Annual Meeting Preliminary Program - Full Brochure (PDF) - SME

SME Annual Meeting & Exhibit 

NEW HORIZONS / NEW CHALLENGES 

February 24-27, 2008 

Salt Lake City, Utah 

www.smenet.org 

Preliminary Program

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870-933-8048 Jonesboro, AR

How to Register 

Register by January 25, 2008 — to receive discounts! 

for conference registration and hotel reservations 

1. 2. 3. 

online phone/fax mail 

www.smenet.org Tel. 1-800-915-0618 The Housing Connection 

Fax: 1-801-355-0250 175 South West Temple, Suite 140 

(Secure Line) Salt Lake City, Utah 84101 

Full payment MUST be received with completed registration form. 

A Registration and Housing form is provided in this mailer. 

When registering online, or by phone/fax DO NOT SEND ANOTHER 

COPY BY MAIL. 

Confirmations will be e-mailed to the individual at the address provided on 

the registration form. If no e-mail address is provided, confirmation will be 

sent by regular mail. 

For questions or changes to your reservation you can e-mail The Housing 

Connection at thc@housingregistration.com 

The Housing Connection will be managing SME’s housing reservations 

and meeting registration. 

Contents 

Alumni and Special Functions . . . . . 19 

Calendar of Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 

Education Agenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 

Exhibit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 

Exhibit Floor Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 

Exhibitor Listing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 

Field Trip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 

General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 

HOTEL RESERVATION FORM . . . 68 

Hotel Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 

Keynote Session . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 

Membership, SME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 

Mentor Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 

OneMine.org . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 

Program Committee . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 

REGISTRATION FORM . . . . . . . 69-70 

Short Courses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 

SME Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 

Social/Division Highlights . . . . . . . . . 21 

Sponsorship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13, 71 

Student Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 

Tours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 

ATTENTION EXHIBITORS 

Specially prepared registration forms have been provided in your exhibitor 

service kit. Booth personnel of exhibiting firms should NOT use the 

registration form contained in this brochure. 

For questions, or to obtain the exhibiting forms, contact: SME Exhibit Sales 

and Operations at (303) 948-4213. 

3 

TECHNICAL PROGRAM 

Sessions-at-a-Glance . . . . . . . . . . . 24 

Monday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 

Tuesday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 

Wednesday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

general information 

Location Information 

All technical sessions, division luncheons, and short courses will 

be conducted at: 

The Salt Palace Convention Center 

100 South West Temple 

Salt Lake City, UT 84601 

Phone: 801-534-4777 

Website: www.saltpalace.com 

How to Get There… 

FLY FRONTIER AIRLINES 

TO SALT LAKE CITY! 

Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration 

attendees are eligible to take a 10% DISCOUNT off 

all published roundtrip fares. 

All rules of the published fare apply. This program discount may not be 

used or combined with any other air travel certificates or program 

discount. 

Attendees may take advantage of this discount by booking online at 

www.FrontierAirlines.com (select “More Search Options”). Attendees 

may also use a travel agency by providing the agency with the 

Meeting ID 91H5ZL at the time of booking. The Meeting ID must be 

properly applied to the ticket in the Tour Code box in order for the 

discount to be taken. Failure to use the proper ticketing procedures may 

result in debit memos. 

Registration Fees 

To receive advance registration fees, SME must receive your 

registration form and payment by January 25, 2008. After 

January 25, 2008 on-site registration fees apply. One-day advance 

registration is available for members and authors only. 

Nonmember Registrants 

Join SME by January 25, 2008 and save $130 on your full meeting 

registration fee. 

Registration Policy 

All attendees and authors at the SME Annual Meeting are required 

to register. Nonmember authors may register at the member rate. 

The one-day fee for members is available only for the day you want 

to attend (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday). The 

appropriate badge is required for admittance to the technical 

sessions and exhibit and will be checked at the entrance of all 

activities. Attendees interested in touring the exhibit only can 

purchase a one-day pass. Exhibit-only registrants ARE NOT 

permitted to attend the technical sessions. 

Legion of Honor Registration Policy 

Legion of Honor Members are entitled to receive reduced 

registration fees for the 2008 SME Annual Meeting. Attendees 

requesting this category of registration must meet eligibility 

requirements and must be on record at SME as a Legion of Honor 

Member. A Legion of Honor Member must have acquired 50 years 

of membership. SME Members are automatically moved to this 

membership class. 

4 

Senior Member Registration Policy 

Retired Senior members are entitled to receive reduced registration 

fees for the 2008 SME Annual Meeting. Attendees requesting this 

category of registration must meet eligibility requirements and must 

be on record at SME as a Senior Member. A Senior Member is a 

retired member who has reached 70 years of age with 30 continuous 

years of membership with SME. Individuals must contact the SME 

Membership Department and request this category of membership 

(based on qualifications). Questions regarding Senior Member status 

should be directed to the SME Membership Coordinator at 

(303) 948-4204. 

Student Registration Policy 

Student registrants for the 2008 SME Annual Meeting & Exhibit must 

meet eligibility requirements. SME requires that an individual must be 

attending a college, university, or higher education institution on a 

full-time basis to qualify for student registration rates. SME cannot 

process student registrations without evidence that you are a full-time 

student. Students enrolled in 12 or more semester credit hours are 

considered full-time. When sending your registration to SME Meeting 

Registration, please provide registration confirmation from your 

educational institution. Acceptable confirmation includes: transcript, 

most recent report card, or official school registration documents. 

Student registration forms without this information will not be 

processed. 

Cancellation/Substitution Policy 

If circumstances require you to cancel your SME registration, you 

must do so in writing. Written notice must be sent to The Housing 

Connection at 175 South West Temple, Suite 140, Salt Lake City, UT 

84101. Cancellations received by January 25, 2008 will receive a full 

refund, less a $100 processing fee. There are no refunds for no-shows 

and cancellations postmarked after January 25, 2008. Registrants are 

responsible for cancellation of their own hotel accommodations. 

Substitutions will be accepted in writing at no charge until January 

25, 2008. After January 25, 2008 a $25 fee will be charged for 

substitutions. 

NO REFUNDS – for Registration, Short Course, Social Function, 

Tour and Field Trip tickets will be issued after the January 25, 

2008, DEADLINE. 

International Delegates – Letter of Invitation 

SME will send a letter of invitation to paid, full registrants upon 

request. Invitations are intended to help international delegates raise 

travel funds or obtain a visa. It is not a commitment from the 

Conference or the organizers to provide any financial support. 

Request for letters of invitation must include: attendee name, job title, 

company name, mailing address (P.O. Boxes are not acceptable), 

city/province, state, country, zip/postal code, phone & fax number, 

and beginning and end dates of travel. Also, provide the address, 

phone and fax number of your embassy. All items must be 

submitted to complete a letter of invitation. 

Send your written request to: 

SME Meetings Dept., 

8307 Shaffer Parkway 

Littleton, Colorado USA 80127-7002 

or 

E-mail: meetings@smenet.org

Conference Registration Includes: 

full registrants receive: 

2008 Pre-print CD-ROM 

Daily Exhibit Hall Access 

Opening Reception (Sunday, Exhibit Hall) 

Luncheon (Monday, Exhibit Hall) 

Admittance to Technical Sessions 

Admittance to Keynote Session 

Afternoon Social (Tuesday, Exhibit Hall) 

Continental Breakfast (Wednesday, Exhibit Hall) 

one-day member-only 

registrants receive: 

2008 Pre-print CD-ROM 

Exhibit Hall Access on Registered Day 

Opening Reception (Sunday registrants only, Exhibit Hall) 

Luncheon (Monday registrants only, Exhibit Hall) 

Admittance to Technical Sessions on Registered Day 


Afternoon Social (Tuesday registrants only, Exhibit Hall) 


exhibit hall-only 

registrants receive: 

Exhibit Hall Access on Registered Day 

Opening Reception (Sunday registrants only, Exhibit Hall) 

Luncheon (Monday registrants only, Exhibit Hall) 

Afternoon Social (Tuesday registrants only, Exhibit Hall) 



Airport/Transportation Services 

Salt Lake City International Airport (Airport Code SLC) 

776 North Terminal Drive 

Salt Lake City, Utah 84116 

Phone: (801) 575-2400 

For further detailed information regarding Salt Lake City 

International Airport, please contact the airport directly, or visit the 

Web page at www.airwise.com/airports/us/slc 

Transportation 

Downtown Salt Lake City is accessible via shuttle, taxi, local bus 

service and personal vehicle. 

Bus Service: The local bus service, Utah Transit Authority, serves 

the downtown area. Departures from SLC International Airport are 

6:00 am – 7:00 pm outside baggage claim, fare $1.25. 

Taxi Service: Taxi service from Salt Lake City International 

Airport to downtown Salt Lake is approximately $10-15 one-way. 

Taxis are available outside baggage claim at the main terminal or 

at area hotels. 

5 

Van Service: Several companies provide van services to a wide 

range of locations including Express Shuttle 1-800-397-0773, fare 

$7 one way. 

Transportation Information Line: 801-575-2477. 

Driving directions from Salt Lake City International Airport to 

downtown Salt Lake City: 

• Start out going North on TERMINAL; take exit 

AIRCARGO/HIGH LOAD exit. 

• Follow signs to airport exit. 

• Take I-80 East towards Ogden/Provo. 

• Follow to W 600 S/UT269 E. 

• Turn left onto S West Temple/UT 270. 

The airport is approximately 8 miles from downtown Salt Lake. 

Please refer to page 67 for addresses and locations of hotels. 

Parking: The Salt Palace offers a number of parking options 

nearby. Two parking lots are located at the Salt Palace with a total 

of 1,057 parking spaces. Parking is only $5/day (No in/out 

privileges). Entrance to parking lots: South Parking Lot (covered 

lot) 175 W. 200 S. and West Parking Lot (uncovered lot) 250 W. 

100 S. Check with your selected hotel regarding parking services, 

rates and availability.

Housing Reservation Information 

Hotel accommodations are available at the Radisson Hotel, Salt 

Lake Plaza Hotel, Marriott Downtown, Shilo Inn Hotel, Hotel 

Monaco, Hilton Salt Lake City Center, and the Sheraton City Centre 

Hotel. See page 67 for detailed hotel and address information. 

Please complete the Hotel Reservation form and RETURN NO 

LATER THAN JANUARY 25, 2008, TO: 

The Housing Connection 

175 South West Temple, Suite 140 

Salt Lake City, Utah 84101 

Phone: 1-800-915-0618 

Fax: (801) 355-0250 (secure line) 

E-mail: thc@housingregistration.com 

Online: www.smenet.org 

DO NOT send your housing form to SME. 

A VALID CREDIT CARD NUMBER MUST ACCOMPANY 

THE COMPLETED HOTEL RESERVATION FORM TO 

GUARANTEE RESERVATION. 

Acknowledgements will be sent by The Housing Connection. 

The Housing Connection is the contracted company to manage 

SME’s housing reservations and meeting registration. 

Registration Hours 

On-site registration will be conducted during the following hours 

in the Salt Palace Convention Center. 

Saturday, February 23 

Sunday, February 24 

Monday, February 25 

Tuesday, February 26 

Wednesday, February 27 

7:00 am – 5:00 pm 

(Short Course Registration 

and Exhibitors Only) 

7:00 am – 7:00 pm 

7:00 am – 5:00 pm 

7:00 am – 5:00 pm 

7:00 am – 2:00 pm 

Exhibit Hours 

Exhibitor products and services will be showcased at the 2008 

SME Annual Exhibit Meeting at the Salt Palace Convention Center 

in Hall C-E. Badges are required for admittance. 





5:00 pm – 7:00 pm 

11:00 am – 5:30 pm 

11:00 am – 5:30 pm 

8:00 am – Noon 

Exhibit Social Events 

(Events located in lounges and restaurant in the hall.) 

Exhibit Hall Opening Reception 


5:00 pm – 7:00 pm 

Purchasing Tickets 

Attendees must register to purchase tickets for social functions 

and/or field trips. Registrants may purchase multiple tickets. 

Exhibit Hall Luncheon 


Exhibit Hall Afternoon Social 


11:30 am 

3:30 pm – 5:30 pm 

CD-ROM – Meeting Pre-prints 

Each full, one-day, and student registrant will receive a 

CD-ROM of pre-prints from the 2008 SME Annual Meeting. 

Additional CD-ROMs are available for purchase see Registration 

Form in this mailer. These will be available for pick-up in the SME 

Bookstore during the meeting. (Offer excludes discounted, and 

exhibits only registrations). 

Exhibit Hall Continental Breakfast 

Wednesday, February 27 8:00 am – 9:30 am 

Short Courses 

SME Short Courses will be conducted at the Salt Palace 

Convention Center. See pages 12-13 for details. 

Technical Sessions 

All technical sessions will be conducted at the Salt Palace 

Convention Center. Technical sessions start on page 26. 

Tours & Field Trip 

Explore UTAH! All tours and field trip are subject to cancellation 

based on limited attendance. Make your reservations early using 

the registration form in this manual. See pages 15-16 for tour 

details and page 15 for field trip details. 

SME Cyber Cafe 

The Cyber Cafe is located in the exhibit hall at the Salt Palace 

Convention Center. Computers will be available during exhibit 

hours to surf the net, retrieve and send e-mail messages, view 

mining websites, or just stay connected! 

6 

SME Bookstore 

The SME Bookstore will be located in the Salt Palace Convention 

Center. It will feature SME publications and a large selection of 

signature merchandise. You can also pick-up your copy of the 

pre-print CD-ROM of the 2008 SME Annual Meeting by 

redeeming the ticket enclosed in your registration packet. 

The SME Bookstore will be open the following hours: 





8:00 am – 5:00 pm 

8:00 am – 5:00 pm 

8:00 am – 5:00 pm 

8:00 am – Noon

keynote 

The 

Mineral 

Supercycle: 

Past, 

Present 

and 

Future 

Speaker: DOUGLAS B. SILVER 

Chairman and CEO, 

International Royalty 

Corporation, Engelwood, CO 

Monday, February 25, 2008 

9:00 AM 

Salt Palace Convention Center 


Sponsored by: 

Aker Kvaerner 

For most of our careers we have suffered from low commodity prices. This changed in 2002 and has led to the greatest bull 

market for minerals in recorded history. Thousands of new jobs have been created and hundreds of new companies have been 

formed. Billions of dollars of new investments into this sector has led to skyrocketing share prices and led to major new mineral 

discoveries and the development of new mines. The opportunity for vast rewards are so high that the St. Barbara Retirement Home 

for Miners was recently closed due to late night escapes. 

The emergence of a modern mineral boom is complicated due to the myriad of global influences. This keynote address will review 

today’s Supercycle. It will discuss the roots causes, the role of current events and provide insights into the duration and outlook 

for the future. 

7

Tell a friend 

JOIN SME by 

January 25, 2008 

and save $130 

on 2008 SME 

Annual Meeting 

Registration Fees. 


SME’s Annual Meeting is the best opportunity to develop and sharpen your professional 

skills and knowledge. Technical presentations will feature new horizons and new 

challenges facing the minerals industry. Networking with 4,000 + professionals is 

priceless. The SME Exhibit will feature over 350 companies exhibiting state-of-the-art 

products and services that you won’t want to miss. 

SAVE AN ADDITIONAL $100 

when you register for short courses 

held in conjunction with the Meeting. 

It’s Easy! 

Once your paid application is 

received and approved you 

will be given a member number 

which can be used to register 

at member rates (a savings of 

$130 for the 2008 SME 

Annual Meeting). 

SME Membership Has VALUE 

• Mining Engineering Magazine… 

Members receive it, along with all other SME Benefits for only $120. 

Mining Engineering Magazine for nonmembers is $245. 

• Members save an average of 25% on books. 

• Members save an average of $100 on SME meetings and short courses. 

• Members have access to the career site – www.miningjobs.org 

• SME website provides: Discussion Forums with members around the 

world; the SME Directory; Industry Newsfeeds and Commodity 

Indexes/Prices; SME Link List with more than 2500 listings, 

and much more. 

• Members are eligible for Life and Medical Insurance; Credit Card 

Program; Car Rental Discounts; and Liability Insurance. 

• Members will have complete access to OneMine.org. 

The Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc. 

8307 Shaffer Parkway Littleton, Colorado 80127 

303-973-9550 • Fax: 303-973-3845 • Email: sme@smenet.org • Web: www.smenet.org 

8

calendar of events 

CC = SALT PALACE CONVENTION CENTER M = MARRIOTT DOWNTOWN H = HILTON 

EXHIBITOR SET-UP 

8 AM – 5 PM • Exhibit Hall • CC 

EXHIBITOR REGISTRATION 

Noon – 5 PM • CC 

SHORT COURSES 

Short Course Registration 

7 – 9 AM • CC 

Short Course Coffee Break 

7:15 – 9 AM • CC 

Short Course: Mine Closure Planning in 

Today’s Global Environment: 

A Risk-Based Approach 

9 AM – 5 PM • CC 

Short Course: Optimum Selection of Belt 

Conveyor Drives 

9 AM – 5 PM • CC 

saturday, february 23 


10:15 – 10:30 AM • CC 

Short Course Luncheon 


Short Course Break 

2:30 – 3 PM • CC 

BOARD & COMMITTEE MEETINGS 

M&E Division Leadership 

8 AM – Noon • M 

SME Leadership Orientation 


ABET General Information & Training 

8 AM – 5 PM • M 

SME Audit Committee 

9 – 11 AM • M 

SME MPD Nominating Committee 


ABET General Information & Training 

Lunch 

Noon – 1:30 PM • M 

SME Strategic Committee Meetings 

2 – 5 PM • M 

SME Internet Committee 

3 – 5 PM • M 

TOUR 

Utah Olympic Park & Park City 

1 – 5 PM • M 

EXHIBITOR REGISTRATION 

7 AM – 5 PM • CC 

EXHIBITOR SET-UP 


SHORT COURSES 


7:15 – 9 AM • CC 

Short Course Registration 

7:00 – 9 AM • CC 

Short Course: Mine Closure Planning in 

Today’s Global Environment: 

A Risk-Based Approach 

9 AM – 5 PM • CC 

Short Course: Optimum Selection of Belt 

Conveyor Drives 

9 AM – 5 PM • CC 

Short Course: Risk Assessment for Ore 

Reserves and Mine Planning: Stochastic 

Simulation Application for the 

Mining Industry 

9 AM – 5 PM • CC 


10:15 – 10:30 AM • CC 

Short Course Luncheon 


Short Course Break 

2:30 – 3 PM • CC 

REGISTRATION 

7 AM – 7 PM • Foyer • CC 

SME BOOKSTORE 

8 AM – 5 PM • Foyer • CC 

sunday, february 24 

EXHIBITS OPENING 

5 – 7 PM • Exhibit Hall • CC 


SME/NSSGA Student Design Competition 

Finals Presentations 

7 AM – 2 PM • H 

SME Professional Engineers Exam 

Committee Workshop 

8 AM – 4 PM • M 

SME National GEM Committee 


SME Coal & Energy Division 

Executive Committee 


SME Environmental Division 

Executive Committee 


SME IndMD Executive Committee 


SME M&E Division Executive Committee 


SME MPD Executive Committee 


SME Minerals Schools Dept. Heads 

9:30 AM – Noon • M 

SME Student Chapter Reps Subcommittee 


SME Board of Directors 

1 – 4 PM • M 

IndMD Program Committee 

1 – 2 PM • M 

9 

SME Students’ Forum & Reception 

1 – 3 PM • CC 

ADTI – MMS Meeting 

1 – 4 PM • M 

SME Coal & Energy Unit Committee 

2 – 3 PM • M 

SME MPD Unit Committee 

2 – 3 PM • M 

SME Construction Materials and 

Aggregates Committee Meeting 

2 – 4 PM • M 

Mentor Meeting Place 

3 – 5 PM • CC 

SME Educators Forum 

3 – 5 PM • CC 

SME Annual Meeting of Members 

4 – 5 PM • M 

SOCIAL FUNCTIONS 

Exhibit Hall Grand Opening Reception 

5 – 7 PM • Exhibit Hall • CC 

SME Foundation Dinner & Dance 

(Ticketed) 

7 PM – Midnight • M 

SME Student Mixer 

9 PM – Midnight • H 

TOUR 

Mormon Tabernacle Choir & Crossroads of 

the West City Tour 

8:30 AM – 12:30 PM • CC

REGISTRATION 

7 AM – 5 PM • CC 


8 AM – 5 PM • CC 

SME KEYNOTE SESSION 

9 – 11:30 AM • CC 

EXHIBIT 

11 AM – 5:30 PM • Exhibit Hall • CC 

DREYER LECTURE 

1:30 – 2:30 PM • CC 


OTC Planning Committee 

7 – 9 AM • M 

SME Membership Committee 

7 – 9 AM • M 

SME Minerals Resources Management 

Committee 

7 – 9 AM • M 

monday, february 25 

SME Young Leaders Committee 

7 – 9 AM • M 

SME Authors’ Coffee 

7:30 – 8:30 AM • CC 

SME Speaker Ready Room 

7:30 AM – 5 PM • CC 

Environmental Div. Business Meeting 

8 – 9 AM • CC 

SME IndMD Technical Committee 

8 – 9 AM • CC 

SME Bulk Material Handling Committee 

11:30 AM – 1 PM • CC 

SME Accreditation and Curricular Issues 

1 – 3 PM • CC 

SME MPD Service Meeting 

2 – 3:30 PM • CC 

SME Mining Engineering Handbook 

Editoral Board 

2 – 4 PM • CC 

SME Mining Engineering Committee 

2 – 4 PM • CC 

ABET Visitor Selection Committee (Closed) 

3 – 5 PM • CC 

SME IndMD Nominating Committee 

4 – 5 PM • M 

Dreyer Award Committee 

4 – 5:30 PM • M 


Exhibit Hall Welcome Luncheon 

11:30 AM • Exhibit Hall • CC 

TOUR 

Historic Buildings of Salt Lake City 

10 AM – 1 PM • Departs south lobby • CC 

REGISTRATION 

7 AM – 5 PM • CC 


8 AM – 5 PM • CC 

GAUDIN LECTURE 

8:30 – 9 AM • CC 

ONEMINE DEMO 

9 AM – 5 PM • CC 

EXHIBIT 

11 AM – 5:30 PM • CC 


SME Section Reps 

7 – 9 AM • M 

SME Foundation Board of Trustee Meeting 

7 – 9 AM • M 


7:30 – 8:30 AM • CC 


7:30 AM – 5 PM • CC 

SME/NSSGA Student Design Competition 

Planning Meeting 

8 – 9 AM • CC 

Sustainable Development Committee 

8 – 9 AM • CC 

tuesday, february 26 

Silent Auctions – ED & MPD 


SME M&MP Editorial Board 


SME Student Member Affairs Committee 

10 AM – Noon • CC 

SME 2009 Annual Meeting 

Exhibit Space Sales 

10 AM – 5 PM • CC 

SME Coal & Energy Division 

Business Meeting (held during Luncheon) 


SME IndMD Business Meeting 

1:45 – 2 PM • M 

SME Research Council Meeting 

2 – 4 PM • CC 

SME Council of Education & Accreditation 

3 – 5 PM • CC 

SME Information Publishing Committee 

3 – 5 PM • M 

SME M&E/Coal Underground Ventilation 

Unit Committee 

4 – 5 PM • M 


Women of SME Breakfast (Ticketed) 

7:30 – 9 AM • M 

SME Coal & Energy Division Luncheon, 

Silent Auction & Business Meeting (Ticketed) 

Noon – 1:30 PM • CC 

SME Environmental Division Luncheon 

(Ticketed) 


SME IndMD Luncheon & Silent Auction 

(Ticketed) 



3:30 – 5:30 PM • Exhibit Hall • CC 

Plant Operators Open Forum 

4 – 5 PM • CC 

Bulk Materials Poster Session and Reception 

(Ticketed) 

4 – 6:30 PM • M 

International Visitor’s Reception 

(By Invitation) 

5:30 – 7 PM • M 

Scotch Nightcap (Ticketed) 

8 – 11 PM • M 

TOUR 

Quilts & Handicrafts of Salt Lake 

8:30 AM – 2 PM • Departs south lobby • CC 

10

REGISTRATION 

7 AM – 2 PM • CC 


8 AM – 2 PM • CC 

EXHIBIT 

8 AM – Noon • Exhibit Hall • CC 

EXHIBITOR MOVE-OUT 

Noon – 10 PM • Exhibit Hall • CC 

WADSWORTH LECTURE 

8:30 – 9 AM • CC 

ONEMINE DEMO 

9 AM – 5 PM • CC 

RICHARDS’ LECTURE 

1:15 – 1:45 PM • CC 

JACKLING LECTURE 

1:30 – 2 PM • CC 



7:30 – 8:30 AM • CC 


Program Committee 

7:30 – 9 AM • CC 

SME/AIME Past President’s Breakfast 

7:30 – 9 AM • M 


7:30 AM – 5 PM • CC 

wednesday, february 27 


Exhibit Space Sales 

8 – 11 AM • CC 


Program Committee 

9 – 10 AM • CC 

AIME Mudd Fund Committee 

9:30 – 11 AM • M 

SME Distinguished Member Award 

Nominating Committee (closed) 

10 – 11 AM • CC 

SME Registered Member Admissions and 

Ethics Committees 

11 AM – 12:30 PM • CC 

SME MPD Business Meeting 

1:45 – 2 PM • CC 

SME International Committee Meeting 

2 – 4 PM • CC 

SME M&E Division Business Meeting 

2 – 2:30 PM • CC 

SME M&E Division Unit Committee 

2:30 – 3:30 PM • CC 

SME MPD Executive Committee 

3 – 4 PM • CC 

SME Resources & Reserves Committee 

Meeting 

3 – 4:30 PM • CC 

SME Environmental Division Nominating 

Planning Committee Meeting 

3 – 5 PM • CC 

SME Nominating Strategic Committee 

(Closed) 

3:30 – 5 PM • CC 



8 – 9:30 AM • Exhibit Hall • CC 

SME M&E Division Luncheon & 

Silent Auction (Ticketed) 


SME MPD Division Luncheon/Student 

Poster Session (Ticketed) 


SME Dinner Reception (COD) 

6 – 7 PM • M 

SME Dinner Head Table Reception 

6 – 7 PM • M 

SME Dinner (Ticketed) 

7 – 9:30 PM • M 

SME President’s Reception (By Invitation) 

9:30 PM – Midnight • M 

TOURS 

Alps of Utah 

9 AM – 4 PM • Departs south lobby • CC 

thursday, february 28 


SME Board of Directors 

8 – 11:30 AM • M 

FIELD TRIP 

Bingham Canyon Mine 


Things to See and Do 

Salt Lake City! 

Clark Planetarium 

110 South 400 West (Gateway) 

Phone: (801) 456-7827 

www.clarkplanetarium.org 

IMAX at the Gateway 

110 South 400 West 

Phone: (801) 456-4629 

imax@clarkplanetarium.org 

Temple Square 

15 East South Temple 

Phone: (800) 537-9703 

www.visittemplesquare.com 

Living Planet 

Aquarium (Gateway) 

32 North Rio Grande 

Phone: (801) 355-3474 

www.thelivingplanet.com 

The Beehive House 

67 East South Temple 

Phone: (801) 240-2681 

Gateway Shopping Area 

90 South 400 West 

(801) 456-0000 

www.shopthegateway.com 

11

Short Courses 

Mine Closure Planning in Today’s Global 

Environment: A Risk-Based Approach 

Saturday and Sunday, February 23-24, 2008 

Course Credits: 1.4 CEU 

Member $550; Nonmember $650; Student Member $450 

overview 

Closure planning in today’s world must go 

beyond developing traditional technical plans 

that address environmental issues. Mining 

companies must develop sustainable solutions 

that take on a much wider view of mine closure. 

A risk-based approach to closure planning 

offers a systematic means for incorporating the 

range of issues – environmental, social, and 

financial – that will facilitate effective, sustainable solutions to 

mining while optimizing closure costs. Attendees will learn how 

to identify, assess, and incorporate the numerous aspects of risk 

into mine closure plans, and methods to quantify those risks for 

use in closure cost estimating. 

content 

• How do I Close a Mine in Today’s Global Environment – 

It’s a lot more complicated than it used to be! 

• A Purely Technical Perspective to Planning for Mine Closure – 

Life According to an Engineer (includes an overview of the 

technical issues related to mine closure planning) 

• Sustainability Considerations for Mine Closure – Getting 

Beyond Solving the Technical Environmental Issues 

Facilitated Discussion 

• Making Mine Closure More Simple – Using a Risk-based 

Approach 

• Risk Concepts – What are We Talking about Anyway? 

(risk identification, probabilities, quantification) 

• Risk-based Approach – Why You Should Use It and 

How It Works 


• Making Mine Closure More Simple – Using a Risk-based 

Approach 

• Recipe for a Risk-based Approach 

• Identifying and Assessing Risks. 

• Risk Control Strategies – How Do I Address Risks? 

• Cost Estimating Using a Risk-based Approach (Best estimates, 

range analyses, probabilistic cost estimates, uncertainty) 


• Real Life Examples of Risk-based Mine Closure Planning 

• Success Stories – Why Didn’t I Think of That? 


instructors 

Robert Reisinger, URS Corporation, 

(robert_reisinger@urscorp.com) 

Dirk van Zyl, University of Nevada (dvanzyl@mines.unr.edu) 

Geoff Byrne, URS Corporation (geoff_byrne@urscorp.com) 

12 

Optimum Selection of Belt Conveyor Drives 

Saturday and Sunday, February 23-24, 2008 

Course Credits: 1.4 CEU 


overview 

The subject of drive systems for conveyors always stimulates lively 

debate with various operators declaring that some type is good and 

other types are not. Unfortunately, different operators swear by 

different drive types and there are many successful drive types on 

the market. How can this be? The main reason for this is a poor 

understanding of why certain drives work in some applications and 

not in others. This course aims to give registrants a basic 

understanding of the various requirements for conveyor drives, an 

understanding of how different drive types work, and how these 

different drives can be effectively incorporated into a conveyor 

system. 

instructors 

Edmond O’Donovan, President, E.J. O’Donovan and Associates, 

Brisbane, Australia (edmond.odonovan@ejodonovan.com.au) 

Steve Shadow, Account Executive, Conetic Resources, Inc. 

(sshadow@coneticresources.com) 

Todd Hollingsworth, P.E., Manager Engineering, Conveyor 

Engineering Inc. (toddh@conveyorengineering.com) 

Risk Assessment for Ore Reserves and Mine 

Planning: Stochastic Simulation Application 

for the Mining Industry 

Sunday, Feburary 24, 2008 

Course Credits: .7 CEU 


overview 

This one-day course presents a new generation of applied 

stochastic simulation technologies for assessing reserve uncertainty 

and effects on risk analysis and cash flow considerations. Emphasis 

is placed on the downstream applications pertinent to the 

feasibility, design, development and planning stages of mining 

ventures, as well as in the financial optimization of relevant aspects 

of operations and production. New public domain software with 

graphic capabilities is introduced and provided to participants. 

Participants will: 

• Understand how quantify and use quantified orebody risk in ore 

reserve estimation, mine planning and mineral project valuation 

• Work with industry examples at different stages of a 

mining project 

• Participate in hands-on computer workshops using real 

case studies

content 

Introduction 

• Quantification of uncertainty shelters investment and maximises 

profits; frameworks for uncertainty modelling and optimisation 

of mining operations 

Concepts and Techniques 

• Introduction to Monte Carlo simulations, methods and risk 

assessment 

Practice of Stochastic Simulation for Risk Management 

in Mining 

• Resource/reserve classification (large gold deposit) 

• Cost effective drilling programs (lateritic nickel deposit) 

• Uncertainty in open pit design – risk analysis and how to do 

better (disseminated gold deposit) 

• Assessing risk in recoverable reserves and meeting project 

production schedules ahead of mining (gold deposit) 

• Risk based optimal design for sublevel open stoping 

(underground copper mine) 

• Product quality management and production scheduling with 

uncertainty (iron ore deposit) 

• Recoverable reserves, future data and mine design (gold and 

copper deposits) 

• Selecting a mine design using both metal and market uncertainty 

(gold and copper deposits) 

Computer Workshop 

• Introduction to SGeMS public domain software 

Computer programs and data used in workshops are provided to 

the participants. 

instructor 

Roussos Dimitrakopoulos is currently the Canada Research Chair 

in Sustainable Mineral Resource Development and Optimization 

Under Uncertainty – BHP Billiton, and Director of the COSMO 

Laboratory, McGill University, Montreal, Canada. 

Roussos Dimitrakopoulos (roussos.dimitrakopoulos@mcgill.ca) 

Register Early! 

Use the registration form in this mailer to register for a Short Course. You do not have to register for the entire meeting to 

attend a short course. Late fees apply after January 25, 2008. 

Sponsorship Opportunities Available! 

Influence The Industry With Your Sponsorship! 

BE A SPONSOR! 

Increase your visibility 

to the more than 4,000 

mineral professionals through the 

SME Sponsorship Program. 

Many opportunities are available 

for showcasing your name and 

brand to the industry. 

See available sponsorships for 2008 at 


For further details on sponsorship packages, 

please contact (303) 948-4216 or at bonic@smenet.org. Sponsorships are awarded on a 

first-come, first-serve basis. 

13

introducing… 

the online global mining and minerals library 

The definitive global online digital research center for the entire mining 

and minerals community 

Visit the OneMine Room 

Salt Palace Convention Center 

Tuesday, February 26 and 

Wednesday, February 27, 2008 

9:00 AM – 5:00 PM 

Visit with the OneMine professional staff and 

review the new website! 

OneMine is a worldwide initiative that provides: 

• A single source to find answers to technical questions 

• A comprehensive body of mining and mineral 

knowledge 

• Information accessible by anyone needing 

technical data 

• Unlimited access and document downloads for 

participating society members 

• A unique collaborative effort for the global mining and 

minerals industry 

For more information, or to give comments and suggestions, 

contact Project Administrator, Sally Kennerson at 

kennerson@smenet.org or 303-948-4225 

One Need. One Source. OneMine.org 

14

field trip and tours 

Bingham Canyon Mine Field Trip 

(4 HOURS) 

Date: Thursday, February 28, 2008 

Time: 8 AM – Noon 

Cost: $50 

Includes: Transportation & Tour 

The Bingham Canyon mine is located in the Oquirrh 

Mountains about 20 miles southwest of Salt Lake City. 

It has produced more than 18 million tons of copper over 

the past century, making it the largest copper producer in 

history. This long mining history has also produced more 

than six billion tons of waste rock and tailings. Much of 

the rock associated with the porphyry copper deposit can 

produce acid rock drainage and Kennecott Utah Copper 

has spent more than 350 million dollars on reclamation 

and environmental management projects in the 

past 15 years. The tour of the mine will focus on these 

environmental issues including environmental 

geochemistry, water management, reclamation and 

closure planning. The half day tour will include visits to 

the open pit, waste rock dumps and water management 

infrastructure. 

Tours 

Utah Olympic Park and 

Park City (5 HOURS) 

Date: Saturday, February 23, 2008 

Time: 1– 5 PM 

Cost: $50 

Includes: Deluxe Motorcoach and Guide 

Entrance fees 

In February of 2002, world class athletes 

from every country gathered in Salt Lake 

City for the 2002 Winter Olympics. Tour the 

Utah Olympic Park: this venue is the host of 

the Bobsled, Ski Jumping, Luge, and 

Skeleton events. During the summer, Aerial 

Ski Jump training is held at the facility and 

the public is invited to watch as the athletes 

practice their “freestyle” jumps and land in 

an enormous pool of water. You will also 

tour Park City (Home of the Sundance Film 

Festival) and learn its fascinating history as a 

mining boomtown. Today, Park City is a 

skiing mecca and get away for the rich and 

famous – yet still retains the charming 

qualities of a quaint mountain town. You will 

get a chance to explore the shops, boutiques, 

and art galleries lined along Main Street. 

15

Morman Tabernacle Choir 

and Crossroads of the West 

City Tour (4 HOURS) 

Date: Sunday, February 24, 2008 

Time: 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM 

Cost: $40 


Entrance fees 

The tour begins with a 30 minute 

performance of the world famous Mormon 

Tabernacle Choir. The choir is world 

renown and has performed around the globe. 

After the choir performance the tour will 

Historic Buildings of Salt Lake 

City Tour (3 HOURS) 

Date: Monday, February 25, 2008 

Time: 10 AM – 1 PM 

Cost: $48 


Entrance fees 

This tour provides a behind the scenes look 

at two of Salt Lake City’s magnificent 

historical buildings, the Keith Brown 

Mansion and the Cathedral of the Madeleine. 

Built in 1900, the Keith Brown Mansion is 

noted for the neoclassical design with 

massive columns and symmetrical design 

elements. The home is an outstanding 

example of renaissance architecture and 

contains a skylight and several chandeliers 

created by Tiffany of New York, incredible 

woodwork, exquisite wall coverings, and 

elaborate stained glass. The Cathedral of the 

Madeleine, completed in 1909, underwent a 

major renovation and was restored to pristine 

conditions in the 1980s. It is known for its 

beautiful glass windows. The Altar, built of 

Carrara onyx inlaid with glass mosaic, is the 

central element of the cathedral and occupies 

a large stage at the intersection of the 

cathedral’s three main seating areas. 

continue to explore Salt Lake City, the 

Crossroads of the West. Salt Lake City was 

built out of a desert by the industrious 

Mormon pioneers. This tour is a complete 

look at what makes Salt Lake City so 

unique. You will begin by seeing the historic 

downtown area, including the world-famous 

Mormon Temple Square, which took 40 

years to build. Next, visit the beautifully 

restored 1908 Union Pacific Depot featuring 

French Renaissance architecture and original 

artwork. Then outside to enjoy the Olympic 

Legacy Plaza overlooked by a classic clock 

tower and featuring the “dancing waters” of 

the Olympic Snowflake Fountain. The next 

Quilts and Handicrafts of 

Salt Lake (5.5 HOURS) 

Date: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 

Time: 8:30 AM – 2 PM 

Cost: $75 


Lunch at Gardner Village 

Entrance fees 

Utah’s early pioneers arrived in the Salt 

Lake Valley and their first stop was Heritage 

Park. Today, the park is the home of the 

Deseret Quilt Museum, the repository of an 

impressive collection of quilt’s dating from 

the eighteenth century. Next visit Quilt, 

Quilt, Quilt, Etc one of the largest on oldest 

shops in Utah. The next destination is 

historic Gardner Village featuring over 30 

unique boutiques including the Village Quilt 

Shop and Pine Needles. Enjoy lunch at 

Archibald’s Restaurant located in a historic 

grist mill silo with artwork depicting the 

pioneer immigration 

to Utah. 

16 

stop is the Utah State Capital and a tour of 

this beautifully restored building modeled 

after the United States Capital. The building 

was closed three years for structural upgrade 

and restoration to the original splendor when 

it opened in the early 20th century. Next, 

drive through historic downtown and the 

residential area known as the “Avenues” 

which is listed on the State and National 

Historic Registers. Now proceed to the 

University of Utah. The “U”, founded in 

1850, was the first University built west of 

the Missouri River and site of the 2002 

Winter Olympic Athletes Village. The tour 

will continue past Fort Douglas, which was 

started during Abraham Lincoln’s 

administration in 1862 and on to This is the 

Place Heritage Park. This park is where 

Brigham Young and the Mormon Pioneers 

entered the valley in 1847 and Brigham 

Young said “This is the right place, drive 

on…” Afterwards you will visit the Olympic 

Cauldron Park at Rice Eccles Stadium. Rice 

Eccles was the site of the Opening and 

Closing 2002 Winter Olympic Ceremonies. 

Alps of Utah (7 HOURS) 

Date: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 

Time: 9 AM – 4 PM 

Cost: $80 


Lunch at The Homestead 

Entrance fees 

The Rocky Mountains are breathtaking 

through Provo Canyon on the way to Robert 

Redford’s Sundance Resort, home of the 

Sundance Film Institute. Take time to walk 

around and enjoy the beautiful alpine 

splendor in the shadows of majestic Mt. 

Timpanogos. The tour continues through 

the charming Swiss village of Midway, 

located in the very heart of the “Alps” of 

Utah. The next stop will be the Homestead, 

where guests enjoy a delicious lunch in one 

of America’s classic country resorts! 

Continuing on this delightful tour, you will 

find yourself in Utah’s most famous resort 

town, Park City. Guests will enjoy exploring 

the many unique shops in Park City’s Main 

Street historic district.

SME 

2008 

Mentor 

Program 

attention 

professionals… 

Whether you’re a seasonsed SME Annual Meeting 

veteran or a first- timer, you have the opportunity to 

participate as a mentor in this years SME Annual 

Meeting Mentor Program. Mentors can be 

instrumental in helping students to begin developing 

a network in the industry by showing students the 

ropes and introducing them to colleagues. This is a 

marvelous opportunity to have a real impact in the 

Society at a personal level. Those students requesting 

mentors will be matched with SME members 

volunteering to serve as mentors. Both mentors and 

their students will be notified before the 2008 SME 

Annual Meeting. Mentors are expected to contact 

their student(s) prior to the 2008 SME Annual 

Meeting, meet with the student(s) the first or second 

day at the annual meeting, take time to have lunch or 

coffee, discuss the Society, give advice, and 

introduce your student(s) to colleagues whenever 

possible during the meeting. 

Mentors will have an introductory meeting 

with students on Sunday, February 24th at 

3:00 PM. 

All students need mentors — participate in making the future of the minerals industry successful. 

attention students… 

The 2008 Annual Meeting provides the best 

venue for meeting people and getting the 

information you need to get ahead. More than 

4,000 mineral industry professionals attend the 

SME Annual Meeting and one of them wants to 

talk to you, to be your mentor and assist you in 

understanding the “ins” and “outs” of 

professional life in the minerals business. 

Your Mentor at the SME Annual Meeting is a professional 

in one of the following areas: 

✦ COAL & ENERGY 

✦ CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS & AGGREGATES 

✦ ECONOMICS 

✦ ENVIRONMENTAL 

✦ GEOLOGY 

✦ INDUSTRIAL MINERALS 

✦ METALLURGY 

✦ MINING 

it is very important to sign up early! 

Early registrants receive the best fit with a mentor/mentee. 

Apply On-line at: 

www.smenet.org/mentor/ 

Completed Applications are due 

January 31, 2008 

You can check YES for Mentor or Mentee on the Registration form in 

this mailer and an 

SME staff person will contact you. 

For more information or to apply for the 

2008 SME Annual Meeting 

Mentor Program contact: 

Mona Vandervoort, SME Education Coordinator 

(800) 763–3132, ext. 227 

(303) 948–4227 

Fax: (303) 948–4265 

vandervoort@smenet.org 

17 


February 24-27, 2008 

Salt Lake City, Utah

Student Activities 

Student Design 

Competition 

student design competition 

finals 

7:00 AM – 2:00 PM 

student representative 

subcommittee 

11:00 AM – Noon 

Hosted by: The Pennsylvania State University 

Student Chapter officers and members are invited to attend 

the subcommittee meeting. 

2008 students’ forum 

1:00 – 3:00 PM 

Hosted by: The Pennsylvania State University 

Information 

Prizes 

Sponsored by: 

Joy Mining Machinery & P&H Mining Equipment 

United States Gypsum 

MWH 

Washington Group International 

Join us for FUN ~ FOOD ~ INFORMATION 

and PRIZES! 

A continuing tradition for SME Student 

Members and Professionals. 

Look for exciting NEW career Food 

advancement information! 

18 

All student activities take place 

on Sunday, February 24, 2008 

Students’ Forum 

student mixer 

9:00 PM – Midnight 

Sponsored by: Newmont Mining Corporation 

Registered students and a guest of their choice are 

invited to attend this social featuring a band and 

refreshments. 

Student Mixer 

Don’t miss this one! 

Fun

alumni & special functions 

Don’t Miss These Opportunities To Reunite With Your Friends and Alumni... 

ALUMNI FUNCTIONS 

University of Arizona Reception 

Dept. of Mining & 

Geological Engineering 

Tuesday, February 26, 2008 

Contact: Olga Ortiz 

(520) 621-2147 

E-mail: obo@engr.arizona.edu 

Colorado School of Mines 

Mining Engineering Dept. Reception 


Contact: Shannon Mann 

(303) 273-3701 

E-mail: smann@mines.edu 

Columbia University 

Henry Krumb School of Mines 

Earth & Environmental Engineering 


Contact: Peter Rennee 

(212) 854-7065 

E-mail: pr99@columbia.edu 

University of Kentucky 

Department of Mining Engineering 


Contact: Kathy Kotora 

(859) 257-3328 

Fax: (859) 323-1962 

E-mail: kkotora@engr.uky.edu 

5:00 – 7:00 PM 

5:30 – 7:30 PM 

6:00 – 8:00 PM 

5:00 – 7:00 PM 

Michigan Tech University Alumni Reception, 

Dept. of Geological & Mining 

Engineering & Sciences 


6:00 – 8:00 PM 

Contact: Amie Ledgerwood 

(906) 487-2531 

E-mail: asledger@mtu.edu 

Pennsylvania State University 

Mining and Mineral Processing, Dept. of Energy and 

Geo-environmental Engineering 

Alumni Reception 


5:30 – 7:00 PM 

Contacts: Rachel Altemus 

(814) 865-3439 

E-mail: rla7@psu.edu 

South Dakota School of Mines & Technology 



5:00 – 8:00 PM 

Contact: Tim Vottero 

(605) 394-2347 

E-mail: tim.vottero@sdsmt.edu 

University of Utah 

College of Mines & Earth Sciences 


Contact: Pam Hofman 

(801) 585-5176 

Fax: (801) 585-5410 

E-mail: pam@mines.utah.edu 

5:00 – 7:00 PM 

Virginia Tech Mining & Minerals Engineering 



5:00 – 7:00 PM 

Contact: Kathryn A. Dew 

(540) 231-7055 

E-mail: dewk@vt.edu 

West Virginia University 


Contact: Royce J. Watts 

(304) 293-5695 ext. 2102 

E-mail: royce.watts@mail.wvu.edu 

5:30 – 7:30 PM 

Missouri University of Science & Technology 



5:30 – 7:30 PM 

Contact: Elaine Russell 

(573) 341-4897 

E-mail: elainelr@umr.edu 

University of Nevada-Reno 

Mackay School of Earth Sciences & 

Engineering Reception 


Contact: Connie M. Parratt 

(775) 784-4528 

E-mail: cparratt.unr.edu 

6:00 – 8:00 PM 

19 

SPECIAL FUNCTIONS 

MMSA 2008 Annual Meeting /Banquet 

Annual Meeting 

Sunday, February 24, 2008 

Marriott Downtown 

Centennial Banquet 

Monday, February 25, 2008 

Marriott Downtown 

For Further Information Contact: MMSA 

(415) 897-1380 

E-mail: info@mmsa.net 

2:00 – 4:00 PM 

6:30 – 10:30 PM

Education Agenda 

MINERAL SCHOOLS 

DEPARTMENT HEADS MEETING 


9:30 AM – Noon 

EDUCATORS’ FORUM 


3 – 5 PM 

The SME Council of Education has decided 

that it is now time to “showcase” the work of 

mining engineering programs that have 

successfully addressed the enrollment declines 

and are making progress reversing these declines. 

The presenters have been invited to provide a 

manuscript of their presentation for inclusion in 

the contained papers of the 2008 Annual Meeting 

program CD. 

The Council of Education asked these 

individuals to report on the successful efforts that 

have been invested in their undergraduate 

recruiting of students to their programs. Also, the 

Council suggested that Leigh Freeman, a leading 

industry 

professional recruiter, bring to the Forum the 

perspective of recruiting from his viewpoint, i.e. 

what academia can learn from business. Hence, 

the following program has been developed for 

the 2008 Education Forum. 

FORUM PROGRAM 

Convener and Moderator: 

C. Dale Elifrits 

University of Northern Kentucky 

Mary M. Poulton 

Department Head, 

Mining and Geological Engineering, 

University of Arizona 

Michael K. McCarter 

Chairman of 

Mining Engineering Dept., 

University of Utah 

Thomas Novak 

Dept. Head, 


Virginia Tech 

Richard J. Sweigard 

Chairman of 



Leigh W. Freeman 

General Manager 

Downing Teal, Inc. 

20

social functions and 

division highlights 

SME Highlights 

exhbit hall 

opening reception 

Date: Sunday, February 24 

Time: 5:00 PM 

Place: Salt Palace Convention Center 

Exhibit Hall 

sme foundation 

dinner/dance 

Hosted by: 

The SME Foundation 

Sponsored by: KENNECOTT UTAH 

COPPER CORPORATION 


Time: 7:00 PM 

Place: Marriott Downtown 

Tickets: $90 

Join us with dinner and dancing to a live 

band. Black tie optional. 

student mixer 

Sponsored by: 

NEWMONT MINING CORPORATION 


Time: 9:00 PM 

Place: Hilton 

Complimentary for registered students 

and their guest. 

exhibit hall luncheon 

Date: Monday, February 25 

Time: 11:30 AM 


Exhibit Hall 

sme dinner 

James Arnold 

Date: Wednesday, February 27 

Time: 6:00 PM 

Cash Bar Reception 

7:00 PM 

Dinner 


Tickets: $70 

$700 Table of Ten 

The 2008 SME Dinner program is 

conducted by 2007 SME President, 

James Arnold. 

The following awards are presented or 

recognized: 

Distinguished Members 

Ramana G. Reddy 

Syd S. Peng 

Patrick R. Taylor 

William H. Wilkinson, Jr. 

Robert M. Dreyer Award 

C. Mark Rebagliati 

GEM Individual Award 

David R. Gossett 

GEM Student Chapter Award 


Syd S. Peng Ground Control in 

Mining Award 

Winton J. Gale 

Ivan B. Rahn Education Award 

David D. Eyer 

President’s Citation 

Outstanding Student Chapter 

Henry Krumb Lecturers 

James J. Komadina 

Gerald L. Clark 

Gordon M. Stevens 

Bradley VanGosen 

Past President’s Plaque 

James Arnold 

AIME AWARDS TO SME MEMBERS 

Hal Williams Hardinge Award 

Richard B. Berg 

Erskine Ramsay Medal 

Garold R. Spindler 

Robert H. Richards Award 

Timothy R. Snider 

Frank F. Aplan Award 

Rick Honaker 

Mineral Economics Award 

Jean-Mikhel M. Rendu 

Mineral Industry Education Award 

Michael Karmis 

AIME Honorary Member 

Robert C. Freas 

James Douglas Gold Medal Award 

Corale L. Brierley 

women of sme breakfast 

Date: Tuesday, February 26 

Time: 7:30 AM 


Tickets: $35 

plant operators 

open forum 


Time: 4:00 PM COD Bar 


Tickets: COD 

21

Coal & Energy 

Division Highlights 

Sponsored by: 

PREPTECH INC. 

The Coal & Energy Division 

encompasses technologies in coal 

exploration, mining, preparation and 

utilization. 

coal & energy division 

luncheon & 

silent auction 


Time: Noon, Luncheon 


Tickets: $40 


recognized: 

Distinguished Service Award 

J. Steven Gardner 

Howard N. Eavenson Award 

Thomas J. Lien 

Erskine Ramsay Medal 

Garold R. Spindler 

Rock Mechanics Award 

John F. Abel, Jr. 

J.W. Woomer Award 

Timothy W. Beck 

Coal & Energy Division Chair Award 

Gary M. Buchan 

Environmental 


The Environmental Division provides a 

means for cooperation and 

communication among professionals in 

the minerals industry engaged in any 

aspect of the physical environment and its 

condition. 

environmental division 



Time: 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM 


environmental division 

luncheon 




Tickets: $40 

Speaker: ERIC WILLIAMS 

The Gallatin Group 

The following awards are presented: 


Fredrick B. Henderson III 

Environmental Division Chair Award 

Douglas C. Peters 

Industrial Minerals 


Sponsored by: 

ZEOX CORPORATION 

Industrial Minerals Division serves to 

further the arts and science in 

exploration, production, and use of 

nonmetallics. 

industrial minerals 

division luncheon & 





Tickets: $40 

Speaker: THIERRY SALMONA 

VP Research & Technology, 

VP Innovations and Business 

Support, Imerys 


recognized: 


Jessica Elzea Kogel 

Hal Williams Hardinge Award 

Richard B. Berg 

Robert W. Piekarz Award 

Steven K. Herron 

Young Scientist Award 

Aaron M. McMahon 

Industrial Minerals Division Chair Award 

Gary Tomaino 

22

Mining & Exploration 


Mineral & Metallurgical Processing 


Sponsored by: 

HITACHI CONSTRUCTION & 

MINING PRODUCTS 

Mining & Exploration Division 

specializes in exploration, production, 

research, and specialized aspects of 

metal mining. 

mining & exploration 

division luncheon & 





Tickets: $40 


recognized: 

Ben F. Dickerson, III Award 

Fredrick T. Graybeal 


Jean-Michel 

M. Rendu 

Daniel C. Jackling Award 

Mark N. Savit 

Outstanding Young Professional Award 

Eben D. Robinson 

M&E Division Chair Award 

Joseph M. Driscoll 

jackling lecture 

(Held in conjunction with the M&E 

Luncheon) 


Time: 1:30 PM 

The Jackling Award & Lecture is 

featured at the luncheon. 

Award Recipient/Lecturer: 

MARK N. SAVIT 

Attorney, Patton Boggs LLP 

“Dysfunction Junction: When Inalterable 

Regulations Meet Evolving Technology” 

Sponsored by: 

OUTOEC (USA) INC. 

Mineral & Metallurgical Processing 

Division was established for the 

advancement of metallurgical and mineral 

technology as applied to the mining 

industry. 

gaudin lecture 


Time: 8:30 AM 



THOMAS W. HEALY 

wadsworth lecture 


Time: 8:30 AM 



RANDOLPH E. SCHEFFEL 

mineral & metallurgical 

processing division 



Time: 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM 


Exhibit Halls 

mineral & metallurgical 

processing division 

luncheon 




Tickets: $40 


recognized: 

Antoine M. Gaudin Award 

Thomas W. Healy 

Richard R. Klimpel Scholarship Award 

Robert H. Richards Award 

Timothy R. Snider 

Arthur F. Taggart Award 

J.T. Hollow 

E.M. Hill 

H.K. Lin 

D.E. Walsh 

“Modeling the Influence of Slurry 

Temperature on Gold Leach and 

Adsorption Kinetics at the For Knox 

Mine, Fairbanks, Alaska” 

Milton E. Wadsworth Award 

Randolph E. Scheffel 

Millman Award 

Deepak Malhotra 

scotch nightcap 

Sponsored by: 

WEIR MINERALS NORTH AMERICA 

and 

GOLDER ASSOCIATES LTD. 

The proceeds from the event go 100% 

ungarnished to the MPD Scholarship 

Fund for those college students who want 

to make a career in the mining industry. 

The event will feature hors d’vors, live 

music, scotch tastings, and hosted bar. 


Time: 8:00 PM 


Tickets: $40 

richards lecture 

(Held in conjunction with the MPD 

Luncheon) 


Time: 1:15 PM 



TIMOTHY R. SNIDER 

Phelps Dodge Corp. 

23

sessions at a glance 

monday, february 25 

afternoon 


afternoon 

• Bulk Material Handling by Conveyor Belt 7: Case Studies of 

Large Belt Conveyance Projects Part I 

• Coal & Energy: Reserve Assessment 

• Coal & Energy: Underground Mining 

• Construction Materials and Aggregates: Resource Evaluation and 

Planning 

• Dreyer Lecture 

• Environmental: Environmental Management Systems 

• Environmental: Mine Reclamation - Risk & Sustainability 

• Geology: Marketing and Mining of Uranium/New 

Projects/Forecasts 

• Industrial Minerals: Shortages 

• Mineral & Metallurgical Processing: Leveraging New Process 

Technologies Involving Mineral Processing 

• Mineral & Metallurgical Processing: New Technologies and 

Cross Pollination for Improved Energy, Minerals or 

Metals Recovery 

• Mineral & Metallurgical Processing: Technologies Involving 

Hydrometallurgy/Pyrometallurgy 

• Mineral Valuation: Recent Case Histories and Analysis of 

Methods 

• Mining & Exploration: Surface Mining: Big Pits 

• Mining & Exploration: Underground Mines: New Mines & 

Expansions 

• Young Leaders: Identifying and Valuing Untapped Potential 


morning 

• Bulk Material Handling by Conveyor Belt 7: 

Design Considerations For Long Overland Conveyor 

• Coal & Energy: Environmental – Coal Restoration 

• Coal & Energy: Research & Development I 

• Environmental: Environmental and Social Hot Topics 

• Environmental: Mine Water Treatment Technologies: 

Successful Case Studies 

• Gaudin Lecture 

• Geology: Mineral Deposits/New Developments/Political Updates 

• International I 

• Mining & Exploration: Mining in Nevada 

• Mining & Exploration: New & Emerging Technologies 

• Rare Earths – Mining, Geology, and Metals 

• Minerals and Metallurgical Processing: Applied 

Separation Technologies 

• Mineral & Metallurgical Processing: Increased Productivity 

Associated With Hydrometallurgy/Pyrometallurgy 

Unit Operations 

• Mineral & Metallurgical Processing: Reduction of Wastes and 

Emissions Through Recycling and Suppression 

• Bulk Material Handling by Conveyor Belt 7: The State of the 

Conveyance Industry from the Perspective of Mining Executives 

• Coal & Energy: Research & Development II 

• Coal & Energy: Ventilation 

• Environmental: Acid Rock Drainage 

• Geology: African Ore Deposits: Recent Discoveries and 

New Developments 

• Industrial Minerals: Oil Field Supply 

• International II 

• Mineral and Metallurgical Processing: AMIRA: Collaborative 

International Research 

• Mineral & Metallurgical Processing: Plant Expansions or 

Modernizations 

• Mineral & Metallurgical Processing: Snapshot: Student Research 

• Mining & Exploration: Mine Improvements & 

Applied Technology 

• Mining & Exploration: Underground Mining 

• Young Leaders: Talent Development and Retention 


morning 


Solving Real Problems Using Numerical Analysis and Simulation 

• Coal & Energy: Coal Preparation 

• Coal & Energy: Surface Mining 

• Environmental: Exploration and Mine Development: 

Environment, Community & Sustainability 

• GEM: The Community of Mining: From Disasters to 

Sustainability, Communication is the Key 

• Industrial Minerals: Recent Startups and Expansions 

• Mining and Exploration: Health and Safety 

• Mining & Exploration: IT in Mining 

• Mineral & Metallurgical Processing: Modeling and Simulation of 

Minerals and Metallurgical Processing 

• Mineral & Metallurgical Processing: New Tools – Analytical or 

Devices or Those Emerging from Nanotechnology Part I 

• Mineral & Metallurgical Processing: Water & Energy 

Conservation, New Reagents 

• Wadsworth Lecture 


afternoon 


Case Studies of Large Conveyance Projects Part II 

• Environmental: Water Management: The Environmental 

Challenges of Too Much or Too Little 

• Mineral & Metallurgical Processing: Mineralogy of New 

Ore Reserves As it Applies to Processing 

• Mineral and Metallurgical Processing: New Reagents and 

Technology 

• Mineral and Metallurgical Processing: New Tools: Analytical or 

Devices or Those Emerging from Nanotechnology Part II 

• Mining & Exploration: Excavators & Heavy Equipment 

• Mining & Exploration: Hot Topics 

24

2008 Program Committee 

Chair: 

H. John Head 

Continental Placer Inc. 

Coal & Energy 

Thomas Camm 

NIOSH 

Industrial Minerals 

Steven Herron 

Wildcat Minerals 

Environmental 

Anne Williamson 

URS Corporation 

Mining & Exploration 

Hugh Miller 

Colorado School of Mines 

25 

Mineral & Metallurgical 

Processing 

Jon Kellar 

Sou th Dakota School of Mines 

& Technology

3:05 PM 

The U.S. Geological Survey Regional Resource Assessment 

Methodology of the Gillette Coalfield, Powder River Basin, Wyoming 

J. Luppens; Eastern Energy Resources Team, U.S. Geological Survey, 

Reston, VA 

The peer-reviewed methodology utilized for the recently completed coal resource 

and reserve assessment of the Gillette coalfield, Powder River Basin, 

Wyoming was the foundation of this study, which was based on an expanded 

database that included the stratigraphic interpretation of well logs from 

nearly 9,000 new drill holes. The methodology uses a combination of data 

management, geologic and mining restriction modeling, and economic evaluation 

software programs to deal with the large, complex set of information. 

The results of this evaluation provided a comprehensive assessment of the 

most important coalfield in the U.S. in terms of total yearly coal production. 

3:25 PM 

Revised interpretations of coal bed stratigraphy in the Gillette coalfield, 

Powder River Basin, Wyoming — long-term implications 

J. Haacke 1 , D. Scott 1 and J. Luppens 2 ; 1 Central Energy Resources Team, 

U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, CO and 2 Eastern Energy Resources Team, 

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA 

The U.S. Geological Survey has conducted a new regional coal assessment of 

the Gillette coalfield. Recent coalbed methane drilling in the Powder River 

Basin has greatly expanded the amount of stratigraphic data available, greatly 

improving the accuracy of coal bed correlations. New correlations agree with 

most prior correlations in the eastern half of the coalfield, but significant revisions 

of the correlations have been made in the western portion. These revisions 

will have long-term implications as mining extends deeper into 

the basin. 

Coal & Energy: Underground Mining 

2:00 PM • Monday, February 25 

Chair: C. Stewart, Bowie Resources, Paonia, CO 

2:05 PM 

Mine Emergency Shelters/Chambers Approved by West Virginia 

J. Gardner 1 , K. Houston 1 , R. Paton-Ash 2 , B. Lusk 3 and S. Lusk 1 ; 

1 

Engineering Consulting Services, Inc, Lexington, KY; 2 Strata Mine 

Products (USA), Inc, Marietta, GA and 3 Mining Engineering, University of 

Kentucky, Lexington, KY 

In light of recent coal mine disasters resulting in multiple fatalities, Congress 

and several state governments have enacted mine safety legislations. West 

Virginia now requires that mines have emergency shelters, or refuge chambers, 

in place. Prior to occupation, these refuge chambers must be able to survive 

in a mining environment as well as withstand an underground blast as 

defined by the State of West Virginia. Once occupied, the refuge chambers 

must provide breathable air, food and other protection from post-fire or postexplosion 

mine conditions. MSHA has also mandated that mine operators 

provide 96 hours of breathable air in the event of a fire or explosion. As a result, 

the refuge chambers have been designed to provide 96 hours of protection 

or life support. Strata Mine Products (USA), Inc. has designed a refuge 

chamber which meets these requirements. Engineering Consulting Services, 

Inc. performed the independent certification of the technology to determine 

that it meets or exceeds the requirements. Several states are expected to follow 

West Virginia’s lead. This paper will describe the technology employed 

and the independent certification process. 

2:25 PM 

Underground Mine Emergency Chamber/Shelter and Internal 

Atmosphere Control 

F. Peng; Mining Engineering, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 

The underground mine emergency events occurred in 2006 resulted in high 

fatality of miners. In an emergency event, “escape” is the first and preferred 

option for the miners. However, it is also necessary to provide an emergency 

shelter/chamber for the miners when escape is cut-off. The components set 

by WV State Law and MSHA for the emergency shelter/chamber are: i) the 

structure integrity and overpressure capability; ii) chamber flash temperature 

and flame resistance; iii) airlock purging system; iv) oxygen supplying system; 

v) humidity and heat control system; vi) instruments for detecting toxic 

gases and temperature; vii) human waste disposal methods; viii) water and 

nutrient requirement; ix) inspection, maintenance schedule, etc. These components 

will be presented and discussed. 

27 

2:45 PM 

Laboratory and Field Evaluation of Dust Collector Bags for Reducing 

Dust Exposure of Roof Bolter Operators 

J. Listak and T. Beck; NIOSH, Pittsburgh, PA 

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health conducted laboratory 

and field tests to evaluate the effectiveness of dust collector bags for reducing 

dust liberation and operator exposure from a roof bolter’s dust collection 

system. Respirable dust samples, taken by the Mine Safety and Health 

Administration, show that roof bolter operators are still at high risk for overexposure. 

The highest exposure occurs when the dry dust collection system is 

cleaned. The laboratory tests evaluated the bag’s effectiveness to contain dust 

and the effect on canister filter loading in both a bag and bagless condition. 

The emissions from the collector’s exhaust were also monitored in each condition. 

The laboratory dust collector tests show that nearly 100% of the test 

dust fed into the collector was captured by the dust bags. Loading on the dust 

collector’s canister filter is greatly decreased when using the bags enabling 

longer periods of drilling without filter removal/cleaning. The field results 

showed dust reductions in exhausted emissions and around the bolter. 

Laboratory and field results show that benefits from use of the bags are realized 

in all areas of operator exposure. 

3:05 PM 

Hilti Powder Actuated Tool Technology and Applications in US 

Underground Gassy Mines 

J. Pinkley 1 , H. Whittam 1 and C. Huff 2 ; 1 Mining, Hilti, Inc., Tulsa, OK and 

2 

Foundation Coal Corporation - Technical Services, Foundation Coal 

Corporation, Waynesburgh, PA 

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the application of a new fastening 

technology brought to the mining industry by Hilti in 2002, and adapted to 

various applications by the underground gassy mining industry to reduce the 

effort to accomplish various tedious tasks. The Hilti DX 460 powder actuated 

device is now utilized by most mine rescue teams for the installation of temporary 

ventilation controls during mine rescue and recovery operations 

(Dottiki, Excel,and Sago mine incidents). Beyond this application the device 

is commonly seen on underground operating sections for the installation of 

emergency barricade materials, advancement of lifelines adn the installation 

of communication cables. In regards to tailgate support installation the Hilti 

DX460 powder actuated device has become essential for the installation of 

longwall tailgate support grout bags with reduced time and effort. New applications 

for the Hilti DX 460 powder actuated device such as belt splicing, 

mesh installation, and the installation of ventilation controls are on the horizon, 

in a continuing effort to improve productivity and safety for the underground 

gassy mining industry. 

3:25 PM 

Geotechnical Program at Bridger Coal Company 

H. Maleki 1 and C. Pollastro 2 ; 1 Maleki Technologies, Inc., Spokane, WA and 

2 

Interwest Mining Company, Salt Lake City, UT 

During the last decade, Bridger Coal Company has been collecting geologic 

data in preparation for the underground mining of coal reserves in Wyoming. 

More recently, in cooperation with MTI staff, Bridger expanded geologic investigations 

including surface mapping, drilling, aerial photography, rock 

mechanics testing and hydrogeologic modeling. Core from 20 exploration 

boreholes was tested to determine the mechanical properties of overburden 

rocks. Geologic investigations identified the presence of one 10-to-16 ft-thick 

coal seam throughout the reserve. Data collection and analyses of results 

were completed in three phases. Based on a critical examination of data during 

each phase, Bridger proceeded with detailed data collection to improve 

understanding of the depositional and structural setting of the reserve, hydrogeologic 

conditions, overburden strength, and premining stress conditions. A 

Longwall feasibility analysis was completed considering both regional experiences 

in Wyoming and site-specific modeling. Numerical modeling included 

both 2-and-3-dimensional finite difference and boundary element 

modeling. Results are presently being verified. 

3:45 PM 

Pumpable Roof Supports: The Next Paradigm in Roof Support 

Technology 

T. Barczak and S. Tadolini; NIOSH - Pittsburgh Research Laboratory, 

Pittsburgh, PA 

Historically, roof support elements have been brought into the mine, often requiring 

construction prior to installation of the support product. For standing 

support systems, such as wood or concrete cribbing, this could involve han-

dling several pieces of relatively heavy support material that slowed the 

progress of the support construction and caused a range of musculoskeletal 

injuries to the miners installing the supports. Support systems that are preassembled, 

such as concrete filled containers or large concrete sections, are 

big and bulky requiring specialized handling machinery to install. These systems 

are also not likely to be used in areas of the mine where access is limited. 

Pumpable roof support systems overcome these issues and limitations 

by pumping a cementitious material from the surface through a borehole into 

a lightweight bag at any location within the mine. They also provide full roof 

to floor support and a stiff support response. Most other standing supports require 

the use of a secondary support material to establish roof contact that 

often softens the support response or creates opportunities for instability. 

4:05 PM 

Button-Core Channel Sampling: A Method for Underground Coal 

Quality Sampling 

W. Dennis, C. Thielen, C. Thompson and C. Van Arsdale; Peabody Energy, 

Oak Creek, CO 

Channel sampling is a method used to collect detailed coal quality data in existing 

mine workings. Samples are typically collected manually using hand 

tools such as picks. Sample consistency, especially in hard, thick coals, can 

be difficult to obtain using manual sampling methods. This paper describes a 

new mechanical channel sampling method that employs a hand-held core 

drill which has improved operator safety and sample consistency independent 

of geologic conditions and operator skill. The paper will also discuss the 

method’s impact on mine planning and quality forecasting. 

Construction Materials and Aggregates: 

Resource Evaluation and Planning 


borehole spacing and other long term issues such as mine planning and reclamation 

will bring value to the project. A presentation with examples will be 

given with respect to this approach. 

3:05 PM 

Practical Approach for Siting Crushed Stone and Sand and Gravel 

Mines 

M. Zdunczyk; Continental Placer Inc., Albany, NY 

The purpose of this paper is to describe the methods that might be used to locate 

and develop crushed stone quarries or sand and gravel deposits. The 

methods involved are interchangeable; that is to say some methods may be 

used to site a source, some methods may be not used at all or others may be 

added. The methods should be cost effective because of the low unit cost of 

the products being produced. The relationship between each method described 

in this paper is critical to achieving the location, market and pricing 

necessary for that business to survive and prosper. This paper will attempt to 

define the methods necessary to achieve these goals. 

3:25 PM 

Hydraulic Fracturing Sand “The Facts of Frac” 

M. Zdunczyk; Continental Placer Inc., Albany, NY 

Hydraulic fracturing sand (frac sand) currently and for the past few years has 

been in high demand in the United States. This is directly related to the rising 

prices of crude oil and natural gas. Frac sand consists almost entirely of 

quartz (silica sand). It is used as a proppant to open fracture in the subsurface 

rocks to increase flow to the well. The American Petroleum Institute has 

rather rigid specifications for this type of sand, rendering many quartzose 

sands unusable. Some US companies who produce silica sand are adjusting 

their processing plants to try to meet frac demand, while others are seriously 

looking for new deposits. 

Chair: W.Willis, Weyerhaeuser, Hot Springs, AR 

2:05 PM 

The Often Arduous Process to Permit an Aggregates Mine 

G. Stevens; Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc, Downers Grove, IL 

During the 2007 SME meeting in Denver, I presented a paper focusing on the 

multidisciplinary team of scientists and engineers often required to develop a 

natural resource, and permit a construction aggregates mining operation. One 

of the critical components essential to planning and developing an aggregates 

resource is to move methodically through the zoning and permitting process. 

This is particularly true when the development is located in a suburbanized 

environment. However, this process is frequently fraught with pitfalls related 

to zoning and planning boards that are generally unprepared for the level of 

technical analysis presented, a contentious and litigious local citizenry with a 

“Not In My Back Yard” (NIMBY) agenda, and a barrage of characteristically 

irrational debate. This paper will focus on a few specific aggregates mining 

projects that have gone through this arduous process and the substantial 

technical and legal efforts required prior to developing these aggregate 

mining facilities. 

2:25 PM 

Coastal Louisiana and Mississippi After Katrina – Aggregate Market 

and Royalties 

W. Rapier; William F Rapier & Associates, Plano, TX 

How does a $20-$25 dollar asking price for aggregates shipped into the 

coastal markets translate into actual fixed prices back at the quarry or pit and 

therefore ultimately into royalty value for the landowner? Royalty rates for 

aggregates throughout the United States still range from a low of about 1% of 

the Selling Price for very old leases to a high of 15% of the Selling Price for 

West Coast leases. Nevertheless, location, transportation (distance and 

mode), deposit parameters, availability and demand all impact selling prices 

at the consumption point and the production plant which ultimately affects 

royalty value. 

2:45 PM 

Exploration Modeling 

J. McCalip; McCalip & Company, Inc., Dallas, TX 

Resource and Reserve projects are often intiated with only immediate needs 

in mind, without considering all of the obstacles and benefits that may result 

from an exploration project. An exploration plan that encompasses geology, 

sampling procedures, existing maps, costs, safety, land and permit issues, 

28 

DREYER LECTURE 

1:30 PM 


Lecturer: C. Mark Rebagliati 

Environmental: Environmental Management Systems 


Chairs: P. Kunkel, Freeport McMoRan, Phoenix, AZ 

W. Cobb, Phelps Dodge Corporation, Phoenix, AZ 

2:05 PM 

Sustainable Environmental Management Systems: Leveraging 

Operational & Environmental Performance in the Mining Industry 

D. Meyer; Brown and Caldwell, San Diego, CA 

With the quickly changing regulatory environment of Sarbanes-Oxley to the 

emergence of a “green” revolution, the mining industry is seeking means to 

optimize operational efficiency, meet community stakeholder needs and manage 

environmental constraints. Sustainability Environmental Management 

Systems (SEMS) can add value to the mining “value” chain, including primary 

and secondary product producers, and downstream suppliers of equipment 

and process materials. Competitive strategies for local, regional and 

transnational mining enterprises are evolving toward balanced “quadruple 

bottom line” consideration of optimizing social,operational and environmental 

performance. This paper outlines a strategy for building and implementing 

an SEMS that incorporates and harmonizes ISO 14001-2004, OHSAS 18001 

and sustainability models such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and 

industry specific initiatives (NSSGA, NRMCA and PCA). Case studies will 

be presented that describe SEMS approaches and best practices. Benefits and 

outcomes include leveraged organizational risk, optimized operational efficiencies, 

reduced waste, improved cost of sales, and stakeholder confidence.

2:30 PM 

EMS Standards for a 21st Century Mine 

E. Diaz-Gonzalez; Resolution Copper Mining, Superior, AZ 

Resolution Copper’s concept of 21st-century mining has encouraged its operations 

to work in ways that are environmentally friendly. Resolution Copper 

has recently started the ISO 14001 certification process which calls for building 

an environmental management system. Based on the principles of quality 

management, the EMS provides a framework to identify, monitor and meet 

environmental obligations. When the company first began the certification 

process, it had 15 permanent employees and 50 contractors. By the time the 

certification audit took place, Resolution Copper had increased its workforce 

dramatically causing difficulties in training and in implementing the new ISO 

standards. 

2:55 PM 

Improved Environmental Compliance through the Use of 

Environmental Management Systems at Mine Sites 

S. Hoffman and S. Mahmud; Office of Solid Waste and Emergency 

Response, US EPA, Washington, DC 

In 2004 USEPA issued an EMS Strategy that encouraged industry and the 

states to use EMSs to improve regulatory complaince. Executive Order 13148 

ordered all federal agencies to implement EMSs by December 2005. EPA’s 

Sector Worgroup has cooperatively developed EMS for five sectors. In 2006 

SME initiated the drafting of a mining EMS. EPA’s National Mining Team is 

supporting this effort since we believe that implementation of a mining EMS 

will improve environmental compalince at mining sites. Many mining companies 

have already implemented ISO 1400 programs, however the use of a 

comprehensive mining EMS will focus managment attention on the unique 

environmentl risks associated with large scale gold cyanide leach and copper 

dump leach mining operations. The use of the SME mining EMS may also 

help to supplement both federal and state regulatory programs. 

3:15 PM 

Environmental Management Systems for Aggregate Producers 

J. Hayden; National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association, Alexandria, VA 

The National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association’s (NSSGA) Environmental 

Guiding Principles encourage its members to adopt and implement an 

Environmental Management System (EMS) program to meet its environmental 

requirements and improve its overall performance. An EMS is a continual 

cycle of planning, implementing, reviewing and improving the actions that an 

organization takes to meet its environmental goals. In the spirit of NSSGA’s 

guiding principle, an EMS template for aggregate producers was created to 

provide a written framework that can be used in sections or in its entirety to 

develop a voluntary EMS program. The template, which conforms with revisions 

to ISO 14001 that occurred in 2005, takes the form of modules so that 

each aggregate producer can choose the individual modules and adapt them 

to best fit their company’s needs and stated environmental goals and principles. 

This presentation will focus on how and why NSSGA developed this 

voluntary EMS program as well as the benefits derived from, and obstacles 

encountered when, implementing an EMS. 

3:35 PM 

EMS Implementation Guideline for Small and Medium Sized Hard 

Rock Mines 

P. Kunkel; Environmental, Freeport-McMoRan Copper and Gold Inc, 

Phoenix, AZ 

SME is leading an effort to develop a guideline for small and medium sized 

hard rock mines to implement an effective Environmental Management 

System. This guideline focuses on a no-frills, integrated management system 

that is effective in addressing a mine’s most significant environmental issues 

- and can be implemented quickly by site staff. The guideline is being developed 

in a joint effort between SME and US EPA. 

29 

Chair: 

Environmental: 

Mine Reclamation - Risk & Sustainability 


R. Reisinger, URS Corporation, Denver, CO 

2:05 PM 

FMC Granger Mine Closure for Solution Mining 

C. Pritchard 1 and T. Jacobsen 2 ; 1 Mine Engingineering, FMC, Green River, 

WY and 2 Environmental Engineering, FMC, Green River, WY 

FMC Granger Mine Closure for Solution Mining In 2005 it was decided to 

abandon the FMC Granger underground mining operation and prepare the 

mine workings for solution mining by surface installed deep well pumps. 

Work involved recovering mine conveyor equipment, power cables, mobile 

equipment, pumps and other installed infrastructure. Environmental work included 

gathering hazardous chemicals and draining abandoned mining equipment 

of fluids. Final work involved building bulkheads around the shaft bottom 

area to prevent potential subsidence damage due to solution mining of 

support pillars directly below the process plant facilities. 

2:25 PM 

Impacts of Surface Mining and Valley Fills on Storm Runoff in Central 

Appalachia 

P. Michael 1 , M. Superfesky 2 and D. Stump 3 ; 1 U.S. Office of Surface Mining, 

Pittsburgh, PA; 2 U.S. Office of Surface Mining, Morgantown, WV and 3 U.S. 

Office of Surface Mining, Pittsburgh, PA 

The central Appalachian physiographic region is a highly dissected plateau 

with high, tree-covered hills and deep, narrow valleys or “hollows.” Surface 

mining, including construction of excess spoil fills, alters the topography, 

drainage patterns, vegetation, and soil cover in and around the valleys. These 

alterations can impact storm-runoff discharges through the hollows. Concern 

has been expressed that surface mining above—and valley fill construction 

within—inhabited hollows increases the potential for flooding, and consequent 

loss of life and severe property damage. A number of studies have been 

conducted in response to this concern, including several projects under the 

Mountaintop Mining/Valley Fill Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) released 

in 2005. Several studies indicated a connection between mining activity 

and increases in peak discharge. Significantly, actual storm-runoff events 

in 2002 and 2005 demonstrate a “window of vulnerability” during the excess 

spoil fill construction process in which severe, uncontrolled erosion over the 

face of an unreclaimed fill can cause or augment dangerous debris flows and 

floods through a local community. 

2:45 PM 

Hurley Townsite Residential Soil Remediation: A Case Study in 

Sustainable Reclamation 

D. Crawford 1 and J. Pepe 2 ; 1 Environmental Science, Golder Associates, 

Redmond, WA and 2 Engineering, Golder Associates, Silver City, NM 

Residential soil remediation in Hurley, New Mexico incorporated sustainability 

aspects of environmental, economic, and social benefits into an ongoing 

restoration project. Historical operations at the Chino Mines copper smelter 

and concentrator facilities resulted in elevated copper in soil in nearby residential 

yards. Remediation removed and recycled soils that posed potential 

health risks, ensured resident and worker safety throughout remediation, used 

local materials and labor, and involved the community in public and private 

property improvements. Town improvements inspired the community to form 

a new town pride committee that initiated additional town improvements, 

local festivals, and fund raising events. 

3:05 PM 

Mine Closure Planning under the BHP Billiton Closure Standard 

E. Bingham 1 , G. Byrne 3 and R. Reisinger 2 ; 1 Group Environment, BHPB 

Billiton, Miami, AZ; 2 Mine Closure & Reclamation Services, URS 

Corporation, Denver, CO and 3 Mining Environment, URS Corporation, 

Melbourne, VIC, Australia 

According to its Closure Standard, BHP Billiton investment properties and 

operations are required to have closure plans that are regularly reviewed and 

updated and that manage both current and future health, safety, environment 

and community (HSEC) and other business risks associated with closure. 

Key outcomes of the closure planning process are the development of a preferred 

base closure plan and valuation of that plan. This paper compares/contrasts 

recent closure plans developed according to the BHP Billiton Closure 

Standard including plans for projects in Australia, South America, South 

Africa and United States.

YOUNG LEADERS: IDENTIFYING AND VALUING 

UNTAPPED POTENTIAL 

1:00 – 5:00 PM 


Speaker: Kay Sever 

CQIA and President of OptimiZ Consulting 

Opportunities to improve performance slip through your fingers 

every single day. This session offers insights on three dimensions of 

missed opportunity and their relationship to sustaining improvement 

and culture change: 

1. The Power of Process Optiumum – why budget is the wrong 

number, strategies for selecting optimum values, using optimums 

to achieve culture change. 

2. Connecting Dollars to Problems – cost of quality concepts 

“morphed” for mining applications, why employees need to 

know about COQ. 

3. Engineering’s Role in Building Partnerships and Driving 

Culture Change – unintentional barriers created by engineers 

and techniques for removing them. 

Each session will contain mining examples/exercises. 

Chair: 

Industrial Minerals: Shortages 


B. Robison, Graymont Western US Inc, Salt Lake City, UT 

2:05 PM 

Barite Industrial Mineral Shortages for the Future 

W. Miles; Miles Industrial Mineral Research, Denver, CO 

In the 1970s, China began supplying barite to the world drilling market to 

help develop their economy. Their extremely low pricing and ocean transport 

caused barite producers in the USA and other countries to close mining 

operations. Barite is used as a nonabrasive weighting agent for drilling for oil 

and gas exploration and production. The major market and value for barite 

increased rapidly beginning in 2003 with increasing world demand for oil and 

gas. In recent years the internal demand for barite in China increased tremendously 

as their market developed. Now China no longer pursues world 

markets for barite weighting agents. In addition, barite with a minimum 4.2 

specific gravity is in scarce supply at present mines. The API is presently 

reviewing the physical properties of 4.1 specific gravity barite in order to 

approve previously depleted mines and provide new sources. 

2:25 PM 

The Changing Face of Tire Management 

J. Lavallee and B. Johnson; ETMS International, D&D Tire, Inc., 

Fernely, NV 

Tires cost a lot of money. This by itself is not news, but how we view that 

expense and deal with the associated details can have a huge impact on tire 

operating costs and on the bottom line of our operations. 

Mineral & Metallurgical Processing: Leveraging New 

Process Technologies Involving Mineral Processing 


Chairs: T. Braden, AMIRA International, Aurora, CO 

S.Gilbert, Phelps Dodge Mining Co, Safford, AZ 

2:05 PM 

Secondary Copper Recovery in Heap Leach Operations 

A. Guzman 1 , S. Flaherty 1 , L. Schlink 2 , R. Romero 2 , D. Shade 3 and 

D. Ramey 4 ; 1 ARCADIS U.S Inc, Tucson, AZ; 2 Cyprus Tohono Corporation, 

Casa Grande, AZ; 3 KD Engineering, Tucson, AZ and 4 Freeport McMoRan, 

Oro Valley, AZ 

30 

Current market conditions for the North American mining industry are characterized 

by a strong demand of metal and a limited availability of new deposits. 

In this context, mining companies are focusing on optimizing their available 

resources. This paper discusses a secondary metal recovery program implemented 

in the Cyprus Tohono Corporation (CTC) and highlights technical 

challenges, additional production from existing resources and potential environmental 

benefits of such program. The CTC implemented a secondary copper 

recovery program in its dormant heap leach facility. Leaching and removal 

of residual copper was complicated by a number of technical issues. These 

challenges required devising a solution delivery scheme that circulated enough 

reagents through the heap while maintaining physical stability of the slopes. 

Copper production data after 30 months of operation suggest that solution delivery 

system has been able to maintain reasonable copper recovery rates 

while minimizing potential stress on the slopes. To date, 6,000 Tons of high 

quality copper have been produced at a rate of nearly 1% of the “recoverable” 

copper per month in accordance with the initial production model. 

2:25 PM 

Hyperbaric Centrifugal Filtration 

S. Keles 1 , G. Luttrell 1 , R. Yoon 1 , T. Estes 2 and W. Schultz 2 ; 1 Center for 

Advanced Separation Technologies, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA and 

2 

Decanter Machine, Inc., Johnson City, TN 

The solid-solid separation processes employed by modern coal preparation 

plants require large amounts of process water. After cleaning, the unwanted 

water must be removed from the surfaces of the particles using mechanical 

dewatering equipment such as disc filters and screen-bowl centrifuges. 

Unfortunately, the existing processes that are used to dewater fine particles 

are inefficient in terms of moisture reduction or solids recovery. To overcome 

these problems, a novel hyperbaric centrifugal filter has been developed as a 

joint effort between academic and industrial partners. Data collected to date 

indicate that this new technology can reduce moisture by 30-50% over what 

can be achieved using conventional processes with high solids recoveries. In 

this communication, the newly patented technology will be described along 

with recent test results obtained from laboratory, pilot-plant and in-plant 

test programs. 

2:45 PM 

Evaluation of Sulfide Flotation Efficiency by Analysis of Misplaced 

Particles 

L. Roman, E. Blanco, J. Medina, J. Nalaskowski, C. Lin and J. Miller; 

Metallurgical Engineering Department, College of Mines and Earth 

Sciences University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 

The loss of sulfide mineral values in tailings during flotation can occur due to 

inappropriate operating conditions (retention time, reagent addition, air flow, 

bubble size, etc.) or due to particle properties. Important particle properties 

which might limit flotation include size, shape, composition (incomplete 

liberation), slimes interference, and surface activity (oxidation, hydrolysis). 

The significance of these factors are considered for selected sulfide 

flotation systems. 

3:05 PM 

Application of Passive Sonar Technology to Minerals Processing Flow 

Measurement Applications 

C. O’Keefe, R. Maron, P. Rothman and J. Poplawski; Minerals Processing, 

CiDRA Corporation, Wallingford, CT 

In this presentation, CiDRA’s patented technology platform and its applications 

will be described. CiDRA’s non-invasive, passive sonar array-based 

flow meter technology provides the volumetric flow rate of single or multiphase 

fluids by measuring the speed at which naturally occurring structures 

such as turbulent eddies or density variations convect with the flow past an 

axial array of sensors. These sensors are incorporated in a band that is 

wrapped around the outside of the pipe, resulting in no process downtimes for 

installation and unprecedented reliability. This technology has resulted in a 

unique ability to measure the flow rate of most fluids – clean liquids, high 

solids content slurries, pastes, and liquids and slurries with entrained air. 

Unique and difficult minerals processing flow measurement problems and 

their solutions will be described. Examples of these problems include flow 

measurements in froth lines and flotation feed lines with entrained air, slurry 

lines with magnetite and other magnetic ore, slurry lines with abrasive or corrosive 

materials, high pressure lines, and lines exhibiting scale buildup. 

Recent technology developments will be covered. 

www.smenet.org

Mineral & Metallurgical Processing: 

New Technologies and Cross Pollination for Improved 

Energy, Minerals or Metals Recovery 


Chairs: P. Taylor, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 

J. Hohn, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 

2:05 PM 

Mill feed: by 8 m ore block assay or by 8 cm rock sensing? Sorting 

technology can fill the gap between mine and mill 

G. Van Weert 1 and M. Kowalczyk 2 ; 1 Oretome Limited, Caledon East, ON, 

Canada and 2 Terra Vision, Lac Beauport, QC, Canada 

Mining project feasibility is projected from a geological model. Ore grade is 

assumed to be continuous, based on drill hole assays as much as 80 m or 

80,000,000 micron apart. Base metal flotation works at 80 micron. In short, 

metallurgical and financial performance in metal mining is forecast on rejecting 

waste after comminuting the ore down by a volume factor of 

1,000,000,000,000,000,000. This is the gap between mine and mill, and ultimately 

between lenders/shareholders expectations and mine/mill performance. 

By inserting ore sorting in this gap, opportunities for reserve enhancement 

and cost reduction are created. Blast holes for extracting the outlined 

ore might be 8 m apart. Most ore bodies do not abruptly change composition 

at 8 m intervals; nor are they homogeneous in grade at the 8 cm (3”) rock 

size, optimum size for sorting. Mining in 8 m blocks will inevitably cause 

dilution of the mill feed and ore losses in the waste rock. This paper looks at 

ore sorting technologies currently available and under development, and what 

conditions would be needed for their application. The sorting results of 

various ores will be presented. 

2:25 PM 

A Low Temperature Thermal Method for Energy and Metals Recovery 

from Organic Wastes 

P. Kruesi 1 , S. Shuey 2 , E. Vidal 3 , J. Montenegro 3 and P. Taylor 3 ; 1 Cato 

Research Corp, Golden, CO; 2 Phelps Dodge Mining Co, Safford, AZ and 

3 

Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 

Laboratory experiments have been performed on a variety of waste materials 

to evaluate methods to react the organic materials in such a way as to 

generate a energy rich off gas and a carbon-metal solid residue. The reaction 

utilizes carbon dioxide and alkali earth carbonates as reactants in the temperature 

range of 300 -450 C. These experiments were complimented by tests on 

pure polymeric materials. Results and conclusions are given. 

2:45 PM 

Integrating hydro-fracturing technology and geophysics into 3D 

mapping and extraction of metals in heap leaching; Hydro-Jex and 

High Resolution Resistivity 

T. Seal 1 and J. Fink 2 ; 1 NV Leach Metallurgy, Newmont Mining Corp., 

Carlin, NV and 2 Geophysics, hydroGEOPHYSICS, Inc, Tucson, AZ 

Large heap leach operations around the world contain significant underleached 

metal values that present recovery challenges to operators. The first 

challenge is to find the location of the highest inventory. High resolution resistivity 

has proven sensitive enough to detect such zones in the interior of 

heap leach pads to target treatment or re-leaching. Newmont Mining Corp. 

has adapted the high pressure fracturing technology, used in oil wells to stimulate 

select zones in heap leach pads to add reagents in 3-D for re-leaching, 

changing zonal chemistry for improved recovery and heap closure. High 

Resolution Resistivity is able to subsequently monitor injected solution 

flow and determine directional permeability during Hydro-Jex stimulation. 

The combination of these technologies has shown strong economic success, 

for selecting targets in the heaps and monitoring solution application. These 

technologies are now available to the mining industry for adoption. 

3:05 PM 

The big guy, the little guy, and the other guy: Examples of technology 

transfer between industries 

L. Southwick; L.M. Southwick & Associates, Cincinnati, OH 

The cost of developing new processes is often quite large, and frequently 

therefore large companies take the lead. The Big Guy. In other examples, 

innovative ideas seem more readily accepted by smaller operations without 

the bureaucracy that may bog down the whole technology acceptance mechanism. 

The Little Guy. However, rarely are those two aspects sufficient by 

themselves – the technology must be viable, the development process must 

be properly managed, the company must be realistic in their expectations and 

thoroughly understand the process. Sometimes, too, reference to other industries 

brings relevant examples of basic concepts, and guidance with research, 

design, equipment selection and operation. Lastly, the due diligence ordered 

by the Board as a final check before proceeding with a process becomes more 

a “join the parade” stock promotion tool rather than the objective, curmudgeonly 

skeptical document it should be. So the Right Guy is objective oversight, 

thorough insight, the example from another industry, and unflinching 

skepticism. These and other examples will be reviewed, focusing on building 

a check list of mileposts on the road to successful commercialization. 

3:25 PM 

Morenci Concentrate Leaching Plant – Construction and Start Up of 

the Copper Concentrate Leaching Plant at Morenci, AZ 

J. Wilmot; Technology and Product Development, Freeport-McMoRan 

Mining Co., Phoenix, AZ 

In March, 2006, Freeport-McMoRan began construction on a commercial 

scale copper concentrate leaching plant at the Morenci mine in southeastern 

Arizona. A successful start up of the plant occurred in 2007. This presentation 

describes the process facilities constructed at Morenci and discusses the start 

up successes and challenges of the plant. The most recent performance of the 

plant is presented, along with comparisons to the design criteria. 

3:45 PM 

Clean Technology in Coke Production 

F. Habashi; Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada 

The present technology for coke manufacture is based on heating coal in 

retorts in absence of air then quenching the product with a limited supply of 

water shower. This last step is highly polluting due to dust and toxic organic 

emissions. A new technology first introduced by Nippon Steel Corporation at 

Kitakyushu in 1976 now used in Japan as well as at few plants in other countries, 

known as dry quenching, uses nitrogen in a closed circuit to avoid environmental 

emissions. In addition, heat is recovered in form of steam, from the 

red-hot coke. 

Mineral & Metallurgical Processing: Technologies 

Involving Hydrometallurgy/Pyrometallurgy 


Chairs: E.Vidal, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 

S. Shuey, Freeport McMoRan, Tucson, AZ 

2:05 PM 

Oxidation of Refractory Gold Ores 

B. Chen and R. Reddy; Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, The 

University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 

Degree of successes in recovering gold from refractory gold ores is not 

clearly understood. In this study, rate of oxidation of refractory gold ores 

were investigated using TGA. The effect of time, temperature and different 

types of refractory gold ores were studied. DTA analyses of gold ores showed 

endothermic reactions are mostly due to decomposition of carbonates and dehydration 

of kaolinite compounds. The oxidation rates increased with increase 

in temperature and also with higher initial carbon and sulfur in the 

samples. It was concluded that carbon has to be oxidized to a minimum value 

before appreciable sulfur can be oxidized from the gold ores. Applications of 

results to an industrial gold processing are discussed. 

2:25 PM 

Controlling Organic in Aqueous Entrainments 

L. Schlink 1 , M. Brueggemann 2 and S. Dominquez 3 ; 1 Cyprus Tohono Mine, 

Casa Grande, AZ; 2 Safford Mine, Safford, AZ and 3 Chino Mine, Hurley, NM 

The start up of Solvent Extraction (SX) plants in 1968 has allowed high purity 

copper to be produced at a low cost. The battle of high production at low 

cost is becoming increasingly important as the cost of petroleum based 

reagents increases, primarily the cost of diluent and extractant (organic). 

Reducing the amount of organic entrainment in the raffinate solutions will 

lead to several benefits in an SX plant. The largest benefit is the reduction of 

reagent costs each month. Many methods have been employed to reduce the 

31

amount of the organic leaving the system through the aqueous raffinate solution. 

Some of the methods used have included operational adjustments, 

Jameson Cell, coalescing packs and picket fencing. Each of these solutions 

has had some effect on the amount of organic entrainments lost through the 

raffinate. Implementation of the methods above has led to significantly 

reduce organic entrainment at two Phelps Dodge, SXEW plants in New 

Mexico. Similar methods were adopted at other Phelps Dodge sites with 

continued success. This paper provides insight as to the methods tested and 

results recorded for the two New Mexico sites. 

2:45 PM 

The Effect of Particle Size and Other Process Variables in the Stripping 

of Gold Cyanide from Activated Carbons 

F. Elnathan, S. Zheng, C. Lin and J. Miller; Metallurgical Engineering 

Department, College of Mines and Earth Sciences University of Utah, Salt 

Lake City, UT 

Activated carbon is being used extensively for the recovery of gold from 

cyanidation plants. However, gold losses on fine activated carbon particles 

and the attendant high carbon inventories are quite significant. The effect of 

particle size and other process variables on the stripping of gold cyanide from 

activated carbon has been studied and will be discussed with respect to chemistry 

and procedures for elution. 

3:05 PM 

Hydrometallurgical Design Considerations at the Safford Leach Project 

L. Todd; Freeport McMoRan Americas, Safford, AZ 

The Safford Leach Project located in Graham County, Arizona began construction 

in 2006 and will begin production in early 2008 at an annual design 

production rate of 109,000 tonnes of cathode copper. The project includes 

open pit mining, three-stage crushing, agglomeration with sulfuric acid, 

conveyor stacking, heap leaching, solution extraction and electrowinning to 

produce cathode copper from low-grade oxide ores. The project employs a 

number of design features to control project capital and operating costs and 

incorporates experience from existing properties. Design considerations of 

the hydrometallurgical recovery circuit are discussed in this paper. 

3:25 PM 

Improvement of Silver Leaching from High Silver Grade Ores Using 

the Celp 

G. Deschenes; CANMET, Ottawa, ON, Canada 

The leaching of silver from high purity silver, high purity silver minerals 

(acanthite, stephanite and pyrargyrite) and a mixture of silver minerals was 

determined under various conditions and compared to a new leaching process 

called “CANMET Enhanced Leaching Process (CELP)”. In the absence of 

sulphide minerals, increased dissolved oxygen of the slurry produced the 

fastest silver leaching kinetics. For a slurry containing acanthite, a 23% improvement 

in silver extraction (from 76% to 99%) was obtained with the 

CELP whereas silver extraction increased from 75% to 90% for the slurry 

with pyrargyrite. No improvement was obtained for the slurry with stephanite 

(99% extraction in 72 hours). However, the silver leaching rate was much 

faster with the CELP. The slurries containing the mixtures of minerals 

showed improvements of 21% Ag (from 75% to 96%) and 37% Ag (from 

56% to 93%) with the CELP. Leaching of a high grade gold/silver ore with 

the CELP resulted in higher silver and gold extractions while using a lower 

cyanide concentration. 

3:45 PM 

Electrochemical Study of Gold Cementation onto Copper in Thiosulfate 

Solutions 

J. Lee 1 and B. Hiskey 2 ; 1 Newmont Metallurgical Services, Newmont 

Mining, Englewood, CO and 2 Materials Science and Engineering, University 

of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 

The electrochemistry of gold cementation in thiosulfate solution with rotating 

disk electrode and electrochemical quartz crystal nanobalance has been 

investigated. Sodium thiosulfate of 0.25M solution is used for standard condition 

at pH 9.5 and initial gold and copper concentrations are changed. 

Mixed potential was recorded under various conditions to investigate passivation 

phenomena. The characteristics of the potential curves vary according to 

the parameters showing different passivation patterns. Evans’ diagrams were 

plotted by superimposing polarization diagrams of the gold reduction and 

copper oxidation. Corrosion currents increased with increasing gold concentration, 

disk rotating speed, and thiosulfate concentration as expected by 

kinetic study. 

32 

Mineral Valuation: 

Recent Case Histories and Analysis of Methods 


Chairs: E. Moritz, Gustavson Associates, Boulder, CO 

J. Gustavson, Gustavson Associates, Boulder, CO 

2:05 PM 

When Partial Takings Take More Than You Think 

R. Frahme; Appraisal, Gustavson Associates, Boulder, CO 

Appraisers are often asked to develop an opinion of the value of a partial taking. 

It is incumbent upon the appraiser, in the review of the condemnation 

documents, to form an independent opinion of the larger parcel(s), the part(s) 

to be taken and the remainder(s). Sometimes, the project causes the remainder(s) 

to have no economic value. In such cases, the purported “partial taking” 

may be tantamount to a total taking and must be appraised as such. This 

paper relates some of an appraiser’s experiences in such determinations. 

2:25 PM 

Use of Comparables Sales in Appraising Coalbed Methane Properties 

E. Moritz; Gustavson Associates, Boulder, CO 

There has been a surge in interest in the acquisition and development of 

coalbed methane properties. Depending on the location, coalbed methane 

projects require economies of scale and other considerations in order to be 

attractive. The appraisal of such acreage can be complex especially if the 

acreage is undeveloped and some distance from production. This paper 

describes the use of comparable sales as one method to approach a value in 

the appraisal of coalbed methane properties. Case histories from certain areas 

of the Rocky Mountains are presented. 

2:45 PM 

Property in Transition — Appraisal of Mining and Upscale Residential 

Use, Saguaro National Park, AZ 

J. Gustavson; Gustavson Associates, Boulder, CO 

The claim named Comet 1 is located on Yuma Mine Road near Tucson. The 

Saguaro National Park nearly surrounds the parcel with unfriendly, private 

neighbors to the north. A Validation Examination was provided. Patenting 

was recommended by BLM for gold-lead mining. Interior found no legal reason 

why the mining patent would not be issued. Appraisal includes other 

value since residential land value will surpass that of mining. Maximally productive 

use then changes to residential. FMV is estimated as the sum of transitional 

mining and long-term residential use. The former was estimated on a 

lease basis similar to appraisal in temporary takings, where Fair Market 

Rental Value may be estimated. Claim changed to residential use after 5 years 

of mining. Adjustment was made for availability of access through mining 

use. Cost of access by necessity and construction of road are included in the 

mining use. Reclamation for residential purpose is included. Value was adjusted 

based on appreciation in Tucson residential market. The transitional 

value and the long-term value were added, yielding the FMV. Both private 

owner of claim and NPS agreed to the FMV for purchase by the NPS. 

Mining & Exploration: Surface Mining: Big Pits 


Chair: T. Swendseid, Phelps Dodge Sierrita Inc, Green Valley, AZ 

2:05 PM 

Suncor’s Big Rocks, A review of mine productivity initiatives 

L. Hale; Mining, Suncor Energy, Fort McMurray, AB, Canada 

Suncor Energy operates a large open pit mine as part of an integrated oil production 

facility in Northern Alberta. The 2008 mine plan calls for over 450 

million tonnes. Mining Oilsand presents a unique set of challenges and a 

combination of specialized equipment and mining techniques make this an 

interesting application of technology. This paper will introduce Suncor 

Energy and review our mine hauler tire life program and a number of productivity 

initiatives that were successful in allowing our mine to meet our aggressive 

growth and production plans.

2:25 PM 

Black Thunder Mine — Helping to Meet America’s Energy Needs 

K. Cochran; Thunder Basin Coal Company, Wright, WY 

Arch Coal’s Black Thunder Mine, located in Wyoming’s Powder River Basin, 

is one of the world’s largest coal mines, producing approximately 90 million 

tons annually and supplying coal for approximately 9% of the U.S. electric 

generation. Black Thunder Mine utilizes a combination of dragline, truck - 

shovel and blast casting operations to remove overburden. The mine employs 

a state of the art truck dispatch system as well as numerous technology advancements 

as part of normal mining activities. Success at Black Thunder is 

judged by the ability to meet energy needs in a safe, environmentally responsible 

and profitable manner. 

2:45 PM 

Overview of the Grasberg Open-Pit Operations 

D. Cornette; Freeport McMoRan Copper and Gold, Phoenix, AZ 

In 1972, people of Freeport (now Freeport McMoRan Copper and Gold or 

FCX) opened the Ertsberg open-pit mine in what is now Papua Indonesia on 

the island of New Guinea. The Grasberg deposit was discovered in the 1980’s 

and a world-class open-pit mine was opened in 1989. The Ertsberg District is 

now the world’s premier mining and mineral district and contains the largest 

single copper reserve and the largest single gold reserve of any mining district 

in the world. Mining is presently conducted in the Grasberg open-pit and 

DOZ underground block cave mines to feed a central concentrator. Copper, 

gold and silver concentrate is shipped to smelters located in Indonesia and 

throughout the world. Grasberg is one of the safest and largest open-pit mines 

in the world. Grasberg has one of the world’s largest equipment fleets and all 

support facilities necessary for safely producing about 700,000 metric tons of 

material per day. The dedicated people of Grasberg face significant challenges 

regarding the size of the operation, remote location, difficult logistics, 

large amounts of rain and fog, and the depth of the pit to safely and productively 

operate every day. 

Chair: 

Mining & Exploration: Underground Mines: 

New Mines & Expansions 


D. Ward, Revett Minerals Inc, Spokane Valley, WA 

2:05 PM 

Development of the RCWF Ore Bodies at Doe Run’s Fletcher Mine 

G. Sutton; Doe Run Company, Viburnum, MO 

The Doe Run Company operates six underground room and pillar mines in 

Southeastern Missouri. The primary product mined is lead with byproducts of 

zinc and copper. These metals occur in the forms of galena, sphalerite, and 

chalcopyrite. During late 2004 a decision was made to develop several ore 

bodies approximately 3000 feet south of the then current Fletcher Mine. This 

presentation will discuss the background of the decision, the scope of the 

project, the trials and tribulations of mine expansion in the current boom 

cycle, and the results to date. 

2:25 PM 

Contractor/Owner Partnering – “The Pleasures and Perils” 

R. Guill; Small Mine Development, Boise, ID 

In this era of high metals prices and new and/or expanding projects, when 

everybody wants it all and “wants it all right now”, a contractor would seem 

to present solutions, but things always are “never what they seem”. Some 

thoughts on this subject after 25 years of trying. 

2:45 PM 

Troy Mine – Reopening a Past Producer 

L. Erickson; Revett Silver Company, Troy, MT 

ASARCO Inc. opened the Troy Mine, located in Lincoln County, Montana in 

1980 as an 8,500 ton per day underground room-and-pillar operation. This 

copper and silver producer operated until April 1993 when, due to low metals 

prices, the mine was placed on “temporary” care-and maintenance. 

“Temporary” turned into 12 years. Revett Silver Company purchased the 

mine in 1999 from ASARCO and kept the facility on a high level of care-andmaintenance 

in anticipation of improved prices. By the end of 2003, prices finally 

began to move and Revett initiated engineering to restart the mine in 

2004. As the mine, process facilities and infrastructure had been kept in good 

33 

condition, the restart should have been straight forward. Then reality struck – 

no equipment, no people, no supplies… were easily available. This is a case 

study of how the mine reopened in these conditions. 

Geology: Marketing and Mining of Uranium/New 

Projects/Forecasts 


Chair: 

J. Cash, Ur-Energy USA, Casper, WY 

3:05 PM 

Development of the Inkai Uranium Project 

S. Magnuson; Cameco US, Lakewood, CO 

Inkai is an in situ recovery (ISR) uranium project under development in 

southern Kazakhstan near the small village of Taikonur. The project is operated 

by JV Inkai and owned 60% by Cameco Corporation and 40% by the 

Kazatomprom, the Kazakhstan national atomic company. Test plant operations 

have been ongoing since 2002 and commercial construction of the main 

processing plant and commercial well field started in 2005. The project will 

have an annual capacity of 2,000 tonnes U (5.2mm lbs U3O8) at full production 

and plans are underway to double that level to 4,000 tonnes U (10.4 mm 

lbs U3O8). 

3:25 PM 

Fast-Track Advancement Of the Lost Creek ISR Project 

W. Heili and S. Hatten; Lost Creek ISR, LLC, Ur-Energy USA, Inc., 

Casper, WY 

Ur-Energy’s Lost Creek In-Situ Recovery Uranium Project was discovered in 

the early 1970’s. Over 2,800 drill holes were completed on the site during that 

decade. The project and the drill data was set aside during the prolonged uranium 

market depression that lasted until the renaissance that began in earnest 

in 2005. Ur-Energy (URE) acquired the project along with the historic drill 

data in June of 2005 and immediately started the permitting process. As a 

start-up Junior mining company with great ambitions, URE faced many challenges 

in attempting to fast-track it’s first mining project. This paper reviews 

aspects from assembling a technically competent and experienced team of 

employees and consultants, to converting historic data intended for conventional 

mining techniques into data useful for ISR mining techniques. The 

complex State and Federal Permitting requirements for ISR Uranium extraction 

will be reviewed in the context of how the detailed permitting schedule 

was resolved. The challenges of preparing engineering feasibility studies 

concurrently with detailed mine planning and design for the permit applications 

are reviewed as well. 

3:45 PM 

In Situ Uranium Recovery 

M. Pelizza; Corporate, Uranium Resources, Inc., Lewisville, TX 

In situ uranium recovery involves the circulation of ground water, fortified 

with oxygen, through a uranium ore body. This oxygenated water is pumped 

into injection wells, through the mineralized sandstone were the uranium is 

oxidized and solubilized, continuing through the sandstone to the extraction 

wells where the uranium-bearing ground water is pumped to the surface to 

ion exchange for uranium removal. This re-circulation of the same ground 

water continues over and over, until the uranium in the sandstone is depleted. 

Loaded ion exchange resin is processing into yellowcake, which is dried, and 

drummed for shipment. 

4:05 PM 

Energy Metals Corporation: Growth with a Purpose 

D. Stover; Uranium One - Americas, Edmond, OK 

Energy Metals Corporation was formed in July, 2004. During the next three 

years, a directed program was undertaken that sequentially focused on acquisition 

of historical uranium data bases from major mining companies, known 

mineral properties, and experienced personnel. By mid-2007, EMC has 

amassed uranium resources exceeding 250 M pounds, assembled an experienced 

ISR production team of 60+ employees, and filed license applications 

for new production centers in Texas and Wyoming. From its modest beginnings, 

EMC’s market capitalization had reach $1.7 billion US when its business 

combination with Uranium One was announced. The successor company 

is now the second largest publicly traded uranium company, exceeded in 

value only by Cameco. The path taken by EMC to rapidly move through 

growth phases of exploration, development and now production is presented.


morning 

Bulk Material Handling by Conveyor Belt 7: 

Design Considerations for Long Overland Conveyor 

9:00 AM • Tuesday, February 26 

Chair: R. Kidman, Robert & Schaefer, Salt Lake City, UT 

2:05 PM 

Evolutionary Belt Conveyor Design - Optimizing Costs 

C. Wheeler; The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, Australia 

This paper will present findings of research that is currently being undertaken 

to reduce the annual equivalent cost of belt conveying systems. The work involves 

utilizing models to predict the motion resistance of belt conveyors that 

take into consideration the influence of key conveyor variables, such as idler 

roll diameter, spacing, etc. Given a specified conveyor configuration the 

capital and ongoing costs of the system can then be approximated based on 

the required belt, structure, drives, etc. The research provides an evolutionary 

computational means to analyze a large number of potential conveyor 

configurations and to compare each on an annual equivalent cost basis. 

2:30 PM 

Dynamics of long belt conveyors with distributed drives 

G. Lodewijks; Transport Engineering and Logistics, Delft University of 

Technology, Delft, Netherlands 

Today most belt conveyors used for the transportation of bulk solid materials 

are driven in a centralized way with all drives in one location. The dynamics 

of these systems has been studied since the early seventies of the previous 

century and are well understood. Compared to the more conventional belt 

conveyor system with a centralized drive station positioned at the head or tail 

of the system, a decentralized driven layout with drive stations distributed 

along the whole length of the belt offers a number of advantages. However, to 

make a decentralized driven configuration a good alternative to a centralized 

drive, the system designer will have to balance these benefits with the increased 

complexity. The full potential of a decentralized driven system can 

only be realized if the right balance is found between the locally applied drive 

force and the motion resistances occurring along the system. This paper discusses 

the dynamics of long belt conveyors with distributed drives. It further 

discusses the fundamental differences between centralized and decentralized 

driven belt conveyors. It ends with a discussion of the design of decentralized 

driven belt conveyors. 

2:55 PM 

The Merits of High Speed Conveying in Relation to Layout Capital and 

Operating Cost 

P. Staples; Ckit Conveyor Engineers, Bedfordview Johannesburg, South 

Africa 

High speed conveying has been proposed in the materials handling industry 

for a number of years with the aim of reducing the “capital” cost of the installation. 

This paper sets out to explore the effect of high speed conveying at; 

the transfer point where material containment is critical, in relations to idler 

size and spacing, in relation to power utilization and subsequently in relation 

to the overall operating cost translated into a cost per ton and a cost per ton / 

kilometer. The writer will amongst other issues display a computer modeling 

tool developed specifically to demonstrate the effects of speed on capital and 

maintenance cost. 

3:20 PM 

Applied Loss Prediction due to Belt Cover Indentation 

T. Rudolphi; Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics, Iowa State 

University, Ames, IA 

Abstract: Characterization of rubber compounds of belt cover backings and 

prediction of indentation losses based on simple computational models can 

provide good estimates of power requirements for a range of operating temperatures 

and belt speeds. A standardized prediction methodology using rubber 

test data and routine numerical software allows for the prediction of indentation 

loss in conveyor design and potential savings in otherwise overly 

conservative designs. This paper discusses the development indentation loss 

models, from both the deformation and material characterization aspects. 

Limitations and sensitivity of the numerical models to the data is discussed 

and results of some typical backing materials are given. Finally, an enveloping 

approach for grouping rubber compounds is suggested. 

3:45 PM 

Belt Conveyor Idler Roll Behavior 

A. Reicks; Overland Conveyor Co Inc, Lakewood, CO 

This paper reviews the impact of the idler set on the performance of belt conveyors. 

Idler rolls as part of the load support system and their interaction with 

the conveyor system will be discussed. In particular, the rotating performance 

of the individual idler roll concentrating on the rotating resistance and life of 

the bearing and seal design are addressed in detail. A basis for the 

development of performance specifications for use in conveyor design that 

takes advantage of the idler manufacturers design and manufacturing 

expertise is proposed. 

Coal & Energy: Environmental – Coal Restoration 


Chair: P. Conrad, Montana Tech of the Univ of Montana, 

Butte, MT 

9:05 AM 

A New Field Procedure for Evaluating the Reforestation Potential of 

Reclaimed Surface-Mined Land 

K. Hunt, R. Sweigard and V. Badaker; Mining Engineering, University of 

Kentucky, Lexington, KY 

Excessive compaction of the replaced root growth medium on reclaimed 

surface-mined land severely limits reforestation success. Previous studies 

have demonstrated the utility of a recording static cone penetrometer in 

characterizing the physical properties of the replaced material as it relates to 

tree survival and growth. However, those studies were conducted on specially 

designed reclamation plots that were accessible to a tractor-mounted 

recording static cone penetrometer. Large-scale reforestation on reclaimed 

land requires loose-dumping and minimal grading of the material. The 

surface that results is not accessible to a farm tractor. A new method of 

characterizing the physical properties has been developed using a portable 

dynamic cone penetrometer. This method is applicable to surfaces that have 

been reclaimed according to the standards for reforestation and it produces 

information about the physical condition of the replaced material that will 

predict the likelihood of reforestation success. 

9:25 AM 

Paste Thickening of Fine Coal Refuse 

S. Slottee and J. Johnson; Pastethick Associates, Salt Lake City, UT 

Limited refuse pond life, lack of additional land for new pond, the need for 

water recovery, dam safety, and environmental sustainability are drivers for 

many coal mines to use paste disposal for coal refuse. Belt press produced 

paste has been the preferred method of producing paste for the past decade. 

High operating and maintenance costs of belt presses, as well as the high 

chemical cost have opened the door for paste thickening. Paste thickening as 

applied to coal refuse is discussed. Paste thickener installation is described as 

a case study. 

9:45 AM 

An Inconvenient Reality 

L. Weakly; Washington University, St. Louis, MO 

Global warming is a political reality in the United States today. However, the 

actual impact of the continued utilization of fossil fuels is not known and is 

open to debate. The growing concern over the continued use of these fuels is 

problematic. The inconvenient reality is that we cannot totally replace fossil 

fuels and Americans do not appear ready to pay the extra cost required to develop 

new clean energy. This paper identifies the projected energy demand 

for America and a realistic solution which allows us to continue to utilize 

fossil fuels and alternative energy to meet this projected demand. 

34

10:05 AM 

Paste Thickening of Fine Coal Refuse 

J. Johnson 1 and S. Slottee 2 ; 1 PasteThick Associates, Salt Lake City, UT and 

2 

PasteThick Associates, Salt Lake City, UT 

Limited refuse pond life, lack of additional land for new pond, the need for 

water recovery, dam safety, and environmental sustainability are drivers for 

many plants to use paste disposal for coal refuse. Belt press produced paste 

has been the preferred method of producing paste for the past decade. High 

operating and maintenance costs of belt presses, as well as the high chemical 

cost make paste thickening an attractive alternative. Paste thickening as applied 

to coal refuse is discussed. A paste thickener installation is described as 

a case study. 

10:25 AM 

Long-Term Changes in Spoil Characteristics On Reforested Surface- 

Mined Land 

P. Conrad 1 , R. Sweigard 2 , V. Badaker 2 , K. Hunt 2 , D. Graves 3 and C. Barton 3 ; 

1 

Mining Engineering, Montana Tech of the University of Montana, Butte, 

MT; 2 Mining Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY and 

3 

Forestry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 

Experience has shown that, since the passage of the Surface Mining Control 

and Reclamation Act, over-compaction of spoil during the reclamation process 

has severely limited tree growth on reclaimed land. Researchers at the 

University of Kentucky have conducted a ten-year investigation at a surface 

mine in eastern Kentucky that monitored the changes in spoil physical characteristics 

for various reclamation and compaction alleviation methods. More 

specifically, research plots were developed for reforestation that employed 

three different levels of compaction and two different methods of ripping for 

overly compacted spoil. Each year measurements were made in the field of 

dry bulk density, using a nuclear density gage, and maximum penetration 

depth, using a recording cone penetrometer. In addition to good correlation between 

tree growth and spoil characteristics, the data demonstrated a gradual 

convergence of the measured spoil characteristic data over the study period. 

10:45 AM 

Recreating a Headwater Stream System on a Head-of-Hollow Fill 

C. Agouridis 1 , R. Warner 1 , C. Barton 2 , D. Bidelspach 4 , G. Jennings 3 , 

R. Osborne 5 and J. Marchant 6 ; 1 Biosystems & Agricultural Engineering, 

University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY; 2 Forestry, University of Kentucky, 

Lexington, KY; 3 Biological & Agricultural Engineering, North Carolina 

State University, Raleigh, NC; 4 Stantec Consulting Services, Raleigh, NC; 

5 

B&N Coal Company, Dexter City, OH and 6 Civil Engineer, Blacksburg, VA 

Head-of-hollow fills have gained national attention due to increasing environmental 

concerns, particularly with regards to headwater stream loss. 

Researchers at the University of Kentucky in conjunction with outside scientists 

and consultants in the fields of stream restoration, wetland restoration, 

and mined land reclamation have developed new design methodologies for 

creating a headwater stream system for a head-of-hollow fill in eastern 

Kentucky. The design was largely built on the Forestry Reclamation 

Approach (FRA), which encourages a non-compacted spoil medium to promote 

tree growth, in an effort to address concerns related to water quantity 

and quality as well as habitat development. The major components of the design 

included 1) modifications to the crown geometry, 2) compaction of the 

crown to control infiltration, 3) utilization of natural channel design techniques, 

4) use of the FRA to promote tree growth, 5) creation of ephemeral 

channels and vernal ponds, and 6) implementation of a novel bioreactor-wetland 

treatment system to improve water quality. 

Chair: 

Coal & Energy: Research & Development I 


J. Johnson, NIOSH Spokane Research Lab, Spokane, WA 

9:00 AM 

An Innovative Rotary Triboelectrostatic Separator for Fly Ash 

Purification 

M. Fan, K. Jiang and D. Tao; Department of Mining Engineering, University 

of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 

More than 80 million metric tons of fly ash is produced annually in the U.S. 

as coal combustion by-product. Fly ash can be converted to value-added 

products if unburned carbon is reduced to less than 2.5%. However, most of 

fly ash is currently landfilled as waste due to lack of efficient purification 

35 

technologies to separate unburned carbon from fly ash. A rotary triboelectrostatic 

separator has been developed and patented recently at the University of 

Kentucky with unique features. Several fly ash samples have been used to 

understand the effects of major process parameters on the separation 

performance. The results show that compared to existing triboelectrostatic 

separators, the rotary triboelectrostatic separator has significant advantages in 

particle charging efficiency, solids throughput, separation efficiency, applicable 

particle size range. Other applications of the technology include fine coal, 

phosphate, GCC, etc. and typical performance data will be presented. 

9:25 AM 

Linear Behavior of Rock Joints in Uniaxial Joint Compression Tests 

D. Nutakor 1 and J. Daemen 2 ; 1 Mining Engineering, University of Missouri- 

Rolla, Rolla, MO and 2 Mining Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 

Rock joint stiffness is not only a poorly known parameter, but it also has no 

established laboratory measurement procedure. This paper presents methods 

used to determine the normal and shear stiffnesses of healed joints filled with 

vapor-altered minerals obtained from the Yucca Mountain site in Nevada. 

Results show that these joints behave linearly up to 85% of their loading history 

and they are stiff with strengths very close to the strength of the intact 

rock. Factors that might have contributed to the linear behavior of these joints 

are discussed, and areas requiring further investigation are provided. 

9:45 AM 

Cyclonic Separation Mechanism of Cyclonic Static Micro-Bubble 

Column Flotation and Its Application 

X. Zhou 1 , J. Liu 2 , C. Zhao 3 , Y. Wang 2 and X. Li 2 ; 1 School of Chemical and 

Environmental Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology 

(Beijing), Beijing, China; 2 School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, 

China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, China and 

3 

Department of Mining Engineering, University of Kentucky, 

Lexington, KY 

The presence of increasing percentage of fine particles in raw coal has 

become a noticeable phenomenon in coal industry. This can be attributed to 

the fact of the wide application of mechanized mining methods. Froth flotation 

is the most cost effective separation process for fine particles and is 

widely used in mineral processing and coal cleaning. In this paper, a novel 

flotation device, cyclonic static micro-bubble column flotation (FCSMC), 

was introduced. FCSMC has been widely applied for fine coal flotation in 

China, and its application has been further expanded to the mineral processing 

industry. The FCSMC system features a unique cyclonic structure which 

enhances the separation performance of the column. The separation principle 

of this particular flotation equipment was discussed in this paper and the cyclonic 

separation mechanism process of the FCSMC was investigated 

through particle movement and force analysis. Kinetics equations were established 

to depict particle movement and settling time in the cyclonic zone of 

FCSMC. Finally, some typical examples of using FCSMC for the treatment 

of different materials including coal, copper, fluorite, etc., were presented. 

10:05 AM 

Analysis of Seismic Signatures from Methane Based Explosions at the 

Lake Lynn Laboratory 

M. Murphy 1 , A. Iannacchione 1 , E. Westman 2 and M. Chapman 3 ; 1 NIOSH, 

Pittsburgh, PA; 2 Mining and Minerals Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic and 

State University, Blacksburg, VA and 3 Geosciences, Virginia Polytechnic 

and State University, Blacksburg, VA 

A seismic monitoring system located at NIOSH’s Lake Lynn Laboratory has 

collected experimental methane based explosions, rock drop tests and blasts 

from adjacent mines. The seismic signatures from three different methanebased 

explosions of different sizes and characteristics were analyzed using 

standard waveform analysis procedures and compared in terms of magnitude 

and energy. By studying the waveform characteristics of different types of 

mining-related seismicity these events can be properly distinguished in 

the future. 

10:25 AM 

Reducing Coal Mine Rock Fall Injuries in the Illinois Basin G. Molinda, 

C. Mark, D. Pappas, T. Klemetti 

G. Molinda, C. Mark, D. Pappas and T. Klemetti; Rock Safety Engineering 

Branch, NIOSH, Pittsburgh, PA 

Some of the most difficult coal mine roof in the U.S. can be found in the 

Illinois Basin. Factors contributing to the high injury rate include: extremely 

weak, moisture-sensitive roof rock, high horizontal stress, and limited long-

wall mining. Moisture-sensitive roof rock can contribute to roof skin deterioration. 

NIOSH has shown through lab and field studies that highly moisturesensitive 

roof rock can be directly correlated to poor roof conditions. The 

testing of both exploratory core and roof samples for moisture-sensitivity can 

allow the operator to anticipate long term deterioration. Controlling the skin 

is the key to reducing rock fall injuries, and roof screening is the gold standard. 

Illinois basin coal operators have been successful in reducing the number 

of “struck by rock” injuries in recent years. One large coal operator has 

significantly reduced the number of rock fall injuries since the introduction of 

on-cycle roof screen. NIOSH has documented safe, efficient practices for 

screen installation. Other solutions to skin failure include: five bolt patterns to 

reduce spans between bolts, straps and large pans protecting operators, and 

air conditioning. 

10:45 AM 

Summary of NIOSH Research Completed on Dust Control Methods for 

the Surface Mine Blasthole Drill 

W. Reed, J. Listak, S. Page and J. Organiscak; Respiratory Hazards Control 

Branch, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 


NIOSH has been conducting respirable dust control research for surface mine 

blasthole drilling operations. Research areas included; testing variables 

(shroud leakage area, drill deck cross-sectional area, shroud height, etc.) that 

have the most impact on respirable dust control, development of a dust collector 

inlet hood, development of a dust collector dump point shroud, and 

testing of a small diameter water separating sub. This summary shows the results 

of the aforementioned research activities recently completed. 

Additionally, past U.S. Bureau of Mines dust control research for drilling 

operations for both underground and surface mines is reviewed. 

Environmental: Environmental and Social Hot Topics 


Chair: 

D. Kravets, Freeport-McMoRan, Phoenix, AZ 

9:05 AM 

Analyzing and Allocating Environmental Risks in Mergers and 

Acquisitions 

S. Hammer; Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, New York, NY 

The proliferation of merger and acquisition activity in the mining industry is 

posing unique challenges for parties analyzing and allocating environmental 

risks. Parties to these transactions find themselves with less time to conduct 

their due diligence and are often forced to rely on publicly available information 

or the limited documentation made available in due diligence. Moreover, 

the target company’s key environmental personnel are often not made available 

to answer due diligence inquiries. In addition, the allocation of environmental 

liabilities continues to be a key negotiation issue as sellers seek deals 

with no (or limited) environmental indemnities. This presentation will address 

important environmental due diligence and contractual issues from the 

perspective of sellers, buyers (both financial and strategic) and lenders. 

9:25 AM 

Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Implications in Development of 

Environmental Laws and Regulations in Foreign Markets 

B. Glass and D. Kimball, III; Gallagher & Kennedy, Phoenix, AZ 

The United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”) prohibits bribery 

and other corrupt business practices by U.S. companies conducting business 

in foreign markets. Many foreign markets that are attractive for investment by 

U.S. companies lack adequate environmental laws and regulations. In order 

to ensure that their investments are protected from allegations of inappropriate 

actions under FCPA, U.S. companies investing in foreign markets prefer 

formal legal frameworks that allow them to determine their compliance 

obligations. As a result, U.S. companies must look for ways under FCPA to 

encourage foreign countries to develop clear environmental legal structures 

without violating FCPA. 

36 

9:45 AM 

Community-Driven Environmental Assessment at the Tintaya Copper 

Mine, Peru, with Implications for Mining Projects around the World 

D. Atkins 1 , E. Morales 2 and R. Rudy 3 ; 1 Watershed Environmental, Boulder, 

CO; 2 Walsh Peru, Boulder, CO and 3 Ecology and Environment, Boulder, CO 

In many developing countries, the greatest challenge to mining can be on the 

social side addressing skeptical communities where mining has no history or 

a negative legacy. The relationship between the Tintaya mine in Peru and the 

surrounding community has been fraught with conflict and mistrust since the 

beginning. The origin of this mistrust can be traced to the expropriation of 

land by the state when the mine began operation, but since the late 1990s, 

much of this mistrust has focused on perceived environment impacts. In 

2006, a committee composed of government, community, non-governmental 

organizations and company officials developed the terms of reference for an 

environmental and social assessment. The work conducted was not a traditional 

compliance audit, but rather was designed to evaluate specific concerns 

of the community through a process of external verification and engagement. 

The project focused on the role of external verification and participatory 

monitoring in helping to resolve conflict at the Tintaya mine, and in this presentation 

we will use the Tintaya example to draw general conclusions that are 

applicable to mine sites in developing countries. 

10:05 AM 

Restarting the Inactive Unit: The Perils and Pitfalls of Relying on 

Your Permit 

E. Hiser; Jorden Bischoff & Hiser, PLC, Scottsdale, AZ 

Many mines and mills carry multiple units on their air quality permits. 

During cyclical period of depressed mineral prices, one or more of these units 

may be placed in inactive reserve pending a recovery in the market. 

Historically, many facilities have tended to regard reactivation of these units 

as either a non-permit or minor permitting matter. Recent developments in 

federal New Source Review (NSR) regulations, the Communities for a Better 

Environment v. Cenco Refining Co. case and administrative rulings demonstrate 

that such reactivations are anything but minor. This article will detail 

when a shut down, inactivation and subsequent reactivation may trigger NSR 

review, the consequences of NSR, particularly if missed, and finally will 

outline steps that mine and mill managers can take to prevent future 

NSR complications. 

10:25 AM 

Analyzing and Allocating Environmental Risks in Acquisitions 

S. Hammer; Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, New York, NY 

There has been a proliferation of merger and acquisition activity in the mining 

and metal industries. Parties to these transactions are often confronted 

with challenges that hinder their ability to effectively conduct environmental 

due diligence. Parties are often provided with insufficient time, resources or 

information to effectively assess environmental risks. These limitations have 

forced some parties to rely significantly on publicly available information or 

limited documentation made available in due diligence. Moreover, the allocation 

of environmental liabilities continues to be a key negotiation issue as 

sellers seek deals with no (or limited) environmental indemnities. This presentation 

will address important environmental due diligence and contractual 

issues from the perspectives of U.S. and non-U.S. sellers, buyers (both financial 

and strategic) and lenders. 

10:45 AM 

Strategies for Lobbying the Federal Executive 

R. Fabricant; Akerman Senterfitt LLP, Los Angeles, CA 

A discussion of lobbying at our Nation’s capital typically conjures up images 

of deal making in the dark corridors or “smoky” back rooms of Congress. In 

reality, however, the vast majority of standards are set by federal administrative 

agencies. For example, the Clean Air Act is contained in several hundred 

pages; its implementing regulations issued by EPA require many thousands 

of pages and, finally, it would be impossible to determine with any certainty 

the tens of thousands of pages of air-related guidance documents issued to 

regulate industry. If an industry’s issues can’t wait until the next comprehensive 

statutory revision by Congress, the “real” action in Washington, DC is in 

the sparse, grey-walled meeting rooms and the presentation of endless 

“power point” slides before federal regulators each year. Based on Mr. 

Fabricant’s 15 years of high-level government service, including General 

Counsel to the EPA, he will discuss strategies for successful advocacy before 

the federal executive. With each of these strategies, Mr. Fabricant will present 

real life illustrations and examples of the “dos and don’ts” of lobbying the 

federal executive.

Environmental: Mine Water Treatment Technologies: 

Successful Case Studies 

Chair: 


M. Winter, CH2M Hill, Englewood, CO 

9:05 AM 

Taming the World’s Worst Water 

J. Spitzley; Environmental Services, CH2M HILL, Redding, CA 

With over 1 million pounds of copper, cadmium, and zinc discharged in wet 

years, Iron Mountain was the largest discharger of metals to surface waters in 

the United States. At the site, the Richmond Mine is infamous for producing 

the most acidic waters known with pH values as low as -3.6 and dissolved 

metals as high as 1.6 pounds per gallon. Since 1994, treatment of over 2.3 

billion gallons of acid drainage has reduced the site discharge by more than 

95 percent, stopping over 2.2 million pounds of copper and 7.3 million 

pounds of zinc from entering the Sacramento River. 

9:25 AM 

Reduction of Gypsum Saturation within an HDS Plant Treating Acid 

Mine Drainage from the Resolution Copper Mine, Superior, Arizona 

J. Stefanoff 1 , G. Hickman 2 , J. Mavis 3 and S. Herman 4 ; 1 CH2M HILL, 

Spokane, WA; 2 CH2M HILL, Corvallis, OR; 3 CH2M HILL, Seattle, WA and 

4 

EALV, Hellertown, PA 

Resolution Copper Mining Company (Rio Tinto) is planning to dewater the 

old Magma mine in Superior, Arizona, to resume copper production. CH2M 

HILL is providing design and construction services for a treatment system for 

the extracted mine water consisting of high density sludge (HDS) lime precipitation 

for metals removal, and possibly reverse osmosis (RO) for TDS reduction. 

The treatment system incorporates an innovative modification for relieving 

gypsum saturation in the HDS process. This process modification 

uses lime-soda ash softening chemistry to reduce dissolved calcium concentrations, 

thereby preventing gypsum scaling of downstream equipment and 

streambed, and enhancing RO recovery (if needed). 

9:45 AM 

Passive Management of Mining Influenced Water (MIW) at the Closed 

Haile Gold Mine, SC 

J. Gusek 1 , T. Turner 2 and R. Schneider 2 ; 1 Water Treatment Group, Golder 

Associates Inc., Lakewood, CO and 2 Haile Mining Company Inc., 

Kershaw, SC 

To address the long-term post closure management of MIW from a backfilled 

pit and two capped heap leach pads, an engineered passive system was constructed. 

The system design includes a sulfate reducing bioreactor (SRBR) 

which uses natural microbial processes to remove heavy metals and adjust 

pH. MIW is first routed through two SRBRs, plumbed in parallel; the flow 

from the two SRBRs is subsequently polished in an aerobic free water surface 

wetland. The system was designed based on experience gained from operating 

a pilot-scale system and bench tests. Since its completion in 2005, the 

system is working as designed and its effluent is meeting permit limits. 

10:05 AM 

Reduction of Gypsum Saturation within an HDS Plant Treating Acid 

Mine Drainage from the Resolution Copper Mine, Superior, Arizona 

J. Stefanoff 1 , G. Hickman 2 , J. Mavis 3 and S. Herman 4 ; 1 CH2M HILL, 

Spokane, WA; 2 CH2M HILL, Corvallis, OR; 3 CH2M HILL, Bellevue, WA 

and 4 EALV, Hellertown, PA 

Resolution Copper Mining Company (Rio Tinto) is planning to dewater the 

old Magma mine in Superior, Arizona, to resume copper production. CH2M 

HILL is providing design and construction services for a treatment system for 

the extracted mine water consisting of high density sludge (HDS) lime precipitation 

for metals removal, and possibly reverse osmosis (RO) for TDS reduction. 

The treatment system incorporates an innovative modification for relieving 

gypsum saturation in the HDS process. This process modification 

uses lime-soda ash softening chemistry to reduce dissolved calcium concentrations, 

thereby preventing gypsum scaling of downstream equipment and 

streambed, and enhancing RO recovery (if needed). 

10:25 AM 

Application of Sulphate-Reducing Bacteria (SRB) in acid mine drainage 

bioremediation 

M. Golestanifar 1 , A. Bazzazi 2 and S. Behzadnia 3 ; 1 Department of Mining 

Engineering, Islamic Azad university- Science and Research branch, Tehran, 

Iran; 2 Department of Mining and Metallurgy, Amirkabir University, Tehran, 

Iran and 3 Department of Marine Biology, Islamic Azad university - North 

Tehran branch, Tehran, Iran 

Oxidizing metallic Sulphide minerals, particularly pyrite and pyrotite, and 

subsequently forming acid mine drainage (AMD), contain high concentration 

metallic ions, sulphates and salts, is one of the most perilous long-term environmental 

problems in mining industry. In conventional chemical treatment 

system, lime has been used for AMD neutralization. Lime is expensive material 

and it is consequently produced high contents of chalky sludge which 

contains heavy metals. Sulphate-Reducing Bacteria (SRB) capable to produce 

hydrogen sulfide and bicarbonate when supplied with sources of carbon 

and sulfate. Hydrogen sulfide reacts with metal ions in AMD and precipitating 

them as metal sulfides. The bicarbonate can be help to neutralize the 

drainage quickly. In this paper a comprehensive review on SRB characters, 

effective factors, and principles in bioreactors planning, with its application 

in Central Alborz coal mine were discussed. Application of this newly developed 

system has proved its success in coal mining industry. 

GAUDIN LECTURE 

8:30 AM 


Lecturer: Thomas W. Healy 

Geology: Mineral Deposits/New 

Developments/Political Updates 


Chair: 

D.Taylor, The Doe Run Mining Company, Viburnum, MO 

37 

9:05 AM 

Application of the GORE Module Soil Gas Geochemistry Technology 

to Minerals Exploration 

M. Arnold, D. Baker and A. Leibold; Royalty Exploration LLC, 

Lakewood, CO 

Passive sampling of soil gases using the GoreTM Module technology in environmental 

and oil & gas sectors has proven highly effective in mapping 

plumes of certain contaminants, and hydrocarbon distributions, respectively. 

Potential application to minerals exploration programs is being evaluated 

through the generation of a number of case studies over known metal deposits 

representing a wide variety of deposit types. To date, the approach has been 

empirical, attempting to identify those deposit types and general climatic 

conditions under which the approach appears to have potential application, 

especially in terrains with post-mineral cover.

9:25 AM 

The Gaoua Copper-Gold Porphyry Mineralization, Burkina Faso, West 

Africa 

G. Franceschi, A. Nare and M. Higgins; Goldcrestresources Ltd, Toronto, 

ON, Canada 

The Gaoua copper-gold mineralization is located in the Boromo greenstone 

belt, which is part of the Paleoproterozoic Birimian sequence of the West 

African craton. The mineralization is of porphyry type and genetically related 

to diorite-quartz diorite porphyry complexes. Essentially all the high-grade 

copper-gold mineralization is contained in steeply inclined hydrothermal breccia 

bodies and predominantly consists of hypogene chalcopyrite with which 

gold values appear to be closely correlated. The breccias may be classified as 

magmatic-hydrothermal in origin, implying that the overpressured fluids responsible 

for rock fragmentation were of direct magmatic parentage, presumably 

released from deeper levels of the corresponding porphyry complexes. 

9:45 AM 

Tenke-Fungurume - a new world-class sediment-hosted copper cobalt 

district in the DR Congo 

W. Schuh; Tenke Fungurume Mining, Freeport McMoRan, Phoenix, AZ 

After ninety years of quiescence since their modern-day discovery, the sediment-hosted 

copper-cobalt deposits of the Tenke Fungurume District are finally 

being brought into production. A rapid, extensive, and fast progressing 

drill program continues to provide new insights into their geology. This review 

focuses on mineralogy, geochemistry, and geology of Kwatebala, the 

most important deposit for the current project. Correlation between lithofacies, 

alteration mineralogy, and geochemistry allows for new understanding 

of the genesis of copper-cobalt ores in Katanga. Comparisons are made with 

other sediment-hosted copper deposits such as the Kupferschiefer, Lisbon 

Valley, and Dzezkazgan. 

10:05 AM 

Unconformity Uranium Deposits of the Athabasca Basin, Canada – 

Summary and Trends 

C. Macdonald and D. Thomas; Cameco Corporation, Saskatoon, SK, Canada 

The Proterozoic Athabasca basin in northern Saskatchewan, Canada, hosts 

the highest grade exploitable uranium deposits in the world. These deposits, 

termed unconformity-type uranium, are high-grade uranium concentrations 

located at or near the unconformity between quartz-rich sandstone of the 

Athabasca Group and underlying metamorphic basement rocks. Mining 

grades have ranged between 0.5% and 24% U3O8. Uranium production from 

the basin in 2006 amounted to 11, 632 tonnes U3O8 which represented about 

30% total world production. As we have begun a new cycle of uranium 

exploration worldwide, the Athabasca basin has benefited from a renewed 

interest in exploration, with a gradual trend to deeper targets. 

International I 


Chairs: M.Gavrilovic, E3 Consulting LLC, Denver, CO 

D.Malhotra, Resource Development Inc, 

Wheat Ridge, CO 

9:05 AM 

Traveling in Central Europe 

F. Habashi; Department of Mining / Metallurgy, Laval University, Quebec 

City, QC, Canada 

Central Europe was dominated for centuries by the Austrian Empire until it 

collapsed at the end of World War I. Metallurgists, mining engineers and geoscientists 

will find a wealth of historical landmarks of great interest, for example 

the Salt Mine Museum in Wielichka near Warsaw; the Mercury Mine 

in Idria, Slovenia; and one of the first SChools of Mines in Freiberg, Saxony. 

Also of interest is the Legnica flash smelting and blast furnaces producing 

matte and metallic copper in Silesia. Other historical sites wll be outlined. 

9:25 AM 

Is Mining Bad For Developing Countries? 

T. Bruington; IFC, Washington, D.C., DC 

Numerous well publicized reports have discussed the “Resource Curse”, 

purportedly linking mineral development as a causal factor of poverty. An 

objective study of individual countries with mining industries demonstrates a 

38 

contrary finding: mining projects do bring increases in economic development. 

Countries with emergent mining industries tend to demonstrate increased 

economic growth. Countries with reducing mining industries often 

show deteriorating economic performance, sometimes becoming “Failed 

States”. Nine specific country case studies are examined. 

9:45 AM 

El Chanate Gold Mine, Sonora, Mexico. The Path Through 

Exploration, Development, Permitting, Financing, Construction 

and Production 

R. Newell; Capital Gold Corporation, New York, NY 

Capital Gold Corporation is a publicly traded mining company in both the 

U.S. and Canada. The El Chanate open-pit gold project, located about 100 km 

southwest of Nogales, Arizona was acquired from Anglogold in 2001 and 

poured its first gold on July 31st, 2007. Initial production is planned to be 

7,500 tpd to produce between 45,000 and 48,000 oz/yr. The deposit is hosted 

in clastic sedimentary rocks and lies along the regional Sonora Mega-Shear 

Structure. Feasibility capital costs are $17.9 million and cash costs are $259 

per oz. The dore is being refined in Mexico by Penoles. In September 2007 

the reserves and resources were updated using a $550 gold price. Proven and 

probable reserves are 39.5 million metric tons at a grade of 0.66 g/t or 

832,000 contained ounces of gold. The contained gold has increased 70% 

from the previous number calculated in 2006. Waste to ore ratio is 0.6:1 and 

mine life is expected to increase from seven years to about eleven years. 

10:05 AM 

International Cooperation in Training Community People for Work in 

Mining Projects 

M. Cedron; Coordinator - Mining Areas, Catholic University of Peru, 

Lima, Peru 

One way of preventing conflicts between mining companies and the local 

communities in new mining projects is by involving the local people in the 

project at a very early stage. This paper describes the experiences gained by 

“Centro Tecnologic Minero” (Cetemin) in South America, and their new project 

at la Quinua, near the mining town of Cerro de Pasco in the central 

Andean mountains of Peru, developed with the aid of the Canadian international 

Development Association (CIDA) through the Cegep de Abitibi 

Temiscangue of Quebec. 

10:25 AM 

Peru’s Newest Gold Mine - Mina Andres De Arasi 

G. Del castillo; Del Castillo, Lima, Peru 

The Andres De Arasi Mine is located at 4,800 meters altitude in the Peruvian 

Andes at Ocuviri, Lampa, in the Puno Department. Great emphasis is placed 

on protection of the environment in all production units such as drilling and 

blasting, ore and waste transportation and dumping, and leach and recovery 

plant by this Peruvian company. Similarly, safety and social responsibility 

programs are in force covering training, health and education programs and 

sustainable development. An aid program has commenced to establish a 200 

pupil school to teach the English language to the local people. Arasi is part of 

Aruntani, the thrid largest gold produder in Peru. Annual gold production is 

anticipated to be 120,000 oz. 

10:45 AM 

San Cristobal: Taking Corporate Social Responsiblility to the 

Next Level 

J. Danni; Apex Silver Mines Corporation, Denver, CO 

The San Cristobal Project is one of the largest silver, zinc and lead mines in 

the world. Production from the 40,000 ton per day operation commenced in 

August 2007. The project is located in southwestern Bolivian where the 

mostly indigenous population previously consisted of subsistence farmers 

living in poverty. A critical element in the successful development of the project 

was the implementation of an effective corporate social responsibility 

program that respected local values and traditions while still meeting the 

business needs of the company. The program consisted initially of the relocation 

of a community and 400 year old church and has evolved into a long term 

community partnership and a core value of the company.

Mining & Exploration: Mining in Nevada 


9:05 AM 

Simulation of spontaneous heating in longwall gob areas with a 

bleederless ventilation system 

A. Smith and L. Yuan; NIOSH Pittsburgh Research Laboratory, 


Although it is only utilized in a few U.S. longwall mines, a bleederless ventilation 

system can be an effective spontaneous combustion control method in 

mines with a demonstrated history of spontaneous combustion. In order to 

provide insights for the optimization of bleederless ventilation systems for U. 

S. underground coal mines, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) study was 

conducted to model the spontaneous heating in longwall gob areas with a 

bleederless ventilation system. One longwall panel with typical ventilation 

conditions was simulated. The permeability and porosity profiles for the 

longwall gob were estimated using a geotechnical model and were used as inputs 

for the CFD modeling. The effects of methane emissions from the longwall 

face and overlying coal seam, and coal properties on the spontaneous 

heating were studied. The possible ventilation control methods to ensure 

effectiveness of the bleederless ventilation system were also examined. 

Chair: D. Dwyer, Barrick Goldstrike Mines Inc., Elko, NV 

9:05 AM 

Designing to Mine at Turquoise Ridge 

C. Newton; Mine Engineering, Barrick Turquoise Ridge Joint Venture, 

Golconda, NV 

“Designing to Mine at Turquoise Ridge” will outline Barrick Turquoise 

Ridge Joint Venture’s complex ore body, ground conditions, and mining techniques. 

This presentation will focus on many of the design changes and behaviors 

used in an attempt to overcome everyday challenges ranging from 

ground conditions to dewatering to lack of skilled manpower. 

9:25 AM 

Marigold Mine – The Successful Transformation into a Major Heap 

Leach Operation 

P. Maloney; Marigold Mining Company, Valmy, NV 

Marigold Mine in Valmy, NV is a run of mine heap leach operation that commenced 

production in 1988. Beginning life as a modest milling operation with 

a small heap leach, Marigold operated quietly for a number of years operated 

by Rayrock Resources and its joint venture partner, Barrick (Homestake). In 

1999 Glamis Gold Ltd. acquired Rayrock’s 2/3 interest in Marigold and initiated 

a comprehensive optimization study of the mine. The mill was closed the 

same year. With the discovery of additional oxide ore zones in the Millennium 

Deposits, the joint venture partners made the decision to proceed with the 

Marigold expansion project. Over the next few years, the mine began to acquire 

additional equipment and ramp up its manpower levels. In 2004 the 

Millennium SEIS was approved. In 2006 the mine converted to a 24/7 operation. 

Later that same year, Glamis merged with Goldcorp. In January, 2007 

Marigold Mine was the first operating mine in the world to become certified as 

compliant with the International Cyanide Management Code by the 

International Cyanide Management Institute (ICMI). 

9:45 AM 

Barrick Storm Project – Keeping It Simple 

B. Young; Barrick, Elko, NV 

The Storm Project is a joint venture between Barrick (60%) the operator, and 

Meridian Gold Corporation (40%). The Project is a gold mining property located 

in north-central Nevada, nine miles north of Barrick’s Goldstrike 

Property. Mine life is scheduled to be four years at a production rate of 550 

tons per day, utilizing a drift and fill technique. Access to the mine is through 

either of the Dee or Storm Portals, both located in the east high wall of old 

Dee Gold Open Pit. This presentation will describe the Project from start-up 

through production with Barrick providing the project management and the 

mining being carried out by an underground mining contractor. Project 

management, design, engineering, surveying, geology, and ore control are 

handled by a staff of five Barrick personnel. 

Mining & Exploration: New & Emerging Technologies 


Chair: J. Brune, CDC/NIOSH Pittsburgh Research, Pittsburgh, PA 

39 

9:25 AM 

In-Mine Evaluation of Smart Mine Fire Sensor 

R. Franks, G. Friel and J. Edwards; Disaster Prevention and Response 

Branch, CDC / NIOSH - Pittsburgh Research Laboratory, Pittsburgh, PA 

An evaluation of a nuisance-emissions-discriminating smart mine fire sensor 

was made in an operating coal mine. These field tests were to determine the 

devices ability to discern nuisance emissions such as diesel exhaust, emissions 

from cutting and welding operations or hydrogen gas emissions that 

would generate false alarms in a Carbon Monoxide (CO) monitor. The sensor’s 

ability to operate successfully in the environment of an operating coal 

mine was also tested. Prolonged test runs were conducted in a haulage way, a 

belt entry, and a track entry. The system functioned in accordance with its developmental 

tests in the belt entry where the sensor system discriminated new 

event types not anticipated during development. It was ineffective in the 

haulage way and track entry due to a combination of significant air temperature 

variations in moderately high air flow, dust, and mechanically induced 

vibrations. Also, deteriorating rib conditions contributed to operational problems 

in the haulage way evaluation. The smart mine fire sensor providing nuisance 

emissions discrimination is a viable new approach for enhancing miner 

safety. Recommendations are presented for improving the system. 

9:45 AM 

Evaluation of a Virtual Reality Simulator Developed for Training New 

Miners to Install Rockbolts Using a Jackleg Drill 

D. Nutakor 1 , D. Apel 2 , L. Grayson 3 , M. Hilgers 4 , R. Hall 5 and M. Buechler 6 ; 

1 

Department of Mining Engineering, University of Missouri-Rolla, Rolla, 

MO; 2 Department of Mining Engineering, University of Missouri-Rolla, 

Rolla, MO; 3 Department of Mining Engineering, University of Missouri- 

Rolla, Rolla, MO; 4 Department of Information Science and Technology, 

University of Missouri-Rolla, Rolla, MO; 5 Department of Information 

Science and Technology, University of Missouri-Rolla, Rolla, MO and 

6 

Department of Information Science and Technology, University of 

Missouri-Rolla, Rolla, MO 

The ability of computers to create synthetic representations of the real world 

in virtual reality offers a number of opportunities to enhance training methods 

used in the mining industry. Unfortunately, the training effectiveness of virtual 

reality systems currently used in the mining industry has received only 

limited testing. Miner Simulation (MinerSIM), an augmented reality system 

with integrated hypermedia suitable for training underground miners in the 

basics of using a jackleg drill to install rock bolts in a virtual mine environment 

is in its evaluation process at the University of Missouri-Rolla 

Experimental Mine. This paper discusses evaluation methodologies of the 

MinerSIM system, which consists of experimental/control groups; with control 

students learning via traditional lecture/text formats. 

10:05 AM 

Field Testing of the High Resolution Target Movement Monitor for 

Convergence Monitoring in an Underground Mine 

T. Jones 1 , D. Apel 1 , S. Watkins 2 and R. Moss 2 ; 1 Mining Engineering, 

University of Missouri-Rolla, Rolla, MO and 2 Electrical and Computer 

Engineering, University of Missouri-Rolla, Rolla, MO 

Fall of ground continues to be a leading source of worker injury and fatality 

indicating a persistent need for development of convergence monitoring technology. 

The HRTMM is an experimental convergence monitor utilizing a digital 

camera and custom software to track the position of one or more lasers 

across the target. Apparent laser movement is proportional to the target convergence. 

The HRTMM was installed in an underground mine near retreat 

operations. Sag in the back induced by pillar removal was monitored, with a 

tape extensometer serving as control. Results and potential of the new monitoring 

technology will be discussed. 

10:25 AM 

Slope Monitoring and Identification of Potential Rockfall Using Three- 

Dimensional Digital Imaging 

J. Donovan and W. Raza Ali; Department of Mining Engineering, University 

of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 

Between 1995 and 2003 approximately 10% of all surface mine fatalities 

were the result of either slope failure or other failures of ground. The identification 

and evaluation of comparatively high risk slopes and exposed rock sur-

faces remains a prohibitive task and one that is complicated by the broad 

range of geologic conditions that influence rockfall hazards. Using data collected 

from remote monitoring devices a “change detection” algorithm has 

been developed and implemented for the identification of unstable or potentially 

unstable slopes or ground. The algorithm is capable of detecting and 

measuring displacement/movement of rock surfaces using geometric 3D data 

from time-lapsed, three-dimensional digital images (captured using either 

laser scanning or photogrammetry). The measurement accuracy is limited to 

approximately 10 mm due to current technological constraints, but no prior 

knowledge or indication of slope movement or failure is required. Automated 

change detection and measurement of surface movements will allow mines to 

identify, prioritize, and mitigate potential rockfall hazards, resulting in improved 

safety and more efficient production. 

10:45 AM 

Field Evaluation of the Coal Dust Explosibility Meter 

M. Harris 1 , M. Sapko 2 , K. Cashdollar 1 and H. Verakis 3 ; 1 Pittsburgh Research 

Laboratory, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 

Pittsburgh, PA; 2 Sapko Consulting, Finleyville, PA and 3 Mine Safety and 

Health Administration, Triadelphia, WV 

In underground mines, coal dust explosions are prevented by the addition of 

rock dust sufficient to render the coal dust inert. The National Institute for 

Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has developed a hand-held instrument 

that uses optical reflectance to determine the explosibility of a rock dust 

and coal dust mixture. This instrument is called the Coal Dust Explosibility 

Meter (CDEM). During 2006 and 2007, NIOSH personnel accompanied 

Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) inspectors on their routine 

band surveys in underground coal mines in MSHA District 2 (PA) and 

District 11 (AL). While underground, NIOSH personnel and MSHA inspectors 

used the CDEM to assess the explosibility of the dust samples. The values 

of percent incombustible content (%IC) determined by the CDEM agreed 

well with those obtained by low temperature ashing in both MSHA and 

NIOSH laboratories. Further, the meter identified some samples as potentially 

explosible which lab analysis did not. Rapid identification of explosible 

areas with the CDEM allows for immediate intervention rather than waiting 

weeks for lab analysis. 

Rare Earths – Mining, Geology, and Metals 


Chair: J. Hedrick, US Geological Survey, Reston, VA 

9:05 AM 

Magnetic Refrigeration/Heat Engines 

K. Gschneidner and V. Pecharsky; Ames Laboratory and Department of 

Materials Science and Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 

Magnetic refrigeration (MR) offers the promise of improved energy efficiencies 

to be competitive with conventional gas-compression refrigeration technologies. 

This includes household uses, automotive climate control, etc. Large 

scale cooling includes industrial gas liquefaction, frozen food processing and 

storage, and large building air conditioning. To date about 30 MRs have been 

built to test various concepts and ideas, including a proof-of-principle device, 

and several prototype near room temperature cooling machines. By reversing 

the process the magnetic refrigerator can be utilized as a heat engine or a heat 

source for a variety of applications. In addition MR is an environmentally 

green technology. This development bodes well for the rare earth industry. The 

use of the lanthanides as the magnetic refrigerant, and Nd2Fe14B permanent 

magnets as the magnetic field source for small scale cooling devices should result 

in large markets when this technology is commercialized. 

9:25 AM 

Significance of REE-, BA-, and F-RICH Primitive, Ultrapotassic Dikes 

in the Southern Mountain Pass District, Mojave Desert, California 

G. Haxel; U.S. Geological Survey, Flagstaff, AZ 

The Mountain Pass (MP) rare earth district, famous for its uniquely LREEand 

Ba-rich carbonatite, also is home to a remarkable suite of ultrapotassic 

silicate igneous rocks. Small, primitive, mantle-derived microshonkinite 

dikes, best preserved in the southern one-third of the MP district, represent a 

or the parental magma for this ultrapotassic suite. These microshonkinite 

dikes are remarkably rich (compared to other mafic alkaline rocks) in LREE, 

Ba, and F; but have only moderate concentrations of high-field-strength elements 

(Ti, Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta). The MP microshonkinites thus share several of the 

most distinctive characteristics of the MP carbonatite. Both microshonkinite 

40 

and carbonatite must have been derived from the same zone of highly anomalous 

upper mantle, evidently rich in phlogopite and one or more LREE-bearing 

phases. Fluorine apparently is a key factor in the petrogenesis of both 

magma types; and I speculate that the extraordinary igneous rocks of the MP 

district fundamentally represent a mantle fluorine anomaly. 

9:45 AM 

Criteria for the Evaluation of REE Deposits on a World Level 

A. Mariano 1 , J. Hedrick 2 and C. Cox 3 ; 1 Consultant, Carlisle, MA; 2 Minerals 

Information Team, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA and 3 The Anchor 

House, Inc., Evanston, IL 

The current demand for rare-earth elements (REE) has prompted increased 

exploration activity. Initial interest in an area for exploration is most often directed 

to locations where anomalous REE values have been found. 

Evaluation of these anomalies is complex and must be made with a firm understanding 

of what constitutes a viable REE deposit that can compete in the 

world market place. In the past, tonnage and grade were the primary factors 

in REE deposit evaluation; however, the innovation made by the Chinese on 

the exploitation of ion-adsorbed REE in clays has greatly reduced the importance 

of grade in the evaluation process. Mineralogy, geochemistry, and REE 

distribution are crucial in the evaluation of deposits with sufficient tonnage, 

but amenability to processing can make or break an otherwise high-ranking 

REE mineral deposit. Increasing environmental concerns have affected the 

REE mining industry in some world locations and may greatly reduce the 

value of current economic sources. This report reviews the basic geology of 

the current world REE deposits and examines the potential new sources. 

10:05 AM 

Thorium and rare earths in the Lemhi Pass region 

R. Reed; Idaho Engineering & Geology, Inc., Boise, ID 

Thorium and rare-earth deposits in the Lemhi Pass area of Idaho and 

Montana are the largest known in the United States. U.S. Government agencies 

have performed a number of geologic investigations throughout the years 

and have greatly contributed to the current understanding of the deposits. 

Further mapping and evaluation of the Lemhi Pass area by the U.S. 

Geological Survey (USGS) and the Idaho Geological Survey (IGS) provided 

information on the regional geology and tectonics of the region and its relationship 

to the thorium and rare-earth deposits. The USGS estimated indicated 

and inferred reserves in the Lemhi Pass District of 277,000 metric tons 

(t) of thorium oxide and 279,000 t of rare-earth oxide (REO). The claim holdings 

of Thorium Energy, Inc. in the district are estimated to cover about 89% 

of the thorium reserves reported by the USGS. Additional rare-earth reserves 

of 322,000 t of (REO) were contained in the holdings of Thorium Energy. 

Recent interest in the generation of nuclear power using thorium fuel to provide 

electricity and recent large increases in the price of uranium has renewed 

interest in the thorium and rare-earth deposits in the Lemhi Pass region. 

10:25 AM 

Ion-Adsorption Type Lanthanide Deposits 

R. Grauch 1 and A. Mariano 2 ; 1 Mineral Resources Team, US Geological 

Survey, Denver, CO and 2 consultant, Carlisle, MA 

Ion-adsorption type lanthanide (IAT) deposits are hosted by laterites that 

occur throughout south China, especially in the Provinces of Jiangxi, 

Guangdong, Hunan, and Fujian where they have been commercially developed. 

Over 100 deposits are known. The deposits are low-grade, 0.03 to 0.35 

% total REE oxides; low tonnage, 3000 to 12,000 ton reserves; and are lowcost 

producers. Production costs are low because (1) the deposits are mined 

in shallow, open-pit operations, and (2) ore processing is relatively simple involving 

extraction with a weak acid followed by production of lanthanide 

oxide through the calcining of lanthanide oxalate precipitated from the acid 

extract. Low radiation levels of IAT deposits decrease some environmental 

concerns associated with mining. At this time, the South China IAT deposits 

constitute a major, if not the major, World source for Y and the heavy rare 

earth elements. 

10:45 AM 

Rare Earths Supply: the Alternatives to China 

D. Kingsnorth; Industrial Minerals Company of Australia, Perth, WA, 

Australia 

The global market for rare earths in 2007 is approximately 120,000t REO 

with an estimated value of $1.5 Billion. Currently China is the major global 

supplier with a market share of 95%. However, in 2006 China announced that 

it is restricting supply to conserve its resources; thereby creating the potential

for a shortfall in supply of 30-40,000t REO in 2012, when demand is forecast 

is to be 180-190,000t REO. This paper identifies the non-Chinese projects 

that have the potential to meet this shortfall, with reference to their geology, 

processing and the ‘match’ between supply and demand for individual 

rare earths. 

Minerals and Metallurgical Processing: 

Applied Separation Technologies 


Chairs: S. Mathur, Engelhard Corp, Gordon, GA 

M.Ityokumbul, Pennsylvania State University, 

University Park, PA 

9:35 AM 

Novel Passive Technology for Entrained Air Measurement in Pipes and 

Gas Holdup Measurements in Column Cells 

C. O’Keefe, P. Rothman, J. Poplawski and R. Maron; Minerals Processing, 

CiDRA, Wallingford, CT 

Measurements of the quantity of entrained air within processes have challenged 

instrumentation developers for years. In minerals processing applications, 

entrained air plays a role in errors seen within nuclear density gauge 

measurements, true flow rate determination and in pumping efficiency. It is 

also the major component of flotation processes. The quantity of entrained 

air, known as the gas void fraction, can now be measured non-invasively 

through CiDRA’s patented passive sonar array-based technology. The sensors 

performing this measurement are incorporated in a band that is wrapped 

around the outside of the process pipe, resulting in no process downtimes for 

installation and unprecedented reliability. Within column cells, the need for a 

robust, no maintenance, accurate means of measuring the entrained air, 

known as gas holdup, has resulted in a submersible version of this technology. 

This paper will present the measurement technology, its operation, its 

calibration and its application in a variety of gas void fraction and gas holdup 

measurement situations such as pumping efficiencies, hydrocyclone operation, 

external sparging, and column cells. 

9:55 AM 

The Effect of Particle Shape on the Filtration Rate at an Industrial Iron 

Ore Processing Plant 

J. Carlson and S. Kawatra; Chemical Engineering, MIchigan Tech, 

Houghton, MI 

Filtration is very important in iron ore processing plants due to utilization of 

100,000 gallons per minute of water. It had been observed in one plant that 

the filtration rates varied as much as 60% when filtering material from two 

different locations in the pit. It was thought that the variance in filtration may 

have been due to the difference in the original ore particle shape. However, 

systematic studies revealed that although the ore from the two pits was 

originally different, after being processed the average particle shape at the 

filters was similar in nature, and therefore not contributing to the variation in 

filtration rate. 

10:15 AM 

Flotation Staging in a Dual Extraction Column for Improved Mineral 

Separation 

M. Ityokumbul 1 and G. Brooks 2 ; 1 Energy and Mineral Engineering, 

Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA and 2 Beneficiation 

Technologies LLC, Nichols, FL 

The Dual Extraction Column (DEC) is a relatively new flotation cell where 

two separation stages are combined in a single unit. A description of the unit, 

its operation and advantages are presented. In rougher applications, the column 

combines rougher and scavenger flotation while in cleaning operations, 

it offers two stages of cleaning. Full scale and pilot plant studies have shown 

that the DEC to be effective in rougher and cleaner operations in the phosphate, 

iron ore and coal industries (raw coal and cleaning pond slurry). The 

results from these studies are presented and discussed. 

10:35 AM 

Heavy Mineral Potential from Canadian Tar Sand Deposits 

M. Ityokumbul; Energy and Mineral Engineering, Pennsylvania State 

University, University Park, PA 

The mineable tar sand deposits in Alberta are located in the Athabasca region 

near Fort Murray. Suncor, Syncrude Canada Limited and Albian Sands 

Energy employ the hot water extraction process for the recovery of bitumen 

from these tar sand deposits. This process has been shown to concentrate the 

titanium, zirconium and rare earth minerals present in these deposits. A review 

of the recovery processes for these minerals is presented. Unlike other 

processes that have been developed, only the one that utilizes flotation has 

been proven to recover the rare earth minerals present in these tailings. It is 

shown that at current production levels, the Athabasca tar sands are capable 

of producing over 36,000 TPY of monazite, and 500,000 TPY of titanium and 

zirconium mineral concentrates. 

10:55 AM 

Revamp and Modernization of Gearless Mill Drives 

M. Ahrens; ABB Switzerland, Daettwil, Switzerland 

Gearless mill drives (GMD) are a well established solution for grinding applications 

in the minerals and mining industries. The paper describes the 

functionality and technical features of such drive systems as well as the development 

and the progress of GMD systems over the years. With an increasing 

installed base and many drives operating for many years, there is an increasing 

need to modernize or revamp existing GMD installations. The first 

installations of GMD took place in the cement industry and have demonstrated 

that ringmotors can achieve a lifetime well above 40 years, if maintained 

properly. The life cycle time of many other components, especially 

electronic parts, is usually shorter. It is therefore necessary to replace aged or 

out-dated components early enough in a planned manner in order to reduce 

the risk of component failures and the related shutdown times. Modernization 

upgrades can range from minor software updates to a revamp of the cycloconverter. 

The paper describes typical examples of such upgrades and shows 

the most important aspects that need to be considered. 

11:15 AM 

Magnetic Separation for the Production of High Quality Trona 

Concentrate 

O. Ozdemir 1 , V. Gupta 2 , M. Cinar 3 , M. Celik 4 and J. Miller 5 ; 1 Metallurgical 

Engineering Dept., University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT; 2 Metallurgical 

Engineering Dept., University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT; 3 Mining 

Engineering Dept., Dumlupinar University, Kutahya, Turkey; 4 Mineral 

Processing Dept., Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey and 

5 

Metallurgical Engineering Dept., University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 

Soda ash (Na2CO3) produced by chemical treatment from the trona deposits 

of the Green River Basin in Wyoming is valued at approximately $800 million 

per annum. Existing process technologies for the production of soda ash 

from trona involve dissolution in hot brine, drying, sedimentation and filtration 

for the removal of impurities, and subsequent crystallization and calcination 

for the recovery of soda ash. In this regard, mining and operating costs, 

particularly energy costs, are relatively higher than desired. In this most recent 

research, dry magnetic separation was used to remove insoluble mineral 

particles from the crushed and sized trona ore. Results from this study show 

that in the best case (10x18 mesh) a trona product of 95% purity with a recovery 

of 95% can be achieved with proper control of operating variables. 

The preliminary results show that this dry, low-cost separation can be used to 

remove most of the insolubles from narrowly sized trona ore. The remaining 

insoluble impurities such as shortite can be removed by flotation and is the 

subject of current research. 

41


Increased Productivity Associated With 

Hydrometallurgy/Pyrometallurgy Unit Operations 



Reduction of Wastes and Emissions Through 

Recycling and Suppression 


Chair: C. Anderson, Montana Tech, Butte, MT 

9:35 AM 

Improving Operational Effectiveness in Hydrometallurgical Plants 

O. Bascur and R. Linares; OSIsoft, Houston, TX 

A methodology for enabling operational effectiveness is discussed. A two 

level technical support and influence business process using the Web based 

support is presented. The paper reviews several implementations in which 

they have started with new ways of using information management from the 

beginning of the hydrometallurgical plants. The implementation of a real time 

performance management infrastructure is reviewed to assist in the implementation 

of mine to product strategies, metallurgical mass balances, solvent 

extraction composition statistical process control, methods to minimize organic 

losses and to improve metal extraction. Several examples are provided 

to improve operations by simplifying the access and analysis of information 

from assets and metallurgical processes. Continuous improvement and innovation 

have been enabled to minimize start times and for faster troubleshooting 

and resolution of operational problems. 

9:55 AM 

Multiphase Fluid Flow in Porous Media Based on X-ray Computed 

Tomography Analysis Coupled with the Lattice-Boltzmann Simulation 

Method 

A. Videla, C. Lin and J. Miller; Metallurgical Engineering Department, 

College of Mines and Earth Sciences University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 

We have taken a numerical simulation approach coupled with X-ray 

Computed Tomography (CT) analysis for the study of multiphase flow in 

porous media. The numerical method is based on kinetic theory and is known 

as the Lattice-Boltzmann Method (LBM). Such a methodology presents great 

possibilities to improve our understanding of these complex systems. The X- 

ray CT is used to capture real porous structures going from small sand samples 

to a complete column sample for heap leaching analysis. We have evaluated 

the real capabilities of this new computational fluid dynamic approach to 

simulate operational conditions as might be expected under heap leaching 

conditions. In this regard results from our exploratory research are presented 

together with some insights about the utility, applicability and extension of 

the LB method for use in the analysis of mineral processing problems. 

10:15 AM 

Copper SX circuits: An Historical Perspective 

T. Robinson, B. Savage and J. Robertson; Freeport-McMoRan, Safford, AZ 

The technological progression of solution extraction (SX) from its origins in 

the uranium industry to its widespread use and acceptance in the recovery of 

copper and other base metals is summarized. This paper examines the influence 

of chemical advances in extraction reagent formulation on circuit configuration 

and performance. The evolution of SX circuit design is detailed 

from the early uranium industry through presently accepted operating practices 

in copper, nickel/cobalt, and zinc. The impacts of site specific feedstock 

chemistry are also considered with respect to circuit design and optimization. 

10:35 AM 

Leaching of Chalcopyrite with Sodium Hypochlorite 

E. Cho, R. Yang and R. Garlapalli; Chemical Engineering, West Virginia 

University, Morgantown, WV 

Experiments were conducted to leach chalcopyrite with 0.5 molar sodium 

hypochlorite at 90 degree Celsius and various pHs ranging from 12.46 to 

13.25 for 2 hours. This leach mineral was washed, filtered and leached again 

with 1 normal sulfuric acid at room temperature for one hour. It was found 

that the leaching conversion yielded a peak conversion of 84% around pH 13. 

This conversion is much higher than those with ferric sulfate or ferric 

chloride which have been used in many previous research work. 

42 

Chairs 

J. Ripke, Midrex Technologies Inc, Charlotte, NC 

C. Copeland, Michigan Technological University, 

Houghton, MI 

9:35 AM 

Factors Influencing Dust Suppressant Effectiveness 

C. Copeland and K. Kawatra; Chemical Engineering, Michigan 

Technological University, Houghton, MI 

Water sprays are a common method used to reduce particulate matter (PM) 

emissions. Various factors such as: wetting ability, surface area coverage, fine 

particle engulfment rates, interparticle adhesion forces, suppressant penetration, 

and suppressant longevity have all been suggested as critical factors in 

achieving effective PM control. However, it has not been established which 

factors are the most critical. Experimental work indicated that suppressant 

penetration is more critical than other previously thought factors. Suppressant 

effectiveness was also improved using hygroscopic reagents which retained 

moisture, improving longevity. This type of approach led to an average 86% 

reduction in PM10 concentration. 

9:55 AM 

Recovering Zinc at Horsehead 

J. Pusateri; Horsehead Corporation, Monaca, PA 

Horsehead Corporation, the world’s largest recycler of zinc, generates nearly 

150,000 tpy of zinc products from 100% recycled feeds. Horsehead has 

processed more than 6.5 million tons of electric arc furnace (EAF) steel-making 

dust since 1984, utilizing Waelz (rotary) kilns, and Flame Reactor flashsmelting 

technology. Processing at four plants (three regional kiln locations 

and one on-site Flame Reactor unit) provides over 85,000 tpy of zinc to the 

electrothermic smelter/refinery in Monaca, Pennsylvania as “calcine.” 

Skimmings and drosses from galvanizing plus other zinc secondaries are included 

in the smelter feed mix. Products include PW zinc metal, Frenchprocess 

ZnO, zinc dust and zinc powder. Improvements to material handling, 

feed preparation, off-gas handling, process control and maintenance procedures 

have increased the productivity of recycling and smelting circuits. 

10:15 AM 

Ausmelt – Extracting Value from EAF Dust 

S. Hughes, R. Matusewicz, M. Reuter and D. Sherrington; Ausmelt Limited, 

Melbourne, VIC, Australia 

EAF dust is recognised as a major secondary zinc resource, particularly in 

Europe where several operations have been established to treat this material. 

As a waste material that potentially attracts a disposal credit it represents an 

economically attractive feed for zinc producers, although the presence of significant 

levels of halide species requires special considerations in plant design. 

Ausmelt’s Top Submerged Lance technology has proven to be well 

suited to the processing of secondary zinc feed materials, including zinc leach 

residues and EAF dust. As zinc is recovered to a high grade intermediate 

fume product from the Ausmelt furnace, further treatment to produce zinc 

metal is required to extract full value from this resource. This paper reviews 

the application of Ausmelt’s ironmaking and zinc fuming technology, coupled 

with halide tolerant processes for zinc metal production, as an ideal solution 

for the treatment of EAF dust. 

10:35 AM 

FASTMET® Recycling of Steel Mill Wastes 

J. Ripke and J. McClelland; Commercial, Midrex Technologies, Inc., 

Charlotte, NC 

Now is the right time to take a step back to “see the forest through the trees,” 

in order to reintroduce Midrex’s successful and commercially proven rotary 

hearth furnace (RHF) technologies. The first commercial FASTMET® plant 

has been in operation for nearly eight years (since April 2000) at Nippon 

Steel’s Hirohata Works in Japan, treating 190,000 tpy of BOF dust. With 

start-up proceeding smoothly and rapidly, the Performance Guarantee Test 

was achieved in July, 2000. The second commercial FASTMET plant has 

been operating for six years at Kobe Steel’s Kakogawa works in Japan, 

recycling 14,000 tpy of iron-bearing wastes. Since then, Nippon Steel has

purchased another FASTMET plant, which has been operating for three years 

at 190,000 tpy. These plants have excellent availability and their production 

exceeds their design capacity. In addition, the status of current FASTMET® 

projects will be discussed which include the recycling of Electric Arc 

Furnace Dust (EAFD). 

10:55 AM 

Grindability Study of Steelmaking Slag for Size-by-Size Recovery of 

Free Metal 

C. Rawlins, V. Richards and K. Peaslee; Materials Science & Engineering, 

University of Missouri-Rolla, Rolla, MO 

The total amount of ferrous slag generated in the U.S. is about one-third the 

amount of iron ore mined, thus ferrous slag can be considered a significant 

mineral body for processing. Steelmaking slag contains up to 30 wt.% metal 

of which only the fraction >25mm is commonly recovered. A crushing and 

grinding study was conducted of BOF, EAF, and LMF slags using the Bond 

Work Index method to determine grindability to 106µm. Work index value 

obtained were 13.8-24.9 kWh/ST depending upon the slag type and composition. 

Steel particles were magnetically recovered from the crushed and 

ground samples for size-by-size analysis, yielding up to 18% of the slag mass 

recovered as metal. The recovered steel, as characterized by inert gas melting 

was found to be >75% metallic. 

11:15 AM 

Building value with, or extracting value from technology developers: 

What are the steel companies looking for? 

L. Southwick; Southwick & Associates, Cincinnati, OH 

In developing new processes in recycling and waste treatment, one of the 

most difficult hurdles is getting a technology accepted by a potential user for 

the first facility. If the developer’s company is a part of the industry, then that 

company becomes a potential host site for the first plant. If the developer is 

from outside the industry, then acceptance can be slower in coming. 

However, in the early days of implementation of technologies to process or 

treat electric arc furnace (EAF) dust from steel mills, faced with tight regulatory 

deadlines, steel mills were quick to buy into new technologies, even 

though they were unproven and the developers had no experience in such 

processes. All of these new developers failed. The only process that did not 

fail was from an existing service provider (Horsehead). As a consequence of 

all these failures, steel companies have become very skeptical of the claims of 

new EAF dust processes. To move beyond this “extracting value” approach, 

the developer must sell their technology from the standpoint of “building 

value” with the steel company. Several examples of ways to do this will be 

presented and discussed. 

11:35 AM 

Recycling EAF Dust Using Submerged Combustion Melting Technology 

S. Brodie 1 , G. Balcar 1 , R. Farrell 2 and D. Rue 3 ; 1 International Melting & 

Manufacturing, LLC, Stuart, FL; 2 Advanced Glassmaking Technologies, 

Toledo, OH and 3 Gas Technology Institute, Des Plaines, IL 

Submerged Combustion Melting (SCM) allows Electric Arc Furnace dust, 

combined with other wastes, to be fully recycled into glass ceramic blasting 

abrasive.Submerged burners mix melt and combust organic carbon. 

Quenching and cooling cause glass to partly de-vitrify. Crystals, primarily 

dendritic and equiaxed mixed-metal spinels, are embedded in glass matrix. 

Glass ceramic is used as loose grain abrasive with blasting performance 

comparable to fused aluminum oxide, lower hardness, good particle shape, 

80% blocky down to less than 80-microns.Waste vitrification is a commercial 

reality because of low capital and operating costs and unique physical and 

chemical properties of SCM furnace. 


afternoon 


The State of the Conveyance Industry from the 

Perspective of Mining Executives 

2:00 PM • Tuesday, February 26 

Chair: M. Alspuagh, Overland Conveyor Co., Lakewood, CO 

Executives from major mining companies responsible for large capitol expansion 

projects and day to day operations express their views on the current 

state of the conveyance industry. What is done well and what is not. Hear how 

material handling problems effect an overall mining operation. What are the 

biggest problems facing operators. Is existing technology adaquate for todays 

demanding needs? What will the future require? What better way to understand 

where our industry needs to focus research than from the people building 

and running todays equipment and planning tomorrows. This open format 

will allow everyone the opportunity to question our distinguished panel representing 

a board cross section of mining. 

Chair: 

Coal & Energy: Research & Development II 


J. Johnson, NIOSH Spokane Research Lab, Spokane, WA 

2:00 PM 

Evaluation of Dust Exposures Associated With Mist Drilling Technology 

for Roof Bolters 

T. Beck and G. Goodman; Pittsburgh Research Laboratory, National 

Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Pittsburgh, PA 

Overexposure to respirable dust remains a widespread health hazard to roof 

bolter occupations in underground coal mines. Recently implemented mist 

drilling technology has been evaluated for its effectiveness in controlling respirable 

dust exposures for roof bolting personnel. This work presents the 

findings from NIOSH field and laboratory studies comparing respirable dust 

levels for mist drilling roof bolter machines to machines using a conventional 

vacuum drilling system. The target mist drilling system injects a combination 

of water mist and compressed air through the drill steel to the drill bit to control 

dust. A conventional vacuum system captures dust through the drill steel 

with a four-compartment dust box and single canister filter. Gravimetric and 

instantaneous respirable dust samples were collected and reported for the 

complete bolting cycle including collaring, drilling, and bolt insertion. These 

dust measurements were used to assess the potential dust control capabilities 

of this emerging technology. 

2:00 PM 

Multi-Tool-Miner for All Rock Conditions 

W. Kogelmann; Alpine Equipment Corp., State College, PA 

For over 50 years, manufacturers have developed machines for mining and 

tunneling. These were dedicated machines such as continuous miners for cutting 

coal, salt, potash and trona. Roadheaders were designed for cutting of 

minerals and soft to medium hard rock in drifts and tunnels of all cross-section 

shapes and sizes. Unfortunately, often unexpected hardrock is encountered 

which cannot be cut. In order to remedy this limitation, special machines 

were equipped with hammers, hammer-buckets, and even blasthole 

drills. A German company developed a 30-ton machine with these attachments 

including a cutter head. Because no “continuous miner” exists for 

high-production mining in the growing “energy” minerals industries, Alpine 

Equipment Corporation of State College, Pennsylvania, developed a heavy, 

60-ton Multi-Tool-Miner (MTM) with a powerful 240kW transverse cutter 

head. This American MTM can be used for large cross-section excavation in 

mines and quarries for oil shale, uranium and tar sand. The Alpine MTM 

teamed with a novel support installation system (SIS) can double shift 

production. The MTM with SIS will excavate rock and minerals at the 

lowest-possible cost per ton. 

43

2:00 PM 

An Assessment of Engineering Noise Controls at a Talc Processing Plant 

E. Spencer 1 and E. Reeves 2 ; 1 NIOSH, Pittsburgh, PA and 2 MEI 

Technologies, Inc, Houston, TX 

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) researchers 

conducted an investigation to quantify sound levels and to determine the 

amount of sound reduction provided by engineering noise controls installed 

in a talc processing plant. Baseline sound level and sound intensity measurements 

were performed at the plant and the measurement locations were 

recorded for comparison to post-control measurements. Follow-up measurements 

were then made at the same locations after the initial noise controls 

were installed. The plant subsequently decided to implement additional noise 

controls and the researchers returned to conduct measurements for a final 

analysis of all noise controls. The most significant results show a sound level 

reduction in the main mill area from a range of 92.5-104 dB(A) down to 90.4- 

93.6 dB(A), and a total sound power level reduction of 21 dB(A) for air classifying 

mill 3. Workers are still required to use administrative controls or 

hearing protection to avoid over-exposure, but the extent of over-exposure 

was decreased significantly. 

2:00 PM 

Reducing Coal Mine Rock Fall Injuries in the Illinois Basin 

G. Molinda, C. Mark, D. Pappas and T. Klemetti; Rock Safety Engineering 

Branch (RSEB), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health 

(NIOSH), Pittsburgh, PA 

Some of the most difficult coal mine roof in the U.S. can be found in the 

Illinois Basin. Factors contributing to the high roof fall rate include: weak, 

moisture-sensitive roof rock, high horizontal stress, and limited longwall 

mining. Cover ranges from 0-1000 ft. Moisture-sensitive roof rock is common 

above the # 5 and # 6 seams in the Illinois basin, and contributes to roof 

skin deterioration. The roof fall rate increases significantly in the humid summer 

months. NIOSH has shown through lab and field studies that highly 

moisture-sensitive roof rock can be directly correlated to poor roof conditions. 

Controlling the skin is the key to reducing rock fall injuries, and roof 

screening is the gold standard. Illinois basin coal operators have been successful 

in reducing the number of “struck by rock” injuries in recent years. 

NIOSH has documented best practices for screen installation which have resulted 

in a safe, efficient operation. Other solutions to skin failure include: 

five bolt patterns to reduce spans between bolts, systematic supplemental 

support in intersections, straps and large pans protecting operators, and air 

conditioning to remove moisture from the intake air. 

2:00 PM 

Error Analysis of Underground Void Mapping Using an In-Seam 

Seismic Technique 

H. Wang and M. Ge; Penn State Univercity, State College, PA 

Delineate underground void by using reflection surveys was the objective of 

In-Seam Seismic (ISS) technique. An innovative approach named as 

Elliptical Mapping Method (EMM) that is inherently compatible with underground 

conditions was carried out in the current research. There were several 

factors contributing to the overall mapping error. The first one is arrival time 

reading error. The arrival time should be treated as ‘time window’, rather than 

‘time point’. The second one is velocity error. It was very challenging for velocity 

determination as channel wave is highly dispersive. In this paper, error 

analysis was conducted for a field experiment at an anthracite mine with pillar 

width of 150 ft. With statistics study, the distance error between the ‘void’ 

by ISS survey and actual boundary is within 8 ft. Thus, ISS technique was believed 

to be a feasible method for void detection at anthracite mines. 

Coal & Energy: Ventilation 


Chairs: J. Tien, University of Missouri Rolla, Rolla, MO 

F. Calizaya, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 

this work is to develop reliable technology that will completely close and seal 

the mine opening from floor-to-roof and rib-to-rib. NIOSH, in partnership 

with Strata Mine Services Inc., is evaluating the capability of a two-component 

phenolic foam-based product, called ROCSIL, that is intended for cavity 

filling, air and gas sealing, and consolidation of highly fractured strata. When 

the resin and catalyst are mixed, an immediate foaming reaction occurs followed 

by rapid expansion up to 30 times the original volume. By virtue of its 

fire-resistance properties, ROCSIL foam can be used for sealing underground 

mine areas undergoing heating from spontaneous combustion and it may be 

useful for remote mine seal construction to aid in mine fire control and suppression. 

This paper presents the development of a novel borehole tool to facilitate 

and direct placement of ROCSIL in the mine void and a discussion of 

a full-scale test at the NIOSH Lake Lynn Experimental Mine. 

2:25 PM 

Reservoir modeling-based prediction and optimization of ventilation 

requirements during development mining in underground coal mines 

C. Karacan and S. Schatzel; Pittsburgh Research Laboratory, CDC/NIOSH, 


During development mining, insufficient ventilation air quantities and the occurrences 

of high methane liberation rates both limits the development of that 

section and increases the risk for an explosion. Thus, the prediction of ventilation 

air requirements prior to mining can enhance worker safety when 

working in development entries by reducing the likelihood of the formation 

of explosive methane-air mixtures. This study presents an approach for prediction 

of methane inflow rates using coalbed methane reservoir modeling. 

For this purpose, a two-phase coalbed reservoir model is developed of a 

three-entry type roadway, which is typical of Pittsburgh Coalbed mines in 

Northern Appalachian Basin. In the model, grids are dynamically controlled 

to simulate development of entries. Example are given for methane inflow 

and ventilation air requirements as a function of mining rate, development 

section length, mining height, and the existence of degasification boreholes. 

This technology can be used to limit the methane concentrations occurring as 

a result of the influence of various coalbed and operational parameters. 

2:45 PM 

Simulation of DPM Dispersion in Underground Metal/Nonmetal Mines 

Using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Method 

Y. Zheng and J. Tien; Mining Engineering Department, University of 

Missouri - Rolla, Rolla, MO 

There have been many studies on DPM control technologies in the past two 

decades, but one of the critical aspects that have not been fully examined is 

the DPM dispersion pattern after they have been discharged into the 

airstream. This has to be fully understood in order to effectively ventilate the 

affected area. This paper examines DPM dispersion patterns using CFD 

method and program. A large enough model on face area is built to simulate 

how effectively the DPM exhaust could be delivered into the mine’s main 

airstream. Local ventilation facilities are designed and evaluated on the delivery 

process. Estimation of DPM concentrations in the affected areas will be 

provided and optimized local ventilation practice discussed. Further field experiment 

to validate simulation will also be addressed. 

3:05 PM 

Utilization of belt air to ventilate working sections 

J. Tien and F. Calizaya; Mining, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 

This paper summarizes the basic requirements for the utilization of belt entry 

as an intake air course to ventilate working sections at remote locations in relation 

to the main fans. It highlights the risks involved, potential problems, 

and the provisions that must be followed by the mine operators. It presents a 

brief review of the current regulations, conveyor belting tests, atmospheric 

monitoring system (AMS) requirements, and the experienced gained by mine 

operators to utilize the belt entries to ventilate remote working sections or 

areas where mechanized equipment is being installed or removed. The paper 

concludes with a set of recommendations with respect to the utilization of 

belt air and the composition of belt material in underground coal mines. 

2:05 PM 

Use of ROCSIL Foam for Remote Construction of Mine Seals 

M. Trevits 1 and C. McCartney 2 ; 1 NIOSH, Pittsburgh, PA and 2 Strata Mine 

Services, Inc., Richlands, VA 

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is conducting 

a program of research to evaluate and improve remote mine seal construction 

technology for mine fire control and suppression. The main focus of 

44 

3:25 PM 

Ventilation strategies to reduce self-heating spots in longwall mines 

S. Lolon and F. Calizaya; Mining, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 

Spontaneous combustion fires in longwall mines are most likely to occur in 

the gob area, and therefore are quite difficult to detect. Preventive means 

using bleeder systems are considered as acceptable methods to reduce selfheating 

events. However, the effectiveness of these systems is highly depend-

ent on the bleeder entry conditions and many other contributing factors. This 

study is an investigation of the locations of hot-spots in the gob using CFD 

(Computational Fluid Dynamics) package. It also includes permeability 

measurements on selected coal samples, and studies on the effectiveness of 

existing and proposed ventilation systems. 

3:45 PM 

Skyline Mine - A case study in two-entry coal mining 

G. Kenzy; Skyline Mine, Helper, UT 

This paper describes and illustrates the Skyline Mine primary ventilation system 

and the ventilation of two-entry longwall gateroads during development 

and retreat longwall mining. The mine-wide utilization of an atmospheric 

monitoring system and the specific mine atmospheric monitoring requirements 

in two-entry development and retreat mining is presented and analyzed. 

The efficiency and performance of the mine, gateroad and bleeder ventilation 

systems are described, analyzed and illustrated using computer-based 

ventilation network modeling. Spontaneous combustion prevention in both 

ventilated and sealed longwall gobs is detailed, including a description and 

examples of the instrumentation and procedures used. 

Chair: 

Environmental: Acid Rock Drainage 


R. Williams, Bureau of Land Management, Butte, MT 

2:05 PM 

Culturing and Characterization of Rock Pile Microbes 

J. Kennedy, B. Richins and D. Adams; University of Utah, 

Salt Lake City, UT 

Expansive rock piles are often generated during large-scale mining operations. 

Microorganisms can directly contribute weathering actions and accelerate 

reactions that contribute to stability or instability within rock piles. 

Pared rock pile samples were collected for microbial and geochemical analysis 

to examine microbial variation across geological zones and geochemistry. 

Microbial populations were examined using selected microbial media, classical 

culture techniques, and nucleic acid profiling. The information gathered 

was used to examine the microbial populations relative to the site, across geological 

zones found within the rock pile, and geochemical parameters. 

Microbial populations found included aerobic and facultative anaerobic sp., 

sulfate and iron reducing and oxidizing sp., Archea sp., Thiobacillus and 

Leptosprillum sp, denitrifying sp., and acidophilic species. Denaturing gradient 

gel electrophoresis (DGGE) was used to generate microbial population 

nucleic acid profiles for selected cultures obtained from different rock pile 

samples. Selected sequences from the profiles generated were further 

analyzed to identify the specific microbes present. 

2:25 PM 

Arsenic Binding Proteins for Removal of Arsenic From Solution 

J. Kennedy 1 , B. Richins 2 and D. Adams 3 ; 1 Metallurgical Engineering, 

University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT; 2 Metallurgical Engineering, 

University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT and 3 Metallurgical Engineering, 

University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 

Removal of soluble forms of arsenic from water is an expensive process. 

Alginate biopolymer bead immobilization was selected as a method to evaluate 

the ability of arsenic binding proteins to remove arsenic from water. 

Protein extracts were obtained from several microbial consortiums selected 

for their ability to reduce soluble metalloids. Immobilized protein extracts at 

a concentration 0.50 mg/ml yielded near maximal arsenic removal. Arsenic 

removal was somewhat dependent on temperature and pH, with maximum 

removal occurring at about 35° C and pH of 5.8. Kinetics studies show that 

selected protein mixtures remove ~98% of soluble arsenic in 24 hours. When 

compared with the live microbes from which they were extracted, the immobilized 

proteins bind more than four times the arsenic. Immobilization of 

arsenic-binding proteins permits arsenic recovery and potential reuse of the 

immobilization biopolymer-protein complex. Additional data will be 

presented on the arsenic-binding proteins, functional lifespan of various 

immobilization biopolymer-protein complexes, and arsenic removal in a 

bench scale bioreactor. 

2:45 PM 

Optimisation of single-layer cover made of desulphurized tailings : 

application to the Doyon mine tailings impoundment 

I. Demers 1 , B. Bussiere 1 , M. Mbonimpa 1 and A. Blier 2 ; 1 UQAT, Rouyn- 

Noranda, QC, Canada and 2 UQAT, Rouyn-Noranda, QC, Canada 

Doyon mine, Quebec, Canada evaluates the possibility of desulphurizing 

their tailings to produce material to be used in as cover over their acid generating 

tailings impoundment. Laboratory tests were conducted and showed 

that a single-layer desulphurized tailings cover placed over reactive tailings 

can prevent the generation of acid mine drainage. Modelling with the software 

Vadose was undertaken to optimize the design parameters, namely 

cover thickness, water table position, and residual sulphide content of desulphurized 

tailings following laboratory work. The optimal scenario for the 

Doyon mine tailings impoundment was selected according to a maximal 

acceptable oxygen flux reaching the reactive tailings predicted by the model. 

3:05 PM 

Arsenic retention by soil mineral components is inhibited by natural 

organic matter 

A. Redman 1 , D. Macalady 2 , D. Ahmann 2 and K. Ritter 2 ; 1 HydroQual, 

Millville, UT and 2 Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 

Inorganic arsenic species (e.g. arsenate and arsenite) are commonly found in 

acid rock drainage. The migration and retention of these inorganic arsenic 

species by soils or sediment are generally controlled by the adsorption of 

these compounds to iron and aluminum oxides. This reaction can be strongly 

affected by certain water quality characteristics. Dissolved, naturally occurring 

organic matter (NOM) from stream water was shown to dramatically reduce 

the rate and extent of arsenate and arsenite retention by a pure ironoxide 

mineral and by natural soils or sands. The apparent decline in arsenic 

removal by the presence of NOM is due to three major process: 1) competitive 

adsorption of NOM to the mineral phases, 2) formation of stable aqueous, 

or colloidal complexes that reduces that availability of arsenic to bind to 

soil minerals and 3) NOM promotes the reduction of arsenate to a more 

mobile form of arsenite. Stable aqueous complexes are thought to occur 

through the formation of dissolved ternary NOM-metal-arsenic complexes 

that are most likely mediated by iron or aluminum ions. 

3:25 PM 

Update on the INAP GARD Guide 

T. Chatwin 1 and K. Ferguson 2 ; 1 Technical Manager, INAP, Salt Lake City, 

UT and 2 Principal, Sustainability Engineering, Vancouver, BC, Canada 

The objective of the INAP GARD Guide (Global Acid Rock Drainage Guide) 

is to produce the broadest and most up-to-date reference for the mining industry, 

regulators, NGO’s and the public on the subject of acid-rock drainage 

(ARD). The Guide will address the production of contaminants from sulfide 

mineral oxidation that can result in ARD, neutral mine drainage (NMD) and 

saline mine drainage (SD). The GARD Guide is bringing together best technical 

and management practices with the objective of creating a body of work 

with high industry and external stakeholder credibility. The Guide will cover 

all phases of a mining operation from initial discovery through to final closure 

(“cradle-to-cradle”). Thus, it will assist industry in providing high levels 

of environmental protection, assist governments in the assessment and regulation 

of facilities under their jurisdiction and enable the public to have a 

higher degree of confidence in and understanding of acid prevention 

proposals and practices. 

3:45 PM 

Automated Mineralogy in the prediction of Acid Rock Drainage: 

Accessible mineralogy using QEMSCAN® 

W. Goodall; Intellection Pty Ltd, Brisbane, QLD, Australia 

Mineralogy is a key driver in Acid Rock Drainage (ARD) and yet access to 

routine and scalable mineral identification techniques has been limited on the 

scale required for accurate ARD prediction. Quantitative X-Ray Diffraction 

(XRD) has been utilised but is limited in its achievable detection limits for 

minerals of interest. An alternative, with cost comparisons, is proposed using 

QEMSCAN® for quantitative bulk mineralogical analysis. The use of QEM- 

SCAN® makes routine mineralogical analysis a cost effective and useful addition 

to ARD characterisation programs opening up new possibilities for the 

application of mineralogical information in better ARD management. 

State-of- the-art Woldwide Technical Information! 

45

4:05 PM 

Reduction of mineral acidity and zinc from the National Tunnel 

drainage using a modular sulfate reducing bioreactor system 

A. Ruiz 1 , L. Figueroa 1 , M. Zaluski 2 and D. Bless 3 ; 1 Environmental Science 

and Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO; 2 MSE 

Technology Applications, Inc., Butte, MT and 3 Mine Waste Technology 

Program, EPA National Risk Management Research Laboratory, 

Cincinnati, OH 

Long-term sustainability is a key issue for sulfate reducing bioreactors. 

Modular sulfate reducing bioreactors (1000 gallon volume) were installed in 

October 2006 with a flow rate of 0.3 gpm of National Tunnel Drainage, Black 

Hawk, CO. The reactors were packed with a mixture of walnut shells, corn 

stover and manure in volumetric proportions of 0.7, 0.25, 0.05 respectively. 

The project goal is to evaluate the system design (hydraulic and substrate sustainability) 

and treatment effectiveness. The microbial diversity is also being 

investigated using molecular biology tools. One year of molecular biology 

composition, field operation and monitoring data will be presented. 

Geology: African Ore Deposits: 

Recent Discoveries and New Developments 


Chairs: D. Spatz, Freeport McMoRan, Tucson, AZ 

D. Broughton, Freeport Exploration, Arvada, CO 

2:05 PM 

Alteration and Mineralization at the Guelb Moghrein Magnetite- 

Copper-Gold Deposit, Akjoujt, Mauritania 

M. Kirschbaum and M. Hitzman; Dept. of Geology & Geological 

Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 

The Guelb Moghrein mine is an IOCG type deposit containing pyrrhotite and 

chalcopyrite mineralization with minor arsenopyrite. The oxidized portion 

has been mined periodically since the 1950’s and sulfide production commenced 

in 2006 under the current owner, First Quantum Minerals. The sulfide 

system is focused along a series of mineralized southwest dipping Fecarbonate 

bodies occurring within a northeast directed thrust fault. The ore 

body is thickest to the northwest, thins to the south and is truncated to the east 

and west. Host rocks are Precambrian basalts and volcaniclastic rocks with a 

complex history of deformation and metamorphism. 

2:25 PM 

The Otjikoto Gold Deposit, Namibia 

E. Pesce; Geology and Geologic Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, 

Golden, CO 

Owned by Teal Exploration and Mining and situated in North Central 

Namibia, the Otjikoto Gold Deposit consists of a series of thin sheeted veins, 

which run parallel to the regional metamorphic foliation. The deposit exhibits 

characteristics of both epigenetic and metamorphic mineralization, being 

hosted within highly albitized metamorphic units of the Okonguarri 

Formation in the Northern Central Zone of the Damara Orogen. Vein mineralogy 

varies over the deposit, with the predominant minerals being pyrrhotite, 

pyrite, magnetite, quartz, carbonate, and garnet. The project is currently in 

the pre-feasibility stage, with an estimated resource of 1.3 million ounces 

of gold. 

2:45 PM 

An overview of the Kalukundi Cu-Co Project, Katanga Province, DRC 

T. Harwood 1 and M. Evans 2 ; 1 Africo Resources Ltd., Bedfordview, South 

Africa and 2 Africo Resources Ltd., Summerstand, South Africa 

The Kalukundi Mining License area is 60km to the East of Kolwezi on the 

Katanga Copperbelt. The project area was explored by Gécamines and its 

predecessors between 1927 and 1987. A definitive feasibility study commenced 

in May 2004 by Africo Resources Ltd., including detailed metallurgical 

& mining studies plus final plant design to produce pure copper and 

cobalt metal, was completed in May 2006. The plant has an initial design capacity 

of 67,000 tonnes of ore per month of ore to produce 16,400 tonnes of 

copper metal and 3,800 tonnes of cobalt metal per annum from 4 open pits 

over ten years. The depth of oxidation ranges from 40m to as much as 140m, 

enabling oxide ores to be mined by open pit methods to significant depths. 

46 

Chair: 

Industrial Minerals: Oil Field Supply 


C. Landis, Halliburton Energy Services, Houston, TX 

2:05 PM 

Wyoming Bentonite Supply for the Global Petroleum Industry 

C. Landis; Industrial Drilling Products, Halliburton Energy Services Inc, 

Houston, TX 

The natural sodium bentonite of the western United States or, “Wyoming” 

bentonite continues to enjoy significant market share in the global oilfield 

drilling market. Although drilling has shifted to more international basins as 

compared to the period in the early 1980’s, Wyoming bentonite is following 

the opportunities presented in this cycle to Europe, the Middle East, and Latin 

America, as well as in North America. Several uniquely favorable aspects of 

Wyoming bentonite products continue to simultaneously allow the customers 

to enjoy the range of API 13A grade products, and suppliers the versatility to 

formulate a range of products for fluid systems required to address new exploration 

challenges. These features of Wyoming bentonite most often recognized 

are its high montmorillonite content (purity), the relatively uncommon 

interlayer chemistry, consistent quality and reliable supply from API 

certified facilities. 

2:25 PM 

The Legacy and Future Outlook of Barite Supply from Nevada 

T. Hall; Halliburton Industrial Drilling Products, Halliburton Energy 

Services Inc, Houston, TX 

Nevada is responsible for almost all domestic barite production in The United 

States, but supplies less than twenty percent of the domestic market. The 

three major producers are Baker Hughes, Halliburton Energy Services and 

MI-SWACO. A fourth producer, Spirit Minerals, plans to go into production 

in early 2008. In addition to the deposits already being developed there are 

120 bedded deposits and 60 vein deposits that were identified in Nevada. This 

presentation will offer a discussion of existing operations and the future 

impact of Nevada barite in the domestic market. 

2:45 PM 

Light at the End of the Hole – New Applications for Materials in Down 

Hole Drilling Cements 

D. Eyde; White Cliffs Mining Inc., Cortaro, AZ 

There are new oil well cement products that can be used to greatly reduce the 

density of down hole drilling cements while simultaneously improving their 

workability and mechanical properties. These products are based upon the 

natural zeolites chabazite and clinoptilolite. Ongoing research found additional 

applications using diatomite. Careful control of mineral blends, their 

particle size distribution, and the accelerators and retarders have created a 

unique cementaceous product previously unavailable for oil and coal gasification 

well completions. The products are based on technologies initially 

used in Canada and refined in the US under a Joint Development Agreement 

with a major oilfield service company. Zeox Mineral Materials Corp was 

formed as the operating company in the US to commercialize the technologies 

licensed from Halliburton. Production and distribution facilities for these 

products include the Ash Meadows plant in Amargosa, NV and the White 

Cliffs plant near San Manuel, AZ. Other facilities for processing and 

distribution are being evaluated. 

International II 


Chairs: D. Malhotra, Resource Development Inc, 


M. Gavrilovic, E3 Consulting LLC, Denver, CO 

2:05 PM 

Project Development:- Ghana - The Adamus Resources Story 

M. Connelly; Adamus Resources, West Perth, WA, Australia 

Adamus Resources Limited is a mineral exploration company listed on the 

Australian Stock Exchange, and TSX-Venture Exchange. The Company’s 

primary focus is on exploring and realising the economic potential of the 

Southern Ashanti Gold Project in Ghana, West Africa. The project encom-

passes approximately 500 sq.km of granted tenure in the Ashanti Gold Belt, 

host to over 60moz of gold and some of the largest gold mines in the world. 

The paper provides a concise project description and development history, 

with an emphasis on the activities related to local, regional and federal governments 

and influential agencies, including the EPA and Minerals 

Commission. Project lessons learned, are outlined and discussed in the context 

of Adamus’ evolving status from explorer to gold producer. 

2:25 PM 

An Update on Endeavour Silver’s Projects in Mexico 

G. Walton; Endeavour Silver Corporation, Vancouver, BC, Canada 

Endeavour Silver Corp. has focused on advanced exploration and production 

properties in Mexico that required technical and capital to locate new resources 

and reserves and expand production. Expansion programs are now 

underway at Endeavour’s two operating silver mines, Guanacevi in Durango 

and Bolanitos in Guanajuato. In addition, Endeavour is actively exploring 

projects in Chihuahua and Michoacan states. The Company’s acquisition and 

expansion programs should enable Endeavour to join the ranks of the top primary 

silver producers worldwide. In 2006, Endeavour’s production rose 42% 

to 1.35 million oz silver. The Guanacevi plant processed 117,255 tonnes 

grading 449 gpt silver and 0.90 gpt gold and metal recoveries averaged 80% 

silver and 73% gold. Proven and probable reserves jumped 285% to 9.93 million 

oz silver at year-end from 3.48 million oz silver in March 2006. 

Indicated resources rose from nil in March 2006 to 21.06 million oz silver at 

year-end 2006. In 2007, Endeavour is expected to produce 2.8 million oz. of 

silver, up 107% from 2006. 

2:45 PM 

The Importance of Cultural Issues in the Successful Implementation of 

Mining Ventures Worldwide 

L. Harris and D. Malhotra; Resource Development Inc., Wheat Ridge, CO 

The authors have together almost 100 years of experience in the mining industry 

working with and consulting to mining companies, and companies engaged 

in the supply of goods and services to the mining industry worldwide. 

They present their experiences and ideas onthe importance of cultural aspects 

in the successful development and implementation of mining ventures. Their 

suggestions on handling cultural shock (a condition of anxiety and confusion 

that can affect an individual suddenly exposed to alien culture or milieu - 

Webster’s Dictionary) will be of interest to ex-pat managers, operators, social 

workers and engineering and construction personnel posted to overseas operations, 

as well as to nationals posted to other parts of their own country. 

3:05 PM 

Alamos Gold’s Mulatos Project, Sonora, Mexico 

J. Van De Beuken; Alamos Gold, Inc., Hermosillo, Mexico 

Jesuits came to the area in 1635 and found gold. Mulatos is located 220 air 

kilometers southeast of Hermosillo, the capital of Sonora. Mulatos has a long 

history of gold production but was dormant from the Mexican Revolution 

until recently. Development interest increased as Ejido privatization lawsbegan 

in the late 1980’s to support foreign investmentin nearly all sectors of the 

Mexican economy. Mulatos has been developed as a 15,000 tpd heap leach 

operation with ore being crushed to a P80 of 3/8”. High grade ore has been 

encountered as well as a significant increase in resources. The presentation 

will describe the development of Mulatos, current plans for high grade treatment, 

and further increases in reserves and throughput. 

Mineral and Metallurgical Processing: AMIRA: 

Collaborative International Research 


Chairs: M. LeVier, Newmont Mining Corp., Englewood, CO 

T. Braden, AMIRA International, Aurora, CO 

2:05 PM 

What is P9 

E. Manlapig; JKMRC, Indooroopilly, QLD, Australia 

Operating since 1962, the AMIRA P9 project has established itself as one of 

the world’s leading, collaborative mineral processing research project. The 

major aim of the Project is to help its sponsors achieve ‘best practice’ in the 

design and operation of mineral processing plants. This is done principally 

through the development and demonstration of modelling and simulation 

47 

techniques and measurement tools. The P9N research program is in the 

process of being finalised. In January 2008 the 15th extension of the P9 project 

is to begin. The vision for this program is to improve comminution, classification 

and flotation performance on sponsor sites through modelling, simulation 

and characterisation of particles and their process environments, and 

through training and transfer of skills and technology to the industry. The research 

will be carried out by using multi-discipline research teams consisting 

of key staff and students from the JKMRC, University of Cape Town, McGill 

University, University of Newcastle and Hacettepe University. 

2:25 PM 

Steel Media Wear Research - The AMIRA P9 Experience 

P. Radziszewski; McGill Univ, Montreal, QC, Canada 

Over the decade that steel media wear research was addressed in the AMIRA 

P9 project, a robust steel media wear model was developed. The present 

paper will discuss the evolution of the project over this decade highlighting 

the strong points and some of the short comings of university research along 

with its benefit to industry. Avenues for future research and development are 

also presented. 

2:45 PM 

A Perspective on Effective Global Collaborative Research – The 

AMIRA International Model 

J. Marsden; Freeport, Phoenix, AZ 

The mining and minerals industry has a strong need for effective collaborative 

research opportunities that; (i) provide value-adding solutions to common 

problems that are shared among mining companies and sometimes 

across disciplines, (ii) help strengthen the academic and research communities 

that serve the business sector, (iii) develop technical talent for the mining 

industry, and (iv) to foster networking and communication amongst technical 

leadership within the industry. In many cases, industry collaboration and participation 

allows important research to occur to solve problems that would 

otherwise not be addressed, or might be addressed less effectively. AMIRA 

has a long history as a broker and facilitator of collaborative research for the 

minerals industry. The depth and breadth of AMIRA in this role has changed 

significantly over the past 10 years. AMIRA International has moved to globalize 

the services it offers, expanding out of Australia and into South Africa, 

North America, and South America. 

3:05 PM 

Development of a Code of Practice for Metal Accounting in the 

Mining Industry 

P. Gaylard; U of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa 

The AMIRA P754 project, ‘Metal Accounting and Reconciliation’, has the 

primary objective of improving the auditability and transparency of Metal 

Accounting from mine to product thus assisting in good corporate governance. 

The project is supported by five sponsoring companies in South Africa 

and Australia and involves three academic supervisors and seven students. 

Project areas have broad coverage from precious metals to commodities and 

mine to product. 

3:25 PM 

AMIRA P768: Progress Towards a Comprehensive Understanding of 

Heap Bioleaching 

D. Dixon 1 , J. Petersen 2 , H. Watling 3 , J. Plumb 4 and S. Harrison 2 ; 1 Materials 

Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; 

2 

Chemical Engineering, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; 

3 

CSIRO Minerals, Perth, WA, Australia and 4 CSIRO Land and Water, Perth, 

WA, Australia 

A joint effort by research teams at the University of British Columbia, the 

University of Cape Town, CSIRO Minerals and CSIRO Land and Water, 

AMIRA P768 – Improving Heap Bioleaching – is the most significant collaborative 

research effort on heap leaching to date. The purpose of the project 

is to develop a complete understanding of heap bioleaching in all of its aspects 

– hydrological, mineralogical, chemical and biological – culminating in 

a comprehensive mathematical model. In this talk, key outcomes of the project 

so far will be presented, a 3-D axisymmetric model of heap bioleaching 

will be demonstrated, and prospects for the future of the project will 

be discussed.


Plant Expansions or Modernizations 


Chairs: D. Malhotra, Resource Development Inc, 


M. Erickson, FFE Mineral USA Inc., Bethlehem, PA 

2:05 PM 

Expansion and Modernization of an Iron Ore Pelletizing Plant in 

Northern Sweden 

M. Ahrens; ABB, Daettwil, Switzerland 

The paper describes the main drive systems of an iron ore pelletizing plant 

and related important design aspects. It is shown how today’s drive systems 

provide the desired flexibility for the process and lead to high energy efficiency 

and system reliability. With respect to electric drives expansion projects 

have many technical issues in common with green-field installations. 

However, there are aspects where important, distinct differences occur. It is 

shown which considerations for selecting and sizing drive systems for such a 

plant as well as for integrating them into an overall plant control concept need 

to be taken into account. Besides the design of the drive systems a key aspect 

for such an expansion project is the network interaction. Harmonics levels at 

different points in the plant network need to be checked carefully with simulations 

during the design phase to avoid problems later-on during operation. 

The power factor compensation and the harmonic filtering of the new production 

line cannot be designed independently of the already existing plant. 

The paper highlights areas where problems could occur and which points 

need to be paid attention to when a plant is expanded. 

2:25 PM 

Simulation Assisted Performance Improvements in Iron Ore 

Processing Plants 

S. Ersayin 1 , W. Bond 2 , J. Arola 3 , B. Kettunen 4 and R. Strukel 2 ; 1 NRRI- 

Coleraine Minerals Research Lab, University of Minnesota, Coleraine, MN; 

2 

Minorca Mine, Mittal Steel USA, Virginia, MN; 3 Minnesota Department of 

Natural Resources, Hibbing, MN and 4 Noramco Engineering, Hibbing, MN 

In 1998, the Concentrator Modeling Center was established within the 

Coleraine Minerals Research Lab to develop models for simulation of iron 

ore processing plants, and to assist plant operators in improving performance 

of their aging plants. The short term objective was to develop necessary models 

for reliable simulation using conventional techniques, while the long term 

objective was set as liberation-based modeling and simulation of these plants. 

The short term objective was achieved in 2002, after the development of 

models for magnetic separators, hydroseparators and fine screens. A project 

funded the US Department of Energy was carried out to demonstrate the capability 

in improving iron ore processing at the Mittal plant. As a result of 

this study, a 10% improvement in throughput at the plant was obtained, and 

simulation became a desired tool for plant operators. A significant step in the 

long term objective was reached in 2005 with the development of a liberation 

model. This was followed by incorporation of models capable of processing 

liberation data into the software. By early 2007, the Center had the capability 

of performing liberation-based simulation of entire plants. 

2:45 PM 

How soon we forget. Bond’s work indices revisited 

E. Bentzen and D. Spiller; NONE, NONE, Wheat Ridge, CO 

Beginning in the 1930’s, Mr. Fred C. Bond led the way in predicting commercial 

grind power requirements from laboratory ore testing. His ‘third theory’ 

of comminution evolved into the empirical Bond Grindability Tests and 

served as the foundation of many empirical and theoretical forays into specific 

energy requirements for grinding and how to efficiently deliver that 

power. This paper reviews the control parameters established by F.C. Bond 

and points out a few of the more common mistakes in its application. 

3:05 PM 

Start-Up and Optimization of the Pebble Crushing Circuit at the 

KUCC Concentrator 

D. King; Kennecott, Magna, UT 

In the fall of 2006 the Copperton Concentrator, at Kennecott Utah Copper, 

commissioned a pebble crushing circuit. This circuit offered some unique 

challenges, operationally and maintenance related, due to the unconventional 

design. This design also offered flexibility in operation and identified areas 

48 

for improvement. This paper aims to explain the lessons learned during 

startup and commissioning and explains the approach to controlling the circuit. 

Explanations of the development of the SAG mill grates will be addressed 

along with the challenges of using a Trommel instead of a standard 

screen for pebble production. 

Chair: 


Snapshot: Student Research 


S. Ravishankar, Cytec Industries Inc, Stamford, CT 

The session will highlight mineral and metallurgical processing research 

conducted by undergraduate students. The first part of the program will 

feature oral presentations and the second portion will be a poster session by 

the undergraduate researchers. 

Chair: 

Mining & Exploration: 

Mine Improvements & Applied Technology 


E. Robinson, Phelps Dodge Corporation, Green Valley, AZ 

2:05 PM 

Reducing Injuries in Underground Mining Through the Application of 

Waterjet Scaling 

M. Kuchta and H. Miller; Mining Engineering Department, Colorado 

School of Mines, Golden, CO 

An analysis of accident statistics for underground metal/nonmetal mines 

show that nearly one-quarter of all fatalities at these operations were related 

to rock falls, where nearly one-third of these fatalities involved scaling activities. 

As a consequence, research is being conducted to evaluate the effectiveness 

of high-pressure waterjet technology as part of a mechanized scaling 

system to safely remove loose and unstable rock from underground mine 

openings and improve the adhesion characteristics of shotcrete by scarifying 

rock surfaces. Sponsored by CDC NIOSH, this project is intended to investigate 

the relative effectiveness of various nozzles designs, including continuous, 

rotational, and pulsed jets. 

2:25 PM 

Mining Haul Truck Cab Noise: An Evaluation of Three Acoustical 

Environments 

S. Bealko; Hearing Loss Prevention, NIOSH PRL, Pittsburgh, PA 

A previous NIOSH study showed that up to 90 percent of miners will have a 

hearing impairment by retirement age suggesting the need for noise reduction 

research. This study examines haul truck cab acoustical treatments and the effects 

on noise reduction. Operator performance and maintenance along with 

design features are evaluated to determine noise exposure and cab attenuation. 

Dosimetry tests were used to demonstrate whether cabs provide a safe 

acoustical environment and to determine if a correlation exists between cab 

design and the amount of cab attenuation. Data showed that 96 percent of 

samples did not exceed the MSHA PEL, but half did exceed the action limit. 

Operators who circumvented protective cab features doubled the noise dose 

inside the cab. Preliminary data indicate that cab design has an influence on 

noise protection. This paper demonstrates noise reduction is achievable and 

provides specific targets for future research and interventions. 

2:45 PM 

Utilization of Coarse Preconcentration Rejects in Underground 

Backfills 

T. Weatherwax, A. Bamber, B. Klein and R. Pakalnis; Norman B. Keevil 

Institute of Mining Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, 

BC, Canada 

As part of a strategic research initiative at UBC to design and evaluate integrated 

underground mining and mineral processing systems, work has been 

done to determine how to utilize the coarse rejects of pre-concentration in the 

underground environment. An amenability study for nine orebodies from four 

of Xstrata Nickel’s Ontario operations evaluated both processing and waste 

disposal methods. The utilization of the rejects as a high quality backfill with 

minimal binder requirements has been identified as the preferred disposal

method. Fill mixes utilizing the rejects in combination with classified tailings, 

full tailings, and cement were developed based on the geotechnical 

properties of the rejects. The mix designs were examined for both strength 

and rheological properties. The paper will present the results of the pre-concentration 

testwork, the design and strength testing of various mix designs for 

rejects from the nine ores and presents a conceptual design for an underground 

pre-concentration system based on this test work. 

3:05 PM 

SMART Mining Systems 

S. Holmes 1 and R. Coyle 2 ; 1 Mine Technology, Freeport McMoRan, Safford, 

AZ and 2 Mine Technology, Freeport McMoRan, Safford, AZ 

Advances in mining have been dominated by increasing machine size and 

unit productivity. However, the future of mining belongs to the Information 

Age, where the “mining” and use of data will become the new “efficiency” 

frontier. Machines today are not only larger, they are also much smarter and 

are equipped with sensing packages and on-board computers that can measure 

the machines performance. Operator performance can also be assessed in 

remarkable fashion thus providing management with an abundance of data 

and information that allows efficiency and productivity improvements to be 

made. New advanced wireless technologies are emerging that allow access to 

remote machine data in real-time allowing mining fleets to be monitored by 

centralized expert maintenance staff. Ironically these SMART Mining 

Systems will greatly help resolve the growing problems of limited qualified 

field personnel that currently challenge the industry. This paper will present 

the Freeport McMoRan Mine Technology Group’s vision and advancements 

in SMART Mine technology. 

3:25 PM 

Advanced Camera Based Monitoring of Mining Shovels 

S. Tafazoli; Motion Metrics International Corp, Vancouver, BC, Canada 

ToothMetrics is a rugged embedded computer vision system that monitors 

the condition of mining shovel bucket teeth 24/7, and informs the operator of 

possible tooth breakage in real-time. Live video acquired by an industrial 

grade camera is processed by the computer to determine the teeth status. The 

results are communicated with the operator via a touch-screen LCD and audible 

alarm. As such, the broken tooth is prevented from going to the mine 

downstream processing equipment (specially, the crusher) improving the 

safety and efficiency of the operation by reducing the shovel downtime. 

Three wide-angle rugged cameras are added to the system for ViewMetrics 

functionality and the embedded software is upgraded to provide live viewing 

of the surroundings of the mining equipment. In this presentation, the product 

specifications and design challenges will be outlined. The experience of MMI 

installing systems in surface mines around the world will be shared with 

the audience. 

Mining & Exploration: Underground Mining 


30-vein. A pre-feasibility study is underway to evaluate the economics of several 

different mining methods to increase production from the smaller intermediate 

veins that lie within the mineralized zone. These narrow, steeply dipping, 

irregular veins pose numerous challenges. The bulk of the intermediate 

vein resource lies in 15 separate veins between 5,000 and 6,000 feet underground 

in a weak rockmass under high stress. Various aspects of the study 

will be discussed from definition drilling, geologic modeling, mining method 

selection and rock mechanics. 

2:45 PM 

Performance Monitoring of Block Cave Mines Using Signal Processing 

and Waveform Analysis of GPS Data 

D. Rutledge 1 , M. Ness 2 , M. Allen 3 , J. Purcell 4 , N. Brown 5 and C. Baldwin 1 ; 

1 

Leica Geosystems, Sonora, CA; 2 Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold, Oro 

Valley, AZ; 3 Chevron Mining Inc., Questa, NM; 4 Golder Associates, Inc., 

Silver City, NM and 5 Leica Geosystems AG, Heerbrugg, Switzerland 

Discrete (digital) signal processing techniques are proving to be very valuable 

tools for miners using the block cave method. Waveform analysis of different 

measured signals associated with active mining provides valuable information 

on production dynamics and safe operation of the mine. For 

example, correlation of the 3D surface displacement velocity waveform and 

the production output waveform reveals a remarkably predictable time-varying 

physical process. In this paper we discuss the signal processing techniques 

used to study these relationships, as well as the related implications 

for mining. 

YOUNG LEADERS: 

TALENT DEVELOPMENT & RETENTION 

2:00 PM 


Chair: S. Kautzman 

CVRD Inco Ltd., Sudbury, ON, Canada 

Due to the decline in the number of graduates from mining, geological 

and metallurgical programs, it is becoming increasingly difficult 

to meet the staffing needs of companies engaged in resource extraction. 

Further complicating matters is the increase in the median age 

of the workforce, many of whom are rapidly nearing retirment age. 

These are two of the factors driving the perception that there will be 

an even greater shortage of talent in the mining industry in the years 

to come. This session focuses on how companies are dealing with the 

labor crunch, and their strategies for recruiting, training and 

retaining human resources. 

Chair: S. Graber, McIntosh Engineering Inc, Tempe, AZ 

2:05 PM 

Small mine contractor safety – A case study 

F. Calizaya and M. Nelson; Mining, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 

Small mine contractors perform a number of tasks during each shift. In accordance 

to the 30CFR, mine operators must provide each worker with the 

required safety training. In practice however, these operators, constrained by 

limited resources only make the necessary efforts to comply with regulations 

and meet the minimum standards. This paper presents a case study in which a 

small mine contractor completes a number of different tasks associated with 

powered transportation including hauling, loading and storage. It highlights 

the training received by the small mine contractor, the common hazards to 

which he is exposed to and the work practices he uses to overcome them. The 

study concludes with a summary of good work practices and potential hazards 

observed in several small mines in the Western U.S. 

2:25 PM 

Deep vein mining at Hecla’s Lucky Friday Mine 

D. Bayer; Mining, Montana Tech, Butte, MT 

The historic Lucky Friday Mine located in north Idaho is currently considering 

ways to increase production from the deep Gold Hunter vein system. The 

bulk of the production is currently extracted from one large vein, called the 

49


morning 

Coal & Energy: Coal Preparation 


Solving Real Problems Using Numerical 

Analysis and Simulation 

9:00 AM • Wednesday, February 27 

Chair: T. Hollingsworth, Conveyor Engineering, Meridian, ID 

9:05 AM 

Simulation for Equipment Sizing – Longwall to Stockpile 

E. O’Donovan; E.J. O’Donovan & Associates, Spring Hill, QLD, Australia 

When longwall equipment is being specified, a nominal capacity is generally 

given on which to base the design of the various face and out-bye systems and 

components. This capacity generally comes from a nominal annual capacity 

requirement based on realistic utilization rates. From illustrative examples of 

simple system simulation, this paper sets out to show that a single nominal 

capacity is not sufficient to size the different systems. The manner in which 

the Longwall is operated and the overall system configuration can have a significant 

impact on overall productivity. The importance of component availability 

on overall output is also addressed. 

9:35 AM 

Simulation as a Tool to Determine Stockyard Handling Capacity 

E. Monrad and H. King; Simulation Modelling Group, Sandwell 

Engineering, Vancouver, BC, Canada 

Discrete event simulation modeling provides a tool to quantify the throughput 

capacity of stockyards. Interactions between the main equipment types 

(trains, dumpers, conveyors, stackers, reclaimers, shiploaders) can be captured, 

including route blockages, breakdowns, and planned maintenance. 

This tool has been successfully used at world-class stockyard facilities to determine 

current capacity and to identify gains resulting from improvement 

projects. Recent projects have focused on iron-ore, coal, and soya facilities, 

but the technology is suitable to be used on any bulk material type. 

10:05 AM 

Interfacing Belt Feeders and Hoppers to Achieve Reliable Operation 

J. Carson 1 , F. Cabrejos 3 and M. Rulff 2 ; 1 Jenike & Johanson, Inc., Tyngsboro, 

MA; 2 Jenike & Johanson, Ltd, Toronto, ON, Canada and 3 Jenike & Johanson 

Chile S.A., Vina del Mar, Chile 

Belt feeders are commonly used to meter the flow of bulk solids from bins 

and hoppers. If the interface between the hopper outlet and belt feeder is not 

designed correctly, flow from the bin may be severely compromised, resulting 

in problems of no-flow, segregation, flooding, etc. By knowing the flow 

characteristics of the bulk solid being handled and applying proven design 

techniques, such problems can be avoided. Relevant bulk solids flow characteristics 

will be identified, along with measurement techniques. Design procedures 

for correcting problems with existing feeders as well as proper design 

of new feeders will be presented, along with case histories of successful 

application of these procedures. 

10:35 AM 

Predicting Material Behavior on Conveyors using DEM 

B. Ren and G. Mustoe; Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 

Energy losses are important factors in a conveyor’s performance and design. 

A significant energy loss due to belt sag within a conveyor system occurs 

when shearing motion between the bulk material particles occurs as the material 

moves along the belt. This sag energy loss has been studied previously 

using analytical mechanical methods that employ several simplifying approximations 

such as: a) dry bulk material, b) assumed pressure distributions between 

the bulk material and belt, and c) inertial effects within the bulk material 

and belt, etc. The current work employs a discrete element modeling 

(DEM) approach eliminating the need for the simplifying assumptions required 

in previous analyses. The DEM method models: a) the bulk material as 

a discrete system of particles with a specified size distribution, and interaction 

laws for dry and wet materials, and b) the belt geometry shape with a detailed 

3D CAD description. In this paper the effects of: a) idler spacing, b) 

belt speed, b) belt sag, and c) different bulk materials are studied. 


Chairs: R. Honaker, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 

M. Mohanty, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, 

Carbondale, IL 

9:05 AM 

Capital and Operating Cost Models for Coal Preparation Plants 

Z. Huang 1 , M. Mohanty 2 , H. Sevim 3 , B. Arnold 4 and S. Bhagwat 5 ; 1 Mintec 

Inc., Tucson, AZ; 2 Department of Mining and Mineral Resources 

Engineering, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL; 

3 

School of Engineering, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, 

Edwardsville, IL; 4 PrepTech, Inc., Apollo, PA and 5 Illinois State Geological 

Survey, Champaign, IL 

Circuit-wise capital and operating cost models are developed for those cleaning 

and dewatering circuits that are widely used in current coal preparation 

plants. For each circuit, capital and operating costs are calculated for at least 

five feed capacities. For each feed capacity, the sizes of the major and ancillary 

equipment in the circuit are determined. The purchasing cost and operating 

cost of each piece of equipment are calculated based on the cost data collected 

from a variety of sources. The circuit capital cost is calculated as the 

sum of the capital cost of each piece of equipment in the circuit. Similarly, 

circuit operating cost is the sum of the operating cost of individual equipment 

in the circuit. Capital and operating cost estimating equations are then obtained 

by best-fitting the cost data as a function of feed capacities. The capital 

cost also includes the installation cost. Capital and operating cost tables, 

equations and figures are given for each cleaning and dewatering circuit. The 

utilization of these equations is also introduced by applying them in a new 

developed coal preparation plant simulator for conducting cost and 

economic analysis. 

9:25 AM 

The Design, Construction, Commissioning and Operation of the Arch 

Castle Valley Plant in Wellington, Utah 

P. Bethell 1 and M. Kelley 2 ; 1 Arch Coal Inc., Charleston, WV and 2 Castle 

Valley Plant, AWBG, Wellington, UT 

This paper will describe the design philosophy behind the 400 t.p.h. “Coarse 

Only Washing” preparation plant. The study of the potential feed coals lead to 

the design incorporating the latest technology of fine dry coal screening 

(Roxon Roller Screen). The plant also incorporates a Peters Dense Media 

Vessel treating the plus 1 ⁄4” material. Once the circuit was designed, the plant 

was bid and CEnty of Salt Lake City, Utah was awarded the contract to build 

the facility. The new Roxon/Dense Media Vessel plant was retrofitted into an 

old McNally jig plant, which posed obvious demolition/construction issues. 

The plant was successfully commissioned in October 2006 and has subsequently 

run highly efficiently at in excess of 20% above design capacity. 

Plant efficiency data will be reviewed, as will availability and quality data. 

9:45 AM 

Development of a Transponder-Based Tracer System for Evaluating 

Dense Medium Separator Performance 

C. Barbee 1 , C. Wood 2 and G. Luttrell 3 ; 1 Arch Coal, Inc., Charleston, WV; 

2 

Partition Enterprises Pty Ltd., Indooroopilly, QLD, Australia and 3 Mining 

& Minerals Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 

Density tracers are a useful diagnostic tool for evaluating the separation efficiency 

of dense medium circuits. Unfortunately, the full capabilities of density 

tracers are often not realized in practice due to problems that occur during 

the retrieval step. To overcome this problem, an electronic monitoring 

system has been developed to automatically identify and count the tracers as 

they pass through a coal cleaning circuit. This technique, which relies on recent 

technological breakthroughs in transponder technology, improves the reliability 

of tracer data by eliminating statistical errors associated with lost 

tracers. Field tests showed that very accurate counts (>98%) of the transponder-based 

tracers could be achieved in full-scale trials. In addition, this simple 

system makes it possible for efficiency tests to be performed very rapidly 

by a single person in an extremely cost-efficient manner. 

50

10:05 AM 

Enhancing Coal Flotation Performance Using Recyclable Hydrophobic 

Particles 

C. Munoz Dias 1 , M. Mankosa 2 and R. Honaker 1 ; 1 Mining Engineering, 

University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY and 2 Eriez Manufacturing, Erie, PA 

Recent investigations found that the addition of highly hydrophobic particles 

into the froth phase can improve the selectivity achieved from a froth flotation 

process. In a subsequent study, the concept was advanced by using ultrafine 

magnetite particles that were encapsulated in an epoxy. The result was 

hydrophobic magnetic particles that have a contact angle greater than 90o and 

are easily recovered by a low intensity magnetic separator. After mixing the 

hydrophobic magnetite particles with a feed slurry, coal recovery was improved 

by as much as 20 absolute percentage units at a given retention time 

and, in some cases, selectivity was improved. The flotation rate was increased 

from about 0.6 min-1 to 1.0 min-1. Significantly greater improvements were 

realized when floating under acidic and alkaline conditions. Results from a 

detailed flotation study evaluating the benefits of the hydrophobic magnetite 

will be presented and discussed in this publication. 

10:25 AM 

Slurry Cells Prove Successful Alternatives to Impoundments 

J. Gardner, K. Houston and K. Rose; Engineering Consulting Services, Inc., 

Lexington, KY 

Environmental and safety related issues concerning slurry impoundments 

have created a new dimension in permitting and design which has forced engineers 

to examine other possible alternatives. A Central Appalachian coal 

producer has successfully implemented excavated slurry cells into solid rock 

for slurry disposal. These cells, however, have had their shares of engineering 

challenges, including: external wall and spillway design; increase capacity 

for sediment control in the event of a breach or slurry discharge through spillways; 

subsidence concerns from underground mining; cell wall conditions 

due to previous surface mine blasting; permitting challenges, etc. This paper 

will describe the design process from initial planning through operation and 

closure and economics. 

10:45 AM 

Ultra Fine Coal Recovery Utilising the Imhoflot G-Cell Centrifugal 

Flotation Technology in a Russian Coal Operation 

R. Imhof 1 , A. Yuryev 2 and M. Battersby 1 ; 1 Maelgwyn Mineral Services Ltd, 

Cardiff, United Kingdom and 2 OJSC “West Siberian Iron & Steel Plant”,, 

Novokuzetsnk, Russian Federation 

The “Zap-Sib” mining concern has installed the first world-wide commercial 

use of the Imhoflot G-Cell flotation in coal at its preparation plant in Siberia. 

This paper describes the testing and design of the application through to the 

installation and operation of a 200 tph pneumatic flotation plant. The 

Imhoflot G-Cell is an innovative pneumatic flotation process that can be 

utilised for ultra fine coal recovery. The technology utilises centrifugal forces 

to assist in the separation of the froth phase from the tailings and consequentially 

reducing the residence time in the separating vessel to below 45 seconds. 

This considerably reduces the size of the flotation plant installation and 

therefore the capital expenditure necessary. 

Coal & Energy: Surface Mining 


Chair: C. Fritz, Kiewit Mining Group, Point of Rocks, WY 

9:05 AM 

Ergonomic Redesign of Dragline Workstations 

E. Rainis, T. Matty and J. Torma-Krajewski; Pittsburgh Research 

Laboratory, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 


A recent study shows that 75% of dragline operators suffer from cumulative 

injuries that may be a result of poor workstation design. Because operators 

are typically in a seated posture for long shifts, it is important that they are 

properly supported by the workstation. However, many workstations currently 

have little or no adjustability. Therefore, the first objective of this study 

was to compare the adjustments made by experienced and non-experienced 

operators when they were provided with a workstation that was fully adjustable. 

The second objective was to determine if providing operators with 

more adjustability would decrease discomfort. Neither group of operators 

51 

made more adjustments when provided with a workstation that was capable 

of further adjusting. Data collected one year following the installation of the 

NIOSH workstation showed a reduction in discomfort levels for all body 

parts except for the wrists/hands and knees. The results of this study confirm 

the importance of training on workstation adjustments. Because discomfort 

levels dropped after only one year, it is clear that an adjustable workstation 

will improve the health and safety of the operators. 

9:25 AM 

Using continuous mining equipment to develop an open cut mining 

operation 

D. Morrison; Resources, Sinclair Knight Merz, Brisbane, QLD, Australia 

Dwindling fuel supplies and increased labour costs have changed the paradigm 

whereby mining equipment selections are made. Recent successful performance 

trials using the latest technology in mineral sizers and the increasing 

maturity of the large scale materials handling systems has seen the 

emergence of a competitive and credible suppliers of continuous materials 

handling machines for open cut mining operations. In this paper a means 

whereby a large open cast hard rock mine might be initiated, developed 

through the early operations of increasing depth and spread of the operation 

throughout the mine’s early life and also the later expansion of the mine capacity 

is considered. The proposed system creates an essentially truck free 

mine and achieves substantial reductions in manning when compared to the 

more conventional approach, with associated gains in operating costs without 

substantial additional capital investment. 

9:45 AM 

Risk Assessment of Truck-Related Fatalities in Mining 

Z. Md Nor 1 , V. Kecojevic 1 , D. Komljenovic 2 and W. Groves 1 ; 1 Energy and 

Mineral Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, 

PA and 2 Hydro-Québec; Nuclear Generating Station G2, Bécancour, QC, 

Canada 

Risk assessment and risk management are well established loss control techniques 

that have been applied successfully in many industries. As a result, interest 

in this structured approach has grown in the mining industry. The main 

objective of this research was to develop a risk assessment process that can be 

used by the U.S. mining industry to more thoroughly characterize risks associated 

with truck-related fatalities. The assessment is based on historical data 

obtained from MSHA investigation reports which includes 113 fatal incidents 

that occurred from 1995 through 2006. The risk assessment process used in 

this research involves three basic steps: (i) identification of the risks associated 

with truck-related fatalities; (ii) risk analysis; and (iii) risk evaluation. 

The Preliminary Hazard Assessment (PHA) method is used in identifying and 

quantifying risks. A qualitative risk value is then developed using a pre-established 

risk matrix that classifies according to frequency and severity. The 

resulting assigned risk value can then be used to prioritize control strategies. 

10:05 AM 

A Practical Solution to Highwall Mining Coal Reserves Sterilized by 

Auger Mining 

M. Amick; ECSI, Lexington, KY 

Over the last few years as the coal industry has seen an increase in the price 

of coal, a renewed interest in the additional mining of pre-law highwall sites 

has occurred. Much premium coal and property remains behind these pre-law 

highwalls but access to mining is limited because prior mining used auger 

machines to remove coal from under the highwall. These properties are ideal 

for additional mining with state-of-the-art highwall mining machines that 

have a reach up to 1200 feet, except for the relatively thin auger mined de-stabilized 

zone. This has driven research into finding a economically viable way 

to stabilize the highwall so that the highwall mining machine can recover additional 

coal. This research discovered and fine-tuned a process that is economical 

and is successfully supporting the highwall at a highwall mining operation. 

This paper discusses the research involved in determining the 

strengths needed, the methodology used to place any grouts, the effect on 

mining plans and the increase recoveries. The failure of the highwall when 

not grouting and the success when grouting using the new materials and 

equipment discovered confirmed the ARMPS-HWM method.

10:25 AM 

Investigation of Enclosed Cab Filtration System Performance Factors 

J. Organiscak and A. Cecala; National Institute for Occupational Safety and 

Health, Pittsburgh, PA 

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has investigated 

various factor effects on cab air filtration system performance. The factors experimentally 

investigated were intake filter efficiency, intake air leakage, intake 

filter loading (filter flow resistance), recirculation filter use, and wind 

penetration. Results indicate that the intake filter efficiency and recirculation 

filter use were the most two influential factors on cab potection performance. 

Use of the recirculation filter significantly improved cab protection over the 

intake air filter by itself due to the mulplicative filtration of the cab interior 

air. Intake air leakage and intake filter loading also notably affected 

cab performance. 

10:45 AM 

Deep Pit Temperature Study 

J. Humphrey 1 and R. Dillinger 2 ; 1 Large Mining Truck - Product 

Development, Caterpillar, Decatur, IL and 2 Mining Engineering, University 

of Missouri - Rolla, Rolla, MO 

Anecdotal evidence would have us believe there are extreme differences between 

the temperatures at the surface level and the pit bottom of a deep open 

pit mines. While surface temperature data is readily available, very little empirical 

data is available for pit bottom temperatures. The authors undertook a 

project to gather empirical data in order to correlate the surface ambient air 

temperature with the pit bottom air temperature. This study involved mines in 

South Africa, Australia and the U.S. The analysis of the data resulted in an algorithm 

to calculate typical pit bottom temperatures as a function of surface 

temperatures and pit depth. 

Environmental: Exploration and Mine Development: 

Environment, Community & Sustainability 

Chair: 


C. McKeon, Resolution Copper Mining, Superior, AZ 

9:05 AM 

The Debate over the Impact of Mining on the Environment and 

Sustainability in the Local Community 

G. Campbell and C. Walck; School of Business and Economics, Michigan 

Technological University, Houghton, MI 

Recent efforts to start mines in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and northern 

Wisconsin have generated statewide controversy and new laws. There is concern 

about the sustainability of mining in communities that depend on the environment 

for tourism and recreation. This paper briefly looks at the cases of 

the Flambeau Mine, Crandon Project, and Lynne Project in Wisconsin and 

the Eagle Project in northern Michigan. The ongoing effort for the Eagle 

Project is looked at in detail by using the method of discourse communities 

and discourse analysis to gain insights into the dialogue between mining 

company and stakeholders and how it might be improved. 

9:25 AM 

Innovative applications of interactive media for mining projects 

J. Sanderson; Interactive Media, Brown and Caldwell, Los Angeles, CA 

Jim is working with the City of North Port, Florida, Orange County, 

California, California Department of Transportation and many private clients 

to develop interactive strategies for communications support on public presentations 

for mining permit approvals, bond referendums, and online workshops. 

Broadcast and web tools were produced to inform a variety audiences 

on the value of upgrading wastewater collection and treatment facilities, mining 

simulations to show end of project results, and seed testing procedures for 

landscape architects. With the projects now underway results of each outreach 

campaign can now be measured and feedback used to evolve the campaign 

as conditions change for construction, permiting and testing. 

9:45 AM 

Sustainable Development in Mining – Building the Mine of the 

21st Century 

J. Cherry and A. Duex; Kennecott Minerals - Eagle, Marquette, MI 

Record demand, production and consumption of metals and minerals is driving 

the world economy and improving the standard of living in most parts of 

the world. Throughout the history of the world, the need for minerals and 

metals has never been greater. With this increased demand comes increased 

responsibility to produce those minerals and metals in a way that meets the 

needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations 

to meet their own needs. By effectively applying the principles of sustainable 

development, new mines of the 21st Century can create positive environmental 

and economic legacies in the environments and communities where they 

are located and have an even longer lasting impact than mines of the past 

100 years. 

10:05 AM 

NovaGold: Successful Partnerships and Sustainable Practices 

B. Murphy; NovaGold, Fairbanks, AK 

NovaGold is committed to creating wealth by executing its business plan and 

remaining focused on its core values of: respect,integrity, safety, accountability, 

empowerment, communication,growth and sustainability. NovaGold’s 

experience at both its Galore Creek Project and the Nome Operations, including 

the Rock Creek Mine, are a testament to the company’s practice and implementation 

of its core values. At both locations NovaGold developed projects 

of which the Company is proud of, projects which have built a variety of 

successful partnerships. As NovaGold continues to grow, we will strive to 

continuously implement and improve on industry best practices, consider the 

Company’s impact on the environment, local communities, shareholders, and 

employees as each decision is finalized to maintain the philosophy of “doing 

it right”. 

10:25 AM 

Putting the Equator Principles into Practice 

K. Clarke-Whistler; Golder Associates Limited, Toronto, ON, Canada 

World demand for metals is at an all time high, yet development of mineral 

properties has never been harder. Increasingly, mine Feasibility Studies are 

based, not only on proof of reserve, but also on whether environmental constraints 

and social acceptability – the ‘social license to operate’ – will allow 

them to be developed. National legislation is largely silent on the ‘softer’ issues, 

relating to the social and cultural impacts. Instead international standards 

are developing through the Equator Principles, a voluntary standard developed 

by the banking community and based on the updated performance 

standards of the International Financial Corporation (IFC). So what constitutes 

‘Equator Principle compliance’? While there is no universal definition 

this paper describes key activities that should be considered. Junior mining 

companies should pay particular attention to Equator Principle issues as they 

may affect the ability to obtain finance or to sell a project on. 

10:45 AM 

Towards Sustainable Mining 

G. Peeling; Mining Association of Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada 

The Mining Association of Canada (MAC) publicly launched the “Towards 

Sustainable Mining” (TSM) initiative in 2004 after four years of internal 

work. TSM’s goal is to improve the mining industry’s performance and earn 

its social licence to operate by aligning its actions with the priorities and values 

of Canadians. Members of MAC subscribe to TSM’s guiding principles, 

a set of commitments that address all areas of our industry’s performance. 

Over the past two years, MAC has designed a performance assessment and 

verification system for these performance areas. In 2007, MAC members reported 

their third party verified results in the TSM report, a global first for the 

industry. The initiative continues to evolve as policies on biodiversity and 

aboriginal relations have been developed and are now moving into the next 

stage of defining performance criteria. The evolution of this initiative, as well 

as the challenges faced in developing a verification system applicable to an 

entire sector, will be examined. 

BE A SPONSOR – Influence the Industry! 

52

GEM: THE COMMUNITY OF MINING: 

FROM DISASTERS TO SUSTAINABILITY 

COMMUNICATION IS THE KEY 

9:00 AM 


Chairs: J. Steven Gardner 

Engineering Consulting Services, Inc., Lexington, KY 

Stan Krukawski 

Oaklahoma Geological Survey, Norman, OK 

This program will examine examples of how mining companies have 

worked with communities so that they will be sustainable/thriving 

before, during and after mining. Planning for assistance to Mining 

Communities during the ups and downs of the mining industry 

should be a key element of a business plan. While during the “up” 

cycles it is a time when companies can infuse some additional capital 

and energy into community projects to help them thrive with or 

without the presence of a highly profitable mine. After the mining 

tragedies of 2006 and 2007, dealing with the risk of mining and how 

to proactively work with the community in the event of a disaster is 

an important aspect of companies strategic planning, both small and 

large and is now required by law. All of these concepts can be tools 

to assist companies in earning the all important “Social License to 

Mine” and help the entire industry improve its public image. 

Following presentations, a panel discussion of presenters will be 

held to address audience questions. 

Industrial Minerals: Recent Startups and Expansions 


Evaluation of mine development alternatives will be covered including how 

horizontal directional drilling (HDD) was utilized to access the reserves 

through placement of pipelines under the Illinois River. 

9:40 AM 

Mining and Marketing Altered Volcanic Tuff at the Heart of Nature’s 

Alum/Sulfur Mine 

J. Heter; PIM,LLC, Santa Clarita, CA 

An alum/sulfur deposit (USDA organic registered) was mined underground 

for alunite (K,Na) Al3 (SO4)2 (OH)6 from the early 1900s to the 1930s. It is 

now being mined as an open pit quarry. A larger assemblage of minerals is included 

with this method (Alunite, Potassium–Alum, Jarosite, Gypsum, 

Native Sulfur and K-feldspar). This assemblage of minerals provides the necessary 

requirements as a Volcanic Soil Conditioner Sulfur-Potash. Heart of 

Nature Company has been marketing this product to farmers on the west 

coast as a (1) pH reducer, (2) soluble sulfur and potassium source for plant 

growth and (3) soluble calcium. Recently, a new market has been tapped. 

This product has been found to solve many odor, bacteria and algae problems 

faced in the dairy industry. 

10:00 AM 

“Evolution of the Ione, California Kaolin Deposits” David E. Jenkins 

Ione Minerals, Inc. Ione, California 

D. Jenkins; Ione Minerals Inc., Ione, CA 

The Ione kaolin deposits are about 35 miles southeast of Sacramento along 

the western edge of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in central California. The 

Ione Formation consists of a kaolin rich fluvial / deltaic shallow marine deposits 

of Eocene age. These deposits, near the city of Ione, represent a principle 

source of high-alumina kaolin clay and silica sand in California and have 

a long history of economic use. Starting in the late 1940’s, there have been a 

series of corporate owners that have developed and marketed the sand and 

clay from these deposits. The kaolin development started with Gladding 

McBean to Interpace to North American Refractories to ANH Refractories 

then to Ione Minerals, Inc. The silica sand development started with Owens 

Illinois then to Unimin Corporation. 

Mining and Exploration: Health and Safety 

Chair: 

K. Santini, Santini & Assoc., Oro Valley, AZ 


9:00 AM 

Active Minerals International, LLC - A New Beginning 

R. Southerland; Operations, Active Minerals International, LLC, 

Gordon, GA 

Active Minerals International, LLC is the culmination of one year’s due diligence 

work fo five business partners and an investment firm. Out of this 

work, a new company has been formed within the industrial minerals industry 

that is ready to take on a global vision of supplying industrial minerals to 

the world. The relationship of the five partners is not unique, but has within itself 

the components of success. Each partner brings to the table knowledge 

and experience from their separate areas of the business which when combined, 

will lead to a very succssful venture. The President of the company has 

the unique level of experence which crosses different boundaries of the business 

and provides the bond and momentum to move the company into the 

profitable future. Active Minerals International, LLC is an international 

industrial minerals distributing company, a major producer of high end 

attapulgite products and one of the largest air floated kaolin producers in 

the world. 

9:20 AM 

An Application of Horizontal Directional Drilling in Industrial Silica 

Sand Mine Development 

J. Jahn; US Silica Company, Berkeley Springs, WV 

US Silica Company hydrualically mines 2.5 million tons of silica sand annually 

from it’s Ottawa, Illinois operation.The plant site and historic mining 

areas are located north of the Illinois River. Long term reserves for the operation 

are located south of the Illinois River. This paper discusses the process 

by which a new mine was opened up on the South Illinois reserve properties. 

Chair: E. Bauer, NIOSH, Pittsburgh, PA 

9:05 AM 

“Tame the Flame”…Cutting and Welding Safety for Underground Coal 

Miners 

E. Cullen; NIOSH, Spokane Research Laboratory, Spokane, WA 

The Darby Mine Explosion in May, 2006, claimed the lives of five miners. 

This explosion was caused by improper use of a cutting torch in highmethane 

concentrations. With a growing number of inexperienced miners 

entering the workforce, it is imperative that effective safety awareness 

materials be made available to trainers and mine operators so that methane 

explosions due to cutting and welding can be prevented. This presentation 

provides information on how NIOSH created a multi-media curriculum for 

safety training based on accident data, an occupational ethnographic study 

of coal miners, and detailed technical information provided by master 

mechanics. 

9:25 AM 

What Do Coal Miners Need to Know About Refuge Chambers 

R. Peters and J. Geletko; Mining Injury Prevention Branch, NIOSH, 

Pittsburgh Research Laboratory, Pittsburgh, PA 

Refuge chambers are required in West Virginia’s coal mines, and may be required 

nationally in the future. NIOSH is evaluating the functioning and usability 

of refuge chambers. This presentation provides an overview of training 

requirements and needs related to refuge chambers. Miners need effective 

training about when and how to use the chambers. It would also be helpful for 

miners to be able to understand and anticipate the various types of physical 

and psychological distresses associated with being inside a chamber for 96 

hours. An update on NIOSH’s progress in developing training to address 

some of these issues is given. 

53

and processing equipment indicated that noise levels greater than 90 dB(A) 

were present. Full shift worker noise exposures revealed that, laborers, 

mechanics, oilers, helpers, pickers, and greasers are the most exposed 

workers and most likely to develop NIHL. Knowledge of equipment and area 

noise levels, and worker exposures are the tools that management and 

employees can use to reduce exposures through administrative and 

engineering noise controls. 

9:45 AM 

Identifying major opportunities for energy savings in coal, metals and 

industrial minerals in the U.S. Mining Industry 

M. Aziz 1 , R. Tiley 1 , I. Johnson 1 and M. Mosser 2 ; 1 BCS, Incorporated, Laurel, 

MD and 2 National Energy Technology Laboratory, Morgantown, WV 

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Mining R&D Portfolio has developed an 

energy bandwidth report that determines energy savings opportunity in the 

U.S. mining industry (non-oil & gas). Energy savings achieved would directly 

correlate with a reduction in CO2 emissions. The report estimates that 

the CO2 emissions reduction achievable from practical energy savings is 40 

million metric tons. Global warming is an issue that affects health and safety, 

and the implementation of energy saving practices and adoption of energy-efficient 

technologies will improve the health and safety of the mining industry 

and the United States. 

10:05 AM 

Mitigating mining hazards through risk-based solutions 

G. Poplin 1 , J. Burgess 1 , H. Miller 2 , J. Hill 1 and J. Joy 3 ; 1 Univ. of Arizona, 

Tucson, AZ; 2 Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO and 3 University of 

Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia 

The hazards associated with mining are dynamic, and change as a consequence 

of normal mine operations. In Australia, individual mine operators are 

required to seek and mitigate hazards through proactive risk management 

programs. The risk-based regulatory approach adopted in the Australian coal 

mining industry was accompanied by a marked reduction in lost-time injuries 

as compared with the United States (U.S.), which utilizes a largely compliance 

based methodology (Poplin et al, 2007). This paper explores the history 

and evolution of risk management strategies in Australian mining, and how 

such strategies might be adapted to the U.S. regulatory paradigm. 

10:25 AM 

Using Mine Planning and Other Techniques to Reduce DPM in Large- 

Opening Mines 

R. Grau, III and R. Krog; Disaster Prevention and Response Branch, 

NIOSH, Pittsburgh Research Laboratory, Pittsburgh, PA 

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has conducted 

research to improve the ventilation of large-opening mines such as underground 

stone operations. NIOSH research has demonstrated that the ventilation 

of large-opening mines improves significantly when incorporating 

ventilation planning into the mine planning process. The use of long pillars to 

eliminate crosscuts and the proper placement of both auxiliary fans and ventilation 

stoppings improve ventilation efficiency by directing a larger percentage 

of the total mine airflow to the production face. These various modifications 

of the mine’s ventilation plan will reduce mineworkers’ exposure to 

airborne contaminants such as diesel particulate matter (DPM) and will help 

these large-opening underground mines meet the reduced DPM standard of 

160 ug/m3 TC to be enacted in May, 2008. 

10:45 AM 

A Snapshot of Noise and Worker Exposures in Sand & Gravel 

Operations 

E. Bauer and E. Spencer; Hearing Loss Prevention Branch, NIOSH, 

Pittsburgh Research Laboratory, Pittsburgh, PA 

To delineate the potential for noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), NIOSH 

researchers conducted a survey of equipment noise and worker exposures in 

sand and gravel operations. Sound levels on the dredges, mobile equipment 

54 

Mining & Exploration: IT in Mining 


Chair: A. Nieto, Virginia Polytech Inst & State University, 

Blacksburg, VA 

9:05 AM 

Mine Safety Applications of a Geographic Information System 

S. Phillipson; Roof Control Division, U.S. Dept. of Labor - MSHA, 


MSHA’s Roof Control Division integrated lineaments, geologic structures, 

and stress directions into a GIS. Incorporating different kinds of information 

into the same geographic coordinates and map projection, placed on digital 

geologic maps, allows data to be evaluated in a regional geospatial context, 

identifying trends. The GIS will evolve as a tool for district- and basin-wide 

evaluations of controls on ground instability, and may evolve into a predictive 

tool for some geologic hazards. The GIS also serves as a searchable database 

of previous mine investigations, and can be searched for a variety of criteria, 

with results displayed in real geographic coordinates to find the locations of 

previously visited mines or to evaluate mine fatality and injury data. This allows 

old reports to be found, and places the information in a geospatial context 

with respect to neighboring mines or geographic areas. The GIS also has 

the capability to serve as a digital mine map repository, with maps stored in 

digital, georeferenced format for evaluation of multiple seam mining interactions 

and proximity to other mines, and on a national level could serve as an 

abandoned mine map database. 

9:25 AM 

Process controlling, understanding, and optimization in a solution salt 

mine through the data acquisition system 

V. de Ruiter 3 , H. de Ruiter 1 , R. te Gussinklo Ohmann 2 and T. Bakker 3 ; 

1 

Mining Engineering, Delft Unitveristy of Technology, Delft, Netherlands; 

2 

Frisia Zout, ESCO, Harlingen, Netherlands and 3 BECi, Vries, Netherlands 

In the northwestern part of the Netherlands lies one of the deepest solution 

salt mines in the world. The company operating the mine is Frisia Zout bv. 

Extracting the NaCl from caverns at a depth of nearly 3,000 m has a lot of 

challenges. Continuously monitoring, among others, the flows, pressures and 

salt concentrations is necessary to safely and economically mine the salt. A 

system has been set up at Frisia to be able to monitor the data from a distance. 

Data has been put in graphs to monitor the trends daily. All gauges are also 

continuously monitored to maintain accuracy. With this system a better 

understanding of the mining process has been made and has led to many 

optimizations. 

9:45 AM 

Risk-based Production Scheduling of Open Pit Mines with Simulated 

Annealing and Application in a Copper Deposit 

A. Leite and R. Dimitrakopoulos; Mining and Materials Engineering, 

McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada 

Life-of-mine (LOM) production scheduling is a critically important part of 

open pit mining ventures; it determines the quantity and quality of ore and 

waste materials to be mined over time, so as to maximize the net present 

value of the mine. LOM production scheduling is adversely affected by geological 

risk, which can, however, be accounted for and managed while constructing 

production schedules. In this study, the LOM scheduling process of 

a disseminated copper deposit demonstrates the intricacies of a new scheduling 

approach based on the technique of simulated annealing and stochastically 

simulated representations of the copper orebody. The approach presented 

is found to generate a LOM schedule with a NPV 26% higher than that 

of the conventional schedule. Risk analysis results show that the stochastic 

schedule has low chances to significantly deviate from targets; the probability 

that the conventional schedule will deviate from production targets is high. 

Results suggest that LOM schedules that incorporate geological uncertainty 

lead to more informed investment decisions and improved mining practices.

10:05 AM 

Ore waste classification of a lead zinc deposit using support 

vector machine 

S. Chatterjee 1 , S. Bandopadhyay 2 and D. Machuca 3 ; 1 Department of Mining 

and Geological Engineering, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK; 

2 

Department of Mining and Geological Engineering, University of Alaska 

Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK and 3 Centre of Computational Geostatistics, 

University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada 

The objective of this study is to classify ore and waste in a selected mine. The 

support vector machine, was used for the classification purpose, is applied to 

a zinc ore body in a skarn deposit located in the central region of the Peruvian 

Andes. The input parameters used for the model are spatial coordinates and 

the lithological information of the ore body. The input data was divided into 

training and testing data sets and the performance of the model was tested 

using the testing data set. The results show that more than 76% of the data 

could be properly classified by this method. The ore waste maps of the deposit 

was then developed using SVM model. From the result, it was observed 

that a comparatively very few number of cells are classified as ore. The ore is 

concentrated in small lodes at the middle of the volume of study, and not uniformly 

distributed throughout the study area. The lithological map of the deposit 

was also constructed as it was used as an input parameter for the SVM 

model. The indicator kriging was used for generation of lithological map of 

the ore body. 

10:25 AM 

Web Based Real Time Integration of Mining and Metal Information 

O. Bascur, G. Schwenzer and R. Linares; OSIsoft, Houston, TX 

The lack of integration of mining and metallurgical information with sufficient 

detail to analyze and act is a problem. Without such data, mine cut-off 

grade can not be optimized on a per grade basis. It is difficult to analyze the 

economics without an integrated view of mine transactions, stockpile inventories, 

process flows and assays. However, to take action we requires real 

time information from manufacturing assets, corrected for gross errors from 

trucks, shovels, conveyors, faulty sensors and metallurgical laboratories. 

Validation methods use process models to identify inconsistent information 

in the case of corrupt actionable information. This paper presents new tools 

that sift through available data, identify and eliminate gross errors, and use 

statistical data reconciliation based on the process topology to create material 

balanced, internally consistent flows. This technical presentation will review 

recent implementation enabling large metallurgical complexes mass balancing 

enabling metal valuation. The evolution of Webservices to troubleshoot 

plant information and the integration with ERP Systems is discussed. 

10:45 AM 

Application of Business Intelligence Technologies to Improve 

Performance in Mining Operations 

K. Meikle and P. Orr; Gemcom Software, Vancouver, BC, Canada 

This paper examines the application of business intelligence technologies to 

the challenge of improving operational performance throughout the mining 

value stream. The authors describe how business process improvement (BPI) 

methodologies adopted from other industries are being applies to mining operations. 

Several case studies examine the use of mine-to-mill information 

technology solutions to enable business process improvement. The cases 

present evidence that improvement in information flows between processes 

within mining operations increases the mine’s profitability. 

11:05 AM 

Relationship of the Kriging Variance with the Block-Estimation 

Parameters in Mineral Resource Modeling: A Case Study 

A. Samal; Geostatistics, Pincock Allen and Holt, Lakewood, CO 

A block model representing a homogenous mineralization in a mineral 

deposit is generated and manipulated using an industry standard exploration 

and mining software system. The values stored inside the block-model 

include density, rock-type, and percentage of litho-units and concentration of 

55 

elements of interest such as gold (Au), copper (Cu) etc. The elemental 

concentrations in the block model are usually estimated using an interpolation 

technique such as kriging. Parameters that impact the estimation of the 

elemental concentration values by kriging include those of a variogram 

model, number of samples used to estimate a particular block and distance of 

a block center from the sample. Kriging variance provides a measure to 

assess the uncertainty factor associated with kriging. Often the number of 

samples and distance factors are used to classify the mineral resource as 

measured, indicated or, inferred category. This project examines the 

relationship of the kriging variance with samples and distance. The findings 

of this project may help identifying set of parameters to classify resources 

with reduced uncertainty. 

Mineral & Metallurgical Processing: Modeling and 

Simulation of Minerals and Metallurgical Processing 

Chair: 


M. Moats, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 

9:35 AM 

Use of the JKTech MLA to Size IsaMill Product 

M. Larson 1 , R. Morrison 1 and K. Pietersen 2 ; 1 JKMRC, University of 

Queensland, Indooroopilly, QLD, Australia and 2 JKTech, University of 

Queensland, Indooroopilly, QLD, Australia 

As mining operations are forced to employ equipment such as the IsaMill to 

achieve liberation by grinding finer, use of laser particle sizing devices such 

as the Malvern Mastersizer is becoming more widespread as a practical 

means to measure these fine particle products. Concerns exist about the precision 

of measurements between different machines and their overall accuracy 

when confronted with particles of more rounded shape. This paper will 

introduce a specialized sample preparation procedure that has been developed 

at the JKMRC to allow the JKTech MLA to analyze a sub 10 micron 

IsaMill product for both size distribution and shape characteristics to be used 

in calibrating the Malverns. 

9:55 AM 

Developing a Flotation Model on the Basis of CFD Simulation and 

PIV Studies 

H. Do 1 , Y. Yang 1 , D. Telionis 1 , P. Vlachos 2 and R. Yoon 3 ; 1 Engineering 

Science and Mechanics, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 

Blacksburg, VA; 2 Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute 

and State University, Blacksburg, VA and 3 Mining and Minerals 

Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 

Blacksburg, VA 

Control of the hydrodynamics of a flotation cell is of critical importance in 

mixing, bubble-particle interaction, bubble generation, energy consumption, 

and wear. Therefore, the hydrodynamics of a 0.3 m3 laboratory-scale Dorr- 

Oliver EIMCO flotation cell has been studied using the computational fluid 

dynamic (CFD) simulation and digital particle image velocitymetry (DPIV) 

techniques. The simulations were carried out by changing the impeller speed, 

the relative positions of rotor and stator, and the clearance between the impeller 

and the floor. The simulation was in a reasonable agreement with the 

experiment. The information on the spatial distribution of turbulence, flow 

velocities and energy dissipation has been used to develop a more realistic 

flotation model. 

10:15 AM 

A Model for Froth-Phase Recovery 

H. Do 1 , I. Sherrell 2 and R. Yoon 2 ; 1 Engineering Science and Mechanics, 

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA and 

2 

Mining and Minerals Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State 

University, Blacksburg, VA 

In flotation, hydrophobic particles are selectively collected by air bubbles, 

and the bubble-particle aggregates enter the froth phase. However, less hydrophobic 

particles drop off from the froth phase, while more hydrophobic 

particles are recovered. Thus, the froth phase provides an important cleaning 

mechanism. In the present communication, the froth-phase recovery process 

has been modeled by considering particle retention times and the carrying 

capacities of bubbles. The model predictions are compared with the experimental 

data reported by Seaman and Franzidis (2005). The results show that 

the froth-phase recovery varies with particle size, particle hydrophobicity, 

and bubble coarsening.

10:35 AM 

Using particle properties from MLA analysis to model separation 

behaviour – From ore to product 

D. Ferguson 2 , K. Deysel 2 and K. Pietersen 1 ; 1 JKTech Pty Ltd, Brisbane, 

QLD, Australia and 2 Richards Bay Minerals, Richards Bay, South Africa 

The metallurgical behavior of a particle in a physical separator is dependant 

on several particle properties, namely: shape, size, surface angularity, density, 

electrostatic potential, flotability and magnetic susceptibility. The effect of 

the aforementioned properties may be enhanced or depressed by the separator 

variables, for example: environmental conditions, medium or matrix effects 

and the applied forces (strength, direction, gradient). The MLA produces 

contextual mineralogical data which quantifies the particle properties and 

therefore permits modeling of the effect of the combined variables. The construction 

of a plant flow model created from plant survey, plant duty model or 

laboratory metallurgical scale data allows the modeling of the effect of mineralogy 

on plant behaviour: an essential step towards the creation of a 

geometallurgical predictor of plant behavior. A prior step to a well 

constrained model is a simple multi-dimensional comparison of exploration 

samples to plant feed that can be characterized as Good, Fair and Poor 

performing ore. 

10:55 AM 

Advances in 3D Image Analysis of X-ray Micro CT Data for the 

Characterization of Multiphase Particles in Mineral Processing 

A. Videla, C. Lin and J. Miller; Metallurgical Engineering Department, 


Recent efforts on the development and utilization of X-ray micro CT (XMT) 

for the compositional analysis of multiphase particles in the copper and phosphate 

industries are discussed. The three dimensional XMT image data of 

multiphase mineral particles is post-processed in order to determine the characteristic 

relationship between mineral phases and liberation for individual 

particles from a packed particle bed. Based on the development of new algorithms 

it is now possible to have 3D exposure/liberation analysis by micro CT 

for as many as 30,000 particles in less than 3 hours, including sample preparation 

time. Each particle is identified and interrogated at a resolution of 10 

microns. With this software, it is expected that micro CT data can be used to 

improve the efficiency of mine to mill operations in a significant way. The 

classification and characterization of particles by micro CT opens new areas 

of research that could lead to further optimization of particulate separation 

processes such as are common in the mineral processing industry. 

11:15 AM 

Pogo Mine Control System: A Hybrid of DCS and PLC 

X. Chen and R. Dittrich; Teck Pogo Inc, Delta Jct, AK 

Xiangdong Chen Teck Pogo Inc. PO Box 145 Delta Jct, AK 99737 Phone: 

907-895-2716 Email: shawn.chen@teckcominco.com Russ Dittrich Teck 

Pogo Inc. PO Box 145 Delta Jct, AK 99737 Phone: 907-895-2713 Email: 

russ.dittrich@teckcominco.com Pogo Mine, near Delta Junction, Alaska is a 

new 2500 TPD gold operation. The control system of the mine and mill is a 

hybrid of DCS (Distributed Control System) control and PLC (Programming 

Logic Controller) control. A DeltaV DCS system serves as the main control 

and operation platform while the PLCs operate dozens vendor packages. The 

communication backbone of the DCS system is a hybrid of star topology and 

ring topology, which provides reliability and flexibility. The communication 

between the DCS and PLCs are typically done by serial communication. This 

communication insures the integrity of the whole control system. 

This paper discusses established on-line particle size analysis technologies 

and presents experiences on the use of a new technique employing laser diffraction 

in several minerals processing operations. The main innovations in 

the new instrument are a simple dilution system and multiple scattering correction 

algorithm, which allows wide solids content variations of diluted 

sample in the measurement cell. Representative sample for laser measurement 

is produced by a simple and reliable dilution system. The applications 

discussed are,:Blaine number measurement of Fe concentrate before pelletizing, 

grinding of variable batches of ore and paste thickener control. 

9:55 AM 

Getting more out of Near-stream Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence 

(EDXRF) Slurry Analyzers 

T. Strombotne; Process Engineering Resources Inc., Salt Lake City, UT 

Recent advances in detector design, cooling and digital signal processing are 

available as off-the-shelf solutions. This technology provides the basis for a 

modular yet rugged and flexible EDXRF based Near-stream Slurry Analyzer 

that can be adapted to incorporate the newest technology as it comes to market. 

Because spectral data is accessed by USB from a Windows PC platform, 

analysis and open-standard data interfaces can be readily implemented and 

deployed. Traditional base-metal elemental analysis is the primary analytical 

result but other high quality data can be used to derive additional valuable information 

for both the plant operator and metallurgist. 

10:15 AM 

On-line Cross Belt Analysis Applications in the Minerals Industry 

I. Cottle and V. Lanz; Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 

Adelaide, SA, Australia 

Thermo Fisher Scientific is the World’s leading supplier of analysers for laboratories 

and process industries. The Prompt Gamma Neutron Activation 

Analysis (PGNAA) technique has the unique ability to provide on-line elemental 

analysis of bulk materials on a conveyor belt. The company released 

its 8th generation Cross Belt Omni analyser using PGNAA in 2007. Cross 

belt analysers have gained wide acceptance in related cement and coal applications 

and the benefits are beginning to be appreciated by the Minerals sector. 

Results from recent projects are presented. Potential applications with 

strong financial justifications are also presented. 

10:35 AM 

3D Interfacial Area Analysis of Multiphase Particle Breakage 

D. Garcia, C. Lin and J. Miller; Metallurgical Engineering Department, 


Direct observation of intergranular fracture during multiphase particle breakage 

is a difficult task to achieve. One method of analysis is based on the 

measurement of interfacial area before and after comminution. Conservation 

of interfacial area after crushing is indicative of transgranular random breakage. 

On the other hand, if interfacial area is diminished after breakage some 

degree of preferential breakage has occurred. For complete liberation of all 

grains after crushing the interfacial area goes to zero. Thus the interfacial area 

criterion is an important metric to assess the significance of preferential grain 

boundary fracture for different breakage conditions. This study describes the 

development of the procedures to quantify the extent of preferential breakage 

in 3D for different breakage conditions using cone beam X-ray microtomography 

(XMT). The detailed analysis for interfacial area measurements and the 

determination of the extent of grain boundary fracture of multiphase particles 

for different breakage conditions are discussed. 

Mineral & Metallurgical Processing: New Tools — 

Analytical or Devices or Those Emerging from 

Nanotechnology Part I 


Chairs: M. Free, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 

A. Nguyen, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 

9:35 AM 

Next Generation Slurry Particle Size Analyzers 

M. Kongas and K. Saloheimo; Outotec Oyj, Espoo, Finland 

New technology for on-line particle size analysis of mineral slurries has 

opened up new applications for particle size measurement. In some cases the 

particle size distribution of the final concentrate is an important quality issue. 

56 

10:55 AM 

Emerging Technologies for Particle Characterization 

M. Pohl; HORIBA Instruments, Irvine, CA 

The mining and metallurgy industries have long understood the importance 

of particle size distribution, morphology and surface charge on bulk properties 

and processability. Unfortunately, the rich history in particle technology 

hasn’t necessarily translated into quick adoption of the latest characterization 

techniques or methodology. This presentation introduces emerging technologies 

used for particle characterization and describes current best practices for 

method development. Technologies discussed include static and dynamic 

light scattering, automated image analysis, and acoustic spectroscopy. 

Applicable developments adopted in the nanotechnology and life sciences industries 

that could be transferred to the mining and metallurgy industries will 

also be reviewed.

11:15 AM 

Automated Quantification of Complex Minerals with the MLA 

K. Pietersen and R. Fandrich; JKTech Pty Ltd, Brisbane, QLD, Australia 

Automated mineralogical analysis systems based on scanning electron microscope 

(SEM) technology employ Energy Dispersive Systems (EDS) to perform 

mineral identification. To achieve reasonable analysis speeds and hence 

effective levels of automation, successful and reliable mineral identification 

needs to be achieved with x-ray spectra with limited counts. Rather than attempting 

to derive chemical composition information from such spectra to 

achieve mineral identification, the MLA employs advanced pattern matching 

techniques to correlate measured with stored mineral standard spectra. New 

spectral treatment techniques, known as advanced classification, are employed 

to achieve new levels of mineral identification accuracy and reliability. 

The challenges presented by Arsenic bearing pyrite in Gold ores is used to 

demonstrate the effectiveness of advanced classification. 

Chair: 


Water & Energy Conservation, New Reagents 


D. Nagaraj, Cytec Industries Inc, Stamford, CT 

9:35 AM 

Characterisation of particle tribo-charging and electron transfer with 

reference to electrostatic dry coal cleaning 

R. Dwari 1 , H. Kota 2 and S. Ponniseril 3 ; 1 Chemical Engineering and 

Geosciences, Lulea University of Technology, Lulea, Sweden; 2 Chemical 

Engineering and Geosciences, Lulea University of Technology, Lulea, 

Sweden and 3 Earth and Environmental Engineering, Henry Krumb School 

of Mines, Columbia University, New York, NY 

Tribo-charging of quartz, pyrite and coal particles contacted with various 

metals and polymer materials have been monitored and the charge acquisition 

is assessed through surface energy calculations from liquid contact angle 

data. The charge polarity and the amount of the charge acquired by quartz, 

pyrite and carbon particles with metal tribo-chargers were found to be in 

good agreement with the reported work functions of the contacting surfaces. 

The surface energy of quartz and pyrite showed that tribo-charging increases 

the surface energy. Both polar and non-polar components of surface energy 

increased with tribo-electrification. However, the polar component divided 

into acid and base components manifest decreasing acid part and increasing 

base part. Since quartz and pyrite charged negatively during tribo-charging 

with metal surfaces and therefore accepted electrons, the acid-base surface 

energy components determined are consistent with the charge transfer 

process. Thus a method for characterising the changes in surface energetic 

structure of solids during tribo-electrification between the contacting surfaces 

has been described for the first time. 

9:55 AM 

Improving Energy Efficiency in Copper Heap Leaching with the use 

of Binders 

K. Lewandowski and S. Kawatra; Department of Chemical Engineering, 

Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI 

Leach heaps are plagued with problems due to fine material migrating downwards, 

clogging the spaces between the coarser ore particles, resulting in decreased 

metal recovery rates. The use of a binder in agglomeration would 

allow the fine material to be immobilized, increasing the availability for the 

solution to come in contact with all the ore. As much as 1.64*10^12 BTU per 

year would be able to be saved if a 25% increase in copper recovery was experienced, 

assuming that 70% of heap leaching units converted to using agglomeration 

technology. This is equivalent to approximately 18% of the energy 

currently being used in leaching heaps. 

10:15 AM 

Flotation Performance-Influence of Pulp Rheology 

W. Perez; Cytec Industries Inc., Stamford, CT 

The importance of pulp rheology in flotation performance has long being realized; 

the effects of pulp % solids and pulp viscosity has been quantified in 

terms of their influence on froth retention time, water hold-up in the froth 

phase and concentrate grades. However, very few attempts have been made at 

correlating pulp rheology with flotation recovery. In addition, information describing 

the correlation between froth or bubble structure and rheology at best 

57 

is scant. A series of test were conducted in an attempt to correlate pulp rheology 

with flotation recoveries. In addition, the froth structure and bubble 

structural characteristic were associated with pulp rheology. The use of 

chemicals reagents to illustrate how the pulp rheology can be manipulated to 

enhance the flotation metallurgical parameters is illustrated. 

10:35 AM 

Tracking Multiphase Mineral Particles in Flotation 

S. Vianna 1 and P. Lamberg 2 ; 1 JKMRC, UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND, 

Brisbane, QLD, Australia and 2 Outotec Research Centre, PORI, Finland 

The relevance and value of liberation analysis for plant design and optimisation 

is undisputable. In flotation, the use of liberation information by the 

Mineral Industry has been largely restricted to the determination of the adequate 

degree of liberation of the valuable mineral for an optimum separation 

and assessment of deportment (or losses) of the mineral of interest in circuits. 

In addition, in most if not all-commercial data presentation packages available 

such as the ones provided by the Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Liberation 

Analyser (MLA) and Intellection (QEMSCAN), liberation data are presented 

in a simplified fashion. Multiphase mineral particles are treated as binaries 

(i.e. the valuable mineral plus all the other minerals lumped together). A more 

robust approach for diagnosing, modelling and simulation of circuits is to 

perform liberation analysis considering all mineral phases in particles. In this 

paper, the methodology for reconciling and tracking multiphase particles in 

circuits is discussed and its application is demonstrated in one case study 

using a high-grade from BHP-Billiton Cannington Mine in Australia. 

10:55 AM 

Water and Energy Balances in Mineral Processing Plants 

O. Bascur and A. Soudek; OSIsoft, Houston, TX 

New reagents improve the management of water separations and energy delivery. 

Energy and water are very scarce resources in many large metallurgical 

complexes in the world. Recent advances in information technologies provide 

tools to improve the management of these resources. However, industrial 

measurements are subject to both statistical errors, which can lead to poor estimation 

of recovery and grade performance calculations. Once the measurement 

gross errors have been eliminated, it is possible to estimate performance 

indicators such as water consumption by ton and kwh/ton. The generated information 

can be used to develop process alerts to avoid problems and simplify 

fault detection and elimination. Improved metallurgical mass balances 

are a must to define the most energy and water efficient circuits in mineral 

processing plant. The collaboration process in defining the mass balance 

using new Web Based portals enables a team effort to improve results and implementation 

at the enterprise level. 

11:15 AM 

Effect of surface mobility on water drainage in flotation froth 

S. Karakashev and A. Nguyen; The University of Queensland, Brisbane, 

QLD, Australia 

Water drainage and recovery in flotation froth determine both the grade and 

recovery of valuable minerals. The production and maintenance of a satisfactory 

froth phase at different stages of a flotation process has been an art rather 

than a science. In this paper the effect of interfacial properties of surfactants 

adsorbed at the air-water interface on water drainage in a froth column was 

investigated. The volumetric flow rate of water drainage as a function of 

frother concentration and liquid pressure in the Plateau borders was determined 

using a home-designed froth apparatus. The liquid volume fraction 

was determined using the froth conductivity measured concurrently with the 

drainage experiment. The surface shear viscosity of frother solutions was determined 

using a deep-channel surface viscometer. The experimental data 

were compared with the standard and extended drainage theories. The water 

drainage process was controlled by the interfacial rheology of flotation surfactants 

adsorbed at the gas-liquid interface. 

WADSWORTH LECTURE 

8:30 AM 


Lecturer: Randolph E. Scheffel


afternoon 

Bulk Material Handling by Conveyor Belt 7: Case 

Studies of Large Belt Conveyance Projects Part II 


Chair: E. Brady, Twentymile Coal Co., Oak Creek, CO 

9:05 AM 

CADMAN Overland Conveyor 

P. Sehl 1 , W. Sayer 2 and M. Mendez 1 ; 1 ThyssenKrupp Robins inc, Greenwood 

Village, CO and 2 Cadman, Inc, Redmond, WA 

The new Cadman Overland Conveyor transports pit run from an upper mining 

area in North Bend, WA, downhill to a lower pit. The conveyor belt has a rated 

capacity of 1,000 stph, is 1.2 miles long and an elevation drop of 900 ft. The 

design includes provisions for transporting material uphill. The regenerative 

energy produced by the loaded conveyor is used to offset the power consumptions 

of the crusher and feed systems. The project team was faced with the 

challenge of building a conveyor that follows a complex route and maintains a 

“low–profile” design, which is minimally obtrusive to the environment. 

9:35 AM 

Replacing the Long Distance Pipe Conveyor Belt at Western Arch Coal 

Skyline Mine 

M. Keller; ContiTech, Northeim, Germany 

Located approx. 3500 m above sea level the Arch Western Coal Skyline Mine 

Pipe Conveyor in Utah has a centre distance of 3414 m and an elevation drop 

of 172 m. It transports coal at approx. 1200 tph downhill from the pit to the 

mine’s train loading facilities. In 2006, after 13 years of service, the replacement 

of the initially installed belt had become inevitable. The turnkey project 

to the customer covered both the design and supply of the pipe conveyor belt 

as well as the procedures for the actual carry-out of the belt installation and 

commissioning. With its 22 horizontal and 45 vertical curves the conveyor system 

follows the natural geographical contour in order to minimize the conveyors 

impact to the environment. Therefore the biggest constraints for the project 

were to ensure the new pipe conveyor belt being accepted by the existing 

structure as well as minimizing the inevitable downtime during belt installation 

and commissioning and therefore to avoid a potential loss of production. 

10:05 AM 

Large-scale Stacking System at the Phelps Dodge Safford Mine 

M. Schmalzel 1 , A. Osterloh 2 and G. Graber 3 ; 1 Phelps Dodge, Safford, AZ; 

2 

Fluor Canada Ltd, Vancouver, BC, Canada and 3 Terra Nova Technologies, 

Santee, CA 

Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold, Inc., will begin copper production from 

the Dos Pobres and San Juan deposits near Safford, Arizona. Ore reserves 

total 615 M tons grading 0.36% copper, predominantly as chrysocolla. 

Copper extraction will be by leaching with sulfuric acid. Fluor Canada Ltd. 

provided EPCM services to design an ore handling and conventional SX/EW 

facility capable of producing a nominal 240 million pounds per year of cathode 

copper. The ore handling facility will process 114,000 tons per day of ore 

through three-stage, open-circuit crushing followed by agglomeration and 

product placement on the permanent leach pad. Stacking of ore on the leach 

pad will utilize Terra Nova Technologies’ “Super Portable” mobile stacking 

system, comprising a fleet of (13) self-propelled, crawler-mounted, 72”- 

wide, 6,800 ton/hour mobile conveyor units, including (10) 250-ft-long 

portable conveyors, a 300-ft-long horizontal conveyor and a 220-ft-long 

radial stacker. 

10:35 AM 

Thirty-Year Old Transfer Point Challenge 

R. McEwen; Drummond Equipment Co, Mississauga, ON, Canada 

Conveyor equipment beyond its prime chronically suffers from lack of understanding 

in today’s plant environment regularly delivers more material than 

original designers ever expected. A case in point is a belt conveyor in a major 

hard rock mine/milling operation asking to bring the unit up to current standards 

while eliminating spillage and reducing airborne dust. The challenge 

was to keep the system going by revamping the system while keeping the 

same footprint and allowing for higher production rate. Thirty years of daily 

maintenance and dust collection costs have virtually disappeared by the end 

of this challenging upgrade. 

Chair: 

Environmental: Water Management: 

The Environmental Challenges of Too Much or 

Too Little 

2:00 PM • Wednesday, February 27 

P. Gorman, URS Corporation, Tucson, AZ 

2:05 PM 

Post-Closure Flooding of the Homestake Mine at Lead, South Dakota 

A. Davis 1 , W. Roggenthen 2 , L. Stetler 3 , Z. Hladysz 4 and C. Johnson 5 ; 

1 

Geology and Geological Engineering, South Dakota School of Mines and 

Technology, Rapid City, SD; 2 Geology and Geological Engineering, South 

Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, SD; 3 Geology and 

Geological Engineering, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, 

Rapid City, SD; 4 Mining Engineering and Management, South Dakota 

School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, SD and 5 RESPEC, Inc., 

Rapid City, SD 

The historic Homestake gold mine at Lead, South Dakota, was closed in 

December of 2001, after 125 years of operation. Since closure, the mine has 

been selected by the National Science Foundation as the host site for the 

Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory. Pumps in the 8000- 

ft deep mine were shut off on June 10, 2003. Post-closure flooding of the 

mine has resulted in rising water levels that reached the 5000-ft level in July 

of 2007. The rate of water inflow into the mine is about 700 gal/min. A plot of 

water level vs. time shows that the rise has not followed an exponential decay 

curve. When the pumps are turned on for dewatering, the rate of water-level 

decline will be monitored. Water in the Homestake mine contains arsenic that 

results from arsenopyrite. In samples of pumped water, the mean concentration 

of arsenic was below the surface-water aquatic life standard for 

beneficial use. 

2:25 PM 

Determination of Surface Hydrologic Consequences for the Extension of 

a Western Semi-arid Surface Coal Mine 

S. Raugust 1 , B. Brock 1 , F. Lan 2 and C. Brown 3 ; 1 URS Corporation, 

Albuquerque, NM; 2 URS Corporation, Denver, CO and 3 BHP Navajo Coal 

Company, Fruitland, NM 

Office of Surface Mining mandated permit application for any proposed coal 

mine operation has two crucial components, i.e. baseline hydrologic information 

and probable hydrologic consequences (PHC). This paper presents the 

methodologies for the baseline surface hydrologic study and surface PHC 

evaluation for a mine extension project in a western semi-arid surface coal 

mine operated by BHP Navajo Coal Company. The new project will receive 

hauled back coal combustion byproducts (CCBs) for placement in new pits 

and a major arroyo will have to be diverted. Finally, the mine is to be reclaimed 

using a geomorphic reclamation approach. The study will begin with 

a baseline channel inventory of all surface water bodies, followed by determination 

of pre-mining/mining/post-mining hydrology and sedimentation using 

analytical tools. Based on the results obtained, the probable impacts of mining, 

CCB disposal, arroyo diversion and reclamation on surface water resources 

will be evaluated. Any changes in stream flow, sedimentology and 

water quality of the arroyos will be predicted. Finally, changes in erosion and 

sediment yields from disturbed and reclaimed areas will be assessed. 

2:45 PM 

Managing precipitation events on reclaimed mining lands in the arid 

Four Corners Region – facilitating infiltration while controlling runoff 

D. Place; San Juan Coal Company, BHP Billiton, Waterflow, NM 

San Juan Coal Company’s La Plata and San Juan surface mines are located in 

the arid Four Corners Region in New Mexico. Although only about 20 miles 

apart there is quite a difference in average annual precipitation with La Plata 

Mine receiving about 12 inches and San Juan Mine receiving about 7 inches. 

The majority of the precipitation falls as rain between July and October during 

intense thunderstorms. The remainder falls as snow or short duration 

showers. The reclaimed lands must be able to capitalize on these showers by 

facilitating infiltration while controlling the runoff created during the intense 

events. This presentation discusses ways in which those two different goals 

are met and shows how the reclaimed lands stood up to a recent 200 year 

storm event that produced over 2 inches of rain in less than 3 hours. 

58

Mineral & Metallurgical Processing: Mineralogy of 

New Ore Reserves as it Applies to Processing 


Chairs: A. Hagni, Intellection Corporation, Rolla, MO 

P. Miranda, Montana Tech, Butte, MT 

2:05 PM 

Refractory Copper Ore from Nchanga, Zambia: A Materials 

Characterization Study 

A. Hagni 2 , O. Sikazwe 1 and R. Hagni 3 ; 1 Geology, University of Zambia, 

Lusaka, Zambia; 2 Intellection Corporation, Rolla, MO and 3 Geological 

Sciences and Engineering, University of Missouri-Rolla, Rolla, MO 

The Nchanga Cu-Co ore deposit of the Zambian Copperbelt, is hosted in the 

Neoproterozoic siliciclastic-carbonate sedimentary rocks, and consists of two 

orebodies: the Lower Orebody (shale) and the Upper Orebody (arkose). 

Refractory Cu ores present in the Upper Orebody comprise 150 Mt with 

avaerage 0.87% Cu, and are characterized by inadequate recovery of copper 

by leaching. This materials characterization study, conducted on refractory 

ore samples from the Upper Orebody using optical, QEMSCAN, and microprobe, 

has shown that copper occurs mainly in biotite-phlogopite, malachite, 

pseudo-malachite and goethite. QEMSCAN has quantified the abaundance of 

phases and total Cu in each phase. 

2:25 PM 

Geology and Mineralogy of REE-bearing breccia pipes, Pea Ridge 

Mine, Missouri 

C. Seeger; Missouri Geologic Survey Program, Rolla, MO 

The Pea Ridge Mine contains four REE-bearing breccia pipes located near 

contacts between major lithologic zones. The pipes contain rhyolite, 

hematite, and silicified rock clasts in a groundmass of rock flour, feldspar, 

chlorite, barite, apatite, monazite, quartz, and calcite. REE-bearing minerals 

include monazite, xenotime, and rare bastnaesite and britholite. Thorium and 

uranium are present in the groundmass. Bulk samples have average REO concentrations 

of 12 weight percent; grab samples are as high as 37.8 weight percent. 

Cerium, lanthanum, and yttrium are present in recoverable quantities. 

Estimated reserves are 180,000 tonnes of 12% REO. 

2:45 PM 

Head Grade Effects on Gold Recovery 

M. Brittan; Gold Fields, Denver, CO 

The occlusion of unliberated gold particles in silicates and sulfides in 

crushed/milled ore dictates the recovery that can be expected. The grade of 

this occluded gold in cyanide leach residues shows a consistent, general 

relationship to the head grade of the ore, irrespective of mineralogy or 

geographical location. The residue grade almost invariably increases with the 

head grade, but not in proportion to it. This phenomenon appears to stem 

from the nature of the geological events originally responsible for creating 

the ore deposits. A statistically-based technique for determining the true head 

grade-tail grade relationship from gold plant operating data is described. The 

effect is illustrated with results from several worldwide gold milling 

operations analyzed over the last 35 years. 

3:05 PM 

The Sulphide Mineral Assemblages and Preliminary Metallurgical 

Characterization at the Pebble Porphyry Deposits, Alaska 

S. Freudigmann 1 , B. Fielder 2 , D. Barratt 3 and R. Schafer 1 ; 1 HunterDickinson 

Inc., Vancouver, BC, Canada; 2 Melis Engineering Ltd., Saskatoon, SK, 

Canada and 3 DJB Consultants Inc., Vancouver, BC, Canada 

Northern Dynasty Mines Inc. is preparing development plans for the Pebble 

Project in Alaska, about 200 miles (320 kms) southwest of Anchorage. The 

property hosts significant copper-gold-molybdenum porphyry deposits that 

have been delineated by substantial exploration drilling since the initial discovery 

of Pebble West in 1988. In 2005 exploration drilling revealed the presence 

of a large, higher-grade Cu-Au-Mo deposit, ultimately designated 

Pebble East, at the east end of the then-known resource beneath younger volcanic 

cover rocks. The lithology, mineralogy and alteration of the deposits are 

being correlated to the metallurgical trends observed. Both deposits have 

been the subject of extensive metallurgical testwork, which has developed 

preliminary process flow sheets. Factors such as grind size versus recovery, 

flotation reagents, flotation pH and gold recovery techniques have been 

assessed and optimisation and variability work continues. A significant comminution 

testwork program has been conducted in parallel with flotation. An 

innovative approach is being used to incorporate these data into the 

feasibility plan. 

3:25 PM 

MLA: Current Projects and New Ore Reserve Mineralogy at the Center 

for Advanced Mineral and Metallurgical Processing 

P. Miranda and C. Anderson; Montana Tech/CAMP, Butte, MT 

The Center for Advanced Mineral and Metallurgical Processing (CAMP) has 

obtained a Mineral Liberation Analyzer (MLA) and successfully evaluated 

over 30 projects using this new technology. CAMP has utilized the technology 

for several projects with some surprising results. The MLA is able to 

both analyze and quantify minerals and phases. For this presentation, current 

CAMP projects have been evaluated and data collected using the MLA. 

These projects include Platinum Group Metal (PGMs) refinery evaluation 

from a mine located in Montana. Secondly, a copper molybdenum mine 

process evaluation with surprising results was evaluated. Next, a potential 

gold and PGM tailings pile was considered using the technology. A uranium 

deposit was evaluated and finally, a Canadian copper mine with native copper 

and gold was reviewed for potential improvements. For all projects, MLA 

application results will be presented and discussed. 

3:45 PM 

Peñasquito, Mexico - Exploration of a Giant Diatreme-hosted Au-Ag- 

Zn-Pb Deposit 

G. Brown; Exploration, Goldcorp, Inc., Zacatecas, Mexico 

Peñasquito is a world-class Au-Ag-Zn-Pb deposit centered on two diatremes 

cutting Cretaceous clastic units above an Eocene-Oligocene intrusive complex. 

Its discovery under post-mineral Quaternary alluvium in the 

Concepcion del Oro District of northern Zacatecas state is a testimonial to 

perseverance during more than a decade of exploration. Disseminated and 

lesser fracture-controlled sphalerite, galena, various silver sulfosalts, and 

electrum are hosted by milled-clast breccias within the diatremes and by clastic 

units in the surrounding mineralized halo. Proven and probable open pit 

reserves of 917.5 million metric tonnes (Mt) of ore containing 13.0 Moz Au, 

864 Moz Ag, 5.81 Mt Zn, and 2.67 Mt Pb continue to increase with additional 

exploration and drilling. Alteration and mineral zoning suggest these reserves 

represent distal mineralization related to an underlying porphyry system. 

4:05 PM 

MLA: Current Projects at the Center for Advanced Mineral and 

Metallurgical Processing 

P. Miranda and C. Anderson; Montana Tech, Butte, MT 

The Center for Advanced Mineral and Metallurgical Processing (CAMP) has 

recently obtained a Mineral Liberation Analyzer (MLA) and has currently 

evaluated over 15 projects using this new technology. CAMP has utilized the 

technology for several projects with excellent results. The MLA is able to 

both analyze and quantify minerals and phases. For this presentation, current 

CAMP projects have been evaluated and data collected using the MLA. 

These projects include Platinum Group Metal (PGMs) refiner evaluation 

from a mine located in Montana. Secondly, a copper molybdenum mine 

process evaluation with surprising results was evaluated. Next, a potential 

gold and PGM tailings pile was considered using the technology. Finally, a 

Canadian copper mine with native copper and gold was reviewed for potential 

improvements. For all projects, MLA application results will be presented 

and discussed. 

Mineral and Metallurgical Processing: New Reagents 

and Technology 


Chair: D. Nagaraj, Cytec Industries Inc, Stamford, CT 

2:05 PM 

An overview of fine particles (slimes) in flotation 

A. Gorken; Mining, Cytec Industries Inc., Stamford, CT 

Effects of very fine particles (slimes) occurring mostly in the form of clay 

minerals has been so strong that it was recognized even in the early stages of 

flotation development. Numerous researchers have studied this phenomenon 

in great details from mineralogical, chemical and equipment points of views. 

59

These studies over the years resulted in some significantly improved process 

alternatives, more effective slime dispersants and better desliming equipments. 

However, the overall slime effect still remains to be one of the most 

important aspects of the overall flotation separation of minerals. In this article, 

a review of the overall slime problem in flotation has been made based on 

past accomplishments and present new developments. The overall slime 

problem has been critically examined based on mineralogical characterizations, 

processing alternatives, available and potential desliming chemicals 

and equipments. Potential areas for further improvements are identified. 

2:25 PM 

Improving Au recovery from Cu and Cu-Au ores 

D. Nagaraj; Minerals Processing Chemicals, Cytec Industries, Stamford, CT 

Over the past decade or so, our efforts have focused on developing the rationale 

and concepts for new approaches and technology in reagent development 

and optimization in the processing of base and precious metals. Two major 

outcomes of these efforts have been new reagents for precious metals recovery 

in flotation and Flotation Matrix 100 (FM100) which is comprehensive 

program to facilitate the implementation of a holistic approach to reagent development, 

selection and optimization in flotation. The new reagents for improving 

precious metals recovery include collectors and modifiers. An 

overview will be given using examples to highlight the application of the new 

reagents and technology in the processing of Cu-Au and Primary Au ores. 

2:45 PM 

Clay Binders for Enhanced Mineral Beneficiation Using Froth Flotation 

D. Tao 1 , X. Zhou 1 , W. Wang 1 , C. Zhao 1 , M. Aron 2 and J. Wright 2 ; 

1 

Department of Mining Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, 

KY and 2 Georgia-Pacific Resins, Inc., Decatur, GA 

The presence of ultra-fine clay particles is known to have adverse effects on 

froth flotation performance. This has been attributed largely to slime coatings 

that inhibit bubble attachment and to adsorption of the frother and/or collector 

by the clay particles. Therefore, selective agglomeration of clay particles 

by use of clay binders can be expected to improve the froth flotation performance. 

In this study, froth flotation tests were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness 

of clay binding agents in enhancing mineral flotation performance 

with phosphate, potash, and iron ores. Process parameters investigated included 

slurry solids percentage, impeller rotation speed, binder dosage, collector 

dosage, etc. Flotation results show that use of clay binders significantly 

enhanced flotation efficiency under various conditions. More significant improvements 

in the process efficiency were observed at higher solids percentage 

and higher impeller rotation speed. 

3:05 PM 

Chemical enhancement in the magnetic separation of mineral 

beneficiation 

S. Ravishankar and A. Gorken; Cytec Industries Inc., Stamford, CT 

The value creation with kaolin in paper and paint applications depends on 

higher brightness, achieved by removing the colored impurities. A chemical 

enhancement technology for magnetic separation has been developed for removing 

colored impurities from kaolin. Besides, offering the best attributes 

of flotation and selective flocculation, the technology consumes less chemicals 

and uses available magnetic separator. The paper will outline the technology 

and illustrate flexibility on a wide variety of crude, process needs and 

plant limitations. The major advantages of chemical enhancement technology 

to magnetic separation include: simple extension to existing magnetic separation 

technology to produce higher brightness products, ability to produce 

comparable product in quality with cost effectiveness compared to flotation 

and selective flocculation, removal of impurity minerals over wide size range, 

removing non-magnetic impurities, providing robust process with high 

process yield and operator-friendly nature. Furthermore, the chemical enhancement 

technology for magnetic separation can be extended to other mineral 

systems containing valuables or impurities at low levels. 

3:25 PM 

A Multivariate Study of the Influence of Flotation Reagent Interactions 

on the Froth Phase 

A. Rojo 1 , D. Nagaraj 2 and S. Vianna 1 ; 1 JKMRC, Indooroopilly, QLD, 

Australia and 2 Cytec Industries, Stamford, CT 

Froth phase characteristics are influenced by all of the flotation reagents 

(Collectors, Frothers, and Modifiers) interacting simultaneously with the 

physical factors and the various mineral species in the froth phase. Much research 

has been conducted on two-phase froths (in the absence of solids), but 

such research has no direct relevance to the three-phase froths in flotation 

plants. Although collector-frother interactions have been reported in the literature, 

there is little published on collector-frother-modifier interactions, especially 

in the three phase systems involving complex mineralogy. A holistic 

approach is necessary to study and understand these complex interactions. In 

this paper we discuss the results such as study using batch flotation tests on a 

Cu-Mo ore. 

Mineral and Metallurgical Processing: New Tools: 

Analytical or Devices or Those Emerging from 

Nanotechnology Part II 


Chair: M. Free, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 

2:05 PM 

Nanobubble effect on nanoscale interaction between hydrophobic 

surfaces 

M. Hampton, B. Donose and A. Nguyen; Division of Chemical Engineering, 

The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia 

Although advances in surface science have been tremendous, nanometer 

scale interactions between hydrophobic surfaces in aqueous solutions 

encountered in many industrial processes remains one of the greatest challenges, 

from both experimental and theoretical perspectives. In this paper, 

friction forces between hydrophobized silica surfaces were measured by 

atomic force microscopy (AFM). The surfaces were tested to quantify the 

strength of the van der Waals, electrical double layer and non-DLVO forces. 

The normal and lateral interaction forces between a silica bead and an atomically 

smooth silica substrate hydrophobized by esterification with octanol 

were concurrently measured. Nanobubbles of dissolved gases preferentially 

accumulated at the surfaces were observed using the AFM tapping mode 

imaging technique. The surface pre-treatment, specifically the rinsing order 

with water and ethanol was found to have a significant impact on the dependence 

of friction force on normal load. The friction dependence on the scan 

rate was also studied to examine the transient behavior of the nanobubble 

layer. A mechanism was proposed to explain the observed phenomena. 

2:25 PM 

A Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study of Water Structure and 

Adsorption States at Talc Surfaces 

H. Du and J. Miller; Metallurgical Engineering Department, College of 

Mines and Earth Sciences University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 

A preliminary molecular dynamics simulation (MDS) study regarding interfacial 

phenomena at talc surfaces is reported. Water organization at face and 

edge surfaces reveals characteristic features which distinguish the naturally 

hydrophobic surface state from the hydrophilic state. Further, simulation results 

show that the hydrophobic chains of the cationic surfactant, dodecyl 

trimethyl ammonium bromide (DTAB), preferentially adsorb at the talc basal 

plane surface through hydrophobic interactions. On the other hand, the 

DTAB cationic surfactant adsorbs at the talc edge surface through electrostatic 

interactions. Finally, when a model dextrin molecule is considered, it 

was found that the hydrophobic interactions play a significant role in dextrin 

adsorption at the talc face surface. Whereas, at the talc edge surface the 

dextrin molecule is not able to displace interfacial water molecules. 

2:45 PM 

Particle Characterization of Phosphate Flotation Feed and Products 

L. Hupka, C. Lin, M. Al-Wakeel, J. Nalaskowski and J. Miller; Metallurgical 

Engineering Department, College of Mines and Earth Sciences University of 

Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 

Phosphate flotation recovery and product grade vary considerably with respect 

to the feed quality. As in any flotation process the efficiency of separation 

may be determined by many different feed characteristics all of which 

may influence product grade and recovery. Phosphate flotation is no exception. 

These feed characteristics include liberation, slimes content, and surface 

chemistry features, to mention a few important factors. The significance of 

these factors on recovery are discussed for variations in phosphate flotation 

feed material. 

60

3:05 PM 

New innovations in on-stream analysis for flotation circuit management 

and control 

M. Kongas and K. Saloheimo; Outotec Oyj, Espoo, Finland 

Over the years on-stream XRF analyzers have become more sophisticated. 

They have been integrated with controlled sampling systems, operator does 

not need to manually change windows, WD and ED channels can be used in 

the same analyzer for best analytical performance. Operator interface is much 

more user friendly. 

3:25 PM 

Direct measurement of particle-bubble interaction forces using atomic 

force microscopy 

S. Assemi 1 , A. Nguyen 2 and J. Miller 1 ; 1 Department of Metallurgical 

Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT and 2 Division of 

Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 

Australia 

Important industrial processes such as froth flotation and wastewater treatment 

rely on complicated particle bubble interactions. In this work interaction 

forces between a hydrophilic silica particle and an air bubble were measured 

by atomic force microscopy (AFM) for simplified model systems using 

deionized water and dilute electrolyte solutions. In each measurement, a captive 

bubble with a diameter of ~700 microns was formed on a graphite surface 

and slowly brought into contact with a fine silica sphere glued to an 

AFM cantilever. Contribution of hydrodynamic force was minimized by 

using a low piezo speed. Particle-bubble separation distance and bubble 

spring constant were calculated from linear regression of the piezo extension 

versus cantilever deflection. The measured forces were compared with the 

Hogg-Healy-Fuerstenau approximation for colloid forces, using the surface 

element integration method. Dependence of the particle-bubble interaction 

forces on the maximum applied force, particle size, and position of the particle 

relative to the bubble were investigated. The measured forces were influenced 

by the local deformation of the bubble surface. 

Mining & Exploration: Excavators & Heavy Equipment 


Chair: M. Cigla, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 

2:05 PM 

Field Studies and Laboratory Cutting Tests for Performance Prediction 

of Chain Saw Machines 

H. Copur, C. Balci, N. Bilgin, D. Tumac and I. Duzyol; Mining Engineering, 

Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey 

Preliminary results of a project supported by TUBITAK (The Scientific and 

Technological Research Council of Turkey) are presented in this paper. 

Parameters affecting net cutting rate and tool wear rate of chain saw machines 

used for extraction of natural stones are summarized. Field measurements 

on net cutting and tool wear rates of chain saws are also summarized. 

Block natural stone samples are obtained from quarries in Turkey to perform 

a set of full-scale laboratory linear rock cutting tests using chain saw cutting 

tools to determine cutting characteristics of chain saw machines and sample 

cuttability, in addition to some physical and mechanical property tests. 

Full-scale laboratory linear rock cutting tests result in tool forces and specific 

energy to cut a unit volume of rock. Full-scale cutting tests can be used to 

define optimum cutting configuration for a certain stone type by reducing 

torque and thrust requirement of the machine, thus increasing machine 

performance. 

2:25 PM 

Development and Evaluation of an Automated Waterjet Scaling System 

M. Kuchta and G. Ross; Mining Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, 

Golden, CO 

Water-jet scaling is an emerging technique used for removing loose rock from 

mine openings. Automation has the potential to improve the effectiveness of 

the operation. An automation system was added to an existing rig and used to 

sweep the water-jet across the surface to be scaled. The major components of 

the system developed include position sensors, electronic (solenoid) valves 

on each hydraulic actuator, adjustable valve throttles, an amplifier board, a 

DAC/ADC board (a Labjack U12) to drive each amplifier channel and read 

voltage from position sensors, a personal computer, and automation software. 

System details and field trial results are discussed. 

2:45 PM 

Application of the Topsis Method to Solve Hydraulic Excavator 

Selection Problem in Mining 

M. Yavuz; Mining Engineering Department, Eskisehir Osmangazi 

University, Eskisehir, Turkey 

Decision-Making (DM) is the first and one of the most important stages in the 

design or project procedure of mining engineering operations like other engineering 

professions. Every mining engineer might make precise decisions in 

all mining operations. There are a number of techniques available for solving 

different type of decision problems in the literature. In this paper, the 

Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), 

which is the one of the Multiple Attribute Decision Making (MADM) techniques. 

As the decision in the equipment selection has radically influenced 

the economic life of any mining scenario, they are considered as complex 

MADM problem. After introducing the Multiple Criteria Decision Making 

(MCDM)methods, the TOPSIS method and its algorithm were explained in 

this paper shortly. The TOPSIS has not been extensively used to model decisions 

pertaining to the mining applications although most often it has been 

used for DM on corporate level. The TOPSIS method was used for a 

Hydraulic Excavator selection by considering the data obtained from magnesite 

industry in Turkey. 

3:05 PM 

Virtual Dump Truck Simulation for Efficient Haul Road Engagement 

S. Frimpong 1 and Y. Li 2 ; 1 Mining Engineering, University of Missouri-Rolla, 

Rolla, MO and 2 Mining Engineering, University of MIssouri-Rolla, 

Rolla, MO 

Samuel Frimpong and Ying Li Abstract The interaction of dump truck and 

haul road has been simulated with the dynamic model established in this 

work by combining the multi-body and soil dynamics with the Automatic 

Dynamic Analysis Mechanical Systems (ADAMS) software. Mathematic 

models governing the interaction of the dump truck with the haul road have 

been modeled based on the theory of multi-body and soil dynamics. These 

models consist of the tire-haul road contact model for generating the contact 

force between road and tire, finite element (FE) tire model for calculating the 

stress distribution, and load-deformation road model for capturing the dynamic 

behavior of haul road. A virtual prototype consisted of dump truck 775 

E and oil sand haul road has been created in the ADAMS environment. The 

tire stress in response to the haul road deformation is simulated. The results 

indicate that the deformation value fluctuate between 0007-0.043m. The result 

also shows that high stress field applied to each tire is around contact 

point between tire and road. KEYWORDS: Dump Truck, Haul Road, 

Interaction, Dynamic Modeling, Virtual Prototype, Simulation. 

Mining & Exploration: Hot Topics 


Chair: H. Miller, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 

The Hot Topics Session was created by the Mining & Exploration Division to 

focus on specific areas of interest to the SME membership. To keep the session 

topical, the subject matter is chosen by an M&E Committee several 

months before the annual meeting. As such, the topic and speakers will be announced 

and publicized immediately before the meeting. 

61

SME Foundation Dinner/Dance 


Time: 7:00 PM 


Tickets: $90 

Join us with dinner and dancing to a live band. Black tie optional. 

SME Foundation Booth and Silent Auction 

Date: During Exhibit Hours 

Place: Exhibit Hall, Salt Palace Convention Center 

Registrants can drop by to visit with the SME Foundation Trustees, about the 

SME Foundation mission, current activities and future goals. The Foundation 

Trustees also welcome feedback from supporters. 

The booth will also feature a Silent Auction. Different items will be offered 

each day, so be sure to visit every day and bid often! Proceeds will be used to 

support current commitments, such as funding SME’s GEM and Professional 

Engineers Exam Programs. 

The SME Foundation is soliciting items for the auction. Last year we received some very unique and 

valuable items, as well as cash donations to purchase some highly desirable items for auction. 

If you wish to make a tax-deductible donation (item or cash) please contact George Luxbacher 

(george_luxbacher@oxy.com) or Mary O’Shea (oshea@smenet.org) to make the appropriate 

arrangements. Some popular items in the past have been historical mining memorabilia, maps, and 

books; high quality mineral or fossil specimens; quality jewelry or gem specimens, and/or pieces of art 

(statues/prints/photographs). 

Any exceptionally unique, valuable, or highly desirable items will be placed on the SME website 

(www.smenet.org) for early bidding. 

62

2008 SME Exhibit 

at the Salt Palace Convention Center 

Exhibit Opens 


Photo courtesy of Salt Lake City Convention & Visitors Bureau 

EXHIBIT HALL HOURS & FUNCTIONS 

Located in the Lounges and Restaurant in the hall. 

Sunday, Feb. 24 

Exhibit Hall Opening Reception 

Monday, Feb. 25 

Exhibit Hall Luncheon 

Tuesday, Feb. 26 


Wednesday, Feb. 27 


5:00pm – 7:00pm 

5:00pm – 7:00pm 

11:00am – 5:30pm 

11:30am – 1:30pm 

11:00am – 5:30pm 

3:30pm – 5:30pm 

8:00am – Noon 

8:00am – 9:30am 

89% 

Reserved! 

A variety of social functions are planned for the exhibit hall to maximize 

traffic and encourage interaction. Exhibit hall activities are planned around 

technical sessions. Exhibitors are encouraged to take advantage of 

sponsorship opportunities for these functions. 

To Reserve Booth Space call: SME Exhibit Sales and Operations 303-948-4213 

E-mail: gury@smenet.org Website: www.smenet.org 

Advertising and Sponsorship 

New this year… JANUARY AND FEBRUARY ISSUES OF THE 2008 SHOWGUIDE: 

Stand out from the other exhibiting firms! Place your company advertisement in the official ShowGuide that lists sponsors and exhibitor contact 

information, products and services to be displayed. Opportunities are limited. Contact SME’s Media Manager at (303) 948-4243 or email at 

mcginnis@smenet.org for further information. 

ADVERTISING IN THE 2008 POCKET PROGRAM: 

Place your company’s name in the hands of every attendee. Insert your ad (only cover positions are available) in the on-site pocket program. 

Contact SME’s Media Manager at (303) 948-4243 or email at mcginnis@smenet.org for further information. 

New this year… 2008 SPONSORSHIP BANNERS: 

Banners in the Salt Palace Common Areas: Exhibitors who sponsor functions in the exhibit hall will have one to two banners depending on 

sponsorship level. They will be hung from the overhang railing going to the technical sessions and exhibit hall for all attendees to see. The banner 

will highlight your company name, logo, booth number and event sponsored in the exhibit hall. For more information contact bonic@smenet.org 

or call Heather Bonic at (303) 948-4216. 

63

10/07 Shading indicates SOLD Booths 

list of exhibitors and booth numbers 

AATA International, Inc. 1204 

ABB 929 

Abel Pumps, L.P. 518 

Abresist Corp. 1201 

ACZ Laboratories Inc. 726 

Advanced Sonic Processing Systems 1825 

Advanced Terra Testing, Inc. 1423 

Aero-Metric, Inc. 1626 

Agapito Assoc., Inc. 1631 

Agru America, Inc. 1526 

Aker Kvaerner 926 

Alberta Research Council 1043 

Alderox ASA-12 (RCAI) 1801 

AMEC 604 

American Biltrite (Canada) Ltd. 1302 

American Institute of Professional 1618 

Geologists 

ARCADIS Inc. 331 

Arizona Instrument LLC 527 

ArrMaz Custom Chemicals 1529 

ASGCO Manufacturing, Inc. 501 

Atkinson Construction Co. 526 

Atlas Copco CMT USA, Inc. 1101 

Baldor-Dodge-Reliance 1724 

Baroid Industrial Drilling Products 413 

Barr Engineering Co. 1435 

BASF Construction Chemicals LLC 1341 

Beltek, Inc. 500 

BICO Inc. 1012 

Boart Longyear Drilling Services 1227 

Breaker Technology, Inc., BTI 1240 

Brookville Equipment Corp. 335 

Bruker AXS Inc. 718 

Calder & Workman, Inc. 1323 

Canadian Institute of Mining, 1136 

Metallurgy & Petroleum (CIM) 

Carlson Software 1500 

Camoplast Track Vehicles 1216 

CAST Transportation 509 

Casualty & Surety, Inc. 1922 

Cattron Group International 1718 

Cellular Concrete, LLC 1747 

CEntry Constructors & Engineers, Inc. 1700 

Century Systems Technologies Inc. 1417 

64 

CETCO Lining Technologies 1534 

CH2M HILL, Inc. 1436 

Chevron Phillips Chemical Co. 1109 

CiDRA Corp. 1411 

Cognis Corp. 1809 

Collins Engineers, Inc. 430 

Colorado Mining Association 512 

COMANCO Environmental 1528 

Connors Drilling LLC 626 

Consol Energy Inc. 541 

Continental Conveyor & 820 

Equipment Co. 

Contitech Conveyor Belt Group 1427 

Conveyor Engineering, Inc. 1522 

Cornell Pump Co. 1300 

Crystals Unlimited 1610 

CTLGroup 1622 

Cubex Ltd. 1041 

Cytec Industries Inc. 608 

Datamine North America, Inc. 1813 

Delkor Inc. 1222 

Derrick Corp. 900

DownerEDI Mining – Mineral 1527 

Technologies 

Drummond Co., Inc. 435 

Dynatec Mining Corp. 1628 

Dyno Nobel Inc. 1102 

Dywidag Systems Intl., DSI 907 

Ground Support 

Emerson 339 

Enduride Canada USA Inc. 1040 

Energy Fuels - LSX Joint Venture 801 

Energy Laboratories, Inc. 1200 

Envirocon, Inc. 1231 

Environmental Products & 735 

Applications 

Eriez-CPT 611 

ERM 602 

EXPO Multi Services Inc. 1046 

Fairmont Supply Co. 410 

F & R Manufacturing, Inc. 329 

Flexco 522 

FLSmidth Dorr-Oliver Eimco 811 

FLSmidth Krebs 917 

FLSmidth Minerals 817 

FMC Technologies 1022 

Formsprag LLC 1601 

Gemcom Software International, Inc. 1234 

General Kinematics 1510 

Geotech Computer Systems, Inc. 1401 

GIW Industries, Inc. 302 

Glenn Corp. 829 

Godwin Pumps 1309 

Golder Associates 816 

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. 605 

Grindex Pumps 1547 

GSE Lining Technology Inc. 1605 

Gundlach Equipment Corp. 1623 

Gustavson Associates 1305 

Hagglunds Drives Inc. 940 

Harrison R. Cooper Systems, Inc. 1520 

Heintzmann Corp. 1328 

Hilfiker Retaining Walls 428 

The Hilliard Corp. 1706 

Hilti, Inc. 1420 

65 

Hitachi Construction & 1331 

Mining Products 

HLS HARD-LINE Solutions Inc. 947 

Holland Loader Co. 1523 

Hose Solutions Inc. 404 

Huesker, Inc. 1416 

Humboldt Wedag Inc. 1511 

hydroGeophysics, Inc. 330 

IKON Mining & Exploration 523 

IMP Group Pty Ltd 1117 

Independent Mining Consultants, Inc. 923 

Industrial Process Machinery 721 

Industrial Rubber Products 508 

Industrial Scientific Corp. 530 

InfoMine 617 

Innoveq International 1335 

Innov-X Systems 1205 

Intellection Corp. LLC 1017 

IP Access International 1731 

JBR Environmental Consultants, Inc. 417 

Jennmar Corp. 1430 

JKTech/Contract Support Services 806

Johnson Industries Ltd. 935 

Johnson Screens 310 

Joseph Oat Corp. 1913 

KD Engineering & Metcon Research 1434 

Kennametal Inc. 836 

Kepner Tregoe 1404 

Kinder Morgan Engineering & 409 

Conveying 

Kleinfelder, Inc. 1730 

Knight Piesold and Co. 707 

Koppern Equipment, Inc. 734 

Larox Flowsys, Inc. 805 

Leica Geosystems 702 

Liebherr Mining Equipment Co. 1021 

LIGHTNIN-SPX Process Equipment 720 

Operation 

Luff Industries Ltd. 1137 

Lyntek Inc. 800 

Mackay School of Earth Sciences 1327 

and Engineering 

Manyan Inc. 1316 

Maptek/KRJA Systems, Inc. 1611 

Marland Clutch 1603 

Martin Engineering 1426 

Maxam North America 1805 

McIntosh Engineering 1716 

McLanahan Corp. 1506 

McLellan Industries, Inc. 1530 

ME Elecmetal 729 

Measurement Devices Limited 1121 

Met-Chem Canada Inc. 1122 

Metso Minerals Industries, Inc. 901 

Micromine North America 1035 

Midwest Industrial Supply 810 

Mill Man Steel, Inc. 612 

Mincom Inc. 401 

Mine Cable Services Corp. 1034 

Mine Site Technologies USA Inc. 1037 

Minemax 1729 

The Mineral Lab, Inc. 628 

Miners News/Mining Directories 408 

Minesteel Fabricators Ltd. 1143 

Mining Communications Ltd. 1116 

Mining Engineering 1705 

Mining Media Inc 934 

The Mining Record 1001 

Mining Technologies 941 

International Inc. (MTI) 

Mintec Inc. 904 

MMD Mineral Sizing (America) Inc. 1617 

Mobilelight 1220 

Montana Tech - School of Mines & 431 

Engineering 

Morton Salt 543 

MWH 1723 

National Institute for Occupational 1535 

Safety & Health 

National Mining Association 1304 

Naylor Pipe Co. 1100 

Netafim USA 911 

Neuralog, Inc. 1725 

New Mexico Institute of Mining & 728 

Technology 

Newmont Mining Corp. 535 

Noramco Engineering Corp. 723 

Norcast Casting Co. Ltd. 1134 

Nordic Mine Technologies 1141 

Northwest Mining Association 1326 

Norwest Corporation 1319 

Ore-Max Division of Wade Rain Inc. 1005 

OSIsoft 1208 

Outotec Technology Inc. 709 

Peruvian Institute of Mining 1221 

Engineers 

Pincock, Allen & Holt 717 

Pipeline Systems Inc. 1407 

Pocock Industrial, Inc. 1111 

Polycorp Ltd. 1036 

Polydeck Screen Corp. 1831 

PolyPipe, Inc. 1334 

Pomp Action Inc. 1135 

Precision Pulley & Idler 930 

Process Engineering 827 

Resources, Inc. (PERI) 

QSP Packers, LLC 1431 

Quinn Process Equipment Co. 1113 

R.E. Monks Construction C. LLC 600 

Rain for Rent 517 

Raw Materials Group 1722 

REI Drilling Inc. 1418 

The Reinforced Earth Co. 1504 

Rexnord Industries, LLC 303 

Richwood 1301 

Rio Tinto 536 

Roberts & Schaefer Co. 1308 

Rocklabs 1322 

Rocky Mountain Bio Products 422 

Rocky Mountain Fabrication 716 

RSG Inc. 1823 

Ruen Drilling, Inc. 1321 

Runge 719 

Schauenburg Flexadux Corp. 1237 

Scotia International of Nevada 841 

SGS North America 1235 

SIUC - Dragline Productivity Ctr. 619 

SME Auction – 1808 

Environmental Division 

SME Auction – 1709 

Mineral & Metallurgical Proc. Div. 

SME Foundation 1711 

SMI Evaporative Solutions 834 

Society for Mining, Metallurgy & 1701 

Exploration (SME) 

South Dakota School of Mines and 634 

Technology 

Southwest Research Institute 1829 

66 

Spendrup Fan Co. 1312 

Split Engineering 803 

Sprung Instant Structures, Inc. 1822 

SRK Consulting Inc. 1607 

Stephens-Adamson Conveyor 635 

Components (METSO) 

Stewart Brothers Drilling Co. 516 

Strata Products (USA) Inc. 1927 

Sunrise Engineering 1336 

Surround Technologies 427 

SWCA Environmental Consultants 1621 

Techbase International 818 

Technip USA, Inc. 326 

TEFSA-USA 505 

Terex Mining 1935 

Terra Remote Sensing Inc. 1042 

TerraSource Software 1917 

Tetra Tech 1212 

The Frog, Switch and 1930 

Manufacturing Co. 

Thermo Scientific 1008 

Thermo Scientific - NITON Analyzers 1006 

3D-P 1517 

Thunderbird Mining Systems 700 

ThyssenKrupp Robins, Inc. 1223 

TIC - The Industrial Co. 601 

Tracks and Wheels Equipment 1217 

Broker Inc. 

Tsurumi Pump 701 

U.S. Dept. of Interior; Office of 623 

Surface Mining 

U.S. Geological Survey, 842 

Mineral Program 

United Central Industrial Supply 1213 

United States Gypsum Co. 542 

University of Arizona Mining and 631 

Geological Eng. 

University of Kentucky 531 

Mining Engineering 

University of Missouri-Rolla 1616 

University of Utah, 630 

Mining Engineering Dept. 

URS Corp. 704 

Valley Forge & Bolt Mfg. Co. 835 

Vector Engineering, Inc. 1317 

Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies 513 

Vermeer Mfg. Co. 416 

Victaulic/Aquamine 913 

Virginia Tech Dept of 1329 

Mining & Minerals Engineering 

Voith Turbo Inc. 627 

W.S. Tyler Canada Ltd. 1140 

Washington Group International, Inc. 730 

Washington Group Intnl., Inc. 534 

Webco Industries Inc. 1241 

West Virginia University, 1516 

Dept. of Mining Engineering 

WesTech Engineering, Inc. 1009 

Westpro Machinery Inc. 1209 

Wildlife Control Technology, Inc. 1203 

Wiley Consulting, Inc. 1105 

Willowstick Technologies, LLC 1340 

Wirtgen America Inc. 1630 

Wooster Hydrostatics 1828 

The Wright Group Inc. 1907

About Salt Lake City Hotels 

• For all hotels check-in time is 3PM and check-out time is Noon. 

• Call hotel for recommended airport-shuttle information. 

• All hotels have handicap facilities, request special needs when 

making reservations. 

• All hotels are AAA Diamond Rating. 

1 

RADISSON 

ADD’L FREE 

ROOM RATES PERSON AIRPORT FITNESS 

HOTELS ADD 11.2% TAX CHARGE SHUTTLE ROOM SERVICE FACILITY 

HOTEL 

215 West South Temple () 


801-531-7500 Fax: 801-328-1289 

$115 Single 

$115 Double 

$125 Triple 

$125 Quad 

$10 

per night 

No 

6 AM – 11 PM 

Yes 

Indoor Pool 

2 

SALT LAKE PLAZA HOTEL 

122 West South Temple () 


801-521-0130 Fax: 801-322-5057 

$129 Single 

$129 Double 

$139 Triple 

$139 Quad 

$10 

per night 

Yes 

6 AM – 10 PM 

Yes 

Outdoor Pool 

3 

MARRIOTT DOWNTOWN 

75 South West Temple () 


801-531-0800 Fax: 801-523-4127 

$152 Single 

$152 Double 

$162 Triple 

$162 Quad 

$20 

per night 

No 

6:30 AM – 11 PM 

Yes 

Indoor Pool 

4 

SHILO INN HOTEL 



801-521-9500 Fax: 801-359-6527 

$109 Single 

$109 Double 

$119 Triple 

$119 Quad 

$10 

per night 

Yes 

NOON – 12 PM 

Yes 

Indoor Pool 

5 

HOTEL MONACO 

15 West 200 South () 


801-595-0000 Fax: 801-532-8500 

$142 Single 

$142 Double 

$152 Triple 

$152 Quad 

$10 

per night 

No 

24 Hours 

Yes 

No Pool 

6 

HILTON SALT LAKE CITY CENTER 



801-328-2000 Fax: 801-238-4888 

$149 Single 

$149 Double 

$164 Triple 

$179 Quad 

$15 

per night 

No 

6 AM – 11 PM 

Yes 

Indoor Pool 

7 

SHERATON CITY CENTRE HOTEL 

150 West 500 South () 


801-401-2000 Fax: 801-531-0705 

$122 Single 

$122 Double 

$122 Triple 

$122 Quad 

$10 

per night 

Yes 

6 AM – 2 PM 

5 PM – 10 PM 

Yes 

Outdoor Pool 

67

➤ 

➤ 

➤ 

➤ 

➤ 

West Temple 

. 

hotel reservation form 

2008 SME Annual Meeting & Exhibit / February 24-27 / Salt Lake City, Utah 

The Housing Connection 

175 South West Temple, Suite 140 / Salt Lake City, UT 84101 / FAX: (801) 355-0250 (Secure Line) 

NEW HORIZONS – NEW CHALLENGES 

1. TYPE OR PRINT CLEARLY. Any incomplete information will delay 

processing of your form. Submit one room request per form. 

If additional forms are needed, please photocopy this form. 

2. Requests must be submitted on the official form. You must contact 

The Housing Connection to make hotel reservations, the hotels 

will NOT accept reservations directly. 

3. Reservations must be made by January 25, 2008 in order to guarantee 

meeting rates. 

4. All reservation changes and cancellations must be made in 

writing and processed through The Housing Connection by e-mail: 

thc@housingregistration.com or fax: 801-355-0250. 

5. Reservations are made on a first-come, first-serve basis. If the hotel 

requested is not available, your next choice will be assigned based on 

availability. 

6. The Housing Connection will send you a confirmation of your 

reservation. Please review all information for accuracy. E-mail 

confirmations will be sent if an e-mail address is provided (preferred), or 

they will be mailed. If you do not receive a confirmation or have 

questions, please call The Housing Connection. 

You will NOT receive a confirmation from the hotel. 

7. Read the acknowledgement carefully checking for any errors. 

If no acknowledgement is received within 14 days, contact 

The Housing Connection at (800-915-0618) or by e-mail: 

thc@housingregistration.com 

8. A first nightʼs deposit is required to process your room 

reservation by credit card. Please verify your departure date as 

some hotels will charge you a fee for early departure. 

9. For inquiry, call The Housing Connection at (800-915-0618). 

Headquarters: Marriott Downtown 

Co-headquarters: Hilton Salt Lake City Center 

PLEASE PRINT CLEARLY 

Occupant: ________________________________________________ 

Company: ________________________________________________ 

Address: 

LAST FIRST M.I. 

________________________________________________ 

600 West 

100 South 

200 South 

500 West. 

400 West 

Airport 

16 Miles to Great Salt Lake 

300 West 

300 South 

Rio Grand 

Depot 

Pioneer 

Amtrak 

Park 

400 South 

Freeway Access (I-15 Northbound) 

200 West. 

500 South 

Freeway Access (I-15 Southbound, I-80 Westbound) 

➤ 

One-way 

Union 

Pacific 

Depot 

South Temple 

1 

Delta 

Center 

Pierpont Ave. 

Salt Palace 

Convention Center 

4 

Pierpont Ave. 6 

One-way 

North Temple 

Temple 

Square 

Crossroads 

Plaza 

ZCMI 

Center 

City & 

County 

Building 

1 – Radisson Hotel $115 $115 $125 $125 

2 – Salt Lake Plaza Hotel $129 $129 $139 $139 

3 – Marriott Downtown $152 $152 $162 $162 

4 – Shilo Inn Hotel $109 $109 $119 $119 

5 – Hotel Monaco $142 $142 $152 $152 

6 – Hilton Salt Lake City Center $149 $149 $164 $179 

7 – Sheraton City Centre Hotel $122 $122 $122 $122 

Hotel Preference: (Please select six preferences to ensure placement). 

1. ______________ 3. ______________ 5. ______________ 

2. ______________ 4. ______________ 6. ______________ 

7 

2 

3 

Market St. 

Gallivan 

Plaza 

Exchange Pl. 

HOTELS Single Double Triple Quad 

5 

Main St. 

State St. 

200 East 

City:____________________ State: ____________ Zip: __________ 

Country:__________________________________________________ 

Daytime Phone #:______________________ Extension: __________ 

Fax #: __________________________________________________ 

E-mail: __________________________________________________ 

Arrival Date: ________________ Departure Date: ______________ 

MONTH DAY YEAR MONTH DAY YEAR 

Other Occupant Names: 

Share With: ____________________________________________ 

Share With: ____________________________________________ 

Share With: ____________________________________________________ 

Special Room Requirements: 

Visit www.smenet.org to reserve your room online! 

On-line Room Reservations will be available after 11-4-07 

Type of Accommodations Needed: 

❑ Single (1 Bed, 1 Person) ❑ Non-smoking 

❑ Double (1 Bed, 2 People) 

❑ Double/Double (2 Beds, 2 People) 

❑ Add rollaway to room 

Payment: 

❑ American Express ❑ Diners Club ❑ Discover 

❑ MasterCard ❑ VISA 

Name (as listed on credit card): ______________________________________ 

Card Number:________________________________________________ 

Signature: 

❑ Suite (For suite availability and 

rates, contact SME directly). 

❑ Handicap accessible room 

________________________________ Exp. Date________ 

MO. YR. 

Cancellation Policy: One night’s deposit is required with a valid credit 

card. Your credit card will be charged on or after January 25, 2008. Reservations 

guaranteed by a credit card may be cancelled without penalty until 5:00 PM MST on 

January 25, 2008. After January 25, 2008, a $25.00 cancellation/processing fee will 

be charged. All reservations: your full deposit will be forfeited if you cancel within 

72 hours of your arrival date.

INSTRUCTIONS 

NEW HORIZONS – NEW CHALLENGES 

☞ 

ATTENDEE 

advance registration form 

2008 SME Annual Meeting & Exhibit 

February 24-27, 2008 


• A $25 processing fee will be assessed on substitutions received after January 25, 2008. 

• Registration may be sent via FAX only if payment is by credit card [FAX 801-355-0250 secure line]. 

• General registration questions – contact SME Conference Registration at 1-800-915-0618. 

email: thc@housingregistration.com. Conference program questions – contact SME Meetings Dept. at 303-973-9550. 

• Mail form and payment by January 25, 2008, to above address. 

• Checks should be payable to SME in US funds. 

• All cancellations must be submitted in writing by email: thc@housingregistration.com or fax: 801-355-0250 

and are subject to a $100 processing fee. No refunds after January 25, 2008. 

• Registration is required to purchase tickets; however registrants may purchase more than one ticket. 

ATTENDEE REGISTRATION 

First Name Last Name To appear on badge (if different): 

Job Title 

Company 

Address 

City State Country Zip/Postal Code 

Day Phone Evening Phone FAX 

E-mail 

Special Needs 

Member #(required for discount) Member of: ❑ SME ❑ TMS ❑ AIST ❑ SPE 

SPOUSE/GUEST REGISTRATION – $100 (Check the Spouse/Guest Box in REGISTRATION FEES below.) 

Spouses must register to attend the Exhibit. Fee covers: daily exhibit access, Opening Reception (Sunday), Luncheon (Monday), Afternoon Social (Tuesday) and Continental Breakfast 

(Wednesday). All of the functions listed are held in the exhibit hall. 

First Name Last Name To appear on badge (if different): 

HOW TO REGISTER 

• ONLINE www.smenet.org 

• MAIL The Housing Connection 

175 South West Temple, Suite 140 


• FAX (801) 355-0250 (Secure Line) 

• PHONE 1-800-915-0618 

Please Note: This represents MANDATORY 

COMPLETION for processing 

Icon☞of your registration. 

If a NONMEMBER, are you applying for membership? ❑ YES 

❑ Check here if this is an address change. 

❑ YES, I am interested in being a MENTOR. 

❑ YES, I am interested in being a MENTEE. 

City 

☞ 

State 

REGISTRATION FEES 

BEFORE 1/25/08 AFTER 1/25/08 

FULL 1-DAY FULL 1-DAY 

❑ Member (M) $455 $230 $530 $290 $ ____________ 

❑ Student Member (SM) $ 95 $ 95 $110 $110 $ ____________ 

❑ Retired Senior Member (RM) $235 $235 $265 $265 $ ____________ 

❑ Legion of Honor Member (LH) $235 $235 $265 $265 $ ____________ 

❑ Nonmember Author (AT) $455 $230 $530 $290 $ ____________ 

❑ Nonmember (NM) $580 N/A $655 N/A $ ____________ 

❑ Student Nonmember (SN) $115 $115 $130 $130 $ ____________ 

❑ Spouse/Guest (SG) $100 $100 $100 $100 $ ____________ 

❑ 1-day Exhibit Hall Only (EXO) N/A $ 75 N/A $ 75 $ ____________ 

If you are registering for the MEMBER-ONLY 1-DAY REGISTRATION or 

1-DAY EXHIBIT HALL ONLY PASS, indicate which day: 

❑ SUNDAY ❑ MONDAY ❑ TUESDAY ❑ WEDNESDAY 


(No refunds or exchanges on social function tickets after January 25, 2008). 


____ SME Foundation Dinner [$95] FDD $ ____________ 


____ Coal & Energy Division Luncheon [$40] CDL $ ____________ 

____ Environmental Division Luncheon [$40] EDL $ ____________ 

____ Industrial Minerals Division Luncheon [$40] IML $ ____________ 

____ Scotch Nightcap [$40] SN $ ____________ 

____ Women of SME Breakfast [$35] WSB $ ____________ 


____ Mining & Exploration Division Luncheon [$40] MEL $ ____________ 

____ Mineral & Metallurgical Proc. Div. Luncheon [$40] MPL $ ____________ 

____ SME Dinner: 

____ Individual Tickets [$70] SD $ ____________ 

____ Table of 10 [$700] SDT $ ____________ 

TOURS 

(Tours are subject to cancellation based on participation. 

No refunds or exchanges after January 25, 2008). 

Saturday, February 23 

____ Utah Olympic Park [$50] UOP $ ____________ 


____ Morman Tabernacle Choir & Crossroad of the 

West City Tour [$40] MTC $ ____________ 


____ Historic Buildings of Salt Lake City [$48] HBS $ ____________ 


____ Quilts and Handicrafts of Salt Lake City [$75] QAH $ ____________ 


____ Alps of Utah [$80] AOU $ ____________ 

FIELD TRIPS 

(Field Trips are subject to cancellation based on participation. 

No refunds or exchanges after January 25, 2008). 

Thursday, February 28 

____ Bingham Canyon Mine [$50] FTB $ ____________ 

☞ 

PROCEEDINGS and CD-ROM 

Available for pick-up at the meeting in the SME Bookstore. 

(Full registrations, one-day and students receive a complimentary 2008 Annual Meeting 

Preprint CD-ROM). 

Additional copies may be purchased: 

____ 2008 Annual Meeting CD-ROM ROM $ ____________ 

____ [$49 Member, $59 Nonmember $39 Student Member] 

____ Bulk Material Handling by Conveyor Belt BMH $ ____________ 

____ [$79 Member, $99 Nonmember $66 Student Member] 

Continue ➡

ATTENDEE – Advance Registration Form continued 

First Name 

☞ 

(Check one) 

____ Coal Mining (1B) 

____ Coal Processing (6) 

____ Construction Materials & Aggregates (CA) 

____ Economics (4) 

____ Environmental (7) 

____ Geology/Exploration (8) 

____ Government (2) 

____ Industrial Minerals Mining (1C) 

____ Industrial Minerals Processing (1D) 

____ Manufacturing (5) 

____ Marine Mining (1M) 

____ Metallurgy (9) 

____ Metals Mining (1A) 

____ Metals Processing (10) 

____ Underground Construction/Tunneling (11) 

☞ 

(Check all that apply) 

____ Consultant (C) 

____ Educator (D) 

____ Engineer (E) 

____ General Manager/Vice President (G) 

____ Geologist (H) 

____ Marketing/Sales (M) 

____ Mine/Plant Manager (N) 

____ Owner (O) 

____ President/CEO/COO (P) 

____ Purchasing Agent (R) 

____ Scientist/Researcher (S) 

____ Student (T) 

____ Supervisor/Foreman (U) 

☞ 

PLEASE TOTAL BOTH PAGES 

FIELD / INTEREST 

JOB DESCRIPTION 

Payment must be in US Dollars GRAND TOTAL $ 

❑ Check or Money Order Payable to (SME) Society of Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc. 

Last Name 

ADVANCE REGISTRATION DEADLINE: 

JANUARY 25, 2008 

SHORT COURSES 

(Fees are in addition to SME registration. All short courses are held at the Salt Palace 

Convention Center.) 

February 23-24, 2008 

Mine Closure Planning in Today’s Global Environment: A Risk-Based Approach 

ADVANCE AFTER 1/25/08 

____ Member $550 $625 MCM $ ____________ 

____ Nonmember $650 $725 MCNM $ ____________ 

____ Student Member $450 $525 MCSM $ ____________ 

February 23-24, 2008 

Optimum Selection of Belt Conveyor Drives 


____ Member $550 $625 OSM $ ____________ 

____ Nonmember $650 $725 OSNM $ ____________ 

____ Student Member $450 $525 OSSM $ ____________ 

February 24, 2008 

Risk Assessment for Ore Reserves and Mine Planning: Stochastic Simulation 

Application for the Mining Industry 


____ Member $350 $425 RAM $ ____________ 

____ Nonmember $450 $525 RANM $ ____________ 

____ Student Member $250 $325 RASM $ ____________ 

PAYMENT 

❑ American Express 

Expiration Date 

❑ MasterCard 


❑ Visa 


❑ Discover 

Signature __________________________________________________________________________ 

I agree to pay the total according to card issuers agreement. 


If paying by credit card the number and expiration date must be 

included for processing. 

If you are a NONMEMBER please visit the SME website at www.smenet.org 

See for yourself the cost savings and benefits of SME Membership!

peak level sponsors 

Caterpiller Inc. 

Official Conference Padfolio 

Newmont Mining Corporation 

Student Mixer 

Kennecott Utah Copper Corporation 

Foundation Dinner 

timberline level sponsors 

Maptek 

Neck Lanyards 

Martin Engineering 

2008 Annual Meeting Badges 

Hitachi Construction & Mining Products 

2008 Annual Meeting Pocket Program 

2008 Sponsors 

Thank You 

to the following Sponsors 

for their generous support 

of the 


and Exhibit. 

For more information 

about Sponsorships 

please contact: 

303-948-4216 

or bonic@smenet.org. 

foothills level sponsors 

Aker Kvaerner 

Keynote Session 

MWH 

International Reception 

Joy Mining Machinery and P&H Mining Equipment 

United States Gypsum 

MWH 


SME Student Forum 

Mintec, Inc. 

CD-ROM Jacket Advertising 

Weir Minerals North America 

Golder Associates Ltd. 

Scotch Night Cap 

skyline level sponsors 


Young Leaders 

sme division sponsors 

PrepTech Inc. 

Coal & Energy Division Luncheon & Silent Auction 

Zeox Corporation 

Industrial Minerals Division Luncheon & Silent Auction 

Outotec (USA) Inc. 

Mineral & Metallurgical Processing Division Luncheon 

Hitachi Construction & Mining Products 

Mining & Exploration Division Luncheon & Silent Auction 

71 

sme technical session sponsor 

MWH 

Environmental

For details on the 2008 SME Annual Meeting and Exhibit contact: 

SME, Meetings Dept., (800) 763–3132 / (303) 973–9550 / Fax: (303) 979–3461 / E-mail: meetings@smenet.org 

For Exhibit information contact: 

SME Exhibit Sales and Operations (303) 948-4213 / E-mail: exhibits@smenet.org 

SME 

Society for Mining, Metallurgy, 

and Exploration, Inc. 

8307 Shaffer Parkway 

Littleton, CO 80127-4102 USA

Annual Meeting Preliminary Program - Full Brochure (PDF) - SME

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