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

MINING: IT’S ABOUT THE PEOPLE 

2013 SME Annual Meeting & Exhibit 

and CMA 115 th National Western Mining Conference 

February 24-27, 2013 • Denver, Colorado, USA 

Official Meeting Sponsor: Newmont Mining Corporation 

PRELIMINARY PROGRAM 

www.smenet.org 

SUPPLEMENT TO

Join SME 

Before You 

Register and 

Save $$$ 

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 5,000+ professionals is priceless. The Exhibit will 

feature over 700 companies exhibiting state-of-the-art 

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

SME Membership Has VALUE: 

• OneMine.org – online global mining and mineral library – over 

100,000 technical papers and books available for download - FREE! 

• Members receive a free monthly subscription to Mining 

Engineering magazine. 

• 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.com. 

• Free Membership Directory: includes over 14,000 

professionals in the mining industry. 

• Over 34 eLearning courses at special member prices - earn 

CEUs from anywhere! 

• SME Website provides: Discussion Forums with members 

around the world; the SME Directory; The SME Community; 

Industry Newsfeeds and Commodity Indexes/Prices; SME Link 

List with more than 200 listings, and much more. 

• Members are eligible for Life and Medical Insurance; Credit 

Program; Car Rental Discounts; and Liability Insurance. 

www.smenet.org • sme@smenet.org 

12999 E. Adam Aircraft Circle 

Englewood, CO 80112 

800-763-3132 • 303-948-4200 

Join SME by January 28, 2013 and 

SAVE $140 

on Your 2013 Annual Meeting 

Registration Fees! 

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 $140 for the 2013 

SME Annual Meeting).

HOW TO REGISTER 

For Meeting Registration and 

Hotel Reservation 

ONLINE 

www.smenet.org 

PHONE/FAX 

Telephone: 1-866-229-2386 

Fax: 301-694-5124 (Secure Line) 

MAIL 

SME Meeting Registration (RET132) 

c/o Experient 

PO Box 4088 

Frederick, MD 21705 

Full payment MUST be received with 

completed registration form. 

Registration and Housing forms are 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 form. If no e-mail address is 

provided, confirmation will be sent by regular mail. 

CONTENTS 

Alumni and Special Functions................... 37 

Calendar of Events.....................................7 

Colorado Mining Association Program..... 11 

Education Agenda.................................... 35 

Exhibit Floor Plan................................... 122 

Exhibit Highlights................................... 121 

Exhibitor Listing..................................... 124 

Field Trips................................................ 30 

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

Graduate Student Poster Contest.............. 34 

Hotel Information.................................... 133 

HOTEL RESERVATION FORM............. 134 

Keynote Session..........................................3 

Membership, SME............Inside Front Cover 

NEW Mentor/Mentee Program................. 32 

New Activities for 2013............................. 38 

Photo Contest......................................... 120 

Program Committee................................. 44 

REGISTRATION FORM........................ 135 

Short Courses........................................... 25 

SME Foundation Dinner & Casino Night......2 

SME Foundation Silent Auction................. 36 

Social/Division Highlights........................ 40 

Sponsors/Sponsorship............................ 128 

Student Activities...................................... 31 

TECHNICAL PROGRAM 

Sessions-at-a-Glance.......................... 45 

Monday............................................... 32 

Tuesday.............................................. 40 

Wednesday......................................... 69 

Things to See & Do in Denver................... 39 

Young Leaders.......................................... 33 

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 more information contact: SME Exhibit Sales and Operations, 303-948-4213

SME FOUNDATION 

Mardi Gras 

and Casino Night 

Please join the SME Foundation for their Annual Banquet 

Featuring Mardi Gras, Casino Night and Silent Auction 

Sunday, February 24, 2013 

Cocktail reception 6:30 pm – 7:00 pm 

Dinner and casino 7:00 pm – 11:00 pm 

Centennial Ballroom 

Hyatt Regency Denver Convention Center 

Denver, CO 

Dress – Business or Mardi Gras Festive 

(Gold, Green and Purple) 

Sponsor a table of 8 - $ 2,500 

Individual tickets - $ 95 

Contact Liz Jones to sponsor a table 

jones@smenet.org 303-948-4216 

Benefits of sponsoring a table: 

1. Your logo and name on sign in middle of table showing sponsorship. 

2. Special thank you in Mining Engineering magazine in April issue. 

3. Your name/logo scrolling on the overhead screen throughout the dinner. 

4. Listing in the dinner program as sponsor. 

5. Listing in the SME pocket program as a sponsor (deadlines apply). 

6. Tickets to the dinner for 8 people. 

2

SME/CMA Keynote Session 

Mining: It’s About the People 

8:30am • Monday, February 25, 2013 

Colorado Convention Center 

The Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory 

contracted with the National Academies’ National Research Council to 

perform a study, entitled “Emerging Workforce Trends in the U.S. Energy 

and Mining Industries” on the availability of skilled workers to meet the 

energy and mineral security requirements of the U.S. SME was asked by the 

National Academy to collect, analyze and report on workforce trends in the 

mining industry. 

SME’s report concluded that it is unlikely that there will be sufficient 

skilled mine labor to satisfy the demand over the next 20 years. This does 

not mean the positions will not be filled. Retirement and a projected global 

increase in demand for mine labor will likely provide a steady stream of new 

jobs with attractive wages. For a period of time, the U.S. mining industry 

will have a workforce composed of very young and very senior workers. The 

shortage of skilled miners raises implications for the health and safety of 

the workforce, and may force companies to instigate process improvements 

and new automation solutions. Resource nationalism and a potential rise in 

commodity prices due to a rapidly expanding global middle class may force 

the U.S. to boost domestic mineral production and take active measures to 

reduce our increasing import dependence on key minerals. This session 

will address this issue and its ramifications on the future viability and 

competitiveness of the U.S. mining industry. 

Moderator: 

Dr. M.W. Bill Scoggins, President, Colorado School of Mines 

Speakers: 

Cy Butner, Senior Program Officer, National Academy of Sciences 

Gerry Wheeler, Executive Director, National Science Teachers Association 

Tana Utley, Chief Technology Officer and Vice President, Caterpillar Inc 

Andrew Slentz, Senior Vice-President Human Resources, Peabody Energy

GENERAL INFORMATION 

ADVANCE DEADLINE: JANUARY 28, 2013 

For Hotel Reservations and Meeting Registration 

All technical sessions, division luncheons, and short courses will be conducted at: 

Colorado Convention Center, 700 14th Street, Denver, Colorado 80202 

Website: www.denverconvention.com 

Registration Fees 

To receive advance registration rates, SME must receive 

your registration form and payment by January 28, 2013. 

After January 28, 2013 on-site registration fees apply. 

One-day advance registration is available for members 

and authors only. 

Nonmember Registrants 

Join SME or CMA by January 28, 2013 and save money 

on your full meeting registration fee. 

Registration Policy 

All attendees and authors at the SME/CMA Annual 

Meeting are required to register. Nonmember authors 

may register at the member rate. The one-day rate 

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. Exhibitonly 

registrations 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 2013 SME/CMA 

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. 

Senior Member Registration Policy 

Retired Senior members are entitled to receive reduced 

registration fees for the 2013 SME/CMA 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 2013 SME/CMA 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 

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/ 

CMA registration, you must do so in writing. Written 

notice must be sent to SME Meeting Registration, 

c/o Experient, PO Box 4088, Frederick, MD 21705. 

Cancellations received by January 28, 2013 will receive 

a full refund, less a $100 processing fee. There are no 

refunds for no-shows and cancellations postmarked 

after January 28, 2013. Registrants are responsible 

for cancellation of their own hotel accommodations. 

Substitutions will be accepted in writing at no charge 

until January 28, 2013. After January 28, 2013 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 28, 2013 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 (PO 

Boxes are not acceptable), city, state/province, country, 

zip/postal code, phone and 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., 

12999 E. Adam Aircraft Circle, Englewood, CO 80112 

USA or e-mail: meetings@smenet.org. 

4


Housing Reservation Information 

Hotel accommodations are available at the Grand 

Hyatt, Embassy Suites, Hyatt Regency at Colorado 

Convention Center, Marriott City Center, Sheraton 

Denver, Westin Tabor Center, and the Hilton Garden 

Inn. See page 133 for detailed hotel and address information. 

Please complete the Hotel Reservation form and 

RETURN NO LATER THAN JANUARY 28, 2013 TO: 

SME Housing Bureau, c/o Experient 

Event Code: RET 132 

PO Box 4088 

Frederick, MD 21705 

Phone: 1-866-229-2386 

Fax: 301-694-5124 

E-mail: smeattendee@experient-inc.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 either by e-mail or fax 

from the SME Housing Bureau. 

IMPORTANT NOTICE: SME has received several 

reports that wholesalers have been contacting attendees 

and exhibitors offering great deals on hotels for the 

SME/CMA Annual Meeting & Exhibit. While it is 

not illegal for a travel firm or booking agent to solicit 

potential customers, it can be difficult to determine 

the legitimacy of offers from these organizations. 

Those who opt for alternatives to the SME negotiated rates 

may find themselves at risk. SME and CMA remind their 

attendees that we have no affiliation with any of these 

room brokers. The official SME/CMA Housing Office 

is Experient. 

Purchasing Tickets 

Attendees must register to purchase tickets for social 

functions and/or field trips. Registrants may purchase 

multiple tickets. 

CD-ROM – Meeting Pre-prints 

Sponsored by Mintec, Inc. 

Each full, one-day and student registrants will receive 

a CD-ROM of pre-prints from the 2013 SME/CMA 

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). 

5 

Short Courses 

SME Short Courses will be conducted at the Colorado 

Convention Center. See page 25 for details. 

Technical Sessions 

All technical sessions will be conducted at the Colorado 

Convention Center. Technical session information starts on 

page 47. 

Field Trips 

Field trips are subject to cancellation based on limited 

attendance. Make your reservations early using the 

registration form. See page 30 for field trip details. 

SME Cyber Cafe 

The Cyber Cafe will be located in the exhibit hall at 

the Colorado Convention Center. Computers will be 

available during exhibit hours to surf the net, retrieve 

and send e-mail messages, and view mining websites. 

Registration Hours 

On-site registration will be conducted during the 

following hours in the Convention Center. 

Saturday, February 23 

(Short Courses Only) 


(Exhibitor Registration Only) 

Sunday, February 24 

Monday, February 25 

Tuesday, February 26 

Wednesday, February 27 

7:00am – 5:00pm 

8:00am – 5:00pm 

7:00am – 6:00pm 

7:00am – 5:30pm 

7:00am – 5:00pm 

7:00am – 2:00pm 

Exhibit Hours 

Exhibitor products and services will be showcased at 

the 2013 SME/CMA Annual Meeting at the Colorado 

Convention Center. Badges are required for admittance. 

All food and beverage functions held in the exhibit hall 

will be located in the three lounges and restaurants. 




Wednesday, February 27 

4:00pm – 6:00pm 

11:00am – 5:30pm 

11:00am – 5:30pm 

8:00am – Noon 

SME Bookstore Hours 

The SME Bookstore will be located in the Colorado 

Convention Center. It will feature SME publications 

and a large selection of merchandise. You can also pick 

up your copy of the pre-print CD-ROM of the 2013 

Annual Meeting by redeeming the ticket enclosed in 

your registration packet on-site. 

The SME Bookstore will be open the following hours: 


8:00am – 6:00pm 


8:00am – 5:30pm 


8:00am – 5:00pm 

Wednesday, February 27 8:00am – 2:00pm


Airport 

Denver International Airport 

Airport Code: DEN 

For further detailed information regarding 

Denver International Airport, please contact the 

airport directly or visit the official Web page at: 

www.flydenver.com. 

Transportation Services 

Downtown Denver is accessible via shuttle, taxi, and 

personal vehicle. 

Meeting Registration Includes 

FULL REGISTRANTS RECEIVE 

• 2013 Pre-print CD-ROM 

• Daily Exhibit Hall Access 

• Grand Opening Reception (Sunday, Exhibit Hall) 

• Welcoming Luncheon (Monday, Exhibit Hall) 

• Admittance to Technical Sessions 

• Admittance to Keynote Session 

• Afternoon Social (Tuesday, Exhibit Hall) 

• Continental Breakfast (Wednesday, Exhibit Hall) 

SuperShuttle 

Phone: 800-525-3177 or 303-370-1300 

Approximate cost for shuttle service from Denver 

International Airport (DEN) to downtown Denver is $19 

one-way / $34 round trip. Please contact SuperShuttle 

for the prevailing rates. Reservations are not required. 

Proceed to Level 5 / Baggage Claim of the main terminal. 

SuperShuttle’s counter is adjacent to the car rental 

counters. For further details, please visit SuperShuttle’s 

official Web page at www.supershuttledenver.com. 

Taxis 

Taxi service from Denver International Airport to 

downtown Denver is approximately $50 one-way. 

• Freedom Cab 303-444-4444 

• Metrotaxi 303-333-3333 

• Yellowcab 303-777-7777 

Driving directions from Denver International 

Airport to downtown Denver: 

• Follow signs to Peña Blvd. 

• Take Peña Blvd West towards Denver 

• Take I-70 West 

• Take I-25 South 

• Exit onto Speer Blvd. South 

1-DAY MEMBER-ONLY REGISTRANTS RECEIVE 

• 2013 Pre-print CD-ROM 

• Exhibit Hall Access (On Registered Day) 

• Grand Opening Reception 

(Sunday Registrants Only, Exhibit Hall) 

• Welcoming Luncheon 

(Monday Registrants Only, Exhibit Hall) 

• Admittance to Technical Sessions (On Registered Day) 

• Admittance to Keynote Session (Monday Registrants Only) 

• Afternoon Social (Tuesday Registrants Only, Exhibit Hall) 


EXHIBIT HALL-ONLY REGISTRANTS RECEIVE 

• Exhibit Hall Access (On Registered Day) 

• Grand Opening Reception 

(Sunday Registrants Only, Exhibit Hall) 

• Welcoming Luncheon 

(Monday Registrants Only, Exhibit Hall) 

• Admittance to Keynote Session (Monday Registrants Only) 

• Afternoon Social (Tuesday Registrants Only, Exhibit Hall) 


Please refer to page 133 for addresses 

and locations of hotels. 

Parking 

There are a number of parking options near the 

Colorado Convention Center that range from $6 – $13/ 

day. Please visit www.downtowndenver.com for updated 

information regarding surface and garage parking 

options in downtown Denver. Check with your selected 

hotel regarding parking services, rates and availability. 

Shuttle Service 

There will be NO SHUTTLE SERVICE 

provided between hotels and the Colorado 

Convention Center. Please see the hotel 

concierge for alternatives. 

6

CALENDAR OF EVENTS 

CC - Colorado Convention Center • H - Hyatt Regency Convention Center Hotel 

Friday, February 22, 2013 

Exhibitor Booth Set-Up 

10x20 Booths and Larger 

(by appointment only) 

11am – 5pm • CC 

Saturday, February 23, 2013 

EXHIBITOR SET-UP 

8am – 5pm • Exhibit Hall • CC 

EXHIBITOR REGISTRATION 

8am – 5pm • CC 

SHORT COURSES 

Short Course Registration 

7am – 9am • CC 

Short Course Coffee Break 

7:15am – 9am • CC 

Short Course: Copper Heap Leach 


Short Course: Ore Reserve Risk 

and Optimization in Strategic 

Mine Planning: Stochastic Models 

and Optimization 


Short Course: Introduction to the 

Design of Bulk Material Handling 

Conveyors 



10:15am – 10:30am • CC 

Short Course Lunch 

Noon – 1:00pm • CC 

Short Course Break 

2:30pm – 3pm • CC 

BOARD & COMMITTEE 

MEETINGS 

Leadership Orientation 

8am – Noon • H 

Audit Committee 

9am – 11am • H 

ABET General Information & 

Training Lunch 

Noon – 1pm • H 

ABET General Information 

& Training 

1pm – 5pm • H 

Strategic Committees Breakout 

Meetings 

1pm – 4pm • H 

Strategic Committees Joint 

Meeting 

4pm – 5pm • H 

Online Services Committee 

3pm – 5pm • H 

Board of Directors Meeting 

(Closed Session) 

5pm – 6:30pm • H 


EXHIBITOR REGISTRATION 


EXHIBITOR SET-UP 


REGISTRATION 

7am – 7pm • Lobby B • CC 

SME BOOKSTORE 

8am – 5pm • Lobby B • CC 

EXHIBITS OPENING 

4pm – 6pm • Exhibit Hall • CC 

SHORT COURSES 

Short Course Registration 



7:15am – 9am • CC 

Short Course: Copper Heap Leach 


Short Course: Introduction to the 

Design of Bilk Material Handling 

Conveyors 


Short Course: Ore Reserve and 

Optimization in Strategic Mine 

Planning: Stochastic Models and 

Optimization 


Short Course: Basic Safety and 

Health Practices for the Mining 

Industry 


Short Course: Seismic Analysis 

and Interpretation for Mining 


Short Course: Ground Freezing for 

Mining Applications 


Short Course: Mine Water Balance 


Short Course: Overview of 

Sustainability Reporting and GRI 

for Extractive Professionals 



10:15am – 10:30am • CC 

Short Course Luncheon 

Noon – 1pm • CC 

Short Course Break 

2:30pm – 3pm • CC 

7





MEETINGS 

SME/NSSGA Student Design 

Competition Finals Presentations 

7am – 2pm • H 

Foundation Campaign Steering 

Committee 

7:30am – 9:30am • H 

WAAIME Executive Committee 


Professional Engineers Exam 

Committee Workshop 

8am – 4pm • H 

Coal & Energy Division Executive 

Committee 


Environmental Division Executive 

Committee 


IM&AD Executive Committee 


M&E Division Executive 

Committee 


MPD Executive Committee 


Mineral Schools 

Department Heads 

9:30am – Noon • H 

Student Chapter Reps 

Subcommittee 


Board of Directors 

12pm – 4pm • H 

ADTI – MMS Meeting 

1pm – 4pm • H 

IM&AD Program Committee 

1pm – 2pm • H 

Student Forum and Reception 

1pm – 3pm • CC 

Coal & Energy Unit Committee 

2pm – 3pm • H 

MPD Unit Committee 

2pm – 3pm • H 

Mentor Meeting Place 


Educators Forum 


Annual Meeting of Members 

4pm – 5pm • H 

MMSA Annual Meeting 

4pm – 6pm • H 

SOCIAL FUNCTIONS 

Exhibit Hall Grand Opening 

Reception 


SME Foundation Dinner and Mardi 

Gras/Casino Night (Ticketed) 

6:30pm – 7pm: Cocktails • H 

7pm – 11pm: Dinner, Awards and 

Casino Night • H 

Student Mixer 

9pm – Midnight • H 

Monday, February 25, 2013 

REGISTRATION 

7am – 5:30pm • CC 

AUTHORS’ COFFEE 

7:30am – 8:30am • CC 

SPEAKER READY ROOM 

7:30am – 5pm • CC 



SME KEYNOTE SESSION 

8:30am – 11am • CC 

EXHIBIT 

11am – 5:30pm • Exhibit Hall• CC 

DREYER LECTURE 

1:30pm – 2:30pm • CC 

MPD PLENARY LECTURES: 

Gaudin, Richards, and 

Wadsworth Lectures 

2:00pm – 4:30pm • CC 


MEETINGS 

MPD Nominating Committee 

7am – 9am • H 

M&MP Editorial Board 

8am – 10am • H 

Young Leaders Committee 

8am – 11am • H 

IM&AD Technical Committee 


Environmental Division 

Business Meeting 


WAAIME Scholarship Committee 

8am – 4pm • H 

Young Leaders Mentoring Session 

(by ticket only) 

11am – 1pm • CC 

Bulk Material Handling Committee 

11:30am – 1pm • CC 

Health & Safety Committee Meeting 

11:30am – 1:30pm • CC 

Section Reps Meeting & Luncheon 

11:30am – 1:30pm • CC 

Accreditation and Curricular Issues 


Peer Review Editorial Board Meeting 

1pm – 2:30pm • CC 

Research Committee & Educational 

Sustainability Task Force Session 


OneMine Board Meeting 

2pm – 4pm • H 

Mining Engineering Committee 

2:30pm – 4:30pm • CC 

ABET Visitor Selection Committee 

(Closed) 


CMA Annual Membership Meeting 

3:45pm • CC 

IM&AD Nominating Committee 

4pm – 5pm • H 

Dreyer Award Committee 

4pm – 5:30pm • H 

8





Spouse/Guest Meet and Greet 

Brunch 

11am – 1pm • H 

Exhibit Hall Luncheon 

11:30am – 1pm • Exhibit Hall • CC 

New Member Orientation 

& Reception 

5pm – 6:30pm • CC 

WAAIME Members & Scholarship 

Recipients Reception (Invitation Only) 

5pm – 6:30pm • H 

Innovation in Metallurgical 

Processing Keynote & Reception 

(Ticketed) 

5pm – 7pm • H 

Rising Professionals Social (Ticketed) 

7pm – 9pm • H 

Tuesday, February 26, 2013 

REGISTRATION 



7:30am – 8:30am • CC 


7:30am – 5pm • CC 



EXHIBIT 

11am – 5:30pm • Exhibit Hall • CC 

SME 2014 ANNUAL MEETING 

EXHIBIT SPACE SALES 

10am – 5pm • CC 


MEETINGS 

Foundation Board of Trustees 


7am – 9am • H 

OTC Planning Committee 

7am – 9am • H 

SME/NSSGA Student Design 

Competition Planning Meeting 


Sustainable Development 

Committee 


SME e-Learning Committee 


9am – 10:30am • CC 

Student Member Affairs Committee 

10am – Noon • CC 

Silent Auction – Environmental Div. 


Coal & Energy Division Business 

Meeting (held during Luncheon) 


IM&AD Business Meeting 

1:45pm – 2pm • CC 

Research Council Meeting 


Information Publishing Committee 

3pm – 5pm • H 

Government & Public Affairs 

Committee 

3pm – 5pm • H 

Council of Education 

& Accreditation 


M&E/Coal Underground 

Ventilation Unit Committee 



Women of SME Breakfast (Ticketed) 

7:30am – 9am • H 

Coal & Energy Division Luncheon, 

Silent Auction and Business 

Meeting (Ticketed) 


Environmental Division Luncheon 

(Ticketed) 


IM&AD Luncheon and Silent 

Auction (Ticketed) 


Exhibit Hall Afternoon Social 

3:30pm – 5:30pm • Exhibit Hall • CC 

Plant Operators Open Forum 


International Visitor’s Reception 

(Invitation Only) 

5:30pm – 7pm • H 

CMA Environmental Stewardship 

Awards Banquet (Ticketed) 

6pm – 9pm • H 

Scotch Nightcap 

Scholarship Fundraiser (Ticketed) 

8pm – 11pm • H 

9



Wednesday, February 27, 2013 

REGISTRATION 

7am – 2pm • Foyer • CC 


7:30am – 8:30am • CC 


7:30am – 5pm • CC 



EXHIBIT 

8am – Noon • Exhibit Hall • CC 

EXHIBITOR MOVE-OUT 

Noon – 8pm • Exhibit Hall • CC 

JACKLING LECTURE 

1:30pm – 2pm • CC 

2014 SME ANNUAL MEETING 

EXHIBIT SPACE SALES 

8am – 11am • CC 


MEETINGS 

2014 SME Annual Meeting 

Program Committee 

7:30am – 9am • CC 

SME/AIME Past President’s 

Breakfast 

7:30am – 9am • H 

2015 SME Annual Meeting 

Program Committee 

9am – 10am • CC 

Minerals Education Coalition 

(formerly GEM & Mii Meetings) 


AIME Mudd Fund Committee 

9:30am – Noon • H 

Distinguished Member Award 

Nominating Committee (Closed) 

10am – 11am • CC 

Educational Sustainability 


Registered Member Admissions 

Committee 

11am – 12:30pm • CC 

MPD Business Meeting 

1:45pm – 2pm • CC 

International Committee Meeting 


M&E Division Business Meeting 

2pm – 2:30pm • CC 

M&E Division Unit Committee 

2:30pm – 3:30pm • CC 

Environmental Division Nominating 

Planning Committee Meeting 


MPD Executive Committee 


Resources & Reserves Committee 


3pm – 4:30pm • CC 

Nominating Strategic Committee 

(Closed) 

3:30pm – 5pm • CC 


Exhibit Hall Continental Breakfast 

8am – 9:30am • Exhibit Hall • CC 

M&E Division Luncheon & 

Silent Auction (Ticketed) 


MPD Division Luncheon / 

Student Poster Session (Ticketed) 


CMA/Colorado Division of 

Mining, Reclamation & Safety 

Awards Luncheon (Ticketed) 


SME/AIME Dinner VIP Reception 

5:30pm – 7pm • H 

SME/AIME Dinner Reception 

(COD) 

6pm – 7pm • H 

SME/AIME Dinner (Ticketed) 

7pm – 9:30pm • H 

President’s Reception 

(Invitation Only) 

9:30pm – Midnight • H 

Thursday, February 28, 2013 

EXHIBITOR MOVE-OUT 

7am – Noon • Exhibit Hall • CC 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

MEETING 

8am – 11:30am • H 

FIELD TRIP 

Henderson Mine 

8am – 12:30pm • H 

10

Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration Annual Meeting & Exhibit 

Mining in Colorado: 

It’s about the People 

and the jobs! 

Colorado Mining Association 115th National Western Mining Conference 

FEBRUARY 25 — 27, 2013 


Denver, Colorado 

Mining is one of Colorado’s great economic engines. Mineral production in the state 

accounts for more than $6 billion in wealth. Often overlooked in this array of wealth creation 

is the human factor; mining employs over 12,000 people directly and accounts for more than 

46,000 jobs in Colorado’s economy. The industry pays top wages, but more importantly, 

contributes to sustainable, long term employment throughout the state. 

This year’s conference focuses on the contributions of these industries, the opportunities 

in mining throughout Colorado and the west, what the industry is doing in terms of public 

outreach and education, and the challenges the industry faces going forward. A special 

session will address the industry’s and CMA’s actions in shaping regulations – both state 

and federal – that impact our future. The final session will address political realities in the era 

of “campaign finance reform” and the role of political organizations in the election process. 

So make plans to attend the CMA’s 115th National Western Mining Conference — held in 

conjunction with the SME Annual Members Meeting — which will draw more than 6,000 

mining and resource professionals from all sectors of the industry to Denver, Colorado, the 

mining capital of the world. 

This program has been approved for 11 Colorado Continuing Legal Education Credits


Session Chairman: Jerry Nettleton 

MINING IN COLORADO 

1:15 P.M. TO 5 P.M. 

Room 605/607 

Environmental Manager, Twentymile Coal, LLC., Oak Creek, Colorado 

Colorado is still a leading mineral producing state, and the mining industry 

offers many opportunities, notwithstanding the challenges that mining 

companies face. Colorado ranks 1st in the production of molybdenum, 

4th in gold and 9th in coal production. This session will highlight what’s new and 

exciting in Colorado mining, leading off with an update of the historic reopening 

of the Climax molybdenum mine, which involved a $700 million investment 

in the mine and mill, and a discussion of activities at Henderson. The health 

of the coal mining industry has been the subject of much discussion, with 

potential new opportunities in the export markets but considerable uncertainty 

at home. While coal production in Colorado increased slightly in 2011 and again in the 

industry’s future both at home and throughout the U. S. This session will attempt to 

provide answers from the perspective of one of the world’s leading producers. 

Speaking of leading producers, the Cripple Creek & Victor Gold Mining Company 

will also discuss recently announced plans to expand and extend the mine life for an 

additional ten years beyond 2016. And it’s important not to overlook silver, as the 

session includes a presentation on the Rio Grande Silver project (owned and operated 

by a subsidiary of Hecla Mining) in Mineral County. The afternoon will conclude with 

a small miner perspective on project development in historic mining areas. 

Molybdenum: An Update on the Henderson and Climax Mines 

Michael McDonald, General Manager, Climax Molybdenum Company, Climax, Colorado 

Arch Western Bituminous Group: Past, Present and Future 

Gene DiClaudio, President, Arch Western Bituminous Group, Grand Junction, Colorado

Continuing the Mining Heritage: The Cresson Mine Expansion 

Raymond G. DuBois, Vice President, Cripple Creek & Victor Gold Mining Company, 

Victor, Colorado 

Rio Grande Silver, Inc.: The San Juan Silver Project 

Randall McClure, Acting General Manager, Rio Grande Silver, Inc., Creede, Colorado 

Mining in Historic Districts: The San Juan Gold Project 

C. Stephen Guyer, Chief Financial Officer, Colorado Goldfields, Inc., Littleton, Colorado 

THERE WILL BE A SHORT BREAK PRIOR TO THE ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING 

COLORADO MINING ASSOCIATION 

ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING 

3:45 P.M. 

Annual Meeting of Officers and Directors 

Chairman and President’s Report 

Election of Officers and Directors 

5 P.M. RECEPTION IN THE EXHIBIT AREA 

CMA PRESIDENT 

STUART SANDERSON 

CMA CHAIRMAN 

WILLIAM ZISCH 

ROYAL GOLD, INC. 

CMA CHAIRMAN-ELECT 

115TH NWMC PROGRAM 

CHAIRMAN 

JERRY NETTLETON 

TWENTYMILE COAL, LLC.

Tuesday, February 26, 2013 

OUTREACH AND EDUCATION THROUGHOUT THE INDUSTRY 

9 A.M. TO 11:30 A.M. 

Chairman: Doug Magee 

Room 605/607 

Vice President, Research, MGA Communications, Inc., Denver, Colorado 

The mining industry is making great progress in getting the message out to 

the public about the importance of mining. This session will address the many 

programs undertaken by associations and by individual companies throughout 

Colorado, the west and the country to raise public awareness of mining and to 

support important charitable projects. Starting in Colorado with the project to 

restore one of the state’s most important symbols, the Capitol Dome, the session will 

discuss the National Mining Association’s Minerals Make Life program, the Society 

for Mining Metallurgy & Exploration’s Minerals Education Coalition, and the Northwest 

Mining Association’s award winning The More You Dig initiative. The session will 

conclude with a presentation by the Colorado Mining Association Education Foundation’s 

summer course entitled All About Mining. 

Share in the Care Colorado: Restoring the Capitol Dome 

Marie Patterson, Manager, State Government Affairs, AngloGold Ashanti North 

America Inc., Centennial, Colorado 

Minerals Make Life 

Carol Raulston, Senior Vice President, Communications, National Mining Association, 

Washington, DC 

The More You Dig 

Laura Skaer, Executive Director, Northwest Mining Association, Spokane, Washington 

The Minerals Education Coalition 

Michael D. Sheahan, President/CEO, Front Range Aggregates, Castle Rock, Colorado 

All About Mining 

Paul Jones, Chairman, Colorado Mining Association Education Foundation, Golden, 

Colorado

MINING REGULATION UPDATE: 

THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE DOWNRIGHT UGLY 

1 P.M. TO 5 P.M. 

Room 605/607 

Chairman: John Watson 

Partner, Berenbaum, Weinshienk, Denver, Colorado 

The mining industry faces some of the most serious regulatory, legal and political 

challenges in its history. State water quality initiatives will raise costs of compliance 

to staggering levels. The sage grouse initiative threatens coal mining and 

other development throughout Colorado. SEC Guide 7 will also impact mining 

companies worldwide. 

mining industry throughout Colorado and the United States, with emphasis on 

what CMA is doing to defend the industry’s interests in these arenas, including the 

recent changes to arsenic standards and stormwater permitting requirements. The 

session will also review some of CMA’s accomplishments, including the successful 

promulgation of the Colorado roadless rule and what that will do keep the mining 

industry “in business” throughout the state. The session will also review CMA’s 

efforts and those in other states to update aquatic life water quality criteria for 

aluminum and iron. 

The Sage Grouse, the Colorado Roadless Rule 

and How Colorado is Responding 

Mike King, Executive Director, Colorado Department of Natural Resources, 

Denver, Colorado 

Water Quality Rules in Colorado: What the State is Doing 

and What the Industry is Doing About It 

Eric Fry, Director of Regulatory Affairs, Peabody Energy, Evansville, Indiana 

Studies to Support Implementation of Aquatic Life Criteria 

for Poorly Soluble Metals 

Steve Canton, Bob Gensemer, and Stephanie Baker, GEI Consultants, Inc., 

Denver, Colorado

Challenges of SEC Industry Guide 7 for U. S. Mining Companies 

Michelle Shepston, Partner, Davis, Graham, & Stubbs, LLP, Denver, Colorado 

Challenges: Fuel Switching, Public Lands Constraints, 

Paul Seby, Partner, Moye White, LLP, Denver, Colorado 

COLORADO MINING ASSOCIATION ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP 

AND POLLUTION PREVENTION AWARDS BANQUET 

CENTENNIAL BALLROOM - HYATT REGENCY CONVENTION CENTER HOTEL 

RECEPTION 

6:00 P.M. TO 7 PM. 

BANQUET 

7 P.M. – 9 P.M. 

SPEAKER: CHRISTOPHER E. URBINA, MD, MPH 

Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment 

PRESENTATION OF AWARDS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL 

STEWARDSHIP AND POLLUTION PREVENTION 

ENTERTAINMENT: CRAIG ZABLOCKI 

Meeting Energizer Craig Zablocki or one of his humorous 

associates will provide a hilarious boost to your bottom line! 

This is one motivational evening you will not want to miss.

Wednesday, February 27, 2013 

CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM: 

THE IMPACT ON COLORADO ELECTIONS 

AND THE MINING INDUSTRY 

8:45 A.M. TO 11 A.M. 

Chairman: Shayne Madsen 

Room 605/607 

Partner, Jackson Kelly, PLLC, Denver, Colorado 

on direct contributions to candidate campaigns and prohibited corporations from giving 

keynote presentation by Colorado’s Secretary of State on the current rules that govern 

and ensure the integrity of elections in Colorado. Following his presentation, two of 

KEYNOTE PRESENTATION 

“ELECTIONS IN COLORADO: WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW” 

HONORABLE SCOTT GESSLER 

COLORADO SECRETARY OF STATE 

DENVER, COLORADO

PANEL DISCUSSION – CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM AND ITS IMPACT ON 

ELECTIONS IN COLORADO 

Michael Feeley, Partner, Brownstein, Hyatt, Farber & Schreck, Denver, Colorado 

Richard Wadhams, Independent Political Consultant, Denver, Colorado 

Moderator: Shayne Madsen, Partner, Jackson Kelly, PLLC, Denver, Colorado 

As co-chair of Brownstein, Hyatt, Farber & Schreck’s Government Relations Group, 

State Senate from 1993-2001, all but one of those years as Senate Minority Leader. 

Richard Wadhams, independent political consultant, served most recently as Colorado 

Republican Party Chairman, and previously as campaign manager in several national 

reform, how various constituencies have formed organizations to assist them in meeting 

their election goals, and the role that businesses may play in promoting their 

interests before state and national legislatures. 

ELECTIONS AND THE MINING INDUSTRY IN COLORADO 

Stuart Sanderson, President, Colorado Mining Association 

CLOSING AWARDS LUNCHEON 

NOON TO 2 P.M. 

(DOORS OPEN AT 11:45 A.M.) 


COLORADO DIVISION OF RECLAMATION MINING & SAFETY 

COLORADO MINED LAND RECLAMATION BOARD 

RECLAMATION & SAFETY AWARDS 

COLORADO CONVENTION CENTER FOUR SEASONS BALLROOM 4

FEATURED SPEAKER: 

VINCE “BLUTO” SAPORITO 

“CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT THROUGH LESSONS LEARNED” 

A decorated Navy Veteran and former TOPGUN instructor pilot, Bluto Saporito knows 

the value of safety. Having flown over 2,900 hours in the F-14, F-18, F-14A Tomcat 

and other fighter aircraft, he has engaged in 45 combat missions, and 449 carrier 

arrested landings. Bluto’s high energy presentation will share the proven practices from 

aircraft carrier operations, airline aviation, and space operations. He will identify how 

aviation’s tragic incidents kick-started their performance/safety initiatives into a journey 

towards zero incident operations, and how lessons learned can be applied in other 

high-reliability industries. 

RECLAMATION AND SAFETY AWARDS PRESENTATION WILL IMMEDIATELY 

FOLLOW THE PRESENTATION 

2 P.M. CONFERENCE CONCLUDES

CMA Wishes to Thank the Members of the 

115 Th National Western Mining Conference & Exhibition 

Planning Committee for their 

Invaluable Assistance in Assembling the Program 

CMA CHAIRMAN 

WILLIAM ZISCH 

ROYAL GOLD, INC. 

CMA CHAIRMAN-ELECT AND 115TH NWMC PROGRAM CHAIRMAN 

JERRY NETTLETON 

TWENTYMILE COAL, LLC. 

SESSION CHAIRS 

JERRY NETTLETON, PEABODY ENERGY, TWENTYMILE COAL, LLC 

DOUG MAGEE, MGA COMMUNICATIONS, INC. 

JOHN L. WATSON, BERENBAUM, WIENSHIENK 

SHAYNE MADSEN, JACKSON KELLY, PLLC 

COMMITTEE MEMBERS 

LEE BERGSTEDT, GEI CONSULTANTS, INC. 

ROLAN MARRILL, SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC 

GEORGE ROBINSON, WILDCAT MINING INC. 

FRANK SELF, CHECK 6 INTERNATIONAL

JOIN THE COLORADO MINING ASSOCIATION 

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF SUSTAINING MEMBERSHIP? 


216 16th Street, Suite 1250 

Denver, CO 80202 

Phone: 303-575-9199 

Fax: 303-575-9194 

Email: colomine@coloradomining.org 

Web: www.coloradomining.org 

As a sustaining member, your company will receive added value for your investment 

in the mining industry. Your membership admits you to a network of 

nearly 900 individuals and companies engaged in mining throughout the world. 

CMA sustaining members receive a special, separate listing in the annual membership 

directory, discounts up to 15% for advertising in the CMA Directory, and a free link on the 

CMA website that includes your logo, website address, and description of your company’s 

activities. Finally, sustaining members receive a substantial discount on exhibit space 

when the National Western Mining Conference is held as a stand-alone event. All of these 

savings can add up to over $2,000 annually. 

Additional Sustaining 

Membership Benefits 

Between $200 - $500 for additional 

individual members at $100 each 

Cost without 

Sustaining Membership 

$200 - $500 

Advertising in the CMA Directory Up to $300 

Directory company listing and 

company description with contact info 

Published Company info and 

company contact on the CMA website 

Discount on Exhibit Space (when 

the Conference is a stand-alone event) 

$200 - $500 

$250 

$700 

Approx. Total Savings 

$1,350 - $2,250 

Sustaining members are further entitled to all of the benefits that are available 

through regular membership in CMA. These include a complimentary subscription 

to the newsletter, Rock & Coal, the annual membership directory and participation 

in CMA standing committees. All sustaining members may also apply to participate 

in the CMA/Pinnacol Assurance Group Dividend program, which enables companies 

to obtain lower rates on workers compensation insurance. Contact or email 

Jody Courtney at jcourtney@coloradomining.org for information on how 

your company can benefit from sustaining membership. 

Visit us at 

www.coloradomining.org 

to Like CMA on Facebook 

and Follow Us on Twitter

COST OF MEMBERSHIP 

Annual dues for sustaining members are based on 

the size and type of your business. 

Small Mining Companies – 

Fewer than 50 employees in Colorado $2,500 

Large Mining Companies – 

Contact 

50 or more employees in Colorado CMA 

Small Service and Supplier Firms – 

Fewer than 50 employees in Colorado $1,000 

Large Service and Supplier Firms – 

50 or more employees in Colorado $2,500 

SUSTAINING MEMBER APPLICATION 

Company 

Phone Fax 

Company Representative 

Position or Title 

Email 

Street Address 

City, State, Zip 

Type of Company 

Number of Employees 

Brief Company Description 

Date 

Card # 

Visit us at 



and Follow Us on Twitter 

Expiration Date 

Signature

How can I get involved in CMA? 

Join a Committee! 

Membership also affords you the opportunity to 

participate in CMA’s standing committees, which 

develop positions on policies impacting the mining 

industry. You may join any one or more of the following 

committees: 

• Coal 

• Hardrock 

• Outreach 

• Health & Safety 

• International Affairs 

• Air Quality 

• Water Quality 

• Uranium 

These committees provide a wealth of volunteer 

technical support and give you opportunities to 

build business relationships with industry clients. 

COST OF MEMBERSHIP 

CMA annual dues are $100 for individual 

members. There is no initiation fee. 

INDIVIDUAL MEMBER APPLICATION 

Full Name 

Your Position 

Business Name 

Email Address 

Business Mailing Address 

Business City, State, Zip 

Business Phone Fax 

Home Address 

Home City, State, Zip 

Home Phone 

Preferred Mailing Address Home 

Business 


216 16th Street, Suite 1250 Denver, CO 80202 

Phone: 303-575-9199 Fax: 303-575-9194 

Email: colomine@coloradomining.org 

Web: www.coloradomining.org 

Card # 

Expiration Date 

Visa MC AMEX Discover 

Visit us at 



and Follow Us on Twitter 

Signature

SHORT COURSES 

Saturday & Sunday, February 23 & 24, 2013 


Copper Heap Leach 

Member: $495 • Nonmember: $595 

Student Member: $350 

Overview: 

The Copper Heap Leach course is designed to provide 

the attendees with a comprehensive understanding 

of the technology and economics of copper heap 

leaching. It focuses on the basic principles that 

underpin copper heap leaching and provides a detailed 

review of geometallurgy related to copper leaching, 

the design and implementation of metallurgical testing 

programs, the interpretation of test results, and the 

use of the results to design, construct, and operate 

successful copper heap leach operations. The course 

will cover the following specific aspects of copper 

heap leaching: 1) the history of copper leaching and 

solvent extraction electrowinning of copper, 2) the 

design and implementation of metallurgical testing 

programs and the interpretation of test results, 3) the 

geometallurgy and chemistry of copper leaching, the 

interaction of the leach solutions with specific minerals 

in the ore, and the importance of quantifying the ore/ 

gangue mineralogy, 4)solvent extraction of metals, 

5) The geotechnical aspects of copper heap leaching, 

including water balance issues and the design and 

construction of pads and ponds, 6) the design of SX/ 

EW plants, and 7) the dissection of one or more failed 

copper heap leach operations. The course will include 

a course summary with a question and answer period. 

Course Content by Day: 

Day 1: 

• Introduction and Course Overview Keane/Dreier 

• The Geometallurgy and Chemistry of Copper 

Leaching – J.E. Dreier 

• Commercial Ore Testing – J. Keane 

• Heap Construction – Randy Scheffel 

• Bioleaching - Corale Brierley 

• Overview of Copper Heap Leaching – G. Kordosky 

Day 2: 

• Solvent Extraction of Metals - G. Kordosky 

• Pad and Pond Lay-Out and Site Investigation – 

Dave Kidd 

• Water Balance and Liner Design - Dave Kidd 

• Design of SX-EW Plants – Paul Thompsen 

• Evaluation of a Successful Operation (Cerro 

Verde) – Joe Campbell 

• Evaluation of a Failed Operation (Equitorial 

Tonopah) – Joe Keane 

• Discussion and Recap 

Instructors: 

Joseph M. Keane 

K D Engineering 

520-579-8315 

jkeane@kdengco.com 

Gary Kordosky, Ph. D. 

520-743-0677 

John E. Dreier Ph.D 

303-278-4445 

Paul Thompson 

Jacobs Engineering 

Phone: 520-917-5500 

David Kidd 

Golder Associates 

520-888-8818 

Randolph Scheffel 

303-663-7542 



Introduction to the Design of Bulk 

Material Handling Conveyors 



Overview: 

This course will provide training in the process of 

designing Bulk Material Handling Conveyors starting 

with a system design overview and then reviewing 

tension and power calculations. Discussions on key 

components in a conveyor system will be presented 

and considerations for the proper selection of these 

components will be reviewed. Open discussion 

throughout the course will be encouraged. The course 

is designed for engineers involved in conveyor design 

and component selection. Some prior experience in 

conveyor design will be helpful but not required. 

Course Content by Day: 

Day 1: 

• Introduction and review of course objectives 

• Conveyor system design overview 

• Tension and power calculations 

• Drives, Electrical 

• Drives, Mechanical 

• Belting 

• Open discussion 

25

SHORT COURSES 

Day 2 

• Pulley Assemblies 

• Bearings 

• Idlers 

• Wrap up 

Instructors: 

Steve Shadow 

Baldor Electric Company 

303-840-0048 

sshadow@baldor.com 

Leo J. Laughlin 

641-621-2548 



Ore Reserve Risk and Optimization 

in Strategic Mine Planning: 

Stochastic Models and Optimization 



The final stage of the course is a series of computer 

workshops, and introduces to participants new 

powerful public domain software (SGeMS). Data and 

software remains with the participants. 

Please note: It is strongly recommended that participants 

bring a laptop. 

Course Content: 

• Introduction 

• Quantification of uncertainty in strategic planning 

creates opportunities, value, shelters investment 

and maximises profits 

• Frameworks for uncertainty modelling, 

profitability, optimization and mining operations 

• Concepts and Techniques 

• New Technologies 

• Practice of Simulations for Risk Modelling in 

Mining 

• Computer Workshops 

Instructor: 

Roussos Dimitrakopoulos 

McGill University, Canada 

Overview: 

This two-day course presents the new generation 

of applied technologies integrating geostatistical 

simulation methods for reserve risk management 

with new stochastic mine planning optimization 

developments, leading to improved cash flow 

assessments. 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. Computer 

workshops introduce participants to the practical aspects 

of the technologies taught in lectures. New public domain 

software with graphic capabilities is introduced. 

Participants will: 

• Discover how and why risk-based models create 

value and opportunities 

• Understand how to quantify and utilize grade/ 

tonnage/metal uncertainty and variability 

• Learn about new efficient simulation methods for 

modelling orebodies and how to utilise the results 

in a diversity mining applications 

• Understand how to use quantified orebody risk in 

ore reserve estimation, mine planning and design, 

and mineral project valuation 

• Learn about the new stochastic mine planning 

framework for life of mine optimization 

• Learn from actual industry examples and diverse 

applications 

• Participate in hands-on computer workshops using 

real case studies 

26 



Basic Safety and Health Practices 

for the Mining Industry 



Overview: 

The objective of this course is to provide a basic 

understanding of safety and health management and 

federal requirements applicable to the mining industry. 

This course is designed to provide individuals an 

introduction to the knowledge and skills necessary 

to carry out the responsibilities and duties of an 

inexperienced safety representative. The course 

will cover the basics of safety management and the 

elements of a mine safety program, responsibilities 

under the Mine Safety and Health Act, conducting 

inspections and accident investigations. The course 

will also provide classroom practice in performing 

Job Safety Analysis, determining causal factors, and 

properly completing the required MSHA forms for 

accident reporting, training record completion and 

other Part 50 recordkeeping requirements. This course 

is designed for supervisors (new and potential future 

supervisors) and technical professionals, particularly 

recent college graduates, wanting to know more about 

safety and health management as it is applied to the 

mining industry.

SHORT COURSES 


• Safety management basics 

• Elements of a mine safety program 

• Responsibilities under the Mine Safety and Health Act 

• Conducting inspections and accident investigations 

• Job Safety Analysis 

• Root Cause Analysis 

• Completing required MSHA forms (accident 

reporting, training record completion and other 

Part 50 recordkeeping requirements) 

Instructors: 

Jerry Powers 

Colorado School of Mines 

303-278-0710 

jlpowers@mines.edu 

Robert Ferriter 


303-278-0710 

Janet Torma-Krajewski 


303-278-0710 



Seismic Analysis and Interpretation 

for Mining 



Overview: 

Today many underground mines and some open pit 

mines install and use seismic monitoring systems to 

track seismic activity on a daily basis. However the 

information in seismic data, often, is not used to its best 

capacity. Recent advances in technology and seismology 

techniques have enabled the extraction of more detailed 

information from full-waveform seismic data that can 

better explain the rockmass behavior. This additional 

information can be used in a variety of geotechnical 

tools and analysis. This workshop discusses techniques 

for standard and advanced seismic analysis and their 

application covering topic such as: Ray tracing and 

event location for simple and complex media such as 

block caves, backfilled areas and open pits, identifying 

trends in seismicity and their potential sources (which 

can be used in the identification of geological structures 

in inaccessible areas of the mine), advances in re-entry 

protocols following larger magnitude events and stress 

distribution analysis using seismic source mechanisms. 

The purpose of this course is to demonstrate how 

standard and advanced seismological techniques and 

the history of seismic data can be used to take the 

most value out of a seismic system and gather more 

information from the recorded mine signals. Seismic 

results such as more accurate relocations and source 

mechanisms (moment tensors) determined from fullwaveform 

data can be used to better interpret the 

rockmass reaction to mining, and use this additional 

database in geotechnical models and analysis. 

This workshop targets geotechnical and mine design 

engineers, ground control specialists, researchers, or 

anyone who has some knowledge about basic seismic 

monitoring and is interested in learning about the seismic 

analysis techniques and how the results can be used in 

mining operations to assess hazard and improve safety. 


• Introduction: The Basics of Seismology and 

Source Parameters 

• Event Locations Around Voids an in Complex Media 

• Source Parameter Analysis and Re- entry Protocol 

• Source Mechanism and Stress Model Calibration 

• Identification and Characterization of Trends in 

Seismicity 

• Advances in Seismic Technology – State of the Art 

• Conclusions and Discussion 

Instructors: 

Cezar Trifu 

ESG Solutions 

613-548-8287 

Trifu@esgsolutions.com 

Dave Collins 

ESG Solutions 

613-548-8287 



Ground Freezing for Mining 

Applications 



Overview: 

This course will provide attendees with a practical 

understanding of ground freezing, with a focus on 

mining applications and deep shaft sinking in particular. 

Participants will learn how to plan, appropriate actions 

for, and implement, a ground freezing program. Topics 

covered will include general principles, ground freezing 

methods, applications, design aspects, installation, 

behavior of frozen ground, and critical quality control 

measures. Case histories will be presented to illustrate 

the course content. Case histories will illustrate several 

different applications. 

27

SHORT COURSES 

The temporary control of groundwater is a critical 

aspect of deep shaft sinking. Ground freezing, which 

also eliminates the need for shoring or internal bracing, 

has proven highly effective in allowing safe excavation 

within the surrounding frozen soil matrix and can 

readily be accomplished in even the most difficult 

subsurface conditions and at great depths. At times 

ground freezing is be the only viable option. Although 

ground freezing has been practiced for well over 100 

years, this technology, and its advantages, is not well 

understood outside of a narrow specialty area. This 

course will provide industry professionals with a greater 

knowledge of this versatile and valuable technology, 

and the benefits of applying it to future projects. 

Course Content 

• Introduction & Historical Overview 

• Fundamental of Ground Freezing 

• Ground Conditions & Applicability of Ground 

Freezing 

• Comparison With Other Techniques 

• Applications Currently Employed in the Mining 

Industry 

• Groundwater Cut-off for Mine Workings 

• Case Studies 

Instructors: 

Paul C. Schmall, P.E. 

Moretrench American Corporation 

973-627-2011 

pschmall@mtac.com 

Joseph A. Sopko, Ph. D, P.E. 

Moretrench American Corporation 

920-889-0190 

Bernd Braun 

Ground Freezing Consultant 

972-304-9090 

Derek Maishman, P.E. 

Ground Freezing Consultant 

973-627-3679 



Mine Water Balance 101 



Many of the challenges faced by mining companies 

involve water. This workshop will focus on water 

balance studies and water balance modeling as a tool 

for managing water quantity and (to a lesser extent) 

quality at mine and processing sites. The course will 

cover the following topics: 

• What is a water balance and why is it important? 

• What could a water balance be used for? 

• Defining the water balance objectives 

• Selecting water balance methodology and models 

• Collecting and evaluating the water balance input 

data 

• Developing and calibrating the model 

• Addressing water quality aspects 

• Generating data for reporting requirements 

(sustainability, closure, permitting) 

• Using the water balance for decision making 

A number of examples will be presented with the 

objective to cover a range of site conditions and 

project challenges. The use of different models will 

be demonstrated for achieving optimal results. The 

examples will also illustrate the use of the water 

balance model for decision making. Participants 

should bring their water balance issues/challenges; we 

will choose one issue (more if time permits) during 

the panel discussion at the end of the day to discuss / 

develop a strategy to address the water balance. 

This short course is targeted at participants who: 

• Have or anticipate having water challenges at their 

site. 

• Want to optimize their current water management 

practices. 

• Want to understand how to approach and structure 

a water balance study. 

• Want to understand the current trends and best 

practices for water balance modeling. 

• Are curious about water balance modeling and how 

to make sure models are calibrated and accurate. 

Instructors: 

Tatyana Alexieva 

MWH Global Water and Tailing Management Lead 

Melanie Davis 

Zygi Zurakowski 

Overview: 

This short course will provide an overview of water 

balance studies for mine and processing facility sites, 

what they are, why they are important, and how to 

interpret and use the results. 

28

SHORT COURSES 



Overview of Sustainability Reporting 

and GRI for Extractive Professionals 



Overview: 

The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) is a nonprofit 

organization that promotes transparent 

disclosure regarding economic, environmental and 

social sustainability performance. GRI publishes a 

comprehensive sustainability reporting framework that 

is highly respected and widely used around the world. 

The GRI framework was developed through a global, 

multi-stakeholder process. This workshop will help 

SME attendees understand the overarching trends and 

drivers for sustainability reporting, particularly within 

the extractives sector. 

Corporate sustainability reporting is rapidly growing all 

over the world. In 2011, over 2000 companies published 

GRI reports. In the United States, an increasing number 

of companies are reporting in accordance with the GRI 

Guidelines (30% increase 2009 to 2010 and another 

46% 2010 to 2011 – over 300 companies in total). 

More than 75% of the top 100 companies in the US 

report on their corporate responsibility performance. 

Sustainability reporting is expanding even more rapidly 

across the extractives sector as stakeholder demands for 

transparency continue to grow. 

ERM is one of a small group of firms approved as GRIcertified 

training partners in the US and is proposing 

a workshop addressing sustainability reporting and the 

GRI guidelines and reporting process. ERM’s workshop 

will be targeted for SME members that want to develop 

a greater understanding of sustainability issues and 

emerging trends in sustainability reporting. This 

training will benefit SME conference attendees involved 

in site-level EHS management, as well as corporate staff 

who consolidate and analyze facility data used in GRI 

sustainability reports. This workshop will also benefit 

attendees wanting to further develop and broaden their 

professional credentials in this emerging area. As a 

takeaway, ERM will provide participants with a copy of 

the presentation materials used. 


• Overview of Sustainability, Sustainability 

Reporting and GRI 

• Envisioning the Sustainability Report and 

Planning the Reporting Process 

• Stakeholder Engagement 

• Focusing on Material and Emerging Issues 

• Sustainability Metrics and Goals 

• Mining and Metals Sector Supplement 

• Data Collection and Management 

• Writing, Reviewing, Assuring and Approving the 

Report 

• Continuous Improvement: Lessons Learned and 

Best Practices 

Instructors: 

James Margolis 

Environmental Resources Management (ERM) 

610-524-3512 

james.margolis@erm.com 

Jennifer Eastes 

Environmental Resources Management (ERM) 

303-741-5050 

29

Cripple Creek & 

Victor Gold Mine 

Date: Saturday, February 23 

Time: TBD - approx. 10 hr. total trip 

Departs: Hyatt Regency Convention Center 

Tickets: $75 

Includes: Transportation, Tour and Lunch 

Please Note: 30 maximum participants. All participants need to 

provide their own PPE. 

FIELD TRIPS 

SME Young Leaders will be hosting a field trip to Cripple 

Creek & Victor Gold Mine on Saturday, February 23rd, 

2013. Cripple Creek Gold Mine is a modern surface 

mining operation owned and operated AngloGold 

Ashanti North America, Inc. and is located near Victor, 

Colorado. This mine is built upon historic remnants of 

both underground and surface mining, dating back to 

1890. Current mining operations have been ongoing 

since 1994, and are scheduled to continue till 2016. 

Young Leaders will be touring and observing this gold 

mining operation and welcome others to attend as well. 

Henderson Mine 

Date: Thursday, February 28 

Time: 7:30am – 3:30pm 

Departs: Hyatt Regency Convention Center 

Tickets: $75 

Includes: Transportation, Tour and Lunch 

Please Note: 50 maximum participants. Dress for a winter 

mountain climate that is normally 15°F to 20°F cooler than 

that of downtown Denver. Comfortable walking shoes/boots, 

winter gloves, parka and hats are recommended. Henderson will 

provide hard hats. 

Climax Molybdenum Co., a subsidiary of Freeport 

McMoRan, is the world’s largest primary molybdenum 

producer. Climax Molybdenum Co.’s Henderson Operations 

are located approximately 50 miles west of Denver, CO. It 

is Freeport McMoRan’s only active underground mine. 

The Henderson Operation, commissioned in 1976, 

operates half a mile under the Continental Divide. 

Henderson currently mines 30,000 tons/day of ore in 

one of the world’s largest block cave operations. The tour 

will begin with an overview of the mining operation and 

a safety orientation. Participants will then take the cage 

from the surface at 10,200 feet in elevation to the 7,500 

level elevation of the mine. The steps involved in pannel 

development will be seen including the development 

and initial blasting of the cave drawpoints. A variety of 

drills are used or blastholes. Active drawpoints will then 

be seen and ventiliation will be discussed. Participants 

will see the geometry used in pulling the ore with CAT 

Elphenstone 1,700 LHD’s. 

From the dump chutes ore is transferred to the 

underground gyratory primary crusher using Supra 80 

ton rigid frame five-axle trucks. These unique units have 

two driven axles and four steering axles. Crushed ore 

is transported to the mill by three series conveyors that 

constitute one of the longest conveyor trains in the world. 

PC1 is 1.6km in length from the ore storage pocket to a 

point near the old haulage level of the mine. PC2 is 16.8km 

in length and is reported to be one of the longest single 

flight conveyor in the world. Approximately 14km of this 

flight is underground in the existing railroad tunnel. PC3 

is 6.4km in length and negotiates several vertical and 

horizontal curves in route to the mill stockpile. 

The conveyor design incorporated many interesting 

features including custom designed idlers and special 

optimized belt rubber compounding that resulted in 

30% less power draw than was originally designed. 

Other design features include variable frequency drives 

that allow matching of conveyor speed with tonnage, 

belt turnovers to mitigate carry back and winch-assisted 

counterweight take-up systems which automatically lock 

during emergency stops.Participants will see part of the 

underground conveyor system, then will head back to the 

surface. The mill is 15 miles from the mine on the opposite 

side of the continental divide. The mill will not be included 

in the tour. After the tour, a box lunch will be provided, and 

all questions will be answered by Henderson personnel. 

30

STUDENT ACTIVITIES 


STUDENT DESIGN 

COMPETITION FINALS 

7:00am – 2:00pm 

Hyatt Regency Convention Center 

Sponsored by: 

Hitachi Construction and Mining 

STUDENT CHAPTER 

REPRESENTATIVE 

SUBCOMMITTEE 

11:00am – Noon 


Hosted by: Colorado School of Mines 

Student Chapter officers and members are 

invited to attend the subcommittee meeting. 

2013 STUDENT FORUM 

1:00pm – 3:00pm • Convention Center 

Hosted by: Colorado School of Mines 

Sponsored by: MWH Global 

A continuing tradition for SME Student 

Members and Professionals. Join us for 

Food, Fun, Information and Prizes! 

STUDENT MIXER 

9:00pm – Midnight 


Sponsored by: Newmont Mining Corp. 

Registered students are invited to attend 

this social featuring music and refreshments. 

31

MENTOR PROGRAM 

SME’S NEW MENTORING PROGRAM 

ONLINE & ONSITE AT THE ANNUAL MEETING 

ATTENTION PROFESSIONALS AND STUDENTS 

SME is excited to introduce our new online 

mentoring program. Everyone is encouraged to take 

advantage of this wonderful opportunity to be a 

mentor or mentee. The new online mentor program 

will enhance the present on-site mentor program. 

The Mentoring Meeting Place will still be held on 

Sunday from 3:00pm – 5:00pm at the Colorado 

Convention during the SME/CMA Annual 

Meeting. This meeting time will provide a venue for 

Mentors and Mentees to meet in person. 

To participate in the SME Online Mentor Program: 

• Go to the SME Website (smenet.org) and log in 

• Once you have logged onto the SME Website click 

on the SME Community tab located near the top 

of the page, which will direct you to your profile. 

• If you have not been in the community before you 

will be directed to the Terms and Agreements 

page where you must accept the terms of use. This 

will only appear the first time you enter the community. 

Once accepted the system will take you to 

your Profile page. 

• In the upper right corner of your profile page you 

can select the mentee/ mentor tab. 

• Click on the link that says mentee/mentor status. 

• Click edit status and enter appropriate information, 

then click save at the bottom of that page. You 

will then see a notification that your enrollment 

was saved successfully. 

• Next, choose from the left hand menu to find a 

mentor or mentee. On the Find page enter the 

criteria of the mentor/mentee profile that would 

suit you best. 

• Selecting which SME events you will be attending 

such as the Annual Meeting & Exhibit will enable 

you to be matched with others attending that 

meeting. 

• At the bottom of that page click find mentors/ 

mentees. 

• When search results appear choose the mentor/ 

mentee to view their profile. Under their photo 

there is a mentor/mentee contact button. Simply 

click to send your mentor/mentee request. 

• Once the request is sent, it must be accepted for 

the connection to be complete. Keep in mind that 

the mentor/mentee has the option to decline the 

request as well accept it. 

• To view the status of your relationships, go to the 

Mentoring menu and choose My Mentoring Relationships. 

If your request was not accepted within 

3-5 days please search again and select another 

mentor/mentee from the search results. 

IF YOU DO NOT ENROLL IN THE ONLINE PROGRAM AND SELECT THE 

APPROPRIATE MEETING YOU WILL NOT BE MATCHED IN ADVANCED OR ONSITE! 

YOU CAN ENROLL ONSITE USING YOUR PERSONAL COMPUTER BUT YOU WILL BE 

RESPONSIBLE FOR ARRANGING A MEETING WITH THE MENTOR/MENTEE! 

For more information or to apply for the 2013 SME/CMA Annual Meeting Mentor Program you can contact: 

Mona Vandervoort, SME Education Coordinator 

1-800-763-3132, ext. 227. 303-948-4227 • Fax: 303-948-4265. Vandervoort@smenet.org 

32

YOUNG LEADERS 

YOUNG LEADER FIELD TRIP 

Cripple Creek and Victor Gold Mine 


For more information, see page 30 

See registration form to order tickets 

YOUNG LEADERS 

COMMITTEE MEETING 



YOUNG LEADER 

MENTORING SESSION 


Speaker: Bruce Watzman, VP, National Mining Association 

Ticketed Event. Only 12 spots available. 

You must be 35 or younger. See registration form. 

YOUNG LEADER SESSION 


Chair: Joshua Chlopek, 

Staff Engineer, MEPCO, LLC 

Session abstract: 

The Young Professional-Student Engineer has or will encounter 

numerous issues making the transition from being a student to 

a professional. These issues and how they are dealt with will 

serve as a cornerstone to their development. The main issues 

that are encountered: cross application of geological principles 

to a mining operation, dealing with the generation gap and 

the current workplace establishment, the outgoing legacy of 

knowledge, and how a how a young engineer may rise from a 

student to a professional. This is challenging time for most in 

the mining industry especially the young professional-student 

engineer, but it is a great opportunity to those who can understand 

the upcoming difficulties and embody its solutions. 

YOUNG LEADERS 

RISING PROFESSIONALS 

RECEPTION 


7pm - 9pm • Ticketed Event 


SME Young Leaders will be hosting,“Rising Professionals 

Reception” to gather young industry professionals together 

to enjoy each other’s company and get caught up 

on each other’s career development. 

33

EDUCATION SUSTAINABILITY TASK FORCE 

GRADUATE STUDENT POSTER CONTEST 

Co-Chaired by Task Force Members 

Mary Poulton, University of Arizona and 

Rick Sweigard, University of Kentucky 

Sponsored by: Alpha Natural Resources 

FOR: Graduate Students from all SME Disciplines. 

LOCATION: SME Annual Meeting – Exhibit Hall 

TOPIC: Open Topic reflecting the graduate’s thesis. The topic should highlight the graduate’s research. 

ABSTRACT: The abstract should be 250 words and is due by December 1, 2012. It should describe 

what the graduate student intends to display on the poster. 

CRITERION: 

The entries will be judged on: 

1. Technical competence 

2. Thoroughness of approach 

3. Quality of the presentation 

Abstracts should be e-mailed to Dr. Rick Sweigard at rsweigard@engr.uky.edu. They should include 

all author names, complete contact information, the school they attend, title, an abstract of no more 

than 250 words, the faculty advisor, and the authors’ disciplines. Information must be sent no later than 

December 1, 2012. 

Authors will be notified of acceptance by December 15, 2012). Those accepted will be sent Poster 

Guidelines and should plan on presenting their posters during the SME Annual Meeting, February 

24-27, 2013 in Denver, Colorado For additional information; please contact Mona Vandervoort at 

vandervoort@smenet.org. 

The Educational Sustainability Task Force is organizing the Third Annual Graduate Student Poster 

Contest to be held at the 2013 SME Annual Meeting. The Task Force believes that the greatest obstacle 

facing educational sustainability in the mineral industries is the pending shortage of qualified faculty 

members. The purpose of the Graduate Student Poster Contest is to recognize excellence in research by 

SME graduate student members and to encourage them to continue their pursuit of excellence through 

an academic career. The contest will provide an opportunity for the graduate students to showcase 

their work in a visible setting and to compete for cash prizes based on the quality of their posters as 

determined by a team of judges. It is hoped that this will be the first of many initiatives by the Task 

Force aimed at bolstering graduate student education and increasing the number of faculty members. 

The Graduate Student Poster Contest will be open to any SME student member who is currently 

enrolled in a minerals-related graduate program. The posters will be on display in a designated area 

in the vicinity of the Exhibit Hall for the duration of the exhibit. The contestants will be required to 

be present at a pre-determined time to discuss their research with interested attendees and to answer 

questions posed by the judges. The judging team will consist of five members of the Task Force and 

prizes will be awarded to the top three places as follows: 1st place - $1000, 2nd place - $650, and 3rd 

place - $350. 

34

EDUCATION AGENDA 


Mineral Schools Department Heads Meeting 

9:30am – Noon • Hyatt Regency Convention Center Hotel 

2013 Educators’ Forum 

“What I wish I had known five years ago when I graduated with my B.S. in Engineering!” 

3pm – 5pm • Colorado Convention Center 

This year’s Educators’ Forum will focus on 

early career experiences of recent graduates 

from mining and geological engineering degree 

programs. We will gather to hear these Young 

Leaders of SME reflect upon their undergraduate 

educational experiences compared with the 

educational and experience needs during their 

first few years in the world of work. Each 

presenter will be asked to give a short summary 

of the strengths and weaknesses of his/her 

Bachelor’s Degree educational experiences vs. 

what the Young Member’s professional position 

required in the work place as a new employee 

as well as what is/was needed to advance in 

the position. It is anticipated that these Young 

Leader professionals will provide valuable 

feedback not only to educators as they strive to 

improve their degree program offerings, but also 

that this feedback will be valuable to employers 

as they strive to fill positions with new graduates, 

seek to retain highly qualified new engineering 

employees, and as these employers seek to refine 

their expectations of new, recently graduated 

engineers that they hire. 


Creating a Successful Research Proposal 

Co-Chaired by Rick Sweigard, University of Colorado, 

Jurgen Brune, Colorado School of Mines and 

Lee Saperstein, Missouri University of Science & Technology, Retired 

Education Sustainability Task Force and Research Committee 

Young faculty members and graduate students 

who intend to become faculty members may 

benefit from mentoring in the development 

of research and instructional development 

proposals. Success in proposal writing brings 

independent funding, support for graduate 

students, and attendant professional growth. 

SME’s Educational Sustainability Task Force 

in concert with its Research Committee have 

assembled a panel of successful researchers to 

talk about their successes and failures, to help 

attendees to identify funding sources, to help 

them to organize responses to RFPs (requests 

for proposals), to help them write unsolicited 

proposals, and to hold an informal colloquium 

with attendees in support of their research 

efforts. This session is directed toward new 

faculty members – new implies new to the job 

not an age – and those, such as graduate students, 

who would be faculty members. All interested in 

education, however, are welcome to attend. 

35

SME Foundation 

Silent Auctions 

Mardi Gras Themed Gala and Casino Night! 

In addition to the 3-day Silent Auction on the exhibit floor, the 

SME Foundation will feature a special Silent Auction during our 

Mardi Gras themed Gala at the SME Annual Meeting in Denver, 

February 24, 2013. 

Help us kick off the most successful auction ever by donating unique 

and distinctive items. All proceeds benefit the SME Foundation Programs. 

Best Sellers Include: 

Scale Models of Mining Equipment 

Jewelry • Rock and Mineral Samples • Sports Memorabilia 

Maps • Charts • Engineering Diagrams 

Historic Mining Company Stock Certificates 

Works of Art • Electronics • Framed Paintings • Sculptures 

To donate items or for any questions or comments please contact AnnMarie at: 

303-948-4239 • estrada@smenet.org • www.smenet.org/foundation

ALUMNI & SPECIAL FUNCTIONS 

ALUMNI FUNCTIONS – Tuesday, February 26, 2013 

*Held at the Hyatt Regency unless otherwise noted 

University of Arizona Reception 

Dept. of Mining & Geological Engineering 

5:30pm – 7:30pm 

Contact: Patricia Bosco 

520-621-5292 • pbosco@u.arizona.edu 


*Held at the Denver Press Club 

5pm – 7pm 

Contact: Shannon Mann 

303-273-3701 • smann@mines.edu 

Columbia University Henry Krumb School of 

Mines Earth & Environmental Engineering 

6pm – 7:30pm 

Contact: Peter Rennee 

212-854-7081 • dd0264@columbia.edu 

University of Kentucky 

Dept. of Mining Engineering 

5pm – 7pm 

Contact: Christie Oliver 

859-257-8026 • coliver@engr.uky.edu 

Michigan Tech University Dept. of Geological 

& Mining Engineering Sciences 

6pm – 8pm 

Contact: Amie Ledgerwood 

906-487-2531 • asledger@mtu.edu 

Friends of Minnesota Reception 

5:30pm – 7:30pm 

Contact: Harvey Thorleifson 

612-627-4780 • thorleif@umn.edu 

Missouri University of Science & Technology 

Alumni Reception 

5:30pm – 7:30pm 

573-341-4897 • laymank@mst.edu 

Montana Tech Alumni Reception 

6pm – 8pm 

Contact: Peggy McCoy 

406-496-4434 • pmccoy@mtech.edu 

University of Nevada - Reno Mackay School of 

Earth Sciences & Engineering Reception 

6pm – 8pm 

Contact: Lorene Addison 

775-682-8786 • laddison@unr.edu 

Penn State Alumni & Friends Reception 

5:30pm – 7:30pm 

Contact: Rachel Altemus 

814-865-3439 • rla7@psu.edu 

South Dakota School of Mines & Technology 


5pm – 8pm 

Contact: Tim Vottero 

605-394-2347 • tim.vottero@sdsmt.edu 

University of Utah College of Mines 

& Earth Sciences 

5pm – 7pm 

Contact: Pam Hofmann 

801-585-5176 • pam.hofmann@utah.edu 

Virginia Tech Mining & Minerals Engineering 


5pm – 7pm 

Contact: Kathryn A. Dew 

540-231-7055 • dewk@holdendomain.com 

West Virginia University 

5:30pm – 7:30pm 

Contact: Royce J. Watts 

304-293-5695 ext. 2102 • royce.watts@mail.wvu.edu 

MMSA 2013 Annual Meeting 


4pm – 6pm 


MMSA 2013 Annual Banquet 


7pm – 10:30pm 

University Club 

For further information and tickets contact: 

MMSA • 303-444-6032 • contactmmsa@mmsa.net 

SPECIAL FUNCTIONS 

U.S. Bureau of Mines National Reunion 

at the 2013 SME/CMA Annual Meeting 


7pm – 9pm 

Wynkoop Brewing Company • 1634 18th Street 

All friends and former employees of the U.S. Bureau of 

Mines are invited. You must check in at the host stand 

upon arrival to be directed to the meeting location. No 

RSVPs required. Pay-your-own-way. You do not have to be 

registered at the SME Annual Meeting to attend this event! 

For more info contact DanielWitkowsky@aol.com 

37

NEW & ENCORE ACTIVITIES FOR 2013 

SME Educational 

Sustainability Graduate 

Student Poster Contest 

Sponsored by: Alpha Natural Resources 

Date: February 24 - 27 

Time: During Exhibit Hours 

Place: Colorado Convention Center 

Exhibit Hall 

The purpose of the Graduate Student Poster 

Contest is to recognize excellence in research 

by SME graduate student members and to 

encourage them to continue their pursuit of 

excellence through an academic career. The 

contest will provide an opportunity for the 

graduate students to showcase their work in 

a very visible setting and to compete for cash 

prizes based on the quality of their posters and 

determined by a team of judges. 

The Graduate Student Poster Contest is open 

to any SME member who is currently enrolled 

in a graduate program at one of the mineralrelated 

schools. The posters will be on display 

in a designated area in the Exhibit Hall for the 

duration of the exhibit. The contestants will be 

required to be present at a pre-determined time 

to discuss their research with interested attendees 

and to answer questions posed by the judges. 

Spouse/Guest Meet & Greet 

Brunch 

Date: Monday, February 25 

Time: 11am – 1pm 

Place: Hyatt Regency Hotel 

If you are registered in the Spouse/Guest 

category, please plan on attending this exciting 

encore event specifically planned for you. Meet 

special guests of honor Dixie Meyer and Robert 

Kogel as well as the spouses and guests of 

meeting attendees while enjoying a light brunch. 

Plan on attending and meeting new friends. 

New Member Orientation & 

Reception 


Time: 5pm – 6:30pm 

Place: Colorado Convention Center 

Members who joined SME in 2012 or 2013, 

please plan on attending this reception to 

learn about the benefits of membership while 

networking with your peers. This is a great 

opportunity to gather information and maximize 

your SME membership experience while meeting 

many of the wonderful people in the industry. 

WAAIME Members and 

Scholarship Recipients 

Reception (Invitation Only) 




WAAIME members and scholarship recipients 

will be invited to attend this formal mixer. 

Young Leaders/Rising 

Professionals Social 


Time: 7pm – 9pm: Rising Professionals Social (Ticketed) 


SME Young Leaders will be hosting a reception 

to gather young industry professionals together 

to enjoy each others company and meet new 

people. 

38

THINGS TO DO IN DENVER 

Denver Restaurant Week 

February 23 - March 8, 2013 

Experience Denver’s best restaurants at substantial 

savings. Dinner for two for just $52.80 at participating 

restaurants. 

www.visitdenver.org 

The Denver Zoo 

2300 Steele Street 

(on 23rd between Colorado and York) 

Phone: 303-376-4800 

www.denverzoo.org 

Downtown Aquarium 

700 Water Street 

Phone: 303-561-4450 

www.oceanjourney.org 

Larimer Square 

A restored section of Denver’s oldest street, this block 

of victorian buildings house restaurants, shops and 

clubs. 

14th - 15th on Larimer 

Phone: 303-534-2367 

Denver Art Museum 

100 W. 14th Avenue Parkway 

Phone: 720-865-5000 

www.denverartmuseum.org 

Denver Museum 

of Nature and Science 

2100 Colorado Boulevard 

Phone: 303-322-7009 

www.dmns.org 

16th Street Mall 

Enjoy Denver’s pedestrian mall and Denver Pavilions 

between Market and Broadway Streets - only a few 

blocks from the Convention Center. 

(A free shuttle is available for 

transportation up and down the 

16th Street Mall) 

Please visit the SME website at www.smenet.org 

for more things to see 

and do in Denver. 

39


& DIVISION HIGHLIGHTS 

SME / AIME Dinner 

Date: Wednesday, February 27 

Time: 

Place: 

6pm – Cash Bar Reception 

7pm – Dinner 


Tickets: $80 

$800 – Table of Ten 

President’s Citation: 

Local Section Recognition 

Richard Katz, Alabama Section 

Outstanding Student Chapter 


Henry Krumb Lecturers 

Dragan Bogunovic 

Robert Dunne 

Vishal Gupta 

James J. Gusek 

R. Larry Grayson 

Rick Honaker 

Yi Luo 

Hamid Maleki 

Lucas Moore 

Past President’s Plaque 

Drew A. Meyer 

The 2013 SME Dinner program is conducted by 

2012 SME President, Drew A. Meyer 

The following awards are 

presented or recognized: 

Distinguished Members 

Kadri Dagdelen 

Raymond W. Henn 

Tim O’Neil 

Harry M. Parker 

Robert M. Dreyer Award 

Daniel Wood 

MEC Partnership Appreciation Award 

Mining Foundation of the Southwest 

MEC Student Chapter Award 


MEC Visionary Award 

Richard Beach 

Ivan B. Rahn Education Award 

Rick Sweigard 

Syd S. Peng 

Ground Control in Mining Award 

Bruce Hebblewhite 

President’s Citation: Individual 

Gary Skaggs 

Richard Whiting 

Red Conger 

SME/AIME Awards: 

AIME Honorary Member 

Nikhil C. Trivedi 

Frank F. Aplan Award 

James Douglas Gold Medal 

Patrick R. Taylor 

Hal Williams Hardinge Award 

Sarkis Ampian 

Mineral Economics Award 

Roussos Dimitrakopoulos 

Robert Earll McConnell Award 

Larry Watters 

Erskine Ramsay Medal 

Michael Karmis 

Charles F. Rand Gold Medal 

Arthur A. Schweizer 

Rossiter W. Raymond Award 

Timothy W. Beck 

Robert H. Richards Award 

Nick Hazen 

William L. Saunders Gold Medal 

Ronald W. Thiessen 

40



SME Highlights 

Exhibit Hall Grand 

Opening Reception 

Date: Sunday, February 24 

Time: 4pm - 6pm 

Place: Colorado Convention 

Center 

SME Foundation Dinner and 

Mardi Gras/Casino Night 


Time: 6:30pm – 7pm: Cocktails 

7pm – Midnight: Dinner, 

Awards, Dancing 


Tickets: $95, Table of 8: $2,500 

Student Mixer 

Sponsored by: 

Newmont Mining Corporation 


Time: 9pm 


Complimentary for registered 

students and their guest only. 

4th Annual Spouse/ 

Guest Brunch 




Wives, husbands and significant 

others of SME members please mark 

your calendar for a light brunch on 

Monday! It’s the perfect time for 

spouses to relax, connect and meet 

other spouses of SME members 

while your “significant others” are 

attending other functions. You will 

meet special “Guests of Honor,” 

Dixie Meyer, wife of current SME 

President, Drew Meyer and Robert 

Kogel, husband of incoming SME 

President, Jessica Kogel. This event is 

open to any spouse/guest of an SME 

member who pays the $120 spouse/ 

guest fee. Please RSVP to this event 

on your registration form. 

Exhibit Hall Luncheon 


Time: 11:30am – 1pm 


Center 

New Member Orientation 

& Reception 




Center 

People who joined SME in 2012 and 

2013 are invited to this information 

and networking reception. 

Women of SME Breakfast 

and Panel Discussion 

Date: Tuesday, February 26 

Time: 7:30am 


Tickets: $35 

Panel Discussion: 

“Women in Mining: 

Climbing the Corporate 

Ladder” 

Exhibit Hall Afternoon Social 


Time: 3:30pm - 5:30pm 


Center - Exhibit Hall 

Barrick North America 

Plant Operators Session 


Time: 4pm 


Center 

Speaker: 

Michael Rayburn 

“What If ?” 

Exhibit Hall 

Continental Breakfast 


Time: 8am - 9:30am 


Center - Exhibit Hall 

Industrial Minerals 

& Aggregates 

Division Highlights 

Industrial Minerals & Aggregates 

Division serves to further the 

arts and science in exploration, 

production, and use of nonmetallics. 

Industrial Minerals & 

Aggregates Division 

Luncheon & Silent Auction 


Time: Noon 


Center 

Tickets: $45 

Speaker: 

David Hanson 

President 

Chieftan Sand & Proppant, LLC 



Distinguished Service Award 

Robert Pruett 

Young Scientist Award 

Vishal Gupta 

Hal Williams Hardinge Award 

Sarkis Ampian 

Robert W. Piekarz Award 

Michael D. Sheahan 

Candace Trimble 

Industrial Minerals & Aggregates 

Division Chair Award 

Mark J. Zdunczyk 

41



Coal & Energy 


The Coal & Energy Divison 

encompasses technologies in coal 

exploration, mining, preparation 

and utilization. 

Coal & Energy Division 


Sponsored by: Preptech, Inc. 


Time: Noon 


Center 

Tickets: $45 




Jürgen Brune 

Howard N. Eavenson Awar 

Pramod Thakur 

Erskine Ramsay Medal 

Michael Karmis 

Rock Mechanics Award 

Mark Board 

Stefanko Best Paper Award 

Andrew Cecala 

James Noll 

John Organiscak 

J.W. Woomer Award 

Kramer Luxbacher 

Coal & Energy Division Chair Award 

Joseph C. Zelanko 

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. 


Silent Auction 




Center 


Luncheon 

Sponsored by: CH2M Hill 


Time: Noon 


Center 

Tickets: $45 

Speaker: 

Raymond Lazuk 

Environmental Manager, Climax 

Molybdenum Company 

“Environmental/Regulatory Aspects 

of the Climax Mine Restart” 




Robert W. Reisinger 

Environmental Division Chair Award 

Patrick Williamson 

Mineral & 

Metallurgical 

Processing Division 

Highlights 

Mineral & Metallurgical Processing 

Division was established for the 

advancement of metallurgical and 

mineral technology as applied to the 

mining industry. 

Gaudin Lecture 


Time: 2:00pm 


Center 

Award Recipient/Lecturer: 

Graeme J. Jameson 

“Adventures in Flotation” 

Richards Lecture 


Time: 2:00pm 


Center 


Nick Hazen 

42 

Wadsworth Lecture 


Time: 2:00pm 


Center 


Jan D. Miller 

“X-ray Tomography for the 3D 

Analysis of Hydrometallurgical 

Systems” 

Mineral & Metallurgical 

Processing Division Luncheon 


Time: Noon 


Center 

Tickets: $45 



Outstanding Young Engineer Award 

(in memory of Subhash Chander) 

Lisa Schlink 

Antoine M. Gaudin Award 

Graeme J. Jameson 

Robert H. Richards Award 

Nick Hazen 

Arthur F. Taggart Award 

Glenn Hoffman 

S. Jayson Ripke 

Milton E. Wadsworth Award 

Jan D. Miller 

Millman Award 

S. Jayson Ripke 

MPD Scotch Nightcap 

Social Function - 

Scholarship Fundraiser 

Sponsored by: ASD Inc. & 

Weir Minerals 

100% of the proceeds from this 

event go 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’oeuvres, live music, 

and cocktails. Each attendee 

receives two complimentary drink 

tickets to redeem during the event. 


Time: 8pm – 11pm 


Tickets: $50



Mining & Exploration 


Mining & Exploration Division 

specializes in exploration, 

production, research, and specialized 

aspects of metal mining. 

Mining & Exploration Division 


Sponsored by: 

Hitachi Construction & Mining 


Time: Noon 


Center 

Tickets: $45 



Ben F. Dickerson, III Award 

Thomas C. Patton 


William A. Warfield 

Daniel C. Jackling Award 

Edward C. Dowling 

Miner of the Year Award 

Cherie M. Tilley 

Outstanding Young Professional Award 

Elaina Ware 

Robert Peele Memorial Award 

Ananta Lakshmi Yennamani 

Program Area Manager Awards 

Brad Atkinson 

Thomas Camm 

Leslie Gertsch 

Jamal Rostami 

William L. Saunders Gold Medal 

Ronald W. Thiessen 

M&E Division Chair Award 

Steven C. Holmes 

Jackling Lecture 

(Held in conjunction with the M&E Luncheon) 


Time: 1:30pm 


Edward C. Dowling 

“After a Few Good Years, What 

Does Mining Look Like Going 

Forward?” 

CMA Highlights 

CMA Environmental 

Stewardship Awards Banquet 


Time: 6pm – 9pm 

Place: Hyatt Regency 

Convention Center 

Centennial Ballroom 

Tickets: $95 

CMA/Colorado Division of 

Reclamation, Mining & Safety 

Luncheon and Colorado 

Mined Land Board Awards 


Time: Noon 


Center 

Four Seasons Ballroom 

Tickets: $50 

43

2013 SME PROGRAM COMMITTEE 

2013 Program Commitee Chair: 

James Humphrey 

Caterpillar Inc. 

Coal & Energy 

Division: 

Thomas Novak 

University of 

Kentucky 

Environmental 

Division: 

Alicia Duex 

Rio Tinto 


& Aggregates 

Division: 

Candace 

Trimble 

Oil-Dri Corporation 

of America 


& Aggregates 

Division: 

Michael 

Sheahan 

Front Range 

Aggregates 

Mining & 

Exploration 

Division: 

Catherine 

Dreesbach 

Micon International 

Ltd 

Mineral & 

Metallurgical 

Processing 

Division: 

Corby 

Anderson 

Colorado School of 

Mines 

Underground 

Construction 

Association of SME: 

Ray Henn 

Brierley Associates 

LLC 

Underground 

Construction 

Association of SME: 

Robert Stier 

Kiewit 

Infrastructure Co. 

44

Monday, February 25 – Morning 

Keynote Session 

Mining: It’s About the People 

Monday, February 25 - Afternoon 

• Coal & Energy: Carbon Management I 

• Coal & Energy: Underground I 

• Coal & Energy: Ventilation I 

• Environmental: Environmental Topics 

• Environmental: Uranium 

• Industrial Minerals & Aggregates: Aggregates: 

Aggregates and Silica Sand Supply 

• Industrial Minerals & Aggregates: Industrial 

Minerals: End Uses of Industrial Minerals 

• Mining & Exploration: Geology: Exploration 

Health and Safety 

• Mining & Exploration: Geology: Geomechanics 

• Mineral & Metallurgical Processing: Plenary 

Session 

• Mining & Exploration: Hot Topics: Are 

American Mining Colleges Sustainable? 

• Mining & Exploration: Operations: Ventilation I: 

Planning and Case Studies 

• Mining & Exploration: Technology: Technology 

Innovations in Open Pit Mining Production 

Systems 


Innovations in Open Pit Mining Production 

Systems 


Innovations in Underground Mining 

Production Systems 

• Research: Advances in Geometallurgy 

• Sustainability 

• Young Leaders Session 

SESSIONS AT A GLANCE 

• Innovation in Metallurgical Processing 

Symposium Keynote Session and Reception 

Tuesday, February 26 - Morning 

• Coal & Energy: Carbon Management II 

• Coal & Energy: Mine Environmental Issues 

• Coal & Energy: Underground II 

• Coal & Energy: Ventilation II 

• Environmental: Process Solution and Drainage 

Management for the Metal Mining Sector 

• Environmental: Water Treatment for Processing 

and Discharge 

• Industrial Minerals and Aggregates: Industrial 

Minerals Research at Universities 


Symposium: Innovations in Comminution 


Symposium: Innovations in Smelting 

• International 

• Mining & Exploration: Geology: Entering the 

Realm of the Rare Earths 

• Mining & Exploration: Implementing Success: 

Global Mining Standards and Guidelines for 

Operational Excellence 

• Mining & Exploration: Management: Project 

Cost Estimates and Economic Analysis 

• Mining & Exploration: Operations: When 

Optimization, Planning & Reality Collide in 

Surface Mining Operations 

• Mining & Exploration: Technology: How 

Software Technology Makes My Job Easier – 

Session I 

• Mining & Exploration: Technology: Imaging 

Technology in Mining 

• Mining & Exploration: Technology: Next 

Generation Safety: Research and Technology 

Focused on Developing Functional Safety 

Cultures in Industry 

• Minerals & Metallurgical Processing: 

Comminution I 

• Minerals & Metallurgical Processing: Flotation I 

• Minerals & Metallurgical Processing: Plant 

Design and Optimization I 

• Minerals & Metallurgical Processing: Research 

and Characterization 

• Underground Construction Association of SME 

• SME Research Committee: SME Exhibitors: 

Focus on Innovation I 

• Valuation I: Lessons Learned 

Tuesday, February 26 – Afternoon 

• Coal & Energy: Health and Safety Management 

Systems 

• Coal & Energy: Research and Development 

• Coal & Energy: Ventilation III 

• Environmental: Geological Influences on Acid 

Mine Drainage 

• Environmental: Mine Water Treatment I 

45

SESSIONS AT A GLANCE 


Minerals Research at Universities 


Symposium: Separations Innovation I 


Symposium: Hydrometallurgy Innovations I 

• Mining & Exploration: Geology: Strategic 

Minerals – Treasures of the Lithosphere 

• Mining & Exploration: GPAC: Stake Your 

Claim on the Next Four Years: A New 

Administration and Its Impact on the Mining 

Industry 

• Mining & Exploration: Management: Mine 

Management 

• Mining & Exploration: Operations: Operational 

Safety and Risk Management in Mining 

Operations 

• Mining & Exploration: Technology: How 

Software Technology Makes My Job Easier – 

Session II 

• Mining & Exploration: Technology: Mine 

Planning and Optimization 

• Mineral & Metallurgical Processing: 

Comminution II 

• Mineral & Metallurgical Processing: Flotation II 

• Mineral & Metallurgical Processing: Plant 

Design: Plant Design and Optimization II 

• Mineral & Metallurgical Processing: Problematic 

Non-sulfide Gangue Minerals and Their 

Detrimental Effects in Flotation Performance 

• SME Research Committee: SME Exhibitors: 

Focus on Innovation II 

• Valuation II: Case Histories 

• Environmental: Waste Management 

• Barrick North America’s Operators Session 

Wednesday, February 27 – Morning 

• Coal & Energy: Dust Control 

• Coal & Energy: Surface Mining I 

• Coal & Energy: The Best of Ground Control 

• Environmental: Mine Water Treatment II 

• Environmental: Resource Recovery 

• Industrial Minerals & Aggregates: Sustainability 

in Industrial Minerals & Aggregates 


Minerals: Innovations in Industrial Minerals 

Processing 


Symposium: Separations Innovation II 


Symposium: Hydrometallurgy Innovations II 

• Mining & Exploration: Geology: Rare Earths, 

Thorium, and Potash: America’s Future 

• Mining & Exploration: Management: Managing 

a Culture of Safety 

• Mining & Exploration: Operations: My First 

Five Years in Operations 

• Mining & Exploration: Operations: Strategic 

Mine Planning 

• Mining & Exploration: Technology: Ventilation 

II: Ventilation Modeling and Monitoring 

• Mining & Exploration: Technology: Widgets, 

Wands and Whatchamacallits: New 

Technology for the Mining Industry and What 

it Does 

• Minerals & Metallurgical Processing: 

Hydrometallurgy 

• Mineral & Metallurgical Processing: Modeling 

and Simulation I 

• Mineral & Metallurgical Processing: Phase 

Separations 

Wednesday, February 27 – Afternoon 

• Coal & Energy: Coal Preparation 

• Coal & Energy: Refuge Alternatives 

• Coal & Energy: Surface Mining II 

• Environmental: Mine Remediation 

• Mining & Exploration: Geology: Water 

Management in Exploration, Mining, and 

Milling Systems 

• Mining & Exploration: Management: 

Construction/Startup Project Management 

• Mining & Exploration: Operations: Discovery 

and Innovation in Underground Mining 


Applications for Safety in Mining and Mining 

Equipment 

• Mineral & Metallurgical Processing: Flotation III 

• Mineral & Metallurgical Processing: Modeling 

and Simulation II 

• Mineral & Metallurgical Processing: 

Pyrometallurgy 

46


This is the Technical Program as of September 1, 2012. IT IS SubjecT To change. 

Please see the onsite Program for final details. 


aFternoon 

2:45 PM 

Accelerated Carbonation of Silicate Minerals for Safe and 

Permanent Storage of Anthropogenic CO2 

dreyer Lecture 

1:30 PM • Monday, February 25 

Daniel Wood 

Adjunct Professor, University of Queensland 

coal & energy: 

carbon Management I 


chairs: M. Mohanty, Southern Illinois Univ. Carbondale, 

Carbondale, IL 

T. Yegulalp, Columbia University, New York, NY 

2:00 PM 

Introductions 

2:05 PM 

CO2 Separations Using Room Temperature Ionic 

Liquid Membranes 

R. Noble; University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, CO 

Room Temperature Ionic Liquids (RTILs) are solvents consisting entirely of 

ions resembling the ionic melts of metallic salts; however, RTILs are liquids at 

much lower temperatures. RTILs have high thermal stability, high ionic conductivity, 

negligible vapor pressure and are non-flammable. This presentation provides 

an overview of our recent efforts and research directions in the design and 

synthesis of several new types of functionalized, imidazolium-based RTILs, 

poly(RTIL)s, and RTIL-based composite materials for use in the area of targeted 

gas separations. Polymeric versions of ILs have been synthesized and used as 

membranes for gas separations. In addition to a physical solvent, RTILs might 

also be incorporated into RTIL polymers or in supported ionic liquid membranes 

(SILMs) as the selective component. For example, the addition of 20% 

RTIL into an RTIL polymer increases the permeability ten fold (100 vs. 10 barrer) 

while maintaining selectivity. Gelled versions exhibit large permeabilities (~ 

1000 barrers) as well as CO2/N2 selectivities (~ 30) that outperform many polymer 

membranes in that application. 

2:25 PM 

Solid Sorbents as a Retrofit CO2 Capture Technology: 

Sorbent Selection and 1 MW Pilot Design 

H. Krutka; ADA Environmental Solutions, Highlands Ranch, CO 

Post-combustion CO2 capture (PCCC) is one of only a few viable means to reduce 

CO2 emissions from coal-fired power plants. While there are currently no 

commercial installations for this application, aqueous amines are considered the 

most advanced technologies (PCCC). However, there are both economic and environmental 

concerns related to the use of aqueous amines. Therefore, ADA 

Environmental Solutions (ADA) is in the process of developing a dry sorbent 

based CO2 capture technology. Results from sorbent evaluation as well as a description 

of the 1 MWe pilot currently under construction will be discussed. This 

project is funded in part by the DOE National Energy Technology Laboratorys 

Innovations for Existing Plants (IEP) Program. 

A. Park; Columbia University, New York, NY 

One of the most stable and long-term solutions for storing CO2 is via carbon mineralization, 

where minerals containing metal oxides of Ca or Mg are reacted with 

CO2 to produce thermodynamically stable Ca- and Mg-carbonates that are insoluble 

in water. While the kinetics of in-situ carbon mineralization is naturally slow, 

it can be enhanced at high temperature and high partial pressure of CO2. The addition 

of weak organic acids produced from food waste has been shown to enhance 

mineral weathering kinetics. Organic ligands such as oxalate, citrate and acetate 

bind to divalent metal ions such as Mg2+ and Ca2+ and accelerate the rate 

of mineral dissolution. Minerals of interest include olivine, serpentine, labradorite 

and basalt (mixture of silicate minerals). Both dissolution and single-step carbonation 

experiments were performed to investigate fast and long-term kinetics of 

mineral weathering. In the case of the ex-situ carbon mineralization process, high 

magnesium dissolution rates often lead to the formation of a silica rich passivation 

layer. The chemically catalyzed removal of this passivation layer has been 

demonstrated through the use of silica targeting chelating agents. 

3:05 PM 

Increased Carbon Dioxide Absorption Rates in Alkali Solutions by 

Surfactant Addition 

B. Spigarelli and K. Kawatra; Chemical Engineering, Michigan 

Technological University, Houghton, MI 

To meet the growing need for CO2 capture and storage technology, Michigan 

Technological University is researching CO2 capture and storage by bubbling 

CO2 through alkali solutions. The objective of the present study was to find a 

way to increase the absorption rate of CO2 into the alkali solution without reducing 

the absorption capacity of the solution. This approach used a neutral 

charge, polypropylene glycol methyl ether (PPGME) surfactant called 

DOWFROTH 200 to chemically alter the gas bubble size. Experiments were conducted 

to study the absorption rate of CO2 at varying surfactant concentrations 

of 0, 0.12, 0.24, 0.36, and 0.48 g/L in the alkali solution. Results showed that as 

the concentration of PPGME increased in solution, the absorption rate also increased. 

The CO2 absorption rate increased from 3.45*10-3 mol/min CO2 at 

0g/L PPGME to 3.92*10-3 mol/min CO2 at 0.48 g/L PPGME. This amounted 

to a 14% increase in the CO2 absorption rate with only a 3% loss in absorption 

capacity of the solution. 

3:25 PM 

A Hot Carbonate Absorption Process with High Pressure Stripping 

to Reduce Energy Use for Post-Combustion CO2 Capture 

Y. Lu 1 , M. Sahu1, X. Ye1, Q. Ye 1 , J. Hirschi 2 and A. Jones 3 ; 

1 

ISGS/UIUC, Champaign, IL; 2 ICCI, Carterville, IL and 

3 

DOE/NETL, Pittsburgh, PA 

A novel Hot Carbonate Absorption Process with Crystallization-Enabled High 

Pressure Stripping (Hot-CAP) is being developed to overcome the energy use disadvantage 

of conventional monoethanolamine (MEA)-based processes. The Hot- 

CAP employs a potassium or sodium carbonate aqueous solution as a solvent for 

CO2 absorption. A unique feature of the process is a high pressure CO2 stripping 

that employs a slurry of bicarbonate generated from crystallization of the CO2- 

laden solution. This process reduces: 1) stripping heat associated with water vaporization, 

2) sensible heat due to low specific heat capacity of the slurry, and 3) 

CO2 compression work compared to the MEA-based processes. As part of a 

process development study, laboratory- and bench-scale experiments are being 

conducted to generate process engineering and scale-up data for determining the 

technical and economic feasibility of the process. This presentation will provide a 

summary of results from the ongoing experimental and techno-economic studies. 

3:45 PM 

CO2 Emissions Reductions Are On Their Way, But Not Quite 

Here Yet 

D. Nummedal; Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 

The general outlines of effective strategies for CO2 emissions abatement from the 

power industry are beginning to emerge. They vary across the world because of 

47


differences in fossil energy resource endowment, technology maturity levels and 

emerging national and regional regulations. The cost of CO2 emissions avoidance 

with current technologies for capture is in the range of US $ 60 to 120 per 

ton. In regions with abundant unconventional gas, such as the U.S., projected sustained 

low natural gas prices have essentially driven new coal plants out of the 

market. In China, in contrast, coal is still king and the emphasis is on the development 

of super-critical and ultra-super critical coal plants to increase efficiency. 

Both in the US, China and most of the rest of the world, there is also a rapid 

growth in carbon capture and utilization (CCUS), with enhanced oil recovery 

being seen as the dominant near-term market for use of the captured CO2. Still, 

the market demand for CO2 is way below the emission rate on a global basis, requiring 

long-term storage until renewable energy sources someday rule the roost. 

4:05 PM 

Coal in a Carbon-Constrained World with Ample Natural Gas 

K. Lackner; Lenfest Center for Sustainable Energy, Columbia 

University, New York, NY 

Coal’s dominant role in electricity generation is challenged by two long-term developments. 

First, natural gas availability is increasing and now seems assured for 

a long time. Second, stabilizing carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere 

because of climate change concerns will result in severe restrictions on carbon 

dioxide emission driving net world emissions gradually to zero. Without carbon 

dioxide capture and storage technologies, the use of coal and ultimately of natural 

gas is not limited by the size of the available resource but by the capacity of 

the atmosphere to hold carbon dioxide as about half of the carbon dioxide will 

remain in the atmosphere for centuries. We analyze the options for coal under 

various scenarios and conclude that retrofitting old coal plants with carbon capture 

technology is unlikely to be economic. For coal to survive requires significant 

reductions in mining cost; new markets for coal, e.g. in the production of liquid 

fuels; more options for carbon dioxide storage; and advanced energy conversion 

technologies that combine high efficiency with integrated carbon dioxide capture 

and storage. 


underground I 


chair: G. Buchan, Alpha Natural Resources, 

Waynesburg, PA 

2:00 PM 

Introductions 

2:05 PM 

Numerical Analyses of Stability of Three-way and Four-way 

Coal Mine Intersections in Illinois 

B. Abbasi and Y. Chugh; Mining and Mineral Resources Engineering, 

Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL 

Roof falls in Illinois are more likely to occur in mining intersection and this has 

not changed in the last two decades. This research develops an improved scientific 

understanding of stress distribution and failure behavior around 4-way and 

3-way coal mine intersections. Three-dimensional numerical analyses were performed 

to determine factors that influence intersection stability. The analyses 

used a modified hardening/softening Hoek-Brown failure criterion. Yielded 

zones around 3-way and 4-way intersections were developed. Intersection span 

and horizontal stress have a major influence on intersection stability. For the 4- 

way intersection, pillar corners across the intersection fail first and lead to progressive 

failure of immediate roof and floor layers. The mechanism of failure is 

similar for the 3-way entry but the shape and extension of yielded zones differ. 

Coal ribs mostly fail due to tensile stress, while roof and floor strata fail due to 

shear stresses. Rib corners fail due to a combination of shear and tensile stresses. 

In addition to stress-based approach, displacement-based analyses were also performed 

to delineate stability problems around intersections. 

2:25 PM 

Stress Distribution in Set-Up Rooms and Adjoining Areas for 

Longwall Panels Oriented At Two Different Angles to In-Situ 

Stress Orientation 

B. Abbasi, Y. Chugh and H. Gurley; Mining and Mineral Resources 

Engineering, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL 

Design of stable set-up rooms and adjoining areas of a longwall face are critical 

for safety and productivity. Illinois longwall faces have typically experienced 

ground control problems in set-up rooms. Under a research project from the 

State of Illinois over the last two years, the authors have successfully performed 

field instrumentation studies and numerical analyses to improve design of set-up 

rooms and adjoining areas. Some of these studies have been already published. 

This paper presents a comparison of stress distribution in set-up rooms and in the 

head gate and tail gate entries for a longwall face oriented in the E-W and N 28 E 

orientations. The maximum compressive in-situ stress orientation in the area is 

assumed to be N 70 E. The results indicate that the head gate entries for a longwall 

face oriented N28E is subject to higher shear stress concentrations as compared 

to a longwall face oriented E-W. This stress concentration area travels forward 

as the longwall face is advanced. Therefore, additional supports should be 

considered along the belt entry to ensure a stable and productive longwall face. 

2:45 PM 

Development of CISPM-MS and Its Applications in Assessing 

Multi-Seam Mining Interactions 

B. Qiu and Y. Luo; Mining Engineering, West Virginia University, 

Morgantown, WV 

Longwall and/or room-and-pillar mining operations in multiple coal seams 

could not only induce subsurface and surface subsidence but also cause interactions 

between these mined coal seams. The interaction might destabilize mine 

structures and subsequently induce additional strata movements. Mechanical 

models to utilize the predicted subsurface deformations to assess the interactions 

and the consequences have been developed. The models are incorporated into a 

computer program, CISPM-MS, for predicting the final surface movements and 

deformations as well as the mining interactions associated with multi-seam coal 

mining operations. It predicts final surface movements and deformations caused 

by the individual mining operations and by the interactive effects. The program 

can also be used to assess mine structural stability in multi-seam mining operations. 

The paper presents the developed interaction models and their application 

in surface subsidence prediction caused by multi-seam mining operations. A case 

study involving mining in two coal seams, using longwall and room-and-pillar 

mining methods, respectively, will be used to validate the program. 

3:05 PM 

Rationalize Drilling Control for Noise Reduction During Roof 

Bolting Operation 

Y. Luo 1 , B. Qiu 1 , C. Collins 2 and M. Li 1 ; 1 Mining Engineering, 

West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV and 2 J.H. Fletcher 

Mining Machinery, Huntington, WV 

Roof bolter operators are a group of underground miners being exposed to high 

doses of noise, especially when drilling hard rock. Previous research shows that 

the specific energy of drilling decreases as bite depth (penetration per revolution 

of drilling) increases. Less specific energy means less energy is wasted by producing 

heat, bit wear and noise in the drilling process. This clearly implies that 

proper control of drilling parameters provides an opportunity to reduce drilling 

noise. Controlling noise from its sources can proactively reduce the noise exposure 

to miners. Drilling tests have been conducted to prove this noise control 

strategy. In the tests, noise levels are measured along with a number of other parameters. 

The preliminary results show a noise reduction from 4 to 10 dB can be 

achieved by drilling at a reasonably high bite depth in medium hard rock. 

Applying this approach in drilling hard rock (e.g., sandstone) may expect even 

better noise reduction. Based on the theoretical and experimental studies, rational 

drilling control strategy could be developed for noise control while maintaining 

a safe and productive roof bolting operation. 

3:25 PM 

Calibrated ALPS: Integrating Local Information into the ALPS 

Pillar Design Approach 

H. Lawson and J. Whyatt; Ground Control, NIOSH, Spokane, WA 

The ALPS program has become a widely accepted tool for the design of pillars in 

longwall coal mines. The current version of ALPS defines the critical stability 

factor based on a national data base of case studies. The critical stability factor 

This is the Technical Program as of September 1, 2012. IT IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE. 

48 

Please see the Onsite Program for final details.


can also be derived from local production experience. Both of these approaches 

are based on standard assumptions about the ground response to mining. This 

paper examines how the ALPS calculation process can be revised to reflect 

ground response characteristics. These include caving and gob formation, pillar 

capacity and redistribution of ground stresses. While some of these are not accessible 

in the ALPS program, ALPS calculations are easily implemented in a 

spreadsheet and thus, can be readily customized as needed. The relevance of stability 

factors can be improved by integration local ground behavior and, at the 

least, incorporation of these factors may demonstrate why very low ALPS stability 

factors can be valid. A parameter study explores how variations in ground 

characteristics impact stability factor calculations. 

chair: 

2:00 PM 

Introductions 


Ventilation I 


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

2:05 PM 

Challenges of CFD Modeling of Open Pit Mines 

K. Raj, W. Collingwood and S. Bandopadhyay; Mining and 

Geological Engineering, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 

Fairbanks, AK 

In the mining industry, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is being extensively 

used for simulating air flow in underground mines. CFD modeling of pollutant 

transport problems in an open pit mine is relatively new. Modeling the actual pit 

geometry of an open pit mine and the open domain is complex. The complexity 

is primarily due to the faceted geometry of an open pit with associated numerous 

sharp features. Important issues which are not considered carefully at the geometry 

level are generally propagated to the subsequent processes. Several challenges 

and the pitfalls are encountered while modeling of the pollutant transport in open 

pit mines which are related to the geometry, meshing, boundary conditions, and 

the turbulence modeling parameterization. An appropriate selection of the mesh 

is critical. A detail discussion of the meshing an open pit domain is presented. 

The selection of an appropriate turbulence model such as ≡-∝, LES, RSM, etc. to 

obtain a better solution is equally significant. This paper will discuss the various 

challenges in modeling of the pollutant transport process in an open pit and some 

of the approaches adopted to deal with these challenges. 

2:25 PM 

The Transient Behavior of Mine Ventilation Networks via 

Multi-dimensional Numerical Simulation 

W. Wedding and A. Wala; University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 

A comparison between two simulation methods, a network based technique with 

a compressible multi-dimensional model, is presented. The network model used 

is Ventgraph. The multi-dimensional model is a compressible network model 

coupled to a three dimensional CFD domain, SC Tetra. Results from both simulation 

techniques are included for normal operating conditions as well as a transient 

analysis of the influence of a fire upon a coal beltline. The effects of entry 

inclination with regards to heat induced buoyancy are examined. 

2:45 PM 

Application of a CFD-simulation for an Optimization of 

Ventilation In Case of the Occurrence of NOx-blast-emissions 

E. Clausen, A. Agasty, M. Kellner and O. Langefeld; Institute of 

Mining, TU Clausthal, Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Germany 

With regard to the current discussions within the EU to set new exposure limits for 

NO and NO2 in the workplace, the mining industry will be required to minimize 

the pollutant concentrations. This situation is exacerbated by the fact that the 

MAK-Commission recommendations, responsible for setting the national pollutant 

concentration limits in the Federal Republic of Germany, provide for a reduction 

of NOx gases by 90 and 98% at 0.5 ppm for NO and NO2 respectively. In addition 

to the diesel vehicles employed underground, the use of explosives, causing 

NOx emissions, constitutes a major pollutant source. In order to analyze and evaluate 

the behavior of nitrogen oxides after a blast, a simulation was performed with 

the help of a three-phase CFD model (air, NO, NO2). Based on the simulation, 

different concepts and measures, dependent on the volume of the released nitrogen 

oxides, for a purposeful dilution of the air could be tested and assessed in 

terms of their effectiveness with regard to optimization of mine ventilation. 

3:05 PM 

The Effect of Overall Pit Slope and Pit Geometry on the Dispersion 

of Pollutants in a Hypothetical Arctic Open-pit Mine 

A. Choudhury 1 and S. Bandopadhyay 2 ; 1 Mining Engineering, 

Montana Tech of the University of Montana, Butte, MT and 

2 

Mining and Geological Engineering, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 

Fairbanks, AK 

Deep open-pit minesare becoming increasingly common in the highly mineralized 

arctic and sub-arctic regions. Air inversion is a frequent occurrence in these regions, 

and is exacerbated by the natural topography of an open-pit mine. The resulting 

inversion cap is known to contribute to the fouling of air in the open pit, resulting 

in loss of production. This paper discusses the construction and validation 

of a three-dimensional model that simulate the flow of air and the transport of 

gaseous contaminants in an arctic open-pit mine and the effect of the geometry of 

the mine and the slope angle of the pit on the contaminants profiles in the mine. 

3:25 PM 

Analysis of Recirculation in Booster Fan Systems Using CFD 

J. Wempen and M. Nelson; Mining Engineering, University of Utah, 

Salt Lake City, UT 

Booster fans, large underground fans, can increase the volumetric efficiency of 

ventilation systems by helping to balance the pressure and quantity distribution 

throughout a mine, reducing leakage and reducing the total power requirement. 

However, in ventilation systems that use booster fans there is a potential for system 

recirculation, the leakage of return air to intake air, and also for localized recirculation 

near the fan through the bulkhead and airlock doors. Air that is recirculated 

locally decreases the system efficiency because the quantity of air flow 

through the fan increases without increasing the airflow throughout the system. 

To understand the detailed flow characteristics of a ventilation system with a 

booster fan, two-dimensional computation fluid dynamics (CFD) models were 

developed. The CFD models were used to evaluate how the number of booster 

fans, the booster fan placement, the location and geometry of the fan installation, 

and the construction of the airlock system affect the flow characteristics and the 

localized efficiency of the ventilation system. 

3:45 PM 

Numerical Modeling of Contaminant Gas Transport in 

Underground Openings 

P. Rostami; Mining Engineering, UNR, Reno, NV 

Transport of contaminant gases can occur due to: advection by forced ventilation, 

natural convection, dispersion along the length of the concentration front 

and finally transversal dispersion in a cross-section of the airway. In a turbulence 

analysis, the diffusion is promoted by a turbulent eddy. This diffusion is very 

strong compared to the molecular diffusion, and therefore the result is hardly affected 

by the molecular diffusion in a turbulence analysis. Turbulent eddy diffusion 

is automatically solved in Computational Fluid Dynamic programs. In case 

of non-CFD models, simulating the contaminant transport is achieved using a 

dispersion coefficient for individual species, addressing molecular and turbulent 

diffusion. The goal of this study is to find the dispersion coefficient as a function 

of air velocity for the species of interest and propose a theoretical solution to calculate 

a safe distance beyond which the contaminant level is below the threshold 

value. Various scenarios were model in a CFD program (cradle V9). From simulation 

results, a representative dispersion coefficient is calculated for CO2 and 

SO2 gases and later used for prediction of spread and dilution. 

Connect With Your Colleagues In DENVER! 


49 



chair: 

2:00 PM 

Introductions 

environmental: 

environmental topics 


A. Duex, Rio Tinto, South Jordan, UT 

2:05 PM 

Kennecott Utah Copper Quality Hectares Assessment Framework 

B. Boyle 1 , M. Wheeler 3 , T. Gullison 2 and A. Neville 4 ; 1 Ecology and 

Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ; 2 Hardner 

& Gullison Associates, LLC, Lantzville, BC, Canada; 3 WP Natural 

Resource Consulting, Inc, Salt Lake City, UT and 4 Sustainable 

Development, Kennecott Utah Copper, South Jordan, UT 

Rio Tintos goal is to have a net positive impact on biodiversity in the regions 

where its mines operate. For most species and habitats area-based metrics adjusted 

for habitat quality are used to determine a sites net impact. These qualityhectares 

measures provide a common currency for integrating the positive and 

negative impacts to native vegetation at a site with the biodiversity benefits provided 

by reclamation and restoration. Rio Tintos Kennecott Utah Copper site in 

Utah developed the quality-hectares framework in the following steps: (i) identification 

and description of the natural vegetation communities present on property; 

(ii) identification of benchmark conditions of structure and composition for 

each vegetation type in order to function as a point of comparison for the actual 

natural and restored areas of vegetation present the property; and (iii) development 

of a scoring system for natural vegetation and reclaimed and restored sites 

against the benchmark sites. Preliminary results of the application of the qualityhectares 

framework will be presented as well as a description of the vegetation 

monitoring program Kennecott is implementing. 

2:25 PM 

Managing Air Quality Impacts of a Global Diversified 

Mining Company 

F. Turatti; Group HSEC, Rio Tinto, Salt Lake City, UT 

Rio Tinto is one of the world’s largest international mining groups with operations 

located in more than 50 countries in multiple continents. This diversity of 

operations and variation in the nature, amount and impacts of air emissions 

poses a significant environmental management challenge in an increasingly regulated 

environment. A global strategy was developed to manage air quality impacts, 

consisting of three objectives: improving air quality performance of operations, 

developing industry leading practices and engaging and influencing in air 

issues. Each objective is supported by comprehensive work programs that are delivered 

globally and tailored regionally for a holistic global approach. This presentation 

will discuss Rio Tintos approach to global air quality management and 

the successes this approach has secured. Three programs of work are highlighted. 

Firstly, how airshed resources are managed in constrained airsheds where we 

have operations. Secondly, how financial modeling has allowed a true value to be 

placed on air constraints and thirdly, how a rigorous e-learning course was developed 

to improve the overall level of air management knowledge of environment 

managers. 

2:45 PM 

Arsenic Leaching from a Mine Tailing by Acidithiobacillus 

Ferrooxidans: Role of Temperature, pH, and Pulp Density 

J. Park 1 , E. Lee 1 , J. Hong 1 , K. Yoo 2 , J. Park 3 , U. Choi 3 and H. Kim 1 ; 

1 

Department of Mineral Resources and Energy Engineering, Chonbuk 

National University, Jeonju, Republic of Korea; 2 Department of 

Energy & Resources Engineering, Korea Maritime University, Busan, 

Republic of Korea and 3 R&D Team, Institute of Mine Reclamation 

Corporation, Seoul, Republic of Korea 

Arsenic leaching behavior from a mine tailing by Acidithiobacillus Ferrooxidans 

(A. Ferrooxidans) was i emp=30 oC), and temperature (25-35 oC, pulp density=0.5%, 

pH=1.8). The reaction speed and initial cell concentration were fixed 

to 150 rpm and 1E8 cells/ml, respectively. To complement leaching experiments, 

zeta potential measurements for cells and tailings, and SEM, XRD, and particle 

size analyses for tailings before and after leaching were conducted. Overall, the 

arsenic leaching efficiency increased with decreasing pulp density, decreasing pH, 

and increasing temperature regardless of the presence of A. Ferrooxidans. 

Additionally, the arsenic leaching rate was faster for the samples in the presence 

of A. Ferrooxidans as compared to those in the absence of A. Ferrooxidans at the 

conditions investigated in this study. 

3:05 PM 

Aquatic Life Criteria Are Protective Against Copper-caused 

Impairment of Olfaction in Salmonid Fishes 

J. Meyer 1 , D. DeForest 2 , R. Gensemer 3 , J. Gorsuch 4 and W. Adams 5 ; 

1ARCADIS U.S., Lakewood, CO; 2 Windward Environmental, 

Seattle, WA; 3 GEI Consultants, Denver, CO; 4 Copper Development 

Association, Webster, NY and 5 Rio Tinto, Lake Point, UT 

Major concerns have recently been expressed that short-term exposures to low 

Cu concentrations might cause olfactory impairment in fish [especially migratory 

Pacific salmon and trout (Oncorhynchus spp.)], which might limit their ability 

to detect predators, reproduce, or migrate. This is becoming an important 

issue for the mining sector, and other metals are also of concern for olfactory impairment 

(e.g., Cd, Zn). However, water chemistry matters in determining lethal 

and sublethal effects (including olfaction) of metals to aquatic organisms. For example, 

although olfactory impairment can occur at low Cu concentrations in dilute 

laboratory waters, we demonstrate that the USEPAs biotic ligand model 

(BLM)-based aquatic life criteria for Cu are protective against olfactory impairment 

across a wide range of fresh waters. Additionally, we propose a unified 

freshwater-saltwater BLM to predict olfactory effects of Cu to salmonid fishes, 

which suggests that the threshold-effect concentrations of Cu will be even higher 

in salt water than in fresh water and that the current saltwater Cu criteria are protective 

across a wide range of saltwater chemistries. 

3:25 PM 

Regulatory Implications of Chemosensory and Behavioral Effects 

of Copper to Fish 

R. Gensemer 1 , D. DeForest 2 and J. Gorsuch 3 ; 1 Ecology Division, GEI 

Consultants, Inc., Denver, CO; 2 Windward Environmental, Seattle, 

WA and 3 Copper Development Association, Webster, NY 

Regulatory criteria for aquatic life protection are based primarily on laboratory 

toxicity data using test endpoints derived on the basis of survival, growth, and reproduction. 

These endpoints are believed to provide the best representation of 

overall ecological impacts of chemicals to aquatic organisms in the field. 

However, some have proposed that aquatic life criteria for copper are insufficiently 

protective of sublethal chemosensory and behavioral endpoints in 

salmonid fishes, and therefore regulatory criteria need to be revisited. We review 

the ecological basis of aquatic life criteria derivation using the more traditional 

endpoints of survival, growth, and reproduction, and discuss the extent to which 

other sublethal endpoints may influence how criteria are derived. For copper, we 

contend that traditionally based aquatic life criteria are adequately protective 

against chemosensory or behavioral effects in salmonid fishes. This is because 

other aquatic species are more sensitive to copper than salmon, but also owing to 

the influence of water chemistry on the toxicity of copper regardless of whether 

traditional or non-traditional sublethal endpoints are considered. 

chair: 

2:00 PM 

Introductions 


uranium 


G. Robinson, R Squared, Inc., Greenwood Village, CO 

2:05 PM 

Are We There Yet? 

W. Heili; Ur-Energy, Casper, WY 

Eight years after the initiation of permitting activities for Ur-Energy’s Lost Creek 

Project, the long road is coming to a successful conclusion. Facility construction 

is scheduled to be underway in the fall of 2012 with production commencing in 

2013. This presentation will take a look back at some of the pioneering efforts 

that went into permitting of a new ISR uranium production facility in Wyoming. 

Additionally, the presentation will review several technological and design innovations 

that are featured in the production plant and well field designs for this 

state-of-the-art In Situ Recovery site. 


50 



2:25 PM 

Groundwater and Surface Water Strategies for Uranium Selecting 

the Right In Situ Approach 

J. Gillow, A. Griffin, L. Christoffersen, M. Gentile, S. Doyle, 

M. Hay, C. Divine and P. DeDycker; ARCADIS U.S., Inc., 

Highlands Ranch, CO 

Uranium mining and milling can affect surface and groundwater systems due to 

alteration of the ore body geochemical and hydrogeological regime. Restoration 

choices compared here include: 1) driving the system anoxic/anaerobic through 

the introduction of electron donors to re-establish pre-mining/milling conditions 

and 2) creation of low solubility uranium minerals without alteration of redox 

conditions. The former can be accomplished through biogeochemical reactions. 

The later involves chemical amendments to precipitate/co-precipitate uranium 

phosphate. In situ approaches to restoration have inherent benefits over most 

other strategies, including lower cost, minimal infrastructure, sustainability, and 

the ability to treat the source of dissolved uranium. Approaches are challenged by 

difficulty in injecting and delivering amendments while minimizing biofouling 

and secondary water quality effects. Recent advances in the application of soluble 

forms of phosphate and emplaced reactive barriers show promise. Consideration 

must be given to the natural redox conditions and the stability of the precipitates. 

Choices will be discussed for tailings, pit lakes, aquifers, and ISR operations. 

2:45 PM 

The Use of Strong Base Anion Exchange Resin in 

Uranium Recovery 

J. Milbourne 1 and C. Marston 2 ; 1 Sulliden Gold Corp., Toronto, 

ON, Canada and 2 Larkin Laboratory, Dow Chemical Company, 

Midland, MI 

Uranium recovery from ores and other sources over the last 60 years has been 

made possible in large part to the unique characteristics of strong base anion exchange 

resin (SAR). The chemistry as well as the history of SAR development 

and implementation will be reviewed. The use of SAR has been closely linked 

with equipment design and the paper will also review the systems that have been 

used in the past. The future of SAR will also be discussed. 

3:05 PM 

Contrasting Mineralogic and Geochemical Characteristics of 

Uranium and Vanadium Distribution at a Proposed Uranium 

In-Situ Recovery (ISR) Site, South Dakota 

S. Diehl, R. Johnson, W. Benzel and H. Lowers; U.S. Geological 

Survey, Denver, CO 

Core from uranium roll-front deposits, hosted in lower Cretaceous strata, was examined 

from the proposed Dewey Burdock in-situ recovery site in the northern 

part of the Edgemont uranium district, South Dakota. Uraninite (UO2), doloresite 

(H8V6O16), and haggite (V2O2(OH)3) occur as pore-occluding cements in 

the Fall River Formation, Dewey area; whereas uranium (with little vanadium) is 

absorbed onto woody fragments and amorphous carbonaceous material in pressure-solution 

seams in the Lakota Formation, Burdock area. Chert, an amorphous 

silica more soluble than quartz, is more abundant in the Lakota 

Formation, so there is greater development of pressure solution. Both areas have 

gangue minerals typical of uranium roll-front deposits with 0.5 wt. % pyrite in 

the reduced solid phase, and no pyrite in the oxidized solid phase. Dissolved oxygen 

is below detection in the groundwater at the ore zones, so the uranium is relatively 

insoluble. Uranium in solution at Dewey is


2:45 PM 

The New York City Metropolitan Aggregate Market 

M. Zdunczyk; Mark Zdunczyk Consulting Geologist, 

East Greenbush, NY 

The New York City (NYC) and vicinity crushed stone and sand and gravel market 

is large: some industry personnel estimate over 23 million metric tons. The 

Metropolitan area is made up of the 5 boroughs of NYC, Long Island, 

Westchester County (NY) and Bergen and Hudson counties (NJ). There is no 

local production currently, but there was legacy production. Aggregates are supplied 

by major multi-national companies and a few other producers with unique 

market niches. Material currently comes from NY, NY and PA, with crushed 

stone also being imported from Nova Scotia by all bulk modes of transport. The 

quality (specifications) of the material is set and monitored by the New York 

State Department of transportation (NYSDOT) Bureau of Materials and the 

Port Authority (Authority) of NY and NJ. The Authority governs the airports, 

bridges, tunnels, rail, bus terminals and ferries in the area. Both entities sometimes 

have different aggregate specifications for the same project. For those producers 

supplying this market, the various specifications, rock, sand, gravel types 

and the different products needed to supply this area makes the NYC and vicinity 

market complicated and dynamic. 

3:05 PM 

Smart Growth for Sustainable Aggregate Production in Illinois 

D. Mikulic and Z. Lasemi; Prairie Research Institute, University of 

Illinois, Urbana-champaign, IL 

Illinois is challenged with the continuous loss of aggregate resources to urban development, 

especially in the growing areas of northeastern Illinois and the St. 

Louis Metro East regions. Expansion of residential and industrial complexes and 

lack of specific guidelines from the state for managing aggregate resources before 

they are preempted continue to result in loss of valuable resources. The reserves 

in existing quarries are nearly depleted. Difficult permitting makes it doubtful 

that new surface mines will be developed in many urbanized areas. The increased 

demand for construction aggregates has resulted in a growing need for up-to-date 

geologic information to ensure the continued availability of high-quality, low-cost 

construction. Intense competition for land and mineral resources has increased 

the need for current, detailed geologic information ahead of pressing land-use decisions. 

Geologic research and mapping will ensure a balanced approach to landuse 

planning in order to protect natural resources and the environment now and 

in the future. An example from McHenry County in northeastern Illinois illustrates 

the importance of such studies. 

3:25 PM 

Maximizing the Reserve Potential in a Sustainable Development 

Culture through a Drill & Blast Optimization Program Best 

Sand Company 

K. Przybyla 1 and K. Oakes 2 ; 1 Best Sand Corporation, Chardon, OH 

and 2 Olson Explosives, Inc., Decorah, IA 

Best Sand Company, a Fairmount Minerals Company, is located south of 

Chardon, Ohio, an outlying suburb in the Cleveland Metropolitan Area. This industrial 

sand operation mines a unique sandstone conglomerate formation which 

presents many design and operational challenges in order for the mining cycle to 

safely and efficiently proceed. Fairmount Minerals and their subsidiary companies 

truly embrace a culture founded on the principals of sustainable development 

at the forefront. Doing so by making continual investments in their people, 

the communities in which they operate, and the environmental stewardship programs 

which ensure a bright future for both their businesses, as well as the communities 

in which they live and operate. This paper will discuss an ongoing operationally 

focused sustainability project related to Drilling & Blasting at the 

operation, with the goal of maximizing reserves, while not compromising their 

long standing and well founded relationships with their surrounding stakeholding 

neighbors. 

3:45 PM 

St. Peter Sandstone Mineral Resource Evaluation, Missouri, USA 

J. Davis; Industrial Minerals, Missouri Geological Survey, Rolla, MO 

The St. Peter Sandstone is typically a well-sorted, friable, ultra-pure, fine- to 

medium-grained, quartzose sandstone with silica content higher than 99 percent 

in places. The sand grains are rounded, spherical and characteristically frosted. 

They typically vary in size from 2 millimeters to less than 0.08 millimeters. The 

St. Peter is continuously present in the subsurface in the northern half of the state 

and the southeastern edge of the state. The St. Peter crops out in a narrow band 

that starts in western Montgomery County and runs southeastward, along the 

Missouri River, to just west of St. Louis and continues south, just west of the 

Mississippi River, through Scott County. The formation averages 80-100 feet 

thick. There is an estimated 3.8 trillion short tons of St. Peter in Missouri. Sieve 

analyses indicate three subsurface locations in northeastern Missouri with 

greater than 10 percent by weight of the sample falling in the 20-40 U.S. Standard 

Sieve Series size range. 

4:05 PM 

Industrial Sand Resources and Industry of Wisconsin 

B. Brown; Wisconsin Geological Survey, Madison, WI 

Wisconsin has been a leading producer of industrial sand for many years. In the 

past foundry sand accounted for the largest share of production, but the recent 

growth in demand for hydrofrac sand by the oil and gas industry has resulted in 

rapid expansion in both number of mines and production. Wisconsin has extensive 

resources of high quality quartz sand in the Upper Cambrian Jordan, 

Wonewoc, and Mount Simon sandstones, the Ordovician St. Peter sandstone, 

and alluvial sands of Quaternary age. The Cambrian sandstones and the St. Peter 

are very mature quartz arenites, consisting of well-rounded pure quartz grains 

with high crush strength, ideal for frac sand. The St. Peter is finer and is primarily 

used for foundry sand. Quaternary sands are generally used as aggregate and 

foundry sand. Quaternary alluvial sands derived from Cambrian sandstones are 

however an important source of frac sand. The sand boom has raised many local 

and state regulatory issues and caused much public concern, but the exceptional 

quality and ready availability of sand that meets the highest standards for frac 

sand is likely to sustain many of the new mines well into the future. 

4:25 PM 

A New Era for Silica Sand-An Essential Mineral for 21st Century 

Oil & Gas Production 

M. Schwalen; Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI 

Silicon dioxide, otherwise known as silica sand is an essential chemical element 

in glass, silicate and ceramic production and a key component for foundries and 

filtration applications. Today, oil & gas service companies have increased their 

demand for the white sand to levels never reach by any other consumer and all 

this has taken place in less than a decade. It is this growth that makes it such a fascinating 

topic in the area of industrial minerals at this time. The focus of this 

paper will outline the current market and issues, mining and processing methods, 

geological characteristics of the deposits and future challenges. 

Industrial Minerals & aggregates: 

Industrial Minerals: 

end uses of Industrial Minerals 


chairs: P. Macy, Kemira, Kennesaw, GA 

J. Gauntt, Golder Associates, Centennial, CO 

2:00 PM 

Introductions 

2:05 PM 

Whats All the Talc About? 

G. Tomaino; Analytical Services Group, Minerals Technologies Inc., 

Easton, PA 

For over 130 years, Talc has and continues to provide developing and developed 

nations with an industrial mineral capable of performing as a commodity or as a 

functional and high performance mineral additive that increases the value of 

products to the end use customer. It is a combination of talc attributes physical, 

chemical, or mineralogical that allow for a variety of current uses as well as developing 

specialty market applications. A brief overview of historical and current 

regulatory and environmental concerns and misconceptions will also be covered. 

2:25 PM 

Indium and Tellurium Availability 

R. Eggert; Division of Economics and Business, Colorado School of 

Mines, Golden, CO 

Indium and tellurium provide essential properties in emerging thin-film photovoltaic 

materials. Both are produced today almost exclusively as byproducts of 


52 



zinc (in the case of indium) and copper (in the case of tellurium) production. If 

demand for these elements increases, will incremental supplies come from expanded 

byproduct production at costs similar to recent prices? If not, where 

might incremental supply come from and what costs? 

2:45 PM 

Palygorskite End Uses: Functions Follow Form 

C. Trimble; Oil Dri Corporation of America, Ochlocknee, GA 

Palygorskite (AKA Attapulgite) is a peculiar clay mineral with an interesting 

structure. The characteristics that distinguish it from other clay minerals are the 

source of these materials useful properties. This talk is a brief overview of how 

these clays differ structurally from other phyllosilicates, with discussion of the 

mineral classification and structure relating structure to end uses. Includes a review 

of known distribution of world class deposits, and covers historic uses and 

records, development of the many current uses and benefits, and speculation regarding 

potential future uses. 

3:05 PM 

Lithium End Uses and Developments 

D. Bryan; Western Lithium Corp., Reno, NV 

Lithium has been a commodity of great interest the last few years, primarily because 

of its inroads into use in batteries, and more particularly into the electrification 

of transportation. As more hybrids hit the road and the introduction of all 

electric vehicles takes hold the future for lithium looks bright indeed. The unique 

properties of lithium dictate its choice as the battery of the future. But there are 

other uses as well. They may not be as well recognizable but they are nonetheless 

an important influence on the lithium market, such as greases, ceramics, glass, 

pharmaceuticals, drilling muds, etc. In addition to these end use developments 

the paper will also give an update on who the players are, both those who have an 

established market share, and those who hope to get a foot into this growing industry. 

The different lithium host environments, i.e. pegmatites, brines, clays, will 

also be discussed with reference to their share of the market. 

3:25 PM 

Kaolin Forms and Formulations for Multiple End Uses 

R. Pruett; Imerys, Sandersville, GA 

About five million tons per year of kaolin is produced in Georgia, USA for use in 

paper, ceramics and performance mineral applications such as rubber and paint. 

Up to about 20% to 30% of Georgia kaolin is shipped within North America by 

truck or rail as a slurry form. The remaining kaolin is shipped dry bulk or bagged 

as spray dried or pulverized forms. Kaolin product formulations have been developed 

to maintain product fitness-for-use in different forms and end uses. This 

paper will discuss how kaolin is formulated for ease of handling and make-down 

into end-use applications. The use of dispersants to improve kaolin performance 

over time will be reviewed. 

3:45 PM 

Ochre – A Natural Iron Oxide in the Colored Pigment Market 

S. Bearden; New Riverside Ochre Company, Cartersville, GA 

Color enhances expression and communication in all physical objects experienced 

in life. Pigments provide color and in some applications have a specific additional 

function. Iron oxide ores are widely distributed throughout the world but 

only a few deposits are sufficiently pure and possess acceptable color and brightness 

properties to merit their processing into pigment form. Ochre, the common 

name for goethite ore, is the best and most under used material in the buff colored 

pigment market. The geological occurrence of ochre in the basal Shady 

Formation of the Cartersville Mining District (Georgia) is described. 

Exploration, processing, and product applications of New Riverside Ochre 

Company, Inc., are discussed. A brief overview of the worldwide pigment market 

is presented with emphasis placed upon the North American activity in iron 

oxide production and application. The purpose of this paper is to increase the 

awareness of ochre and its potential market in the colored iron oxide pigment industry, 

encourage research on the origin of ochre deposits, and stimulate interest 

in new applications of this unique substance. 

Mineral & Metallurgical Processing 

PLenary SeSSIon 


chairs: M. Bender, Newmont Mining Corp. 

C. Young, Montana Tech of the University of 

Montana 

M. Moats, Missouri University of Science and 

Technology 

8 

GaudIn Lecturer: 

Graeme J. Jameson, University of Newcastle 

chair: 

rIchardS Lecturer: 

Nick Hazen, Hazen Research Inc. 

WadSWorth Lecturer: 

Jan D. Miller, University of Utah 

Mining & exploration: 

hot topics: are american Mining 

colleges Sustainable? 


T.D. Arnold, Geovic Mining, Denver, CO 

Mining Colleges and Universities have been struggling for many years. Funding 

cuts, lack of students, lack of professors, and pressure from administration are 

just some of the common problems with many schools across the nation. This 

session will focus on what colleges and industry can do to make a steady flow of 

mining graduates a reality. Academics and industry professionals close to the 

issue will discuss changing the way we look at mining colleges, the way they are 

funded, and debate new and drastic changes that may be needed from academia, 

college administrators, and industry. 

INCLUDED PANEL MEMBERS: 

Dr. Thomas O’Neil 

Corporate Director, former professor at the University of Arizona and 

retired President and COO, Cleveland-Cliffs. 

Dr. Nigel Middleton 

Senior Vice President for Strategic Enterprises, 


Dr. Jeffrey S. Thompson 

Dean, College of Science, University of Nevada, Reno 

Hugh E. Harvey, Jr. 

Executive Vice Chairman of the Board of 

Intrepid Potash 


53 




operations: Ventilation I: 

Planning and case Studies 


chairs: A. Martikainen, NIOSH, Pittsburgh, PA 

G. Goodman, NIOSH, Pittsburgh, PA 

2:00 PM 

Introductions 

2:05 PM 

Ventilation on Demand Study for Room and Pillar Mining in 

Flat Seams 

H. Mischo and S. Noll; Department of Mining Engineering, Technical 

University Bergakademie Freiberg, Freiberg, Germany 

Ventilation is a neccessary part of underground mining operations in order to 

provide fresh air for workers and machinery, keep up adequate mine climate and 

dilute and dissipate noxious gases. Possible changing of circumstances in the future, 

e.g. increasing energy costs or the expected lowering of occupational health 

and safety limits are pressing for the optimization of distribution of air flow 

within a mine. This can be one approach to reduce the concentration of noxious 

gases at the working area of underground miners. This paper discusses the behavior 

and influence of parameters of ventilation according to level of concentration 

of noxious gases and under consideration of technical possible set up for 

mine fans. This study was accomplished by a test series in an underground potash 

mine with a flat seam room and pillar mining system. 

2:25 PM 

Comprehensive Pressure Quantity Survey for Investigating the 

Effect of Booster Fans in a Metal/Non Metal Mine 

A. Habibi 1 , R. Kramer 2 , J. Rowland 3 and S. Gillies 1 ; 1 Mining and 

Nuclear, Missouri S&T, Rolla, MO; 2 Engineering department, FMC 

Corporation, Green River, WY and 3 Dallas Mining Technology, Pty 

Ltd, Green River, NSW, Australia 

The ventilation survey has been conducted in an underground longwall Trona 

mine. The ventilation system consists of nine shafts (three intakes and six exhausts). 

Three axial surface fans are ventilating the mine in a blowing system. 

During the ventilation survey airflow quantity, frictional pressure losses and air 

psychrometric characteristics have been measured and quantified. The accurate 

resistance survey has been conducted to calculate the pressure drop with regard 

to moving the cage and skids in the shafts. This paper discusses the benefits of utilizing 

highly accurate pressure transducers and digital psychrometers in a 

leapfrogging survey to build the computer ventilation model. Two underground 

booster fans with variable frequency drives are available at the mine. The model 

has been used to determine the optimal location of the booster fans to decrease 

the operating cost by reducing the load carried by the main fans. The leakage 

study has been conducted to evaluate the effect of additional pressure by a 

booster fan. The study follows by preparing the future ventilation model for the 

next fifteen years of the mine and investigating the effect of booster fans. 

2:45 PM 

Numerical Modeling of Adsorption of Contaminant Gases 

in an Underground Mine Opening 

P. Rostami; Mining Engineering, UNR, Reno, NV 

Adhesion of molecules or biomolecules of gas, liquid or dissolved solid to a surface 

is known as adsorption. This phenomenon occurs due to the attraction 

forces between solid adsorbent and adsorbate. The goal of this study is to propose 

the best theoretical solution for simulating the adsorption of contaminants in 

mines. Collected data from Barrik Goldstrik mine were used in this transient 

study. Introduction of contaminants is achieved by bursting a plug of desired gas 

trapped in a weather balloon at one point of the drift. Concentration values are 

measured against the background readings, for further analysis of the arrival 

time, dispersion coefficient and calculating the best safe distances at which mixing 

is complete in the air flow. Adsorption coefficients were later determined by 

fitting the numerical concentration variation model with unknown adsorption coefficient 

to measured data. 

3:05 PM 

Thermal Displacement Ventilation in Metals Refining Operations 

to Control Metallic Dust and Fume Exposures 

W. Mele, C. Strode, D. Hall and R. Strode; Chemistry & Industrial 

Hygiene, Inc., Wheat Ridge, CO 

The first priority in controlling airborne contaminants in industrial settings is the 

institution of engineering controls. These typically include local exhaust ventilation 

(LEV) utilizing low volumes of exhaust air with high velocity entrainment 

and capture, and, when the application does not lend itself to LEV, general dilution 

ventilation (GDV). GDV usually requires large volumes of exhaust air and 

tempered make-up air to dilute contaminants making GDV both costly to furnish 

and install, and expensive to operate. An alternative to GDV is thermal displacement 

ventilation (TDV), which utilizes lower volumes of air to reduce worker exposures. 

In TDV, make-up air is delivered to the space at the floor level at a low 

temperature and velocity, allowing the air to naturally rise toward the ceiling in a 

piston flow manner. This air movement effectively pushes contaminants upward 

and away from the workers breathing zone, exhausting contaminants at the upper 

levels of the space. The discussion will present the application of TDV in metals 

refining to reduce employee exposures while minimizing total exhaust flow rates, 

and will discuss the possible uses and pitfalls of this technique. 

3:25 PM 

A Case Study Discussing Analysis of DPM Data for Underground 

Barrick Mines in Nevada 

A. Rai; Barrick Turquoise Ridge Inc., Winnemucca, NV 

This paper provides an overview of the current use of DPM filters for Barrick underground 

metal mines in Nevada and understand the requirement for diesel exhaust 

gas dilution to justify permitted diesel equipment underground. The statistical 

analysis supported by modelling is highlighted using equipment hours and 

horse power. Overall equipment utilization factors were obtained from existing 

mine data or extrapolated from data at other similar Barrick operations. These 

factors were used to determine the overall mine air volume requirements. The impact 

of installing DPM filters and using Biodisel on the Haulage Trucks and 

LHDs was also investigated for each option. 

3:45 PM 

A Case Study Discussing Analysis of DPM Data for Underground 

Barrick Mines in Nevada 


This paper provides an overview of the current use of DPM filters for Barrick underground 

metal mines in Nevada and understand the requirement for diesel exhaust 

gas dilution to justify permitted diesel equipment underground. The statistical 

analysis supported by modelling is highlighted using equipment hours and 

horse power. Overall equipment utilization factors were obtained from existing 

mine data or extrapolated from data at other similar Barrick operations. These 

factors were used to determine the overall mine air volume requirements. The impact 

of installing DPM filters and using Biodisel on the Haulage Trucks and 

LHDs was also investigated for each option. 

4:05 PM 

Design and Construction of the 3,700 kW (5,000 HP) No. 5 Shaft 

Main Exhaust Fans at Henderson Mine 

D. Loring 1 and J. Gillon 2 ; 1 formerly of Freeport McMoRan Copper 

and Gold, Lakewood, CO and 2 Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold, 

Empire, CO 

The Climax Molybdenum Companys Henderson Mine, owned by Freeport 

McMoRan Copper & Gold, is a large panel caving molybdenum mine located 69 

km west of Denver, Colorado, currently producing approximately 31,750 tonnes 

per day. In late 2010, the mine commissioned two parallel vane-axial 3,700 kW 

(5,000 HP) surface exhaust fans as part of a major main mine ventilation upgrade. 

The fans, provided by TLT Babcock, included features such as sound attenuators 

to reduce noise, VFDs and design modifications to reduce energy consumption 

and minimize the risk of stall. Construction of the foundation was 

completed in 2008, while the majority of the fan construction and final commissioning 

was completed in 2010. This paper describes the design, features, and 

construction of the mine fans that now provide main exhaust ventilation to 

Henderson Mine, as well as the final conversion sequence to the new fan system. 


54 



4:25 PM 

A Ventilation Concept for a Steep Immersed Tunnel in 

Hazardous Situation 

W. Heiser, S. Ravipati and N. Gidda; TADKA, Karlaruhe, Germany 

A ventilation concept used for the hazardous situation in a steep immersed road 

tunnel of 1 km length in Limerick, Ireland. The tunnel geometry shows a two 

bore directional tunnel with emergency doors from one bore to the next to allow 

escaping during pollution with exhaust gas or fire gases. The investigations for 

the ventilation development were done using CFD simulations (Ansys CFX). 

The CAD work for the model design of the tunnel was done with Catia V5 TAD 

as a consulting office for aerodynamic simulations was involved in creating a ventilation 

system for both the cases: 1) normal operation with standard ventilation 

specifications 2) hazardous situations, burning trucks, cars, escape scenarios for 

persons inside the tunnel after vacating their cars. TAD developed longitudinal 

ventilation based on a Saccardo nozzle with separate hardware buildings on each 

side of the tunnel. The main challenge of the ventilation system was given by the 

high gradient of the tunnel. The required air mass flow should be induced 

through the Saccardo nozzle and should enter the tunnel bore, so that the polluted 

air could be forced out to the opposite side of the tunnel. 


technology Innovations in open Pit Mining 

Production Systems 


chair: 

2:00 PM 

Introductions 

L. Clark, Newmont Mining Corporation, 

Greenwood Village, CO 

2:05 PM 

Trends in Control and Power Technologies and Its Impact for 

Mineral Recovery Rates 

F. Mielli 1 and R. Marrill 2 ; 1 Schneider Electric, Alpharetta, GA and 

2 

Schneider Electric, Denver, CO 

Mining is a complex and intensive industry. Extracting raw material from the 

earth crust with different shapes, sizes, chemistry and transform them to a standardized 

and hi quality final product is a big process challenge - Also it involves 

huge material movement, scheduling, synchronization and tracking in large scale 

If the above is not enough, the mining industry is facing unprecedented challenges: 

Decline of mineral grade and reserves, cost escalation for new developments 

and modernization, regulations, safety, lack of skilled people and market 

uncertainty became the new constant. From the statements above it is clear the 

process control and power role and its importance in the recovery rates the mine 

will achieve. The objective of this paper is to provide a quick vision about the future 

trends and evolutions in technology related to these fields and their impact to 

the mineral recovery in mining world. The paper will cover trends in information 

systems, reporting systems, energy management and efficiency, communications, 

process control, plant integration and other control technologies and how these 

technologies are aligned to address current industry challenges. 

2:25 PM 

Recent Advances from Mine to Port 

D. Fisk; Mining Solutions, Honeywell Advanced Solutions, Toronto, 

ON, Canada 

Recent improvements in mine production mangement applications provide more 

accurate and timely tracking of inventories, quality and location of stockpiles. 3D 

stockpile analysis introduces new accruary to stockpile tracking. 

2:45 PM 

Mobile and Semi-mobile IPCC Systems in Deep Open Pit Mines – 

A General Study 

M. Kressner; TAKRAF Chile S.A., Santiago, Chile 

In-Pit Crushing and Conveying (IPCC) systems provide attractive key features 

such as superior energy efficiency, high automation level, long lifetime and low 

labor demand. Associated effects are low operating costs and significant reductions 

of safety risks. The use of electric energy and the application of dust sup- 

pression and collection techniques make IPCC systems clean and environmentally 

friendly. The presented study analyzed general application aspects of IPCC 

technology in deep open pits. The concept of the study was to test different IPCC 

equipment setups and operation modes on an ideal mine model and operation scenarios 

which represent average conditions in large surface copper mines. The analyzed 

IPCC equipment setups include semi-mobile and fully mobile crushing 

units. Within the consideration of different operation modes the exclusive transport 

of waste material by the IPCC system was compared with the requirements 

of selective mining operations. As part of the study economic indicators were 

evaluated and compared, such as break-even points by year of operation and by 

mine depth as well as the results of sensitivity analysis for the key cost parameters. 

3:05 PM 

Holistic Production Management to Reduce Production Bottlenecks 

M. Kahraman and S. Dessureault; Mining and Geological 

Engineering, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 

In operations management, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) related to the 

mine plan and coordination of the production schedule will be analyzed on a 

daily, weekly, or quarterly basis to assess adherence to the mine plan, often with 

the assumption that the original capacities designed into the processes in the 

value chain were balanced (i.e. fragmentation keeps-up with loading which 

keeps-up with haulage, etc.). Modern systems allow this process to be managed 

in real-time allowing for bottlenecks to be continuously cleared at a tactical level. 

Tracking the maximum capacities of each process using historical records will 

help identify true bottlenecks as well as set long-term capacities; while tracking 

real-time flows of each process will help decision makers identify the bottlenecks 

and set the short term strategy to minimize the impact of the barrier. This paper 

discusses the development of a new information-rich algorithmic approach for 

the automated identification of historical and real-time bottlenecks in the operations. 

It also discusses the practical application in an integrated control room environment, 

monitoring a very large surface coal mine. 

3:25 PM 

Proximity Detection – PPE for Equipment 

P. Wan 1 and T. Ruff 2 ; 1 Applied Research & Technology, Teck 

Resources, TRAIL, BC, Canada and 2 SAFEmine Technology, 

Oakland, CA 

Vehicle collisions are a major source of equipment damage, lost productivity and 

even personnel injury or death in open-pit mining. Teck Resources is introducing 

technology to raise operator awareness of their surroundings and minimize vehicle 

to vehicle contact incidents. The SAFEmine Traffic Awareness systems is one 

component of an overall solution to meet Tecks functional requirements. The 

SAFEmine System was trialed at Line Creek to evaluate effectiveness in the difficult 

conditions seen at this operation. Closed environment tests were performed 

as well as a 6- week field trial of the system. The trial commenced with an OFF 

phase where baseline data was gathered,followed by an ON phase to see how operator 

behavior was affected by the systems active alarms. Data collected 

throughout the trial was interpreted to determine what effect the SAFEmine system 

had on site safety. Areas of interest were speeding, following too close, light 

vehicle to heavy vehicle interactions and heavy to heavy vehicle interactions. 

Trial success was based on factors including GPS accuracy, system reliability, intelligent 

alarming, system usability, and overall site improvement. 

3:45 PM 

Bring New Life to Your Electric Shovel! 

P. Spels; ABB Inc, New Berlin, WI 

Equipment obsolescence is a challenge when maintaining long-lived mining 

equipment, such as electric rope shovels and draglines. When the mining machinery 

has a life expectancy of more than 15-20 years an overall or partial electrical 

system replacement can bring improved availability and productivity to the machine 

along with energy efficiency and power quality benefits. A customer in central 

Alabama replaced its obsolete drives and controls on a rope shovel with ABB 

AC Mining drive technology resulting in operational and energy saving benefits. 

4:05 PM 

Evolution of Blasting Practices at Dragon Products Company 

Quarry Operation, Maine, USA 

K. Boakye 1 and D. Scarpato 2 ; 1 Mining Department, Dragon Products 

Company, Waldoboro, ME and 2 Rock Mechanics, Harley & Aldrich, 

Inc., Bedford, NH 

This paper presents the results of a review of historic blast design practices with 

respect to the recently improved blasting practices at the Dragon Quarry 


55 



Operation, along with the results from two different blast design vibration monitoring 

programs. The reason for modification was to increase production volume 

per shot, and decrease highwall instability. A vibration monitoring program was 

undertaken to investigate PPV and relate the data to the blastability of the jointed 

onsite rock mass, utilizing the relationship between PPV and dynamic stress and 

strain. The Dragon Quarry Operation has historically been using a 6-in. diameter, 

14-ft by 14-ft production blast pattern, with blast holes loaded manually using 

cartridged explosive products. Within the past year, the quarry introduced a 6-in 

diameter, 16-ft by 16-ft production blasting pattern, making use of pre-mixed 

truck-loaded bulk emulsion/ANFO blends. This paper summarizes the results of 

blast design modifications, the monitoring data gathered to date for the two different 

blast designs, and describes how production blasting and excavation at the 

Dragon Quarry has benefited from such modifications. 


technology Innovations in underground 

Mining Production Systems 


chair: 

2:00 PM 

Introductions 

H. Wang, Newmont Mining, Aurora, CO 

2:05 PM 

Underground Mine Plan and Optimization with Interactions to 

Open Pit Mining an Integrated Scheduling Problem-and-Solution 

H. Wang; Newmont Mining Co., Greenwood Village, CO 

Underground mining with interactions to open pit production adds another dimension 

to the complexity of mine planning, especially for the underground long 

term mine scheduling. Two approaches to solve this problem will be discussed in 

this paper. The conventional processes is to design OP and UG separately with 

different design and optimization tools, run multiple scenarios and select the one 

that will potentially generate the highest value. The interaction between OP and 

UG, which could have positive or negative impact on each other, sometimes cannot 

be fully calculated. A new process proposed here is to build a UG + OP 

model, treat them as one project and seek optimal solutions with linear programming 

tools such as CPLEX. Newmont projects including Herradura in Mexico 

and Subika in Ghana will be presented as cases studies. 

2:25 PM 

Underground Mine Production Schedule Optimization with 

Ventilation Requirements 

A. Brickey 1 and A. Newman 2 ; 1 Dept. of Mining Engineering, 

Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO and 2 Division of Economics 

and Business, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 

Underground mines have been subjected to increasing restrictions on diesel particulate 

matter associated with the exhaust produced by the internal combustion engines 

of diesel-fueled mining equipment. We present ideas on developing a mixed 

integer nonlinear optimization model to determine an activity based production 

schedule and ventilation quantities for a large-scale underground gold mine. The 

objective is to maximize discounted metal extraction based on various constraints 

including physical precedence, production requirements, and ventilation restrictions. 

We expect the results to provide a realistic production schedule that will assist 

in maintaining diesel particulate matter levels below regulatory limits. 

2:45 PM 

Incorporating Semi-autonomous Mucking into a Working Mine 

J. Rahn; Newmont, Elko, NV 

The presentation will provide an overview of the Caterpillar semi-autonomous 

mucking system. It will also discuss the challenges associated with adapting an already 

developed mine to new technology that was not initially planned for. 

3:05 PM 

Challenges from Jackleg to Mechanized Bolter for Narrow 

Vein Mining 


The Turquoise Ridge Mine at present is an underground mine utilizing the underhand 

cut-and-fill mining method or box stoping due to the relatively low rock 

quality in the ore. (Ref-ARMA 12-288) The majority of our production is based 

on underhand cut and fill, or box stoping methods. In the underhand cut and fill 

method, the ore is initially mined out in 3m x 3m (10W x 10H) or 3m x 3.7m (10 

W x12H) panels called topcuts. Drifting is normally completed using jacklegdrilling 

techniques with excavation by conventional drill and blast or by underground 

LHD. Jackleg often expose the miner to unsupported face and potential 

safety concern. The paper will share the challenges and results of a Small mechanized 

jumbos tested to eliminate the use of jacklegs, and to minimize workers at 

the face of the drift. In very weak ground, excavation is often completed by 

mucking for advance without drilling and blasting. 

3:25 PM 

Mining ROI Improvement Opportunity 

A. MacKenzie and N. Fung; Consulting Studies Group, Tetratech, 

Toronto, ON, Canada 

The simplest way to optimize return on investment (ROI) is to reduce mine life. 

The authors explore alternative and proven industrial techniques that if applied 

to mining in North America could improve reserve recovery times. When North 

American material handling practices were compared to a well proven European 

technology the European technology consistently demonstrated superior results. 

Projects suitable to the technology include mines of more than 1,600 tpd production 

and less than 1000m in depth or shaft limited or ventilation constrained. 

Projects with ore dipping between 20 and 55 degrees seem to have the greatest 

ROI improvements. Mines with poor ground find the MMT interesting due to its 

small profile as will mines that have long lives and are squeezed for sustaining 

capital. The MMT tradeoff success is based on this technologys high level of 

safety, low maintenance, high reliability, electric or diesel suitability, roof suspension 

and narrow profile. This paper will describe the ROI implications as a comparative 

analysis between Shafts, Conveyors, Trucks and Monorails. North 

American operations already betting on the technology will also be discussed. 

3:45 PM 

Integrating Automation Technologies in Underground Mines 

D. Dormer; Newmont Mining, Greenwood Village, CO 

The underground mining environment has many challenges due to its cyclical 

nature which result. Significant time losses are experienced around blasting practices 

and personnel deployment which result in a relatively poor capital efficiency 

of the mine. Automation technologies provide a tool for addressing these losses 

however the uptake of these technologies has been limited and their real potential 

not realized. The most positive improvements in underground automation have 

centered on the loaders for stope mucking and long-hole auto drill functions. 

These technologies have also been limited as they only target unit automation 

and do not interact with other automation technologies. The real gains of automation 

are realized in interfacing the unit automation (current and future) into 

a full automation system however current consensus has viewed this as an unviable 

proposition for the majority of mines due to the perceived cost. Is essence 

the problem has been trying to fit automation and technology to our current way 

of thinking, rather than adjusting our thinking to make a full automation system 

a cost effective reality. 

4:05 PM 

Underground Mine Planning – Scheduling Software – 

Opportunities in Planning and Reconcilliation 

R. Kintzel; Newmont Mining, Greenwood Village, CO 

There have been a number of new software tools developed for Underground that 

can improve the time and versitility of the planning and scheduling tasks. These 

include faster stope creation tools like Mineable Shape Optimiser ‘MSO’ to more 

powerful planning tools like Deswik design and scheduling software. This discussion 

will centre around how these tools were used within a given project to maximise 

option analysis and minimise scheduling time and changes. However the 

possibilities for some of these tools is endless. For instance we can potentially not 

just produce better plans for where we are going in the mine design, but also keep 

track of where we have been with real data. This could potentially improve reconcilliation 

understanding. Better flow process between long, medium and short 

term planners could be developed where new design is added to long term plans 

with actual new up to date shapes incorperated into the plan. Much of the current 

software used fails to bridge the gap between these planning time spans to 

truely intergrate the mine plan from conceptual to actual. 


56 



research: advances in Geometallurgy 


chairs: A. Samal, Rio Tinto, Riverton, UT 

M. Singh, Singh Associates, LLC, Scottsdale, AZ 

2:00 PM 

Introductions 

2:05 PM 

Geomet: The Platform for Life-of-Project Evaluation 

K. Olson Hoal 1 and J. Jackson 2 ; 1 JKTech Pty Ltd, Denver, CO and 

2 

JKTech Pty Ltd, Indooroopilly, QLD, Australia 

Geomet provides the overarching platform for Life-of-Project evaluations, which 

involve the analysis of key components of an operation where value can be improved 

via audit or review. Mine-to-Mill and Mine-to-Plant implementations, for 

example, are effective in integrating the mine and plant from blasting to flotation 

for enhancing the key elements of throughput and recovery. Similarly, the Triad 

approach to waste management integrates site characterization, remediation, and 

closure through planning strategies. Both of these approaches integrate parts of 

the value chain for more effective management of internal costs, schedules and 

product. Geomet, on the other hand, provides the orebody knowledge for the entire 

life-of-project process, for which understanding the impacts of variability is 

critical for prediction and forecasting. As the platform integrator, geomet bolts together 

other unit approaches and allows us to identify and manage the drivers for 

extraction and remediation, enabling a level of risk reduction across operations. 

The key component of geomet is effective orebody characterisation, and is 

demonstrated for copper and gold projects in the Americas. 

2:25 PM 

Geometallurgy for a Two Recovery Process Operation Cripple 

Creek and Victor Gold Mine, Colorado 

S. Leichliter and D. Larson; AngloGold Ashanti, Victor, CO 

Cripple Creek and Victor Gold Mine is an epithermal gold deposit located in the 

Rocky Mountains in Colorado. Surface operations are continuing along with an 

expansion for an onsite mill to take place in the next couple of years. The surface 

pit is currently progressing downward from an oxidized zone into a transitional, 

more sulfide zone. Gold mineralization includes native gold, electrum, and tellurides. 

Cyanide heap leaching is the recovery process for the oxidized ore with 

the sulfide ore processed at the new onsite mill. Ore characterization prior to 

mining is vital when there are two possible recovery processes. This characterization 

is dependent on geometallurgy. To identify the causes of the variability, multiple 

parameters are analyzed and assayed. These parameters are measured by a 

variety of analytical testwork. The analytical testwork provides measurements for 

the desired parameters. Geometallurgical models are developed for the parameters 

per recovery process, so estimations can be inserted into the resource model 

to optimize operations and recoveries. 

2:45 PM 

Using Geometallurgical Models to Aid in Variability and Recovery 

Testwork for Pre-feasibility Projects, La Colosa, Colombia 

S. Leichliter 1 and R. Jahoda 2 ; 1 AngloGold Ashanti, Victor, CO and 

2 

AngloGold Ashanti Colombia, Bogota, Colombia 

The La Colosa, Colombia porphyry gold deposit is currently in the pre-feasibility 

stage. This large deposit has many types of gold mineralization, native gold, electrum, 

and tellurides. These variations in the gold mineralization lead to variability 

in the gold recovery. The final process flowsheet may include gravity concentration 

with cyanide leaching. Metallurgical testwork is utilized to identify the 

zones of ore that may be problematic to recover. To help select the samples that 

represent the fluctuating variability zones, geometallurgical models are constructed 

using mineralogy and geology data. These zones are then wireframed 

and compared to the geological and structural models for spatial correlation. 

Samples for the variability testwork will be selected from these different zones to 

identify and analyse the effect the different gold mineralization types have on the 

recovery. By using geometallurgy to aid in the sample selection for metallurgical 

testwork, the variability in the ore body can be understood and constrained to aid 

in process optimization. 

3:05 PM 

Evaluation and Isolation of Trace Mineral Particles by Dual Energy 

Rapid Scan Radiography 

T. Tserendagva, C. Hsieh, C. Lin and J. Miller; Metallurgical 

Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 

Theory and procedures are described for the evaluation and isolation of trace 

mineral particles from sample populations by dual energy (DE) rapid scan radiography. 

Particulate samples are split into narrow size fractions, each size fraction 

distributed/assembled on projection plates, and then the radiography projection 

of the plates collected at two energy levels (DE analysis). In this way, for 

example, more than 200,000 particles (250x150 micron in size) can be interrogated 

in less than one hour, particles containing high density mineral phases 

identified, and composition estimated. In addition, rapid scan radiography can 

be used for the examination of drill core samples, tailings samples, or any other 

particulate sample containing trace mineral particles. 

chair: 

2:00 PM 

Introductions 

Sustainability 


M. Singh, Singh Assoc LLC, Scottsdale, AZ 

2:05 PM 

Development of the Greenness Index: A Holistic Evaluation of 

Mining Reagents 

C. Lo 1 , P. Somasundaran 1 , R. Farinato 2 and D. Nagaraj 2 ; 1 Earth and 

Environmental Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 

and 2 Mining, Cytec Industries, Stamford, CT 

Many chemical companies have adopted the Twelve Principles of Green 

Chemistry and have developed rankings tools to assess sustainability of their products 

and operations. Mining companies have adopted ICMMs 10 Principles as a 

means for evaluating their sustainable development efforts; however, there are no 

specific means of by which the impact of chemicals in their processes can be 

quantified. There has yet to be an established and effective Greenness Index for 

mineral processing operations. Our approach is to develop a Greenness Index to 

quantify the impact of chemicals in a more comprehensive way. Additionally our 

objective is to integrate the Twelve Principles of Green Chemistry and ICMMs 10 

principles for Sustainable Mining Development into this Greenness Index. We intend 

to take a systems approach to establish a metric for sustainability based on 

constructing and combining Greenness Metrics for each unit process in the plant 

operation, thereby holistically evaluating the overall mineral operation process. 

2:25 PM 

iSustain: A Data Warehouse for Sustainable Resource 

Development Analyses 

M. Poulton and P. Mather; Lowell Institute for Mineral Resources, 

University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 

We have built a dynamic data warehouse, iSustain, which aids in understanding 

the complexities of sustainable materials production, from social license to operate 

to community well-being, to supply risk. The iSustain data warehouse and related 

tools and analytical framework is a significant aid in analyzing the global 

impacts and tradeoffs in providing critical and important minerals. iSustain data 

warehouse supports a diverse group of researchers and policy analysts with the 

strategic goal of making more data available to more people. The warehouse contains 

data on resources and reserves for all commodities tracked by the USGS, 

along with worldwide financial, socioeconomic, cultural, ecological, climatic 

data, and more. Analyses can be statistical or map based. The data warehouse 

can support a wide range of queries from an analysis of supply risk for a suite of 

minerals used in a new cell phone to identifying predictive factors for social license 

to operate, or detailed studies of economic impact of resource development 

at a county level. 

2:45 PM 

Predictors of a Social License to Operate 

C. John; College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 

This project identifies key determinants of a social license to operate (SOL), and 

attempts to quantitatively predict a communitys acceptance of a company and its 


57 



local venture. Social risk and community acceptance have historically been considered 

intangible concepts, yet the relationship between community and company 

can considerably impact the outcome of a project. Through a review of literature 

and case studies, we identified four key clusters of determinants of 

opposition , to borrow a term from Stanford University Professor Ryan J. Orr, that 

influence a SOL. The four clusters are: Indigenous Populations, Societal 

Structure, Trust, and Environmental and Social Impact. To test the hypothesis 

that the determinants of opposition can accurately predict the reception of a SOL 

in a specific region, we will use a regression analysis on existing data sets from 

sources such as the World Bank, OECD, and UN that are loaded into the 

University of Arizonas iSustain Data Warehouse. This analysis will enable us to 

rate a specific region from worst (withholding an SOL) to best (project co-ownership); 

a useful rating to a mining company during project development. 

3:05 PM 

Nature Friendly Sustainability: Mining 

M. Javier; EnviroMINE, Denver, CO 

This is a concept paper for a nature friendly definition of sustainability aiming to 

extend the longevity of mankind, a critical first step for the protection of nature 

and mankind. It is an important responsible first step in creating a healthy sustainability 

concept that, when implemented, extends the longevity of mankind by 

the most efficient use of the finite resources on this limited Planet Earth, it will affect 

the designs of engineered structures and revolutionize the recovery methods 

and processing of natural resources, such as mineral resources, for human consumption 

in the most efficient manner of nature. All the while is taking into consideration 

the increase in anthropogenic activities due to exponential human population 

growth. Finally, this paper intends to stimulate critical thinking and 

which initiate serious discussions aiming at producing general consensuses for 

the best definition for human society to not only enrich, but to extend its existence. 

It is food for thought. Thus, the spirit of this new definition is pro future 

generations and environment, and aims to be most efficient in terms of natural resource 

utilization. 

3:25 PM 

Social License and Mineral Economics: New Modeling Approaches 

P. Rogers, S. Dessureault, M. Poulton and P. Hiol; University of 

Arizona, Tucson, AZ 

Historically, mineral economic theory was developed on macro-level data to 

study the impacts of supply policy decisions. This approach does not fully take 

into account societal pressures and political complexities inherent in modern development. 

Stakeholders can directly impact a project more than ever. 

Sustainable mineral development must incorporate complexities like social license 

into future economic modeling. Fortunately, the modern information age 

can facilitate more robust economic models through advanced data flows. 

Descriptive indicators of stakeholders can be found and used in predictive models 

used to test economics theories. We present an initial study which emphasizes 

more granular and comprehensive data to establish and test theories related to 

natural resource based economies. A brief case study is presented on per capita 

income growth and education investment in Wyoming. We refute the findings of 

an economic study in the US about the resource curse by expanding the studys 

time horizon and scope of variables. A brief discussion is also given on other data 

flows and modeling approaches. 

younG LeaderS SeSSIon 


Young Leaders will be presenting a program that will relate to the student engineer, 

the young professional, and the experienced person. These sessions will entail 

different perspectives on professional development and guidance, communications 

training, legacy of knowledge, and other pertinent information as it 

applies to mining engineering and associated fields. 

Innovation in Metallurgical Processing Symposium 

Keynote SeSSIon 

& recePtIon 



(Reception is a Ticketed Event) 

What Drives Innovation? 

Barney Guarnera, Broadlands Mineral Advisory Services Ltd. 

Historical Perspective of Innovation 

in the Minerals Industry 

Martin Kuhn, Minerals Advisory Group 

History of Innovations in Extractive Metallurgy 

Fathi Habashi, Universite Laval 


Geology: exploration health and Safety 


chairs: C. Dreesbach, Micon International, Helena, MT 

C. Spencer, AMEC Mining & Metals, Sparks, NV 

J. Olsen, Barrick Gold, Salt Lake City, UT 

2:00 PM 

Introductions 

2:05 PM 

Using GPS Technology as a Way to Mitigate Safety Risks on 

Greenfield Exploration Sites 

J. Melfi; Freeport-McMoRan Copper and Gold, Phoenix, AZ 

Some of the top risks associated with exploration Greenfield operations include, 

vehicle travel, helicopter travel and civil unrest. A natural disaster such as earthquake, 

landslide or forest fire can also occur unpredictably. There is always the 

potential for vehicle breaks down in a remote area or adverse weather moves in 

and an aircraft fails to pick you up. GPS technology has given us the ability to locate 

missing persons, track vehicles and map out emergency routes in advance all 

of which can make these extreme situations more bearable. The new devices also 

come equipped with emergency panic buttons and texting options which allow 

for communication even when other forms of communication fail. 

2:25 PM 

A Case Study on the Adoption of a Fatigue Risk Management 

Program at Remote Exploration Sites 

J. Olsen and T. Chism; Barrick Gold, Salt Lake City, UT 

Long rosters and working hours in remote exploration settings may increase the 

risk of incidents associated with worker fatigue. This presentation focuses on a 

pilot project conducted at a remote ‘fly-in/fly-out’ camp in Zambia to examine 

the feasibility of implementing specific controls measures designed to reduce the 

effect of fatigue on exploration workers. 

2:45 PM 

Health Hazard Recognition and Control in Remote 

Exploration Sites 

J. Olsen 1 and R. Barbour 2 ; 1 Barrick Gold, Salt Lake City, UT and 

2 

Corporate Health & Safety, Barrick Gold, Toronto, ON, Canada 

Significant health hazards can occur in remote exploration sites in the developing 

world. Proprer identification and evaluation of risk along with the application of 

practical approaches to expeditions and remote camp settings can reduce the risk 

of illness and other health related events. 


58 



3:05 PM 

E3 Plus Excellence in Health & Safety: The EHS e-Toolkit 

J. Olsen 1 and B. Mercer 2 ; 1 Barrick Gold, Salt Lake City, UT and 

2 

Exploration, Avalon Rare Metals, Toronto, ON, Canada 

The E3 Plus program provides off-the-shelf guidelines for Junior exploration 

companies which are designed to be incorporated directly as Corporate policy. 

The adherence rate for the Canadian Junior exploration companies is well over 

60%, with the US companies lagging far behind.Recently, universities in Canada 

have begun to adhere to the E3 Plus principles in their curriculums. The excellence 

in Health & Safety (EHS) e-toolkit addresses General Safety Principles, 

Emergency Response, Survival, Weather & Environmental Risks and much 

more. This sessionwill present a case study on success using the EHS e-Toolkit. 

3:25 PM 

Thoughts and Considerations for an Exploration 

Health & Safety Program 

C. Spencer; AMEC Mining & Metals, Sparks, NV 

Mineral exploration is often performed in remote environments away from the 

typical support infrastructure common to mining and therefore has different 

safety requirements. The projects are often hours, or sometimes days, away from 

urban environments with definitive medical care. Many of the field staff are 

young and new to working remotely in the field and their experience can present 

an additional layer of challenges. The demographic often comprising experienced 

management also calls for some special considerations when developing a 

health and safety program. 

3:45 PM 

The PDAC Health & Safety Pocket Guide 

W. Mercer 1 , K. Mulchinock 2 and C. Mitchell 3 ; 1 Exploration, Avalon 

Rare Metals Inc., Toronto, ON, Canada; 2 PDAC, Toronto, ON, 

Canada and 3 Consultant, Vancouver, BC, Canada 

Canada is leading the world in the scale and dynamism of the exploration industry 

developments. The PDAC aims to ensure that the exploration industry adopts 

consistent and robust risk management to prevent and mitigate significant health 

and safety (H&S) hazards for field workers. The PDAC Pocket Guide is aimed at 

providing an overview and insight into the strategic safety risks that field workers 

have a responsibility to address. It evolved from the 784 page H&S Toolkit available 

from the E3 Plus website. The Pocket Guide has 116 pages printed on special 

water resistant paper. Whilst prevention must always be the primary focus the 

guidelines are for field workers so they can properly and responsibly prevent and 

manage (1) the most common field injuries, which are slips and falls, and injuries 

caused by the improper use of tools, and (2) accidents and fatalities associated 

with field transportation, especially helicopters and vehicles (including all-terrain 

vehicles). The presentation will focus on the development and content of the 

PDAC Field Safety Pocket Guide, its importance for the mineral exploration industry 

and how companies can use it as part of their H&S strategy. 

4:05 PM 

The PDAC-AMEBC Annual Health & Safety Survey 

W. Mercer 1 , K. Mulchinock 2 and J. Buchanan 3 ; 1 Exploration, Avalon 

Rare Metals Inc., Toronto, ON, Canada; 2 PDAC, Toronto, ON, 

Canada and 3 AME BC, Vancouver, BC, Canada 

The Canadian Mineral Exploration Health & Safety Survey conducted by the 

Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada and the Association for 

Mineral Exploration British Columbia is the single survey that measures safety 

performance across 12 provincial and territorial jurisdictions in Canada. The survey 

gathers data covering the range of health and safety (H&S) incidents. The 

survey has been completed for 6 years with over 1,300 incident descriptions. The 

survey enables a understanding of the causes of exploration H&S incidents. This 

is supplemented by a 31 year database of fatalities, with basic information on 

causes. For 2012, the PDAC and AMEBC are seeking ways to increase participation 

in a voluntary survey that doubles as an information collection mechanism 

for the Safe Day Everyday Award and Safe Day Everyday Gold Award. The presentation 

will give an overview of the survey as well as insights into the lessons 

that companies can learn from its results. The survey data is a valuable key input 

for the risk analysis that any company should undertake prior to any exploration 

field program. 

chair: 

2:00 PM 

Introductions 


Geology: Geomechanics 


P. Kulatilake, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 

2:05 PM 

Evaluation of Temperature Effect on P-wave Velocity, UCS and 

Elasticity Modulus of Rocks, Using Newly Developed Apparatus 

M. Sharifzadeh 1 , J. Ashrafi 2 and A. Modiriasari 1 ; 1 Department of 

Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, Amirkabir University of 

Technology (AUT), Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran and 2 Faculty of 

Mining Engineering, Sahand University of Technology, Tabriz, 

Islamic Republic of Iran 

Instabilities occurred as a result of climate changes caused to investigate the rock 

behavior dependency to temperature changes, in this paper. In the natural earth 

condition, the phase transition of pore water has known to be the most effective 

factor causing different rocks mechanical properties due to temperature changes. 

So, the temperature range of [-30, 30]∞C is selected in laboratory tests of this 

study. P-wave velocity, unconfined compressive strength (UCS) and elasticity 

modulus of rocks at different temperatures are studied by developing a temperature 

adjusting apparatus. The tests were performed on three rock types. The results 

show that firstly, the temperature reduction and pore fluid freezing improves 

these rocks mechanical properties. Secondly, the dependency of rock properties 

to climate changes depends on the type and shape of its porosity as well as porosity 

percent. The improvement of rock mechanical properties in jointed rocks exceeds 

rocks with spherical pores. Finally, maximum changes in rocks properties 

occur at [-10, 0]∞C, which includes the phase transition of pore fluid. 

2:25 PM 

An Investigation of Grout Penetration Depth in Fractured Rocks 

M. Sharifzadeh 1 , A. Modiriasari 1 and J. Khani 2 ; 1 Department of 

Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, Amirkabir University of 

Technology, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran and 2 Soils Engineering 

Services (SES) Company, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran 

Grouting is mainly used to improve mechanical properties or decrease the permeability 

of rock mass around civil and mining projects. The purpose of this 

paper is to present the most effective factors on grout penetration depth in rock 

mass. Such factors are essential for reliable estimation of the grout penetration 

depth and the expense for cement take of any grouting project. In this paper, 

about 50 different types of the relations presented so far by various researchers to 

estimate the depth of penetration in fractured rock were studied. The effective 

factors are classified to rock mass properties, grout properties, and operational 

factors. Preliminary results show that firstly, the discontinuities aperture and 

Lugeon value are respectively the most investigated factors of rock mass properties 

influencing on penetration depth. Secondly, the yielding stress, viscosity, and 

density of grout are the most effective factors of grout properties. Finally, grouting 

pressure has an intense effect among other operational factors. The investigations 

were also verified in Siah Bishe dam case study. 

2:45 PM 

Role of Gas Pressure in Underground Coal Mine Bursts 

W. Pariseau; Mining Engineering, University of Utah, 


Face and pillar bursts, bumps and bounces are violent failures that occur in underground 

coal mines in response to a complicated interplay of face and pillar 

geometry, seam depth, coal strength and moduli and interactions between roof, 

seam and floor strata. Additional complications arise from the presence of gas, 

mainly methane, and associated pressure and flow that vary with time and are influenced 

by the rate of face advance. A fully coupled hydro-mechanical finite element 

code, UTAH4, allows study of these interactions that determine stability 

during face. Face advance is often fast compared with gas flow and depressurization. 

Consequently, gas pressure is high at the face and strength is low at the face. 

If longwall is stationary, depressurization occurs at the face, effective stress and 

strength increase. However, quantitative analysis of a site-specific case involving 

a deep coal mine in central Utah shows that high stress concentration is likely to 

pose a threat to face and pillar wall stability regardless of gas pressure. 


59 



3:05 PM 

Application of Fuzzy Set Theory to RMR Classification System for 

Weak and Very Weak Rock Masses 

P. Roghanchi, R. Kallu and R. Thareja; Mining Engineering, 

University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV 

The Rock Mass Rating (RMR) system is an internationally recognized classification 

system that can be used for preliminary ground control design. Assigning a 

single value rather than a range to each parameter of RMR is a source of uncertainty. 

However, assigning a single value can be useful for further studies related 

to RMR ratings. Fuzzy systems have been successfully used in geotechnical and 

mining engineering problems to cope with uncertain data as well as vagueness. In 

such scenarios, linguistic rules and rating-based classification of rock masses have 

always been questionable. The objective of this study is to apply fuzzy set theory 

to the RMR classification system. Fuzzy system proposed in this study is specified 

for weak and very weak rock masses (RMR


primarily a waste material to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of concrete. 

The feedstock for the geopolymer-based concrete is mostly the non-metallic 

content of the F-type fly ash usually produced from the combustion of bituminous 

coal. It may be noted that more than 100 million tons of fly ash is produced 

in the U.S. each year; only half of which is being put to beneficial applications. 

The authors envision to extract some of the valuable metal oxides from fly ash 

and use the residual, which is about 80% of the original fly ash, as the feed material 

for the geopolymerization process. The results obtained from the geopolymer 

concrete study will be the subject matter of this paper. 

9:25 AM 

Carbon Dioxide Capture with Oxy-Combustion Technology 

W. Morris; ADA Environmental Solutions, Highlands Ranch, CO 

There are three main technologies available for CO2 capture from coal combustion. 

They are pre-combustion integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC), 

oxy-fuel combustion, and post combustion capture. Oxy-fuel combustion is a 

promising technology that utilizes a combination of oxygen and recycled flue 

gas in the combustion environment in order to produce a highly concentrated 

stream of CO2 for capture. A review of the current state of the art in oxy-fuel 

combustion will be presented highlighting current demonstration efforts and 

technological hurdles. Furthermore, an examination of how coal quality affects 

the oxy-fuel process for mercury control, NOX, SOX, ash deposition, and ash 

handling will be presented in order to elucidate the affects of fuel chemistry on 

the oxy-fuel process. 

9:45 AM 

Quantification of Long-term Risks for Geologic CO2 Sequestration 

Sites Through US DOEs National Risk Assessment Partnership 

(NRAP) 

R. Pawar; Earth & Environmental Sciences Division (EES-16), 

Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 

Injection and storage of CO2 in deep geologic formations is one of the technologies 

currently being explored and deployed to mitigate the increasing amount of 

anthropogenic CO2 into the atmosphere. One of the critical issues in effective, 

large-scale deployment of this technology is characterization of long-term risks. 

A comprehensive risk assessment approach provides the scientific basis for assessing 

residual risks associated with long-term stewardship as well as to help 

guide site operational decision making and risk management. The National Risk 

Assessment Partnership (NRAP) is a US-DOE effort focused on developing a defensible, 

science-based methodology and platform for quantifying risk profiles at 

geologic CO2 sequestration sites. Risk profiles provide a time evolution of the 

probability of a particular adverse impact, thereby allowing an assessment of the 

risk integrated over a period of time. This talk will give the results of risk profile 

quantification effort within NRAP and demonstrate their applicability. 

10:05 AM 

Reducing Your Carbon Footprint With Filtration 

C. Bauer; Scientific and Laboratory Services (SLS), Pall Corporation, 

Port Washington, NY 

Contamination control through filtration is critical to ensuring a mine’s reliability 

and productivity. Stricter regulatory requirements in respect to a mine’s carbon 

footprint -the environmental impact of energy use- encourage operators to identify 

areas of improvement. How does filtration factor into this? When determining 

the environmental impact of filtration, operators must consider areas such as 

fluid consumption, waste disposal and energy costs. As a filter removes contamination, 

the differential pressure across the filter element increases and with it the 

pump’s energy usage. Longer filter element service life, and fewer change-outs 

over a period of time, will thus result in a lower energy requirement, which can be 

expressed in terms of CO2 emission equivalents. While the pump energy usage 

has the largest impact on the overall environmental impact, other factors such as 

filter element disposal and fluid losses during change-out must be considered. In 

this work, the author discusses an approach of quantifying the benefits of utilizing 

modern filtration by means of several case studies, including a mine fuel 

supply chain and large hydraulic shovels. 

10:25 AM 

The Impact of Climate Change Policies on the U.S. Coal Industry: 

Looking to the Future 

I. Miskovic; Mining Engineering, University of Utah, 


It is well recognized by policymakers, scientists, and stakeholders that implementation 

of climate change legislation in the U.S. can significantly increase uncertainties 

about the future of the domestic coal industry. Without development and 

implementation of novel clean coal technologies, such as carbon capture and sequestration 

and underground coal gasification, continued utilization of coal will 

face great opposition that can lead to significant decrease in coal consumption by 

the power generation industry and other industrial users. Falls in coal production 

will inevitably cause significant drop in coal mining employment and related direct 

and indirect revenues and expenditures. The central goal of this study is to 

investigate potential effects of different climate and energy policy scenarios on 

U.S. coal producers, electric utilities, and non-utility industrial coal users, over a 

long-term time horizon. The paper will summarize results from different scenario 

simulations performed with The Integrated MARKAL-EFOM System (TIMES) 

bottom-up partial equilibrium model, and assess effects of the implementation of 

new carbon abatement technologies on the long-term U.S. coal outlook. 

10:45 AM 

Carbon Dioxide and Climate Change: A Review for the 

Coal Industry 

M. Mohanty 1 , X. Yang 2 and H. Akbari 3 ; 1 Mining Engineering, Southern 

Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL; 2 Mining Engineering, 

Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL and 3 Mining 

Engineering, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL 

The intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC) reported that the global 

mean temperature has risen by 0.74 ±0.18 ∞C over the 100 year period starting 

1906. It also indicated that the concentration of atmospheric CO2 has increased 

from about 280 ppm to 379 ppm apparently due to the high use of fossil fuels that 

drove the industrialization over the same time period, all over the world. 

Numerous such studies claiming a link of atmospheric CO2 concentration to 

global warming have compared the earth’s temperature of only last 100 to 150 

years to the preindustrialization time. Many others, including the NIPCC (nongovernmental 

panel on climate change), by examining earth’s temperature over a 

much longer period of time, believe that the natural variations like that of solar 

activity, earth’s orbital changes and magnetic field variations as well as urban 

heat-island effect, deforestations and increasing human populations may have 

greater role in affecting the global climate. In this paper, we attempt to point out 

the key issues from both sides of the isle to assist the coal community in taking informed 

decisions for its continued survival/growth in future. 

chair: 

9:00 AM 

Introductions 


Mine environmental Issues 

9:00 AM • Tuesday, February 26 

D. Elifrits, Northern Kentucky University, 

Highland Heights, KY 

9:05 AM 

Stability Analysis for Steep-slope Mines Reclaimed Using the 

Forestry Reclamation Approach 

D. Kumar 1 , J. Silva 2 and R. Sweigard 3 ; 1 Civil & Environmental Engg, 

Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO; 2 Department of Mining 

Engg, University of Kentucky, Lexigton, KY and 3 Department of 

Mining Engg, University of Kentucky, Lexigton, KY 

The Forestry Reclamation Approach (FRA) specifies that the upper 1.22 m of 

material on the reclaimed surface should be left as uncompacted as possible to facilitate 

root growth. One of the main concerns about applying the FRA to steep 

slopes is that the upper 1.22 m of material could cause the reclaimed slopes to be 

unstable. Successful application of FRA on flat and rolling surfaces precipitated 

this investigation. Details of a field investigation conducted at a steep-slope mine 

are available in an earlier publication (Kumar and Sweigard, 2011). The stability 

analysis was conducted using classical limit equilibrium and finite elements 

methods. For limit equilibrium, the Rotational Equilibrium Analysis of 

Multilayered Earthworks (REAME) and Geo-Slope computer programs were 

used. In all computer programs, two kinds of analyses were done: with top 1.22 

m of loose material and without top loose material. Finally, the field investigation 

results were compared with stability analysis results. Both of these approaches 

showed that application of the FRA on steep slopes is not causing any 

significant instability problems that would not exist otherwise for overly steepened 

slopes. 


61 



9:25 AM 

Climate Change for Mine Planners: Some Fundamentals 

D. Williams; Bureau of Land Management, Butte, MT 

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change November 2011 and March 

2012 reports on Extreme Weather Events suggest that a wide variety of weather 

extremes will become more common with a changing climate. 2011 and 2012 in 

North America have featured an astonishing array of extreme storm and 

drought events. The standard disclaimer regarding individual weather events 

and climate change may still apply but the reality is the industry is making closure, 

reclamation, and drainage treatment predictions based on a historic climate 

that no longer exists. An example of an extreme weather event at a closed 

mine site will be evaluated. Possible implications of the extreme weather predictions 

for mine planners and abandoned mine sites will be discussed and some 

practical suggestions incorporating climate change into mine design, operations, 

and closure suggested. 

9:45 AM 

Sustainability Information in Mining: Technologies and Process for 

Data Aggregation, Management, and Reporting – A Case Study 

J. Hoekstra 2 and F. Mielli 1 ; 1 Schneider Electric, Alpharetta, GA and 

2 

Summit Energy / Schneider Electric, Boulder, CO 

Given the complex regulatory and financial pressures placed upon the mining industry 

with regard to issues such as air / water quality,emissions and energy efficiency, 

most organizations need to be equipped with the proper subject matter expertise 

to be able to manage this process. In addition when it comes to data 

collection,management,and reporting on key corporate energy and sustainability 

metrics such as greenhouse gas(GHG) emissions,there is often a lack of human 

resource capacity, data collection processes, accountability and tools available 

within the organization to respond to these pressures. With varying reporting 

protocols such as EPA MRR, Carbon Disclosure Project(CDP), Global 

Reporting Initiative (GRI) and others, reporting, data management and accuracy 

has become a burden for many organizations. Also, the volatility of energy pricing 

results in a significant financial benefit for companies to streamline the monitoring 

and management of energy and fuels using technology. Using a real life example, 

this presentation will outline the necessary steps that need to be taken for 

an organization to develop such a process, using services and technology. 

10:05 AM 

Satellite Remote Sensing-based Estimates of Biomass Production 

on Reclaimed Coal Mines 

S. Raval 1 , E. Sarver 2 , D. Evans 3 , C. Zipper 3 and P. Donovan 3 ; 

1 

School of Mining Engineering, University of New South Wales, 

Sydney, NSW, Australia; 2 Mining and Minerals Engineering, Virginia 

Tech, Blacksburg, VA and 3 Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences, 

Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 

Remote sensing methods have been used to evaluate vegetative growth patterns 

for many applications, though relatively little work has focused on tracking mine 

reclamation progress. For coalmines in Central Appalachia, reclamation approaches 

that include production of biofuel feedstocks are increasingly attractive, 

as these may yield significant post-mining land values and contribute to carbonneutral 

energy supplies. To optimize productivity, the influence of reclamation 

parameters must be well understood which necessitates tracking biomass production 

over long time periods time. Satellite-based estimations may offer low-cost 

alternatives to conventional biomass appraisals, and also the potential to provide 

critical input for carbon accounting at varied spatial scales. In this paper, we use 

established reclamation plots at the Powell River Project (PRP) for a comparative 

study between satellite measurements of Normalized Difference Vegetation 

Index and inventory estimates of biomass under a variety of conditions. PRP is a 

unique public-private partnership in the coalfields of southwestern Virginia dedicated 

to enhancing beneficial use and environmental protection of mined lands. 

10:25 AM 

Strategies to Minimize the Release of Trace Elements from Coal 

Waste Sources 

M. Rezaee 1 , F. Huggins 2 , R. Honaker 1 and Z. Duan 1 ; 1 Mining 

Engineering, Univ. of Kentucky, Lexington, KY and 2 Chemical 

Engineering, Univ. of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 

To assess strategies aimed at minimizing the impact of coal waste materials on the 

environment, two long-term leaching experiments were performed using waste 

materials from a plant treating high sulfur bituminous coal. The tests evaluated the 

mobility of trace elements under different disposal scenarios. The results indicate 

that the mobility of most elements is enhanced under either highly alkaline or 

acidic conditions with a few being mobilized under both conditions. As such, the 

minimization of element mobility requires the pH value of the medium to be 

maintained around neutral. In addition, most of the heavy metals were associated 

with the illite and pyrite minerals. Three strategies of treating coal refuse were 

evaluated: fly ash mixed with coarse refuse, co-disposal of coarse and fine refuse 

and solidification of the coal waste with cement. All three methods were found to 

neutralize the pH conditions and thus reduce mobility of the trace elements in 

static leaching tests whereas the opposite was found from dynamic experiments. 

These results indicate that combined storage under water could eliminate acid 

generation and thus minimize the mobility of trace elements. 

chair: 

9:00 AM 

Introductions 


underground II 


G. Buchan, Alpha Natural Resources, 

Waynesburg, PA 

9:05 AM 

Performance of an Intelligent Proximity Detection System for 

Continuous Mining Machines 

J. Carr and J. DuCarme; NIOSH, Pittsburgh, PA 

In 2011, MSHA published a proposed regulation that would require the use of 

proximity detection systems on all CMM. Researchers at the National Institute 

for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) have developed the Intelligent 

Proximity Detection (iPD) system, which is expected to enhance safety by preventing 

hazardous motions while still allowing the miners the flexibility to 

choose where they position themselves to avoid other hazards such as other 

equipment or unsupported mine roof. The iPD system has been installed and 

tested on a Joy 14CM continuous mining machine at the NIOSH laboratory in 

Pittsburgh. Measurements were recorded around the machine to quantify and 

map the accuracy of the system. A number of variables including receiver orientation, 

position of machine appendages and presence of metallic objects such as 

the trailing cable were analyzed. Based on this analysis, the performance of the 

iPD system has been shown to provide the accuracy needed to provide intelligent 

response to striking and pinning hazards and represents a major advance in the 

field of proximity detection. 

9:25 AM 

Stress Distributions Around Typical Field Intersection Geometries 

in Coal Mines 

S. Bastola, C. Carlton, B. Abbasi and Y. Chugh; Mining and Mineral 

Resources Engineering, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, 

Carbondale, IL 

Over 80% of roof falls in Illinois coal mines occur at the intersections of entries. 

Regular intersection geometries have been typically analyzed in the previous literature. 

This study has analyzed stress distribution around typical field intersection 

geometries and compared it with similar data for regular four-way intersection 

geometries. Three-dimensional numerical analyses were performed for a 

typical lithology associated with No 6 coal seam in southern Illinois. Linear elastic 

and non-linear analyses were performed using Hoek-Brown failure criteria for 

different lithologic units. The three-dimensional models developed incorporated 

bedding planes and the in-situ horizontal stresses. Yielded zones were developed 

for various types of irregular intersections. Effect of diagonal widths of the intersection 

and pre-mining horizontal stresses were examined extensively due to their 

influence on stability. Progressive failure zones and contours for safety factors 

were developed. In addition to stress distribution, displacement analyses were 

also performed to assess stability of intersections. 

9:45 AM 

A Discussion on TBM Cutter Change Time 

and Cutter Consumption 

E. Farrokh and J. Rostami; PSU, State College, PA 

Cutter change time is defined as the average time required for changing a cutter 

on the cutter head and cutter consumption is the average number of cutters worn 

out for excavation of one cubic meter of rock. Estimation of these two parame- 


62 



ters requires certain intact rock and rock mass properties (such as abrasivity) as 

well as machine parameters are needed. Analysis of cutter consumption information 

of several tunnel projects from around the world has revealed that the available 

models for estimation of cutter consumption require some revisions to provide 

more accurate predictions. The results of the statistical analysis show that in 

most cases, NTH model underestimates cutter change time. The preliminary 

analysis of data shows that average cutter change time is approximately 66 minutes 

for different cutter sizes and there is a minimal difference between corresponding 

cutter change times of the large versus small cutters. This paper reviews 

the available models for cutter life estimation and cutter consumption data from 

various projects. It offers new models for estimation of cutter consumption and 

cutter change time as part of TBM down time analysis. 

10:05 AM 

Installation of Internal Hydraulic Seals for Additional 

Environmental Protection 

M. Castner; Engineering, Rosebud Mining Company, Kittanning, PA 

Permit applications for deep mines in the state of PA require environmental provisions 

to prevent post mining water discharge. In some instances, the permit applications 

have required the installation of hydraulic seals prior to the completion 

of the final drift seals at a mine. Such was the case for Rosebud Mining Company 

and the Little Toby Mine, located in Elk County. When the permit was approved, 

it was done so on the condition that hydraulic seals would be installed and an acceptable 

design was approved as part of the permit issuance. Over the years, conditions 

and ideas have changed and developed which resulted in new ideas and 

resources that provide some alternative ways for the construction of hydraulic 

seal. Thus, the purpose of this report is to show the design of a recently installed 

hydraulic seal application, how this new seal design compared to the previously 

approved design, and finally how the entire installation procedure was executed 

for this new hydraulic seal. 

10:25 AM 

Using Chemical Grout to Control Groundwater Infiltration 

J. Gentry; Avanti International, Webster, TX 

Acrylamide grout was selected to address groundwater seepage on three unique 

projects. Each project provided special circumstances and geological conditions: 

Pre-excavation grouting for combined sewer overflow tanks, 27 miles of leaking 

subway, and encapsulation of radioactive hazardous waste. Acrylamide grout 

was chosen primarily for its specific characteristics: thinnest grout on the market, 

no suspended solids, adjustable set times, and a 362-year half-life in soil as determined 

by the U.S. Department of Energy. 

10:45 AM 

Interaction of Roof Rock Mass Characterization and Ground 

Control Design in Weak Roof Conditions 

A. Osouli; Civil Engineering, Southern Illinois University, 

Edwardsville, IL 

Roof rock mass characterization is the critical element for evaluating roof conditions 

and designing roof support systems in underground coal mines. Coal Mine 

Roof Rating (CMRR) is the most internationally used and empirical-based rock 

mass classification system which was developed using a limited number of case 

studies. Therefore, using CMRR for cases outside its database has raised concerns. 

It was discovered that the current procedure of determining CMRR may 

not be appropriate for Illinois coal mines, where due to its weak and moisture 

sensitive roof, has the highest number of roof falls among all the United States 

(U.S.) coal regions. The erroneous roof rock mass characterization will affect the 

selection of roof control methods, mining methods, and as a consequence marketability 

of coal. Utilizing CMRR for roof rock mass evaluation has many advantages 

including its flexibility to adapt to different roof conditions. This study 

will focus on the shortcomings in application of CMRR for weak moisture sensitive 

roof conditions and possible modifications to address these shortcomings. 

chair: 

9:00 AM 

Introductions 


Ventilation II 


K. Luxbacher, Virginia Polytech Institute and State 

University, Blacksburg, VA 

9:05 AM 

Studies of Controlled Recirculation Using CO2 Gas Injection: 

Laboratory and Simulation Results 

M. Nelson, M. Shriwas and F. Calizaya; Mining Engineering, 

University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 

As an underground mine gets deeper, ventilation systems become more complex. 

Conventional methods of ventilation using only surface fans may be inadequate 

because of the limitations to increasing surface fan pressure. A high main fan 

pressure increases leakage and poses other risks. Controlled recirculation provided 

by booster fans can offer advantages, particularly for dust and climate control. 

However, the booster fans must be designed, installed, and managed properly. 

This study determined the concentrations of CO2 tracer gas in intakes and 

returns during controlled recirculation, the recirculation fraction for multiple 

headings, and the best combination of main and booster fan pressures to achieve 

allowable levels of air contaminants. Results from the laboratory model were 

used to calibrate a VentSim numerical. Recirculation can increase air velocity at 

the face, reducing risk by decreasing concentrations of gasses to allowable levels. 

Controlled recirculation can be a safe method of ventilation, to improve the environmental 

conditions at working faces and make them more comfortable and tolerable 

for the miners. 

9:25 AM 

Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment for the Use of Booster 

Fans in Underground Coal Mines 

F. Calizaya, M. Nelson and M. Shriwas; Mining Engineering, 

University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 

A booster fan is an underground ventilation device installed in the main airstream 

to handle the total quantity of air circulated to one or more working districts. It is 

installed in a permanent stopping and equipped with airlock doors, a monitoring 

system, and interlocking devices between the main fan and the booster fan. When 

adequately installed, a booster fan can be used to reduce the main fan pressure, reduce 

leakage, and decrease the power requirements. However, an inadequate installation 

can also increase the likelihood of mine fires and recirculation of air 

contaminants. This study identifies hazards associated with the operation and 

maintenance of booster fans. It analyzes the accompanying risks and suggests 

control barriers to reduce those risks to acceptable levels. In particular, the ventilation 

network of an existing coal mine was updated to include a booster fan system. 

The hazards associated with the operation of the fan were identified, the 

risks analyzed, and the response to each failure mode established. 

9:45 AM 

Evaluation of Novel Fire Suppression Systems for 

Conveyor Belt Fires 

K. Teacoach and R. Thomas; NIOSH, Pittsburgh, PA 

For decades the majority of underground coal mine fire suppression systems 

have relied on water applied by sprinkler heads to protect the belt line. However, 

many other industries utilize fire suppression systems and suppression agents 

which are not listed in 30 CFR, but may be practical and effective in coal mines. 

This paper summarizes eight full scale conveyor belt fire experiments conducted 

under ventilated conditions in the Fire Suppression Facility at Lake Lynn 

Laboratory. It also evaluates the suppression capabilities of firefighting foam and 

gel in systems installed according to water sprinkler regulations, and the suppression 

capabilities of a deluge-type water mist system. The efficacy of these systems 

was assessed by comparing several fire characteristics and outcomes to previous 

experiments with standard water sprinkler systems. All three novel systems 

were able to suppress established fires located in the belt drive area as well as a 

typical water sprinkler system. The results were consistent with previous water 

sprinkler tests which determined water supply and nozzle placement to be the 

two most important factors in the efficacy of a drive area suppression system. 


63 



10:05 AM 

Development of Computer-Based Training Exercise for 

Underground Mine Firefighting 

S. Arya and A. Wala; Department of Mining Engineering, University 

of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 

This paper presents the development of a Computer-Based training exercise to 

fight fire in an underground longwall development panel (headgate). It discusses 

the effects of fire on the mine ventilation system for different panel arrangements. 

The differences include inclination of entries, location of intake, belt, and return 

entries, and mine ventilation system (forcing and exhaust). Also, the advantages 

and disadvantages of approaching the fire from different directions, the sequence 

of firefighting actions, the spread of combustion products throughout the ventilation 

system, and the effect of buoyancy on an ascensional or a descensional ventilation 

system are discussed. Moreover, the effect of fire controlling actions, such 

as implementing check curtains, breaching a stopping, opening and closing a 

door, and applying water/foam, are discussed. The paper concludes that the 

Computer-Based training exercise can help in decision making during firefighting, 

and it can also significantly enhance the understanding of the behavior of 

mine ventilation system in the case of fire. 

10:25 AM 

West Elk Mine: The Conversion from an Exhausting to a Forcing 

Ventilation System 

J. Poulos; Engineering, Mountain Coal Co., Somerset, CO 

Arch Coal, Inc., Mountain Coal Co., West Elk Mine (WEM) is a large underground 

longwall coalmine located in western Colorado. Past production ranges 

between 5.5 and 7.0 million tons per year. The West Elk Mine moved longwall 

production from the B Seam to the E Seam in December 2008. The resultant ventilation 

system is comprised of both exhausting and forcing ventilation. This 

paper will discuss: 1) The actual mine layout and the need to implement a forcing 

system for the new E Seam Reserve while at the same time maintaining the exhausting 

system for the F Seam and B Seam portions of the mine. 2) How the 

conversion was accomplished. 3) How the two systems perform together. 


Process Solution and drainage 

Management for the Metal Mining Sector 


chairs: E. Milosavljevic, Newmont Mining Corporation, 

Englewood, CO 

J. Croall, Newmont Mining, Englewood, CO 

9:00 AM 

Introductions 

9:05 AM 

ASTM Standardization of the Acid Neutralization Potential 

Acidity Titration (ANPA) in the Low Range for Investigation of 

“Uncertain” Results 

C. Bucknam; Water Technologies, Nemont Metallurgical 

Technologies, Englewood, CO 

Classical acid-base accounting using modified Sobek titration methods has resulted 

in interpretation of results for materials with neutralization potential (NP) 

less than 20 tons of CaCO3/ton of material (2% CaCO3) as “uncertain” due to 

lack of sensitivity within that content range. Standardization of a “fizless” acid 

neutralization potential (ANP) method was undertaken in the American Society 

for Testing and Materials (ASTM) International using two ranges of sulfuric acid 

additions based on reaction pH and carbonate carbon estimates rather than subjective 

fizz testing as well as hydrogen peroxide additions to correct for mineral 

acidity. The method is identified as the acid neutralization potential acidity 

(ANPA) titration method. During interlaboratory testing a positive bias was discovered 

within the “uncertain” range with was further investigated and resolved 

by increasing the test sample weight from one to five grams for samples needing 

improved accuracy in materials with ANP


(5) prolonged closure obligations due to slow tailings water drainage all in addition 

to even more pressing environmental issues. The value of providing solutions 

for these key challenges has driven a tremendous development effort over the past 

two years resulting in numerous advances in geosynthetic materials available. (1) 

Geocomposites have been developed specifically for heap leach pads, (2) electrically 

isolating weld techniques are now available for conductive geomembranes, 

and (3) high performance geomembranes have been developed to provide increased 

performance and life span at elevated temperatures. In addition to these 

advancements, further development is also taking shape to solve more mining industry 

challenges in ways that were never previously thought possible. 

chair: 

9:00 AM 

Introductions 


Water treatment for Processing 

and discharge 


S. Benowitz, Water Engineering Technologies, Inc., 

Bozeman, MT 

9:05 AM 

Two Ways to Deal with Mine/Plant Effluents Residues: 

Store Them, or Sell Them 

K. Tabra; Water Treatment, ARCADIS Peru, Lima, Peru 

As a mine operator, the proper strategy to handle residues is one of our main concerns; 

in particular dealing with mine/plant liquid effluents, where the most common 

technology to deal with (the extensive lime usage) just postpones the problem 

to sludge disposal. Here its shown two main strategic alternatives to deal 

with effluents: a) transform dissolved metals into sludge to be stored; or b) extract 

the dissolved metals to sell them In general terms, we have two active treatment 

strategies which consist of 1) extensive lime usage to create hydroxides and finally 

sediment them (clean water in overflow), 2) the selective use of NaSH or 

Fe(OH)3 to create new molecules, then clog them, and finally float them with dissolved 

air (clean water in underflow) This article shows a roadmap for the decision 

process, between using conventional lime-based technology (which generates 

gypsum to be stored); or use a more efficient, automated, selective, reliable, 

low CAPEX, low deployment times, to extract dissolved metals in the form of 

byproducts to be sold (instead of store them). The Roadmap consist of 

1) Characterization 2) Abatement test 3) Flocculation test 4) Solid/liquid separation 

test 

9:25 AM 

How to Optimize the Water Usage at the Whole Operation 

in 4 Key Steps 

G. Tiravanti; Water Managment, Arcadis, Lima, Peru 

A recurrent concern in mining operations is how to deal with the large volumes 

of fresh water used which generates large volumes of effluents that have to be 

treated. In that regard we face with two main strategies: 1) treat the effluent as it 

comes, or 2) use simulation tools to optimize the overall process to reduce water 

usage and contaminants. Optimize fresh water usage in the operations could reduce 

effluents generated, maintenance costs, etc. This article shows a successful 

tool developed in Matlab-SimulinkÆ that allows modeling a complete operation 

and simulating potential improvements to evaluate the results. This tool was already 

proven in Cu-Mo as well as polymetallic operations. This article reviews 

the 4 Key Steps required to achieve our goals: a) Build a Blocks Diagram (3 

weeks), which is based on field survey; b) Input process water flows and qualities 

(4 weeks) in strategic locations; c) Simulate new alternatives (3 weeks) like local 

recirculation, changes in reagents and dosage, partial treatment, flows 

merges/separation, etc; and d) Implement the Final Choice (4 weeks) which consist 

on developing conceptual engineering to determine the CAPEX required and 

new OPEX. 

9:45 AM 

Sulfate Reduction from Membrane Concentrate Applicable to 

Mining Water 

K. Banerjee; Process, Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies, 

Moon Township, PA 

The high solubility and stability of sulfate ions in aqueous solutions make 

processes for removal of this anion from water to low levels extremely complex. 

With the increased interest in wastewater reuse, the application of nano-filtration 

(NF) for sulfate reduction is becoming popular. However, handling of the NF 

concentrate with high sulfate is problematic. The primary objectives of this project 

were to determine and validate an appropriate membrane (NF) process to reduce 

the sulfate concentration in water as well as to establish an innovative sulfate 

treatment technology for the membrane reject. Some of the results from this 

project were presented at the 2012 SME Annual Meeting in Seattle, Washington. 

This abstract continues our report on the work that was presented last year. 

10:05 AM 

Transforming Waste into Production via 

Powerful DeMet" Technology 

P. James and M. Baker; Blue Planet Strategies, Madison, WI 

New DeMet" water treatment technology (Blue Planet Strategies) wrings new 

value from mining and processing wastes. This powerful platform technology enables 

various new economical treatment options to extract key metals from traditional 

low level and waste stream sources normally left by traditional processing 

methods. DeMet" use can enhance profits or reduce environmental processing 

costs. Applications of DeMet" technology to several persistent key environmental 

and processing challenges to mining will be presented. The profitable reclamation 

of metals from Acid Rock Drainage (ARD) will be discussed and illustrated 

with key results. Processing of weak Pregnant Leach Solution (PLS) by 

DeMet" to enable cost-effective final production by conventional facilities will 

also be illustrated. The immediate and longer term benefits to mine lives, cut-off 

grades, and extracting the value from wastes like ARD and old tailings by applying 

DeMet" will be examined. The economic impacts of utilizing DeMet at several 

representative sites and situations will be reviewed. Exciting DeMet" enabled 

recycling options to reduce chemical consumption needs for traditional processing 

will also be noted. 

10:25 AM 

A Treatment Process for Removal of Molybdenum from 

Copper Mine Tailings Pond Water 

K. Banerjee; Process Engineering, Veoliawater solutions & 

Technologies, Moon Township, PA 

A treatment process was developed to remove molybdenum from copper mine 

tailings pond water. Among all the technologies evaluated, adsorption onto 

Hydrous Ferric Oxide (HFO) including iron coprecipitation and adsorption 

process; and adsorption onto iron oxide based media showed the most promising 

and consistent results. Bench-scale studies were conducted to determine the kinetics 

and treatment efficiency of the adsorption process. The effects of reaction 

pH, adsorbent dosage, reaction time, and particle size of the media on the adsorption 

capacity for molybdenum were investigated. An on-site pilot scale study 

was conducted to verify the laboratory data. Results reveal that HFO is capable 

of reducing molybdenum from 1 to less than 0.01 mg/L, under slightly acidic 

condition (pH between 6.5 and 7.0) within 10 minutes of reaction. Kinetics data 

indicate that the reaction is fast, and can be approximated by 1st order kinetics. 

Molybdenum [Mo(VI)] adsorption capacity was found to decrease with the increasing 

ionic strength. Results from the laboratory and pilot scale studies on 

molybdenum removal will be presented and discussed. 

10:45 AM 

Applications of Coagulants and Flocculants 

D. Christophersen; Technical, Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies, 

Vandalia, OH 

Coagulants and flocculants have many applications in the mining process. The 

selection and use of these chemicals requires some knowledge of how they work 

and how they should be prepared to maiximize their benefit and to minimize 

cost. This presentation will go over the different types of coagulants and flocculants 

and give recommendations on how to select and apply them. 


65 




Industrial Minerals research 

at universities 


chairs: B. Li, Michigan Technological Univ., Houghton, MI 

R. Pruett, Imerys, Milledgeville, GA 

9:00 AM 

Introductions 

9:05 AM 

Mineralogical Characteristics and Applications of Vermiculite from 

Seven Major Mines in China 

T. Peng and H. Sun; Institute of Mineral Materials and Application, 

Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, China 

Mineralogical characteristics of the vermiculite samples from seven mines in 

China have been studied. Three types of interstratified structures were found in 

the investigated samples: regular 1:1 interstratified structure, segregated interstratified 

structure, and random interstratified structure. The vermiculite samples 

from six of the seven mines are mainly composed of phlogopite-vermiculite interstratified 

minerals, and that from another mine is chlorite-vermiculite interstratified 

mineral. The contents of K2O, TiO2 and Na2O are higher for the samples 

with phlogopite-vermiculite structure, and MgO and Al2O3 are higher for 

the samples with chlorite-vermiculite structure. The cation exchange capacity of 

the samples is 17.3 - 99.0mmol/100g.The exchangeable cations of phlogopitevermiculite 

samples from Weili Mine are mainly Na+, Ca2+, while that from 

Tongguan Mine are Mg2+ and Ca2+. The thermal expansion ratio of the samples 

is between 9 and 32. The exfoliated vermiculite products from Weili Mines 

have the best mechanical strength. 

9:25 AM 

Property Difference of Vermiculite Made by Microwave and 

Traditional Exfoliations 

B. Li; Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI 

Exfoliated vermiculite has been widely applied in various industries with its 

unique property. Microwave radiation can be used to produce exfoliated vermiculite 

with low energy consumption at ambient temperature, while traditional exfoliations 

need to be performed at high temperature. Since the different mechanisms 

for energy transfer, the vermiculite exfoliated by microwave radiation shown 

higher mechanical strength, lower water absorption, and unique porous aspects, 

comparing to traditional calcinations. The exfoliation mechanisms conducted by 

traditional calcinations and microwave radiation will also be discussed. 

9:45 AM 

Anisotropic Surface Charging of Chlorite 

X. Yin 1 , L. Yan 2 , J. Liu 1 , Z. Xu 2 and J. Miller 1 ; 1 Metallurgical 

Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT and 2 Chemical 

and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, 

Canada 

A more detailed analysis of the surface charge of chlorite minerals is important 

in order to improve the fundamental understanding of such particle structures 

and their behavior in suspension. In this research, the anisotropic surface charging 

of chlorite has been established using AFM surface force measurements with 

a silicon nitride tip. The surface charge densities and surface potentials at the 

chlorite basal plane surfaces and edge surfaces were obtained by fitting force 

curves with the DLVO (Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek) theoretical model. 

The results demonstrated the anisotropic surface characteristics of chlorite. It is 

expected that the findings from this research will provide a fundamental foundation 

in the analysis of industrial situations, for example, issues including collector 

adsorption, slime coating, and particle interactions in the area of mineral processing 

technology. 

10:05 AM 

An Investigation of the Dynamic Strength and Stiffness Properties 

of the Nonesuch Shale Formation for Mechanical Mining 

S. Vitton 1 , K. Crawford 2 and C. Gilbertson 3 ; 1 Civil & Environmental 

Engineering, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI; 

2 

Civil & Environmental Engineering, Michigan Technological 

University, Houghton, MI and 3 Civil & Environmental Engineering, 

Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI 

The research presented in this paper deals with an analysis of the dynamic properties 

of a siltstone shale formation of the Nonesuch Formation, a Precambrian 

age rock, which will be mined by the proposed Copperwood Mine which is now 

in the permitting stage and has considered using mechanical mining. To further 

investigate the rock properties of the Nonesuch Shale formation ore zone, additional 

dynamic testing has been conducted. The testing consisted of both static 

and dynamic compressive testing utilizing the SHPB. In addition, rock was tested 

in both dry and saturated condition, since the siltstone/shale is moisture sensitive. 

The results indicated that the Copperwood ore is rate sensitive with the dynamic 

strength and stiffness about two times the static strength for dry specimens. 

However, the rate sensitivities decreased for the fully saturated tests. This 

effect has been observed in other sedimentary rock types and could have significance 

in better understanding whether a rock can be mined using mechanical 

mining methods. The paper also speculates as to the cause of the decrease in the 

rate sensitivity of ore with saturation. 

10:25 AM 

Value Added Engineered Mineral Particulate Systems 

B. Moudgil; Materials Science & Engineering, University of Florida, 

Gainesville, FL 

Researchers at the Particle Engineering Research Center (PERC), University of 

Florida are developing engineered particle systems for improving efficiency and 

value addition in products. For instance, polyhydroxy fullerenes-titania 

nanocomposites coatings show significant promise in degrading microbial contaminants 

on surfaces by visible light activated photocatalysis. Multifunctional 

silica based nanoparticles are effective in cancer imaging, targeted drug delivery 

and therapy. Copper coated silica nanoparticles have proven to be significantly 

more effective odor control agents as compared to conventional products. 

Environmentally benign modified clay encapsulating chemicals/pesticides can 

serve as green alternative and effective agents for crop protection. The overall objective 

is sustainable development of value added minerals with minimum environmental 

footprint. This presentation will highlight some these developments 

with the aid of specific examples. 

10:45 AM 

Mineralogical Characterization of Brazilian Kaolin Ore Using 

Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy 

ÕTALO. GonÁalves 1 , C. Petter 1 , N. Dani 2 , G. Kolbe 2 and R. Pruett 3 ; 

1 

Mining Engineering Department, Universidade Federal do Rio 

Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil; 2 Geosciences Institute, 

Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil and 

3 

Minerals Technology Dept., Imerys Pigments for Paper & Packaging, 

Sandersville, GA 

Brazilian kaolin ores are usually contaminated by hematite (Fe 2 O 3 ), goethite 

(FeOOH), and anatase (TiO 2 ), whose strong colors degrade the quality of the 

final product. Variations in particle size and degree of element substitution cause 

a great impact over these minerals optical properties, as well as in their response 

to processing operations. The total Fe content obtained through X-Ray 

Fluorescence (XRF) shows a poor correlation with the brightness of kaolin, due 

to the inability to differentiate between the Fe contained in the oxides/hydroxides 

and the Fe present inside the crystalline structure of kaolinite, especially when 

the Fe-bearing minerals occur in small quantities. This paper presents a new 

generic technique to quantify oxide/hydroxide impurities in kaolin, based on reflectance 

measurements in the visible range and the Kubelka-Munk (K-M) theory. 

The technique has a great potential to improve the knowledge regarding the 

kaolins quality and processability, and to help bridge the gap between the mine 

and the processing plant. 

Be A Sponsor! 


66 



Innovation in Metallurgical Processing 

Symposium: 

Innovations in comminution 


Innovations in Fragmentation and Mine to Mill 

Sarma Kanchibotla, JK Tech 

Innovation in Comminution Equipment 

Mark Erickson, Newmont Mining 

Innovations in Comminution Modeling and Testing 

Steve Morrell, SMCC Pty Ltd 

Innovations in Comminutions Instrument and Control 

Brian Flintoff, Metso Minerals Canada 

Innovations in Comminutions Discrete Element Modeling 

Raj Rajamani, University of Utah 

Innovations in Process Mineralogy and Laboratory Automation 

Wolfgang Baum, FLSmidth Salt Lake City 

The Future of Comminution 

Jens Lichter, Lyntek Inc. 


Symposium: 

Innovations in Smelting 


Innovations in Pyrometallurgy 

Patrick Taylor, Colorado School of Mines 

Innovations in the Processing of Platinum Group Metals 

Neville Plint, Anglo American Platinum 

Innovations in the Pyrometallurgical treatment of Lead and Zinc 

Len Harris, Self-Employed Consultant 

Innovations in Copper Smelting 

Eric Partelpoeg, EHP Consulting Inc. 

Innovations in the Pyrometallurgy of Iron and Steel 

Glenn Hoffman, Cardero Iron Ore Co. Ltd. 

Innovation in Air Pollution Control 

Darrel Longwell, MFG Inc. 

Phil Mackey 

chair: 

9:00 AM 

Introductions 

International 


M. Gavrilovic, E3 Consulting LLC, Englewood, CO 

9:05 AM 

Mining Heritage: Preservation and Sustainable Development of an 

Outstanding Universal Value 

J. Kretschmann 1 and S. Brueggerhoff 2 ; 1 TFH Georg Agricola 

University, Bochum, Germany and 2 Deutsches Bergbau-Museum, 

Bochum, Germany 

Mining heritage can be of outstanding value for many regions around the world, 

because mining has been done for thousands of years for the benefit of mankind 

and its development. This paper presents an ongoing project creating a general 

guideline for the handling of mining heritage on the basis of experiences made in 

Germany. Interactions of stakeholders in the heritage network as well as strategies 

for the technical proceeding will be described. An action plan for the sustainable 

handling of mining heritage will be developed, which includes necessary 

measures. Best-practice recommendations will be derived. 

9:25 AM 

Sustainable Development in India Mining Sector 

K. Galla, M. Poulton and S. Annavarapu; Mining and Geological 

Engineering, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 

The forest regions in India are endowed with significant mineral resources which 

make them the nations richest lands. The local indigenous people face displacement 

whenever a mining activity begins. The mining sector in western countries 

is under continuous pressure despite many sustainable practices. However it is 

very different in India; unsustainable mining practices are at a very large scale 

and there is little or no government or NGO pressure on the mining industry. 

Sustainability is not yet a core value of many companies. The regulatory mechanisms 

like DGMS, IBM and ministry of environment and forests are present but 

not adequately empowered. India is one of the largest producers of coal and iron 

ore in the world. The current total production value of all minerals in India is 

$38.18 billion, which has doubled over the last five years. More than 90% of mineral 

production in India comes from just 11 states out of the total 28 states and 7 

union territories. This paper will focus on the present scenario of mining sector in 

India and its consequences. The necessity of a business model to address sustainable 

development in mining in India will also be discussed. 

9:45 AM 

Asbestos Mining in Russia: Approaches to Public Health 

Risk Assessment 

A. Korchevskiy, E. Rasmuson, J. Rasmuson and R. Strode; Chemistry 

& Industrial Hygiene, Inc., Wheat Ridge, CO 

While Russia continues to be the worldwide leader in asbestos production, the 

environmental and health situation around asbestos mines in this country is not 

well understood. A literature review was performed to evaluate the potential impact 

of Russian mining operations on the asbestos-related cancer incidence in the 

Ural region where the majority of asbestos deposits are located. The Nicholson- 

Peto (1986) model was applied to the reported mesothelioma mortality statistics 

in different cities and villages of the region. It was demonstrated that the 

mesothelioma potency factors, as determined by Berman and Crump (2008), 

could be used to predict the mesothelioma risks in the locations where either pure 

chrysotile or crocidolite and chrysotile were mined and milled. The highest 

mesothelioma incidence was identified in a town close to a crocidolite mine. 

Also, a mesothelioma potency factor was calculated for anthophyllite 

(KM=1.00*10-8) based on the Russian data. The study confirmed the validity of 

asbestos risk modeling related to asbestos mining, and provided context regarding 

the extent of asbestos-related public health issues in the former Soviet republics 

(FSRs). 

10:05 AM 

Transportation Planning for Major Mine Projects 

B. Sussman; Environmental Resources Management, Inc., 

Annapolis, MD 

Management of mine-related transportation is an increasingly important aspect 

of mine planning, construction, and operations. Safe and efficient transportation 

of supplies, personnel, and extracted and/or processed materials affects the mine 

s economic, environmental, and social performance (including community support 

or opposition), and is increasingly tied to lending and regulatory decisions. 

This presentation will draw upon the authors experience of preparing transportation 

studies for mines on four continents. Participants will gain insight into existing 

mine-related transportation best practices, typical obstacles to effective transportation 

planning and operations, and recommendations for future practices. 

10:25 AM 

Lessons Learned from Social Mining Conflicts in Peru 

R. Mucho; E3 Consulting LLC, Englewood, CO 

Romulo is the President of the Peruvian Institute of Mining Engineers. 

10:45 AM 

Traveling in Suriname 

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

Fathi travels yet again! 


67 



11:05 AM 

A Social Development Project: Meerschaum Mining and Processing 

Activities in Eskisehir 

M. Yavuz; Mining Engineering, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, 

Eskisehir, Turkey 

Sepiolite [Mg4Si6O15(OH)2.6H2O] is widely used in industry because of its adsorptive, 

rheological and catalytic properties. There are two genetic types of sepiolite 

around the Eskisehir, Turkey. The most common type is the so-called 

Meerschaum which occurs as nodules and concretions in Miocene-Pliocene conglomerate 

surrounding the magnesite deposits around Eskisehir. Meerschaum 

mining has been doing for centuries by local farmers two different region of 

Eskisehir. Traditional tunneling methods are used in production activities by 

local farmers. The produced raw meerschaum is processed by many artists in 

Eskisehir. The best nodules are carved into objects such as pipe bowls, bracelets 

and necklaces. In recent years, various problems are encountered both processing 

and mining in sepiolite. Primarily, meerschaum production dramatically decreased. 

For this reason, artists cannot find quality meerschaum. So, domestic 

and external demand for processed meerschaum cannot provide by artists. In this 

paper, the studies for solving the problems are described. The solutions for meerschaum 

sector both production and processing processes have been developed. 

Mineral & Metallurgical Processing: 

comminution I 


chairs: E. Spiller, Tetra Tech, Aurora, CO 

M. Jorgensen, CH2MHill, Centennial, CO 

9:00 AM 

Introductions 

9:05 AM 

A Modified Bond Abrasion-Index Machine Acoustic and Torque 

Spectra Correlated to Ore-Induced Metal-Wear Characteristics 

M. Uceda 1 , J. Seidel 2 , G. Martins 3 and P. Taylor 3 ; 1 Jacobs 

Engineering, Golden, CO; 2 Newmont Mining Corporation, 

Englewood, CO and 3 Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 

The two principal operating costs in commercial crushing and grinding are energy 

and metal wear. It is established that estimation of metal-wear costs during 

process development studies is problematic. The Bond Abrasion Index determined 

by the Bond Abrasion Test is employed in the mining industry as a tool to 

predict metal consumption. The goals of this research were to improve reliability 

of the prediction of metal consumption by incorporating acoustic emission and 

torque-transducer instrumentation into the design of the abrasion machine. 

Three ores sized to æ + Ω inch with varying grinding characteristics were employed 

in the investigation. Fast Fourier Transform was performed on the fluctuating 

acoustic and torque signals to obtain ore-related characteristic “signatures” 

in the frequency domain. In addition, the mass of the paddle (wear element) was 

measured as a function of time and a non-linear correlation was obtained that described 

the wear-characteristic of the paddle for each ore. The results reported 

represent a significant contribution to the interpretation and consequently the 

confidence-level of the Bond Abrasion Test. 

control system. Each action above would serve to make the crusher more productive 

and more energy efficient, and would also have mechanical benefits for 

the machine. 

9:45 AM 

New Generation of Gearless Mill Drive – When High Efficiency 

Meets High Availability 

R. Errath 1 , A. Fuerst 1 and L. Arana 2 ; 1 Minerals, ABB, Baden, 

Switzerland and 2 Newmont / Yanacocha, Cajamarca, Peru 

When in 2006 at the SME conference ABB presented the paper Gearless Mill 

Drive the working horse for SAG and Ball mills a very experienced mining engineer 

were really impressed about the efficiency of 95% but he asked about the 

availability of the drive system and the entire plant? Remember: Availability 

stands for production and efficiency for energy cost! Since then ABB has modified 

and improved many design details related to the motor. In parallel a smart 

control system has been developed which is able to check motor condition long 

before some problem could occur. This new generation of Gearless Mill drives 

definitely needs less maintenance, however the key for high availability also remains 

in the hands of the plant maintenance staff. The paper shows what kind of 

improvements have been made on the motor and which steps forward in smart 

controlling have been achieved. It also shows what kind of approach, coordination 

and activities of the plant maintenance staff is applying to get an availability 

of more than 99% on the Gearless Mill Drives and 94% on the plant. The paper 

shows detailed figures of efficiencies and availabilities reached in 2011 and 2012. 

10:05 AM 

HPGR Technical Development & Applications in 

Hard Rock Mining 

E. Burchardt 2 and H. Plath 1 ; 1 Polysius Corp, Atlanta, GA and 

2 

ThyssenKrupp Polysius AG, Neubeckum, Germany 

HPGR technology has been established and has proven itself in a variety of challenging 

applications in the mining industry worldwide. The continued development 

of HPGR-based grinding systems follows the requirements set by the trends 

in the industry. Mining companies are increasingly challenged to exploit very 

large deposits consisting of low grade ore, often in extremely remote locations, 

with water being a scarce resource. The consequences for the strategic development 

of mineral processing technology and thus HPGR are evident: - Large capacity 

units are required to limit the number of machines needed for concentrators 

of 150,000 tpd and more. New large HPGR units are already available and 

even larger ones are on the drawing boards. What are the implications of these 

large HPGRs? - Low grade deposits and growing costs for energy and wear materials 

require highly efficient grinding circuits. New HPGR based grinding systems 

and their economic benefits are presented. - To reduce overall process water 

requirements for such plants, dry grinding systems with or without HPGRs - can 

be applied to mineral processing plants. Benefits and limitations of such systems 

are presented. 

10:25 AM 

Worlds Greatest Throughput Cone Crusher 

J. Dulmes and K. O’Bryan; FLSmidth, Wales, WI 

Preparation, planning and production for the Worlds Greatest Throughput Cone 

Crusher operating at Osiskos Canadian Malarctic Gold Mine. 

9:25 AM 

Pilot Study on the Influence of Eccentric Speed on Cone Crusher 

Production and Operation 

D. Jacobson; Metso, Waukesha, WI 

There are many different machine setup parameters and variables that affect the 

production of cone crushers in a mineral processing plant, including the eccentric 

speed. Pilot tests were conducted on a 200 hp cone crusher to determine the production 

and operating conditions over a wide spectrum of eccentric speed. For 

high speed cones, the crusher will exhibit a different capacity, power, and discharge 

as the speed ranges over the design limits. This study documents the measured 

variation in production and energy efficiency over a range of speeds. 

Overall, the capacity and power fluctuated by XX% and XX%, respectively over 

the speed range when operated full. The results with a fixed feed rate were more 

telling, as the crushers were XX% more productive on average when operating at 

an optimal speed versus non-optimal. Varying the speed of the crusher can be 

used to tune the crusher speed during commissioning, adapt to changing ore conditions 

over long periods of time, or be used as a dynamic input into an advanced 


68 




Flotation I 


chairs: S. Miskovic, Univeristy of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 

T. Olson, FLSmidth Minerals, Salt Lake City, UT 

J. Hohn, RSR Technologies, Irving, TX 

9:00 AM 

Introductions 

9:05 AM 

Evaluatin of an In-plant Pre-aeration Feed System Using Cavitation 

for Enhanced Recovery 

M. Saracoglu 1 , R. Honaker 1 , E. Yan 2 , J. Kohmuench 2 and M. 

Mankosa 2 ; 1 Mining Engineering, Univ of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 

and 2 Eriez Manufacturing, Erie, PA 

Pre-aeration of flotation feed has proven to be an effective method to improve recovery 

and reduce collector requirements. Laboratory tests have revealed that recovery 

can be increased by as much as 20 absolute percentage points when treating 

difficult-to-float coals. A full-scale in-plant test program is being performed 

to evaluate and quantify the technical feasibility and economic benefits of using 

a cavitation system to pre-aerate flotation feed of a three-stage StackCell flotation 

circuit. The results of this study will be presented and discussed in this publication. 

9:25 AM 

Picco-Nano Bubble Flotation Using Static Mixer-Venturi-Tube for 

Pittsburgh No. 8 Seam Coal 

F. Peng and Y. Xiong; Mining Engineering, West Virginia University, 


Flotation process is particle hydrophobic surface-based separation technique. To 

improve the essential flotation steps of collision and attachment, and reduce detachment 

probabilities between air bubbles and hydrophobic particles, a selectively 

designed cavitaion venture tube can be used to generate very high numbers of pico 

and/or nano bubbles. Fully embraced by those high numbers of tiny bubbles, hydrophobic 

particles are readily attracting those tiny bubbles to their surfaces. 

Particles and bubbles might attach to larger bubbles for faster flotation. The results 

of flotation of Pittsburgh No.8 seam coal are obtained in a 50cm ID and 172cm 

height flotation column equipped with static mixer and cavitation venture tube, 

using fuel oil no. 2 as collector and MIBC as frother. Combustible material recovery 

(CMR) of 85-90% at clean coal product of 6-7% ash are produced from feed of 

23% ash, with reduced amount of frother and collector than that in conventional 

column flotation. Major operating parameters include feed rate, solid concentration, 

reagent dosages, and size effects on CMR are presented and discussed. 

9:45 AM 

Increasing Flotation Recovery Using the Selective Froth 

Recovery System 

K. Caldwell; Research, FLSmidth, Midvale, UT 

In flotation, coarse and fine particles are harder to float and recent trends in research 

and flotation improvement have been toward increasing recovery in these 

problem areas. In response to this, FLSmidth has developed the Selective Froth 

Recovery (SFR) System. The SFR is a devise that will remove froth using suction 

from a desired location or depth within the froth. From current field testing it has 

been shown that the SFR system was successful in increasing the amount of 

coarse copper recovered from a scavenger float cell. Depending on the depth at 

which the SFR device was placed within the cell lower grade coarse concentrate 

could be collected or higher grade concentrate similar to the existing froth. 

Concentrate was sent from the SFR extraction device to a hydrocyclone for size 

classification. When positioned at the top of the froth, the SFR system can be 

used to collect froth that has become stiff and is too far from the edge of the cell 

to be collected in the launder. The SFR system has been designed to maintain an 

offset distance from the slurry level that is adjustable by the user. End design of 

the system will be plant specific. 

10:05 AM 

Study of Hydrodynamic Instability in A Self-aspirated 

Flotation Machine 

Y. Yang; FLSmidth, Midvale, UT 

Flotation machines can be classified as forced-air and self-aspirated cells on the 

basis of different aeration methods. The former one uses auxiliary air pump to inject 

air into rotor region, while the latter induces air into the rotor region by the 

vaccum force generated by rotor rotation movement. Naturally self-aspirated machines 

have more complicated hydodynamic characteristics since the rotor bears 

more functions. The air suction procedure includes air entrainment, air-liquid interaction, 

force-balance and vortex stability problems, which results in unstable 

flow in the rotor region under certain operation conditions. The unstable flow 

condition leads to asthma, i.e. unconstant air flow rate. In this paper, the Wemco 

machine is used as an example to study the hydrodynamic characteristics of selfaspiration 

to probe the flow instability problem. At the end, a modified design is 

proposed and tested for machine optimization. The investigation is performed in 

lab-scale, pilot-scale and commercial size machines and the experimental data 

will be presented. 

10:25 AM 

FLS Forced Air Machine Developments 

R. Silva, K. Caldwell, T. Olson and Z. Huang; R&D, FLSmidth, 

Salt Lake, Midvale, UT 

A methodology was developed to evaluate changes in flotation machine design in 

order to improve performance, particularly for forced air machines. This approach 

includes: 1) a hydrodynamic testing apparatus to evaluate our in house 

CFD and rapid prototype concepts, 2) large scale laboratory flotation machines 

and 3) a pilot unit of 1.5 m3. Bubble size, power, pumping capacity, Jg, velocity 

profiles, and tip speed tests were performed on both lab size and pilot units following 

a sequence that goes from hydrodynamic tests with water and solids to a 

flotation kinetic test in the lab and pilot tests. Over 200-laboratory flotation tests 

were conducted, with over 100 design combinations showing improved recovery 

from the original Dorr Oliver design. From the lab and CFD evaluation, including 

an innovated CFD model to predict the flotation probability for the new designs, 

designs were chosen with a better potential to be run in a 1.5m3 pilot flotation 

cell. As a result, FLSmidth came up with a unique mechanism design (rotor 

and stator) to decrease power and improve recovery. In addition, some designs 

have been identified to improve fine and/or coarse particle recovery. 

10:45 AM 

Assessment of Particles-bubbles Collision Frequency Models Using 

Large-eddy Simulation of Homogenous Turbulence 

S. Ragab and H. Fayed; Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 

Collision frequency is a major contributor to the recovery rate constant of flotation 

cells, and therefore it must be computed accurately for reliable computation 

of the recovery rate within the pulp phase. Abrahamson model and its subsequent 

modifications by other researchers is almost always used to compute the 

collision frequency, but it is only valid for very high inertia particles (infinite 

Stokes number), and therefore it severely overestimates the collision frequency. 

New theoretical frequency models have been recently developed for finite inertia 

particles, but they need to be validated. In this paper, Large-eddy simulation 

(LES) has been used to validate new theoretical models for collision frequency of 

bubbles and particles suspended in isotropic homogeneous turbulence. The frequency 

found by LES is compared to theoretical frequency models in the practical 

range of particle Stokes number. The validated theoretical frequency of collision 

models have been implemented into a CFD-based flotation model and 

applied to two well known industrial flotation machines. 

11:05 AM 

CFD Analysis of Two-phase Flow in WEMCO SuperCells 

H. Fayed and S. Ragab; Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 

Two-phase (water and air) flow in a self aerated WEMCO flotation machine has 

been investigated using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Flow in WEMCO 

300 m3 and 500 m3 machines are simulated. Due to the large volume of these 

flotation cells, a 72-deg sector has been simulated to reduce the computation 

time. The flow is resolved in the hood and disperser holes. Since Wemco machines 

are self aerated machines, air flow rate is not known a priori. Inlet and 

outlet boundary conditions that allow air to flow in and out of the machine at a 

specified atmospheric pressure are imposed. These boundary conditions allow 

prediction of air flow rate through the Wemco machines as a function of time instead 

of forcing an assumed air flow rate. An overflow tank is utilized to allow 


69 



the pulp interface in the tank to rise as air accumulates in the pulp. A uniform 

bubble diameter of 0.7 mm is assumed. Air volume fraction contours, velocity 

vectors and profiles are presented and discussed. 

chair: 

9:00 AM 

Introductions 


Plant design and optimization I 


J. Lommen, Consultant, Socorro, NM 

9:05 AM 

When Laboratory Work and Operating Plant Don’t Agree: 

Commercializing the Caron Ammonia-ammonia Carbonate 

Ni Process 

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

In the early 1940s, the Caron ammonia-ammonia carbonate leach process was 

used to produce nickel from Mayari ores at the Nicaro plant in Oriente Province, 

Cuba. While plant operation was generally successful, it was not broadly economical 

and was shut down. The plant was later restarted in the 1950s and a 

number of investigations initiated to resolve the more serious operational and 

performance issues. Troublesome processing steps studied included iron reduction 

(chemistry nickel and iron, reductant, equipment), ore variability (homogeneity 

and consistency of mineral concentrations, serpentine vs. laterite), leach 

solution strength, nickel recovery (temperature reduction and leaching, reoxidation) 

and a variety of other topics. These studies and their findings will be discussed. 

Caron himself obtained good results on these ores in the laboratory. They 

could not be duplicated in the field, the reasons for which will be reviewed. 

9:25 AM 

Electrowinning Precious Metals from Cyanide Solution Using 

EMEW Technology 

M. Mooiman 1 , I. Ewart 2 and J. Robinson 2 ; 1 College of Graduate and 

Professional Studies, Franklin Pierce University, Concord, NH and 

2 

Electrometals Technologies Ltd, O’ Fallon, MO 

The recovery of gold and silver from cyanide bearing solutions using electrowinning 

technology designed by Electrometals Corporation is reviewed. The technology 

can be considered as a complete or partial replacement for Merrill Crowe 

technology and offers several advantages in high grade solutions. It has been successfully 

implemented in copper electrowinning applications, silver refining and 

in mining operations for recovery of gold and silver. The advantages of the 

EMEW approach and actual plant applications and practices are evaluated 

and discussed. 

9:45 AM 

Best Practices in Material Selection and Design for 

Hydrometallurgical Equipment 

D. Kelley and T. Johnson; Ashland Inc, Dublin, OH 

Hydrometallurgical processes can be exceptionally corrosive. Operating conditions 

associated with metal extraction and refining require materials of construction 

that can withstand process acids and acid chlorides at temperatures up to 

90∞C. Process vessels, piping, scrubbers and ducting can be rapidly compromised 

in these aggressive environments if not designed with great care. Design engineers 

are frequently challenged to find materials of construction that can stand 

up to hydrometallurgical processes especially for copper, zinc, nickel, cobalt and 

uranium. This paper will evaluate a variety of material solutions to determine 

which provide attractive economics for initial procurement as well as high durability 

for reasonable life cycle costs. The comparative cost and durability information 

presented is intended to enable design engineers and material specialists to 

choose materials of construction that will be the most beneficial for their projects. 

10:05 AM 

25 Years of FRP Performance at a Copper Smelting 

Sulfuric Acid Plant 

R. Moubarac 1 , G. Landry 2 , G. Clarkson 3 and K. Townsend 4 ; 1 Experco 

Composites Inc., Pierrefonds, QC, Canada; 2 Fabricated Plastics, 

Maple, ON, Canada; 3 UTComp, Cambridge, ON, Canada and 4 RPS 

Composites, Mahon Bay, NS, Canada 

The sulfuric acid plant at a copper smelting operation in Northern Quebec will 

celebrate its silver jubilee in 2013, with 25 years in service. The performance of 

FRP (Fiberglass Reinforced Plastics) equipment will be reviewed. Case histories 

will be presented by the FRP equipment manufacturers, with a video, and pictures 

of the FRP tanks, absorption towers, piping, ducting, electrostatic precipitators, 

and grating, in service since 1988. A report of the yearly inspections of that 

equipment will be given by the inspection company. 

10:25 AM 

Molybdenum Flotation Practice – Cell Selection Types and 

Design Considerations 

D. Meadows, D. Jensen, A. Weber, F. Traczyk and S. Yu; FLSmidth, 


Several of the larger copper projects built in recent times have included a 

Molybdenum byproduct circuit as part of the overall project due to the favorable 

molybdenum market conditions and overall economic contribution to the project. 

This paper provides a summary of moly plant flotation practices across a 

number of both recent projects and historical ones. Modern Moly flotation flowsheets 

predominantly incorporate either Inert gas cells or forced air machines 

with nitrogen addition and as a final cleaner column flotation . The paper provides 

an insight into the process considerations, capital and operating costs associated 

with both of the cell types. It also reviews metallurgical aspects and important 

safety aspects. Other aspects including instrumentation and degree of 

automation are also discussed along with overall plant design aspects. 


research and characterization 


chairs: T. Bhambhani, Cytec Industries, Inc., Stamford, CT 

M. Vasudevan, Cytec Industries, Inc., Stamford, CT 

9:00 AM 

Introductions 

9:05 AM 

The Simulation of Solvent Extraction Plants: Application to the 

Separation of Rare Earth Elements 

C. Bazin and V. Ouellet; Mining and metallurgy, Laval University, 

Quebec, QC, Canada 

The separation of rare earth elements is a complicated process that is currently 

carried out using liquid/liquid separation. Detailed flow sheets of solvent extraction 

plants for the separation of rare earth elements are rarely available in the literature 

which limits the opportunity to teach and test the applicability of modern 

methods of data reconciliation and process control to these processes. A simulator 

for solvent extraction for the separation of rare earth elements is described in this 

paper. A module is used to simulate the operation of a mixer settler. Mixer settlers 

are then combined into batteries of units for extraction, scrubbing and stripping. 

Finally batteries are combined to simulate circuits for the separation of heavy rare 

earth elements from light rare earth elements, and to simulate the separation of individual 

rare earths. The program simulates the steady state process separation of 

several rare earth elements and provides data for testing the application of data 

reconciliation techniques for material balancing of the plant operation. 

9:25 AM 

Estimating the Residual Inventory of a Large Gold Heap Leach 

J. Winterton; AngloGold Ashanti, Denver, CO 

Estimating the residual metal inventory of large heap leaching operations is desirable 

for many reasons. Several methods have been tried with limited success. 

Drilling data from the Valley Leach Facility at AngloGold Ashanti’s Cripple 


70 



Creek and Victor Gold Mine has been used to develop a robust inventory estimation 

technique. The technique is presented along with discussion of the particular 

inventory components and evaluation methodologies. 

9:45 AM 

Understanding and Modeling Xanthate Decomposition Behavior 

Under Processing Conditions 

Y. Shen 1 , P. Somasundaran 1 , R. Farinato 2 and D. Nagaraj 2 ; 1 Earth and 

Environmental Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 

and 2 Mining Department, Cytec Industries, Stamford, CT 

Large efforts have gone into the investigation of the role of xanthate in the mineral 

processing and the understanding of its mechanism for optimum metallurgical 

performance, while another equally essential challenge understanding xanthate 

decomposition behavior has not received enough attention. The majority of past 

work was sporadic and unilateral on idealized systems. This deviation from pragmatic 

practice involving in the complex real systems leads to a lack of complete 

understanding of its contributions to SHE (safety, health and environment) concerns. 

Thus this study aims to provide a complete understanding and modeling of 

the xanthate decomposition behavior under simulated real processing conditions. 

Current research with the focus on decomposition behavior in flotation shows that 

various aspects of the conditions, such as solid content, time and xanthate dosage, 

all affect xanthate decomposition variously. Even though the mechanism of decomposition 

is still under investigation, the preliminary results provide insights on 

xanthate decomposition behavior under high solids allowing reduced water consumption 

and also possibility of utilization of sea water. 

10:05 AM 

Partial Volume Correction for 3D Segmentation of 

Tomographic Data 

Y. Wang, C. Lin and J. Miller; Metallurgical Engineering, University 

of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 

Recently high resolution X-ray micro CT (HRXMT) systems have been used for 

3D quantitative analysis of multiphase particulate systems. The analysis involves 

the separation and identification of individual particles in a packed particle bed. 

The spatial mineralogical composition of each particle is then established. In this 

way, sampling and analysis of multiphase particle populations can be facilitated 

to provide 3D information for liberation analysis. One of the problems faced in 

determination of the three-dimensional spatial distribution of mineral phases in a 

multiphase particle population is the partial volume effect (PVE) which can limit 

quantitative analysis in some cases. PVE refers to the blurring effect and sampling 

error of the finite discrete voxels which affect image intensities of multiphase particles. 

This paper presents an approach for PVE correction based on the computation 

of boundary characteristics in a multiphase particle and using this information 

to guide the identification of the correct boundaries for high density 

mineral phases. With this new approach, improvement in the determination of 

the liberation-limited grade/recovery curve is discussed. 

10:25 AM 

Computational Fluid Dynamic Modeling of an Air-Based 

Table Separator 

T. Ghosh, A. Salazar and R. Honaker; Mining Engineering, 

University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 

Contemporary dry coal cleaning technologies offer significant benefits including 

effective, low-cost separations while reducing the environmental impacts from 

processing coal and minerals due to the elimination of water as a medium. Dry 

density-based air tables have proven to be a favorable technology in the processing 

of both raw and recyclable materials. Previous efforts to understand the separation 

mechanisms provided by the air table units have mainly been empirical in 

nature. This publication reports the findings of the first attempts to study the separation 

process based on a numerical modeling approach. Commercial computation 

fluid dynamic (CFD) software was used to model the fluidized particle bed 

on a vibrating vertical plane using a 3-dimensional simulation. The vibration of 

the separator pan was accounted for by using dynamically moving grids. The 

model was developed and correlated using experimental data collected from a 

laboratory air table separator. After correlation, simulations were performed to 

study the physical and operating parameter effects on performance in an attempt 

to maximize the efficiency achievable by the dry cleaning process. 

10:45 AM 

Coupled Role of Ionic Strength and Ion Valence on 

Bubble-malachite Interaction 

W. Chae 1 , J. Choi 1 , G. Hwang 1 , W. Kim 2 , S. Kim 2 , S. Kim 1 and H. 

Kim 1 ; 1 Department of Mineral Resources and Energy Engineering, 

Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Republic of Korea and 

2 

Mineral Resources Research Division, Korea Institute of Geoscience 

and Mineral Resources, Daejeon, Republic of Korea 

The influence of solution ionic strength and electrolyte valence on the flotation 

behavior of malachite has been investigated. The microflotation tests were conducted 

over a range of solution ionic strength (IS) (1300 mM) at a constant 

speed, pH (pH=9.5), flotation time (10 min), and collector (sodium oleate) 

dosage (2x10-6 moles/g). The size of malachite ranged from 45 to 53 …m, and 

two different types of electrolytes (NaCl and CaCl2) were employed. 

Electrophoretic mobility was also measured over the same IS range employed in 

the microflotation study. Overall, strong coupled effect of solution IS and ion valence 

was observed. Specifically, the flotability of malachite increased with increasing 

IS in the presence of monovalent cations (Na+) while the flotability increased 

up to 30 mM and decreased with increasing IS in the presence of divalent 

cations (Ca2+). Notably, the flotability of malachite was greater with the presence 

of Na+ compared with Ca2+ under high IS conditions(IS>30 mM). The 

characterization and flotation results suggest that the trend was explained by the 

extended Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (XDLVO) prediction. 

11:05 AM 

Coupled Role of Sulphidizers and Xanthates on the Electrokinetic 

Property and Flotation Behavior of Malachite 

G. Park 1 , J. Choi 1 , Y. Han 2 , H. Kim 3 and H. Kim 1 ; 1 Department of 

Mineral Resources and Energy Engineering, Chonbuk National 

University, Jeonju, Republic of Korea; 2 Department of Natural 

Resources and Environmental Engineering, Hanyang University, 

Seoul, Republic of Korea and 3 Mineral Resources Research Division, 

Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources, Daejeon, 

Republic of Korea 

Coupled influence of sulphidizers and xanthates on the electrokinetic property 

and flotation behavior of malachite was systematically examined via electrophoretic 

mobility (EM) measurements and microflotation tests. The EM results 

for the malachite before and after surface modification with different types 

(Na2S, NaHS, (NH4)2S) and amounts (1E-7-5E-4 moles/g) of sulphidizers, 

showed that the isoelectric points (IEP) of malachite differed at the low dosage 

level depending on the type of the sulphidizer, which ranged between 5.5 and 

9.2. However, the IEP values were observed to be shifted from high to low pH 

values with increasing amount of sulphidizers and finally reached plateau at ca. 

pH 3, indicating that the sulphidizers played a different role on changing the surface 

property of malachite, which were qualitatively consistent with the adsorption 

behavior of sulfur ions onto the malachite surface. In order to further understand 

the effect of sulphidizers on the electrokinetic property and flotation 

behavior of malachite in a sulphidizer+xanthate system, IEP and flotation efficiency 

were determined and theoretical approach based on extended DLVO theory 

was conducted. 


Geology: 

entering the realm of the rare earths 


chairs: J. Hedrick, Hedrick Consultants Inc., Burke, VA 

J. Davis, Missouri Geological Survey, Rolla, MO 

9:00 AM 

Introductions 

9:05 AM 

Exploration for REE and Gold in the Bear Lodge Tertiary Alkaline 

Complex, Crook County, Wyoming 

J. Ray and R. Geological Staff; Rare Element Resources Inc., 

Wheat Ridge, CO 

RER is developing the Bear Lodge REE deposit in NE Wyoming. REE mineralization 

is hosted in carbonatites that intrude diatremic breccias and alkalic intru- 


71 



sive rocks of Tertiary age. Significant gold mineralization is distributed peripheral 

to and partly overlapping the REE mineralization. Exploration techniques, including 

geologic mapping, geophysics, soil and rock geochemistry and drilling 

were effectively used to discover minable reserves of REE and more than 1 million 

ounces of gold. Geologic mapping of lithology, structure, alteration, and 

mineralization provides a foundation for the exploration of the 50 square mile igneous 

complex. Poor rock exposure in the Bear Lodge complex is compensated 

by the collection and analysis of over 9000 soil and 7000 rock samples, which reveal 

geochemical vectors for both REE and gold mineralization. Geophysical 

methods employed include airborne and ground magnetics and radiometrics, 

gravity and CSAMT. Specific geophysical signatures are correlated with aspects 

of lithology, structure, alteration, and mineralization. These varied data are currently 

playing a key role in the delineation of mineralization and district-wide 

REE and gold zonation. 

9:25 AM 

Research on Chinese Rare Earth Current Situation and 

Development Strategy 

C. Lou and J. Tien; Mining Engineering, Missouri University of 

Science and Technology, Rolla, MO 

Never is there a kind of mineral like rare earth that catches peoples eyes with its 

unique characteristics such as resource-nonrenewable, regional-maldistribution 

and function- irreplaceable as well as muti-intervention since globally large scale 

mining, development and utilization began in the mid-twentieth century. China, 

as the biggest economic entity in rare earth production, application and exportation 

currently, plays a significant role in rare earth supplement and raw processing 

around the world and cooperates closely with other counties in production, 

supplement, quota, pricing and exportation as the economic globalization goes 

deeply, however ramifications and contradictions exist. This article will give a 

comprehensive exposition about Chinese current situation of REs development, 

Chinese government planning for future RE mining and protection as well as the 

global trading and cooperation. The article will also thoroughly discuss the RE 

project and plan in China deployed by Japan, Australia and United States. 

9:45 AM 

Molycorp Project Phoenix 

D. Cordier; Geology, Molycorp, Greenwood Village, CO 

Molycorp will provide an update on Project Phoenix, its historic expansion and 

modernization of its flagship rare earth facility at Mountain Pass, California. 

where we are the only producer of rare earths in the Western Hemisphere. 

Following our modernization and expansion, we will become one of a major 

global producer of rare earths. The first phase of our new plant will be completed 

in the 4th quarter of 2012. The second phase of our plant expansion will be completed 

in 2013. 

10:05 AM 

High-Neodymium, -Samarium and -Yttrium Contents in Monazite- 

(Nd) at Lemhi Pass, Idaho and Montana, USA 

G. Schifrin 1 and J. Hedrick 2 ; 1 Minex Exploration, Sandpoint, ID and 

2 

Hedrick Consultants, Inc., Burke, VA 

Rock samples were collected by U.S. Rare Earths (USRE) at various veins along 

the Dan Patch fault in the Lemhi Pass area of Idaho and Montana. Rock samples 

were analyzed for a range of elements including the REEs using fusion- and ICPmass 

spectrometry. Data confirmed and expanded the earlier USGS work by 

Mortimer Staatz in 1972 that primarily focused on thorium, but included thoriumbearing 

monazite. Based on earlier work by Anthony N. Mariano, Ph.D., the highneodymium, 

samarium, and yttrium content is believed to occur almost entirely in 

the mineral monazite-(Nd). Research to confirm this was completed in 2011 using 

unfiltered short wave ultraviolet reflection which showed no rare-earth bearing 

minerals, other than monazite, which exhibited the green reflected light phenomena 

caused by the presence of light-group rare-earth elements (LREE). 

10:25 AM 

Matamec Explorations Inc.: the HREE-Zr-Y Kipawa Deposit and 

Other Showings 

A. Gauthier and F. Fleury; Matamec Explorations Inc., Montreal, 

QC, Canada 

The Kipawa Heavy Rare Earth Deposit, under development by Matamec 

Explorations, is located in southern Canada, on the Quebec-side of the Ontario- 

Quebec border. The deposit is set in a peralcaline intrusive syenite with two silicate 

(Eudialyte and Mosandrite) as the main rare-earth-bearing minerals. The 

project is in the advanced stages of development, with the beginning of production 

set for 2015-2016. In that fast-track optics, a lot of exciting events have occurred 

in the past year. Chief among these are a 20 000 meters definition and exploration 

drilling campaign, the completion of two 15-ton pilot plants based on 

Matamecs simple, 2-step extraction process and the signing of the final papers 

with Toyota Tsusho Corp’s subsidiary Toyotsu Rare Earth Canada Inc. 

Feasibility Study is scheduled for 2013, with production slated for 2015-2016. 

10:45 AM 

The Nechalacho Rare Metal Deposit, Northwest Territories, 

Canada The Importance of Mineralogy 

W. Mercer 1 , M. Heiligmann 1 , V. Moller 2 , T. Grammatikopolous 3 , 

A. Williams-Jones 2 and J. Pedersen 1 ; 1 Exploration, Avalon Rare 

Metals Inc., Toronto, ON, Canada; 2 Earth and Planetary Sciences, 

McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada and 3 SGS Minerals, 

Peterborough, ON, Canada 

The Nechalacho rare earth element (REE), Zr, Nb and Ta deposit is hosted in the 

Aphebian Blachford Lake alkaline intrusive complex. Avalon Rare Metals is focused 

on development of the high heavy rare earth Basal Zone. Basal Zone measured 

and indicated resources comprise 72.66 Mt grading 1.53% TREO (total rare 

earth oxides) including 0.26% HREO (Eu through Lu, including Y). REE mineralization 

is hosted in hydrothermally altered >1100 m thick, 2 km wide, layered 

aegirine-nepheline-sodalite syenite. Mineralogical studies involving petrography, 

electron microprobe, Qemscan© and Laser ICP-MS has enhanced understanding 

of REE-mineralogy and textures leading to successful metallurgical processing. 

The ore zone contains an assemblage of zircon, monazite, allanite, bastn‰site, 

fergusonite, columbite, magnetite, biotite and quartz replacing primary magmatic 

zircono-silicates such as eudialyte and other minerals. Textures referred to 

as cumulate, pseudomorphs and wavy banded have been recognised and logged 

in detail. These are recognised as geometallurgical ore types and are a key input 

into understanding the metallurgical performance of the deposit. 

11:05 AM 

Spectral Studies of Neodymium (III) in Bastnasites and Monazite – 

Extreme Nephaleuxetic Effect 

S. Sinha 1 and J. Hedrick 2 ; 1 Rare Earths R Us, Dayton, OH and 

2 

Hedrick Consultants, Inc., Burke, VA 

Europium is a menber of the light-group rare-earth elements (LREE) with six f- 

electrons in its ourer shell. Europium oxide occurs as a sesquioxide with the formula 

Eu2O3, however it will readily form divalent compounds.This property is 

important in separating it from the orther rare-earth lelemens. Its electronic structure 

in both the trivalent and divalent states sets europium apart from the rest of 

the group and provides it with a myriad of properties and charateristics. An array 

of colors can be created from europiums compounds, creating reds, greens, and 

blues, and combined to create white. .Although its phosphorescent compounds 

are its primary use its structure as both a metal, alloy, and compound provide an 

array of applications. 


Implementing Success: 

Global Mining Standards and Guidelines 

for operational excellence 


H. Ednie 1 ; P. Wan 2 ; A. Chapman 3 ; T. Skinner 4 ; Z. Lukacs 5 ; 1 CIM 

Mining Standards and Guidelines Committee, Montreal, QC, 

Canada; 2 Teck Resources, Vancouver, BC, Canada; 3 Barrick Gold 

Corporation, Toronto, ON, Canada; 4 SMART Systems Group, 

Calgary, AB, Canada; 5 KMC Mining, Calgary, AB, Canada 

Mining operations around the globe strive to operate safely, efficiently, while 

achieving continuous improvement. The high tech, complicated operating environment 

is further challenged by a sense of operating in silos, as mining companies 

aim to increase performance. In this environment, a more cohesive approach 

is needed. The CIM Mining Standards and Guidelines Committee (MSGC) was 

launched in spring 2012 to fill a void and create an information hub and global 

network on standards and guidelines for mining, and to support the advancement 

of utilization of standards and guidelines in the global mining industry. MSGC 

brings all stakeholders together, supporting the creation and application of new 

and existing standards and guidelines. 


72 



With the proliferation of intelligent onboard devices on mining equipment, developing 

an industry standard or guideline for connectivity to onboard devices is 

a critical next step in facilitating easy access to the data, which is still a major 

challenge for industry stakeholders, and is a primary project for MSGC. Other 

key projects include: Development of a Common User Interface for Large 

Shovels by SA Technologies with support of Barrick and Teck; onboard information 

usage benchmark definitions for engineering, operations, maintenance and 

reliability; and a Global operational mining standards scoping study to establish 

the baseline of what standards exist. 


Management: Project cost estimates and 

economic analysis 


chair: 

9:00 AM 

Introductions 

S. Stebbins, Aventurine Mine Cost Engineering, 

Spokane, WA 

9:05 AM 

Cost Estimating Standards for NI 43-101 Reports: What Are They? 

What Should They Be? 

O. Schumacher; InfoMine USA, Inc., Spokane, WA 

Canadian National Instrument 43-101 establishes detailed standards for reporting 

of resource and reserve information, while standards for estimating and reporting 

the cost of mining those resources are seriously lacking. This paper explores 

what the standards are and how they are applied. It concludes with the 

authors opinion of what the standards should be. 

9:25 AM 

Are Estimators Getting it Right? Comparing Actual and 

Estimated Costs 

J. Leinart; InfoMine USA, Inc., Spokane Valley, WA 

One of the issues that plagues cost estimators is whether all aspects (i.e., labor, 

supplies, equipment operation, and equipment purchase) of the primary cost 

data used in the economic evaluation of mineral projects are accurate. What is 

their relative importance and impact on project costs? In this study, these relationships 

were examined separately for underground and surface mining, and 

mineral processing. After isolating pertinent cost aspects, comparisons were 

made between the data from published sources and actual wages, supply costs, 

and equipment purchase prices as reported by mine and mineral processing 

plant operators. Upon analyzing the relevance of the datas reliability for each 

cost aspect, the differences between the published pre-feasibility cost data and 

the reported actual development and operating cost data were quantified and the 

impacts discussed. Here, the results of the study are presented in terms both of 

the quantified reliability of available cost data versus reported cost data, and of 

the impact of the reliability of published cost data on the relevance of the results 

of a pre-feasibility analysis. 

9:45 AM 

Applications of Mine Cost Estimations in U.S. Bureau of Land 

Management Work 

M. Shumaker 1 , R. Deery 2 and A. Young 3 ; 1 Washington Office, 

WO-320, Division of Solid Minerals, Bureau of Land Management, 

Phoenix, AZ; 2 Washington Office, WO-320, Division of Solid Minerals, 

Bureau of Land Management, Washington, DC, DC and 3 Idaho 

State Office, Bureau of Land Management, Boise, ID 

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) uses mine cost estimates in a 

number of different ways. These include estimating any and all aspects of the 

costs of mining, milling, processing and reclamation (called mine cost estimates 

for simplicity). The estimates are used when performing mining claim validity examinations 

and valid existing rights evaluations and then comparing them 

against the gross in-place value (an oft-misused term nowadays) of potential resources 

in the ground, as well as the probable returns based on the actual cost estimate. 

Other uses of mine cost estimates include the costs of reclamation, remediation 

and any other situations that fit. When a mine cost estimate must be 

submitted to BLM, we dont require a particular method of estimation, only that 

the outcome be reasonable and well-documented. We need to be able to figure 

out what was done in the estimate we receive and be able to confirm it independently. 

For these purposes, BLM employs a very small cadre of Certified Mineral 

Examiners who are trained in aspects of mineral property evaluation. 

10:05 AM 

Enterprice Value – An Alternative Approach to Project Delivery 

R. Roos; ABB, Milton, QLD, Australia 

As we are all well aware, embarking on a major project within the resources sector 

is a high stakes, high risk investment. Years are spent in exploration, geotechnical 

studies, various levels of feasibility studies, and sourcing funding, in an effort 

to establish a productive mining operation that will generate sufficient 

financial returns to attract investors to the project. Investors often sink huge sums 

of money into projects in the expectation that they will achieve the desired returns 

over time. However investors are also aware that projects are likely to have 

significant negative cash flows for months possibly even years before expected 

returns are generated. While there are many risks that are exogenous to the project 

exchange rates, commodity prices etc. There are many project centric risks 

that can be controlled, and when done so effectively, will yield improved financial 

performance. This paper considers the issues associated with the building of capital 

assets for mining projects with particular attention focused on the traditional 

methods currently used to source and procure key elements of the project, and alternatives 

that should be considered today. 

10:25 AM 

Price Prediction of Copper Using Artificial Neural Network and 

Time Series Techniques 

M. Basiri and Z. Fathabadi; Mining Eng., Tarbiat Modares 

University, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran 

Manufacturing enterprises are always encountered risks and price volatility for 

their financial activities such as economical analysis, investment, etc. These fluctuations 

and future uncertainties have a substantial impact in their evaluations. 

Consequently the market scholars are constantly looking for an optimum forecasting 

technique enable them to have a tranquility market. Copper has several 

uses in the industries and plays a central role in the industrial and economical development 

of countries. The copper price fluctuations in the different periods act 

as an indicator for presenting the world economical conditions. In this paper, we 

introduce a method which can predict the copper price using the Artificial Neural 

Network and Time Series methods as well as considering the monthly copper 

prices and the effective parameters on price changes. Finally the validity of the 

constructed model was evaluated. The results present that the intelligent methods 

such as Artificial Neural Networks are enable to forecast the copper price with 

lower level of errors, comparison with the other time series techniques with R2= 

0.96, MSE=0.003, VAF= 80.7 and NSE=0.99. 


operations: When optimization, 

Planning & reality collide in Surface 

Mining operations 


chairs: C. Roos, Newmont Mining Corp., 


T. Elenbaas, Newmont Mining Corp., 


9:00 AM 

Introductions 

9:05 AM 

Changing Perspective: Maintaining Production Through 

Challenging Geotechnical Events at Gold Quarry 

N. Bennett 2 , R. Sheets 2 , T. Webber 2 and C. Weber 1 ; 1 Newmont Mining 

Corp., Greenwood Village, CO and 2 Newmont Mining Corporation, 

Carlin, NV 

On December 24, 2009 a major geotechnical event shut down production at 

Newmonts Gold Quarry open pit mine in Carlin, Nevada. A second event closed 

off access to the Chukar underground portal mine in December 2010. With 

safety as a priority, an innovative plan was developed and achieved to stabilize 

the highwall, develop a new access to the Chukar underground mine, and bring 

Gold Quarry back into gold production by April 2011. 


73 



9:25 AM 

What Happened to My Gold? Questions to Ask Your Modeler 

A. Jewbali, T. Elenbaas and C. Roos; Newmont Mining Corp, Greenwood 

Village, CO 

Mining engineers rely on resource models as the basis for their mine plans. 

However, many of the assumptions for grade-tonnage relationships or resource 

classification are not well-communicated between the geostatistician and the 

mine planner. This talk outlines some of the common assumptions and the risks 

that engineers may be taking when elevating cutoff grades, optimizing schedules, 

or generating forecasts. 

9:45 AM 

Tired of Hearing Why Did the Mine Plan Change? 

T. Bush and C. Roos; Newmont Mining Corp., 


Plan erosion is the term given to the loss in value as the mine planning level of detail 

increases. The value loss could be associated with a project as it transitions 

from pre-feasibility to feasibility and then in to operation or could be the loss in 

value as the long range mine plan becomes the short range mine plan. This paper 

documents some of the techniques in the areas of practical mining constraints 

and model variability that Newmont uses to minimize the impacts of plan erosion 

on advanced projects. 

10:05 AM 

Take Time for Pit Phase Design 

A. Eccles; Newmont Mining Corp, Greenwood Village, CO 

Phase designs are the foundation upon which all open pit mine sequence optimizations 

and budgets should be built. Unfortunately, at times, mine engineers 

skip the step of developing realistic pit phase designs - designs that include access 

ramps and mineable widths. Without mineable phase designs, their Optimized 

schedules are based on theoretical pit shells or quick-and-dirty plans with no 

ramps. The output from such optimizations is almost always overly optimistic. 

Without mineable designs, the production estimates are misleading, because they 

overestimate ore, and underestimate waste stripping requirements. Worse yet, 

when plans are not based on realistic phase designs, they can point to exactly the 

wrong decision in feasibility studies (i.e. go when it should be no-go ). This paper 

discusses the importance and features of good pit phase design, and demonstrates 

the pitfalls of relying on optimized production sequences that are not 

based on properly designed pit phases. 

10:25 AM 

Mine Production Scheduling Optimization at Newmonts 

Twin Creeks Mine 

K. Kawahata, P. Schumacher and R. Hufford; Newmont Mining 

Corporation, Golconda, NV 

Newmonts Twin Creeks Mine, located in northern Nevada, is producing gold ore 

from surface mining operations. The ore is currently processed at three different 

on site facilities depending on the ore type and the grade. The processing facilities 

operate under stringent geochemical blending contraints that must be met from 

mine ore deliveries and off site sourced ore. To analyze various strategic options, 

we utilize the mathematical optimization approach. However, due to the size and 

the complexity of the operation, we face challenges in optimizing life of mine 

production scheduling. We describe those challenges and the methodology that 

we are taking to overcome those by using different scheduling software to compensate 

each other to get reasonable guidance. We also describe how those scheduling 

results are reflected in detailed mine plan and cost estimate work. 

10:45 AM 

From Optimization to Operations: Bridging the Planning Gap 

C. Taylor 1 and O. Wyberneit 2 ; 1 Runge Mining Canada Ltd., Toronto, 

ON, Canada and 2 Runge Inc., Denver, CO 

Bridging the gap between long and mid-range planning horizons in order to develop 

an executable plan without destroying value is a problem which is faced by 

many planning engineers. Due to the complexity of most mines optimization 

tools tend to simplify the problem so it becomes more manageable. This often 

means reducing the number of scheduling blocks, number of materials and number 

of destinations. This approach does not lend itself to modelling of real world 

mining constraints which often leads to unachievable plans and unrealistic expectations. 

The approach used by Runge at many sites to bridge this planning gap involves 

stewarding to the optimized plan while utilizing a rules based heuristic 

scheduling engine which ensures the sequence generated is operationally feasible. 

To ensure that as much of the original NPV is preserved as possible a post scheduling 

period product optimization logic is applied. This combination of heuristic 

scheduling and optimization logic ensures the value of each sequence is maximized. 

This process enables mine planners to deviate from the optimized sequence, 

when required, while ensuring the resultant plan is still maximizing potential 

value. 

11:05 AM 

Incorporating Cycle Time Dependency in Truck/Shovel Modeling 

A. Anani, B. Osei and K. Awuah-Offei; Mining, Missouri University 

of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO 

The need to optimize surface mining operations has led to the use of discrete 

event simulation (DES) modeling of truck-shovel systems. Often, these models 

assume truck cycle times are independent and identically distributed (iid) random 

variables although when there is significant bunching on the haul routes, 

this may not be valid. The objective of this paper is to present a methodology to 

(i) test whether cycle time data is iid; and (ii) account for dependence in truck 

cycle times. To test for dependence, truck cycle times were converted to a time series 

and statistical correlation test done on the time and cycle time differences. A 

time series approach that account for dependence caused by truck bunching is 

proposed and validated in ArenaÆ. This work extends the usefulness of DES in 

truck-shovel applications 

11:25 AM 

Mine Planning Efforts Associated with the Round Mountain Pit 

Northeast Wall Failure 

C. Mimica; Kinross Gold Corporation, CopiapÛ, Chile 

Truly understanding geotechnical parameters to reduce the risk associated with 

highwall instabilities is an issue throughout the mining industry due to limited 

capital availability. Even with the geotechnical investigations and modeling that 

are completed when a new pit design or pushback design is proposed, they do not 

ensure the absence risk. This paper presents the sequence of events that occurred 

when a major slide occurred on the northeast wall of the Round Mountain Pit in 

a major ore producing section of the mine and the mitigation effort to allow access 

to the affected area. Site technical services personnel worked closely with geotechnical 

consultants to prepare a remediation plan that included removing the 

upper benches of the slide while maintaining production access to a portion of 

the area below the failure during remediation. Full access to the affected area was 

achieved approximately 8 months after the slide occurred. 


technology: how Software technology 

Makes My Job easier 


chair: R. Diaz, Maptek, Lakewood, CO 

9:00 AM 

Introductions 

9:05 AM 

A GIS Model for Selection of Suitable Sites for Underground 

Coal Gasification 

Z. Hyder, N. Ripepi and M. Karmis; Mining and Minerals 

Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 

Proper site selection is key to the success of Underground Coal Gasification 

(UCG) projects. Most important site selection parameters include coal rank, seam 

depth, seam thickness, dip, porosity & permeability, groundwater, available infrastructure 

and coal quality. This paper describes the development of a GIS model 

that helps in the selection of suitable sites for UCG, based on these selection parameters. 

The model uses powerful features of GIS software, ArcGIS and IDRISI 

and develops a general flowchart of the process that may be applied to any site. 

The paper explains all the steps required to develop and use this model such as 

data acquisition, data development, importing features from different data sources 

and databases, preparation of data layers in GIS software, identification of factors 

and constraints, standardizing, weighting and combining factors to form suitability 

scores and finally identification & ranking of suitable sites. The paper also describes 

the decision support techniques used for this model including development 

of tradeoff levels between factors, ranking and scaling of factors based on fuzzy 

membership, data uncertainty evaluation and risk management. 


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9:25 AM 

Predictive Modeling Applications in Mobile Equipment Monitoring 

D. Fisk; Mining Solutions, Honeywell Advanced Solutions, Toronto, 

ON, Canada 

Applying predictive modeling techniques is helping to improve the reliability of 

our hauling fleet and providing early indications of developing failures in engines, 

transmissions and frames. In this paper we discuss the modeling techniques 

being used, and the results that are being seen at copper and coal mines in 

North America. Once the model is created, the components being studied are 

continuously evaluated providing early indications of wear and developing 

faults that could affect the performance of the components, such as deteriorating 

suspension struts that can induce frame cracking. A number of examples will 

be reviewed. 

9:45 AM 

Advanced Weather Systems for Mining Operations 

J. Foerster 2 and F. Mielli 1 ; 1 Schneider Electric, Alpharetta, GA and 

2 

Telvent / Schneider Electric, Burnsville, MN 

Mining operation is a complex business, besides the complexity of the ore characteristics 

and variability itself, mining planing and operations suffers from several 

external conditions and weather is one of them. Severe weather conditions 

can affect several aspects of the mining operations: Blasting, planing and scheduling, 

people safety, flooding among others. The objective is this paper is to present 

an advanced weather system able to deliver real-time critical weather information 

able to support mining operations and people safety; the proposed 

technology brings the most advanced technology for weather forecast, lightning 

information, precipitation forecasts, and alerts. 

10:05 AM 

RockWorks EarthApps – A Free Collection of 74 Geology 

Programs That Work With Google Earth 

J. Reed; Software Development, RockWare Incorporated, 

Golden, CO 

The RockWorks EarthApps represent a free collection of 74 mining-related programs 

that fall into two categories; (1) Programs that read data from a built-in 

datasheet and create diagrams within Google Earth, and (2) programs that extract 

data from Google Earth. Programs that create diagrams include: point 

mapping (e.g. borehole locations), proportionally scaled icons (e.g. geochemistry), 

and strike & dip symbols. Line mapping utilities include; polylines, 

parabolas and pipelines. Polygon mapping programs include; thematic mapping 

(e.g. geology), mining claims, and public land survey sections. Image overlay capabilities 

include; draping (e.g. geologic maps) and time-based animations. 

Vertical image display capabilities are centered on either midpoints (e.g. drillhole 

logs) or stretched between endpoints (e.g. cross-sections). The Flyover programs 

create virtual tours for site presentations. The cell-mapping includes a variety 

of algorithms (e.g. geochemical and geophysical contouring). Survey 

programs convert and export survey data to Google Earth as points and polygons. 

Programs that extract data from Google Earth include; points, lineations, 

polylines, and polygons. 

10:25 AM 

How Pitram Puts Newmont in Control with Automated 

Underground Data Capture 

L. Freemire 1 and J. Thompson 2 ; 1 Marketing, MICROMINE, 

Englewood, CO and 2 Pitram, MICROMINE, Denver, CO 

Todays miners must account for a vast array of data in the development and production 

stages of a mineral mine and particularly in the underground space. 

Fortunately, MICROMINEs automated data collection in underground mines 

has come to the rescue! As the global leader in high-tech mining solutions, MI- 

CROMINE produces a technology growth path for mine control as a mine develops. 

MICROMINEs mine control and management reporting software suite, 

Pitram, records, manages, processes and reports mine site data in real time. This 

allows for greater operational control which in turn allows for increased production, 

reduced costs, improved safety and reliable business intelligence to monitor 

progress against the mine plan. It is for these reasons that Newmont Mining 

Corp. chose to implement the Pitram software at its Leeville and Midas gold 

mines to continue building its legacy of industry-leading performance. Newmont 

attests to how timely and flexible Pitram is, and how valuable it has become for 

the mine managers who need the latest performance information to monitor and 

measure the mining operations against the mine plans. 

10:45 AM 

Optimizing Mine Performance With Operational Analytics 

L. Berry; Operational Products, Mintec, Inc., Tucson, AZ 

Mines today are dealing with more data than ever, including heterogeneous data 

types and sources. Meanwhile, demand for information from the corporate office 

to the front-line engineersis ever increasing. Immediate access to business insight 

and analysis is becoming an operational imperative. The MineSight 

Performance Manager provides dashboards and analysis that goes beyond the 

what happened . It provides information that gives us why it happened and the 

impact on the performance of the plan, now and in the future. The benefits of 

having this performance information at our fingertips are immense, and have included 

improved fragmentation at a lower cost, improved truck/shovel productivity, 

and enhanced ore processing. 

11:05 AM 

The Mine Central Control Room: From Concept to Reality 

F. Mielli and K. Short; Schneider Electric, Alpharetta, GA 

One of the potential issues of modern mining operations is the excess of information, 

mostly generated by different systems and field devices. In other hand, 

mining operations lacks of specialized people in the field able to gather and use 

properly this information. The main concept of a central control room, is the 

ability to gather and transform automatically information from different sources 

and mines into business decisions, centralizing and monitoring them from a single 

location. Also the central control room acts as a complete repository of all the 

business operations: Mine planning, metrics, asset management, quality, process 

control, surveillance, sustainability information, emissions, energy information / 

energy efficiency projects, weather, among others. The objective of this paper, is 

to show the available tools today that enables the central control room concept 

able to empower people and keep them focused on their core operations. 


technology: Imaging technology in Mining 


chair: 

9:00 AM 

Introductions 

W. Johnson, Lhoist North America, Ripplemead, VA 

9:05 AM 

Determination of Volumetric Changes from Laser Scanning at an 

Underground Limestone Mine 

B. Slaker; Mining Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 

The ability to detect and quantify ground movements in underground mine 

workings is of the utmost importance to the safety of miners and continuity of 

operations. Rib sloughage is one of the most common forms of underground deformations. 

Remote sensing techniques, such as laser scanning, can be used to 

quantify this rib sloughage, by recording precise, time-lapse point clouds of mine 

workings. In order to determine sloughage volumes and locations, a total of 11 

laser scans were performed 41 days apart around a pillar at the Kimballton underground 

limestone mine in Giles County, Virginia. During this period, significant 

sloughage and scaling occurred, allowing for differentiation between the initial 

and final point clouds. 

9:25 AM 

3D Feed Belt Image Analysis 

L. Hales, M. Hales and D. Collins; KnowledgeScape, 


Image analysis for feed belts and flotation has been used for over 20 years. 

However 3D analysis has just recently become feasible using steroscopic cameras 

and software. One such system will be described as well as its use in real-time mill 

modeling and expert control. 3D analysis has great potential to improve real-time 

control over that previously achieved with older 2D technologies and analysis. 


75 



9:45 AM 

An Overview of Imaging Technologies at Newmont Mine Sites 

A. Adu-Acheampong; Newmont Gold, Denver, CO 

Photogrammetry and laser scanning are been employed at a number of 

Newmont mine sites to mitigate risks associated with conventional structural 

mapping, determining the geometry of voids from old underground workings, 

and generating topography in areas of slope instability. Laser scanning has also 

been used to evaluate as-built pit slope configurations with respect to design assumptions, 

operational practices, and rockfall potential. Remote sensing applications 

carried on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) have been used to generate 

base or progress topography at some sites in the recent past. This has been found 

to more convenient and less expensive in areas where cloud cover complicates 

planning of manned aerial photography missions. This paper discusses these applications, 

and provides commentary on advantages and disadvantages based on 

recent experience. 

10:05 AM 

Application of Close Range Photogrammetry to Monitor 

Displacements in Mines 

S. Rezaei and A. Rahnama; Freeport McMoRan, Phoenix, AZ 

Moving ground in mining activities is inevitable; however comprehensive awareness 

of these movements is necessary to mitigate risk. Monitoring displacements 

in mining industry is a key tool for geomechanics risk management. Good monitoring 

may prevent unexpected failures and protect men and equipment. Close 

Range Photogrammetry (CRP) is a monitoring method with high accuracy, reliability, 

and cost effectiveness, and ability for measuring places that are inaccessible. 

This method has been demonstrated at the Freeport-McMoRan Safford 

Mine in Arizona. A fault related instability in part of the pit is reactive to mining, 

and provided opportunity to compare results between traditional monitoring 

methods and CRP. Both instability movements and tension crack changes 

have been monitored using CRP. In this project, multiple series of photos are 

taken at different times using Canon 5D Mark III digital camera, then 

PhotoModeler software has been used to make 3D models for each specific 

measurement event. Movement rates are determined by comparing different 3D 

models. These results are then compared to results of other monitoring methods to 

validate the CRP displacement method. 

10:25 AM 

Comprehensive Geotechnical Assessment Using Laser Scanner 

Imaging at Underground Mines 

M. Haddock 1 , S. Otto 1 , Z. Hladysz 1 , M. Luxbacher 2 and S. Schiele 3 ; 

1 

Golder Associates Inc., St. Charles, MO; 2 Lhoist North America, 

Ripplemead, VA and 3 Maptek Inc., Lakewood, CO 

Accurate prediction of rock behavior and use of this information to select optimum 

ground control methods is of paramount importance to ensure safe, sustained 

mine operations. To respond to the needs of the mining industry, laser 

scanning technology has been developed to provide enhanced geotechnical assessment 

from laser-based mapping of structural features to analysis of data, culminating 

in the design of safe and stable excavations. In 2011 Golder Associates 

and Maptek, Inc., supported by engineering personnel from an active underground 

mine, performed laser scanning, underground excavation mapping and 

geotechnical assessment of room-and-pillar operations at a mine in the Eastern 

USA. The significant size of the excavations (100 ft in height and 60 ft in width), 

and the required accuracy and digital resolution presented a mapping and surveying 

challenge that was successfully addressed. The 3D digital models of the 

excavations and rock structure were used to develop a probabilistic assessment of 

structural controls on excavation stability for mine planning purposes. 

10:45 AM 

Subsurface Imaging of an Underground Mine Using Electrical 

Resistivity Imaging 

M. Haddock, B. Waters and K. Davis; Golder Associates Inc., 

St. Charles, MO 

Advances in electrical resistivity imaging (ERI) have led to more detailed and accurate 

prediction of subsurface conditions even in complex and highly irregular 

karst terrains. Geophysical data, when constrained by and calibrated to borehole 

data, can be used to fill in wide data gaps at a site in between intrusive borehole 

data and improve the overall understanding and conceptual model of subsurface 

conditions. This can result in better estimation of reserve and overburden volumes 

and can be used to provide geotechnical information such as identifying 

areas of weak fractured rock, karst solutioning, and groundwater inflow. A case 

study is provided where an extensive, detailed ERI survey was completed where 

an underground limestone mine is being planned. The land surface is characterized 

as a karst peneplain with a high density of sinkholes. The ERI data clearly 

delineate the top of bedrock and reveal the presence of lower resistivity cavities, 

interpreted as sediment and water filled karst voids, beneath the sinkholes. The 

ERI data are compared with borehole data and used to project a 3-dimensional 

model of the bedrock surface and subsurface voids. 

11:05 AM 

New Trends in Video Analytics and Surveillance Systems and its 

Potential Applications for the Mining Industry 

S. Paul 1 and F. Mielli 2 ; 1 Pelco by Schneider Electric, Fort Collins, CO 

and 2 Schneider Electric, Alpharetta, GA 

Mining operations is a complex industry that require an wider approach for surveillance 

systems: From process monitoring to people and assets protection 

Camera systems dont have eyes and brains but intelligent video analytics are the 

next best trend. Through constant automated digital screening and filtering, 

video analytics can identify specific conditions and notify operators of potential 

issues, allowing mining operations to make quick, informed decisions. The objective 

of this paper is to show new technologies in camera systems, thermal imaging 

and software able to bring intelligence to the security and surveillance systems 

and how they can help the mining industry. 


technology: next Generation Safety: 

research and technology Focused on 

developing Functional Safety 

cultures in Industry 


chairs: K. Ray, Orica USA Inc., Gillette, NM 

M. Blattman, Blattman Brothers Consulting LLC, 

Cypress, TX 

9:00 AM 

Introductions 

9:05 AM 

Utilizing the Brain to Achieve a Culture that Values Safe Work 

E. Prazeres and M. Brown; Sentis USA, Aurora, CO 

Anyone who has attempted to change an organizations culture will attest to the 

complexities involved with such an endeavor. Culture is more than just the way 

things are done around here, but is a complex interaction of people with their environment. 

People carry their thoughts and attitudes with them to work every 

day, and it is these thoughts and attitudes that influence their behavior and ultimately 

determine the success of an initiative. Organizations focused on creating 

a culture that values safety must look at strategies that effectively change individual 

attitudes, and when it comes to change, motivation and moving thought into 

action, we are talking about the brain. In this presentation, we will examine what 

the new science of the brain tells us about decision making, error reduction, enhancing 

safety, and creating sustainable change in everything we do. Further to 

that we will present how the philosophy and approach was put into practice at a 

mine in the US. 

9:25 AM 

Fatigue Risk Management Systems Applying ANSI Standards to 

Improve Occupational Health and Safety 

W. Sirois; Circadian Technologies, Inc., Stoneham, MA 

There is now a global body of scientific evidence that shiftwork in the 24/7 workplace 

is a high risk, occupational health and safety exposure, and that the development 

of Fatigue Risk Management Systems (FRMS) has emerged as the internationally 

accepted standard for managing the inherent costs, risks and liabilities 

of shiftwork. This session will review the new API/ANSI 755 standard for 

FRMS, along with a systems approach for achieving compliance. 


76 



9:45 AM 

The New Frontier of Safety Training: Going Mobile and Micro 

D. Stober; Cognitive Change Concepts, Fort Collins, CO 

How do we make our training fit todays realities and needs in safety performance? 

All of us would like to get answers to that question. A new generation of 

safety training takes learning mobile—out of the classroom to the field or floor 

and micro—embedding it into the daily schedule. How many times have you 

heard, we need more training ? While no one would argue that training is not important, 

two of the biggest challenges to organizations are how to make training 

stick and how to do more with less. E-learning has been one approach to being 

more effective in delivering training. Being able to deliver training outside the traditional 

classroom has helped with efficiency, however, challenges with sustainability 

also persist within e-learning. The next generation of training must move 

beyond courseware and classrooms and into work (Rosenberg, 2006). We need to 

shift our thinking about training formats, delivery, and how to make it stick. It is 

becoming clear that the next frontier in learning is both mobile and micro. This 

presentation will focus on where shifts need to happen and new approaches built 

on solid evidence and illustrated by a case study. 

10:05 AM 

“Springboard to Safety” Training – Cognitive Safety at Work 

A. Stirling; Sustainability, Orica USA Inc., Watkins, CO 

Orica dedicates a great deal of time, effort and money to provide employees 

with safe working environments, the correct PPE, tools and training as well as 

safety controls for equipment in the field and at our manufacturing facilities. 

Even with all this focus on safety, our employees are still getting hurt at work. 

The traditional approach to People, Plant and Procedures was no longer leading 

to improved safety performance. Orica is not alone in this predicament, many 

companies have invested heavily on improving safety but have hit a plateau in 

their performance. During 2011, Orica USA Inc. partnered with Cognitive 

Change Concepts and embarked on a journey into cognitive behavioral safety 

training. The challenges were to create relevant, effective training for our front 

line people and to imbed cognitive safety into Orica’s established safety culture. 

The “Springboard to Safety” training program is a purpose built iPad App that 

delivers personalized, interactive training for our front line people where they 

work. This paper discusses the development of the “Springboard to Safety” 

training program and the impact it has had on the safety performance of our 

front line people. 

10:25 AM 

Colorado School of Mines – Mine Rescue Training Using 

Computer Simulations 

C. Geier, E. Keogh and J. Torma-Krajewski; Mining Engineering, 

Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 

Previous mine incidents show weaknesses in mine rescue preparedness from poor 

training in decision making, leadership, and incident command center (ICC) protocols. 

Computer simulations offer a larger range of training opportunities for 

mine rescue teams focusing on exploration and communications. The mine rescue 

simulator developed by the Colorado School of Mines and Rite Solutions, 

Inc. utilizes four computers for the instructor and team, with the instructor monitoring 

the teams progress. As the team explores, they relay information back to 

the Fresh Air Base who then reports to the ICC. This forces a three-step communication 

procedure, enhancing the teams overall communication skills and developing 

ICC protocols. The simulator is decision-based, demanding team decisions 

be made quickly. Upon completion, teams commented positively. Generally, participants 

said that the simulator is useful for learning how to communicate and 

make decisions during mine rescue emergencies. This mine rescue simulator improves 

team training; with easy setup, no production interruption and communications 

practice. 

10:45 AM 

An Overview of NIOSH Mine Illumination Research: 

Past, Present, and Future 

J. Sammarco; Human Factors Branch, NIOSH, Pittsburgh, PA 

Illumination is fundamental for mine safety because miners depend most heavily 

on visual cues to detect hazards associated slips/trips/falls and powered haulage. 

NIOSH is conducting mine illumination to improve miner safety by improving a 

miners ability to see mine hazards. Thus far, 16 papers have been published covering 

diverse topics such as cap lamps, machine-mounted lighting, glare, lighting 

maintenance, and light-emitting diode (LED) technology issues. NIOSH has also 

developed an LED cap lamp, LED area lighting, and a Visual Warning System 

(VWS). This paper provides an overview of the improvements from NIOSH-developed 

lighting that include: 94% better trip hazard detection with the NIOSH 

LED cap lamp; 79% better peripheral motion detection to detect pinning/striking 

hazards; no increase in glare; 71% better machine movement hazard detection 

with the VWS. Current research is described concerning an LED cap lamp for 

metal/nonmetal miners, illumination for rescue chamber deployment and inspection, 

and research to determine if lighting could be used to improve miner escape 

and rescue in smoke. Lastly, future possibilities of using lighting to improve 

miner safety are described. 

SMe research committee: 

SMe exhibitors: Focus on Innovation I 

9:00AM • Tuesday, February 26 

chairs: Madan M. Singh, Singh Associates LLC., 

Scottsdale, AZ 

S. A. Ravishankar, Cytec Industries Inc., 

Stamford, CT 

SME Exhibiting companies will highlight advances and innovations that are 

being introduced to the mining/mineral processing business. During the 2013 

Annual Meeting we will feature presentations from those selected. 

1. Drill Bit Isolator – Protecting Roof Bolter Operator Hearing 

By James Thompson 

This device is based on NIOSH technology that reduces hazardous noise from 

roof bolting machines. The isolator is simple to use - it snaps right between the 

standard drill steel and bit. The device was developed in cooperation with 

Kennametal and Cory Rubber. 

2. Fabric Structures as Cost-Effective, Durable Onsite Facilities 

By Joe Teixeira, ClearSpan, Windsor, CT 

ClearSpan Hercules Truss Arch Buildings feature high clearances and spacious 

interiors without support posts. These buildings are outfitted with frames constructed 

from USA-made, triple-galvanized structural steel that will hold up 

strong in corrosive environments. 

3. Herringbone Wing 

By Leo J. Laughlin, Precision Pulley & Idler, Pella, IA, USA 

Spiral drum pulleys for tail pulleys were developed to auger material out and 

away from the tail pulley and belt, but the spirals tend to plug. Wing pulleys cause 

excessive belt vibration and throw the material back onto the belt. Herringbone 

Wing pulleys are a cross between these and resolve the problems encountered. 

4. J-Seal – An Innovative Mine Seal 

By Kevin J. Ma and John C. Stankus, Keystone Mining Services, 

LLC, and Bevan Thompson, JennChem, LLC, Pittsburgh, PA 

Keystone Mining Services, LLC and JennChem, LLC, affiliates of Jennmar 

Corporation, Inc., have formulated an innovative cementatious foamed grout J- 

Seal and developed a pumpable mine seal design for ventilation control, approved 

as 120-psi mainline seal by Mine Safety and Health Administration 

(MSHA). 

5. Dual-sprocket Coated Chain – Protecting Continuous Mining 

Machine Operator Hearing 

By James Thompson 

This device is based on NIOSH technology that reduces hazardous noise from 

continuous mining machines. The coated chain is simple to use – it’s a direct replacement 

for the manufacturers’ standard dual-sprocket chain. The device was 

developed in cooperation with Joy Mining Machinery. 

6. LTM Probe for Flotation Bank Pulp Level Control 

By Bill A. Hancock, Zeroday Enterprises, LLC, Wilsonville, OR and 

Raymond Karsten, Instek Control, Pretoria, South Africa 

The LTM level probe dramatically increases pulp level measurement accuracy, 

which operates conductively and provides near instantaneous measurements 

(100 ms) with 1% accuracy and measurement linearity. 


77 



7. Process Control Using Real Time Analysis of Conveyed 

Bulk Materials 

By Henry Kurth, Scantech International Pty Ltd, Springwood, 

Queensland, Australia 

Bulk sorting conveyed plant feed enables waste increment removal. Blending ores 

allows more consistent feed grades to improve process efficiencies (recoveries) 

and product quality without increasing plant throughput. Metal accounting and 

ore reconciliation is significantly improved through accurate measurement of 

feed; dry tonnage (moisture analysis) and quality (elemental analysis). 

8. A New Chapter in Underground Mapping Using Sirovision 

By Brianne Beaulieu, CAE Mining North America, Littleton, CO 

Sirovision Underground has been developed in collaboration between CAE 

Mining and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization 

(CSIRO). It is an integrated hardware and software system designed to provide 

safe and cost-effective mapping and analysis of rock structure and underground 

topography. 

9. TeleStacker® Conveyor Offers Unmatched Productivity, 

Strength and Safety 

By Mathew Voigt, Superior Industries, Morris, MN 

The TeleStacker® Conveyor from Superior Industries is a heavy-duty telescoping 

radial stacking conveyor designed for efficient, dependable and safe operation. 

Built for high production, the conveyor offers the ability to stockpile 30-percent 

more material per move than similar radial stackers, and an operating tonnage 

ranging from 200 to 5,000 TPH. 

10. Mobile Equipment Simulator Training 

By Paula Oransky, CAE Mining North America, Littleton, CO 

Mobile Equipment Simulator Solutions are aimed at reducing training costs, increasing 

employee retention and improving operator performance in both safety 

and efficiency. They offer enhanced realism, ergonomic instructor station, a collaborative 

training environment, fully simulated rock dynamics and climatic conditions, 

evidence-based training, and monitoring and performance system. 

11. A Novel Gas Feed Concept for Agitated Tanks 

By Jochen Jung and Wolfgang Keller 

To avoid the disadvantages of a susceptible gas feed device a new gas spargerimpeller 

type has been developed. The gas is directly added to the impeller by a 

single pipe and distributed through the impeller spar directly to the impeller 

blades. Since pipe diameters are quite big blocking will not occur. Other advantages 

are reduced investment and maintenance costs. 

underground construction association 

of SMe 


chairs: R. Henn, Brierley Assoc LLC, Denver, CO 

R. Stier, Kiewit Infrastructure Co., Omaha, NE 

9:00 AM 

Introductions 

9:05 AM 

TBMs for Mining Applications, Situation in 2013 

D. Ofiara; Engineering, The Robbins Company, Solon, OH 

TBMs have been used in mining before. Such use has been rather limited and sporadic 

due to perceived, and real, applications difficulties. This is changing. 

Currently, TBMs are being considered and utilized for many mining applications. 

This presentation reviews the 2013 status of TBMs in mining applications. These 

mining projects include both coal mining and metal mining, and use both 

hardrock and shielded, mixed ground TBMs. The special requirements of the 

mining projects, and the adapted TBM features will be described. 

9:25 AM 

Mine Plugs 

W. Harrison; Brierley Assoc LLC, Denver, CO 

We will present a paper that discusses the good. the bad and the ugly or the many 

shades of grey experienced while constructing the Mine plug at Summitville, 

Colorado; the mine plug repair at Kohler No.2, Silverton, Colorado; and the decant 

outlet plug at Urad Mine, Empire Colorado. We will discuss anchoring, concrete 

placement, cement and chemical grouting and cellular grout. 

9:45 AM 

High Quality Precast Concrete Tunnel Liners 

L. Worden; CSI, Denver, CO 

The paper describes the disciplined process of manufacturing precision precast 

concrete tunnel liners via carousel production techniques for consistent and large 

outputs utilizing high strength durable concrete. The design and use of precast 

concrete for long term durability will be discussed together with the quality assurance 

methods used to ensure the high standards required. The use of high 

yield reinforcement and steel fibers will be discussed to provide an overview of 

the two options. Discussion on the durability of the tunnel liners in a hydrogen 

sulphide environment will include solutions with specialized concretes and internal 

lining techniques to provide long term durability. 

10:05 AM 

Challenges in Coal Mine Slope Construction 

D. Rogstad; FK Constructors, Denver, CO 

Coal mines in the eastern US often use sloped shafts as production beltways for 

ore removal, as means of access for supplies, and for ventilation. These structures 

are usually completed with the help of a contractor. In late 2011, Frontier- 

Kemper Constructors was engaged to build a slope for a coal mine in southern 

Indiana. Although the site was located in familiar Illinois basin formations, the 

geology proved to be very difficult. This paper describes some of the challenges 

faced during excavation of this slope and the methods used to overcome them, including 

changing the method from conventional drill and blast to cutting with a 

continuous miner. 

10:25 AM 

Roadheader Performance on the Caldecott 4th Bore Tunnel 

D. Kwietnewski and S. Harvey; Brierley Assoc. LLC, Denver, CO 

The 4th bore of the Caldecott Tunnel is a 50-ft horseshoe shaped highway tunnel 

located in the hills east of Oakland, California. Tunnel excavation was mostly 

completed using one of the worlds largest commercially available roadheaders, a 

Wirth T3.20. The geologic profile included seven different geologic units, which 

displayed a range of different behavior with regard to excavation and initial support. 

Following a brief introduction to the excavation and support methods, this 

paper will discuss roadheader performance in the various geologic units encountered 

during excavation. Comments will also be made concerning the relationship 

between the roadheader method of excavation and observed ground convergence 

during excavation. 

10:45 AM 

Hard Rock Double Shield for Gran San Bernardo Service and 

Safety Tunnel between Italy and Switzerland 

W. Trisi; Caterpiller Tunneling Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada 

Italian contractor Condotte S.p.A was awarded the new Gran San Bernardo 

Service and Safety (GSBSS) Tunnel. This new tunnel would run parallel to the 

existing Gran San Bernardo (GSB) Tunnel located between Italy and 

Switzerland. The new service and safety tunnel would be approximately 5.8km 

long, 4.2m in diameter, and would utilize a Caterpillar Hard Rock Double Shield 

Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) to excavate and line the tunnel. The tunnel was 

to be built to improve safety, efficiency and ventilation of the existing GSB tunnel. 

The GSB and GSBSS would be linked via 23 cross passages approximately 

every 240m. The tunnel alignment would run through transalpine rock formations 

suck as gneiss, schist and sandstone with up to 950m of cover in areas. This 

paper will discuss the TBM specifications, tunnel lining details, jobsite conditions 

and highlights of this successful project. 


78 



11:05 AM 

Disc Cutter Monitoring on Hard Rock Tunnel Boring Machines 

H. Lashkari 1 , A. Shanahan 2 , S. Smading 2 and J. Rostami 1 ; 

1 

Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA and 2 Robbins 

Company, Kent, WA 

Monitoring the condition of disc cutters in real-time has always been a challenge 

on tunnel boring machines (TBMs). Having certain types of data available can 

help maximize boring efficiency and reduce damage to cutters. This includes the 

rotational speed, temperature, and the vibration level of each cutter. Having this 

information available allows for prediction of the cutter wear rate and an overall 

assessment of the condition of the disc cutter. By looking at the combined data 

vs. machine parameter, the machine operational parameters can be adjusted to 

maximize the efficiency of the excavation process. Cutter wear can be calculated 

from the cutter rpm, cutter position, and cutterhead rpm, which can minimize 

the frequency of cutter inspection and increase machine utilization. This paper 

will discuss the disc cutter monitoring system on some of the recent Robbins 

TBMs and the advantages of having the additional data in optimizing the machine 

operation and improving machine utilization and daily advance rates. 

Valuation I: Lessons Learned 


chairs: J. Gustavson, Mineral Appraiser LLC, Boulder, CO 

J. Manes, CMC Inc., Scottsdale, AZ 

9:00 AM 

Introductions 

9:05 AM 

Appraising Sliding-Scale Mineral Royalties: A Method for 

Incorporating Commodity Price Projections 

D. Hammond 1 and A. Courtney 2 ; 1 Hammond International Group, 

Highlands Ranch, CO and 2 Consultant, Highlands Ranch, CO 

Commodity price projections are major inputs for the appraisal of any mineral 

asset but are even more critical in valuing sliding-scale mineral royalties. In such 

valuations the timing of price excursions from trend assumptions becomes a principal 

determinant of DCF value. Commonly used linear price projection assumptions 

typically miss this aspect, and probabilistic techniques can be difficult for 

non-experts to understand. The discussion outlines a practical approach to projecting 

commodity prices based on historical trends and volatility to generate expected 

NPVs for such royalties. 

9:25 AM 

If This Deposit is Worth That Much, Why Hasn’t It Already Been 

Mined Out?, and Other Lessons for Minerals Appraisers 

T. Ellis; Ellis International Services, Denver, CO 

The author presents a varied compilation of lessons learned from his career as a 

mineral property appraiser, consultant, expert witness, and valuation standards 

developer. 

9:45 AM 

Lessons Learned: Documentation and Recordkeeping on Appraisals 

Used for Conservation/Donation Purposes 

J. Manes and T. Quartiero; CMC Inc, Scottsdale, AZ 

In late 2006, an appraiser working for CMC, Inc. prepared a mineral interest appraisal 

report to be used for charitable conservation/donation purposes. In 2010, 

Special Agents of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation division 

performed an unexpected gation and audit of the appraiser and appraisal report. 

Following an extensive review process, it was revealed that the landowners of the 

mineral property fraudulently obtained title to the mineral property, and the possibility 

of collusion between the landowner and appraiser was being investigated. 

The appraiser, appraisal report and company were all determined by the Internal 

Revenue Service to not have been involved, and the company was later asked to 

represent the Internal Revenue Service with prosecution of the landowners. The 

author of this paper was not the appraiser being investigated, however witnessed 

the overall process as an executive of the company. Several valuable lessons about 

contracting, clients, donation appraisals, reports and paperwork were learned. 

10:05 AM 

Correct Calculation of the Alternate Valuation Date 

Fair Market Value 

L. Posgate; LRP Business Appraisal, Driftwood, TX 

In Valuing a Producing Royalty or Working Interest on an alternate valuation date 

6 months post-date of death (D of D ) for estate tax purpose and in compliance 

with IRC Sec. 2032, the in-place value of the severed production must be calculated 

(in the intervening 6 months post D of D (AVD) and pre- alternate date), and 

added back to the AVD. The severed mineral value must also be discounted to D 

of D by an appropriate discount rate considering all relevant risks and a return 

ON and OF capital. This interim value addition must be more than offset to allow 

the AVD election to be useful in reflecting lower market values than those prevailing 

on the D of D. This presentation reviews the Holl v. U.S. Federal tax calculation 

methods employed by the petitioner and case decision that, upon 1992 appellate 

court remand, prevailed, and we discuss correct and incorrect AVD methods. 

Reflecting on case law and reviewing several appraisal cases performed, the accepted 

method was considered for both a mineral estate value and also considering 

an alternate value of a limited partnership holding the minerals. 

10:25 AM 

Lessons Learned from Marcellus Shale Appraisals 

T. Knobloch 1 and J. Gustavson 2 ; 1 James Knobloch Petroleum 

Consultants Inc., Marietta, OH and 2 Mineral Appraiser LLC, 

Boulder, OH 

Historically, FMV appraisals in the Appalachians were limited to valuing royalty 

income from marginal wells for estate tax purposes. FMV was typically based on 

1) a multiple of monthly income and/or 2) production decline curve and related 

DCF analysis. The Marcellus Shale with its significant future income from BCFlevel 

reserves from horizontal wells demanded the approach required to include 

also sales comparison and lease bonus methods. Appraisals to date have focused 

on small, single-interest owners in remote areas with limited Marcellus development, 

to much larger 70,000+ acre ORRI valuation. The latter included properties 

owned by multiple individuals and with multiple well operators, various 

stages of well development, but with limited public data. Valuable lessons 

learned through these appraisals included: client-provided information, sticks-ofthe-bundle 

to be valued, lease limitations, Highest & Best Use, adjustments of 

comparable sales, state and other public resources, company presentations, lease 

broker interviews, variations in gas quality, water availability and markets for natural 

gas and NGLs. 

tueSday, February 26 

aFternoon 


health and Safety Management Systems 

2:00 PM • Tuesday, February 26 

chairs: E. Hall, Office of Mine Safety & Health 

Research/NIOSH, Pittsburgh, PA 

D. Reinke, NIOSH, Pittsburgh, PA 

2:00 PM 

Introductions 

2:05 PM 

MineSAFE: A New Software Architecture for 

Mine Safety Education 

L. Brown 1 , J. Hill 2 and M. Poulton 2 ; 1 Computer Science, University of 

Arizona, Tucson, AZ and 2 Mining & Geological Engineering, 

University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 

With the expansion and diversification of the mining industry workforce, trainers 

have identified a growing need for new and more versatile training materials. 

Well-designed computer games can serve a valuable role in supplementing established 

best practices in workplace learning. MineSAFE is an evolving platform 

that is being used to create computer games for mine safety education. The objectives 

of this platform are three-fold: (1) to elicit critical thinking about mine 

safety practices through interactive and contextualized learning; (2) to allow cus- 


79 



tomization of learning materials for specific audiences, mine methods, and sites, 

with a particular emphasis on workplace literacy; and (3) to empower trainers to 

evaluate user understanding and decision making through a suite of integrated 

evaluation tools. In this work, we discuss the design and architecture of the 

MineSAFE platform. We give examples of training tools that are being developed 

through MineSAFE, including an interactive fatalgram simulator and a 

mine emergency preparedness game. We look at possible usage cases and discuss 

initial user feedback. 

2:25 PM 

The Transformation of Underground Coal Contractor Injury Rates 

S. Bealko and J. Helbig; Safety, GMS Mine Repair and Maintenance, 

Mt. Lake Park, MD 

Injury rates for underground coal contractors transformed from mediocre to considerably 

improved in recent years. A 2011 NIOSH report showed that u.g. coal 

contractors (1992 2007) had a higher injury rate (IR) than coal operators but 

started to converge towards the end of the study. They also concluded that larger 

companies had higher IR than smaller ones. Since then, contractor safety has improved. 

Same data analysis from 2008 2011 tell a more encouraging story. This 

paper discusses a brief history and role of underground contractors and describes 

the challenges unique to contractors. It verifies trends in improved contractor incident 

rates as well as enhanced production hours and specialty functions. 

Finally, this paper provides a comprehensive case study of the largest coal contractor 

in the U.S. that has maintained an IR two to three times lower than underground 

coal operators and main competitors for over three years. Much of 

their company success comes from strict background checks and pre-employment 

screening, 100% drug testing policy, underground hands-on safety training, continuous 

safety education, and a sheer determination to improve safety. 

2:45 PM 

Program to Reduce Personal Injuries to Ukrainian Coal Miners 

J. Sottile 1 , R. Sweigard 1 and B. O’Dea 2 ; 1 Mining Engineering, 

University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY and 2 Alpha Natural 

Resources, Julian, WV 

This paper describes a project undertaken to reduce personal injuries suffered by 

Ukrainian coal miners. The approach used is based, as much as practical, on the 

framework adopted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health 

(NIOSH) for injury research and prevention. Several visits were made to Ukraine 

to visit coal mines to meet with mine managers and observe various mining operations. 

Visits were also made to government offices to collect injury data and discuss 

the injury reporting system. Analysis of injury reports were conducted to determine 

type and frequency of injuries and the locations and conditions under 

which they were occurring. During this process, it was recognized that the collection 

and analysis steps could be significantly enhanced by the development of an 

electronic injury reporting system designed specifically to facilitate collecting and 

analyzing injury data. As a result, one outcome of the work was the development 

and testing of an on-line injury report form. Subsequent analysis of the injuries 

led to recommendations for additional mining equipment/tools, personal protective 

equipment, and changes to some mining operations. 

3:05 PM 

Automatic Land Movement Monitoring Using Terrestrial Based 

Static LiDAR 

M. Leslar, D. Adams and A. Pelkie; Optech Inc., West Henrietta, NY 

Change detection has been an important part of the static terrestrial LiDAR industry 

since its inception (Field Note: ILRIS 3-D, One Tool, Multiple Uses: Mine 

Safety, Volume Calculation, Change Detection, 2006). The ability of LiDAR to 

provide accurate and timely comparisons between two separate objects, or a single 

object over time, has made LiDAR a valuable tool to a variety of occupational 

disciplines and industries, including mining, geology, and engineering. Recently, 

interest has been generated in the automation of a terrestrial laser scanner for the 

purposes of change monitoring in three dimensional landscapes. To this end, an 

automated monitoring solution was recently developed and successfully implemented 

for a large mining operation in the United States. This automated system, 

coupled with the mines internal alarm system, is programmed to activate the 

alarms when there is movement outside of the acceptable tolerance limits, allowing 

for the pit to be vacated quickly and safely. 

3:25 PM 

Computational Fluid Dynamics Validation Utilizing a Tracer Gas 

Study Related to a Mine Mill Area Toxic Gas Release for 

Emergency Response Planning 

D. Hall, C. Strode, E. Rasmuson, A. Korchevskiy, J. Rasmuson and 

R. Strode; Chemistry & Industrial Hygiene, Inc., Wheat Ridge, CO 

CFD, an occupational and community exposure modeling tool, was utilized to 

determine personnel emergency evacuation response times based on a potential 

toxic gas release at a mine mill area. Initially, the Area Locations of Hazardous 

Atmospheres (ALOHA) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

(NOAA) software was used to characterize the toxic gas dispersion, however due 

to the varied terrain and building arrangements a more complex model was utilized 

to refine the contours. This presentation will cover the details, drawbacks 

and benefits of conducting an onsite tracer gas validation study and comparing 

those results with the CFD model results. Model validation case scenarios will be 

presented based upon study findings. The unique advantages in using CFD models 

for the mining emergency response planning will be demonstrated. 

chair: 

2:00 PM 

Introductions 


research and development 


M. Trevits, NIOSH, Pittsburgh, PA 

2:05 PM 

Improvement on Mathematical Model for Studying Coals 

Propensity of Spontaneous Combustion 

X. Wang and Y. Luo; Mining Engineering, West Virginia University, 


It is believed that sulfur and volatile matter contents in coals are the main intrinsic 

properties to cause the self-heating of coal. Their oxidation at lower temperatures 

than that of fixed carbon to initiate coals self-heating should be quantified. 

This study is aimed to improve the previous mathematical model developed by 

the authors for studying the coals propensity for spontaneous combustion. It enhances 

the models ability to consider the effects of sulfur, volatile matter and 

moisture content in the coal three important factors affecting the coals self-heating 

process. Sulfur exists in coal primarily in the form of pyrite which will be oxidized 

rapidly under suitable conditions. Volatile matters, higher in low rank 

coals, are more easily to be oxidized. The determination of the relationship between 

oxidation rate and temperature for these two components are built in the 

model. Heat of water condensation which provides initial energy for low temperature 

oxidation is also incorporated into the model. Adiabatic tests on coal samples 

are conducted in air from ambient temperature, similar to actual mining and 

storage conditions, to verify the improved model. 

2:25 PM 

The Assessment of the Effect of Carbide-Silicone Particle Size and 

the Type of Gating System on Composite Micro-Structure 

Produced by Lost Foam Casting Method 

M. Basiri 1 and E. Asadi 2 ; 1 Mining Eng., Tarbiat Modares University, 

Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran and 2 Metalurgy Dept., IUST, 

Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran 

The application of aluminum matrix composites, due to their unique properties, 

significantly is growing up in the variety of industries such as aerospace and automobile. 

The aluminum has low price comparison with the other light metals 

such as magnesium and titanium. These are the advantage that dominates this 

metal to the others. In this research, first by applying the lost foam casting 

method, the SiCp/A356 composite was casted in the bottom and side gate conditions 

with 690 Celsius degree and volume fraction of 10%. Then the effects of reinforcement 

particles (60 µm, 75 µm) were examined. The results presents the 

particle distribution in the side gate methods are more uniformed than bottom 

gate casting method. Also, by increasing the particles size, the fading rate, in the 

side gate, are reduced from 22% to 19%, as well as from 26.4% to 25.4% in the 

bottom gate. 


80 



2:45 PM 

Use of Magnetic Proximity Detection Systems in the 

Presence of Coal 

J. Carr, J. Li and A. Smith; NIOSH, Pittsburgh, PA 

Severe injuries and fatalities occur every year when a miner is struck or pinned by 

a continuous mining machine (CMM), or other piece of mobile equipment. 

Proximity detection systems offer a means to prevent these types of injuries and 

fatalities. There are now three proximity detection systems approved by MSHA 

for use in underground coal mines. However, the influence that coal has on the 

electromagnetic fields used in these systems has never before been rigorously 

quantified. NIOSH researchers have conducted a test to measure whether the 

proximity of coal has a significant influence on a popular design of proximity detection 

system. The system tested utilizes a low frequency magnetic field generator 

that could be mounted on the mining machine. At the Safety Research Coal 

Mine (SRCM) in Pittsburgh, the electrical properties and the performance of a 

simplified proximity detection system were measured on the surface and at varying 

distance from a coal face underground. These measurements show that the 

coal has practically zero impact on the performance of the system. For the system 

design tested, placing the generators near a coal rib is not expected to degrade system 

performance. 

3:05 PM 

An Evaluation of Potential Perfluoromethylcyclohexane (PMCH) 

Release Vessel Designs for Tracer Gas Studies in 

Underground Mines 

E. Jong 1 , S. Underwood 1 , K. Luxbacher 1 and H. McNair 2 ; 1 Mining 

Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA and 2 Chemistry, Virginia 

Tech, Blacksburg, VA 

Perfluoromethylcyclohexane (PMCH) is a member of the perfluorocarbon tracer 

(PFT) group of compounds. PMCH has been identified as a viable alternative to 

the widely used tracer gas sulfur hexafluoride (SF6). This viability stems from the 

fact that PMCH can be used concurrently with SF6 while maintaining adequate 

chromatographic separation and comparable sensitivity during analysis. 

However, the release of PMCH in an underground mine ventilation system is 

challenging due to its physical characteristics. SF6 exists as a gas at room temperature 

and pressure and can be released in accurate quantities using a variety of 

means including flow meters and flow controllers. In contrast, PMCH exists as a 

volatile liquid at room temperature and pressure, a characteristic that prevents 

PMCH from being deployed using traditional means. One of the methods used to 

release PMCH utilizes a hollow aluminum cylinder, allowing for diffusion of the 

gas out of the cylinder. This paper evaluates several designs with varying cylinder 

diameters, plug thicknesses, and plug materials for the aluminum vessel release 

method, so that a source that is appropriate for the mine scale may be developed. 

3:25 PM 

Noise Exposure Assessment for Five Underground Metal 

Mining Machines 

A. Alamuru, S. Peterson, D. Yantek and R. Randolph; HLPB, 

NIOSH/CDC, Pittsburgh, PA 

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health is developing noise 

control solutions to address high rates of hazardous noise exposure in underground 

metal mines. A noise exposure assessment was conducted on load-hauldumps, 

haul trucks, jumbo drills, locomotives, and jackleg drills. For each machine, 

the complete work cycle was broken down into individual operations. The 

noise exposure attributable to each cycle was assessed by collecting data from 

dosimeters affixed to the machine operators and recording timed observations of 

the operating cycles. The collected data were used to calculate the dose per hour 

and dose per cycle using the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) 

permissible exposure level (PEL) and the NIOSH recommended exposure limit 

(REL). The data helps identify individual operations for each machine type 

which contributes significantly to operator noise dose. The analysis conducted for 

this paper will be used in focusing noise control development on reducing noise 

exposure while performing those machine operations which result in a significant 

dose per cycle. 

3:45 PM 

Characterization and Prediction of Froth Pump Performance 

J. Furlan and R. Visintainer; Engineering, R&D, GIW Industries, 

Grovetown, GA 

Due to the time consuming nature of froth testing in a laboratory environment, it 

is required, due to practical limitations, to develop a method of applying a single 

set of performance test data (Visintainer and Whitlock, 2012) obtained for a single 

froth pump at a given speed, to a range of froth pump speeds and sizes, % air 

contents, and liquid viscosities. Head, efficiency, and flow all vary as functions of 

both liquid viscosity and air content. As such, it is necessary to develop a technique 

which can be used to interpolate from existing test data in order to predict 

froth pump performance for pumps of various sizes running at variable speeds. 

Details of the technique developed in order to achieve this goal are discussed. 

Additionally, comparisons are made between the performance predictions of this 

test-derived method and those of the Hydraulic Institute Standard for the effects 

of liquid viscosity on centrifugal pump performance. 

chair: 

2:00 PM 

Introductions 


Ventilation III 


K. Luxbacher, Virginia Polytech Institute and State 

University, Blacksburg, VA 

2:05 PM 

Pressure and Flow Investigation of an Axial Booster Fan with 

Variable Blade Settings Experimental and CFD Approach 

A. Habibi, M. Thiruvengadam and S. Gillies; Mining and Nuclear 

Engineering, Missouri S&T, Rolla, MO 

The study has been undertaken on a 1.12 m diameter industrial booster fan operating 

under the different blades settings with 1200 rpm at Missouri University of 

Science and Technology. The fan total pressure varies up to 1kPa, blowing 30 

m3/s. The pressure-quantity survey has been conducted with different blade settings 

to investigate the pressure fluctuations specifically during fan startup. The 

study then follows up by involving the Variable speed drive to determine the effect 

of rotational frequency in the system. Computational fluid dynamics is used for 

analyzing three dimensional flow structures in time domain and calculating the 

corresponding unsteady pressure fluctuations. The geometric model of the fan 

and the bulkhead has been built. This is followed by meshing and defining the 

boundary conditions. The sliding and dynamic mesh techniques will be used to 

study the unsteady flow interaction arising due to the rotation of the fan blades. 

The numerical predictions of the variables in the form of velocity vectors and contour 

plots detailing the flow characteristics are then analyzed, compared and verified 

according to the known physical situation and existing experimental data. 

2:25 PM 

Design and Construction of a Test Tunnel to Obtain Fan 

Performance Curves. Case Study: Field Tests in Coal Mines 

N. Rueda and C. Toro; MSO Industrial, Medellin, Colombia 

Fans are the most important component in an underground ventilation system 

and their operation is defined by their performance curve. With this curve is possible 

to select the optimum fan according to the desired airflow and mine resistance. 

Manufacturers provide curves for new fans but old or existing fans usually 

do not have a curve. To replace all existing fans for new ones can be costly therefore 

obtain curves for existing fans is a viable option. This paper shows a standardized 

method based on ANSI/AMCA 2210 07 ANSI/ASHRAE 51 07 that 

covers different stages of the characterization process: the design of the bench, 

the screening of the fans to be tested, the assembly and installation of the bench 

in the mine, the analysis of the resultant curves, the implementation into the simulation 

software and the analysis of the results. This method is presented with a 

field study in a coal company with 5 different mines and more than 50 evaluated 

fans of medium and small size. 

2:45 PM 

3D CFD Simulation of Airflow Re-distribution and Associated 

Pressure Drops Inside the Overcast in Underground Coal Mines 

J. Tien and M. Thiruvengadam; Missouri S&T, Rolla, MO 

Overcast are indispensible ventilation devices in room and pillar coal mines to 

permit one airway to pass over another without mixing. The airflow distribution 

inside the overcast depends on its specific configuration at which the flow enters 

into it. This study focuses on the three dimensional numerical simulations of turbulent 

airflow to examine the pressure and velocity distributions inside an overcast. 

The effects of the overcast angle on the flow field are also examined. 

Simulated results reveal flow separation and recirculation regions of different 

size occurring not only upstream and downstream from the overcast but also in- 


81 



side it. The results also show that the size of the recirculation regions increased 

with the increase in the angle of the overcast influencing significantly the flow 

field and pressure losses. Results for the pressure and velocity distributions and 

the effect of overcast angles on these results are presented. The streamlines are 

also plotted to show the three-dimensional structure of the flow field. The results 

from the simulation can guide design of overcast in underground coal mines. 

3:05 PM 

Ventilation Risk Management in Underground Coal Mines: 

Atmospheric Monitoring in the United States 

K. Griffin 1 , K. Luxbacher 1 and M. Karmis 2 ; 1 Mining and Minerals 

Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA and 2 Virginia Center for 

Coal and Energy Research, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 

Atmospheric conditions underground are constantly trending which makes it 

necessary to examine a mines ventilation using a risk based approach. The implementation 

of risk assessment and management allows operators to identify 

comprehensive site specific ventilation parameters, trends, and modify ventilation 

plans as a mine develops. Atmospheric monitoring in underground coal mines allows 

mine operators to analyze atmospheric conditions underground in real-time. 

Real-time monitoring can be used to identify whether atmospheric conditions underground 

are abnormally trending or have become problematic. Ventilation risk 

assessment and management allows developing atmospheric monitoring technologies 

to be fully utilized in order to increase safety standards in the United 

States. This paper reviews general risk assessment approaches, state of the art 

ventilation based risk assessment, and risk assessment and management application 

within the United States regulatory framework. 

3:25 PM 

Impact of Nitrogen Inertization on Methane Distribution in 

Bleederless Longwall Gobs 

J. Brune, D. Worrall, J. Grubb and D. Munoz; Mining Engineering, 

Colo. School of Miners, Golden, CO 

Underground longwall coal mining sections are operated as bleederless or sealed 

gobs if the coal is prone to spontaneous combustion. Sealing along the gate roads 

as the longwall face retreats limits the flow of fresh air into the gob and thus deprives 

spontaneous combustion of oxygen. In a project sponsored by the National 

Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), researchers at the 

Colorado School of Mines have used computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling 

to simulate the flow of gases in longwall gobs. Following validation with 

limited operational mine data, the models indicate that targeted injection of nitrogen 

along the gate roads inby the face can be used to control the size and location 

of methane and air clouds within the gob and to minimize or eliminate the 

explosion hazard resulting from the formation of flammable methane-air mixtures 

in longwall gobs. 

chair: 

2:00 PM 

Introductions 


Geological Influences on 

acid Mine drainage 


D. Carpenter, ARCADIS, Brighton, MI 

2:05 PM 

Understanding Uranium Roll-front Ore Body Formation Aids in 

Predicting Mine Closure Challenges 

D. Carpenter; ARCADIS, Brighton, MI 

Previous work (Carpenter, 2012) documented the specific benefits associated 

with application of the understanding of the ore genesis of porphyry copper deposits 

to acid mine drainage potential and associated mine closure challenges. 

This present work will continue this discussion and focus on the currently accepted 

ore genesis model for uranium roll-front type deposits; an important uranium 

ore body-type especially within the United States. This presentation will describe 

the evolution of geochemical conditions leading to ore body formation and 

the geochemical effects induced by open pit mining and how these may be used to 

understand both the geochemical controls and constraints on residual mine 

water. The consequences of thess processes will be shown to represent specific 

mine closure challenges. Reference Carpenter, D. J., 2012, Understanding How 

Ore Body Formation Aids in Predicting Acid Mine Drainage Potential, SME 

2012 Conference. 

2:25 PM 

Microbial Ecology of Iron Cycling in Mined Environments 

L. Kirk, L. Bozeman and M. Kozubal; Enviromin, Inc., 

Bozeman, MT 

Biogeochemical cycling of iron is critically important to effective management of 

acid rock drainage, trace element attenuation, and carbon cycling in mined environments, 

but its control requires better understanding of microbial community 

structure and metabolism. A data mining approach has been employed to compile 

and characterize the geomicrobiology of iron cycling in mining environments 

worldwide where geochemistry, microbial populations and metabolic data 

have been published. Results show important differences in microbial ecology depending 

on mineralogy, aqueous chemistry, pH, and temperature, and suggest 

that conceptual geochemical models of iron cycling can be significantly expanded 

through inclusion of microbiological data. Analysis of isolate and environmental 

genomes is especially valuable in characterizing the metabolic potential 

of in situ microbial communities. This work also indicates important gaps in 

understanding of geomicrobiology in mining environments, and offers insight 

into methods need to address gaps in knowledge about biogeochemical processes 

of critical importance to the mining industry. 

2:45 PM 

Mineralogical Characterization for Environmental Applications 

K. Smith 1 , K. Olson Hoal 2 and K. Pietersen 3 ; 1 Crustal Geophysics 

and Geochemistry Science Center, USGS, Denver, CO; 2 JKTech Pty 

Ltd., Denver, CO and 3 JKTech Pty Ltd., Brisbane, QLD, Australia 

Characterization of ore and gange material using quantitative micro-mineralogical 

and elemental techniques (e.g., Electron Probe Microanalysis (EPMA), 

QEMSCAN, and Mineral Liberation Analysis (MLA)) have the potential to 

complement traditional acid-base accounting techniques when predicting acid 

generation and metal release from waste rock. These characterization techniques, 

which are currently being used for metallurgical and geometallurgical applications, 

can be more broadly applied throughout the mine-life cycle to include environmental 

applications. Critical insights into mineral liberation, mineral associations, 

particle size, particle texture, and mineralogical residence phase(s) of 

environmentally important elements can be used to anticipate potential environmental 

challenges. Mineralogical and textural information can be used to help interpret 

predictive tests. Resources spent on initial characterization result in lower 

uncertainties of environmental impact and potential cost savings associated with 

remediation and closure. Examples illustrate mineralogical and textural characterization 

of tailings and mining waste materials from sites in the western USA. 

3:05 PM 

Predicting Total Dissolved Solids Release from Overburden in 

West Virginia 

J. Skousen, J. Odenheimer and L. McDonald; West Virginia 

University, Morgantown, WV 

Tthe Appalachian coal industry has been successful in developing technologies to 

identify, handle, treat and isolate potentially acid-forming overburden materials 

at coal mines in the region. However, the techniques to predict acid mine 

drainage potential do not adequately predict the release of total dissolved solids 

(TDS). Our objective was to determine the effect of different acidic solutions on 

overburden dissolution and the release of constituents contributing to TDS. 

Fifteen overburden samples (five strata from three locations) were collected from 

surface mines in West Virginia. Ground samples were leached separately with dilute 

HNO3 acid, EDTA, and HF acid to obtain the most accurate in-lab experiment 

to determine TDS release from overburden materials. Supernatants were 

analyzed biweekly for pH, EC, TDS, and other selected ions. Leachate pH was 

initially low at around pH 2.0 due to the acid used to leach the materials, but the 

majority of the samples quickly increased to pH greater than 7.0. Leachate EC (a 

surrogate for TDS) showed high levels initially (some as high as 2,000 uS/cm) 

but they quickly dropped to


3:25 PM 

Microbial Ecology of Iron Cycling in Mined Environments 

L. Kirk, L. Bozeman and M. Kozubal; Enviromin, Inc., 

Bozeman, MT 

Biogeochemical cycling of iron is critically important to effective management of 

acid rock drainage, trace element attenuation, and carbon cycling in mined environments, 

but its control requires better understanding of microbial community 

structure and metabolism. A data mining approach has been employed to compile 

and characterize the geomicrobiology of iron cycling in mining environments 

worldwide where geochemistry, microbial populations and metabolic data 

have been published. Results show important differences in microbial ecology depending 

on mineralogy, aqueous chemistry, pH, and temperature, and suggest 

that conceptual geochemical models of iron cycling can be significantly expanded 

through inclusion of microbiological data. Analysis of isolate and environmental 

genomes is especially valuable in characterizing the metabolic potential 

of in situ microbial communities. This work also indicates important gaps in 

understanding of geomicrobiology in mining environments, and offers insight 

into methods need to address gaps in knowledge about biogeochemical processes 

of critical importance to the mining industry. 

chair: 

2:00 PM 

Introductions 


Mine Water treatment I 


M. Mierzejewski, CH2MHill, Richmond, VA 

2:05 PM 

Thermodynamic Constraints on Arsenic and Heavy Metals 

Removal from Water with Limestone-Based Material 

A. Davis 1 , C. Webb 2 , J. Sorensen 3 and D. Dixon 4 ; 1 Geological 

Engineering, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, 

Rapid City, SD; 2 Chemistry Dept., Western Kentucky University, 

Bowling Green, KY; 3 RESPEC, Rapid City, SD and 4 Chemical and 

Biological Engineering, South Dakota School of Mines and 

Technology, Rapid City, SD 

Limestone-based material is effective for reducing arsenic concentrations below 

the current limit of 10 parts per billion for drinking water, typically resulting in 

final concentrations of about 4 to 6 ppb. However, in laboratory and field testing, 

further reductions to the 1 ppb range are difficult to achieve with limestone. The 

removal mechanism appears to be the formation of a low-solubility precipitate of 

hydrated calcium arsenate. Likely reactions and thermodynamic data indicate a 

theoretical removal limit of about 2 to 4 ppb for arsenic. Limestone also can reduce 

concentrations of cadmium and lead below 1 ppb, resulting in >99% removal 

efficiency. Thermodynamic constraints appear to be favorable for reactions 

involving the formation of hydrocerussite during lead removal and the formation 

of otavite during cadmium removal. 

2:25 PM 

Targeted Removal of Molybdenum, Radium, Uranium and 

Selenium from a Mining 

H. Liang and J. Tamburini; Tetra Tech, Denver, CO 

Although uranium, radium, molybdenum, and selenium occur naturally and can 

be found in waters throughout many parts of the world, ingesting water containing 

these substances above established concentrations is considered harmful to 

human health and can also harm aquatic life. Therefore, successful treatment and 

removal of these toxicants is crucial to protecting human and environmental 

health. This presentation will highlight research conducted at a water treatment 

plant where optimization of conventional treatment processes such as lime softening 

and ferric coagulation led to the successful treatment of all four inorganic 

contaminants to their target levels. Because uranium, molybdenum, and selenium 

all undergo complex speciation chemistry in aqueous solution, much of the 

presentation will focus on details of the water chemistry and speciation considerations 

for optimizing the removal of these contaminants. Both bench scale tests 

and full scale water treatment plant data and analyses will be presented, and the 

rationales for the refinement of the inorganic contaminants removal treatment 

processes will be discussed. 

2:45 PM 

Design and Construction of Twin-PRBs to Intercept Arsenic in a 

Former Arroyo 

J. Horst 1 , G. Leone 2 and A. Griffin 3 ; 1 ARCADIS, Newtown, PA; 

2 

ARCADIS, Denver, CO and 3 ARCADIS, Seattle, WA 

The 100+ year history of operation at a former lead and copper smelter has resulted 

in groundwater across most of the site footprint being impacted primarily 

with arsenic. The highest concentrations of arsenic and the majority of groundwater 

flow are both focused along former (now buried) arroyos. These features 

represent the greatest contribution of contaminant mass flux toward off- site receptors, 

and are the key to an integrated strategy for groundwater restoration. 

With groundwater seepage velocities ranging between approximately 4 and 10 

feet per day, one part of that strategy involved the use of sequential permeable reactive 

barriers to reduce contaminant flux toward off-site receptors. This presentation 

will review the pre-design, design, and final configuration of a pair of test 

barriers. It will also review the construction of the barriers and present some 

post-construction performance data. 

3:05 PM 

Successful Negotiation of Natural Attenuation for Arsenic Using 

the EPA Framework 

J. Horst 1 and M. Gentile 2 ; 1 ARCADIS, Newtown, PA and 

2 

ARCADIS, San Francisco, CA 

EPA recently released a new framework for supporting natural attenuation 

demonstrations associated with metals and other inorganics. This framework 

was applied for a site with an arsenic plume in groundwater, sourced by the flushing 

of residual organics from beneath a former waste repository. Natural 

biodegradation of these organics resulted in an anaerobic environment and 

caused naturally occurring arsenic in the aquifer matrix to dissolve into groundwater 

via reductive dissolution. This presentation will review the details of a 

phased biogeochemical evaluation that included geochemical analysis of aquifer 

solids and identification of precedents at other EPA-lead sites, and summarize 

the demonstration that supported EPA approval of a change in remedy from 

pump and treat to MNA. 

3:25 PM 

Constructed Wetland Treatment Systems for Mine Drainage Can 

They Really Provide Green and Sustainable Solutions? 

P. Eger 1 and C. KairiesBeatty 2 ; 1 Global Minerals Engineering, 

Hibbing, MN and 2 Winona State University, Winona, MN 

The use of wetlands to treat mine drainage has become increasingly common. 

They offer the promise of a green and sustainable solution, but how long will 

they really work? Treatment lifetime is a function of the metal removal processes. 

In surface flow wetlands, trace metals can be removed from neutral mine 

drainage by reactions with the organic substrate. Over 90% of the copper and 

nickel have been removed in these systems in Minnesota. The primary removal 

processes include adsorption, ion exchange and complexation. These processes 

are finite since they depend on the existence of suitable removal sites. Removal 

will cease unless new removal sites are generated. Two wetlands in northeastern 

Minnesota have been treating mine drainage for almost 20 years and are believed 

to be the oldest wetlands treating metal mine drainage in the United States. 

Treatment lifetime has been estimated to exceed a hundred years. At one of the 

wetlands, the annual production of new removal sites has been estimated to be 

equal to the annual metal input. As a result, metal removal should theoretically 

continue indefinitely resulting in a green and sustainable solution. 


83 




Industrial Minerals research at 

universities 


chairs: B. Li, Michigan Technological University, 

Houghton, MI 

R. Pruett, Imerys, Milledgeville, GA 

2:00 PM 

Introductions 

2:05 PM 

Chemical Resistance of Waste-based Green-cement Mortars 

H. Wu and P. Sun; Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 

Fly ash and other waste based cements have many advantages over Portland cement: 

energy efficient, less greenhouse emission, and better high temperature resistance. 

Green cements made from fly ash are particularly advantageous because 

of their environmental benefits and cost efficiency. In this study, the chemical resistance 

of fly ash based mortars was investigated. 


Symposium: 

Separations Innovation I 


Innovations in Flotation Equipment 

Mike Nelson 

Innovations in Flotation Reagents 

'Nag' Nagaraj 

Innovations in Flotation Modeling and Testing 

Peter Ameluxen 

Innovations in Flotation Practice 

Stephen Grano, University of Adelaide 

Innovations in Surface Measurement Techniques 

Roger Smart 

Innovations in Industrial Minerals Processing 

Nikhil Trivedi, Idekin International 

Innovations in Mineral Sands Beneficiation 

Erik Spiller, Tetra Tech Inc. 

2:25 PM 

Beneficiation of Terrestrial Resources for the Production of Lunar 

Simulant Separates 

C. Young; Met & Mat Eng, MT Tech, Butte, MT 

NASA has received direction for lunar habitation beginning in 2024. By then, it 

will be necessary to learn how lunar soil can be used to promote civilization on 

the moon. Questions must be answered: Will it support plant life?, Can it be used 

as a construction material?, What is needed to maximize health and safety?, and 

Will it affect equipment, tools, machinery, and clothes? The only samples available 

for study came from the Apollo Missions. Because the expense of bringing 

more back to Earth is prohibitive, there is not enough available to answer the 

above questions. Hence, there is a great need for its synthesis. Most efforts have 

concentrated on making simulant from single natural resources of volcanic rock. 

Another possibility is to use resources on Earth to extract the minerals of interest 

into concentrates or so-called separates using traditional mineral processing techniques, 

and then mix the separates in appropriate ratios to simulate the lunar soil. 

In this presentation, results from a study in which an outcrop material and mill 

tailings were examined with the inside challenge of making separates from 

gangue minerals. 

2:45 PM 

Bioflotation of Malachite Using Rhodococcus Opacus: 

Role of Bacterial Growth Phase 

G. Kim, S. Sim, W. Chae and H. Kim; Department of Mineral Resources 

and Energy Engineering, Chonbuk National University, 

Jeonju, Republic of Korea 

The influence of bacterial growth phase on the flotation behavior of malachite 

has been investigated in a well-controlled Hallimond tube system. The microflotation 

tests were conducted for malachite (45-53 …m) using different levels 

(1E8-1E10 cells/g) of Rodococcus opacus as a collector, which was grown at 

mid-exponential versus stationary phase, at a constant speed (340 rpm), pH 

(pH=6), and malachite-bacteria interaction and flotation time (each 10 min). In 

order to further understand the role of cell growth phase on the flotation behavior 

of malachite, additional characterization experiments for cells and malachite 

(e.g., zeta potential, contact angle, and cell-malachite adsorption tests) as well as 

theoretical analysis (extended Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) theory) 

were performed. Overall, the results showed that malachite flotability was 

greater for stationary phase cells compared to mid-exponential cells at the cell 

dosage level of 1E9 and 1E10 cells/g. Furthermore, the flotation efficiency increased 

with increasing cell dosage for stationary phase cells while no distinct difference 

was observed for mid-exponential cells. 


Symposium: 

hydrometallurgy Innovations I 


Innovations in Copper/Molybdenum Processing 

Brent Hiskey, University of Arizona 

Innovations in the Recovery of Gold and Silver 

John Marsden, John O Marsden LLC 

Innovations in Bioleaching Technology 

Jim Brierley, Brierley Consultancy LLC 

Innovations in Chemical and Bacterial Water Treatment 

Jay McCloskey, University of Montana 

Larry Twidwell, University of Montana 

Innovations in Acid Drainage Control and Mitigation 

Tom Wideman 

Innovations in Analytical Chemistry 

Mark Lewis 

Innovations in Uranium Processing 

Henry Schnell, HA Schnell Consulting Inc. 


84 




comminution II 


chairs: M. Dennis, PERI, CO 

H. Walqui, Cliffs Natural Resources - Michigan 

Operations, Ishpeming, MI 

2:00 PM 

Introductions 

2:05 PM 

Effect of Ore Particle Size on Gold Dissolution 

in a Cyanide Solution 

C. Bazin 1 , D. Hodouin 1 and J. Egan 2 ; 1 Mining and Metallurgy, 

Laval University, Quebec, QC, Canada and 2 Produits Chimiques 

Magnus, Boucherville, QC, Canada 

The recovery of gold by ore leaching is influenced by the size of the particles and 

the chemical environment. Within the experimental error associated to the testing 

of gold ore, results of a series of leaching tests conducted with natural ores 

rather than mono sized samples confirm that gold dissolution increases with decreasing 

ore particle size. The tests also indicate that the dissolution of gold in the 

ore within a size interval is weakly affected by the intensity of the size reduction 

method used to produce the material in the size interval. 

2:25 PM 

A Non-Nuclear Density Meter and Mass Flow System Measuring 

Mining Slurry with Entrained Gas 

R. Batey; Sciam Worldwide, Orlando, FL 

DuPonts Maxville Mine in Florida was chosen to evaluate comparative costs of a 

nuclear density meter and a new non-nuclear direct mass per unit volume type. 

Considerable ambiguity of cost in annual production implies a nuclear gauge accuracy 

of ± 2% at best, which together with operational costs for a 16 pipe carrying 

zirconium slurry, amounts to nominally $962,000 per year. This paper describes 

this new Density Meter with gas entrainment compensation. It 

significantly reduces costs and overcomes the disadvantages of nuclear devices. A 

typical on-site accuracy of ± 0.285% can be shown. In the example above, this 

equates to an annual saving of over $880,000. 

2:45 PM 

Empire Pebble Crushing Circuit, Going Back to Basics, Is the 

Crusher Crushing? 

H. Walqui, B. Routhier, M. Olgren, C. Mahoski and B. Koski; 

Empire Concentrator, Cliffs Natural Resources - Michigan 

Operations, Ishpeming, MI 

This paper describes operating gains resulting from standardizing operating and 

maintenance practices to improve the performance of the pebble crushing circuit 

at the Empire concentrator. Past efforts have led to improved operating time but 

no additional throughput gains. New operating standards and checklists were developed 

and introduced. The content and frequency of the review of the process 

indicators was then changed to take advantage of the new practices resulting in 

an increase in feed rate and availability through the pebble crushing circuit. 

3:05 PM 

Non-invasive Technologies for Entrained Air and Enhanced Flow 

Measurements in Slurry Pipes and for Rock Detection in Cyclone 

Overflows 

C. O’Keefe 1 , J. Russell 1 , D. Cirulus 2 , P. Thwaites 3 , R. Peacock 4 and 

T. Huysamen 4 ; 1 CiDRA Minerals Processing, Wallingford, CT; 

2 

Kennecott Utah Copper Corporation, Salt Lake City, UT; 

3 

Xstrata Process Support, Falconbridge, ON, Canada and 

4 

Xstrata Alloys, Eland Platinum Concentrator, Brits, South Africa 

A new generation of instrumentation based on innovative non-invasive sensing 

and processing technology has enabled novel measurements at concentrators and 

on pipelines. To date this technology has been used to create instruments that can 

accurately measure multiphase flow rates and gas void fraction (entrained air) 

levels in pipes, and that can monitor hydrocyclone overflow. This paper will cover 

the use of the multiphase flow and gas void fraction measurements at several 

flotation concentrators to obtain true slurry volumetric flow rates and corrected 

mass flow rates in the presence of entrained air. This paper will also detail the use 

of non-invasive sensing technology at a concentrator to monitor for large oversize 

material passing through the overflow on each of its hydrocyclones in order 

to prevent sanding of its flotation cells. 


Flotation II 


chairs: T. Olson, FLSmidth Minerals, Salt Lake City, UT 

S. Miskovic, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 

2:00 PM 

Introductions 

2:05 PM 

Bubble Coalescence and Particle Detachment in 

Flotation-influence of Frothers 

S. Ata; University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia 

Bubble coalescence occurs frequently in froth flotation, particularly in the froth 

layer. This paper investigates how the presence of frothing agents affects the coalescence 

of air bubbles and the detachment of hydrophobic particles following 

the coalescence process. Two air bubbles of similar sizes were merged under 

well-controlled experimental conditions and the mass of particles detaching from 

the bubbles was measured. The bubbles were coated with glass spheres and 

galena particles. The influence of frother type and concentration on the bubble 

stability and strength of bubble-particle aggregates were studied. The results 

highlighted the role of flotation frothers in stabilising bubble surface deformation 

and particle detachment during coalescence. 

2:25 PM 

Frothing Behaviour and Adsorption Mechanism of Anionic 

Collectors at the Gas-solution Interface 

A. Atrafi; Mining Engineering, University of British Columbia, 

Vancouver, BC, Canada 

Frothing behaviour of surfactants originate from their preferential adsorption at 

the gas-solution interface. Different surfactants may demonstrate different adsorption 

behaviours depending on their molecular structure and surface activity. 

The quantity and rate of adsorption of surfactants at the gas- solution interface in 

flotation systems will certainly affect kinetics of reaction and fractionation of 

surfactant between bulk and foam phase and subsequently their frothing characteristics. 

In this paper the frothing characteristics of sodium oleate which is the 

main constituent of fatty acids used in flotation systems is explained. The adsorption 

behaviour of sodium oleate is then compared to a typical non-ionic 

frother (Methyl Isobutyl Carbinol, MIBC), a strong electrolyte anionic surfactant 

(sodium n-octadecyl sulfate) and a shorter chain fatty acid (Lauric acid) in terms 

of different adsorption behaviour at the gas-solution interface. Dynamic surface 

tension measurements were accompanied to explain the adsorption behaviour, 

though finally equilibrium surface tension turn out to better explain the foamability 

characteristics. 

2:45 PM 

Flotation Solutions to Addressing Acid Rock Drainage (ARD) 

From South African Coal Ultrafine Slurry Wastes 

J. Franzidis, S. Harrison and J. Broadhurst; Dept. of Chemical 

Engineering, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa 

Ultrafine slurry wastes from coal processing operations contain sulfide-bearing 

minerals, particularly pyrite, which may oxidize and give rise to acid rock 

drainage (ARD). If not treated, this can contaminate ground and surface waters. 

This paper reports the development of a two stage flotation process to treat ultrafine 

coal slurry before disposal to produce: (i) a low-volume sulfide-rich concentrate 

that can be treated chemically or biologically or disposed of in a contained 

manner; (ii) a high-volume sulfide-lean (benign) tailings, with low ARD potential, 

which is safe for disposal; and (iii) a coal concentrate with low sulfur and ash 

content. Results are presented of laboratory-scale batch flotation tests carried out 

on samples from the Witbank and Waterberg coalfields. For all the coals studied, 

novel collectors for coal flotation, at reasonable dosages, produced significant 

yields of saleable coal, with reduced ash and sulfur contents. Low-sulfur tailings 


85 



were obtained from second-stage flotation with conventional sulfide collectors. 

Static and bio-kinetic ARD potential tests confirmed that these low-sulfur tailings 

were non-acid forming. 

3:05 PM 

An Investigation on the Surface Chemistry of Some Rare Earth 

Minerals During Flotation by TOF-SIMS 

S. Chelgani 1 , B. Hart 2 and L. Xia 3 ; 1 Earth Science, Surface Science, 

University of Western, London, ON, Canada; 2 Surface Science, 

University of Western, London, ON, Canada and 3 Surface Science, 

University of Western, London, ON, Canada 

The Thor lake deposit is a world class resource of REE in Canada. Development 

work to optimize a REE recovery process flow sheet is under way, however, given 

the ore mineralogy; the developed reagent scheme is relatively complex. Micro 

flotation tests were conducted on a feed sample in order to examine factors affecting 

stream partitioning. SEM-EDX was performed to evaluate variability in grain 

composition between streams and TOF-SIMS analysis was used to determine statistically 

differences in surface species particularly related to potential activation of 

the examined mineral phases. SEM-EDX analyses reveal that the concentrate has 

a significantly higher proportion of REE bearing grains relative to the tail. Spectral 

fingerprinting by TOF-SIMS has allowed for the identification of all reagent 

species investigated. Reagent signal intensity discrimination on test stream mineral 

surfaces was observed by the TOF-SIMS analysis using reagents at plant concentration 

levels. TOF-SIMS analysis confirmed that REE bearing grains reporting 

to the concentrate are doing so in response to collector attachment. The 

surface analyses of gangues reveal similar reagent discrimination as well. 

3:25 PM 

Analysis of Collector Adsorption in K

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