fleet capacity under Chair: J. Dufek to an inexperienced team needing to meet major in the several operational uncertainties. It is based on two key pit and the processing plant. The stpes in the solution aspects of the haulage fleet operation including trucks 9 am were to reduce the gap between design and implemen- dispatching and operation strategies and failure behav- Introduction tation, ensure basic blasting techniques were followed, ior model of the fleet. Initially, the dispatching problem is trial alternative blast designs to improve productivity developed to make a holistic scenario of the truck haul- 9:05 am and then implementing a sustainability program A key ing framework and to predict the maximum achievable Benefits of Fragmentation Optimization on learning from the experience gained from this case production capacity in the absence of fleet breakdowns the Total Mining Value Chain study is that competent practitioners in key positions and other mechanical failures. Then, these factors were R. Riggle, J. Peterson and p. Mckneight; Cat Global have a significant influence over the staff culture, and imposed on the chosen model to incorporate the effect Mining, Menomonee Falls, WI that accurate drill and blast implementation often has of fleet age according to existing maintenance policies. an underestimated effect on production efficiency, cost Finally, loss of production capacity due to fleet wear-out In today’s tough mining environment, the key difference reduction and business risk. rate is quantified in a medium-term planning range. The between surviving and thriving is how effectively miners process is verified through a real copper open pit mine optimize their mining operations. This paper explores operation and validated with actual experiences. the compounding effects material fragmentation has 10:05 am on mining costs and productivity. Starting with Drilling Barrick Goldstrike’s “Best in Class” & Blasting and moving through Loading, Hauling and 11:05 am Crushing, we will illustrate the opportunities to improve Implementation operating costs and thus reduce the Total Cost of Own- J. Anderson; Barrick, Elko, NV Improving Diesel Quality Reduces Cost ership of the Total Mining System. Material size and vol- Barrick’s Goldstrike property is located on the Carlin and Emissions R. Miller; Reliant Energy Solutions LLC, Highlands ume requirements are defined by the needs of the mill Trend in Northeastern Nevada. The Goldstrike site has Ranch, CO or plant, and drive the rest of the mining operation from been in production for 29 years and produced over 42 the bench through the primary crusher. At the start of million ounces. In 2016 Barrick introduced its “Best-in- Diesel is a key ingredient and cost component in the cycle, where the rock mass is drilled and blasted, the Class” initiative to optimize production and lower costs. profitable mining operations, fueling haul trucks and degree of fragmentation and the muck pile configuration At Goldstrike Open Pit this meant breaking down walls onsite power generators. Without fuel, the mill has is determined, as are the effects on cost and productiv- and perceived limits on equipment productivity and no ore to process into a product to generate revenue. ity of all subsequent operations. The cost of managing challenged what was defined as “good enough” over The inevitable fuel quality deterioration adds both op- oversize material, including secondary handling, over- the years. This presentation will highlight the programs erational and financial costs in high humidity or cold loading, reduced diggability, higher load factors, ex- identified, methods for tracking/implementing, and ben- environments. With today’s tight commodity margins tra pass loading, increased wear factors and reduced efits realized at Goldstrike. and environmental regulations, extracting the most throughput rates are all opportunities for improvement. value from fuel expenditures, using it efficiently, and reducing toxic emissions is an important concern. New

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 85 technologies exist to improve combustion efficiency, 9:25 am 10:25 am lower fuel consumption, costs, and emissions, while Technological Innovations that Captured Investing in Advanced Digital Technologies extending maintenance intervals. Significant Project Value at Peña Colorada to Optimize Total Cost of Ownership over the Past Decade. D. Richardson; Stantec, Tempe, AZ R. Vivas; Mintec, Tucson, AZ Abstract: With a global shortage of local, skilled labor, Located in the state of Colima, Peña Colorada is one of the development of deeper and larger mines, and an the largest iron ore operations in Mexico. The project industry-wide push for zero harm, investing in advanced is owned in equal parts by ArcelorMittal and Ternium. digital technologies is, at first glance, a hard sell amidst WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 Though boasting a production capacity of 4.5 million tons persistent budget pressures in a cyclical mining en- MORNING of concentrate per year, Peña Colorada has been faced vironment. In fact, the implementation of advanced with declining ore grades. In order to respond to this sit- digital technologies reduces the overall cost of asset 9 am Room 504 uation, Peña Colorada had to expand production even ownership, by improving safety in the workplace and further. This expansion created various challenges that optimizing productivity while also reducing unplanned were overcome by the adoption and application of new downtime and assisting the efforts of mine maintenance Mining & Exploration: technology. Examples of these technological innovations personnel. The presentation provides an overview of are discussed in detail in this presentation. They include some of the most value-generating applications of dig- Technology: Generating improvements in geo-modeling, mine planning, ore con- ital technology, including machine health monitoring, Value through Technology – trol, and mine operations. The successful implementation advanced diagnostics devices, ventilation-on-demand, of these technologies paid for itself many times over, as digital safety and process interlocks, and high-speed Justifying Technology it has led to significant improvements in production and wired/wireless communication networks. Investments in a Cyclical performance, while lowering the operating costs and re- Industry ducing the variance between planning and execution. 10:45 am Cortez – Moving to the Digital Age Chairs: L. Fountaine, OSIsoft, Knoxville, TN 9:45 am K. Marten; Tech Services, Barrick, Elko, NV P. Zalevsky, OSIsoft Optimization of Crushing and Grinding Circuits for Improved Recovery and Production Barrick has committed to bringing current operations M. McGarry; ANDRITZ AUTOMATION, Bellingham, WA into the digital age to maximize on savings by making 9 am processes more efficient and automated. This will be Introduction KGHM International’s Ajax project is proposing a mill an overview of these initiatives and the successes and consisting of staged-crushing and grinding followed lessons learned. 9:05 am by a flotation process. The overall copper recovery, Benefits of Instrument Automation and final concentrate grade and plant throughput are de- Integration in a Cyclical Mining Industry pendent upon the liberation characteristics of minerals W. Conrad and A. Neuwirt; Canary Systems, Inc., achieved during comminution stage. This paper focuses Tucson, AZ on the study of changing various process parameters: feed rate, ore hardness, size distribution, circulating WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 No matter if the mining industry is in an economic up- load- on overall circuit performance expressed in terms swing or downswing, mine monitoring programs must of energy consumption and the degree of liberation MORNING continue to ensure a safe working environment for prior to flotation. ANDRITZ’ simulation tool IDEAS was employees and assist in preventing a geotechnical or employed to effectively model the main equipment of 9 am Room 502 environmental disaster. Many sites currently rely on the the plant: Gyratory Crusher, Cone Crushers, HPGRs, manual collection and entry of data for this type of risk Screens, Ball Mills and Cyclones. IDEAS objects were management. While manual collection may initially seem also used to simulate the function of ancillary the Mining & Exploration: more appealing due to lower upfront costs, an automat- equipment such as, conveyors, apron feeders, pumps, ed system allows for reduced long-term expenses and valves, launders and pipes. The dynamic model also Technology: Highwall Laser provides a higher risk reduction by allowing an output included the PID control loops to maintain the pro- Scanning & Photogrammetry of more timely, actionable information through periods cess within the limits of operation. The IDEAS objects of both prosperity and recession. By integrating auto- employed advanced energy and population balance Chair: B. Haugen, Maptek, Lakewood, CO matically collected data from multiple instrument types models to evaluate the performance of closed and open into a single system, mine sites can gain a real-time, size-reduction circuits of the plant. 9 am comprehensive view of the geotechnical and environ- Introduction mental characteristics of their site. As the economic cy- 10:05 am cle in the mining industry continues to spin, automated Energy Analysis is a Key for Miner Profitabilty 9:05 am monitoring systems allow sites to consistently ensure a R. Miller; Reliant Energy Solutions LLC, Highlands High Wall Scanning and Photogrammetry high level of risk assessment to provide employee safety Ranch, CO with the 8800 Series From Maptek and assist in protecting company assets. This paper will B. Barnum; Survey, Barrick, Elko, NV explore how the automation of instrumentation affects Energy comprises 20-30% of overall mining costs and mine sites throughout the highs and lows of the industry. up to 40% of processing costs, and therefore, is a key Cortez, like most mines is faced with many geotechnical ingredient to profitable mining operations. How many and safety challenges. High wall scanning and photo- miners spend the corresponding amount of time on the grammetry are two main methods we use to overcome energy ingredient versus other drivers of their profitabil- these challenges, and with the use of the 8800 se- ity? The different components of energy analysis include ries scanners these two remote sensing methods are price, timing and amount of demand onsite, reliability, seamlessly combine into one process. The process is generation fuel pricing and access, opportunity cost for as simple as setting up in a few remote locations and loss of energy, efficiency in energy use, backup power, acquiring the LiDAR data and georeferenced images and renewable energy. With today’s tight commodity with the scanner. Once processed and registered with margins, better understanding of energy can reduce the corresponding GPS locations the data can then be costs for increased profitability. utilized in many different ways. The first way is geo-

86 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

technical conformance reporting. We are able to quick- 10:20 am WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 ly and accurately determine whether a high wall has Benefits of Combining UAV Photogrammetry MORNING been mined to design. We can determine the amount and Terrestrial Lidar for Highwall Inspection over dug and under dug all with a high resolution geo- and Characterization referenced imaged overlaid with a heat map. We can J. Lyons-Baral3, J. Kemeny1, M. Medvec2 and 9 am Room 709 also extract cross sections and produce reports on the R. Michaelsen3; 1Mining and Geological Engineering, overall face angles and inner ramp angles of a final pit. University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ; 2Geomatics, This data can then be shared with the operations group Hawkeye AS, Ytre Arna, Norway and 3Mining, MPD: Alternative and to improved operator efficiency. The next way is using Hexagon, Tucson, AZ the georeferenced images to perform high wall mapping Bioleaching Systems with the need to approach the high wall. The burgeoning work of unmanned aerial vehicles Chairs: M. Melashvili, University of (UAV) for surveying and remote sensing is perched to British Columbia, Peterborough, ON, take prominence in mining, geology and geotechnical Canada 9:30 am engineering. For highwall inspection and characteriza- Using Maptek’s I-Site Studio to Optimize tion, the acquisition of terrain data by both UAV imagery R. Gow, FLSmidth, Midvale, UT Structure Pit Mapping and Modeling and terrestrial lidar presents complementary data sets J. Cobb; Geology, Member, Bagdad, AZ that, when combined, fill in significant gaps in the oth- 9 am er’s limitations. This presentation features two highwall Introduction Large, surficial structure data sets compiled over de- case studies, both surveyed with a UAV and terrestrial cades, and by multiple exploration and pit geologists, lidar. The resulting point clouds, orthoimagery and video can at times be difficult to unify, interpret, and ultimately demonstrate the differences of each methodology as 9:05 am model. By utilizing Maptek’s laser scanner and I-Site well as the benefits of combining the two for mining and Demonstration Campaign Results on a Studio in conjunction with ground truething efforts, geotechnical engineering. Cyanide Free Process for Gold Extraction these challenges can be addressed more intuitively. from a Refractory Pyrite Concentrate Using the geotechnical tools suite along with the ma- A. Drouin, D. Lemieux, J. Lalancette and C. Chou- jor I-Site studio functions the modeler can create a 3D, 10:45 am inard; Dundee Sustainable Technologies, Thetford GIS-like database where outcropping faults and joint 3D Dynamic Monitoring of Displacements by Mines, QC, Canada populations can be identified, visualized, categorized, Using Dynamic Close Range Photogrammetry A gold bearing pyrite concentrate was treated at the prioritized, and directly measured within the context of S. Ghaychi Afrouz2, M. Razavi1, A. Pourkand1, demonstration scale (15 t/d) for the extraction of gold their in-situ, 3D locations. Attachments such as notes S. Amirrahmat1 and C. Wilson3; 1Mining, New Mexico using a cyanide free process. The pyrite is depressed and images can also be directly applied to various data Tech, Morenci, AZ; 2Mining, virginia tech, Blacksburg, in the flotation circuit in order to promote the flotation sets in order to assist with interpretation and preserv- VA and 3Civil Engineering, New Mexico Tech, of copper and to achieve a sufficient copper grade to ing continuity across benches. Geostatistical analysis is Socorro, NM meet the copper smelter criteria. However, the recov- streamlined with in-software capabilities allowing the This study describes application of a non-contact eries of copper were 80% and only about 50% for the modeler to make multiple, and locality-specific, interpre- gold in the copper concentrate. The balance of the gold tations. Additional noteworthy benefits from this appli- technic to monitor the 3D dynamic displacements of structures using digital videos captured by two or more (50%) and copper (20%) are contained in the pyrite cation include: the generation of high-resolution, bench concentrate as a reject from an overall flotation circuit. highwall surfaces, useful for design vs. actual analyses; synchronized digital cameras. This method is based on the principles of Close Range Photogrammetry (CRP), The gold grade in the pyrite concentrate is 6 g Au/t and and the generation of projected fault and joint planes, copper is about 0.9%. About 170 tons of pyrite concen- useful in pattern design. the science of using photographs of a nearby object for accurate measurements. This monitoring method trate were processed in the DST demonstration plant. not only facilates the measurement of the dynamic dis- The concentrate was first oxidized using a fluid bed to produce a calcine. Copper was then extracted as copper 9:55 am placements of infrastructures installed in the mines, but also is helpful for 3D monitoring of the remote areas sulphate using diluted sulfuric acid. The residual solid 3D Laser Scanning & Geotechnical Software was submitted to the DST chlorination process for gold for Safely Mapping Highwalls where traditional dynamic monitoring instruments such as accelerometers cannot be installed. To investigate the extraction. Thereafter, the gold was recovered from the N. Goncalves; I-Site Technical Services, Maptek, pregnant brine by precipitation over silica using DST Lakewood, CO applicability and accuracy of CRP to monitor dynamic displacements, a small-scale model of a one-story proprietary process. The maximum gold recovery by Safety in the mining industry is a primary concern world- building was built on a shake table. The structure was chlorination was 90% with an average of 81%. The av- wide. Employing the use of new technologies allows for shaken, and the displacement time history of it was ob- erage recovery by cyanidation was 71%. increased safety across sites; one way of doing this is by tained by using two different methods: accelerometers removing the placement of staff in dangerous situations. as the conventional contact method and dynamic CRP The way to remove personnel from active areas without as the non-contact method. Additionally, the displace- 9:25 am sacrificing data is by using remote sensing systems, ment time histories were compared to the results of a Cost Evaluation for AuBrLSX - a Fully Recy- primarily we’ll focus on laser scanning. This presenta- simple mass and spring model. The results were in a cled Bromine/Bromide Leach and Solvent tion will highlight specific case studies that illustrate the very good agreement. Extraction Process for Recovering Gold from benefits of 3D laser scanning & geotechnical software Gold Ores for analyzing open pit highwalls. In regards to open pit R. Birnbaum1, S. Krumbein1, R. Costi1, highwall safety concerns, structure is major factor in K. Larmour-Ship2 and T. Fabian2; 1ICL, Beer-Sheva, determining stability and competence of the rock face. Israel and 2Tenova, Yoqneam, Israel Unfavorable structural orientations, poor rock conditions In the last two years, AuBrLSX, a self-contained bro- and steep slope angles in relation to mine design can mine/bromide process for leaching and recovery of gold create dangerous highwall conditions and potential for from gold ores using solvent extraction was developed. wall failure. Advancements in 3D laser scanning and ge- The recent work reveals equal or superior gold recov- otechnical software allow for geologist / geotech’s to an- eries compared to cyanide for oxide and sulfide ores. alyze point cloud data for structure orientation, spacing, Earlier work is presented that demonstrates the process waviness and the ability to create stereonets, rose dia- advantage over cyanide for high cyanide-soluble cop- grams and advanced kinematics for detailed analysis. per ores. The process is a completely recycled system

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 87 using electrochemical regeneration of the reagent. The imbedded in sulphides and the remaining 9.65% in The netting is closely monitored and is highly sensitive inclusion of solid/liquid separation and Pregnant Leach carbonates. Optimum cyanidation recovery of 90.4% to leach rates, as these relate to degree of saturation. Solution (PLS) pre-treatment and raffinate stream was established for the BIOX concentrate at 7 kg/t Pre-aeration and post-aeration geochemical character- post-treatment provide the advantage of benign tailings, NaCN, 40-50 g/L activated carbon and residence time istics (most importantly eH) and copper production data minimal reagent bleed and make-up. Clean water is of 40 hours. The recovery was sensitive to carbon and will be presented to demonstrate the efficacy of the bio- available for recycle to the grinding circuit. This process cyanide concentrations but additional cyanide was not oxidation processes. demonstrates competitive operating costs compared economical. High preg-robbing indices of 72.7% and to the cyanide process. The mass and energy balance 64.4% were recorded for the BIOX product and the that allowed the calculation of these costs was per- flotation concentrate respectively. This confirms the in- 11:05 am formed on METSIM, a process simulation software. An ability of the BIOX process to deactivate carbonaceous Engineering Acidithiobacillus Ferrooxidans order-of-magnitude capital estimate for the leach and matter, which remains a serious precursor for low over- for Biochemical Production gold recovery portion of a theoretical plant is presented. all gold recoveries and high CIL tailings. S. Banta and A. West; Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 9:45 am 10:25 am Bacteria involved in bioleaching, such as Acidithiobacil- A Mineralogical Assessment of an Oxide Leaching PGMs from Spent Automotive lus ferrooxidans, may be unique new platform organ- isms for biochemical production as they are able to use Ore to Determine Mechanisms for Poor Gold Catalysts by Biogenic Cyanide CO2 as a carbon feedstock while deriving energy from D. Shin1, J. Lee1 and J. Lee2; 1Korea Institute of Recovery by Thiosulfate Leaching the oxidation of iron or sulfur. We have recently genet- 1 2 1 1 Geoscience and Mineral Resources, Daejeon, Korea M. Aylmore , Y. Choi , K. Merigot , W. Rickard and ically modified A. ferrooxidans cells with two different 1 1 (the Republic of) and 2Department of Mining and Geo- J. Veder ; John deLaeter Centre, Curtin University, metabolic pathways. One cell line is able to produce 2 logical Engineering, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ Perth, WA, Australia and Barrick Gold Corporation, isobutyric acid and another cell line produces heptadec- Toronto, ON, Canada Cyanide was produced and accumulated by Chromo- ane from CO2. We have also been exploring new endog- The calcium thiosulfate-copper sulfate leach system bacterium violaceum using a noble two-stage processes enous promoter sequences to enable metabolic control has been developed by Barrick Gold Corporation to treat to achieve maximum cyanide concentration. Batch reac- over product formation. Media optimization experiments pressure oxidized double refractory carbonaceous sul- tor and continuous reactor showed maximum cyanide in chemostat cultures have been performed, and wild fidic gold ores. Research is now investigating ways to concentrations of 955 ppm and 6595 ppm, respectively. type cell growth, yield, and maintenance are improved make the process suitable for leaching gold from other Using biogenic cyanide, Pt, Pd, and Rh were leached when an iron chelator (citrate) is included. This enables ores as a general replacement for cyanide leaching. Test from the spent automotive catalyst and the results were growth at higher pH and reduces ferric inhibition, and work to date has found that some ores which respond compared with the performance of a cyanide solution these additions also significantly improved the produc- to cyanide leaching are not amendable to thiosulfate prepared by a chemical NaCN. The extraction per- tion of isoburyrate and heptadecane. We are exploring leaching. The aim of this work was to investigate pos- centages of Pt, Pd, and Rh using 1000 ppm biogen- the production of biochemicals during the oxidation of sible mechanisms for poor gold extraction by thiosulfate ic cyanide at 150oC was 92.1%, 99.5%, and 96.5%, sulfide rich ores, which could result in the economic leaching in specific oxide ore. This study examined both respectively. Sodium cyanide solution with 1000 ppm co-generation of biochemicals during biomining op- untreated and treated samples to quantify the extent to under the same conditions showed the metal extraction erations – proving that reduced metals in the Earth’s which gold is leached and what adsorption/precipitation of 100%, 99.9%, and 100%, respectively. It is believed crust may be an untapped feedstock for biochemical processes take place. Potential gold bearing and parti- that dissociated anions and oxygen in biogenic cyanide production. cles of interest were concentrated and the deportment causes lower metals extractions but it was not signifi- of precious metals, size distributions, and associations cant. Detailed culturing methodologies to accumulate a with other minerals characterised using optical micros- high concentration of cyanide in the system will be dis- copy, the Tescan integrated mineral analyser and XRD cussed. The leaching methods and comparative discus- studies. FIB-FESEM with EDS and SIMS capabilities for sion on metal leaching in biogenic cyanide and chemical 3D profile mapping and X-ray Photoelectron Spectros- NaCN will be discussed. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 copy were then used to characterise elemental distribu- MORNING tions and potential surface alterations on gold particles. 10:45 am Enhancing the Biooxidation of Secondary 9 am Room 703 10:05 am Sulfides and Improving Commerciality in a Assessing the Challenges in the Cyclical Copper Market Lisbon Valley Mining Extraction of Gold from Bacterial-Treated Co LLC San Juan County UT MPD: Comminution I Double-Refractory Concentrate L. Indergard; Environmental, ISR, Aeration, Lisbon Chairs: M. Larson, Glencore Technology, A. Adam2, G. Ofori-Sarpong1 and R. Amankwah1; Valley Mining Co LLC, Moab, UT 1Minerals Engineering, University of Mines and Intro The Lisbon Valley Mining Co LLC (LVMC) owns and Ewen, MI Technology, Tarkwa, Ghana, Tarkwa, Ghana operates a copper mine in southeast Utah. Metallurgi- O. Arafat, Metcom Technologies, and 2Processing, Golden Star Resources Ltd, cal Issues Copper production from secondary sulfides Hamilton, ON, Canada Bogoso/Prestea Mine, Tarkwa, Ghana is constrained by permeability issues, gradation (>6 in.) In the application of the BIOX® technology, high tail- and available oxygen. Enhancing Biooxidation Due to the 9 am ings grade (2-16 g/t) are sometimes generated with higher activation energies of copper sulfide minerals, a Introduction a decrease in overall gold recovery, which sometimes strong oxidant is needed to remove an electron from the metal-sulfide lattice and release the copper cation into make it economically unattractive. This paper investi- 9:05 am gated the causes of the high tailings grade by using the sulfate solution. This process occurs most efficiently 3+). Ferrous iron Methodology to Predict Product Size samples from the Bogoso BIOX plant. Partial chemical using the strong oxidant ferric iron (Fe can be oxidized to ferric iron by oxygen via chemical Distribution of a Vertical Stirred Grinding analysis, diagnostic tests and cyanidation optimisation oxidation or biologically. Forced Aeration System Design Mill Using Bond’s Ball Mill studies were conducted to invoke understanding into This paper describes LVMC’s efforts to improve produc- D. Rocha; Mining, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO the high tailings grades. Diagnostic study on the tail- tion by biooxidation. Production Analysis The biooxida- ings showed 48.34% of gold in carbonaceous matter, The fine, re-grind, and ultra-fine comminution process- tion system is effective. Copper netting has increased. 17.12% in quartz, 13.40% as liberated gold, 11.51% es are energy intensive resulting in high operating costs.

88 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

The use of conventional ball mills for grinding in fine rock than grinding. This approach sought to: -Under- 10:25 am size ranges is inefficient and, therefore, vertical stirred stand and characterize rock breakage from mine to the Liberation and Release of Rare Earth mills are becoming increasingly popular in the mineral mill -Develop models and simulators for blast design, Minerals from Coal Sources processing industry. This work presents hypotheses of a fragmentation, crusher and mill circuits -Develop tools A. Noble1, J. Herbst1, Q. Huang1, G. Luttrell2 and new methodology to predict the product size distribution to measure in real time the PSD of ore on conveyors R. Honaker3; 1Mining Engineering, West Virginia of a vertical stirred grinding mill using the population and ROM -Ensure effective communication across the University, Morgantown, WV; 2Mining and Minerals balance method. Initially, detailed experimentation was silos In the minerals price boom of the 2000’s Mine-to- Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA and carried out in a Bond’s batch ball mill and the breakage Mill was no longer necessary to “survive”, even if it was 3Mining Engineering, University of Kentucky, and selection functions were determined for the aggre- good business. The boom has ended and operations Lexington, KY gate material tested. After collection of the breakage are again under cost pressure. Since the 1990s many parameters, it was possible to predict the product size new or advanced technology tools are now available for Recent studies have shown that coal and coal-related distribution as a function of grinding time. The aim of Mine-to-Mill projects: If we could achieve so much in the materials may be promising sources of rare earth ele- this work is to use the breakage parameters determined 1990’s, how much more can we achieve today when ments (REEs). For pre-combustion coal and coal refuse, from the Bond`s batch ball mill test to predict the prod- we have the same imperative, the same potential and a the REEs often exist as ultrafine mineral grains less than uct size of a vertical stirred mill. The effects of changing larger number of high technology tools? 10 microns and in dilute concentrations between 300 the mill`s rotation velocity on the final product size dis- to 600 PPM (whole sample basis). In an effort to better tribution may be demonstrated through this methodol- understand the association and liberation of REEs from ogy and optimization of grinding performance can be 10:05 am the organic and inorganic constituents, a laboratory REE assessed. Improving Advanced Control in Grinding release testing procedure was designed and employed on a coal preparation middling product from east Ken- Areas to Maximize Mineral Throughput and tucky Fireclay coal. In these tests, -1 mm middling ma- Better Size Classification terial was ground in a laboratory ball mill for a specified 9:25 am 1 2 1 T. Carricajo and D. Silva ; Automation, Andritz energy input, and the grinding product was then decar- Use of Functional Performance Models to 2 Chile, Las Condes, Chile and Los Pelambres, AMSA, bonized using a combination of heavy liquid separation Increase Plant Grinding Efficiency Santiago, Chile and staged flotation. The REE content of the high ash R. McIvor, O. Arafat and K. Bartholomew; Metcom tailings and low ash concentrate was determined, and Technologies, Hamilton, ON, Canada As in many ore processing plants, in AMSA-Los Pelam- bres the main objective of the grinding control is to max- the process was repeated for various target grind siz- The Functional Performance Equation calculated imize the SAG mill throughput and increase size quality es down to the micron range. The results indicate that from a plant grinding survey defines two distinct ef- by minimizing P80. Therefore, advanced control team smaller grind sizes produce increased REE concentra- ficiencies and how they relate to total production has implemented an ongoing learning process that al- tion in the high ash tailings. Furthermore, an economic rate through the target grind size. The survey data lows for continuous improvement of the control system. assessment shows the tradeoff between the value of the are also used to calculate a complete ball mill size To better meet these demands, two advance control released REEs and the grinding energy cost. distribution model, represented by the energy spe- layers were devised and implemented; both for primary cific grinding rates through all the size classes. Cy- and secondary grinding areas. The lower layer objective clone separation performance is represented by is to stabilize the process based on model-based predic- 10:45 am individual size recoveries to underflow. When these two tive control tools, chosen by its good stability and con- Experimental and CFD Investigations of the unit operation performances are entered into the circuit vergence. The upper layer is the optimizing one; which Fluid Flow Inside a Hydrocyclone Separator modelling program, along with the circuit feed rate and increases performance and automatically adapts its with an Air Core size distribution, all the circuit survey size distributions conditions to changing ore and process conditions. After R. Ke2, J. Kadambi2, J. Furlan1, R. Visintainer1 and C. and mass flows are perfectly re-generated. The many several months of operation, results show an increase Shingote2; 1Engineering and R&D, GIW Industries, problems encountered with historical breakage-se- in throughput up to 2% and decreased P80 up to 30 Grovetown, GA and 2Mechanical and Aerospace lection-RTD models are eliminated. Once the circuit microns. As a secondary effect, the energy consumption Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, program is populated, pump and cyclone performance has decreased about 2-5%. It is believed that this rep- Cleveland, OH changes can be evaluated using a step by step pro- resents a great advance over known control strategies cedure in order to maximize Classification System Ef- because it adapts itself to changing scenarios, antici- Hydrocyclone separators are widely used in the oil and ficiency. Mill water use and media sizing opportunities pates disturbances and incorporates process behavior mining industries to sort, classify and separate solid can also be diagnosed in order to maximize Mill Grind- knowledge. It represents a further step towards man- particles or liquid droplets within liquid suspensions. In ing Efficiency. Case studies are presented. This circuit less operated plants. this study, the flow field with air core inside the actual analysis and modelling system and related training, is hydraulic geometry of a milling circuit hydrocyclone was provided through a web-based application. explored with the aid of both computational and experi- mental techniques (Particle Image Velocimetry). The nu- merical simulations were conducted by the commercial software, Star CCM+, and two turbulence models were used: the Reynolds Stress Turbulence Model (RSM), and 9:45 am the Large Eddy Turbulence Model (LES). Additionally, the The ABC of Mine-to-Mill and Metal computational studies also focused on the prediction of Price Cycles 3 2 1 1 the dimensions and shape of the air core. Particle Image D. Drinkwater , J. Pease , P. Cameron and T. BoBo ; Velocimetry (PIV) technique was used for the experimental 1Split Engineering, Tucson, AZ; 2Mineralurgy, Brisbane, 3 measurements along with refractive index matching. The QLD, Australia and MINERALIS Consultants, Brisbane, model hydrocyclone was made of optically clear acrylic. QLD, Australia Numerical results are compared to the experimental data. In the 1990’s metal prices trended in a long term de- The local fluid velocities, as well as the shape and diam- cline, the usual cost cutting exercises were adopted. This eter of the air core and the physical time scale of air core spurred the Mine-to-Mill movement which optimised generation were in good agreement with the experimen- operations across organisational “silos”, utilized new tal results when the LES model was applied. tech tools and innovative software. Many applications of Mine-to-Mill exploited the fact that comminution is the bottleneck and that blasting is more efficient at breaking

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 89 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 9:45 am The results demonstrate the ability of HydroFloat flota- tion to recover locked coarse particles with as little as MORNING TKI 330 – An Alternative Reagent for Depression of Copper and Iron Sulfides in 1% exposed grain surface area. At the second level, the grain distribution with respect to actual exposed surface 9 am Room 707 Molybdenite Flotation Circuits A. Dimitriadis and T. Cook; Tessenderlo Kerley Inc, area must be considered in order to describe stability Phoenix, AZ of attached air bubbles. It was found that particles hav- ing a maximum exposed grain surface area less than MPD: Flotation of One of the most common methods utilized to separate Mo- ~16000 mm2 have a poor flotation response and will be Sulfide Minerals lybdenite from Copper and Iron sulfides involves depres- recovered in the tailings. Chairs: R. Kappes, Newmont Mining sion of the latter species from the feed slurry with sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS). Process operations are significant, 10:45 am Corp, Englewood, CO with typically several rougher and cleaning stages required Flotation of Problematic Cu-Zn Ores B. Aksoy, Missouri University of Science to generate a suitable final concentrate. The focus of this in CBI (Tuerkey) and Technology, Sandersville, GA work is the evaluation of the effectiveness of an alternate Z. Ekmekçi1, O. Bicak1, M. Can1, I. Celik1, Y. Ozturk1, reagent, TKI-330, as a substitute for NaHS in the floata- B. Kocabiyik2 and N. Arslan2; 1Mining Engineering tion/depression circuit. TKI-330 is a water-based Polysul- Department, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey and 9 am fide solution, and presents significant safety, health and 2Cayeli Bakir Isletmeleri A.S., Rize, Turkey Introduction environmental advantages over the use of NaHS, primar- In this paper, a case study from Cayeli Bakir Isletmeleri ily due to its lower H2S exposure potential. Laboratory 9:05 am studies were conducted at five sites, as well as a full- A.S. (Rize, Turkey) about the selective flotation of copper Water Chemistry Effects on the Flotation of scale plant trial. Results indicated TKI-330 provided com- minerals from sphalerite is discussed. Cayeli Cu-Zn Sul- 2+ 2+ parable separation efficiencies relative to the use of stock fide Ore contains different ore types, such as yellow ore, Gold Ores: Role of Salinity, Ca and Mg clastic ore, bornite-clastic ore, bornite-yellow ore, and E. Arinaitwe, J. Jankolovits, D. Nagaraj, M. Chin and NaHS solutions, and, in plant trial, the potential to simplify the moly floatation/depression circuit–operations with black ore. For some of these ore types, selective flota- R. Farinato; Technology Solutions, Cytec Solvay Group, tion of copper and zinc is very difficult presumably due Stamford, CT TKI-330 utilized fewer cleaning stages than stock NaHS, and did not require the addition of any frother or pH ad- to presence of secondary copper minerals such as bor- Past studies have suggested that calcium ions and other justment chemicals. Lastly, process operations were no- nite, chalcocite and covellite, and also surface oxidation. These factors affect Cu-Zn selectivity due to activation of dissolved species in process water detrimentally impact ticeably less malodorous during the use of TKI-330. the flotation recovery of gold from primary Au and Cu-Au sphalerite particles in the ore during the process The main ores, and this appears to be a prevailing belief in indus- objective of this work was to improve Cu-Zn selectivity by try. A number of flotation circuits are operated in low 10:05 am optimization of the pulp chemistry for different ore types pH or low Ca2+ conditions out of such aquatic chemistry Effect of Particle Aspect Ratio in Flotation of Cayeli ore. After preliminary flotation tests investigating concerns. The increasing use of saline process water, T. Bhambhani1, D. Nagaraj1, R. Farinato1 effects of different chemical conditions, a plant survey such as sea water, in the industry due to restrictions and P. Somasundaran2; 1Cytec Solvay Group, was performed to determine the plant performance and on freshwater access further complicates the aquatic Stamford, CT and 2Earth and Environmental sources of the problems when problematic bornite-clastic chemistry of gold ore flotation pulps. However, the im- Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY ore is treated in the plant. Various chemical conditions are pact of process water salinity on real ores is uncertain tested in the laboratory scale test for better depression of Dilution of concentrate grade by differential transport of sphalerite in copper flotation circuit. given the convolution of factors that influence flotation high aspect ratio nonsulfide gangue minerals (e.g. mica) and the limited correlation between single-mineral stud- to the froth phase is a common problem in several oper- 11:05 am ies and practical systems. In this study, we probe the ating plants. The particle transport mechanisms into and effects of solution species on the surface chemistry and The Use of Quebracho Tannins in Froth Flotation through the froth phase as a function of aspect ratio is J. Rutledge1 and C. Anderson2; 1Metallurgical and flotation of gold-bearing sulfides using electrochemical poorly understood. Experiments carried out by preparing and batch flotation techniques in different types of wa- Materials Engineering, Colorado School of Mines/ particle mixtures with varying aspect ratio distributions Silvateam Indunor, Centennial, CO and 2Metallurgical ters to gain insights on the impact of water chemistry on revealed that aspect ratio significantly affects transport. Au recovery and processing strategies. and Materials Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Studying the aspect ratio effects as a function of particle Golden, CO size revealed non-linear interactions between the two 9:25 am variables. This paper discusses differential transport in Tannins, a naturally occurring, non-toxic reagent, have New Reagent Schemes for Improved consideration of the onset of critical aggregation phe- shown promise in metallurgical and mineral processing nomena in the froth phase. applications. This research was performed to investigate Metallurgy in Cu-Ni Ore Flotation the use of quebracho tannins (specifically Tupasol ATO N. Tercero and D. Nagaraj; Cytec Solvay Group, and Tupafin ATO) in flotation as a depressant. Two ore Stamford, CT 10:25 am types, copper and fluorite, were researched. Surface Processing strategies for Cu-Ni and Ni sulfide ores by Exposed Grain Surface Area Analysis chemistry studies including zeta potential, adsorption flotation are largely dictated by the predominant gangue of Coarse Particle Flotation density, and microflotation were undertaken to provide minerals (altered Mg silicates, iron sulfides, or both) Y. Wang, C. Lin and J. Miller; Metallurgical fundamental knowledge of the behavior of tannins in- and the amount of Cu. Historically, xanthates have been Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT teracting with the mineral surface. Microflotation exper- iments were performed on pure minerals to determine used, almost exclusively, irrespective of the ore type. Now due to advances in high resolution X-ray microto- However, xanthates alone cannot offer the flexibility and suitable operating parameters for bench flotation; a mography (HRXMT) with a voxel resolution less than 1 number of statistical models were generated to predict metallurgical performance required to meet the pro- micron and the development of advanced image pro- cessing challenges. In this paper, we discuss specific the outcomes of changing parameters. Three different cessing algorithms, it is possible to identify dispersed tannins (Tupasol ATO, chestnut, and wattle) were com- advantages that can be realized in practice with new re- grains as small as 5 microns in multiphase particles and agent schemes based on a broader spectrum of chem- pared for the microflotation of calcite and fluorite. In quantify their surface area exposure in 3D. Analysis of bench flotation with the addition of tannins, the recovery istries which allow the flexibility to design strategies to products from the coarse particle flotation of an aurif- improve metallurgy in the processing of Cu-Ni ores. and grade of both the fluorite concentrate and the cop- erous pyrite ore demonstrate that two levels of analysis per concentrates increased. This suggests that tannins need to be considered in the flotation of locked particles. not only work as a depressant but as a dispersant. An At the first level, the particle distribution with respect to economic analysis was completed to explore some of exposed grain surface area, expressed as a percentage the fiscal benefits of using tannins for froth flotation. of the total particle surface area, must be considered.

90 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 pre-construction benefits, to the project with a design/ 10:25 am build approach versus a typical EPCM method. Moving MORNING Dry Stack Tailings? Don’t Bother with Filters into production, Phase 1 will operate utilizing traditional – A Case Study open pit mining methods and feed Run-of-Mine ore to A. Accioly, M. McCaslin and B. Misra; WesTech 9 am Room 705 a heap leach facility. A barren cyanide solution will be Engineering, Murray, UT applied to the heap and subsequent pregnant solution will be collected and recovered to activated carbon. This paper presents a simple solution for dry stack tail- ings without the use of an expensive filtration stage. The MPD: Plant Design III concept involves well proven paste technology and an Chair: A. House, Hatch, Lakewood, CO 9:45 am inexpensive, widely applicable drying scheme to permit A Comparison of Pipe Material and Their bulk handling of the tailings using mobile equipment or 9 am Performance in Mine Waters traditional conveyors. A case study will be addressed Introduction A. Pezzuto1, E. Sarver1 and H. Mischo2; 1Mining & where the approach is currently used with great suc- Minerals Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA cess. Low-risk tailings management need not be hor- 9:05 am and 2Mining Engineering, Technical University rendously expensive. The Cerro Verde 2 Concentrator: Design, Bergakademie Freiberg, Freiberg, Saxony, Germany Start Up and Operation The Reiche Zeche mine field in Freiberg, Germany is J. Vanderbeek3, P. Gelfi1 and J. Enriquez2; 1Sociedad a collection of metal mines dating back approximately 10:45 am Minera Cerro Verde, General Manager Processing, 800 years which have since been combined to form a Application of Taguchi’s Method to Arequipa, Peru; 2Sociedad Minera Cerro Verde, single, maneuverable mine. Presently, the mine is a re- Uncertainty Assessment and Sensitivity Concentrator Operations Supt., Arequipa, Peru and search and teaching facility utilized by TU Bergakademie Analysis for Mineral Processing Circuits 3Freeport McMoran, Manager Metallurgy & Strategic Freiberg, and the University’s partners in research and S. Amini and A. Noble; Mining Engineering, West Planning, Phoenix, AZ industry. The variety of water conditions found within Virginia University, Morgantown, WV The Cerro Verde copper-molybdenum mining complex is Reiche Zeche creates unique challenges for convey- While many classic separation circuit design methods located near Arequipa, Peru. A 108,000 t/d copper con- ance systems. This is particularly true for pipes, which rely on deterministic approaches, numerous studies centrator (C1 concentrator) commenced operation in late face a number of issues such as scaling, sedimentation, have shown that the uncertainty inherent to the input 2006 and was debottlenecked to a 120,000 t/d capacity and corrosion. A polyethylene (PE) 100 pipe has been parameters can significantly affect design decisions. In in 2011. A feasibility study, initiated in May 2010, as- recently designed with a newly developed interior lin- a separation circuit, many of the technical uncertainties sessed the potential for expanding the processing rate of er. To test its general performance, it was installed in 6 can be mathematically represented as statistical distri- the large Cerro Verde sulfide reserve via the installation different sites within the mine along with traditional (un- butions for the unit recovery and feed grade. These un- of a second, stand-alone, concentrator (C2 concentrator) lined) PE 100 pipe and galvanized steel pipe. The scaling certainties are then propagated by the circuit design and capable of processing a nominal 240,000 t/d ore. The effects were analyzed both physically and chemically to reflected in the circuit performance measures, such as feasibility study was successful and the project advanced determine if the lined PE pipe exhibits any significant product grade and global recovery. An effective design through engineering, permitting and construction. Ramp advantages over the other pipe materials. Longer term strategy entails identifying which units are most influen- up to nameplate capacity was ahead of schedule. The pipe-loop tests are currently being conducted in the lab- tial in this uncertainty propagation and thus merit further overall project was completed on schedule and within oratory to investigate scaling in multiple water qualities, consideration. One promising approach is through the budget. The details of the project and supporting com- and complementary tests are also investigating the lined application of Taguchi’s method, in a fashion similar to ponents are described. The design philosophy and de- PE pipe’s resistance to abrasion. statistical tolerancing of manufactured products. Since sign basis of the concentrator facilities are discussed as the technical challenges are fundamentally similar, are factors that influenced the concentrator layout. Risk Taguchi’s method shows promise in evaluating the level mitigation features included in the design are reviewed. 10:05 am of compounded uncertainty by various circuit designs The factors that drove the successful and rapid ramp up System Design Considerations for while determining the role of each separation stage on to nameplate capacity are discussed. Operational expe- HPGR and SAG Circuits the overall selectivity and variability of circuits. This pa- 1 2 1 riences in the first year of plant operation and project C. Welsh and D. Cantoni ; OREqual Consulting, per demonstrates Taguchi’s method in several two and 2 lessons learned are described. Swiftwater, PA and GHD, Perth, WA, Australia three unit circuit designs. A comparison of SAG and HPGR plant circuit designs 9:25 am and requirements from the primary stockpile through Newmont Long Canyon: Project Opportunities to secondary ball mill feed at 10,000 tpd and 100,000 N. Brazier; Process, Newmont, Elko, NV tpd level and their impact on operations and main- tenance requirements. Analysis will include general The Long Canyon gold deposit is located along the process and maintenance equipment requirements, eastern flank of the Pequop mountains in northeastern power, staffing, and plant layout considerations that Nevada. Four years after Newmont took ownership of should be evaluated before selection of which circuit Long Canyon in April 2011, the BLM issued a Record to utilize for a new facility. of Decision and Newmont’s Board of Directors approved full funding of the project. Long Canyon provided an op- portunity to bring into production a lower-cost, profitable mine by leveraging the synergies available within New- mont’s existing Nevada operations. This has involved a variety of areas including project personnel, previous en- gineering designs, regional functional area support, con- ducting some process activities at alternate locations and advantages provided by Regional Asset Manage- ment opportunities for mining equipment. In conjunc- tion, Newmont was able to provide continuity, and other

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 91 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 2:45 pm 3:25 pm AFTERNOON Technology Development for Closed-Circuit Novel Chemistries and Test Development for Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus Mining Respiratory Protective Devices K. Coyne; Edgewood Chemical Biological Center, D. Murray; NPPTL, NIOSH, Morgantown, WV 2 pm Room 708 U.S. Army, Gunpowder, MD The Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response The Respiratory Protection Branch is developing a four- (MINER) Act, passed in 2006, listed respiratory pro- Coal & Energy: hour closed-circuit self-contained breathing appara- tective device inadequacies noted after mining es- tus (CC-SCBA) for unique military operations. Existing cape events, calling for new technologies that exhibit Breathing Air Supplies CC-SCBA systems have technical and logistical limita- improved chemical performance in devices used in

Chairs: R. Fernando, NIOSH-OMSHR, tions. The carbon dioxide (CO2) sorbent generates sig- mines. NIOSH is invested in improving the chemical nificant heat, cannot be regenerated, and requires ice or technologies built into these devices used in mines in Pittsburgh, PA re-freezable packs, increasing system weight and logis- two ways. First, testing procedures and systems which W. Wedding, University of Kentucky, tics. Oxygen (O2) cylinders are filled to a high pressure to evaluate the performance of the chemical components Lexington, KY provide a long duration service life. Special equipment is under field conditions are being developed. This system required to safely handle and refill these high-pressure incorporates elements that focus on evaluating chem- 2 pm cylinders, increasing their cost and logistics. Current ical reactions and efficiencies in simulated breathing Introductions CC-SCBA do not have on-demand miniature blowers or air. Current testing focuses on device duration or ca- breathing-air management systems to maintain prop- pacity but does not report criteria needed to effec-

er O2 and CO2 levels. This paper discusses technology tively optimize chemical performance. Concurrently, 2:05 pm efforts to support a lower maintenance, reduced heat, novel framework and microporous materials are being Deployment of CCERs in Underground U.S. lower profile, and lighter CC-SCBA. These include: 1) evaluated that demonstrate superior performance in Coal Mines to Meet Current MSHA Standards micro-electric miniature blower; 2) heat abating, humid- carbon monoxide oxidation, carbon dioxide absorp- J. Kravitz; MEO, MSHA, Pittsburgh, PA ity neutralizing technology CO2 removal; 3) amine-based tion, and oxygen generation. In this presentation, the In the past, there has been some confusion about how CO2 removal; 4) membrane electrode assembly for CO2 testing system will be described in detail, and an CCERs (SCSRs) should be deployed to meet current removal without heat generation; 5) micro-sensor array up-to-date review of the chemical screening results will MSHA standards. There are several scenarios to be and controller for air temperature, humidity, CO2, and O2; be offered. considered, depending on mining methods (longwall, and, 6) nano-material O2 storage technology. room and pillar), where outby workers perform their du- 3:45 pm ties, and where caches should be located. The author 3:05 pm New CCER Technology for Mines will explain how CCERs should be deployed on working R. Moran; Mine Survival, Inc., Panama City Beach, FL sections, on mobile equipment, for outby workers, and Usability Study Plan on Closed-Circuit Mine for outby caches. The presentation will also explain how Escape Respirators (CCMER) With new CCER testing standards at NIOSH and new cache locations should be determined to meet current R. Fernando; Research Branch, NIOSH-NPPTL, deployment standards at MSHA for Self-Contained MSHA standards. In addition, an update of CCERs ap- Pittsburgh, PA Self-Rescuers used in underground coal mines, new technologies have emerged to enhance these emergen- proved under 42 CFR Part 84 Subpart O (mining) as of NIOSH is developing Closed-Circuit Mine Escape cy respirators from both ergonomic and cost perspec- January 4, 2017 will be provided. Respirators (CCMER) as part of the research imper- tives. Mine Survival Inc. has taken decades of experi- ative of the MINER Act 2006. These devices are for ence in Diving Technology and keen familiarity with new self-escape by miners in an emergency. They are de- 2:25 pm ISO standards to incorporate new design features into signed to be quickly deployable, incorporates masks and Self-Contained Self-Rescuer Breathing their Mine Survivor SCSR. By using the latest technology be able to be docked to a new unit without removing the Apparatus Improvement in CO2 scrubber materials and new cooling materials, mask, while exchanging units. Because these devices J. Cornman and B. Toole; Diving and Life Support the duration of the SCSR can be more than doubled as are to be on the miner while working underground, er- Systems Branch, Naval Surface Warfare Center compared to previously designed respirators of similar gonomic factors were considered in the design to make Panama City Division, Panama City, FL size. This means the MSHA compliance requirements them comfortable. This paper outlines elements of the regarding the positioning and quantity of SCSRs in an The Office of Mine Safety and Health Research with the study for verifying these ergonomic aspects. These are underground coal mines can be adjusted to allow for Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division are to check donning and operate the CCMER, switch from fewer SCSRs in the mine. The packaging of the CO2 identifying and adopting technologies for improvement the first device to another, communicate and training scrubber and the flow design of this respirator also cre- of a self-contained self-rescuer (SCSR) breathing ap- needs. The human subjects will perform tasks in real ate lower breathing resistance and lower breathing tem- paratus for underground mine emergencies. This work mines; such as ability to deploy and don the first CC- peratures for the escapee. Other design features such expands the development of the Backpack Self-Con- MER, talk with team members and switch to the second as a “life vest” collar for quick donning and the ability tained Self-Rescuer (BSCSR) to increase user safety, on a simulated escape route inside mines of different to speak without exposure to Toxic breathing environs minimize the wearable footprint, and provide for higher heights. Data collection by the investigators will be by provide the user with safe and effective respiratory pro- pressure oxygen service via a Valve Integrated Pressure direct observation, debriefing and analysis of question- tection during emergency escape. Reducer (VIPR). The safety effort includes features that naires’ after exercises. Data will be used to refine the maximize lung isolation, enable speech transmission CCMER designs ergonomically, address communica- by using a half-mask oral/optical interface design tion ability and assess training needs before production and to facilitate apparatus switchover with integrated quality devices could be built. docking into the BSCSR T-bit component. Alterations to the scrubber, the counterlung, and outer soft shell improve the ergonomics and reduce the overall size of the BSCSR. Two VIPR prototypes were designed for increased oxygen service pressure and evaluated for performance in the BSCSR system. Continued work on the deployment and usability of the BSCSR harness sys- tem were completed to facilitate user acceptance. This presentation focuses on updating the project status and future design improvements.

92 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 knew the opportunity to be a part of something extraor- If re-entrained in sufficient quantities, this float coal dust dinary was knockng at the door. Growing up in a small can propagate an explosion throughout mining entries. AFTERNOON mining community and having a father who has been To assist the industry in further reducing this hazard, captain of the Alliance Coal, Dotiki Mine Rescue Team NIOSH’s Pittsburgh Mining Research Division initiated a 2 pm Room 706 for nearly two decades had exposed me to the practices project to investigate methods and technologies to re- of these teams and their encounters not only in rescue duce float coal dust in underground coal mines through situations but also competitions as well. Mine Rescue prevention, capture, and suppression prior to deposition. Coal & Energy: Benefits: -Builds crucial industrial relationships -Instills Field characterization studies were performed to deter- sense of safety into everyday habits -Builds teamwork mine quantitatively the sources, types, and amounts of Collegiate Mine Rescue skills -Learn skills for the possibility of rescue situations dust produced during various coal mining processes. Chairs: K. Pan, Virginia Tech, The operations chosen for study were a continuous min- Blacksburg, VA er section, a longwall section, and a coal handling facili- S. Chambliss, University of Kentucky 3:05 pm ty. Respirable and total airborne float dust samples were Presentation of Collegitate Mine Rescue collected and analyzed for each operation and the ratio Mine Rescue Awards – CSM of total float coal dust to respirable dust was calculated. K. Pan; Anchor Longwall and Rebuild, Murray Energy 2 pm Corporation, Wheeling, WV Introduction 2:25 pm The Colorado School of Mines will be presenting the Open-Air Sprays for Capturing and Con- awards for thier Bi-Annual Mine Rescue Emergency De- 2:05 pm velopment exercise. trolling Airborne Float Coal Dust on Longwall Virginia Tech Mine Rescue Team Faces M. Noonan; Minerals and Mining Engineering, Virginia T. Beck, C. Seaman, M. Shahan and S. Mischler; Tech, Blacksburg, VA 3:25 pm NIOSH - Pittsburgh Mining Research Division, Pittsburgh, PA I will speak about the running through of a practice both Collegiate Mine Rescue Organizations classroom training and field training. I will also talk about K. Pan; Mining and Minerals Engineering, Virginia Float dust deposits in coal mine return airways pose a previous competitions that Virginia Tech Mine Rescue Tech, Blacksburg, VA risk in the event of a methane ignition. Controlling air- borne dust prior to deposition in the return would make has participated in. I will talk some about the hopeful fu- This presentations will cover the beginning of this tech- current rock dusting practices more effective and re- ture plans for Virginia Tech Mine Rescue and how Mine nical sessions and the future plans for collegiate mine duce risks of coal dust-fueled explosions. The goal of Rescue has impacted the students on the team. rescue organizations participation and collaboration. The this NIOSH study is to determine the potential of open- efforts of this newly formed group will aid established air water sprays to reduce concentrations of total air- and new organizations with skills and information to cre- 2:25 pm borne coal dust ( 74 m diameter) in longwall face air- ate a robust network of participants. ≤ µ CSM Mine Rescue – streams. This study evaluated unconfined water sprays Going Beyond the Contest in a featureless tunnel ventilated by typical longwall face C. Enright, M. Wrona, C. Smith and J. Brune; Mining velocities. Experiments were conducted for two nozzle Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO orientations and two water pressures for hollow cone, Mine rescue teams have held a particular regard for full cone, flat fan, air atomizing, and hydraulic atomizing contests, as they provide both a training opportunity spray nozzles. Gravimetric samples show that total air- and an opportunity to participate in friendly rivalry with WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 borne dust removal efficiencies averaged 19.6 percent other mines (and now universities). While the CSM Mine AFTERNOON for all sprays under all conditions. The results indicate Rescue team was initially founded to participate in these that the preferred spray nozzle is operated at high fluid contests, a request for emergency assistance was re- pressures to produce smaller droplets and move more ceived in 2011 that led to a significant shift in the goals 2 pm Room 102 air. These findings can be used to select sprays and de- and overall training for our team. We will present how sign spray arrays to control total airborne dust over the our organization now trains and responds to emergency Coal & Energy: Dust Control II entire longwall ventilated opening. calls in addition to contests, as part of our comprehen- sive and all-hazards emergency response approach. Chairs: E. Sarver, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 2:45 pm G. Bylapudi, Southern Illinois University, Assessing Foam Application to Mine Roof for 2:45 pm Longwall Mining Shield Dust Control Collegiate Mine Rescue: Building Better Carbondale, IL W. Reed, Y. Zheng, S. Klima, M. Shahan and T. Beck; Habits for Now and the Future DCVTSB, NIOSH, Pittsburgh, PA S. Chambliss; University of Kentucky Mine Rescue, 2 pm Underground coal longwall mining shield advance Henderson, KY Introduction produces nearly 27% of the respirable coal mine It can be completely upredictable when disasters and dust during longwall mining. Foam application to the accidents will occur in the mining industry, and when 2:05 pm roof is a likely dust control for this source. Labora- those unique situations occur a local and state mine res- Characterization of Airborne Float Coal Dust tory testing was conducted to determine the ability cue team will be called upon to help isolate the problem Emitted During Continuous Mining, Longwall of foam application, at a simulated longwall shear- and find a solution throughout the rescue process. It’s Mining and Belt Transport er velocity, to a roof surface. Two foam generation the idea behind these mine rescue teams that are also M. Shahan, C. Seaman, T. Beck, J. Colinet and S. Mis- methods were used; compressed air (CA) and blower behind those first responders in our communities: the chler; Dust Control, Ventilation, & Toxic Substances, air (BA). Using a new imaging technology, image pro- risk of giving it all to save others and the sacrifice to NIOSH - PMRD, Pittsburgh, PA cessing and analysis using ImageJ produced quan- rescue anyone in harm. When I was approached by our Float coal dust is produced by various mining pro- tifiable results of foam roof coverage. For CA foam in former SME President about the possibility of starting a cesses and carried by ventilating air where it is then 650 fpm ventilation at 3 minutes (min.) after application, mine rescue team locally at the University of Kentucky, I deposited on the floor, roof, and ribs of mine airways. 98% of agent A was intact, while 95% of agent B was

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 93 intact on the roof. At 30 min. after application 94% of method, seam thickness), and worker occupation or WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 agent A was intact while only 20% of agent B remained. sampling location in the mine. AFTERNOON For BA in 650 fpm ventilation, the results were depen- dent upon nozzle type. Three different nozzles were test- ed. At 30 min. after application 74-92% of foam agent 3:45 pm 2 pm Room 704 A remained, while 3-50% of foam agent B remained. Effects of Drilling Parameters on Respirable Agent A was the better performer for roof application. Dust Produced During Roof Bolting Operations Roof application of foam is feasible establishing this H. Jiang and Y. Luo; Mining Engineering, West Virginia Coal & Energy: Geologic technique’s potential for longwall shield dust control. University, Morgantown, WV Challenges in Underground Analysis of the recent Mine Safety and Health Adminis- tration (MSHA) dust sample data shows that the num- and Surface Mining – Case 3:05 pm ber of excessive respirable dust exposure to roof bolter After Market Coatings to Reduce Rock Dust operators has increased significantly after the new dust Studies Buildup on Underground Signs standard of 1.5 mg/m3 is applied. Our previous research Chairs: S. Chatterjee, Michigan J. Sismour, T. Resende, S. Schafrik and E. Sarver; works have demonstrated that properly controlled drill- Technological University, Houghton, MI Mining and Minerals Engineering, Virginia Tech, ing to maintain a reasonably high bite depth (penetration Blacksburg, VA per drill rotation) for the rock being drilled could signifi- M. Peiravi, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL Signs in underground mines are subject to variable cantly reduce the specific energy of drilling and improve airflow, which carries dust and moisture. Often, dust the energy efficiency. The benefit of using such concept buildup can reduce their visibility, hampering produc- to reduce noise exposure to the roof bolter operators has 2 pm tion efficiency and possibly safety. For instance, un- been proven. This research effort is to further explore Introduction derground workers commonly must stop to clean signs the drilling control on the reduction of respirable dust in order to understand where they are in the mine or generated during drilling process. Several laboratory 2:05 pm where critical supplies are located. There are currently drilling experiments have been conducted. Size distri- Longwall Induced Ground and Pipe a variety of coating products, including dust and water bution of the dust particles sampled from drilling with Deformations at a Trona Mine – Case Study repellants, available on the market that have the poten- different bite depth has been analyzed. A rational drilling G. Marino2, A. Osouli1 and M. Elgendy2; 1Civil tial to reduce dust accumulation on sign surfaces. This bite depth for a particular rock is to produce the least Engineering, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, paper describes a preliminary study to determine their amount drilling dust in the respirable size range. Edwardsville, IL and 2Marino Engineering Associates, effectiveness. The study involved a practical testing pro- St Louis, MO tocol using a trickle rock duster and sample coupons cut 4:05 pm Subsidence occurs after longwall mining. Projection from clean, used road signs. Product effectiveness was Laboratory Testing of a Full-Scale Physical of the vertical and horizontal displacement magnitude evaluated by comparing changes in sign luminosity after Model of a Longwall Shearer for Investigating are necessary to evaluate damages to surface struc- a period of rock dust application using image analysis the Effectiveness of the Application of a tures such as buried pipelines. In this study, the surface software. By analyzing the frequency of different pixel Flooded-Bed Dust Scrubber on the Shearer movement as a result of longwall mining of a trona mine luminosities on post-dusting sign coupons, both unifor- S. Arya, W. Wedding, A. Kumar and T. Novak; Mining is evaluated using empirical approach. Depth of the mity of dust coverage and the total amount of accumu- Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY mine in the studied areas ranges from 460 m to 520 lation can be measured. Results indicate that at least Dust control is one of the most difficult challenges for m. The chain pillars length and width were 60 m and one product may reduce the amount of dust buildup on 30 m, respectively. The width of longwall panels varied sign surfaces. underground coal mine operators, especially longwall mine operators. Elevated concentrations of coal dust, from 150 m to 240 m. The collected subsidence data particularly fine dust, are potential health and safety were analyzed to identify mining induced deformations. 3:25 pm hazards. The most popular dust control technologies at a The adverse vertical and horizontal movements were Coal, Non-coal and Carbonate Mineral Mass longwall face are ventilation air and water sprays, where- considered in analyzing the performance of the buried Fractions in Personal and Area Respirable as a continuous miner face has the advantage of using pipelines present at the site. It was determined that the Dust Samples flooded-bed scrubber along with ventilation air and wa- rate of movement at shallow depths can be up to 0.004 K. Phillips, C. Keles, M. Scaggs, M. Rezaee ter sprays. Previous research has shown significant dust in/min. The effect of this movement rate on creation of and E. Sarver; Mining Engineering, VirginiaTech, reduction at continuous miner faces with the use of a undesirable frictional stresses around buried pipelines, Blacksburg, VA flooded-bed scrubber on a continuous miner. In order to which some of them are old, is discussed. Finally, the test the effectiveness of the integration of a flooded-bed results of a series of pipe jack tests conducted at the site Since about 2000, data collected under the Federal is presented and discussed. surveillance program to document Coal Workers’ Pneu- system on a longwall shearer, the authors have fabri- moconiosis (CWP) suggests an alarming rise in lung cated a modified full-scale model of a Joy 7LS longwall disease amongst miners in parts of Central Appalachia. shearer. The fabricated model has been installed in the 2:25 pm While many factors may be at play, respirable dust and experimental longwall gallery at the Pittsburgh Research Stochastic Finite Difference Simulation of exposure characteristics, such as components, sources, Laboratory (PRL) of the NIOSH for testing. The aim is to Laboratory Compressive Tests and locations of exposure are clear focal points. As part improve longwall face dust control by embedding the D. Gao1, B. Mishra2 and Y. Xue3; 1Morgantown, WV; of an ongoing study to comprehensively characterize flooded-bed dust scrubber on the shearer. The paper 2Morgantown, WV and 3Morgantown, WV presents the results of the tests conducted at the PRL dust, a thermogravimetric (TGA) method was developed Heterogeneity and discontinuity significantly affects the to estimate the mass ratio of coal and non-coal minerals and the validation of the results through computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. strength of the intact rock and rock mass. For accu- in respirable dust samples. The method also allows for rate stability prediction, it is imperative that the labo- discrimination between carbonate and non-carbonate ratory behavior is included in the rock mass behavior. minerals. This may be helpful in determining the amount However, past research largely used arbitrary scaling of rock dust in the respirable size fraction, another issue approach to produce rock mass strength. In this paper, of current concern. This paper reviews the TGA method we propose a stochastic approach for determining the and its verification, and presents results of nearly 200 rockmass strengths. The laboratory data is treated to fit personal and area dust samples gathered in eight mines the extreme value distribution model. MATLAB with the across Appalachia. Results are analyzed with respect to extreme value model is used for developing a database mine region and operating characteristics (e.g., mining

94 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

for each physico-mechanical property. The rock mate- of the longwall gate is assessed for a typical coal mine 4:05 pm rial database is finally used to develop the rock model in Pakistan by using finite element code. It is shown that Effects of Longwall-Induced Subsurface in FLAC and FLAC3D. Two and three dimension model the elasto-plastic analysis is essential for assessing the Deformations on the Mechanical Integrity results show that the peak value of stochastic model stability of a gate entry. A model parametric study is per- of Shale Gas Wells Drilled Over a Longwall is significantly lower than the average valued model. formed for some factors. The results showed that the Abutment Pillar In addition, the failure mode is also influenced by the existing mining practice is not suitable and there is a W. Su; Ground Control Branch, National Institute for randomness density of material database. The results need to review the mining approach. Occupational Safety and Health, Pittsburgh, PA highlight the importance of stochastic analysis in rock failure prediction. ABSTRACT This paper presents the results of a com- 3:25 pm prehensive study on the effects of longwall-induced Manual P-Phase Picking on Noisy subsurface deformations on the mechanical integrity of 2:45 pm shale gas wells drilled over a longwall abutment pillar. Overburden Strata Deformation Microseismic Data C. Mborah; Mining & Nuclear Engineering, Missouri The primary objective is to demonstrate that a properly Monitoring Based on Distributed Optical University of Science & Technology, Rolla, MO constructed gas well in a standard longwall abutment Fiber Sensing – A New Exploration of pillar can maintain mechanical integrity during and af- Ground Control The microseismic monitoring (MS) technique has widely ter mining operations. A study site was selected over a J. Chai, Q. Yuan, J. Liu, D. Zhang and Y. Li; Energy been used in the mining environment for the monitor- southwestern Pennsylvania coal mine, where an array School, Xi’an University of Science and Technology, ing of rockmass stability. A successful implement of of surface, subsurface, and underground instrumenta- Xi’an, Shannxi, China the method is hinged on being able to accurately de- tion was installed and monitored. Prior to the longwall termine the P-wave arrival used in the determination extractions, a number of 3D finite element simulations Using geophysics method through surface drilling to of the source of an event. Determination of the arrival were conducted. Comparisons of the 3D finite element detecting the strata deformation is the common used phase arrival is usually performed by a human expert simulations and the instrumentation results indicate that mode for ground control. The distributed optical fiber visually. However, the mining environment is generally measured subsurface deformations, surface subsidence sensing (DOFS) was used to promote the monitoring ac- characterized by high noise levels and different noise and pillar pressure are in good agreement with those curacy. This paper theoretically studied the action mech- types of varying intensities. As such performing manual predicted by the 3D models. This research represents a anism between strata deformation and optical fiber sen- phase picking on time series data acquired from the MS very important step and initiative to utilize the knowledge sor, then put forward a DOFS-based strata deformation monitoring system can sometimes be tedious and time and science obtained from mining research to improve monitoring experimental method. The results show consuming if not impossible. In this paper, a technique miner and public safety as well as the safety and health that the Brillouin frequency shifts (BFS) have a positive based on the discrete stationary wavelet transform of the oil and gas industries. correlation with the strata deformation. Rock fracture (DSWT) is proposed for filtering noisy microseismic data caused the BFS demonstrated a stair-type change, and from underground mines to enhance manual process- the stair height and width indicated the three vertical ing. The DSWT is first used to filter the signal over sever- zones in the overburden strata. Strata separation caused al scales. The manual P-phase picking is then obtained the BFS demonstrated a step change, which indicated by picking across selected scales with frequency bands the different phase of the separated layer development. that capture the signal of interest. Results are then com- WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 A laboratorial operation process of DOFS-based de- pared with results obtained by using a standard short- formation monitoring method included four operation AFTERNOON steps: installation, positioning, temperature compensa- term to long-term average (STA/LTA) ratio technique. tion and data pre-processing. The results comparison 2 pm Room 702 between conventional testing and DOFS testing validate the accuracy and reliability of this method, and it will be- 3:45 pm come a new approach for the ground control research. Coal Seam Thickness Modeling Under Geological Uncertainty: A Multiple Point Coal & Energy: Research Simulation Approach and Development II S. Chatterjee1, A. Paithankar1 and A. Kumar2; 3:05 pm 1 Chair: M. Trevits, Xtraction Science and Stability Assessment of Main and Tail Gate Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences, Michigan Technological University, Technology, Pittsburgh, PA of a Modified Longwall Mining Operation by 2 Numerical Modeling Houghton, MI and McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada 2 pm M. Emad1 and M. Khan2; 1Mining Engineering Introduction Department, University of Engineering & Technology, Coal seam thickness modeling is a crucial task for un- Lahore Pakistan, Lahore, Pakistan and 2Mining & derstanding the coal volume within a deposit. Tradition Nuclear Engineering Department, Missouri University practices use different CAD-based software to digitize 2:05 pm of Science & Technology, Rolla, MO the coal seam or seams from the exploration drilling. Fiber Reinforced Ultra High Performance Concrete for Mining and Civil Applications Coal mines opting for longwall mining or its variations These techniques generally work well when the geology of the deposit is very simple. However, they may either S. Tadolini, P. Mills and J. Jones; Minova, mostly rely on the main and tail gates for their produc- Georgetown, KY tion. Stability of these entries or crosscuts is crucial in over- or under-estimates the coal volume for geologi- coal mining operations. Roof or strata failure can be cally complex deposit. The proposed paper deals with This research produced a shotcrete formulation that ex- fatal, may lead to property loss and delay in production. the uncertainty of the coal seam thickness as well as tends beyond stabilization and can be used to restore Failure of gates depends upon many factors including coal volume using multiple point geosatistical simulation the structural integrity of damaged infrastructure. The the mining method, panel dimensions, pillar width, mine approach. In this approach, the CAD-based coal seam primary challenge was to develop mix formulations that depth, caving speed and roof strength properties. In Pa- model was anchor with the exploration drilling data are very strong, with a 28 day compressive strength kistan coal is mined through a variation of longwall min- using Bayesian analysis. This method will allow us to that exceed 172 MPa (25 KSI); and tough, with a post ing method with almost no mechanization while using evaluate the uncertainty of the coal volume and tonnage. cracking tensile strength of 5.0 MPa (0.72 KSI) or more. timber as a primary support. Timber support as choke The proposed method was applied in a coal mine from The approach to product design is the development of is very useful in coal mines especially in overhanging India to show the effectiveness of this technique. “single bag” dry mixes that are entirely self-contained, face. Similarly gate entries are supported by choke sup- can be rapidly transported anywhere in the field or un- ports throughout their length. In this paper the stability derground, and be deployed using simple equipment. Dry mix eliminates issues relevant to high shear water

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 95 mixing, as water is added in the form of a mist at the 3:05 pm every two weeks. With the greater production potential the point of delivery; thus low W/C can be achieved. Howev- Subsurface Mine Ventilation Research ventilation system is taxed more with increased leakage er, as there is no onsite mixing, the product must have J. Lee1, H. Mischo2, J. Brune1 and J. Weyer2; and overall resistance on the system. This paper looks at a high degree of inherent homogeneity. A commercial 1Colorado School of Mines, Greeley, CO and 2TU the effects on face ventilation starting from the section version of this material is currently offered as Minova’s Bergakademie Freiberg, Freiberg, Germany fan to the end of the tubing from this mining method. It Tekcrete Fast® product which has been successfully includes a summary of advantages and disadvantages of deployed in the mining industry. This paper described Optimization of ventilation systems plays a huge role in the system as well as legal requirements. the technology development and applications in mining saving a company valuable time, money, and energy. At and civil applications. the experimental mine at TU Bergakademie Freiberg in Germany, a full scale, ductwork ventilation lab was con- structed to analyze the impact that different types and 2:25 pm sizes of ducts have on ventilation systems. The lab con- sists of over 300 meters of duct work. Each 50-meter WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 Effects of Dewatering Flooded Abandoned segment consists of flat or spiral ducts that differ in size Room and Pillar Mines on Surface Subsidence ranging from 400-600mm. 150 meters of the system is AFTERNOON Y. Luo and J. Yang; Mining Engineering, West Virginia comprised of properly installed new ducts, and the other University, Morgantown, WV 150-meters are poorly installed, and old. Both ducts are 2 pm Room 711 Many factors can induce surface subsidence events attached to a forcing radial fan that has the ability to over abandoned underground room and pillar mines. direct the airflow into either portion of ducting. Ports are Frequently, mine water plays an important role in caus- installed to record airflow velocities and pressures for Coal & Energy: ing such subsidence events. However, mine water could each segment. Testing included measurements of stat- also serve the purpose to prevent subsidence. Dewa- ic, dynamic, and total pressure at twelve points along Ventilation Innovations tering abandoned room and pillar mines have been the system. A pitot tube and manometer were used to Chairs: P. Tukkaraja, South Dakota School identified as the main cause of a number serious mine take these measurements. Calculations were made to of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, SD subsidence events in the past. In this paper, the mech- determine flow velocity, volume flow, duct resistance, anism for mine water to prevent surface subsidence leakage, and the shock loss effects around bends and S. Dereski, Barrick Goldstrike, Elko, NV over abandoned room and pillar coal mines havs been elbows. Information from these tests will be useful in studied. A mathematical model has been proposed to optimizing ventilation systems. 2 pm quantify the potential effects of mine water on the struc- Introduction tural stability of mine pillars, roof and floor as well as the potential for causing surface subsidence. The model will 3:25 pm 2:05 pm be validated with actual cases. Discrete Modeling of Radon Gas Prevention of Gob Ignitions and Explosions Migration through the Fractured Zones in Longwall Mining Using Dynamic Seals in Caving Mines J. Brune and S. Saki; Colorado School of Mines, 2:45 pm K. Ajayi1, P. Tukkaraja2, K. Shahbazi1, K. Katzenstein3 Golden, CO 4 1 Thermal Insulating Shotcrete: and D. Loring ; Mechanical Engineering, South Da- Abstract Most, if not all longwall gob areas accumulate Experimental Synthesis kota school of mines and Technology, Rapid city, SD; explosive methane-air mixtures that pose a deadly haz- P. Rao, K. Muralidharan and M. Momayez; 2Mining Engineering & Management, South Dakota 3 ard to miners. Numerous mine explosions have originat- Mining and Geological Engineering, University of school of mines and technology, Rapid city, SD; Geol- ed from explosive gas zones (EGZs) in the longwall gob, Arizona, Tucson, AZ ogy and Geological Engineering, South Dakota school 4 including the 2010 explosion at the Upper Big Branch Geothermal heat in deep underground workings is a sig- of mines and technology, Rapid city, SD and Climax mine in the US State of West Virginia that fatally injured nificant risk to the health and safety of miners. The pri- Molybdenum Co., Empire, CO 29 miners. Research at the Colorado School of Mines mary objective of this research is to limit heat liberation A number of large bulk-scale underground ore bodies (CSM) have studied EGZ formation under projects fund- by the use of a cost effective sprayable insulation. The contain at least trace of uranium mineralization. Bulk ed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and material is synthesized from constituents rich in silica extraction of these orebodies using cave mining meth- Health. They found that EGZs form along the fringe ar- and alumina such as mine tailings. In a preliminary study, ods involves undercutting the orebody. This facilitates eas between the methane-rich atmospheres deep with- the material was produced from pristine element such the mechanism of gravity naturally breaking the rock in the gob and the fresh air ventilated areas along the as alumina and silica to form a 3D network of structures during the cave development process. The fractured working face. Researchers found that, for progressively known as geopolymers possessing an amorphous char- zone developed during the developing stage of the cave sealed gobs, a targeted injection of nitrogen from the acter. These 3D networks were activated using NaOH, contributes to radon gas emission if pressure and/or headgate and tailgate, along with a back return ventila- a strong base. Furthermore, the effect of Si:Al ratios concentration gradients exist between the cave environ- tion arrangement, will create a dynamic seal of nitrogen along with the effects of temperature and curing time on ments. This study develops a discrete fracture network that effectively separates the methane zone from the the final structure were studied. Likewise, geopolymer (DFN) model to predict radon emission from the frac- face air and eliminates the EGZs. foams were produced using sodium bicarbonate as a tures zones by considering the radon transport through chemical foaming agent. Compression tests were car- the DFN due to advection and diffusion. Results from ried out to study the ability of this material to withstand this study predict macroscopic coefficients such as per- 2:25 pm mechanical load. To evaluate the effectiveness of insula- meability and effective diffusivity. Development of a Smart Monitoring and tion, thermal conductivity experiments were performed. Control System Test Apparatus To incorporate moisture stability and enhance the me- K. Raj, R. Jacksha, C. Sunderman and C. Pritchard; chanical strength, composite structures were made by 3:45 pm SMRD, CDC/NIOSH, Spokane, WA using graphene-oxide as a filler material and tested for Ventilation Restrictions in Satellite Mining In underground mines, repeated short-term exposure compressive strength and thermal behavior. J. Newman and F. Calizaya; University of Utah, Price, UT to high levels of airborne contaminants can become a serious health issue. Currently there are no common Working on a continuous miner with satellite bolting sec- mechanisms to control or mitigate these localized short- tion allowed faster and more efficient mining by decreas- term high exposures of contaminants. To improve miners’ ing the number of moves while increasing drive distance health and safety, the National Institute for Occupational as much as 400’ per move. This includes decreasing the Safety and Health (NIOSH) Spokane Mining Research Divi- number of moves with the section fan as little as once

96 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

sion (SMRD) is developing a Smart Monitoring and Control 3:25 pm 4:05 pm (SMAC) system for real-time monitoring of mine air quality Sound Level Surveys around Auxiliary Fans Identifying and Quantifying Major Heat with integrated counter-measures to reduce these high in Underground Coal Mines Sources in Underground Mines Using a concentrations of airborne contaminates in localized sec- F. Calizaya; Mining, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT Continuous Climatic Monitoring System tions of mines. To develop and test a SMAC system that In underground coal mines, working areas can be filled L. O’Connor, P. Roghanchi and K. Kocsis; Mining could be implemented in an underground mine, research- Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV ers at SMRD built a test apparatus incorporating a fan, with extensive and damaging noise. The sources include louver, ducting, and monitors combined with atmospher- continuous miners, roof bolters and ventilation fans. To understand and model heat and humidity transport, ic monitoring and control software to institute effective When underground fans are used, the noise levels are all major heat sources in an underground mine need countermeasures to reduce contaminant levels. usually above the Permissible Exposure Limit. If the fans to be identified and accurately quantified. There can be are not equipped with silencers, the sound levels can be a considerable difference in the spectrum of the heat greater than 110 dB(A). This study summarizes the re- and mine power source distributions between different 2:45 pm sults of sound level measurements and fan performance mines due to many factors such as depth, the virgin A 2016 Case Study in Primary Ventilation tests carried out at and around three auxiliary ventila- rock temperature (VRT), the level of mechanization, Circuit Optimization: How to Make Changes tion systems in underground coal mines located in the power sources, geothermal activity and rock thermal western US. In each mine, high pressure fans installed properties. This paper aims to discuss an approach to and Influence Philosophy in rigid ducts and equipped with silencers are used to quantify heat loads from different heat sources at a gold A. Powell1, A. Rai3 and T. weatherwax2; ventilate development headings and to discharge the mine in Nevada using a continuous climatic monitoring 1Mine Engineer, Winnemucca, NV; 2Technical Services contaminated air to the main return. Sound pressure system. During this project, twelve multi-channel data Superintendent, Winnemucca, NV levels monitored at the fan installations are reported, the loggers were installed in both primary and auxiliary ven- and 3Chief Engineer, Winnemucca, NV resulting noise spectra analyzed, and ways to minimize tilation systems in order to identify and quantify the heat Mine design work from a long term perspective (2-10 noise induced hearing loss by improved mining layouts sources, including heat generated by auxiliary fans and years) is often a complex and daunting task with many and efficient auxiliary ventilation systems are addressed. mining equipment. In this paper, we will highlight the ad- moving parts and economic concerns. One of the ba- vantages and challenges in identifying and quantifying sic concerns that can easily become neglected is the heat sources in an underground mine when continuous vision behind the primary ventilation circuit of the mine 3:45 pm monitoring systems are used. We will demonstrate that and the steps needed to integrate it with the life of mine Effect of Simulated Longwall Coal Mine the contribution of heat sources to the overall heat load designs from the outset rather than as an afterthought. Gob Conditions on the Burning Velocity of is highly dependent upon the atmospheric temperature The paper will outline a case study of how one active un- Premixed Methane-Air Combustion and can vary daily and seasonally. derground mine is striving to make this change. Topics C. Strebinger1, M. Fig1, K. Blackketter2, A. Walz2, covered include a summary of historical primary circuit G. Bogin1, J. Brune1 and J. Grubb1; 1Colorado School iterations with a discussion of associated strengths and of Mines, Golden, CO and 2Red Rocks Community weaknesses, recent and forthcoming updates to the College, Lakewood, CO ventilation infrastructure with insight on the shift in cir- cuit design goals, and the future ventilation philosophy Longwall coal mine explosions can be disastrous as evi- being considered and implemented. denced by the Upper Big Branch Mine explosion in 2010 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 which resulted in 29 casualties. Methane explosions in AFTERNOON the gob are not well understood and thus there is a need to fundamentally understand flame dynamics in 3:05 pm 2 pm Room 612 Tracer Gas Study to Determine Face rock rubble. The impact of simulated gob conditions on methane gas ignition and flame propagation was inves- Ventilation Air and Gob Gas Movement tigated in horizontal cylindrical tubes packed with rock Patterns on a Bleederless Longwall Panel rubble. Experiments show burning velocity is sensitive Health & Safety: S. Schatzel, V. Gangrade, C. Hollerich, J. Addis and to ignition location and simulated gob conditions (e.g. International Perspectives L. Chasko; National Institute for Occupational Safety packing orientation and density, and thermal properties). and Health, Pittsburgh, PA More densely packed gob areas reduce burning veloc- on Mine Safety and Health A ventilation study using tracer gas was conducted at a ities when placed upstream of the ignition source, but Chairs: E. Clausen, TU Clausthal, western US coal mine. The objective of the study was to increase burning velocities if located downstream of the Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Germany evaluate the leakage of longwall face air off the face and ignition source due to the increase in exhaust pressure into gob and to document the presence or absence of accelerating the flame. In contrast, a loosely packed gob J. Brune, Colorado School of Mines, face air leakage pathways. The operator uses a bleed- area results in the opposite effect on the burning ve- Golden, CO erless ventilation system and blowing ventilation air locities for the same orientation of the ignition source. throughout the mine. The study was conducted on active These results demonstrate that methane gas explosions 2 pm panel and included both underground and surface mon- in a longwall gob require a fundamental understanding Introduction itoring sites. The study used sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) of the complex interaction of fluid dynamics, heat trans- released as a slug in tests conducted on the face and fer, and flame dynamics. 2:05 pm in the front of the gob inby the face. The transport rate Project Optimization and Competitiveness of SF6 in the gob was measured to be about 1 to 2 ft/ Enhancement Through an Integrated Health min. A separate tracer gas test initiated with the release and Safety Management of SF6 in to the legs of the first shield showed the exis- 1 1 2 tence of more than one pathway of face air in the gen- J. Herhold , H. Mischo and S. Plaum ; 1TU Bergakademie, Freiberg, Sachsen, Germany and eral direction of the headgate towards tailgate corner. 2 The face test supports the concept of an airflow path Hochschule RheinMain, Wiesbaden, Germany within the shield legs or behind the shields in addition to Current and future operational processes in the mining the main airflow on the face. A detailed characterization and underground construction sector are under the influ- of air and gas movement allows a mine to better asses ence of the prevalent competition and the acute necessity their ventilation design and its adequacy in controlling of optimization approaches concerning corporate and gas on the face and in the gob. project processes. Besides general construction proce-

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 97 dures, especially underground construction procedures development of hard rock ventures in politically and WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 and procedures in the field of deep shaft construction culturally sensitive arenas. Securing community buy-in AFTERNOON are high-profile. Those processes describe high technical through programs facilitated by Operators that increase challenges as well as increased requirements to occupa- positive public health outcomes can not only stream- tional safety and health. Therefor an occupational safety line relationships with culturally-sensitive communities, 2 pm Room 610 management, which should be adjustable to the company NGOs, and foreign governments, but they can also deliv- itself and adaptable to all kinds of projects, shall be creat- er interventions that improve morbidity and mortality in ed. The creation of such an occupational safety manage- underserved regions. This leads to attractive value-add- Health & Safety: Open Forum ment would lead to an economically optimized and safe ed for Operators looking to secure additional investment (within the scope of OSH law) implementation of internal through its more comprehensive use of health data. This for the Future of the Nation’s activities for the performance of construction services paper will highlight how to create, structure, and main- Mining Safety and Health underground and in the field of deep shaft construction. tain public health interventions. Additional emphasis will With this approach the satisfaction of the high safety re- center on cost-effective monitoring and evaluation that Research Agenda quest as well as the demand for process optimization, as help Operators use statistical drivers to promote Opera- Chairs: L. Saperstein, Missouri part of keeping the own competitiveness, will be satisfied tors’ investment procuring efforts. University, Nantucket, MA successfully at once. E. Lutz, NIOSH, Spokane, WA 3:05 pm 2:25 pm Using Sound Public Health Science to 2 pm Taking ‘The ICMM Critical Control Promote Mining Projects Introduction Management Guide’ into the Field. Case M. Jewell; Burns, Figa & Will, P.C., Study – Barrick Gold ‘Life Saving Controls’ Greenwood Village, CO 2:05 pm M. Routledge; H&S Division Board, Park City, UT Forum on the Future of the Nation’s Mining Successful resource development projects must incor- Safety and Health Research Agenda porate an effective approach to communicating real and The International Council on Mining & Metals (ICMM) E. Lutz2 and L. Saperstein1; 1Mining Engineering, perceived public health externalities of domestic and in- developed a set of guidance documents around fatal Missouri University of Science and Technology, ternational mining development. This paper presents a risk in collaboration with 23 global mining council mem- Nantucket, MA and 2Spokane Mining Research fundamental introduction to public health science and the ber organizations. The intent was to provide a process Division, NIOSH, Spokane, WA the international mining industry could follow to design use of data to promote resource development projects. It thier own internal standard for engaging miners, identif- also provides a primer to creating, structuring, and main- The NORA National Mining Agenda has 8 Objectives ing fatal risks and drive leaders to implement and check taining public health interventions, and offers data-driven and 263 sub-objectives for research that improves the critical controls. Step 8 - Verification and Reporting is anecdotes. Readers and attendees can expect to increase Health & Safety of miners. With a goal of opening up one of the most challenging elements of this process. their knowledge in basic public health and epidemiology this agenda to the broader mining community, a panel Mining Executives are required to initiate the design and applied in resource extraction contexts. Attendees will of experts drawn from industry, academia, labor, and implementation of an efficient and transparent system further understand that socio-public health needs in re- government will discuss current as well as emerging for ensuring competent leaders get out into the field and source development contexts extend beyond traditional mine worker H&S trends. Audience responses will be physically check controls are in place and remain effec- infectious disease, nutrition, and primary care paradigms. solicited. Recent, rapid, cyclical changes in demand tive. Barrick Gold executed a rigorous process to identify This presentation equips mine managers, engineers, for energy, metallics, and non-metallics may have new and select appropriate controls. RUT LLC then partnered decision-makers, and any person interested in: Cutting and substantial H&S challenges. Depressed demand with Barrick to implement an efficient field based check- through what popular studies in the media really mean may create as many H&S problems as an uncontrolled ing and reporting system to drive compliance for what to mining companies; Unravelling scientific and medical boom. What are the existing unsolved problems and Barrick refer to as ‘Life Saving Controls’. The crystal jargon; Learning about how increased access to reliable what new ones are predicted? What H&S technologies clear visibility of controls compliance has helped drive and inexpensive resources is not only good for the pub- should be developed in our quest for zero fatalities for the closure of gaps and provide confidence to senior lic’s health, but it has also been one of the greatest public workers in tomorrow’s increasingly mechanized mines? leaders that those controls are in place and effective in health achievements in history. Who will be tomorrow’s mine workers and how will managing fatal risk. they be trained so as to be safe as well as productive? The panel’s responses will be collected and archived on the NORA web site. Panelists are Dr. J. Burgess, U 2:45 pm of AZ, Mark Ellis, IMA-NA, George Gardner, MSHA Pitt Incorporating Public Health and Center, Stacy Kramer, Freeport-McMoran, Dr. George Epidemiological Interventions that Promote Luxbacher, MELM Consulting, Dr. Hugh Miller, CSM, Community Development and Buy-In for Josh Roberts, UMWA, and David Snyder, NIOSH-NORA. Mining Projects M. Jewell; Burns, Figa & Will, P.C., Greenwood Village, CO Successful international mining projects incorporate effective and sustaining public health interventions. However, the proper and efficacious implementation and management of community-based public health programs demands a keen understanding of the legal, scientific, and practical challenges presented by these endeavors. This issue is important given the increased

98 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 Media Stability Issues with Dense Medium WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 AFTERNOON Separators AFTERNOON P. Jain and S. Bhattacharya; Department of Fuel and Mineral Engineering, Indian School of Mines, Dhan- 2 pm Room 110 bad, Dhanbad, Jharkhand, India 2 pm Room 505 Heavy medium separation is a special case of gravity Industrial Minerals & concentration in which a heavy media of specific gravity Mining & Exploration: between the heavier mineral and lighter mineral is used. Aggregates: Special Topics The effective separation depends on the various factors Geology: Mining Geochemistry Chairs: R, Raitani, Solvay America, such as concentration criterion, liberation, stability of Chairs: D. Levitan, Barr Engineering, media, type of separator, etc. Stability of suspension is Stamford, CT very important requirement for efficient separation of Minneapolis, MN B. Wang, Ingevity, Charleston, SC minerals and coals in close specific gravity range. Slight T. Diedrich, Barr Engineering, Duluth, MN change in the density of the media can lead to ineffi- 2 pm ciencies resulting in poor separation of heavy material 2 pm Introduction from the lighter ones thus degrading the grade of the Introduction final product. Preparation of ultralow-ash coal needs 2:05 pm two stage similar density separations, it is necessary 2:05 Pm Salt Mine Journey to a Truly Continuous to reduce the suspension condense in cyclone. Factors Evaluating the Hydrothermal Fluid History Mining and Haulage System which affect suspension condense include: centrifugal of the Marigold Deposit, Nevada Using J. Haughey; Joy Global, Franklin, PA factor, suspension concentration, the density and size (U-Th)/He Thermochronology of heavy media. Present paper aims at covering vari- 1 2 3 1 As conventional drill and blast methods continue to be D. Huff , E. Holley and W. Guenthner ; Geology and ous factors affecting the stability of suspensions, issues Geological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, used in many salt mines, a case study will be present- related to magnetite media, ferrosilicon and other medi- 2 ed on a Canadian’s salt mine’s journey to a truly con- Golden, CO; Mining Engineering, Colorado School of ums. Various methods adopted at industry for maintain- Mines, Golden, CO and 3Geology, University of Illinois tinuous mining and haulage system. This presentation ing the suspension stable. will include real-world results, demonstrating how the at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL introduction of heavy duty continuous miners and the Despite the history of production from Carlin-type gold latest flexible continuous haulage, the “flexible conveyor 3:05 pm deposits (CTGDs), researchers continue to debate the trains” (FCTs), are on target to deliver a 20% increase Orfom® D8 Depressant in source of the parent fluids. Au mineralization at Mari- in production and a 20% reduction in the cost-per-ton, Copper/Molybdenum Separation Operations gold is concentrated along faults and along the altered over a three-year period. As the system lends itself to B. Ramos and C. Brown; Mining Chemicals, Chevron margins of Cretaceous dikes. To determine the age of automation, the presentation will also cover the latest Phillips Chemical Company, The Woodlands, TX the most recent hydrothermal fluid flow, apatite aliquots advancements in system automation, including auto- from two dikes were submitted for (U-Th)/He thermo- mated sump and shear cycles and collision avoidance. Most Cu/Mo separation operations are conducted by chronology dating. The calculated ages were Eocene using inorganic NaSH as the copper sulfide depressant. (39.9 ± 0.3 Ma and 41.9 ± 0.3 Ma). Although Eocene While NaSH provides appropriate performance for such magmatism has not been recognized at Marigold, five 2:25 pm operations, it does exhibit several undesirable qualities Eocene intrusions have been dated 8 km to the north. Wisconsin Nonmetallic Mining Operations – including hazardous gas evolution, repulsive odor, and Eocene cooling ages support the hypothesis that local the Revised General Strom Water Permit can require high consumption rates for effective copper Eocene magmatism produced the hydrothermal fluids A. Martin and M. Nimmer; Mining, Foth Infrastructure sulfide depression. An organic reagent developed and responsible for CTGDs. This research also investigates & Environment, LLC, De Pere, WI marketed by Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP as Fe-oxide (U-Th)/He thermochronology as a possible Orfom® D8 Depressant, provides a commercial solu- exploration tool. Jasperoids can be spatially associated Like most states, Wisconsin has sand and rock quarries tion as a full NaSH replacement in Cu/Mo separation with Au mineralization in CTGDs, but they can also be supplying materials for construction, agriculture, and operations. Orfom® D8 Depressant achieves high Mo barren and are an unreliable indicator. We hypothesize manufacturing. The state is also blessed with excellent grade without being controlled by ORP while providing that jasperoids associated with Au formed from Eocene frac sands, which has fueled a booming sand mining significantly improved handling, safety and storage pro- fluids, whereas barren jasperoids formed at different industry. Upcoming revisions to the general storm water file, lower treatment rates, and does not require inert (ni- times. Petrographic/geochemical characterizations of permit separate aggregate and sand operations from trogen) gas. This paper will provide case study data from Fe-oxides and preliminary results from (U-Th)/He analy- the more complex industrial frac sand operations. This laboratory and plant scale trials. Discussions will include sis are presented here. presentation will discuss the new general permit re- data on process variables including dosage, retention quirements. Operators will need to improve their under- time, addition points, and pH when using Orfom® D8 standing of process water flows, hydrology, and drainage Depressant as a full NaSH replacement. 2:25 pm of their facilities. The state will be forming a committee Zircon Trace-Element Composition as an to evaluate the geochemistry of industrial sand facilities Indicator of Porphyry Mineralization using the required extended analytical data mandated in I. Barton1, R. Stegen2 and M. Barton1; 1UA Lowell the permits. We will discuss this and other operational Institute for Mineral Resources, Tucson, AZ and compliance challenges. Facilities will benefit from and 2Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold, Tucson, AZ being proactive with several tight timelines. There are also opportunities that may bring value to the operation Zircon trace-element composition has been suggested including structural and work practice modifications. as a prospecting tool. Magma oxidation associated with evolution of a metal-bearing, SO2-rich fluid transforms In tight economic times, the new permit increases the 3+ 2+ 4+ 3+ pressure on these operations to remain viable. Ce and Eu into Ce and Eu , both of which are relatively compatible in zircon. Thus, magmas that ex- solve an ore-forming fluid would presumably crystallize 2:45 pm zircons with larger Ce anomalies (Ce/Ce*) and smaller Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu*) than are observed in zircons

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 99 from less prospective intrusions. We performed 536 LA- WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 limited supplier options -Cultural Workforce, Operations, ICP-MS analyses of trace elements in zircons from 24 & Liaison issues w/Local Authorities -Etc. By identifying AFTERNOON intrusions at Morenci, Tyrone, and Safford, three large issues early and developing & effectively implement- Laramide porphyry Cu districts in the U.S. Southwest. ing mitigation strategies, it’s possible to achieve safety The results indicate that zircons from mineralized intru- 2 pm Room 502 targets, attain quality goals, minimize cost overruns & sions have larger Ce and smaller Eu anomalies than zir- reduce schedule delays. cons from barren intrusions, consistent with predictions. However, the magnitude of the difference between bar- Mining & Exploration: ren and mineralized zircons varies from district to dis- Management: Project Risk 2:45 pm trict. No single zircon from Morenci or Safford meets the Structured Finance, Export Credit Agencies, “prospectivity threshold” of Ce/Ce*>70 and Eu/Eu*>0.4 Management and Large Mining Projects outlined in the literature. This indicates that no single Chairs: B. Warfield, Roseville, CA J. Craynon; Engineering & Environment, Export-Import set of numbers can be applied universally to evaluate Bank of the United States, Washington, DC mineralizing potential in all porphyry districts. R. Goodfellow, Aldea Services, Fredrick, MD As mining projects around the world become larger and 2 pm more expensive, the configuration of financial and fund- 2:45 pm Introduction ing instruments becomes more complex. Most projects Exploration Databases: Avoiding Common require structured financing, involving private equity, Pitfalls in Data Collection to Maximize 2:05 pm governmental support mechanisms, commercial banks, the Impact of Geologic Observations for Integrating Social Risk into Enterprise Risk development banks, and/or export credit agencies Resource Estimation and Geometallurgical (ECAs). Increasingly, ECAs play a major role in moving Management Approaches project development and financing forward, even if the Modelling J. Render; Community Contexts, Binghamton, NY T. Matthews; Geology, Gustavson Associates, ECAs are not the primary lenders. This paper will review Lakewood, CO Ongoing feedback from a number of operators and de- typical structures for mining project financing, the role velopers indicates that social risk is still a primary area of ECAs, such as the Export-Import Bank of the United The transition from analog to digital data capture in explo- of risk across the sector. The Ernst and Young evalua- States, and will use aspects of recent deals to illustrate ration has changed the way we aggregate geologic ob- tion of the Top 10 risks for the sector as a whole has the current and future of financing options for large min- servations and geochemical data. Some commonly used included social risk for the past several years, and for ing projects. practices in exploration data capture and database design 2015-2016, it was ranked as #5. While many compa- significantly interfere with the eventual utility of the data nies acknowledge the priority of the subject, they are collected. Among the more common issues are treating challenged internally with developing processes that 3:05 pm alteration information as a discrete variable in data collec- effectively identify, define, and measure this area of Quantifying Risk Based tion, incomplete recording of relative intensity of alteration, risk. The causes of the challenges faced are founda- on Leading Indicators and incomplete sample location data. The objective of this tional: a lack of definition of the subject area beyond M. Savit; Husch Blackwell LLP, Denver, CO paper is to explore ways to address data collection and existing political and EHS uses; a lack of (or conflicting) data capture which will render geological observations as ownership of the subject area; and a lack of participa- New tools to predict and prevent unsafe behaviors are useful as possible in geological modelling, resource esti- tion of the community relations practitioners in risk as- being developed at a rapid pace. They will udoubtedly mation, and geometallurgical modelling processes. sessment processes. This presentation will summarize change our approach to risk assessment by providing experience in collaborating with the community relations a powerful new tool that is both quantitative and behav- and enterprise risk groups in a multinational operator to ior based. This paper will explore these techniques and 3:05 pm approaches. Optimizing Active and Secondary Heap assess the existing risk management tools and develop Leaching with Integrated Data Analysis and an enhanced approach to understanding and managing social risk. This presentation will summarize the chal- Characterization 3:25 pm K. Lang, N. Clayton and K. Hansard; WSP | Parsons lenges that needed to be addressed, the tools developed to enhance the methodology, and lessons learned. Using the Guidelines for Improve Risk Brinckerhoff, Tucson, AZ Management in Underground Projects Leaching challenges include pooling, channeling, lag R. Goodfellow; Aldea Services LLC, Frederick, MD & breakthrough times, increased solution in invento- 2:25 pm The Underground Construction Association of SME ry, toe saturation and slope stability, creating recovery Effective Project Risk Management: From published their “Guidelines for Improved Risk Manage- shortfalls & raising costs & risks. Advanced borehole Opportunity Initiation to Project Start Up ment onTunnel and Uunderground Projects in the United wireline and surface geophysics, core sample data & S. Cabano; Pathfinder, LLC, Cherry HIll, NJ States of America” in 2015. These guidelines are be- data integration combine to characterize hydrogeol- ing used across the USA on civil projects but they can ogy, geochemistry & solution disposition 3D images The Mining industry can benefit from an expanded view of the Risk Management process as part of the equally be applied to mining or other underground proj- of solution volume change may be used for near re- ects. This presentation will focus on how the guidelines al-time integration of electrical resistivity tomography Project Management process. It is fertile ground for project execution improvements, as some still suffer are being used in practice and how the improvement w/ advanced wireline downhole geophysics measure- in risk management practices has and will continue ments of moisture and saturation during leaching cycles. from habits that started during periods when brute force was more important than efficiency. This paper to improve project outcomes. Particular emphasis will Volumetric fluid content can be estimated with algorithms be given to transfer of risk management tools during relating material porosity, fluid saturation of pore volume & will explore ways to implement an effective process to identify, track, & manage risks by implementing miti- procurement as well as the communication of risks be- fluid resistivity to material bulk resistivity. Core lab analysis tween the Owner and Contractor. & advanced wireline in-situ spectroscopy logging provide gation planning, rigorous follow-up, & corrective action 3D characterization of metals distribution & concentra- planning. It will also delve into items that may be un- tions Techniques presented show the value of reliable detected until significant impact occurs, such as: -En- characterization and the ability to monitor solution volume vironmental Permitting -Land, mining rights, easement and PLS metal & moisture changes for active & historic acquisitions -Site restoration requirements -Structural heap operations. Measurements improve understanding stabilization requirements -Storm water runoff -Spoils of leaching efficiency & completeness, potentially increas- containment -Business Case fluctuations -Lean owner ing production and preventing slope failures teams leveraged through vendors/contractors -Remote sites -International procurement of large equipment w/ 100 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 month period. The extensometers were biased by the 3:25 pm location they were placed, failing to consistently cap- AFTERNOON Bingham Tunnel – Rehabilitation and ture the location and extent of floor heave and cracking. Modernization of Ground Support in an Old Mining in the area was halted and within several months Mine Tunnel 2 pm Room 501 the floor movement and incidence of roof falls was sig- M. Haddock; Geological Engineering, nificantly lessened. Golder Associates Inc., Saint Charles, MO Mining & Exploration: Kennecott Copper Mine’s historic Bingham Tunnel in 2:45 pm Utah was recently rehabilitated to bring the ground Operations: Rock Mechanics Three-Dimensional Slope Stability Analysis support up to Rio Tinto’s modern standards. Originally of Block Sliding Slope Failure at the built as a development tunnel for ore haulage by rail and and Geotechnical Challenges underground miner access to Lark Shaft, this historic Pikeview Quarry, El Paso County, Colorado 7,700 ft-long rail tunnel was given new life as a dewa- and Practical Solutions J. Varnier and J. Cremeens; Knight Piésold and Co., tering tunnel. With a wide range of old ground support, Denver, CO Chair: K. Kocsis, University of Nevada, several challenges were encountered during the reha- Reno, Reno, NV Slope failures that occurred in 2008 and 2009 at the bilitation to improve ground support and make repairs Pikeview Quarry in El Paso County, Colorado, USA were and upgrade cathedral timber sets and lagging, steel 2 pm investigated using three-dimensional discrete element sets, rockbolts, steel mesh, shotcrete, lightweight back- Introduction modeling methods. Large scale block sliding failures oc- fill, drainage, and rail. A presentation of the challenges curred along weak bedding planes that dip steeply in an and often innovative measures to rehabilitate the historic 2:05 pm excavation located at the toe of the slope. Several min- Bingham Tunnel will be presented from the perspectives Twenty-five Years of Seismic Tomography for ing sequences at the toe of the slope were simulated to of the mine, engineer, and contractor. Mine Rockmass Monitoring evaluate the effects of various degrees of extraction and backfill on slope stability. Slope stability back analysis E. Westman; Mining and Minerals Engineering, Virgin- 3:45 pm ia Tech, Blacksburg, VA was conducted using pre-failure and post-failure con- ditions to determine the joint shear strength properties. Seismic Monitoring at Barrick’s The current practice for engineers tasked with monitor- Laboratory testing was also conducted to determine Goldstrike Mines ing and assessing the stability of underground openings intact rock properties. Three-dimensional discrete ele- M. Jamkhana and V. Bonzumah; Underground is to use field observations to calibrate the output from ment analysis was uniquely applicable to this evaluation Division, Senior Mining Engineer, Elko, NV numerical models and a seismic events database. Field because it allowed representation of shear stress of the The Goldstrike property, owned and operated by Barrick observations may not be sufficient to detect problem basal sliding surface and it afforded evaluation of sev- Gold, is located in north eastern Nevada, USA, along the areas before damage becomes significant. Numerical eral scenarios of extraction and backfill at the toe of the Carlin Trend, a 37-mile long north-northwest alignment modeling is a useful tool for understanding rock mass slope. of sedimentary rock-hosted gold deposits. The company behavior, however results are frequently based on as- conducts both open pit and underground mining opera- sumed and generalized physical properties within the tions at this property. According to USGS, Goldstrike prop- rock mass. Microseismic data, including event loca- 3:05 pm erty is in a region of relatively low probability for significant tions and magnitudes, may only give a partial picture of Planning for Hydrogeological Testing Using seismic event occurrence. Between April and July 2014, change in the rock mass. Passive seismic tomography Inflatable Packers – Lessons Learned with three shallow (<2km) earthquakes of Magnitude ~2.0-2.5 complements the field observation, seismic database Project Examples caused ground shaking at Goldstrike operation. The events and numerical modeling effort. Case studies where J. White; Golder Associates Inc., Saint Charles, MO resulted in preventative mine evacuation and inspection of seismic tomography has been used to better under- underground facilities; and no apparent damage was ob- Geotechnical investigations often include a hydro- stand stress redistribution in underground mines will be served. No local seismic stations were in operation at the geological testing component for characterization of shared, including examples from both coal and hardrock time and locating the events was highly uncertain. Since groundwater flow and chemistry. The means of isolating mines. Results show that this tool can complement ex- then a local surface seismic network and an underground water-bearing units can be accomplished through the isting tools (such as point-location geotechnical mon- micro-seismic network have been installed to monitor seis- use of inflatable packers. Often, the testing specialist itoring and numerical modeling) to help the engineer mic events around the property. The installed system has must be ready to mobilize equipment and personnel better design safe and efficient operations. successfully captured some seismic events since its com- with little notice and collect meaningful data from bore- missioning. This paper discusses the monitoring efforts holes typically drilled for a primary purpose other than currently in place, analysis of events, risk mitigation and hydrogeological testing. It is essential to coordinate the 2:25 pm improved communication to the workforce for safe under- field program with all project stakeholders at the work Analysis of Floor Heave due to High Horizontal ground mining. Stresses in an Underground Limestone Mine planning stage to minimize project stand-by, reduce B. Slaker1, M. Murphy1 and T. Miller2; 1Ground Control the likelihood of tool loss or malfunction, and to meet Branch, NIOSH - PMRD, Pittsburgh, PA testing objectives. Advocating borehole location, size 4:05 pm and 2East Fairfield Coal Company, North Lima, OH and orientation considerations for the hydrogeological Installation of a Thin Spray-on Liner Ground program can aid in expediting the testing schedule and Support System at the Cote Blanche Mine An underground limestone mine in eastern Ohio was ensuring representative data collection. Additionally, Production Shaft experiencing significant floor heave and roof falls, at- these considerations have a bearing on the selection of R. Howe2 and G. Sutton1; 1Mining Operations, tributed to high horizontal stresses. Areas of the mine packer equipment, interval length and test duration. This Cementation USA, Bunker, MO and 2Strategic showing floor heave were monitored with roof-to-floor presentation discusses the pre-mobilization planning Projects, Compass Minerals, Goderich, ON, Canada extensometers and photogrammetry surveys, to deter- process, including recommended information to gather mine the rate and magnitude of heave. Extensometer from stakeholders and implications of different site con- The Cote Blanche Mine is a major producer of salt lo- data were being recorded hourly at four locations across ditions on the selection of testing equipment. cated on the Gulf of Mexico in south Louisiana, and is adjacent entries while photogrammetry surveys of the owned by Compass Minerals. Following a rigorous in- floor were performed at the same locations every two ternal review of safety systems throughout the compa- to five weeks. Following instrumentation, floor heave up ny, in this case a remedy was sought to mitigate risks to 4 inches was measured by both the extensometers associated with unlined portions of the shaft. Compass and in the photogrammetric reconstructions during a 4 Minerals made a decision in 2015 to install a thin spray-

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 101 on liner ground support system in the unlined portion 2:25 pm or exceeding the performance of an on-board opera- of the shaft. Compass Minerals entered into agreement Innovation in Recovering from the World’s tor. This paper will describe the challenge, the research with Cementation USA to complete the work, which in- Largest Mining Landslide completed to address the challenge and examine the cluded engineering and fabrication of work decks to fit B. Ross; 90 Degree Consulting LLC, Tucson, AZ results. the existing configuration, cleaning the walls, spraying the liner material and installing the rock bolts. This pre- After experiencing the largest mining landslide in the sentation will discuss the challenges and successes that world in April of 2013, Rio Tinto Kennecott’s Bing- 3:25 pm went along with this innovative new shaft liner system ham Canyon Mine was left with thousands of feet of Advances in Automation Techniques for installation including scheduling, coordination, method- scarps that towered over 600 feet, no access for large equipment in the mine because the main haulroad was Copper Ore Sample Processing ology, and the results of the project to date. J. Nunley1, C. Deem2 and J. Sweet2; 1Safford Mine, destroyed and limited ore because debris had covered Freeport-McMoRan, Safford, AZ and 2Technology more than half of what had previously been exposed. Center, Freeport-McMoRan, Safford, AZ To recover from these issues many innovations were employed or developed with the help of employees, ven- The Central Analytical Service Center (CASC) provides dors and contractors to return the mine to full produc- analytical support for Freeport-McMoRan’s mining op- tion. This paper is based on the new book, Rising to the erations. The CASC is responsible for timely processing WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 Occasion – Lessons from the Bingham Canyon Manefay of solid and liquid samples taken from exploration, min- AFTERNOON Slide and describes some of those innovations and how ing, milling, and hydrometallurgical operations in North they were implemented both quickly and safely. America. In 2015, the CASC completed construction of Line 5; an automated blasthole and exploration pro- 2 pm Room 503 cessing line. Line 5 was designed to integrate a fully 2:45 pm automated sample preparation circuit with an automat- Autonomous Haulage Implementation: ed wet chemistry cell. This state-of-the-art robotics line Mining & Exploration: Focusing Early Efforts to Deliver Long Term offers the ability to process an additional 500 blasthole Technology: Case Studies & Results samples per day and expands the lab’s capability to C. Smith and J. Barnwell; Global Mining, Caterpillar, process 125 exploration drill core samples. This sys- Application of Robotics and Perth, WA, Australia tem includes several novel design features intended to Automation at Operating Early implementations of autonomous haulage fleets improve quality, reliability and functionality over existing are typically done in a segregated area of an operational automated systems used at the CASC, and in the indus- Mines mine and allocated dedicated machinery and personnel try. An overview of some of these features, and the chal- Chairs: J. Marshall, Queens University, for production and support. Mine operators are curious lenges realized in implementing them, will be provided Kingston, ON, Canada to trial autonomous operations in this controlled en- in this presentation. vironment for a variety of reasons. Primarily, it allows P. Marshall them to adapt their processes and procedures as well as analyse the productivity of the technology in their par- 3:45 pm 2 pm ticular application. The difficulty with doing so in a cap- Maps of Structural Discontinuities Created Introduction tive environment is that the resources available to the Using Data Collected with a Robot-Mounted broader mining operation might not be fully afforded to Mobile LiDAR, a Stationary Terrestrial 2:05 pm the isolated operation. Productivity and perceived effec- Scanner, and Traditional Manual Methods: Design of a Novel Auto-Rotating UAV Platform tiveness of the autonomous fleet are impacted, and this Case Study Comparison from the Edgar for Underground Mine Cavity Surveying can prevent miners from realizing the full potential of Experimental Mine, Idaho Springs, Colorado J. Mitchell; Robert M. Buchan Department of Mining, the technology. This article discusses some of these op- J. Meyer; Mining Engineering, Colorado School of Queen’s University, Toronto, ON, Canada erational barriers and potential pitfalls to help adopters Mines, Golden, CO achieve early results and sustained performance. The This paper describes the design and construction of a authors make use of system dynamics and value based Workers in the mining, underground civil construction, novel auto-rotating UAV platform for three-dimensional management techniques to identify key value drivers and exploration industries create geological maps of mapping of underground mine cavities or stopes. The that will help miners focus their efforts on maximizing voids containing structural data regarding discontinu- purpose of this new approach is to improve the cov- the value of autonomous haulage at this critical stage. ities such as bedding surfaces, joint faces, and fault erage and timeliness of underground cavity mapping planes. These maps enable workers to make informed at a much lower cost when compared to current cavity decisions regarding rock engineering applications. scanning methods. This paper describes the application 3:05 pm These maps are commonly produced using traditional selection, aerodynamic modelling, 3D scan design, and Creating Value with Semi manual collection and processing methods which can an iterative prototype building phase. The selected de- Autonomous Tractors be subject to sampling bias, inaccurate, and expose sign resembles a completely passive system that au- K. Stratton; Research, Caterpillar Inc, Dunlap, IL workers collecting the required data to hazardous con- to-rotates as it falls through a cavity. An onboard LiDAR ditions. Raw data from a case study area in Colorado sensor gathers a 3D helix pattern that covers the cavi- A lot has been accomplished on autonomous machines School of Mines’ Edgar Experimental Mine were gath- ty’s walls. Scan coverage is expected to be broader than in recent years. Clearly, the haulage solution has been ered using three collection methods: A LiDAR mount- current methods due to the ability to scan from various address, however the challenge in many application ed on a mobile robotic platform A stationary terrestrial viewpoints. Thus potentially eliminating shadows due continues to be meeting all of the customer require- LiDAR A traditional manual discontinuity survey Digital to irregularities of cavity walls. The prototype UAV itself ments and creating real customer value in the mining point cloud data collected with the mobile and terrestrial consists of four carbon fibre rotor blades similar to a environment. Dozers in particular are very challenging LiDAR were analyzed using automatic and manual inter- helicopter rotor that have been designed for a specific in that they are consistently changing their environment pretation methods, while data collected using traditional flight pattern. A custom built LiDAR sensor payload has and interacting with the earth and rocks which have methods were analyzed using manual interpretation. An been included to collect 3D data and monitor the flight inherent uncharacterized variations that challenging ex- analysis of the accuracy of, and time required to pro- of the UAV. After flying the data from the UAV is pro- isting control capabilities. Caterpillar has accepted that duce, structural maps created using three collection cessed to generate a 3D map of the underground cavity. challenge and developed a unique planning system, op- methodologies was performed, differences quantified, timized our human-machine interface and significantly and results presented. adapted existing control systems to provide the ability for one operator to control 4 machines while meeting

102 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 2:25 pm 3:05 pm AFTERNOON Real-Time Updating of the Geomet Balancing Optimal and Practical Model based on Ball Mill Performance Selective Mining Units Measurements – A case study at the M. Rossi; GeoSystems International, Boca Raton, FL 2 pm Room 504 Tropicana Gold Mine This paper proposes a methodology to determine a T. Wambeke1, P. Ketelaar2, J. Benndorf3 and R. Pe- 2 1 practical Selective Mining Unit (SMU) for resource and attie ; Delft University of Technology, Roosendaal, reserve modelling within the context of an operating Mining & Exploration: Netherlands; 2Anglo Gold Ashanti, Perth, WA, Australia 3 mine. This practical SMU is intended to represent op- Technology: Leveraging New and University of Mining and Technology Bergakade- erational selectivity based on specific mine plans and Technology in Spatial Data mie Freiberg, Freiberg, Germany mine equipment. The practical SMU is derived from the The ball mill is usually the single largest energy con- theoretical SMU, which is optimal in the sense that it and Geostats Modeling from sumer at a mine site and significantly affects operation- provides the most value if the operation was entirely al expenditures. Given a target particle size, work index flexible. In the approach proposed here, this optimal Exploration to Mine Closure estimates are used to predict mill throughput. In order SMU is modified by considering the existing operation- Chairs: R. Cooper, Newmont Mining, to maximize the mill throughput and ensure an optimal al dilution; areas where this operational dilution can be Colorado Springs, CO energy utilization, it is important to get the work index improved upon; and areas where there is unavoidable estimates right. The work index estimates generally dilution or loss of selectivity. The resulting practical SMU I. Allen, Barrick Gold Corp originate from spatial models derived from sensor data can be represented in the resource and reserve mod- collected during drilling. Inaccuracies exist due to ill cali- els such that mine plans derived from them will better 2 pm brated relationships between sensor data and laboratory reflect expected grades and tonnages delivered to the Introduction work index values. Instead of relying on a limited num- plant. In this paper, several real-life examples are dis- ber of metallurgical tests, a novel updating algorithm cussed to illustrate the approach. 2:05 pm was used at the Tropicana Mine to continuously update Real-Time Integration of Production Sensor work index attributes based on online mill performance Data for Improved Grade Control data. Deviations between predicted and actual mill per- 3:25 pm J. Benndorf1 and M. Buxton2; 1Geomonitoring and formance were monitored and used to locally improve Mineral Prospectivity Modeller (MPM) – New Mine Surveying, University of Mining and Technology the spatial estimates. A continuous self-learning took GIS tools for mineral exploration Bergakademie Freiberg, Freiberg, Germany and place and the prior spatial model converged towards the V. Nykänen; Digital products and services, Geological 2Geosciences and Engineering, Delft University of previously unknown reality. Updates did not only result Survey of Finland, Rovaniemi, Finland Technology, Delft, Netherlands in a real-time reconciliation of extracted blocks but also Increasing amount of digital data collected during significantly improved estimates in blocks to be mined Advanced data acquisition and process modelling tech- mineral exploration requires enhanced data-analysis in the future. nology provides online data and decision support about methods and practices that can also be considered as different aspects of the resource extraction process. time-saving, cost-effective and environmentally neutral Real-time approaches have recently been applied to exploration techniques. The MPM project investigates utilize the value of this information for improved produc- 2:45 pm and implements new workflows and tools for mineral tion control in mineral resource extraction in different Geologic Modelling of Complex Orebodies: prospectivity modelling. To support target scale miner- operational set ups including coal, polymetallic ore and Combining Deterministic and Probabilistic al exploration, a public Spatial Data Modeler toolbox is gold deposits. The key concept of these approaches Models redesigned and recoded into ArcGIS. To support stra- 1 2 3 1 promotes the change in paradigm from discontinuous M. Rossi , T. Strong and P. Brown ; GeoSystems tegic planning of exploration companies, the project 2 intermittent process monitoring to a continuous pro- International, Boca Raton, FL; Kangari Consulting, produces an on-line prospectivity modeller for selecting 3 cess and quality management system. The framework Launceston, Cornwall, UK and PB Geological target areas for exploration. The use of the tools will includes a real-time feedback control loop that rapid- Consultants, Ryde, Isle of Wight, UK be demonstrated in a case study with real exploration ly links online material characteristics data acquired The most important aspects of a deposit’s geology data. The results of the project will be published as a during extraction, material handling and processing with should be modeled to condition and constrain the es- report of investigation, scientific papers and an open a sequentially up-datable resource model. The contribu- timation of its resources. There are many complex min- source software. The project is co-funded by a Finnish tion reviews recent developments in the three main con- eral deposits that evidence multiple geologic controls on national funding instrument called TEKES, together with stituents sensor based material characterisation, rapid mineralization. Birimian-type gold deposits, to name a the mining and exploration industry. The MPM proj- updating of grade control models and simulation based few, often evidence a combination of structural, litholog- ect will involve an international collaboration network optimization for improved production control. Technolog- ical, and alteration controls, resulting in complex spa- composed of the top experts in mineral prospectivity ical readiness is assessed and critical gaps for further tial patterns of mineralization. Usually geologic controls mapping from the U.S. Geological Survey, the Geological technology development are identified. The value added are modeled either through interpretation on sections/ Survey of Canada and the University of Campinas (Brazil). is illustrated by means of selected case studies. plans of three dimensional shapes, or through implicit modeling techniques. The resulting wireframes are used to control the grade estimation process. But there are instances where those shapes cannot consider all the existing controls in the deposit, and thus a fraction of the resource is estimated without controls, or not con- sidered at all in the resource estimate. The controls that cannot be modeled explicitly can be represented using geostatistical techniques. A combination of deterministic and probabilistic modeling is proposed to improve the geologic modeling of complex gold deposits, and in so doing improve the resource estimate. An example is de- scribed from a West Africa gold deposit.

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 103 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 in pipes, tanks and pumps on the mill water supply these screens has increased, the number and size of side, reducing flows and causing significant production the brute force/overhead exciters has increased but with AFTERNOON losses. At Robinson Nevada Mining Company, steady limitations. paper will present some actual examples of increases in ore throughput combined with changes in the use of Two-Mass screens as a solution to these 2 pm Room 703 the ore body resulted in severe scaling problems and overloading problems and the advantages of Two-Mass pre-mature pump failures thereby jeopardizing plant screens in other high tonnage applications. production. What initially appeared to be a few isolat- MPD: Comminution II ed scaling events eventually unfolded into a recurring Chairs: T. Winkelman pattern of water supply related production losses with 3:45 pm K. List, Weir Minerals, Old Hickory, TN increasing severity. Through completion of detailed root HPGR and Air Classification – A Case Study cause analysis, chemistry modeling, laboratory work, in- T. Lundquist; Weir Minerals, Frederic, WI plant testing and system engineering the mechanisms 2 pm of scaling were identified and addressed. Advancements At this point it’s safe to say HPGR’s are proven in dia- Introduction in antiscalant application methods and make-up water mond, copper, and iron ore applications. Even in gold, addition practices resulted in a stepwise reduction of the HPGR has become popular for heap leach mines. There 2:05 pm mill water scaling. Cost savings and production benefits are enough installations with enough different custom- A Review of Available On-Line were significant to the plant’s financial metrics. ers from enough manufacturers to say the HPGR has Particle Size Analyzers officially arrived. However, when it comes to unproven M. Larson; Consultant, Ewen, MI installations or thinking outside the box there remains 3:05 pm industry hesitation. This paper will outline a new appli- On line particle size analysis is not a new concept, how- Dynamic Modeling & Simulation of a SAG cation utilizing HPGR and air classification to make a ever a great many concentrators still do not employ this Mill for Characterization of Mill Charge limestone filler product. It will detail the product being control method. A thorough review has been completed V. Srivastava, T. Ghosh, G. Akdogan and R. Ganguli; made, the circuit used to make it, and the steps along of both familiar machines along with newer options. It Mining Engineering, University of Alaska Fairbanks, the way to full production. The intent of this paper is to is hoped this can generate discussion on whether new Fairbanks, AK not only explore this new application but to get people designs simply over complicate matters, or offer im- thinking about other new areas where HPGR could be provements such that more mills can successfully utilize Modeling and Simulation of SAG Mill has been widely beneficial. Until the industry fully embraces HPGR in all these in monitoring and control of their circuits. used in design and optimization of mill performance in possible applications the technology will never be able terms of its power draw, processing capacity and prod- reach its full potential. uct size distribution. However, these models are solved 2:25 pm under steady approximation and do not provide any in- Vertical Roller Mills – The Next Step in formation on mill charge distribution in real time. This 4:05 pm Energy Efficient Grinding paper attempts to characterize mill contents by solving Whiten’s first order contents based model in Matlab/ Study of the Material Slip in High Pressure M. Carlisle and J. Dziedzina; SME, Midvale, UT Simulink environment. The parameters in the model Grinding Rolls Based on DEM Simulations Vertical Roller Mills (VRMs) have achieved remarkable such as breakage rate (S), discharge rate (D) and ap- G. Pantoja Barrios and L. Tavares; UFRJ/COPPE/LTM, success and growth in dry grinding applications in the pearance function (A) were estimated utilizing process Professor, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil cement and allied industries, but have yet to gain trac- and design data collected from a gold mine operating Extrusion is a phenomena in high pressure grinding where tion in the minerals industry. This is despite the fact that in Alaska coupled with nonlinear parameter estimation the compressed bed of particles exits between the rolls at they have tremendous potential to either replace SAG scheme. This model is then utilized to predict dynamic a speed greater than the tangential rolls speed. The speed mills in conventional grinding circuits, replace HPGRs in response of other key operational variables such as mill difference indicates that slip occurs between the product hybrid circuits or to completely replace the conventional power, bearing pressure, charge level and product size and the rolls surface. Until now, the only evidence for slip milling circuit in a cost effective dry grinding application distribution. The transient response of mill behavior sub- in HPGRs follows from the comparison of the theoretical (where conditions allow). In a desktop study, five circuits ject to changes in feed size distribution, tonnage and mill with the experimental throughput. For the calculating of were evaluated for capital cost, energy consumption and feed water is also presented. This dynamic simulation the theoretical value, the relative bulk density at the com- wear materials (including grinding media) consumption. approach can be used for practicing different control pressive zone has to be know, which cannot be measured The study indicated that there was little difference in up strategy and training purposes. directly and is estimated from the product flake density. front capital costs for the VRM circuits compared to con- Nowadays the advanced modeling of HPGR based on ventional and HPGR milling circuits, but operating costs Discrete Element Method, can describe with high level of show significant benefits through the elimination of, or 3:25 pm detail operational features as material hold up distribu- reduction in, the use of grinding media and the reduction Two-Mass Vibrating Screens for High tion, particle velocity, and bed particle compressive force in energy consumed to achieve a given grind. The signif- Tonnage Applications along the compression zone of the HPGR. The HPGR DEM icant downstream benefits that accrue from dry grinding G. Beerkircher1 and E. Wipf2; 1General Kinematics, simulations consider important operational variables as and dry separation are also considered. Waukesha, WI and 2Ed Rock Man IV LLC, the tangential velocity and surface design of the rolls, the Wonewoc, WI compressive force applied to the bed of particles and par- 2:45 pm ticle size distribution of the feed. The present work shows As mine size and tonnage continues to increase, mate- the importance of the HPGR DEM simulation as a tool to Scaling Back on Scale: Eliminating rial handling/processing equipment has also increased understand analytically the phenomena of extrusion. Production Losses from Mill Water Upsets in size with 400 MT haul trucks, 2000 KW crushers, D. Steiner1, D. Wayman1, N. Morrison2, R. Nivens2, 12 M SAG/AG mills, 8.5 M ball mills, 3000 M3 flotation C. Sui2 and U. Turunc2; 1KGHM Robinson Nevada cells and 12.5 MW HPGR’s all with planned designs to Mining Company, Ruth, NV and 2Water & Process increase in size further. Related equipment including vi- Technologies, GE Power, Lebanon, United States brating screens have also increased in size with screens Minor Outlying Islands seeing feed rates of 3000 MTPH. Open circuit SAG Pre- Crush and closed circuit HPGR flowsheets are becoming In most copper mines and concentrators mill water is more common with large screening requirements. Large continuously recovered and reused, with fresh water multi-slope (banana) or horizontal screens are common- added to make up for losses. When mixed, these wa- ly used for these applications, however as the size of ter chemistries can lead to severe scaling, especially

104 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

4:25 pm PAC at the Agnico Eagle Kittila gold mine in Finland. Al- 3:05 pm Larger Tonnages, Larger Crushers? though challenging, the addition of mineralogical data Simulation of Venturi Tube Design by CFD for K. Boyd; SME, Qualicum Beach BC, BC, Canada as dependent variables in multivariate analysis leads to Pico and Nano Bubbles Generation a much deeper understanding of the root cause effect of F. Peng and W. Wang-Geissler; Mining Engineering, Can the ever increasing tonnages of ore and waste events driving the flotation performance. being mined today be accomodated simply by using West Virginia Universitiy, Morgantown, WV bigger and better crushers? This paper updates the Hydrodynamic cavitation is the most economical meth- authors earlier publicatio, “Crushing Plant Design and 2:25 pm od to create tiny bubbles for coal and mineral flotation. Layout Considerations” (SME Mineral processing Plant Development and Testing of the nextSTEP Efficiency and design geometries of the devices are Design, Practise and control). It reviews the latest pri- technology, an Energy-Efficient Flotation analyzed using CFD in this study. Mathematical mod- mary crushing and large cone crusher designs. Its goal Rotor Designed from Fundamental Research els were validated through comparison with published is to help consultants and operators select the optimal A. Noble1, Y. Yang2 and L. Riffo2; 1Mining Engineering, geometries and experimental results. Circular venturi equipment and custom-designed items in the material West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV tubes were found to be the best design for cavitation handling flowsheet from the mine to the mill, maximizing and 2FLSmidth, Salt Lake City, UT tiny bubbles generation. To optimize design of venturi operating hours per year. tube, six key parameters were examined. These include Mineral concentrators around the world are under pres- inlet diam, inlet and throat diam ratio, convergent and sure to reduce power consumption and operating costs divergent angles, throat and entrance lengths. Interac- while retaining metallurgical performance and process tions and effects of the parameters on pico and nano efficiency. To address this need, an academic-industri- bubble generation are evaluated. A two-phase cavitation al research partnership has assessed the role of rotor/ model based on Eulerian and κ - ε models were applied. stator design in influencing energy dissipation and the WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 Inlet and throat diam ratio is founf the most significant resultant flotation kinetics. Scale modeling, fluid ve- factor. It has the greatest impact on critical velocity for AFTERNOON locity profiling, and other fundamental tools were used cavitation. Example of optimal designed venture tube to identify the energy consuming sub-processes that for pico-nano bubble generation will be presented and occur in a conventional flotation cell. With this funda- 2 pm Room 705 discussed. Fully understand parametric relationships for mental knowledge, CFD modeling was used to design venture tube design, distribution of cavitation bubbles a new rotor geometry that minimized wasteful energy sizes can be calculated for wide ranges of applications consumption by creating a more uniform slurry velocity in mineral and waste water processing/treatments. MPD: Flotation Equipment at the rotor tip. The resultant rotor lowered power draw, and Plant Operations reduced wear rates, and actually improved metallurgical Chairs: J. Gebhardt, FLSmidth Salt Lake performance when compared to several alternatives. 3:25 pm These findings have been verified across all operating City Inc, Midvale, UT scales from the laboratory to industrial installation. This High Shear WEMCO Disperser Industrial Test A. Noble, West Virginia University, paper presents data from these studies to demonstrate K. Caldwell, K. Rahal, Y. Yang and D. Lelinski; the potential for improved metallurgical performance Research and Development, FLSmidth, Draper, UT Morgantown, WV and to demonstrate how basic research can lead to step Through a series of laboratory flotation tests the inter- changes in machine design. actions and effects of new rotor, hood, and disperser 2 pm designs for the Wemco flotation machine were tested. Introduction From the test work, it was determined that recovery 2:45 pm could be greatly increased from the current baseline. 2:05 pm Hydrodynamic and Metallurgical Evaluation The DOE analysis found that the variable with the most Metallurgy, Process Control and Mineralogy of the 600 Series SuperCell in Industrial significant effect on the recovery was the disperser. Integration at the Kittila Mine Finland Application The most promising design is using a disperser that R. Thorpe2, R. Mermillod-Blondin3, A. Niiranen4, K. Caldwell, Y. Yang, C. Christensen and D. Lelinski; increased the amount of shear produced in the rotor/ P. Gottlieb1, J. Ruokanen4, A. Kopriva1, M. Dosbaba1 Research and Development, FLSmidth, Draper, UT disperser zone. The new design implements high shear and A. Palko2; 1TESCAN ORSAY HOLDING a.s., Brno, Flotation cells are getting bigger and more efficient. Until blades in the cell disperser. The addition of the blades Czech Republic; 2Metrix Plant Technologies, Parkes- recently, the FLSmidth 300 Series SuperCell™ was the increases the turbulence within the disperser. From ville, BC, Canada; 3Technical Services, Agnico Eagle, largest in the world with a capacity over 300m3. In 2011 previous work in the lab, pilot and CFD the increased Preissac, QC, Canada and 4Kittila Mine, Agnico Eagle, FLSmidth started the development process of the new turbulence led to an increase in flotation performance. Kittilä, Lap Land, Finland generation of flotation cells and the final result is the 600 The high shear disperser is now currently installed in 3 an industrial flotation application. This paper will discuss Automated Mineralogy (AM) is an important diagnostic Series SuperCells™ with volume starting at 600m . The the development, laboratory testing, results of the indus- tool in flotation plants as it adds ore and particle min- first 600 Series SuperCell™ has been installed, tested trial test work as well as the cell characterization. eralogical properties to traditional mass and chemical and is operating as a rougher scavenger at the Robinson data. AM is used in project development, for future ore Mine. In addition to new, large throughput plants, these studies and for diagnosing concentrator operations. cells are especially attractive in a situation when there With the exception of operations who own central labo- is limited room for expansion in existing large capaci- 3:45 pm ratory or on-site systems, the use of AM is often limited ty plants. Hydrodynamic and metallurgical response of Investigation on Froth-Pulp Interactions at to the analysis of a comparatively small set of samples. forced air mechanisms evaluated will be presented with High-Speed Frame Rates the emphasis on the nextSTEP™ rotor/stator combi- Q. Huang, A. Noble, L. Leoncio Cruz Santos and Metrix Plant Technologies has partnered with TESCAN to TM integrate TIMA AM technology into the implementation nation. The nextSTEP technology has shown superior L. Nugent; Minining Department, West Virginia of Performance Assessment Campaigns (PAC). Routine metallurgical recovery as well as a significant increase University, Morgantown, WV daily composite samples from the mill are analysed min- in energy efficiency in all stages of testing. CFD mod- Much of the prior research in flotation hydrodynamics eralogically on a size-by-size basis over several weeks. els show that flotation recovery is increased because has primarily focused on either froth or pulp separate- All the relevant metallurgical, process control and min- of improved turbulence dissipation which enhances ly. Direct observations of the phenomena occurring as eralogical data is combined into a single large database bubble-particle attachment rate. Presented results will a bubble is transferred from the pulp to the froth are for mass balancing and interactive examination. This include hydrodynamic scale up, characterization and rare and limited to date. To address these shortcom- paper describes the implementation and results of a validation, RTD and metallurgical results. ings, the current study has used a specially-designed

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 105 flotation cell to investigate the froth-pulp interface (FPI) WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 2:45 pm in a two-phase froth-liquid system at high speed video AFTERNOON Viscosity and Density of rates up to 17,800 frames per second. The unique flo- Sodium-Iron-Silicate Slags tation cell is extremely thin (2.5 cm) and constructed D. Schriner1, P. Taylor1 and J. Grogan2; 1Colorado of transparent material to permit adequate lighting. The 2 pm Room 707 School of Mines, Golden, CO and 2Gopher Resource, cell also has two separate chambers: one turbulent zone Eagan, MN where bubbles are generated and a froth is formed and a second quiescent zone where individual bubbles can MPD: Pyrometallurgy In addition to the chemical properties, the physical prop- be released and monitored. The current experimental Chairs: B. Mota, Safford, AZ erties of a slag (viscosity and density) play an important program has investigated the impact of frother char- role in controlling transport phenomena encountered in acteristics, gas velocity, and agitation energy on the D. Connor, Metso Minerals, Waukesha, WI a blast furnace. The purpose of this investigation was to FPI behavior. The resultant data are used to define the determine physical properties of a sodium-iron-silicate observed phenomena with respect to bubble size, froth 2 pm slag system. Measurements of synthetic slags of vary- velocity, froth stability, and solution chemistry. These re- Introduction ing composition were recorded from 1300-900°C in a sults may be incorporated into the future development of vertical tube furnace under an argon atmosphere using predictive models of bubble behavior at the FPI. 2:05 pm a concentric cylinder viscometer and analytical balance. Plasma Processing of Neodymium Oxide Functions of temperature and composition were then H. Sceats and P. Taylor; Metallurgical and Materials found for the synthetic ternary system. 4:05 pm Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO Mitigation of Covariates Effects in the This research discusses ongoing work towards the plas- Flotation Results of a Plant Trial 3:05 pm ma-assisted reduction of neodymium oxide. Current in- Development of the Continuous F. Fernandes Pinto, N. Gantumur and J. Arias; Oil and dustrial practice for reduction of the rare earth oxides Mining Services, Clariant Corporation, Tucson, AZ Bottom-Blowing Matte Converting Process necessitates the use of techniques such as molten salt X. Wang; China Nonferrous Metal Industry’s Foreign Froth flotation is a process that is affected by many vari- electrolysis. In hopes of employing more environmentally Engineering and Construction Co., Ltd., Beijing, China ables, which naturally have random variation. This study benign methods, this work investigates the use of hydro- shows the statistical benefits of removing the effect of gen as a reducing agent. Whereas molecular hydrogen This Paper describes the continuous bottom-blowing co-variables and is based on the flotation results ob- gas is only capable of reducing the oxides of relatively matte converting process, as well as the pilot plant test tained during a gold flotation plant trial. The random vari- noble metals, dissociated hydrogen radicals are much conducted for this process. The pilot plant test shows ation of the ore feed grade created a bias on the effect of more chemically reactive and have the potential to re- that under three-phase conditions in the bath, sulfur in the collector change. Multiple linear regression indicates duce neodymium oxide. In this research, production of blister is 0.7%-1.0%, and Cu in slag is 8-12%; while that gold feed scaled linear coefficient is 6 times higher hydrogen radicals is achieved in a microwave discharge. under two-phase conditions, sulfur in blister is 0.2%, than the effect of changing the collector, which means Modeling of the apparatus and discharge is provided, as and Cu in slag is around 20%. During the test, oxygen that 30% variation in the gold feed grade totally negates is a discussion of the real-time diagnostic techniques lance and refractory linings are under good conditions. the effect of changing the collector. employed in the system. Initial efforts towards compu- Therefore, it can be concluded from the pilot plant test tational simulation of the solid state reactions are also that continuous bottom-blowing matte converting pro- presented, as well as preliminary experimental results. cess has good application prospect. 4:25 pm Copper – Molybdenum Separation from Bulk Concentrate – Recent Considerations 2:25 pm 3:25 pm E. Blanco; FLSmidth, Herriman, UT Rare Earth Magnet Recycling and the A Novel Smelting Method for Continuous Selective Sulfation Roasting of Rare Earths Production of Magnesium Metal The recent development in the processes of Copper from NdFeB Magnet Scrap B. Chubukov, S. Rowe, A. Palumbo and A. Weimer; – Molybdenum separation are reviewed along with its B. Carlson and P. Taylor; Kroll Institute for Extracitve Chemical Engineering, CU-Boulder, Boulder, CO main features. The need for development of process- Metallurgy, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO Smelting of magnesium ore by carbothermal reduction es to separate MoS2 with less contaminant and better Mo grade from copper bulk concentrates is indicated. Rare earth magnets play an increasingly important role (CTR) has the potential to significantly reduce operation- in high end technology, and the manufacture of these al costs relative to reduction by ferrosilicon or magne- Variations of pH’ range using H2SO4 and/or CO2 (g), in- organics/organic traditional chemical reagents, alterna- magnets, such as the NdFeB type, consume a large sium chloride electrolysis. The greatest challenge in the tive NaSH green environmental replacement, Sea/local amount of the rare earths produced. Recycling of this CTR process is the effective separation of magnesium water type, mineralogy characterization of bulk con- material could provide an important domestic source for vapor and CO by-product, which can recombine unpro- centrate, mechanic forced/auto-suction air on flotation these materials. An overview of the rare earth magnet ductively. Research at CU-Boulder has helped to reveal cells, kinetics flotation, redox potential measurements, recycling efforts at the Colorado School of Mines is pre- the fundamental reaction and transport mechanisms design flowsheet considerations, talc contaminants in sented, including work on the development of a selective that govern the overall process. Experimental investi- sulfation roasting process. To determine the kinetics of gation and theoretical modeling of the generation and final MoS2 concentrate and alternatives solutions are discussed in this paper. this process, a thermal gravimetric apparatus is con- condensation of magnesium vapor has allowed for the structed and the sulfation of iron oxide and neodymium design and construction of a prototype system (100g oxide are studied under different experimental condi- Mg/hr). Evaluation of the prototype system will be used tions. This process is shown to effectively separate the for scale-up design of a pilot-plant system. high value rare earth components from iron, the major component of this waste stream.

106 SME | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

3:45 pm Breaking the Wall of ASM Mercury Pollution: The Lantern Retort R. Amankwah, D. Adjei and G. Ofori-Sarpong; Miner- als Engineering, University of Mines and Technology, Tarkwa, Ghana, Tarkwa, Ghana Mercury (Hg) is toxic and has long-term effect on the muscle tissues, the brain and the central nervous sys- tem functions due to its bioaccumulation and biotrans- formation effect. Hg pollution around the world is high and this has attracted much global concern such as the Minamata Convention on Mercury, held in 2013. For several years, mercury has been the chemical of choice for Artisanal and Small-Scale (ASM) gold extraction, accounting for about one-third of the global mercury consumption. A greater percentage of this end up in the environment through open burning of amalgam, spillage and indiscriminate disposal of waste. To break this wall of mercury pollution, it is very important for the mer- cury used to be recycled through the use of mercury retort units. This brings into the limelight, the Lantern Retort which tries to synergise the high conductivity of steel and the see-through effect of glass thus improving the amalgamation process. A research conducted on improving the original Lantern Retort arrived at an ap- propriate distillation length of 5.08 cm which was used in redesigning a more efficient retort. The improved Lan- tern Retort recovered about 98% of the mercury used.

4:05 pm Antimonate Capacity of Nickel Matte Converting Slags R. Reddy; Met. Matls. Eng., The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL An extension of the thermodynamic Reddy-Blander (RB) model for deriving a priori predictions of antimonate ca- pacity between the Ni mattes and Ni matte converting slags was developed. The antimonate capacities in the Ni mattes and Ni lime ferrite slags and Ni fayalite slags, and Ni + Cu mattes and Ni-Cu fayalite slags systems were evaluated at 1523 or 1573 K and various pSO2. Higher antimonate capacities were obtained in Ni ferrite slags. Good agreement between the RB model calcu- lated data and the reported experimental data for an- timonate capacity in the above systems was observed. The antimony distribution ratio between mattes and slags were also calculated. The developed model can be applied to industrial processes and improve the efficien- cy of antimony removal from the Ni mattes converting processes.

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | SME 107 th International Symposium on 12 MINING WITH BACKFILL

Technical PROGRAM

www.smeannualconference.com #societyformining th International Symposium on 12 MINING WITH BACKFILL

INTERNATIONAL MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2017 SYMPOSIUM ON MORNING

MINING WITH BACKFILL 9 am Room 601 Geomechanics TECHNICAL Chair: Matt Helinski, Outotec PROGRAM

9 am Introductions

9:05 am Liquefaction Potential of Cemented Paste Backfill under Dynamic Loads Introduction by Panel Chair: M. Shahsavari and M. Jafari, University of Toronto, ON, Canada; R. Moghaddam, Golder Associates, Mississauga, ON, Canada and M. Grabinsky, University of Toronto, ON, Canada Cemented paste backfill (CPB) is the emerging trend in integrated mine tailings man- agement. CPB consists of mine tailing, binder agents, and water that provides ground support for underground openings known as stopes. CPB has tight characteristics and a very high delivery rate compared to other backfilling materials such as rockfill. Once placed in a stope, CPB is generally considered as a loose, saturated granular soil at its early stage of binder hydration. Therefore, it might be prone to liquefaction if subjected to static or dynamic loadings. CPB liquefaction would lead to the appli- cation of excessive loads on the stope barricade and hence barricade failure. CPB liquefaction is much more complicated that the conventional liquefaction analysis of granular materials such as sand. Hydration and confined environment of a stope are a couple of these complicating factors in addition to the type of input ground motions (i.e., earthquakes vs mining-induced seismic loads). To be able to establish a design procedure, CPB liquefaction analysis must be done first using the conventional ge- otechnical earthquake engineering concepts. The current state of practice assumes that once the unconfined compressive strength of CPB reaches 100 kPa, the material is non-liquefiable.In this paper, first a non-linear time domain ground response analy- sis is performed using FLAC3D. The time dependent material properties due to binder hydration are incorporated into the analysis. FLAC3D results are then compared with the one dimensional equivalent linear analysis results using SHAKE2000. The induced shear stresses are then compared with the laboratory obtained cyclic shear resistanc- es to identify the regions of backfilled CPB that are prone to liquefaction.

9:25 am In Situ Performance of Cemented Paste Backfill at the Lucky Friday Mine J. Seymour, M. Raffaldi, and H. Abraham, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Spokane, WA; J. Johnson, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT and E. Zahl, Contractor, Spokane, WA In cooperation with the Hecla Mining Company, NIOSH researchers have developed effective methods for monitoring the in situ performance of cemented paste back- fill during underhand cut-and-fill mining. Robust and reliable instruments were -in stalled at eight locations in two production stopes prior to backfilling and monitored over a two-year period through five undercut advances. Horizontal pressures up to 5.5 MPa (798 psi) were measured in the paste fill along with stope closures of more than 50 cm (19.7 in). From the instrument data, the in situ stress vs. strain behavior of the paste fill was analyzed, providing an average in situ modulus of deformation of about 3.62 GPa (525 ksi) for the backfill during initial undercut mining and also indicating the onset of strain hardening behavior in the paste fill during a fifth under- cut advance. The instruments are currently being monitored every two hours by data acquisition systems that are linked through the mine’s communications systems to a corporate web site and are thus providing the mine staff and NIOSH researchers with reliable, timely information regarding the geomechanical behavior and stability of the backfill.

2 INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON MINING WITH BACKFILL | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

9:45 am 10:45 am Stability Analysis of Backfill and Underground Pressure Control in Numerical Modeling of the Evolution of Pore Water Pressure within the Large-Scale Deep Mining Cemented Paste Backfill Structure F. Wenlu, China ENFI Engineering Corporation, Beijing, China M. Fall, and L. Cui, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada For the reason that Anhui Shapinggou Molybdenum mine with large-scale deep The pore water pressure (PWP) has a significant effect on effective stress and mining appears obvious underground pressure, the arch facade sequence mining strength development in cemented paste backfill (CPB) structures. Moreover, the and subsequent backfilling are designed for controlling the frequent underground PWP has a considerable impact on stability and design of barricades. Hence, it has movement. The numerical analyses of arch facade mining sequence and convention- paramount and practical importance for stability analysis as well as the cost-effec- al upward horizontal slice mining sequence are carried out respectively, and static tive design of CPB structures and barricades. In this study, a multiphysics model is calculation and dynamic calculation are carried out for the stability of backfill. The developed and successfully validated against laboratory and field data to assess analytical results show that the maximum principal stress distribution is uniform in and predict the development and evolution of PWP within CPB mass. A series of the arch facade mining, and the arch facade mining has smaller degree of stress engineering issues are then examined with the model to investigate the PWP in field concentration and less plastic area than those of conventional sequence mining. CPB mass with respect to the changes in the mixture recipe, as well as the backfill- Because of a better supporting role arising from the vaulting, the surface subsid- ing, surrounding rock and curing conditions. The obtained results provide in-depth ence displacement caused by arch facade mining is smaller than that caused by insight into the PWP evolution in CPB. conventional sequence mining. The operating range of blasting vibration influences the variation of plastic zone and displacement for backfill. When the blasting dynamic loading is applied near the backfill, the distribution area of backfill plastic zone is expanded obviously. If the curing time of backfill is insufficient, the backfill is prone to collapse. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2017 10:05 am AFTERNOON Practical Geotechnical Design in Backfill at the Turquoise Ridge Mine, Nevada 2 pm Room 601 C. Barnard and L. Sandbak, TRJV Laboratory Testing/Research I Cemented rock fill (CRF) commonly referred to as backfill has been utilized as the main support in the underhand cut and fill (UCAF) mining method at the Turquoise Chair: Jeremy Gulliver, Goldcorp Ridge Mine (TRJV). The design is based on flexural instability utilizing fixed beam analysis, originally developed by Mitchell and Roettner (1989) and later Stone (1993). The methodology has been utilized to increase our average undercut width from 20 to 30 feet. The opportunity also exists to lower mine costs by adjusting the cement content without jeopardizing necessary mine design safety factors. Numer- 2 pm ical monitoring and instrumentation has also substantiated minimal pressures and Introductions movement from current designs, and could facilitate even wider undercut widths or expanded mining methods in the future. 2:05 pm Industrial Practice on Optimizing Tailings Composition Combined with Ore Concentration Processes 10:25 am L. Guo, X. Yang, B. Yu, W. Xu, C. Shi and X. Peng, Beijing General Research Institute Reliability Analysis of Mine Backfill Exposures of Mining and Metallurgy, Beijing, China M. Helinski and D. Merrikin, Outotec Pty Ltd , South East Asia Pacific Cemented paste backfill (CPB) is increasingly applied in underground mines world- The largest operating cost associated with most cemented mine backfill systems is wide and has a broad prospect considering its benefits in environmental protection binder. Binder dosage is typically based on the results of the quality control strength and ground control. During the paste production, a well-graded aggregate is critical testing, a suitable model for estimating the strength requirements and a Factor of for the achievement of CPB. Mine tailings from the outcome of ore-dressing plant Safety (FoS). In the author’s experience factor of safety (FoS) (or equivalent) can range are commonly used as the fill aggregate. However, it is difficult to obtain an ideal from 1.2 to 2.0, often with no rational basis for selection. At typical mine backfill particle size distribution for the mine tailings which are roughly mixed with final operations this range may equate to a 1-3M USD difference in annual binder costs. residuum in ore concentration processes. In this study, a novel industrial method Consequently, selection of a suitable FoS, which properly reflects the material and is proposed to select fill aggregates from different parts of ore-dressing processes. model uncertainty, is considered necessary. This paper presents the results of analysis With combined design of concentration plant and backfill plant, the tailings with that was undertaken for the purpose of providing guidance relating to a suitable FoS desired particle sizes and proportions during the mineral processing are chosen for cemented mine backfill design. Work presented in this paper utilizes Monte Carlo to produce CPB without disturbing the regular ore concentration. The problem of simulations of a typical mine backfill vertical exposures to derive a rational approach passively accepting final tailings from ore-dressing plant has been improved. for using variable quality control strength data (either plant sampling or in situ mea- surements) for the design of fill exposures.In addition to providing a rational approach to addressing material uncertainty, this paper also provides recommendations relating 2:25 pm to the selection of appropriate model uncertainty safety factors. While limited in scope Éléonore Paste Backfill Composition the presented results provide useful guidance for the selection of appropriate mod- S. Girard, P. Lajoie, and P. Germain, Eleonore Gold Mine, Goldcorp Inc., Canada el uncertainty safety factors when applying simplified analytical solutions, compared with more rigorous numerical methods. Paste backfill and uncemented rockfill are used at the Éléonore gold mine to allow pillarless recovery of the narrow gold veins. A major constraint of the Eleonore oper- ation is to store the sulphide tailings underground. Maximizing uncemented rockfill underground is an important economic factor. A good balance of paste backfill and uncemented rockfill is critical to allow the mill to discharge the sulphide material without compromising paste quality and the continuous mill operation. This study is part of an ongoing internal research program that aims to find an economical

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON MINING WITH BACKFILL 3 th International Symposium on 12 MINING WITH BACKFILL

mix design with desired fresh and hardened properties at high sulphide content. The effects of the different mix parameters were evaluated independently using the compressive strength at different curing times. All of the mixes were batched at the same consistency. This paper covers the mix design philosophies and challenges encountered during full-scale implementation tests along with innovative techniques used at the Eleonore paste backfill plant. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2017 MORNING

2:45 pm 9 am Room 601 Enhanced Flow Ability and Mechanical Characteristics of Cemented Paste Backfill with a Chemical Admixture Laboratory Testing/Research II S. Haruna and M. Fall, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada Chair: Ferri Hassini, McGill University Cemented paste backfill (CPB) with excellent flow ability and a high rate of early strength gain achieved in an economical manner is a key target in the backfill tech- nology. This paper presents the results of an experimental investigation of the effect of a novel chemical admixture (Master Glenium 7500) on the rheological proper- ties (yield stress, viscosity) and mechanical properties of CPB. The yield stress and viscosity of CPB samples containing 0%, 0.05%, 0.125% and 0.25% admixture were tested up to 4 hours. Unconfined compressive strengths (UCS) of the samples 9 am were also determined after 1, 3, 7 and 28 days. The results obtained show that Introductions the admixture significantly reduces the viscosity and the yield stress of CPB. The admixture also proved to be important on strength development. At the initial stage, up to 3 days curing period, samples with admixture show lower UCS but become 9:05 am stronger than the treated samples after 7 days. This shows that this admixture can The Short-Processing Tailing-Storage-Free Filtration Backfilling significantly improve the rheological properties, strength and strength gain rate of Method CPB. The findings of this study will therefore help to prepare CPB with enhanced X. Liu, Energy and Engineering Safety School of Human University of Science and performance properties. Technology, Xiangtan City, China In order to meet the need of efficient backfills in some low grade and hard-to-re- cover mines, a new backfilling method named short-processing tailing-storage-free 3:05 pm filtration backfilling method was invented by studying on the quantity and concentra- Engineering Backfill Fiber as an Environmental Solution to tion control of filtrated slurry, as well as optimizing of mine operating flowchart and Cost-reduce and Improve Paste Backfill cyclone clusters. No tailing storage is required for this system; as a result, tailings B. Ting, Gopomo Inc.; K. Yoo, and H. Yoo, PT. Ecofiber; K. Ruptash, and B. Fabian, can be transported to cyclone clusters directly. Generally, the concentration and pro- Nahanni Construction duction rate of the downstream inside the cluster is between 68% to 72% and 69% This paper discusses the paste design and the experimental results of using an to 72% respectively. This downstream then flow directly down to the continuous environmentally benign additive known as engineering backfill fiber (EBF), which mixers for the mixing with cement, and ultimately, was filled into the voids through can potentially and significantly reduce of the cost of paste backfill. It was found underground reticulation systems and boreholes. The installation time for this sys- that paste with EBF produced less bleed water and developed higher strength. The tem has been reduced to 4 months, while the capital investment and operating cost improved high early strength allowed a more flexible mining and backfill schedule. are also reduced by 70% and 20% respectively. The strength of the filling body, with The use of EBF may also be used for managing the risk of liquefaction and improve ratio of cement to sand 1:4, can reach up to 3.2Mpa in 28 days. Therefore, this safety. The tailings, binder, and water used in this series of experiments were col- system can be effectively integrated with the overall mining sequence, balance the lected in a real world mining process. mineral extraction rate and processing rate safely, hence to improve the profitability of the mine.

3:25 pm Feasibility Study of Overburden Material for Hydraulic Stowing in Mines 9:25 am I. Muthreja, A. Ghare, R. Yerpude, L. Dhote, Visvesvaraya National Institute of The Benefits of Incorporating Admixtures into Mine Paste Backfill Technology F. Erismann, Sika Tunneling and Mining, Switzerland; S. O’Hara, Sika Tunneling and Mining, Canada; C. Kurz, Sika Technology, Switzerland; M. Hansson, Sika Tunneling The results discussed in this paper highlighted a Feasibility study of overburden and Mining, Sweden material (OBM) from mines as stowing/backfill material. The study refers significant physical parameters like particle size, dry density, porosity, permeability etc. The flow The benefits of incorporating chemical admixtures into mine paste fill designs are characteristic i.e. pressure gradient change for slurry transport of OBM) for 37.5 numerous and cost effective, especially when incorporating metrics such as ener- mm circular pipe have been experimentally evaluated. The linear expressions related gy- and cement consumption, reduced dewatering costs, reduced downtime and with change in pressure gradient have been presented using multiple regressions pipe blockages as well as reduced plant maintenance costs into the equation. The of data. Water percolation characteristic after placement of slurry also have been addition of admixtures is a tool to optimize the backfill product in order to have a evaluated experimentally. The commonly used stowing material; sand is taken for direct feedback on the backfill quality and numerous operating cost centres. Using the comparative analysis with overburden material. admixtures provides the paste fill engineer with a tool to adjust and modify many variables of the paste mix. The following variables can be modified in order to obtain a cost performing backfill paste: enhanced rheological behaviour (better thixotrop- ic profile, improved slump, better pumpeability), reduced water content, reduced cement content or change of cement type, increased solid content, improved com- pressive strength and improved cure time. An adjustment to any of the mix design variables can result in significant improvements of the paste cost-performance and reduction in overall operational expenses. Test results have proven that the addition of a single admixture at relatively low dosage of 1% to 3% by weight of cement can have powerful effects in modifying the parameters listed above. A prerequisite for

4 INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON MINING WITH BACKFILL | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

good results is a good understanding about the mineralogy and granulometry of the you can do it,” significant step changes in backfill management were achieved. ore host and therefore the source of the tailing material which leads to a customized Changes to organizational structure, planning, scheduling, and coordination, along adjustment of the used admixture in any given paste backfill operation. This paper with optimized preparation, transportation, and distribution, were achieved through outlines results from different mine backfill pastes and how to come up with the the introduction of a philosophy where through team work, collective awareness, right admixture choice. understanding, and ownership successful outcomes are achievable.

9:45 am 10:45 am Polymer Wear Materials – The Right Product for Different Applications Extending Paste Pumping Envelopes at Minera San Rafael’s Escobal P. McDonald, Iracore International, LLC. Mine through the Use of Admixturesand Pressure Spike Dampening Wear is the result of material loss due to impingement, impact, scuffing, and the M. McGuinness and R. Brown, Paterson & Cooke Canada Inc. and C. Barich, Tahoe sliding of particles across the material surface. Add to that the many other variables Resources Inc. which affect the wear rates such as pressure, temperature, velocity, and particle Expanding the existing pastefill distribution system to the East Zone of Minera San size just to name a few. With that being said wear is very application specific. There Rafael’s Escobal Mine posed a challenge due to long pumping distances and high are a few standard tests such as the National Bureau of Standards (NBS), DIN and discharge elevations. Several options were considered for delivering pastefill to the the Taber Abrasion that provide guidance, but often specific field tests must be con- new area which included procuring a replacement higher pressure surface pump, ducted to determine the best material. This presentation describes the relationship installing an underground booster pump station and increasing the efficiency of between lab data and field results with various types of cast polyurethane systems. existing site infrastructure with a pressure damper and admixtures. Hydraulic mod- In the end, experience in various operating environments is often needed in order to elling inputs were refined after a series of field trials and the final decision was select the proper polyurethane system for the specific wear service. made to use admixtures and to install a pressure dampener to reduce peak pressure spikes and increase the average operating pressures with existing site infrastruc- ture. This paper outlines the steps taken to reach this decision including testing, 10:05 am modeling and an economic evaluation. It presents how the pressure dampener and Cemented Aggregate Fill Test Work admixtures are used to extend pumping distances while maintaining targeted paste J. Wickens and B. Snyman, Paterson & Cooke Consulting Engineers (Pty) Ltd, quality. South Africa There are many forms of backfill that can be considered for a specific mine appli- cation and the mine plan, layout and mining method are all key criteria required to develop the appropriate backfill properties. In some instances, a high strength fill may be required for large bulk open stopes and aggregate fill may be the best solution. However, generating suitable aggregate can present logistical challenges and so is often considered an expensive option, but in cases where development TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2017 waste is readily available, a cemented aggregate fill (CAF) may be an appropriate AFTERNOON and cost effective solution. Open stope mining creates large voids and properly designed backfill is used to ensure regional stability as well as to maximize the extraction ratio. CAF is broadly defined as a rock fill that can be modified to suite 2 pm Room 601 the mining requirements by optimizing the particle size distribution through a com- bination of screening, inclusion of tailings or crushing of the waste rock, and adding Backfill Reticulation, Barricades, binder such as cement. The requirements to conduct UCS test work on CAF presents Instrumentation unique challenges and a specially designed and constructed 50 tonne load frame Chair: Tony Grice, AMC Consultants was developed for this test work. This paper presents results from a series of labo- ratory scale tests on CAF to determine the effect of particle size distribution on the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) so as to optimize the binder content of a CAF backfill product.

10:25 am 2pm Back Fill Optimization and Innovation – Red Lake Gold Mine’s Introductions Success Story N. Hmidi, R. Evans, D. MacDonald, K. Cook and K. Tietz, Goldcorp Canada 2:05 pm Backfill production can be challenging in a mining environment in which multiple Use of Cemented Paste Backfill Boreholes for Concrete and mining methods are in use (longhole, overhand & underhand cut and fill). It becomes Shotcrete Delivery even more complex when there are multiple headframes, two processing facilities, P. Primeau and B. Mandl, Golder Associates Ltd., Sudbury, Ontario, Canada and and associated pastefilling facilities, and where many small, high grade stopes T. Guse and K. Bullock,Glencore’s Sudbury Integrated Nickel Operations, Sudbury, take priority over all others. The complexity of this type of operation in a mine that Ontario, Canada is mature and where the stoping areas are widely spaced and deep, can present many obstacles to maintaining the ideal inventory of stopes ready to fill and the Deeper underground mining is becoming more prevalent throughout the world. With reticulation to support. Numerous associated obstacles over time led to a backlog of this comes the fact that the installation of infrastructure to deliver bulk materials in 80,000 tons of unfilled stopes. Such a deficit is very difficult to overcome when the support of mining, can add significantly to the overall cost of a project. To this end, pressure to meet targeted ounce production can lead to short term decisions which the multi-purposing of required infrastructure can lead to significant cost savings eventually create long term pain. This paper describes the actions that were taken during a mine’s development, and operation. The use of cemented paste backfill to completely overhaul the backfill process, eliminate the backlog and implement a dipped boreholes for delivery of concrete and shotcrete underground is one possi- sustainable system that will ensure the future success of the mine. Through innova- ble way to bring about economical and efficiency benefits to a project. This paper tive improvements, via a structured team approach, with a focus on design flexibility, presents some of the design and technical consideration that went into such an improved processes, optimization, and a simple mantra “do every task as soon as evaluation as part of Feasibility studies undertaken by Glencore’s Sudbury Integrated Nickel Operations (Sudbury INO) for the Onaping Depth (OD) Project.

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON MINING WITH BACKFILL 5 th International Symposium on 12 MINING WITH BACKFILL

2:25 pm 3:25 pm Numerical Analyses of the Stress Distribution in Backfilled Stopes The Garpenberg Paste Backfill Reticulation System – A Case Study Considering Interfaces Between the Backfill And Rock Walls D. Granlund and S. Wilson, Paterson & Cooke UK Ltd, UK; C. Eriksson and G. Liu, Beijing General Research Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, Beijing, China; M. Nordlund, Boliden, Sweden L Li École Polytechnique de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; X. Yang and L. The Garpenberg Mine in Sweden is owned and operated by Boliden, producing lead Guo Beijing General Research Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, Beijing, China and zinc concentrate. The mine has been operated by Boliden since 1953, and has Minefill is widely used in underground mines around the world, mainly to improve recently (2014) undertaken a major operational and production upgrade with the ground stability, reduce ore dilution and maximize ore recovery rate. To successfully construction of a new processing plant operating at 2.5 Mtpa of ore production. The apply backfill, it is a critical issue to evaluate the stresses in backfilled stopes. Pre- revitalisation being driven primarily by the discovery of increased mineral reserves vious published works have shown that numerical modelling is an effective mean and resources offering a production life past 2030. A backfill system has been to accomplish this task. However, most of the numerical models did not consider operating at the mine since 2007, producing a paste backfill from de-slimed mill interfaces between the backfill and rock walls. The influence of the mechanical tailings. Between 2015 and 2016 Boliden, with support from Paterson & Cooke’s properties of the interfaces was seldom systematically investigated on the stresses Backfill Group undertook a program of work to improve the operational performance in backfilled stopes. In this study, the stress distribution in backfilled stopes is -an of the system, focusing on increasing system availability and throughput, as well alyzed using FLAC3D after taking into account interface elements. The influence of as enabling reticulation into the new Kvanberget ore body. This paper is present- the planar and nonplanar interfaces, as well as the shear strength and roughness on ed as a case study to describe an approach to overcome commonly encountered the stresses in backfilled stopes will be presented and discussed. paste reticulation system problems, notably expansion to new mining areas, system availability and excessive system wear. Specifically, the case study describes how, through the introduction of diversion valving, level loops and hydraulic modelling, 2:45 pm the system availability has been increased. The hydraulic modelling including com- In Situ Instrumentation of a Cemented Paste Backfilled Stope at pletion of a rheological loop testing to better quantify the paste characteristics so George Fisher Mine that, through hydraulic modelling the consistency of the backfill could be adapted to R. Veenstra, George Fisher and Lady Loretta Mines, Glencore, Australia ensure full flow operating conditions, accounting for inclusion of the new level loops. George Fisher Mine (GFM) is currently in the process of optimizing its pour and backfill barricade designs. Part of this process involves the installation of in situ and 3:45 pm barricade instrumentation to monitor the loads being placed on the barricade and A Better Understanding of the Tailings Properties Can Potentially the response of the barricade to these loads. This paper presents the first instal- Lead to Improved Backfill Economics lation at GFM, which involved total earth pressure cells and piezometers installed T. Skocir and I. Ahmed, Golder Associates Ltd., Mississauga, Ontario, Canada; G. immediately upstream of the CPB barricade wall, and ShapeAccelArray instruments Barr, Twin Metals Minnesota LLC, St. Paul, Minnesota installed on the downstream side of the barricade. The results obtained from showed that the pressures experienced by the barricade were lower than anticipated and As development projects and operating mines drive for efficiencies, both capital significantly lower than the GFM’s current design barricade design stress. The iso- and operating cost are often scrutinized. The selection of technically viable and tropic stress period of approximately 5 hours was also shorter than expected. The cost effective backfill is an important task for many underground mines. This paper instrumentation also showed signs of possible thermal expansion. Overall, this in- presents the findings of a study for the Twin Metals Minnesota Project that looked strumentation was a positive first step in helping characterizing GFM’s in situ backfill at the results of combining a tailings that readily dewaters, with a slow set binder, behavior, with more comprehensive installations being planned in the future. such as slag cement. The resulting proposed backfill plant design takes on the sim- plicity reminiscent of a standard hydraulic fill plant yet maintains the performance and operational benefits of a typical paste fill plant. In this case, dewatered tailings 3:05 pm from a high rate thickener can be combined with slag cement to achieve unconfined In-Situ Backfill Monitoring – Lessons Learned and a New Case Study compressive strengths that are similar to paste. B. Thompson and W. Bawden , Mine Design Engineering, Ontario, Canada; B. Brzeczka and M. Grabinsky , The University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada In the 10 years since Grabinsky and Bawden (2007) published initial data from an extensive campaign of in-situ measurements of backfilling stopes, a better under- standing of how in-situ backfill behaves, and how operations can use this informa- tion to safely improve the efficiency of their backfilling operation has developed. In part, this is due to an ever increasing catalog of published field data. In order to continue this trend, we present a detailed review of the instrumentation, and instal- lation techniques that have worked best as the initially research focused work has been applied on a consulting basis. A recent case study from Barrick Gold Corpora- tion’s Williams mine is presented, where relatively low (63 kPa) barricade pressures were measured during a trial to investigate the suitability of continuously backfilling. Importantly, the transition from hydrostatic loading occurred within several hours, which indicates the transition from a fluid backfill to soil like material was relatively rapid, and likely is a key factor in the relatively low barricade pressures. This data indicates that subject to appropriate QA/QC, including real-time monitoring of barri- cade pressures, reduced stope cycle times through more efficient backfilling may be possible. Further, barricade displacement has been measured and demonstrated to correlate with barricade pressures. The peak displacement was 0.4 mm. This data will be useful in a site specific barricade strength calibration project.

6 INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON MINING WITH BACKFILL | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

Polish underground coal mines successfully adopt new method of filling of gob area in logwall. Currently, due to cost reasons, most of conventional backfill operations have been stopped, however many mines are equipped with the hydraulic backfill infrastructure. This infrastructure, mainly pipelines networks, can be easily applied for transportation of fine-grained mixtures used for filling of gobs. Placement of WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2017 ashes, slag and processing waste in mined areas at Silesian coal mines began in XIX MORNING centuries. Such practices have been employed at both active and abandoned coal mines. The current filling technology of gob area in longwall operation allows to avoid surface subsidence, utilize fine waste and saline mine waters, improve stabil- 9 am Room 601 ity of rock mass and reduce some of the ventilation problems such as loss of air into Equipment, Case Studies, New Technology I the gob in the headgate area (the loss can reduce the air available to ventilate the longwall face), gas emission and spontaneous coal combustion. The purpose of this Chair: Robert Cooke, Paterson Cooke paper is to present the current fill operation, the results obtained by applying a new method in longwall mining and a number of problems related to environmental and safety issues. Physical properties and requirements for fill materials and mixtures will be discussed.

9 am 10:25 am Introductions Northam Platinum Zondereinde Mine – UG2 as Backfill Product J. Snyman, Paterson & Cooke Consulting Engineers (Pty) Ltd, South Africa; C. van Jaarsveld and D. Gonsalves, Northam Platinum Ltd – Zondereinde, South Africa 9:05 am The Technology of 3d Laser Scanning Applied to Cavity Backfill The Northam Platinum Zondereinde mine is performing multi-reef mining by exploit- Governance ing two types of platinum bearing reef, known as the Merensky and UG2 reefs, each Z. Kai, C. Kai and Z. Da, Beijing General Research Institute of Mining and Metallur- with differing ore characteristics and resulting tailings properties. The mine has been gy, Beijing, China using uncemented hydraulic backfill for primary as well as regional support since the start of the mining operations in 1993. Historically, the backfill material com- There are a large number of different sizes and shapes cavities when mines use the prised of classified Merensky and, to a lesser extent, development waste tailings. openstope method to mine, and these cavities will have influence on mine condition, Northam Platinum Zondereinde mine is now investigating the use of UG2 tailings as then cause serious geological hazard such as the roof fall-rib spalling-closure defor- backfill material should the availability of Merensky tailings not meet the required mation of the cavity – even surface collapsing , all of geological hazard can threaten future volumetric placement demands. The suitability of UG2 tailings as backfill ma- mine safety. Using backfill method to deal with dangerous cavities is the best effi- terial was investigated through benchtop tests, followed by a full scale test paddock cient method which will prevent wholesale ground pressure activity. However, it is on surface. The test paddock was equipped with total earth pressure cells and pie- difficult to obtain cavity shape and calculate backfill amount if mine uses backfill zometers to assess the stress build up in the backfill during and after placement as method to deal with dangerous cavities. To solve this problem, this paper introduces well as the drainage potential of the material in the paddock. In addition, different the 3D laser scanner for mine which is developed by Beijing General Research geotextiles were trialled to optimise the volume of drainage water, while limiting the Institute of Mining and Metallurgy to scan cavity before mine backfill and probe the amount of solids released from the trial paddock. During the field trials, slumping whole or part shape and real time condition of cavities, then obtain whole-compre- events were witnessed inside the test paddock which resulted in increased loading hensive-continuous point cloud data. point cloud data will be converted into line conditions on the fill fence. This paper presents the backfill system, test setup and model-entity model-profile data, these data will provide intuitive information to con- results from the field trials as well as a discussion, and probable causes, of the stitute backfill process for cavity and calculate backfill amount precisely to solve the slumping events that were witnessed during the field trials. problem which is difficult to check backfill amount of cavity.

10:45 am 9:25 am Paste for In-Pit Tailings Disposal Applications Backfill Design under Challenging Conditions I. Karajeh, Golder Associates Ltd., Mississauga, Ontario, Canada W. Hohl, University of Leoben, Leoben, Austria; G. Daxner, G. Hofer and M. Lanthaler, Salinen Austria AG, Austria Many mines start as an open pit operation and advance into underground develop- ments. In some cases, paste is selected as the backfill method of choice. For these Salt mining in Austria commences today for more than 5000 years. Past mining operations the potential to place tailings in the existing inactive open pit can be activities have left remnant stopes which could pose a risk for mine stability. A re- beneficial from an environmental and cost perspective. The operation can delay or search project was initiated to develop a backfill design methodology for the special eliminate the need to permit a new tailings storage facility. One of the key challenges conditions encountered in the salt mines. Special focus was laid on the determi- with in-pit deposition in general is the management of water. A highly dewatered nation of suitable rock mass parameters since the host rock exhibits a time-de- tailings such as paste can be the solution, and to those operations that have a paste pendent behaviour. It was possible to establish parameters for the rock mass and backfill plant, the advantages are apparent. This paper discusses the engineering the backfill using a large 3D-model comprising the complex mine geometry, high considerations for an in-pit tailings disposal design with a particular focus on the precision levelling measurement data and stress measurement data. The filling of advantages of delivering a paste consistency material. these remnant stopes was completed without incidents based on the findings of the presented study. 11:05 am Hitchhikers Guide to Human Error 10:05 am C. Pitzer, SAFEmap International Inc., Vancouver, BC, Canada The Future of Backfill in Underground Coal Mines - Underground Placement of Fill Material Based on Fly Ash and Coal Processing Waste The safety science is trapped in the management concept that ‘what gets measured gets done’, and the belief that incidents rates are actually validly and reliably measur- J. Palarski Silesian University of Technology, Gliwce, Poland; A. Zaj c, EDF ą ing safety performance. We give incentives based on false data, and we spend huge Ekoserwis Sp. z o.o, Gliwice, Poland resources on misconceptions, achieving little more than looking very busy. The more

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON MINING WITH BACKFILL 7 th International Symposium on 12 MINING WITH BACKFILL

recent focus on the art of leadership, as against the ‘science of management’, has tions that mix the characteristics of the three, are not always well understood and brought a deep and different understanding of people in the work place - that human the risks, advantages and disadvantages of the various options can be overlooked motivation is a complex but powerful force that can be harnessed. The approach argues when selecting a plant option that is right for a particular site. This paper seeks that if people are given authority and trust, they will excel. If people understand and to identify the various options available for backfill plant design and discusses the believe in the true purpose of safety, they will sign up. When it comes to promoting pros and cons of the options. The intent is that this paper will help mine operators job-site safety, how much messaging is too much? How much risk-identification and understand their options better, match their approach with their environment, and management is too much? Is there such a thing as too many safety rules and guide- avoid unintended consequences when selecting a backfill plant type. lines? While most people argue that job-site safety can never be promoted enough, one safety-industry researcher suggests otherwise. Corrie Pitzer argues that many organi- zations suffer from delusions when they think about safety. He suggests that by driving 2:25 pm risk-identification and risk-management strategies, as well as promoting “unrealistic” Technology and Application of Mechanized Longwall Face goals such as zero accidents, safety managers unwittingly create organization-wide Using Roadway Driving with Backfill The Study of Roadway delusions that actually cause more harm than good. Because Pitzer uses strong lan- Backfill Coal Mining Technology with Water-preserved in Western guage to describe his approach, he’s often characterized as not caring about ordinary Eco-environment Frangible Area men and women who risk injury or death in dangerous workplace situations. Nothing Z. Jixiong, S. Qiang, Z. Qiang, Z. Nan and Y. Hao, China University of Mining & could be further from the truth. Rather, Pitzer and his team study traditional approaches Technology, Beijing, China to safety through unusual means, and the conclusions they draw are based on data gathered through years of careful study. Analysis shows, quite clearly, that some of In China’s western eco-environment frangible area, the traditional fully mechanized the modern approaches to workplace safety have fostered more harm than good. Al- caving or room mining method is facing coal pillar instability, mine earthquake, though the approaches themselves are not without merit—it’s reasonable to want to large-area roof subsidence in the goaf, surface subsidence, water and soil loss, control risk, and it’s laudable to want to reduce accident rates—as a society, we have vegetation deterioration and other environmental problems. To solve the aforemen- arrived at a point where organizations drive such approaches harder than ever, to the tioned problems and improve coal recovery, the roadway backfill coal mining (RBCM) point where these notions are being followed slavishly and without any regard to their technology with water-preserved was proposed as a solution and its technical prin- broader consequences. According to the author, accidents are largely not preventable. ciple, key equipment, roadway layout and backfill mining process were presented in As organizations are operating increasingly closer to ‘zero’, accidents are increasingly detail in this paper. The mechanical properties of backfilling materials with different random events, caused by chance circumstances and inherent risks that randomly in- ratio of aeolian sand, fly ash and cement are studied in laboratory for a optimum teract. Moreover, by creating illusions of compliance and consistency, where workers ratio for local coal mines. moreover, a two-dimensional physical simulation model are encouraged to follow rules and procedures unquestioningly and without relying on is established to analyze the characteristics of overlying strata movement and ef- their own common sense and instincts, safety systems can actually promote disaster. fect of water-preserved. Field application results shows that this technology can The author describes seven deadly delusions from which organizations suffer. effectively control the overlying strata movement and improve the recovery rate of coal resources, achieving the coordinated development of the western mining area resources exploitation and environmental protection purposes.

2:45 pm Report on Tailings Dewatering with High Performance Disc Filters WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2017 J. Hahn and A. Egger, BOKELA GmbH, Germany AFTERNOON The treatment of tailings and paste from ore processing filtration and dewatering has gained more and more significance in the recent years. The recovery of water 2 pm Room 601 from the process is an important target with respect to both economic and environ- mental aspects because water is a valuable resource. The dewatering of tailings Equipment, Case Studies, New Technology II allows dry-stacking which is environmentally more acceptable, safer, and cheaper Chair: Betty Lin, Hatch and especially with mine backfill it allows to reduce the amount of cement to be added which may save millions of dollars per year. The most common dewatering technologies for the filtration of tailings and paste from ore processing are filter presses, belt filters and rotary vacuum disc filters. Among these the vacuum disc filter is the most economical technology in most applications - both in CAPEX and OPEX – especially, when high performance disc filters of modern filter design are 2pm used. The Boozer disc filter is a modern high performance vacuum disc filter which Introductions has set the pattern in a multitude of applications. In the recent years this filter type has established itself in many applications of tailings dewatering initiated by a first 2:05 pm reference application which started operation in 2010. In this application the use of Portable, Modular and Custom Built Backfill Plants – Choosing the two Boozer disc filters allowed to reduce the input of cement by about 60%. The Right Plant reasons for the successful operation of this disc filter in tailings dewatering are: the C. Lee, Golder Associates Ltd., Sudbury, Ontario, Canada; R. Brown, Paterson & high throughput and dewatering performance, the excellent operational reliability Cooke, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada even in case of varying feed conditions, the simple and robust design, the ease of maintenance and last but not least the small footprint. The paper reports on oper- There are many ways to design and construct a backfill plant for cemented hydraulic ation experience and operation results of tailings dewatering with the Boozer disc fill (CHF), cemented rock or aggregate fill (CRF/CAF) or cemented paste fill (CPF). filter from 3 different plants with 3 different tailings. In one of these plants a Boozer Backfill plants can be simple, mobile plants that require little in the way of permanent disc filter is operated in the Andes in more than 4,000 meter above sea level. fixed infrastructure. Prefabricated modular plants are also an option and can allow clients to reduce construction costs by performing the majority of the construction and assembly work in a fabrication shop rather than on site. Lastly, custom plants, constructed at the minesite can be designed around competitively-bid equipment, with the optimum layout for operation and maintenance without any limitations due to transportation size restrictions or equipment dimensions. The three backfill plant options listed previously (mobile, modular and custom), and a variety of hybrid op-

8 INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON MINING WITH BACKFILL | TECHNICAL PROGRAM DENVER COLORADO | FEBRUARY 19-22, 2017

3:05 pm Pulsation Free Hydraulically Driven Piston Pump E. Vlot, Weir Minerals Netherland b.v. The mining industry has recognized the advantages of high density backfill or ‘paste’, which is typically pumped with a hydraulically driven piston pump. Due to the dis- continuous flow of this type of pump, pressure pulsations can occur in the discharge line. Pressure pulsations are an undesired phenomenon in pumping installations for a number of reasons, such as damage to the pumping system, including piping and supports, disturbing noise levels and even safety risks for operators and maintenance personnel. This paper describes an advanced system on the GEHO® piston pumps, which will prevent pulsations from occurring, rather than merely reducing the already existing pulsations.

3:25 pm Pulsation from Positive Displacement Pumps P. Mainville, Outotec Paste backfill reticulation systems are often designed around steady state friction losses and pressure effects from elevation changes. Most positive displacement pumps do not operate at steady state. The pressure pulse, which results from each pump stroke, is a combination of acceleration forces and friction losses. This paper investigates the magnitude of the acceleration forces, explores the circumstances where these forces could become a fatal design flaw, and possible alternatives which reduce or remove the pulses.

3:45 pm Tailings Backfill for 2Optimizing Pit Lake Water Quality M. Novotny, DHI Water & Environment, Inc., Lakewood, CO; B. Johnson, Hydrogeologica, Inc., Golden, CO; D. Castendyk, Hatch Consultants, Inc., Lake- wood, Colorado A prefeasibility-level mine closure study of the Metates open pit, gold and silver project in Mexico was recently completed that involved optimized partial backfill of tailings into the pit. The study considered several treatment options to improve pit lake water quality including mixing of lime with the upper horizons of tailings backfill in order to neutralize acidity in the tailings pore water and pit lake. Models of groundwater flow, water balance and pit lake geochemistry were used to predict and optimize the pit lake water quality. Results highlighted trade-offs between the treatment options and were used to manage the overall project cost and risk.

4:05 pm Utilizing Paste Diverter Valves to Optimize Paste Backfill Operations S. Sargent and M. Prince, Victaulic Underground mines use intricate piping networks, known as paste backfill systems to fill stopes after extracting materials for processing. These piping networks require extensive manual labor to operate and maintain a functional system, as these sys- tems operate under extremely rigorous conditions. Diverting paste fill from one stope to another requires removal and reinstallation of the pipe to redirect the flow of the line. This process is laborious, time consuming, and requires extensive planning to ensure safer operations. New innovations and products are now making these man- ual processes a thing of the past, resulting in increased backfill reticulation, job site efficiency, and safety. This paper evaluates a new system that uses a diverter valve, as opposed to manual changeover, to reduce downtime, eliminate safety hazards, and increase processing throughput.

TECHNICAL PROGRAM | INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON MINING WITH BACKFILL 9