October Optimized 10

OCTOBER 2010
VOL. 62 NO. 10
Iron ore’s
recovery
Post-mining
sustainability
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24
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF SME

OCTOBER 2010
VOL. 62 NO. 10
Feature Articles 24
19 Residual impacts of a mining project

Madan M. Singh, Timothy D. Hogan and Jamie Sturgess
24 Iron ore review 2009/2010

Magnus Ericsson, Anton Löf and Olle Östensson
29 A new industrial mineral sand mine

near Coos Bay, Oregon
Joseph D. Drew, Todd M. Lessard, Daniel F. Smith
and Bill A. Hancock
40 TECHNOLOGY NEWS: Optimizing flotation cells

in the mining industry
15
Technical Papers (peer-reviewed and approved)

41 Continuous miner spray considerations for optimizing Copyright 2010 by the Society for Mining, Metallurgy
and Exploration, Inc. All rights reserved. MINING
scrubber performance in exhaust ventilation systems ENGINEERING (ISSN 0026–5187) is published monthly
by the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration,
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2 OCTOBER 2010 Mınıng engıneerıng www.miningengineeringmagazine.com

ATLAS COPCO FOUND THE MOST VALUABLE
RESOURCE ABOVE GROUND IN ONTARIO’S NORTH. Atlas Copco didn’t
have to dig very deep before discovering the most valuable resource in Ontario’s
North: the people. Over 55% of the workforce in the main urban centers has a post-
secondary education. So it’s no wonder that an innovative, research-driven company
like Atlas Copco partnered with our metallurgical engineering talent to develop the
world class Torpedo diamond drill bit. Ontario’s North is well-positioned to establish
lasting relationships with many industries. Radiating from our central location is a
transportation network with four border crossings, two major freshwater ports, and
two international airports. Our telecommunications infrastructure is state-of-the-art,
our three universities and six colleges ensure a steady supply of graduates, and
our business costs are among the most competitive in the world. Vibrant industries
from aerospace to alternative energy will find a wealth of talent in Ontario’s North.
THE WORLD WORKS HERE.
investinontario.com /success
Paid for by the Government of Ontario.

29
Editorial Staff
Editor
Steve Kral
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF SME kral@smenet.org
Senior Editor
William M. Gleason
gleason@smenet.org
OCTOBER 2010 Senior Editor
VOL. 62 NO. 10 Georgene Renner
renner@smenet.org
Technical Editor
SME News OCTOBE
R 2010
VOL. 62 NO.
10 Emily Wortman-Wunder
55 SME Foundation wunder@smenet.org
56 SME Young Leaders Production Designer
Iron ore’s Nate Hurianek
56 SME student sections recovery hurianek@smenet.org
57 Henry Krumb lecturers Business Staff
59 Student design competition Media Manager/Advertising
60 SME scholarships Johanna McGinnis
mcginnis@smenet.org
62 Meetings Post-minin
sustainabil g Phone: 1–800–763–3132
ity
63 Obituaries www.miningen
gineeringmagaz
ine.com
Oregon’s ne
w he
minerals miavy
ne
Fax: 303–973–3845
E-mail: publications@smenet.org
Internet: www.smenet.org
Departments Cover Story
While most of the world saw falling
Society for Mining, Metallurgy,
6 President’s page production, crude steel production and Exploration, Inc. Officers
in China increased by 13.5 percent,
8 Politics of mining compared to the 2.3 percent growth President
the year before. China now accounts Nikhil C. Trivedi
10 Industry newswatch for almost half of the world production
President-Elect
of crude steel (47 percent). Magnus
54 Coming events Ericsson, Anton Löf and Olle John N. Murphy
Östensson give a review of the iron
64 New products ore sector, page 24. In the past, little Past President
was done by communities to plan for William H. Wilkinson
66 New media economic changes after the closure
68 Web directory
of a mine. But that is not the case Executive Director
with the proposed Rosemont project
in Arizona, where the residual impacts David L. Kanagy
69 Classifieds of the project were studied at length,
Mining Engineering Committee
page 19. And it’s not often that there is
73 Professional services mining news from the state of Oregon. Jamal Rostami (Chair), Joseph C.
But this month Joseph D. Drew, Todd Zelanko (Vice Chair), Jurgen F. Brune,
79 Index of advertisers M. Lessard, Daniel F. Smith and Bill A. Robert W. Reisinger, William H. Langer,
Hancock write about a new industrial
80 Drift of things sand mine near Coos Bay, OR, page 29.
D.R. Nagaraj and Christopher J. Bise
Cover photo courtesy of LKAB.
Peer Review Editorial Board
Christopher J. Bise, Kirk McDaniel, Kelvin
Wu, Vladislav Kecojevic, Keith Heasley,
64 Jurgen F. Brune, Nikhil Trivedi, Rajive
Ganguli, Catherine Dreesbach, Hugh
Miller, G.T. Lineberry, Henry McCarl,
Biswajit Samanta, Gerrit Goodman and
Rossen A. Halatchev
Reproduction: More than one photocopy of an item

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subscription rate, $245; in Europe, $275. Single copies
$25, July directory issue, $150.

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President’s Page
A family story,
SME’s parent organization takes a look at its family and future
D uring the past several months, I
have visited many of SME’s local
sections in different parts of the country.
When we talk about AIME, it is logical that
we also want to know what is happening with the
Women’s Auxiliary of AIME (WAAIME). Well,
Some of the local sections continue the WAAIME group, SME’s youngest Division,
to proudly proclaim themselves as is doing very well. This year, the WAAIME
sections of the American Institute of Division is led by Winnell Burt, Susan Harwood
Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum and Veronica Yovane-Brahm. This year alone,
Engineers (AIME) and rightly so. the WAAIME group has awarded $200,000 in
AIME is SME’s parent organization scholarships to deserving students in several
and we honor our heritage. In August, countries including the U.S. Many decades ago, I
SME Executive Director Dave Kanagy was fortunate to receive a WAAIME scholarship.
and I attended the AIME Board of The WAAIME Division is always on top of my
Trustee’s annual meeting. SME is ably mind when I feel generous and I hope you will
served at the AIME level by Mike feel the same way.
by Nikhil C. Trivedi, Karmis and Barb Filas. At this event, And since so many SME members are curious
2010 SME president Karmis’s term ended and George about AIME and its current mission, I asked
Luxbacher was inducted as the next Barb Filas (2005 SME president) to tell the
SME representative to the AIME AIME story. So, here it is……
board and he will be AIME president in 2013. — Nikhil Trivedi
T he parents were married in Wilkes-Barre,

PA. It was an historical event, with a
wedding party of 22 and a total of 71 people
each child with loving arms as each of their
respective families matured and grew.
The parents are older now. They live on
attending. Their honeymoon was a trip to the a modest income from the returns on their
most beautiful fields in the Wyoming Valley of investments. One of those investments generates
Pennsylvania. significant dividends that cannot be bequeathed
The marriage was built on a very specific to the children if the parents die. They continue
passion, which was cultivated and grew through to support their children and enjoy their
a continuing hunger to learn and share. The membership in the country club. The children
parents lived quite comfortably and, over time, were never allowed to join the club — it quit
they thrived and prospered. They shared many taking new members years ago.
things, traveled to many places and hosted many As the parents have aged, the children
gala events. They were members of the country sometimes say that their parents try to do too
club, where other parents also came together to much. The children feel like they can do most
learn and share their combined wisdom. things better themselves. They are younger,
The parents had children. As babies, the more nimble and have families of their own who
children were totally dependent on the parents. can get things done more easily and efficiently
As the children grew older, the parents took than the parents. The parents need to step back
them along on their travels, to their galas and and let the children do the work and to run their
to the country club. They taught their children own lives.
to play with the other club member’s children. The children respect their parents and
They raised them to think for themselves and their traditions, but they have their own lives
to stand on their own. They taught them to be to live. They want the parents to live on, but
independent, and also to recognize the value of the relationship is so different now than it was
their friends at the club. when they were babies. They understand the
The children grew up and wanted to venture importance of the network at the country club,
out on their own. Each had matured and defined and they recognize that they do not need to be
themselves as a unique person, with specific members themselves because they have full
interests and passions that, while still bearing a access to the club and all of its benefits as long as
family resemblance, were not the same as the the parents keep their membership.
other siblings. The parents encouraged their It really is a special family. The parents are
autonomy and independence, but still embraced
(Continued on page 17)
Process this.
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Politics of Mining
First Nations sign mining tax

agreement with British Columbia
TWO FIRST NATIONS groups a historic agreement with the First gold over a 22-year mine life. Proven
have signed historic tax-sharing Nation band to share mineral tax and probable reserves are 952 kt (2.1
agreements with the British Columbia revenue generated by Thompson billion lbs) of contained copper and 186
provincial government that will share Creek and Terrane Metals’ Mt. t (6 million oz) of contained gold.
mining taxation revenues between the Milligan copper-gold mine project. Located 10 km (6.2 miles) from
government and the First Nations. The British Columbia government the community of Kamloops in south-
The McLeod Lake Indian Band also signed its first historic mining central British Columbia, New Afton
and the Stk’emlupsemc of the revenue-sharing agreement with the is expected to commence production
Secwepemc Nation claim the mining Stk’emlupsemc of the Secwepemc at the former Teck mine in the second
projects in British Columbia are part Nation, which covers future revenue half of 2012. The mine is expected to
of traditional First Nation territory. from New Gold’s New Afton gold mine. produce an average of 2.6 t (85,000 oz)
The chief and council of the Mt. Milligan is planned for an of gold, 6.6 t (214,000 oz) of silver and
McLeod Lake Indian Band and the annual production of 36.7 kt (81 million 34 kt (75 million lbs) of copper over a
British Columbia government signed lbs) of copper and 6 t (194,000 oz) of 12-year mine life. n
Federal judge issues pricey Mining royalty

cleanup order to Patriot Coal hike could get
A RULING FROM a federal
judge in West Virginia could have
The company said its subsidiary,
Apogee, was ordered to install a boost in Chile
far-reaching consequences for coal fluidized bed reactor (FBR) system to CHILEAN PRESIDENT
mining in the Appalachian Region if it treat selenium discharges at its Ruffner Sebastian Pinera’s approval rating
becomes a precedent. Mine. Another subsidiary, Hobet, was surged to a new high in August for his
Judge Robert Chambers of the U.S. required to submit a treatment plan for efforts to rescue 33 miners trapped,
District Court for the Southern District its Hobet 22 Mine. but alive weeks after a cave-in, and
of West Virginia ordered Patriot Coal “While Patriot believes that it could help him push through a
Corp. to clean up selenium pollution at FBR has promise, it is important to mining royalty hike.
two surface coal mines in West Virginia. understand that this technology has A survey by pollster Adimark
Chambers gave Patriot about two years never before been used in commercial GfK showed Pinera’s approval rating
to get its selenium discharges down to applications for the removal of rose to 56 percent in August, up 10
the limits specified in its mining permits. selenium in any context, including percentage points from a previous
He also ordered the company to post coal mining,” the company said in a poll in July. It is his highest rating
a $45-million letter of credit to ensure statement. since he took office in March.
that it installs the equipment at the two The judge previously had ruled The jump in approval could give
mines, McClatchy Newspapers reported. that the selenium discharges at the Pinera’s government the upper hand
Selenium is one of a number of mines exceeded what was authorized in its push to pass a mining royalty
contaminants — including arsenic, by their permits under the Clean overhaul through the opposition-led
cadmium and lead — that are Water Act. The order found Patriot in Congress.
discharged from mining operations and contempt of court and specified what The bill, revised and re-sent
also are found in coal ash and other its subsidiaries must do about the to Congress after the royalty was
wastes from coal-fired power plants. permit violations. rejected by center-left opponents
The ruling applied to only two “We are particularly disappointed in July, calls for higher levies from
mines. Environmental groups that are with the contempt ruling,” Patriot’s global miners like BHP Billiton and
fighting the spread of mountaintop president and chief executive Xstrata.
removal mining said that, if it became officer, Richard M. Whiting, said Pinera, who has angered mining
a precedent, it might make some mines in a statement. He said Patriot had companies with his proposal, expects
too expensive to operate. “dedicated significant resources the new royalty scheme to raise
Patriot said in a statement that it over the last several years to take an around $1 billion during the next
would have to spend $50 million on industry-leading position in identifying three years to help finance rebuilding
the cleanup system and $3 million a viable treatment technology to address of cities ravaged by a massive Feb. 27
year to run it. selenium discharges.” n earthquake. n

Today’s mining professionals must meet the ever increasing
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New developments in technology have led to a host of different
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Hoist and Haul 2010 provides the most current, cutting-edge

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This book is a compilation of the papers delivered at the prestigious

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lessons learned since the last industry gathering in 2005.
From the handling of ore at the point of extraction to stockpiling on

the surface, dozens of case histories document the latest trends in
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Experts involved in key mining projects throughout the world share

HOIST & HAUL 2010 best practices on the design of systems and components,
Proceedings of the International operations, and economic and safety issues.
Conference on Hoisting and Hauling Hoist and Haul 2010 is essential reading for anyone in the mine
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2010, 344 pages, 3 lbs
ISBN-13: 978-0-87335-337-3
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Industry Newswatch
Bingham Canyon extension

could extend life of mine to mid-2030s by moving south wall
AN EXPANSION OF Kennecott MW of electricity to power the indirect jobs, for a total of 17,200
Copper’s Bingham Canyon Mine improvements. The addition of Utah jobs.
in Utah could extend the life of the equipment and technology will Kennecott officials already have
mine to 2034, while tapping into a allow Kennecott to maintain current briefed the state Department of
resource of 635 Mt (700 million st) of production levels of 272 to 308 kt/a Environmental Quality about their
copper. (300,000 to 340,000 stpy) of refined intentions. Each permit adjustment
The Cornerstone Project would copper for several decades, the will require public hearings, said
push back the south wall of the mine company said. Doug Bacon, a project manager
by about 305 m (1,000 ft) and deepen A study conducted by the in the department’s Division of
the mine by 91 m (300 ft). The University of Utah’s Bureau of Environmental Response and
expansion faces a series of regulatory Economic and Business Research Remediation, The Salt Lake City
hurdles, including the updating of department (BEBR) found that Tribune reported.
about 25 environmental permits, as Rio Tinto spent approximately $900 Kennecott also has permits
well as approval from Rio Tinto’s million in 2009 on employee salaries with the Utah Division of Oil, Gas
board of directors, Kennecott’s and benefits, taxes and fees, as well and Mining, the state agency that
parent company. If the plan moves as purchases from nearly 1,000 Utah oversees reclamation of mining
ahead, it could secure more than companies. The study estimated if properties. One permit covers the
2,000 jobs and pump an average of $1 the Cornerstone investment is not Bingham Canyon Mine, while others
billion a year into the local economy made, the economic contribution include its Copperton concentrator
through the mid-2030s. will decrease beginning in 2021 by and tailings impoundment north of
The extension of the mine an average of $630 million a year. Magna.
would require increasing the size In contrast, the study estimated that “Kennecott has a great history in
of the mine’s fleet of large haul extending the life of the mine will Utah, and this mine expansion offers
trucks, adding an in-pit crusher and pump an average of $1 billion a year an opportunity for us to continue
another grinding line and supporting into the local economy through the producing about a quarter of the
equipment at the Copperton mid-2030s. The project will also help country’s copper for years to come,”
concentrator. The extension will sustain Rio Tinto’s employment of Kennecott chief executive officer
also require an additional 100 2,400 people and an additional 14,800 Kelly Sanders said. n
Newswatch Kinross Gold purchases

contents Red Back Mining for C$7.1 billion
12 CANADIAN GOLD MINER Kinross shares and 0.11 common share
Alberta ranks first Kinross Gold will create one of the purchase warrants for each of their
in Fraser Survey largest gold miners in the world with its shares.
acquisition of Red Back Mining. “By combining Kinross’s world-
13 Kinross Gold announced that it will class mines, growth projects and proven
Nevada slips in global buy the 91 percent of shares of Red Back ability in mine development with the
gold output Mining that it does not already own in potential of Red Back’s assets, we are
an all-stock deal that has been valued at creating a gold growth powerhouse,” Tye
14 C$7.1 billion. Burt, Kinross’s chief executive, said in a
Stillwater Mining buys The deal would unite the two statement.
Marathon Canadian companies to create one Lukas Lundin, Red Back’s chairman,
company with 10 mines and four and Richard Clark, the company’s chief
15 development projects in eight countries. executive, are expected to join Kinross’s
First Bucyrus branded
Red Back is a major gold producer with a board after the deal closes.
MT3700 goes into
focus on African assets. Based in Vancouver, Red Back focuses
service
Under the terms of the deal, Red primarily on its western Africa assets,
Back shareholders will receive 1.778 notably in Mauritania and Ghana. n

Industry Newswatch
Grupo Mexico to invest $30 million

in Cananea Mine, but still struggles with labor issues
GRUPO MEXICO announced that The national miners union lost Grupo Mexico will kick off a
it plans to produce molybdenum at its a court decision this year and the $3.8-million expansion plan by the
Cananea copper mine that recently company retook control of the fourth quarter of 2012 to more than
reopened following a strike that lasted installations, backed by federal police. double the 180-kt (198,000-st) copper
nearly three years. However, the Once Cananea is up and running, capacity. n
Mexican copper miner also announced
that it was declaring a force majeure
at the La Caridad smelter and refinery
complex after “Los Mineros” union
members blocked contract workers
from entering the facility.
In a filing with the U.S. Securities
{ Add Firestone, Add Reliability }
and Exchange Commission, Grupo
Mexico subsidiary Southern Copper
Corp. (SCC) said the refinery is
operating at a reduced capacity, forcing
Mexcobre, the operating company of
La Caridad, “to notify all of its clients
and supports about this commercial
force majeure situation.”
News reports from the state of
Sonora said violence has erupted in the
copper towns of Cananea and Nacozari
de Garcia between members of the
National Union of Mine and Metals
Workers, commonly referred to as Los
Mineros, and replacement workers.
State and federal police are guarding
mining facilities at both Cananea and
{ Geomembranes that work }

La Caridad.
At Cananea, Grupo Mexico, the
world’s No. 3 producer of molybdenum,
said it will invest $30 million to begin Firestone Specialty Products manufactures high-quality,
producing 2 kt/a (2,200 stpy) by the durable EPDM and reinforced polypropylene geomembranes
first half of 2013. ideal for a variety of mining application.
“We are developing the first
molybdenum circuit at Cananea ... which
would increase our actual production
by 10 percent, since we now produce
around 20 kt (22,000 st) (overall),” Jorge
Pulido, Grupo Mexico’s head of investor • Tai
Tailin
lings
gs Fac
Facili
ilitie
tiess • Tail
Tailing
ingss Faci
Facilit
lities
ies
• Solu
Solutio
tionn Pond
Pond Liner
Linerss • Solu
Solutio
tion
nPPond
ond Li
Liner
nerss
relations told Reuters.
•W
Wate
aterr Rese
Reservo
rvoirs
rs • Heap
Heap Le
Leach
ach Pa
Pads
ds
The company operates four openpit •C
Cana
anall Line
Liners
rs • Inte
Interli
rlift
ft Lin
Liners
ers
mines in Mexico and Peru. Cananea
is the only one that does not produce
molybdenum, which can be mined as a
byproduct of copper, Pulido said. 800-428-4442 l www.firestonesp.com/me3 l info@firestonesp.com
The company must first repair
damages at Cananea, Mexico’s largest VISIT US AT BOOTH 108 AT THE NWMA SHOW.
copper mine, idled by the three-year
labor dispute.
www.miningengineeringmagazine.com Mınıng engıneerıng OCTOBER 2010 11

Industry Newswatch
Alberta ranks first in Fraser Survey;

Tax increases drop Quebec and Australia from top spots
QUEBEC’S THREE-YEAR run as the top mining Wales from 20th to 38th. This was largely because of the
jurisdiction in the Fraser Institute’s Survey of Mining Australian government’s announcement to impose a heavy
Companies came to an end with the publication of the Resources Super Profits Tax on the mining industry. Although
survey’s 2010 midyear report. It ranks Alberta as the top spot the tax was cancelled after the Fraser Institute survey was
in the world, with Finland ranking second. conducted, miners still face significant tax increases in
The shakeup in the standings was caused by mining tax Australia.
hikes in Canada and Australia, according to the survey’s After the Australian states, perennial mining favorite
coordinator, Fred McMahon. Nevada’s score suffered the biggest fall in the developed
“After ranking Quebec as the best place in the world world, dropping from third to 10th out of 51 jurisdictions.
for mining investment for three years in a row, it appears While miners still consider top U.S. gold mining state
that miners’ confidence in the province has been shaken Nevada a good place to mine, survey results show “they
by increases in mining taxes that were announced without were worried by an effort to put a huge tax increase to a
consultation in Quebec’s spring budget,” said McMahon. referendum (the referendum petition failed to get enough
The survey results also appear to reflect concerns about signatures to be put on the ballot). The legislature did,
Bill 79, the review of Quebec’s mining law, and could be seen however, enact a new one-time mining tax,” the survey said.
as a blow to the province’s reputation for offering stable Overall, the top 10 jurisdictions are Alberta, Finland,
government policies. Quebec, Yukon, Saskatchewan, Chile, Newfoundland and
Also slipping far in the ranking was Australia. South Labrador, Botswana, Alaska and Nevada. Seven of the
Australia dropped from 10th place to 15th place, the jurisdictions ranked among the top 10 are the same in both
Northern Territory from 14th to 30th, Western Australia from the updated survey and the previously released 2009/2010
19th to 28th, Queensland from 24th to 33rd and New South report. The three exceptions are New Brunswick, which was
not included in the updated survey; Manitoba, which fell from
ninth place to 11th and South Australia, which dropped from
10th to 15th.
The bottom 10 scores went to Ecuador, Mongolia,
Kazakhstan, Bolivia, Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Russia, Colorado,
Indonesia and Tasmania.
The Philippines, Democratic Republic of Congo and
California, which were among the worst ranked nations in the
2009/2010 survey, managed to climb out of the bottom 10. n
Drilling to begin at
Yarrabubba Project
THE YARRABUBBA PROJECT, 50 km (31 miles)
southeast of Meekatharra in Western Australia, which is
believed to have most of the geological characteristics of the
Sudbury mining camp in Canada, will be the site of a drilling
program conducted by the joint venture team of Impact
Minerals and CITIC Nickel Australia.
The Yarrabubba Joint Venture tenements cover about
1,200 km2 (463 sq miles). Within these, there is a very large
magnetic low in regional airborne magnetic data and
outcrops of distinctive geological structures indicative of
shock metamorphism, which have been interpreted also to be
caused by a major meteorite impact. The feature in this area is
called the Yarrabubba Impact Structure, and is situated in the
northern Yilgarn Craton between the towns of Sandstone and
Meekatharra, central Western Australia, reported MineWeb. n
Industry Newswatch
Nevada slips in global gold output;

State still leads nation, but now ranks sixth in world
IN THE NEVADA Mining “Because of renewed production the NDT said.
Association’s annual report, Economic at Quadra Mining’s Robinson Mine Geothermal producers generated
Overview of Nevada’s Mineral near Ely and Newmont’s Phoenix more than $110.8 million in 2009, the
Industry, University of Nevada, Reno, Mine near Battle Mountain, copper agency reported, up from $95 million
economist John Dobra said Nevada’s production is once again a significant in 2008, making geothermal the fourth
rank in world gold production slipped contributor to minerals industry largest mineral category in Nevada.
to sixth. While Nevada remains the output,” Dobra observed. “Copper is Nevada mines also produced
largest gold producing region in the the second most important mineral aggregates, barite, diatomite, dolomite,
U.S. accounting for 79 percent of total produced in the value of output, gypsum, limestone, lithium carbonate,
U.S. production, China, South Africa, although only a little more than one- molybdenum, magnesium oxide,
Australia, Russia and Peru all rank tenth the value of gold production.” perlite, precious opals, salt, silica sand
ahead of Nevada on a global scale. The Nevada Department of and specialty clays in 2009, for gross
Proven and probable gold reserves Taxation (NDT) reported gross proceeds of $156 million, which Dobra
in the top U.S. gold mining state of proceeds of gold and silver at $5.1 noted “is down significantly from the
Nevada increased from 2.2 kt (70 billion out of total state gross mine previous year.”
million oz) in 2008 to 2.3 kt (75 million proceeds of $5.8 billion in 2009. Dobra attributed the sharp drop
oz) in 2009. Dobra said this is enough Copper production gross proceeds in the total value of the other Nevada-
to maintain the state’s gold production were $442 million in 2009, a drop mined minerals to the national
at current levels for another 13 years. from 2008 due to lower copper prices, recession and a decrease in demand. n
“Nevada’s production declined for
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Industry Newswatch
Peabody Energy walks a dragline;

13 million lb machine moved to Bear Run Mine
PEABODY ENERGY’S of less than one-tenth of a mile an At each highway crossing, teams
5.9-million-kg (13-million-lb) dragline hour. A crew of up to 20 staff will will layer plastic, straw, clay and shale
began a 30-km (18-mile) “walk” in support the machine’s operators, above the road to protect the asphalt
August from the Farmersburg Mine including maintenance personnel and will remove these items after
in Sullivan County, IN, to its new and electricians responsible for the the dragline’s passage. Because the
home at the Bear Run Mine south of 22,900-volt cabling that powers the process may take several hours, the
Dugger, IN. dragline’s progress. department has planned detours and
Bear Run will be the largest coal At 5.9 million kg (13 million ongoing alerts for motorists.
mine in the eastern United States, lbs), the 2570 weighs more than 150 At the end of its travels, the
initially operating two draglines to Boeing 737-700 jetliners. It towers dragline will immediately begin
move rock and reveal coal seams. 67 m (220 ft) high and swings a 102- operating at the Bear Run Mine.
Mined areas are ultimately restored to m (335-ft) boom with a maximum With a 7.2-Mt/a (8-million stpy)
productive farmland and pasture. operating radius of 91 m (300 ft), the capacity, Bear Run will bring
One of the largest machines in length of a football field. This boom significant economic benefits to the
the world, the Bucyrus-Erie 2570-W carries an 88-m3 (115-cu yd) bucket community, Peabody Energy chief
dragline will cross the countryside capable of moving a 155,000-kg operating officer Eric Ford said of the
and two Indiana state highways (335,000-lb) payload. company’s newest mine.
during its month-long journey to Bear The machine sits on a tub “Bear Run employs more than
Run. spanning 24 m (80 ft) in diameter 350 skilled workers and annually
Transporting a machine of the and walks with two shoes measuring contributes approximately $140
2570’s size requires great precision 22 m (72 ft) in length by 4 m (14 ft) million in direct economic benefits
and extensive planning, said Kent in width. This size is necessary to lift into the regional economy. Annual
Holcomb, Bear Run’s operating and advance the dragline’s massive payroll at the site alone is expected to
manager. “It takes a lot of hard work frame. exceed $50 million,” said Ford. “We’re
from many people to move anything The Indiana Department of enormously proud to bring online
of this scale,” he said. Transportation also will close another new source of affordable,
The walk will continue 24 hours highways 48 and 54 temporarily to made-in-America energy in the
a day, seven days a week, at a pace accommodate the dragline’s journey. Illinois Basin.” n
Stillwater Mining buys Marathon;

Deal between platinum group metals miners worth $118 million
STILLWATER MINING, a Montana, in the U.S. The company Stillwater shareholders, and as the
U.S.-based platinum group metals also runs a metals recycling business. Marathon PGM/copper project
(PGM) producer, has agreed to The acquisition of Marathon is one of the few near-term PGM
purchase Marathon PGM for about is expected to boost Stillwater’s development opportunities on this
$118 million in cash and shares, the platinum and palladium production continent, it solidifies our position
companies said. by about 40 percent within three as North America’s leading PGM
Marathon’s main asset is its years. producer,” Stillwater chief executive
Marathon PGM project in Ontario, The deal was unanimously officer Francis McAllister said in a
Canada. The company completed approved by both boards of directors, statement.
a definitive feasibility study on the and is expected to close by the end The Marathon PGM project has
property in November 2009. The firm of November, assuming it receives proven and probable reserves of
has since been working on permitting regulatory and exchange approvals 76.2 t (2.45 million oz) of palladium,
and financing the asset. and a positive vote by Marathon 21.6 t (696,000 oz) of platinum, 227
Stillwater operates two mines, shareholders. t (251,000 oz) of gold, 225.4 kt (497
Stillwater and East Boulder, in the “This transaction offers significant million lbs) of copper and 131.5 t
Beartooth Mountains of south-central value and upside potential to (4.23 million oz) of silver. n
Industry Newswatch
Hycroft Mine to get larger mill;

Allied Nevada adjusts plans following scoping study
AN UPDATED SCOPING officer Scott Caldwell. The company plans to complete a
study focused on the development Ongoing drilling is expected to feasibility study on the sulfide project
of the underlying sulfide resource at continue to expand the resource, by mid-2011.
Allied Nevada’s Hycroft Mine has which could further improve the Permitting for the project will
prompted the company to look at economics of the project. likely take three years, with another
building a larger milling facility than The updated sulfide study two years for construction and
indicated in an April 2010 study. envisages a large-scale bulk tonnage commissioning.
Production at the mine is forecast openpit operation, with lower grade Allied Nevada is already working
at 18.9 t/a (610,000 oz/year) of gold oxide mineralization processed as run- on an expansion of the capacity to
and 840 kt/a (27 million oz/year) of-mine heap leach material and both mine and process oxide mineralization
of silver, from a combined 100 kt/d higher-grade oxide mineralization, at Hycroft, which it announced
(110,000 stpd) milling operation along with sulfide mineralization, in April of this year. The mine is
and 74 kt/d (81,500 stpd) heap leach processed at a 100-kt/d (110,000-stpd) currently producing at a rate of
operation, Allied Nevada said. milling facility. around 3.1 t/a (100,000 oz/year) of
The average cost of sales is The April study envisaged a gold and 9.3 t/a (300,000 oz/year) of
forecast at around 32 cents/g ($350/ 30-kt/d (33,000-stpd) mill, milling silver.
oz), after silver byproduct credits. sulfide ore. The updated project is The oxide project involves
“This mine is expected to expected to cost about $1.1 billion, additions to the mine fleet, leach pad
support an operation with a much including the milling and flotation expansions, the addition of a crushing
greater production profile than was process facility, additional leach pads, circuit and modifications to existing
originally presented in the April mining equipment and other ancillary infrastructure like the process plant
scoping study,” said chief executive infrastructure, Allied Nevada said. and refinery. n
First Bucyrus branded MT3700 goes into service

at the New Gold Mesquite Mine in California
IN MAY 2010, Bucyrus mining company headquartered in loading tools. The original purchase was
commissioned the first of two Vancouver, Canada with operations for 14 MT3700 ac trucks and two RH340
additional MT3700 ac haul trucks in six countries around the world. The excavators, many of which have been in
at the New Gold Mesquite Mine in Mesquite Mine was previously owned operation since 2007.
southern California. These haul trucks, by Newmont, but was closed in late 1999 The Mesquite Mine is currently
capable of hauling payloads of 186 t when gold prices dropped to a level at producing more than 3.1 t/a (100,000
(205 st), are the first Bucyrus trucks which mine operation was no longer oz/year) gold, and its fleet of Bucyrus
delivered in the United States since profitable. When gold prices started equipment is an integral factor in
the company’s acquisition of Terex to rebound, the mine was purchased the achievement of their production
Mining in early 2010. They are the by Western Gold Fields, targets. n
first trucks to be painted in Bucyrus headquartered in
branding. This delivery will bring the Toronto, in 2006. As
Mesquite Mine’s fleet to a total of 16 the new owners of
Bucyrus MT3700 ac haul trucks. this operation, one
The Bucyrus MT3700 ac haul trucks of the first tasks was
are powered by MTU 16V 4000 1,860 kW to acquire the needed
(2,500 hp) engines, and are electrically mining equipment.
driven by a General Electric ac drive. The The MT3700 ac
uphill loaded speeds are substantially haul trucks and
improved over mechanical and dc RH340
electrical powered trucks, providing a excavators were
productivity benefit to its owners. the chosen
New Gold is an expanding gold haulage and

Industry Newswatch
Coal talks heat up in US, Australia;

BHP head calls for carbon tax, coal families rally in D.C.
MARIUS KLOPPERS, the chief However, neither major political was committed to working toward a
executive of BHP Billiton, warned party in Australia has committed to price on carbon.
that the Australian economy would reducing coal use, fearing a voter The coal rally in Washington, D.C.,
suffer significantly if the country did backlash from those employed organized by the National Mining
not implement a carbon tax before the by the industry. Kevin Rudd, the Association and other groups, was
international community imposed one. former prime minister, was dumped met by a counter demonstration from
The UK Telegraph reported that he said by his party earlier this year after environmentalists.
that “failure to do so will place us at a he announced he would scrap an Among the speakers at the pro-
competitive disadvantage in a future ambitious carbon pollution reduction coal rally was West Virginia Gov. Joe
where carbon is priced globally.” scheme because the opposition had Manchin, the Democratic nominee for
In the United States, coal allies, refused to support it. His successor, the U.S. Senate seat long held by the
including miners and their families, Julia Gillard, has pledged to hold a late Robert Byrd.
rallied at the Capitol in Washington, series of citizens’ assemblies to find Manchin bemoaned the Obama
D.C., against actions on climate change out what the electorate wants the administration’s support for so-called
and mountaintop removal mining that government to do – a move that has cap-and-trade legislation to combat
that have been proposed by the Obama sparked widespread derision and climate change and accused the U.S.
administration. contributed to her party’s failure to Environmental Protection Agency
In both countries, the use of coal has secure a majority government at the (EPA) of jeopardizing jobs by holding
become a hot political topic. general election last month. up the issuance of permits that coal
Kloppers said Australia needed Gillard, whose government has a companies need to carry out their
to “look beyond coal” for alternative majority of just one after entering into operations. The EPA has said its
sources of energy before the a deal with independents and Green actions are aimed at ending pollution,
introduction of a global price on carbon. party members, said the government not coal mining. n
Chinese look to the sea floor for minerals;

Government applies to mine in Indian Ocean
IN ITS QUEST to feed its remotely operated underwater Papua New Guinea.
demand for commodities, the Chinese vehicles, the Chinese want to mine The environmental worries
government will look to the sea floor the sulfide deposits in a region of thrown up by the prospect of deep-
1,700 m (5,000 ft) beneath the surface seabed in the southwest Indian sea mining are considerable and have
of the Indian Ocean. The Chinese Ocean for the rich mineral ores they been dominating headlines because of
government recently lodged the first contain. They have applied to do so the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
application to mine for minerals to the International Seabed Authority Although it is not known exactly
under the seabed in international (ISA), the Jamaica-based body set what damage a deep-sea mine would
waters with the hope of recovering up under the 1982 U.N. Convention do to the marine ecosystem, experts
metals such as copper, nickel and on The Law of the Sea to deal with agree that removing a considerable
cobalt as well as gold and silver, The the liabilities relating to seabed part of the sea floor would cause a
Independent reported. exploitation and the environmental major disturbance.
The area that the Chinese intend damage it may cause. During the past 10 years,
to mine is populated with inactive The application, which will be the demand for metals from the
hydrothermal vents, underwater heard at a meeting next April, is economies of the main developing
geysers driven by volcanic activity. the first to be made for permission countries, led by China, has led to
Some of the vents, known as to mine in international waters a resurgence of interest in seabed
“black smokers,” are black chimney- and could spark a sort of offshore minerals. The focus for this has
like structures containing high levels gold rush. Toronto-based Nautilus now switched from nodules to
of sulfur-bearing minerals, or sulfides. Minerals is working on a seabed hydrothermal vents, which have been
Having explored the area using sulfide-mining project in the waters of found all around the world. n
Industry Newswatch
President’s page;
AIME’s new mission is to support its member societies
(Continued from page 6)
Given that AIME will continue to exist, the real task is to determine what AIME
healthy, financially strong and should do and how it should be staffed going forward. We asked ourselves what it
supportive of their children. The would take to make AIME a valuable and relevant partner to its member societies.
children each have healthy families
of their own and are doing quite well. AIME trustees and member society We will fulfill this mission by:
They all enjoy a strong respect for the executive directors debated the merits
history, traditions and values that the of the different roles that AIME • Exercising fiscal responsibility.
parents have built. could play. They even went as far as • Distributing funds.
Well, if you have read this far, my discussing whether AIME should be • Facilitating interaction with
strategy worked. I knew no one would eliminated altogether. In the end, they the larger scientific and
read the article with a title like “Trustees unanimously agreed that AIME should engineering community.
rethink the strategic plan at the AIME remain intact, based on two compelling • Enhancing collaboration
Annual Meeting.” So now, go back and reasons. First, to maintain the founding among the member societies.
re-read the story and replace “parents” member seat at the UEF table (the • Honoring the legacy and
with AIME; “children” with SME, country club membership that is no traditions of AIME.
The Minerals, Metals, and Materials longer open to new members). Second,
Society (TMS), the Society of Petroleum to preserve the investment that cannot The idea is to have AIME function
Engineers (SPE) and the Association be bequeathed to the children. In more like a foundation going forward,
for Iron and Steel Technology (AIST), addition to these, the AIME portfolio limiting the activities and initiatives
the four member societies of AIME. currently sits at a little more than $9 that it undertakes as a society to the
And replace “country club” with the million, so if AIME were dissolved, maximum practical extent and pushing
United Engineering Foundation Inc. dividing up the proceeds would down the day-to-day work to the
(UEF), of which AIME is one of five likely be divisive among the member member societies as much as possible.
founding member societies. One of the societies (the children would fight over So, with that directive, President
“investments” that goes away if the the parents’ retirement nest egg). Craig appointed a new committee to
parents die is the Offshore Technology Given that AIME will continue work on reallocating programs and
Conference (OTC). The modified to exist, the real task is to determine responsibilities to the member societies,
story, in its own twisted way, gives some what AIME should do and how it reassessing AIME staff and overhead
organizational history and describes the should be staffed going forward. We requirements, and some serious budget
outcome of the recent AIME strategic asked ourselves what it would take to trimming. The ultimate goal is to
planning process. make AIME a valuable and relevant generate revenue that can be distributed
I cannot take credit for coming partner to its member societies. We to the member societies while, at the
up with the analogy. Incoming AIME agreed that the role and vision of same time, preserving the financial
President DeAnn Craig (SPE) used AIME needed to be refocused based security of AIME. There is a lot of
it to characterize where AIME has on the following priorities: work to do, changes to be made and
come from and where it should go in belt tightening to be done. Hopefully,
the future at its annual meeting at the • Distributing more funds to the we will see the fruits of these labors in
Garden of the Gods Club in Colorado member societies to support the years to come. The efforts are well
Springs, CO on Aug. 6-7, 2010. I took mutually beneficial initiatives. aligned with the new mission and will get
some pretty ridiculous privilege in • Functioning as a conduit to AIME closer to its new vision: To honor
presenting her parity in my own words, channel initiatives to member our legacy by becoming a relevant and
but I think it serves to illustrate some societies where the staff and valued partner to our member societies.
of the changes that AIME needs to volunteers reside. So the children are all grown up
make (as the parents get older) to • Honoring the AIME legacy and successful now. They respect their
remain relevant, even as its member and fostering goodwill, parents and value their heritage. The
societies (the children) have grown communication and trust parents continue to lend their support,
independent and autonomous. It was among member societies. share their country club membership
clearly time to reassess the role that and help their children to live their
AIME plays and refocus on adding This all boiled down to a new own lives. Their legacy will live on.
value to the four member societies. AIME mission — support its member
At the annual meeting, the societies. — Barb Filas
WE Can
nE vE r
Dig DEE p
Enough
D IG D E E PE R.
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TUCMagazine.CoM sMeneT.org
Sustainable development
Residual impacts
of a mining project
by Madan M. Singh, Timothy D. Hogan and Jamie Sturgess
A new mining project can raise questions about

what effect it will have on the community
after it closes. Historically, little was done by
Figure 1
Former molybdenum plant flowsheet.
communities to plan for and accommodate the
changes in the economic infrastructure when a
mine project is finished either after the ore runs
out or if market conditions deteriorate and make
it unprofitable.
Projects that were underfunded were generally
unable to withstand periodic market downturns.
However, data in a recent study conducted by
the Seidman Research Institute leads to the
conclusion that, even when a mining project is
terminated, there can be (and, in the specific case
studied, is) a residual beneficial economic effect
in the community, which lasts for a long period of
time.
Most mining operations functioning today
are well-funded and committed to the principles The use of plow
of sustainability. Government regulations also systems fell
require that proper reclamation procedures be out of favor in
followed, and adequate financial guarantees put the U.S. in the
in place to make the project successful. Before 1970s, but recent
a lengthy public review process can take place, advancements
the company must complete comprehensive have made the
documents and permit applications on the technology safer
project. If federal lands are involved, a mine plan and more efficent.
of operations, that details how the operations will ©iStockphoto.
comply with all federal, state and local laws from com/pamspix
opening through closure, is required. Regulations
guiding the plan’s development include federal
laws, such as the Clean Water Act (CWA); Clean
Air Act (CAA); Endangered Species Act (ESA);
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and
the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA),
to ensure that operations meet or exceed current
cultural and environmental requirements.
Through the NEPA process, the public has
ample opportunity to comment on the planned
operations of a proposed mine. fee land that covers most of the Rosemont Mining
District and the adjacent Helvetia Mining District.
Rosemont operations plan The property is located within
Rosemont Copper Co. has proposed the Pima County in southeastern
Rosemont project, a copper mining project with an
Madan M. Singh, member
Arizona, approximately 50 km
estimated 559 Mt (616 million st) of ore, confirmed
SME, is director, Department of
(30 miles) southeast of Tucson,
or identified. Rosemont Copper has submitted a
Mines and Mineral Resources,
west of State Route 83 (Fig. 1).
mine plan of operations that is currently in the
State of Arizona, Timothy D.
Most of the unpatented claims
NEPA process and being evaluated through the
Hogan is professor emeritus,
were staked on federal land
production of an environmental impact statement
Seidman Research Institute
administered by the U.S. Forest
(EIS).
and Jamie Sturgess is vice
Service (Coronado National
The Rosemont property consists of a group
president Augusta Resources
Forest) with a few claims on U.S.
of federal patented mining claims, federal
Inc. e-mail madan.singh@
Bureau of Land Management
unpatented mining claims and privately owned
mines.az.gov.
(BLM) lands. The total area of
Table 1 Table 2
Construction costs for Rosemont (data from Rosemont Copper project Productions costs for Rosemont (data from
updated feasibility study, 2009). Rosemont Copper project updated feasibility
study, 2009).
Cost category 2008 $millions
Site development $8.5 For year two
Mine $214.6 Cost category 2008 $millions
Oxide plant $53.6 Mine operations $70.1
Sulfide plant $327.3 Processing - mill $91.5
Power/water systems $82.0 Processing - SX/EW $18.4
Ancillary facilities $26.9 Other operating costs $9
Total direct cost $712.7 Shipping, refining and smelting $62.4
Indirect costs (field mobilization, EPCM*, taxes, Taxes/royalty $30.8
commissioning, spare parts, contingency funds, etc.) $184.4 Preproduction mining costs $2.9
Total costs $897.2 Reclamation costs $0.8
Other costs/salvage value $-2.1
Column may not add to totals due to rounding. Depreciation $173.4
EPCM is engineering, procurement, construction and management. Total production costs $457.1
Column may not add to totals due to rounding.

EPCM is engineering, procurement,
the property is approximately 6,022 hm2 (14,880 construction and management.
acres). The footprint of the operation, including
the utility corridor, is estimated to be 1,787 hm2
(4,415 acres) with approximately 403 hm2 (995 project are expected to be $897.2 million (2008
acres) on private land, 1,354 hm2 (3,345 acres on dollars, Table 1), and the operating costs will be
federal lands managed by the Coronado National nearly $189 million (2008 dollars for year two of
Forest and the BLM, and 30 hm2 (75 acres) on operation, Table 2). Approximately 400 people
state trust lands. will be directly employed full time, drawn from
Rosemont is projected to produce more than a largely local pool of workers. Another 1,700
104 kt/a (230 million lbs/year) of copper (roughly persons will be affected indirectly. This schedule
9.6 percent of the U.S. production in 2009) for 20 estimates a mill throughput of approximately 68
years. Average annual production of molybdenum kt/d (75,000 stpd), which computes to an annual
and silver will be 2.3 kt (5 million lbs) 109 t (3.5 mill throughput of nearly 24.5 Mt (27 million st).
million oz), respectively. The capital costs for the Mining of the ore will be through conventional
openpit mining techniques. Waste rock
Table 3 will be blasted and transported by
haul truck to the waste rock storage
Economic activity in Cochise, Pima and Santa Cruz counties as a result of the areas. Ore will be blasted and either
Rosemont Mine operation (data from Seidman Research Institute). transported by haul truck to the leach
pad, or crushed and loaded onto a
Construction Production/post conveyor for transport to the mill,
(four-year period) (20+ years ) depending on the type of ore.
2008 $millions 2008 $millions Sulfide ore will be processed by
Economic activity $96 $701/year conventional milling operations and the
Wages + nonlabor income $38 Average $143/year copper concentrates from the milling
Local revenues $5 $19/year operations will be shipped offsite to a
Total impacts $385 $15,000 smelter. Leach ore (oxide material)
will be placed on the leach pad and
Gross regional product $245 $8,000
irrigated with a raffinate (a recycled
Personal income $152 $3,000 process solution). Leach solutions
Government revenues $18 $404 from the pad that now contain copper
Employment 3,600 person-years 2,100 will be collected in a lined process pond
Workers at mine 406-444 and then processed through the solvent
extraction/electrowinning (SX/EW)
Other jobs 1,700
plant. Copper cathodes generated from
Wages includes salaries. the SX/EW plant will be transported
Nonlabor income includes dividends, interest, rent, owner’s income, net profit. offsite for further processing or direct
use.
Table 4
Economic activity in Arizona as a result of the Rosemont Mine operation
The ancillary facilities necessary (data from Seidman Research Institute).
to support the Rosemont operations
include an administration building, Economic activity $122 $907/year
change house, warehouse with lay Wages + nonlabor income $45/year $218
down yards, analytical laboratory, Local revenues $6/year $32
light vehicle and process maintenance Total impacts $489 $19,000
building, mine truck shop, mine truck Gross regional product $317 $11,000
wash and service facility, secured Personal income $182 $5,000
powder magazines and ammonium Government revenues $23 $681
nitrate storage, and a main guard
building with truck scale. Also included Employment
are fuel and supplies storage as well Workers at mine 3,900 person-years 2,900/year
as dispensing facilities for mine and
process equipment. Wages includes salaries.
Nonlabor income includes dividends, interest, rent, owner’s income, net profit.
Rosemont has been designed to
embrace state-of-the-art reclamation
practices, including greenhouse and
field studies to determine optimum
plant species for revegetation, and the
construction of perimeter buttresses
with one to three vertical to horizontal,
slopes to stabilize soils and enhance
revegetation. In addition to employing Table 5
reclamation practices from the beginning
Economic activity in the United States as a result of the Rosemont Mine
of operations, construction of the tailings
and waste rock storage facilities will be operation (data from Seidman Research Institute).
designed and built to facilitate closure.
Construction Production/post
Significant planning has gone into the
staging of facility construction as well (four-year period) (20+ years )
as the facility design itself in order to 2008 $millions 2008 $millions
minimize the footprint of the mine. In Economic activity $568 $1,300
addition to limiting facility placement Wages + non-labor income $167 $387
to a single drainage, visual impacts of Local revenues $53 $128/year
the site, both during operations and Total impacts $2,300 $27,000
at closure, were also considered in Gross regional product $1,200 $15,000
the mine’s overall design. As much as Personal income $668 $8,000
practical, perimeter buttresses are staged Government revenues $210 $3,000
around the facility footprint to minimize
the visual impact of both construction Employment 11,600 person-years 3,000
and operation from SR-83.
Recently, an economic study was Wages includes salaries.
conducted by the Seidman Research Nonlabor income includes dividends, interest, rent, owner’s income, net profit.
Institute of the W.P. Carey School
of Business of the Arizona State
University for the Department of Mines and during its 26-year “active” period. Permanent
Mineral Resources of the state of Arizona on changes to the business community, to the labor
the Rosemont copper project. This revealed that market, to local governments and to many other
there was a lasting, positive economic effect on aspects of the local economy would occur as a
adjoining towns in Cochise, Pima and Santa Cruz result of the mine development and operations of
counties, even after mine closure. Rosemont. These changes will result in residual
economic impacts in the Cochise/Pima/Santa
Residual economic impacts Cruz counties area. The forecast results indicate
Results from the Regional Economic Models that the level of economic activity would be $52
Inc., Policy Insight, v. 9.5 (REMI PI+) forecasts of million per year higher, area residents’ income
economic activity for the years after the closure of $68 million per year higher, employment more
the mine show that the Rosemont project would than 300 higher and local government revenues
have lasting effects on the economy of the three- $2 million per year higher than if the Rosemont
county study area over and above the impacts mine had never existed. Annual figures for each
Table 6
Residual impacts by year for Cochise/Pima/Santa Cruz counties as a result of Rosemont operations
(data from Seidman Research Institute).
($millions 2008)
Gross Local
regional Personal government
Output product income Employment revenues
Total* 518.4 382.3 675.6 22.9
Annual average 51.8 38.2 67.6 347 2.3
Year post closure
24 45.1 36.0 65.9 338 2.2
25 44.5 34.9 63.6 326 2.1
26 45.4 34.9 62.8 325 2.1
27 47.3 35.7 63.1 331 2.1
28 50 36.9 64.5 340 2.2
29 52.7 38.4 66.6 350 2.3
30 55.1 39.6 68.6 357 2.4
31 57.4 40.9 70.9 363 2.4
32 59.5 42.0 73.4 368 2.5
33 61.4 43.1 76.2 371 2.6
Output is the dollar value of all goods and services produced in the region, including intermediate goods as
well as value added.
Gross regional product is the dollar value of all goods and services produced for the final demands. It excludes
intermediate goods and services.
Personal income is the total income received by residents from all sources.
*Total figures refer to the sum of years 24-33. Residual impacts would continue after year 33.
Columns may not add due to rounding.
of these measures for the 10 years after closure 500 higher, and state government revenues $4
are listed in Table 6. million per year higher than if the Rosemont
The REMI PI+ state-level forecast for years operation had never existed. Annual figures for
after the closure of the Rosemont Mine show each of these measures for the 10 years after the
that the Rosemont project would also have end of operations are provided in Table 7.
similar lasting effects on the Arizona economy. Results from the REMI PI+ national forecast
As for the three-county area, enduring changes do not show similar lasting effects for the overall
to the business community, labor market, state U.S. economy.
government and other aspects of the Arizona
economy would occur as a result of economic Conclusion
activity induced by the mine development and The data in this study concludes that, even
operation of Rosemont, and these changes when a mining project in this area is terminated,
would result in residual economic impacts within there is a residual beneficial economic effect in
Arizona. The state-level forecast results indicate the community, which lasts for a long period of
that the level of economic activity would be time. It is not simply a case of all activities coming
$111 million per year higher, the state residents’ to a halt.
income $96 million per year greater, employment In addition, all mines have to present a plan

Table 6

Residual impacts for the state of Arizona as a result of Rosemont operations (data from Seidman Research
Institute).
($millions)
Gross Local
regional Personal government
Output product income Employment revenues
Total* 1,111.6 655.6 956.4 43.7
Annual average 111.2 65.6 95.6 498 4.4
Year post closure
24 94.8 58.8 92.5 474 3.9
25 94.1 57.8 89.2 458 3.9
26 97.2 59.0 88.3 462 3.9
27 102.0 61.2 89.2 475 4.1
28 107.7 63.9 91.3 490 4.3
29 113.1 66.4 94.0 504 4.4
30 118.8 69.0 97.4 518 4.6
31 123.5 71.2 100.8 526 4.7
32 128.2 73.4 104.9 534 4.9
33 132.3 75.1 109.0 539 5.0
Output is the dollar value of all goods and services produced in the region, including intermediate goods as
well as value added (compensation and profit).
Gross regional product in the dollar value of all goods and services produced for the final demands. It excludes
intermediate goods and services.
Personal income is the total income received by residents from all sources.
*Total figures refer to the sum of years 24-33. Residual impacts would continue after year 33.
Columns may not add due to rounding.
of operations when requesting permission to permission to publish this paper.

develop a mine, which includes reclamation.
Although some of the reclamation work may be References
completed concurrent to the mining, the rest is L. William Seidman Research Institute, 2009, “An assessment of
completed after mining ceases. This provides work the economic impacts of the Rosemont copper project on the
and helps to taper the employment at the mine. economies of the Cochise/Pima/Santa Cruz counties study
Most mining companies subscribe to sustainable area, the State of Arizona, and the United States,” Novem-
development principles and help to start other ber, 57 pp.
industries in the area prior to full closure. M3 Engineering and Technology Corporation, 2009, “Rosemont
The enduring economic strength of mining has Copper Project – updated feasibility study, NI 43-101 Techni-
not received the attention it deserves and should cal Report,” Vol. 1, (January, Amended March.), for Augusta
be borne in mind in public discussions of future Resource Corp., 177 pp.
mine development plans. n Singh, M. M., 2009, “Economic impacts of the Rosemont Copper
Project ” State of Arizona, Department of Mines and Mineral
Acknowledgments Resources, Special Report No. 26,” November, 58 pp.
The authors would like to thank the Rosemont WestLand Resources Inc., 2007, Mine Plan of Operations, Rose-
Copper Co. for the funding for this project and for mont copper project, for Augusta Resource Corp., July, 98 pp.

Iron ore review
2009/2010
by Magnus Ericsson,
Anton Löf
and Olle Östensson
The Kiruna
underground mine T
he unexpectedly quick recovery in world
crude steel production in the second half
of 2009 was due almost entirely to increased
north of the Arctic
percent. In the Americas, production declined
by 30 percent and in Oceania, production was
reduced by 29 percent.
Circle in Sweden isproduction in China that began in late 2008.
operated by state- Previous peaks in monthly production in China Revised Chinese iron ore production figures
owned LKAB. were matched by April 2009. The rest of the World production of iron ore fell by 6.2 percent
world had still not reached pre-crisis production in 2009 and did not quite reach 1.4 Gt (1.6 billion
rates by May 2010. st). This was the first fall in production after seven
Chinese production drives growth, but there years of consecutive growth. Output decreased
has been some growth in most other larger crude in most countries, with a few notable exceptions
steel producing countries as well, compared such as Australia and South Africa. Developing
to production in 2009. If the production rate of countries accounted for a little less than 59
the first four months of 2010 continues, the total percent of world iron ore production in 2009
output of crude steel in 2010 will be somewhere (down from 60 percent in 2008), the CIS republics
around 1,410 Mt (1.5 billion st), the same as in the for 12 percent and the industrialized economies
record year of 2007. for 29 percent. The increase for the industrialized
World crude steel production decreased economies was due almost exclusively to the
from 1,326.6 Mt (1.46 billion st) in 2008 to 1,219 growth in Australia. China produced 234 Mt (258
Mt (1.34 billion st) in 2009, a mill st) on a comparable grade basis. China, which
dramatic fall of 8.1 percent. But used to be the largest producer, has now been
Magnus Ericsson is professor while most of the world saw pushed down to third place after Australia at
of mineral economics at Lulea falling production, crude steel 394 Mt (434 million st) and Brazil at 300 Mt (330
University of Technology, production in China increased million st).
Sweden and cofounder Raw by 13.5 percent, compared to Chinese production is crucial to understanding
Materials Group, Anton Löf is the 2.3 percent growth the year the dynamics of world iron ore markets. However,
analyst and Olle Östensson before. China now accounts the analysis is complicated by the fact that there
is senior advisor with Raw for almost half of the world are serious question marks about the reliability
Materials Group, Stockholm production of crude steel (47 of Chinese data on iron ore production. Raw
2010, www.rmg.se, e-mail percent). In Europe, production Materials Group (RMG) has recently decided
Magnus.Ericsson@rmg.se. fell by 24 percent and Africa to revise its method for estimating Chinese iron
experienced a decrease of 11 ore production. Whereas RMG had earlier used
Iron ore
Chinese production statistics as a basis, RMG has

found that this method no longer yields reasonable
results, probably because of shortcomings in the
way that the statistics are collected and compiled.
Instead, RMG now estimates iron ore production
in China by calculating the iron ore content in the
pig iron produced and deducting the iron content
in imported ore to arrive at a figure for the need
for domestic ore in terms of iron content. This
method appears to be relatively safe from errors
since both the production of pig iron and iron ore
imports can be checked against other numbers.
Most importantly, the pig iron production is
included in statistics published by the World Steel
Association and is checked through its procedures.
The change in methodology has significant
consequences for RMG’s picture of how Chinese
and world iron ore production has developed. In
summary, RMG has concluded that Chinese iron
ore production was underreported up to 2007
and overreported in 2008 and 2009. According
to revised estimates, Chinese iron ore production
increased from 133 Mt (147 million st) in 2000
to 363 Mt (400 million st) in 2007 (production
converted to an iron content of 63 percent).
In 2008 and 2009, it declined, probably in part
because of lower profitability, and in part because
of exhaustion of reserves. The revised figures for
2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 Chinese production are
285, 356, 400 and 321 Mt (314, 392, 440 and 354 of total iron ore exports in 2009. Developed A ship is loaded in
million st). market economy countries accounted for 43 the Narvik ice free
It is difficult to identify the reasons for the percent and the CIS countries for the remaining harbor in Norway,
over- and undercounting without a detailed 7 percent. Australia is the largest iron ore where most of the
insight into the procedures used to produce the exporting country at more than 360 Mt (397 LKAB production is
statistics. While one can speculate about reasons million st) and an increase of 17 percent when shipped.
for double counting (two sources reporting the compared with 2008. By contrast, Brazil’s
same production, for instance) or motives (taxes, exports decreased by 3 percent to 266 Mt (293
access to government subsidies) for reporters to million st) in 2009. Indian exports grew for the
adjust numbers, little is known with any certainty. 10th consecutive year and the country is now at
The number of iron ore mines in China is vast, and 116 Mt (128 million st), the third most important
nobody, not even the Chinese themselves, is likely exporter. Seaborne iron ore trade is estimated to
to have a good overview of the situation at any have increased by 11 percent in 2009 to 895 Mt
given time. What is certain, however, is that the (986 million st). The increase was accounted for
gross figures provided are not consistent either entirely by Chinese imports, which rose by much
over time or with other statistical parameters such more than the increase in total trade. Other
as pig iron production. RMG intends to further importers registered large declines. China is by
refine its analysis of Chinese iron ore production far the largest importer and its imports grew by
in 2010. 41 percent in 2009 to reach 628 Mt (692 million
st), which is 67 percent of total world imports.
Iron ore trade Japan is the second largest importer at 105 Mt
Despite the recession, iron ore trade reached (116 million st). This is a decrease of 25 percent
a record level in 2009 as exports increased for to 105 Mt (116 million st). European imports
the eighth year in a row and reached 955 Mt (excluding the CIS countries), fell by 45 percent
(1.05 billion st), up 7.4 percent. The increase was in 2009 to 100 Mt (110 million st), corresponding
the result of higher demand in China combined to 9.9 percent of world imports.
with a fall in domestic production. Total iron ore
exports have increased by 88 percent since 2000. Benchmark prices are dead
Developing countries accounted for 49 percent The annual benchmark negotiation process
Iron ore
Table 1
Iron ore: world production.
The new model has brought
Country 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 uncertainty and reduced transparency
to the iron ore market. Prices are no
Sweden 23.3 23.3 24.7 23.8 17.7 longer announced like they used to be
and the published series of spot prices
Subtotal Europe excl. CIS 29.7 30.2 29.5 28.3 21.4
are not still not 100 percent reliable.
The spot price into China is used as
CIS 180.1 194.2 202.1 190.4 176.4 a basis for pricing in all parts of the
Subtotal Europe 209.8 224.4 231.7 218.7 231.7 world and, although there are three
main series available including Metal
Canada 30.1 35.0 34.1 32.1 33.0 Bulletin, SBB and Platts, it is still not
USA 54.3 52.9 52.4 53.6 26.5 clear how representative these series
Brazil 292.4 318.6 336.5 346.0 299.8 really are and how secure against
Venezuela 21.2 22.1 20.7 21.5 14.9 manipulations they are. At least one
Subtotal Americas 425.2 454.6 471.0 481.6 400.7 company, Swedish exporter LKAB,
has negotiated annual contracts, but
its model of pricing has not been
Mauritania 10.7 11.1 11.9 11.2 10.2
published. There is still a long way to
South Africa 39.5 41.3 41.6 49.0 55.4 go before the iron ore prices are set as
Subtotal Africa 54.3 56.1 57.7 64.1 68.1 those of copper, nickel or other base
metals are on a completely transparent
India 142.7 180.9 206.9 223.0 257.4 exchange under full control against
Subtotal Asia excl. China 164.7 205.4 237.2 254.5 291.4 any type of manipulations. But,
hopefully, this is the direction in which
China 1 284.5 356.1 399.7 321.1 233.7 iron ore is moving. When looking back,
Subtotal Asia 449.2 562.1 637.8 576.6 525.1 it took between 5-15 years before
aluminum and nickel moved away
Australia 257.5 275.1 299.0 349.8 393.9 from so-called producer prices and
became fully integrated and traded on
Subtotal Oceania 259.8 277.3 300.9 351.9 395.9
the London Metal Exchange. There is
really nothing stopping either an iron
Total world 1311.5 1494.4 1664.0 1724.6
1724.6 1587.7
ore contract or using a steel contract as
the basis for iron ore trade. The latter
1
Iron ore production is converted so that its iron content is about is the way that copper concentrates
equal to that on average in the rest of the world. are traded.
China ore production
(unconverted): 420.5 588.2 682.5 824.0 880.2 The new model has resulted in
Source: UNCTAD 2010.
price hikes in the second quarter of
2010 of around 100 percent compared
to the 2009 benchmark. Australian
haematite fines to Japan increased
by 99.7 percent and there were
expectations of a further increase for the third
died in early 2010. In spite of vocal opposition, quarter. Vale reached an agreement with its
mainly from Chinese steel companies, with Japanese customers at an 86 percent increase for
strong support from Japanese and European Itabira fines and 92 percent for Carajas fines.
steel industry organisations, there was nothing
that could make it survive. When Chinese steel Corporate concentration increases
demand recovered surprisingly fast at the end The three largest iron ore companies, Vale,
of 2009 and early 2010 and iron ore spot prices Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton, increased their
soared, there was simply no real support for the control over global iron ore production to 35.4
old system. Baosteel and CISA, representing percent in 2009 (Table 2). The market share of
the Chinese steel industry, tried to hold out the “big three” increased for the first time since
and even called for a boycott of the “big three.” 2004. Brazilian Vale still holds the position as
But this proposal was more indicative of the the largest iron ore producer in the world and,
powerlessness of the Chinese steel industry and although it controlled some 255 Mt (281 million
its inability to change the course of events, than st), its position as the undisputed industry leader
a real threat. A quarterly seminegotiated price is is seriously challenged. Not only has the volumes
now the norm. controlled by Vale decreased from a peak of
Iron ore
308 Mt (340 million st) in 2007 while its closest

rival, Rio Tinto, has increased its controlled
production from 150 to 172 Mt (165 to 190
million st), but Vale’s market leadership has also
been successfully challenged, primarily by BHP
Billiton, the third largest producer. BHP Billiton
has been in the forefront against the benchmark
negotiating process while Vale has been its most
fierce defender. Rio Tinto has been ambivalent.
Many small Chinese producers reduced their
output in 2009, and that, together with the quick
ramping up of production in Australia after the
slump in early 2009, resulted in an increased
market share for the “big three.”
The trend over the last four years of
decreasing concentration seems to have been and infrastructure in Western Australia. This National Mineral
broken. Against the background of the cut agreement has also raised concern in some Development
in production by Vale of some 50 Mt (55 quarters about the growing bargaining power Corp. (NMDC), an
million st), it seems most likely that corporate of the large producers. The trend on the part Indian iron ore
concentration will increase again in 2010 when of steel producers toward creating a network company, produces
Vale tries to recapture market shares. It is also of captive mines, both iron ore and coal, which 26 Mt/a (28.6
likely that a continued fall in Chinese domestic started in the CIS, has strengthened. The largest million stpy) of
production with widespread mine closures — steel producer, Arcelor Mittal, has built a strong iron ore from five
the Great Chinese Shakeout — will continue holding in the iron ore sector and other steel openpit operations,
during the next few years. As stated in last year’s works have followed suit. including this
review, these two factors will help catapult the one pictured,
total share of production controlled by the “big Capacity boom in India. The
three” back to or even beyond the top levels of New iron ore mining capacity taken into company is looking
2003-2005. It only happened much faster than operation in 2009, as identified at the individual for expansion
anticipated. project level, reached almost 75 Mt (83 million opportunities
To measure corporate control at the st) globally. This is slightly lower than the 2008 overseas.
production stage underestimates the figure of some 90 Mt (99 million st). The total
concentration of the iron ore sector
since large parts of total production
do not enter the market due to Table 2
vertical integration. An alternative is
to look at the share of the seaborne Corporate control in iron ore mining in 2009.
trade. Measured this way, the
shares of the major companies are Controlling entity Country Controlled Share of total
considerably higher. While it is true production world production
that Vale’s control decreased in 2009 (Mt) (%)
from 33 to 26 percent, Rio Tinto and 1 Vale (Cia Vale do Rio Doce) Brazil 255 16.0
BHP Billiton increased their control 2 Rio Tinto plc UK 172 10.8
and the three largest companies 3 BHP Billiton Ltd. Australia 137 8.6
together still control 61 percent of the 4 State of India1 India 55.3 3.5
total seaborne trade of iron ore. This 5 Anglo American South Africa 43.8 2.8
number is quoted by those who argue 6 Arcelor Mittal UK 37.7 2.4
that the concentration risks leading 7 Metalloinvest Russia 35.5 2.2
to control by major producers over
8 Fortescue Metal Group Australia 34.9 2.2
prices, particularly under the present
benchmark negotiating system. While 9 System Capital Management Ukraine 27.0 1.7
the proposed merger between BHP 10 Cliffs Natural Resources USA 23.9 1.5
Billiton and Rio Tinto failed, it was Total, 10 largest 822 51.8
announced in early June 2009 Rio Total, world 1588 100.0
Tinto and BHP Billiton had entered
into a nonbinding joint venture
1
State of India includes SAIL and NMDC.
agreement covering the entirety of Source: Raw Materials Data, Stockholm 2010.
both companies iron ore operations
Iron ore
project pipeline in May 2010 contains more Outlook

than 685 Mt (755 million st) of new production The World Steel Association’s short-term
capacity to come onstream between 2010 and forecast for world steel use, presented in April
2012. Of this total, around 270 Mt (298 million 2010, anticipates a rise in steel use by 10.7 percent
st) falls into the category “certain,” 145 Mt (160 in 2010. In June 2010, the iron ore market was tight
million st) “probable” and 270 Mt (298 million and spot prices were approaching levels of around
st) “possible.” Of the project labeled “certain,” 1,200-1,300 RMB/t as Chinese steel production
61 percent are in Oceania; Latin America has 19 continued growing. Nevertheless, the events
percent and Africa 16 percent. RMG has been during the past year allowed two conclusions to
doing these types of estimates for a number be confirmed, both of them important for the
of years and over this period an average of 75 future of the world market for iron ore:
percent of the total including certain, probable
and possible categories have been recorded as • The Chinese economy is capable of
changing direction toward endogenous
growth and is in the process of doing
so, which means that it will be less
dependent on growing world demand for
its manufactured exports.
• Domestic Chinese iron ore production

is sensitive to prices and will probably
not be able to increase output beyond
present levels.
Meanwhile, the new pricing system gives the

major iron ore producers more leverage. While
the international steel industry is fragmented
and does not act in a coherent manner, the three
large iron ore producers do not have to collude
in order to exercise considerable control over
the market and ensure that they are pursuing
mutually consistent strategies. Their objectives
are obvious – maximizing profits — and their
method of achieving the objective equally so:
keep the price high enough to pay for new
investment and low enough so that new entrants
do not become realistic alternative sources of
product. The control exercised by the “big three”
will, thus to some extent, counteract the tendency
to greater price instability that will result from the
Drill core from completed. In spite of the uncertainties of each new pricing methods.
Sahavaara, individual project, it may with some degree The world iron ore market will be
Northland’s of confidence be assumed that 400 to 500 Mt characterized by tight conditions and the next
Swedish core (440 to 550 million st) of new capacity will few years will be characterized by a gradual
facility. come onstream in the period to and including adaptation of supply, by way of addition of new
2012. In the three-year period after 2012, more capacity, to a continuously growing demand.
than 400 Mt (440 million st) of additional iron Accordingly, the Raw Materials Group believes
ore capacity is listed with a completion date. that supply will gradually catch up and that prices
Given the present circumstances with extreme will decline from the present extreme levels,
optimism in the market, most of the projects but will stay at a higher level than in the period
in the pipeline will be taken forward and many before 2008.
new ones will be announced. Were it not for the The background material for this article is
capacity of the “big three” to regulate the pace at extracted from “The Iron Ore Market 2009-2011,”
which their projects will be taken into operation, published by UNCTAD in June 2010. This study
the danger of an overcapacity developing would is researched and compiled by Raw Materials
seem considerable particularly if there are any Group (www.rmg.se) for UNCTAD, and can be
hiccups in the growth of steel production in the ordered from: ironore@unctad.org or by fax from
next three years. Amelie Zethelius Mermet at +41-22 9170509. n
New mine development
A new industrial mineral sand mine

near Coos Bay, Oregon
by Joseph D. Drew, Todd M. Lessard, Daniel F. Smith and Bill A. Hancock
O regon Resources Corp. (ORC) has devel-

oped and permitted a new mining opera-
tion that incorporates a process design that will
Figure 1
Location map of southern Oregon with major sediment source rivers
allow the unique paleo-beach placer deposits of (Peterson et al., 1987).
southwestern Oregon to be extracted efficiently
and economically, creating the only domestically
mined source of a unique foundry grade chromite
and specialty de-veining sand for precision cast-
ing. The operation will also provide an additional
domestic source of garnet and zircon.
Engineering design has been guided by the
variable geology and mineralogy of the paleo-
beach placer deposits as well as the need for a
dry tailing scheme that resolves a lack of water
resources at the placer locations and at the same
time eliminates the need for slurry settling ponds,
typical of paleo-beach placer operations in North
America.
Metallurgical study of the placer material was
grouped into four distinct samples based on ma-
rine terrace deposition, geological facies and min-
eralogy. Because the metallurgical samples rep-
resented the extremes likely to be encountered in
all future Oregon paleo-beach placers, the process
design is highly dynamic and will successfully ad-
just to meet the production needs.
Water availability at the mining area is sea-
sonal and will not support a traditional placer
operation’s water requirement needs for heavy
mineral concentration. For this reason, ORC has
developed a plan to construct the ore processing
facilities near Coos Bay, where a municipal source
of water is available. Raw ore will be transported
from the mining sites approximately 32 km (20
miles) one way to the processing facility with re-
turn loads hauling tailings back to the active pit.
The requirement to haul and reclaim dry tailings
and limit the amount of water being purchased will be trucked north to the processing site near
from the municipality has driven the design of a Coos Bay on existing county and state roads, in-
unique water reclamation system. cluding U.S. 101.
The available facilities at
Joseph D. Drew, member SME,
Background the processing site include
Todd M. Lessard and Daniel
Location and access. Economic concentra- highway, rail, municipal wa-
F. Smith, member SME, are
tions of “black sand” or heavy mineral (minerals ter and electricity, natural
director of geology, director
with specific gravity greater than 2.85) have been gas and a deep-water port.
of production and process
recognized and studied in marine placers from At the time of this writing,
engineering and chief operating
Coos Bay to the mouth of the Rogue River, a dis- the rail line had been aban-
officer with Oregon Resources
tance of approximately 121 km (75 miles) along doned, but was being pur-
Corp. Bill A. Hancock, member
the southern Oregon coast (Hornor, 1918; Griggs, sued by the International
SME, is principal with Argo
1945) (Fig. 1). Port of Coos Bay. It is an-
Consulting LLC & and president
ORC will begin mining existing reserves ap- ticipated that this will be ser-
Zeroday Enterprises LLC, e-mail
proximately 32 km (20 miles) south of Coos Bay viceable at some time in the
billhancock@zerodayllc.com.
in a region known locally as Seven Devils. Ore future.

Figure 2
Detailed map of the study area with deposits. Cross section A-A’ de-
picted (Peterson et al., 1987, with supporting data from Griggs, 1945). ly 25 percent Cr2O3 were produced at the mining
sites by wet gravity processes and trucked to the
Defense Plant Corp.’s separation plant near Co-
quille, OR, where the black sand was further con-
centrated to approximately 40 percent Cr2O3.
Humphreys Gold Corp. developed and used
the revolutionary helical spiral separator for the
purpose of concentrating the heavy mineral of the
Oregon paleo-beach placers (Allen, 1943). This
methodology is still used in hundreds of mining
applications from placer mining to coal process-
ing.
Geology
Regional geology. As with any marine placer
deposit, one must understand the source of the
economic minerals, the transport mechanisms,
segregation and depositional systems, and preser-
vation of the deposits.
The heavy mineral deposits of the south-
western Oregon placers are sourced from the
metamorphic and ultramafic rocks of the Klam-
ath Mountains (Twenhofel, 1943). The Klamath
Mountains are located in southwestern Oregon
and northwestern California. Within the meta-
morphic and ultramafic terrain exist alpine-type
podiform chromite deposits. Several small op-
erations have attempted to exploit these deposits
with little success, given the podiform variability
History. The southern Oregon marine placers (Libbey, 1963).
have garnered the interests of miners since 1852, Several major rivers including the Chetco,
when present day beaches were exploited for Rogue, Elk, Sixes and the Coquille drain from the
gold. The beach deposits were small and irregu- Klamath Mountains to the Pacific Ocean (Kulm
lar in nature and were easily washed away by the et al., 1968). Mineral grains in currently identified
major storms the coast endures during the winter paleo-beach placer deposits have been chemically
months (Hornor, 1918). analyzed with ion microbe analysis to demon-
In the 1920s, deposits at the beach were fol- strate that their sources are indeed the existing
lowed upstream to their paleo-beach terrace ori- rivers whose watersheds begin in the Klamath
gins (Pardee, 1934). These terrace placers were Mountains and in the regions of the alpine-type
mined, but with little success, as the cost of min- podiform chromite deposits (Peterson et al.,
ing and processing was greater than at the present 1986).
day beach deposits. Once the sediments reach the Pacific Ocean,
The greatest effort to understand and delin- predominant longshore currents transport the
eate the paleo-beach terrace placers came during sediments northward. Headlands along the pa-
World War II. As the need for a domestic source leo-coastline reduced the energy of the currents
of steel hardening chromite was evident, the and allowed for the preferential removal of dense
heavy mineral bearing placers of southwestern particles according to Stokes Law (Peterson et al.,
Oregon were investigated by the U.S. Geological 1986). Currently, deposits of heavy minerals are
Survey (USGS), under guidance from the Oregon forming off the coast of southern Oregon, fol-
Department of Geology and Mineral Industries, lowing the same mode of deposition adjacent to
which began exploration drilling of the paleo- prominent headlands (Cape Blanco) (Kulm et al.,
beach terraces in 1940 (Griggs, 1945). This work 1968). Another characteristic of the Oregon coast
was part of the broader investigation of strategic is the fierce storms and high-energy wave action
mineral deposits and would ultimately supply that occurs along the beaches. This high-energy
much needed chromite for the war efforts. environment is sufficient to segregate the dense
The first mining efforts began in 1943 by from light minerals and is amplified during storm
Humphreys Gold Corp. and Krome Corp. (Griggs, events.
1945). Black sand concentrates averaging rough- Finally, once the economic heavy minerals
Figure 3
Generalized cross section of the southwestern Oregon paleo-beach terraces (Peterson et al., 1987).
are in place and concentrated, the deposit must most areas). To the west, the terrace is eroded by
be preserved. Such industrial mineral placers the subsequent formation of the younger Pioneer
around the world typically show preservation by terrace (Fig. 3).
high sea level stands and subsequent regression, Peterson, et al., 1987, interpreted stratigraphic
leaving behind the coastal remnant. The Trail sections studied within the Seven Devils terrace
Ridge deposit, which stretches from Florida to the to represent a transgressive sequence. Deposi-
Carolinas, represents such a depositional model. tion on the Seven Devils terrace represents the
Economic heavy minerals have been mined from nearshore to inner shelf deposition of the trans-
this ridge since the late 1940s to the present. It is gressive sequence. Exploration drilling by Krome
suggested by Peterson et al., 1986, that the south- Corp. and ORC indicate the presence of addi-
ern Oregon paleo-beach terraces were formed tional tensional faulting in the nearshore environ-
by a transgressive sequence that encroached ap- ment that increased the thickness of the sediment
proximately 5 km (3.1 miles) inland from the package. As a result, typical nearshore orebodies
present-day beach followed by regression, high (North and South Seven Devils) have mineral-
sea level stand and a subsequent progradational
beach forming sequence, thus forming the over- Figure 4
all geomorphology of the region into a stair-step
sequence leading down to the present day beach Grain structure comparison (Hoyt, 2009).
(Peterson et al., 1987).
Terrace geology. Although several terraces

exist, ORC’s operation currently is developing
reserves within the Seven Devils and Pioneer ter-
races (Fig. 2).
The Seven Devils terrace has been suggested
to be 124,000 years old (Pleistocene) (Adams,
1984). The terrace has been uplifted to an eleva-
tion of 75 to 85 m (246 to 279 ft) above present
sea level and is inland 5 km (3.1 miles), roughly
parallel with the current beach. The Seven Devils
terrace can be traced from approximately 11.3 km
(7 miles) south of Cape Arago to Cape Blanco to
the south, a distance of approximately 50 km (31
miles). Griggs (1945) suggests that the terrace is
truncated to the east by normal faulting, leaving
a sharp contact between the terrace sands and
an older Tertiary mudstone (weathered to clay in
Table 1
Bulk sample location and mineral information.
9 m (30 ft) and averaging 6
Bulk sample ID m (20 ft). As is the case with
SH WB S7D N7D the previously described
Drillhole samples 83 358 470 172 North and South Seven
Total bulk weight (lbs) 1,634 2,351 8,248 5,190 Devils deposits, the western
Terrace represented Pioneer 7 Devils 7 Devils 7 Devils deposits along the Seven
Devils terrace demonstrate
Deposits represented Westbrook South 7 North 7
a transgressive sequence,
Shepard West Bohemia Devils Devils as suggested by Peterson et
Sec 10, 33 al. Similarities include the
% Heavy mineral (sg > 2.85) 62.3 21.9 43.434.8 sequencing from basal Ter-
% Chromite 14.5 10.3 18.911.9 tiary mudstones/clay and
% Garnet 10.1 1.0 6.0 1.7 conglomerate unconformity
% Zircon 1.2 0.6 1.8 1.2 followed by coarse sand
% Epidote/clinozoisite 30.5 12.3 18.620.9 deposition with higher con-
% Staurolite 1.5 0.4 0.3 0.7 centrations of heavy mineral
% Ilmenite 1.0 1.1 4.3 0.5 continuing upsection to low-
% Leucoxene 0.5 0.5 0.3 0.8 er energy sands. The primary
difference between the two
% Rutile 0.2 0.2 0.5 0.4
sets of deposits being the
% Magnetite 0.0 0.1 0.4 0.1 total depth of the deposited
% Misc. Light “heavies” 3.6 0.4 1.0 0.9 package of sand. The North
and South Seven Devils de-
SH = Shepard, WB = Westbrook, S7D = South Seven Devils, N7D = North Seven Devils posits are narrowly bounded
by north-south trending
faulting, whereas the west-
ized sand depths from surface to maximum of 30 ward reserves on the Seven Devils terrace are
m (98 ft), while averaging 15 m (49 ft). Typical broad, laterally continuous representations of full
of the nearshore deposition, the delineated re- scale beach deposition and transgression.
serves are characterized by a basal conglomer- The Pioneer terrace is the younger of the two
ate of well-rounded rocks and agates overlaying terraces in which ORC has been delineating re-
the weathered Tertiary mudstone (Baldwin et al., serves. The age of the terrace is approximately
1983 and ORC drilling). Coarse sands overlay the 103,000 years old and represents a progradational
conglomerate and include some of the highest beach sequence formed at high sea level stand
concentrations of heavy minerals, in some cases (Adams, 1984). The stratigraphic sequence of the
up to 95 percent. These higher-grade units typi- Shepard deposit, the only reserve currently delin-
cally reflect lags created under high-energy storm eated by ORC on the Pioneer terrace, is similar
sequencing. Upsection, a general fining upwards to that of the Seven Devils terrace deposits and
exists, representing the transgressive nature of generally represents deposition at what would
the ocean. Heavy mineral concentrations are re- be the final stages of the transgressive sequence
corded throughout the entire sequence, but there (Peterson et al., 1987). A basal conglomerate
is no doubt that as the transgressive sequence of well rounded rocks and agates exists above
progressed and energy shifted from high breaker/ an unconformable layer with the same Tertiary
swash zone to seaward energies, segregation and mudstone encountered on the Seven Devils ter-
concentration waned. In stark contrast to the low- race deposits, followed by a nearshore/swash zone
er zones of deposition, the upper zones typically depositional sequence of coarse sand and higher
contain 2 to 10 percent heavy mineral. Authigenic concentrations of heavy mineral. Once again,
clays derived from feldspars and other weathered this higher energy zone served to concentrate the
minerals exist within the deposits and represent heavy mineral during periodic storm and wave
10 to 15 percent of the ores within the nearshore events. Upsection is found in the same fining up-
environment. Bioturbation does exist in the form ward sequence along with lowered concentration
of branching tubes typical of nearshore environ- of heavy mineral resulting from lower energy en-
ments (Hunter, 1980). vironments associated with the transgressive se-
West of these deposits on the Seven Devils ter- quence. The Pioneer terrace deposit differs from
race, ORC has further delineated the Westbrook the previous terrace deposits in that it is capped
(Sec. 4E), West Bohemia (Sec. 4E), and Section by aeolian dune sequences that represent the end
33 deposits. These deposits are shallow in nature, of transgression and the early stages of beach pro-
located at or near surface to maximum depths of gradation (Peterson et al., 1987). While this aeo-
Table 2
Bulk sizing, desliming and oversize data.
lian sand does contain heavy
mineral, it is not in econom- Bulk sample ID
ic concentrations within the SH WB S7D N7D
Shepard deposit study area. % pit oversize (4 mesh, +4.75 mm) 1.3 4.0 3.1 2.6
% plant oversize (-4, +18 mesh, -4.75, +1.0 mm) 2.1 6.1 4.8 4.0
Mineralogy and prod-
% slimes (-230 mesh, -63 µm) 6.7 14.8 14.0 14.8
ucts. Economic minerals
from the southern Oregon % passing deslime to gravity circuit 89.9 75.1 78.1 78.6
paleo-beach placers cur- Screen analysis of deslimed gravity circuit feed 100 100 100 100
rently being marketed by +20 mesh (850 µm) 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.1
ORC include chromite and -20, +30 mesh (600 µm) 0.2 2.7 0.8 0.4
zircon products for foundry -30, +40 mesh (425 µm) 0.7 8.4 1.9 1.1
applications and garnet for -40, +50 mesh (300 µm) 5.6 28.3 6.9 8.1
waterjet cutting medium. -50, +70 mesh (212 µm) 26.6 29.4 29.1 41.2
Other recoverable minerals -70, +100 mesh (150 µm) 43.4 17.8 33.7 30.7
include ilmenite, magnetite, -100, +140 mesh (106 µm) 18.9 8.1 20.5 13.0
staurolite, kyanite, silliman- -140, +200 mesh (75 µm) 3.7 3.3 5.5 3.7
ite, rutile, leucoxene, gold
-200, +230 mesh (63 µm) 1.0 1.0 1.7 1.9
and platinum (Hornor, 1918
and Griggs, 1945). Ilmenite, SH = Shepard, WB = Westbrook, S7D = South Seven Devils, N7D = North Seven Devils
leucoxene, rutile, magnetite
and small amounts of chro-
mite are combined into a
fourth product called High-Iron, a foundry de- cal nature of the heavy mineral. The chromite,
veining solution. Not only do the total concentra- garnet, zircon and High-Iron sand grains from the
tion of these economic minerals vary with depo- southern Oregon paleo-beach placers are highly
sitional facies, there is also a degree of variability rounded and moderate to highly spherical (de-
found in overall assemblage between the Seven pending on original crystal form) (Hoyt, 2006,
Devils and Pioneer terraces. Constant among all 2009). The grains have also experienced a nar-
of the terraces, however, is the degree of spheric- rowing of particle size distribution by the wave
ity and rounding as well as the natural sizing and action of the Pacific Ocean.
sorting (Hoyt, 2006). In direct comparison tests to market foundry
The deposits located on the Seven Devils ter- grade chromite from the Republic of South Af-
race (North and South Seven Devils, Westbrook, rica (typically angular crusher fines from ferro-
West Bohemia, West Section 10 and Section 33) chrome operations) the ORC chromite performs
contain higher concentrations of chromite and favorably:
zircon in the heavy mineral fraction than does
the Shepard deposit located on the Pioneer ter- • The rounded grain structure and natu-
race. Full ore reserve (not metallurgical bulk rally smooth polish of the ORC chromite
sampling) analysis performed by ORC indicates grains reduces the total surface area that
that concentrations of chromite within the Seven requires binders in the foundry mold.
Devils terrace ranges from approximately 33 to This lowers costs while maintaining the
43 percent, in contrast to only 23 percent on the strength of the mold.
Pioneer terrace (Drew, 2008). The same can be • The reduction in mold binder lowers the
said of zircon, which averages between 1.5 and 2.9 decomposition gasses and emissions dur-
percent within the Seven Devils terrace and only ing the casting process.
1.4 percent on the Pioneer terrace. Alternatively,
• The rounded grain shape and narrow par-
the Pioneer terrace shows greater percentage of
ticle size distribution of ORC chromite
garnet, at 12.6 percent versus 4.6 to 9.8 percent
allows for a tighter packing of grains in
on the older Seven Devils terrace (Drew, 2008).
the mold. Increased grain-to-grain con-
These differences in mineral assemblage reflects
tact during binding yields superior ten-
the differing sources supplying the system at the
sile strengths and enhances the ability to
time of deposition. Peterson et al. (1986) has
transfer heat from the casting.
shown several unique river sources supplied the
deposition at varying stages of terrace develop- • Clay coatings eliminated during process-
ment, yielding the shifts in mineralogy. ing.
Constant throughout both the Seven Devils
and Pioneer terrace deposits is the general physi- Oregon Resources Corp. chromite product
Table 3
Heavy mineral concentrate sizing from bulks.
than the Westbrook, West Bohemia and West Sec-
Bulk sample ID tion 10 and 33 deposits. Secondly, the North and
Screen SH WB S7D N7D South Seven devils deposits were bulked separate-
+20 mesh (850 µm) 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 ly based on the relative amount of lower grade, un-
-20, +30 mesh (600 µm) 0.0 0.3 0.1 0.0 economic sand deposited in the final stages of the
-30, +40 mesh (425 µm) 0.0 1.1 0.4 0.2 marine transgression at maximum ocean depths.
While both deposits would have contained such
-40, +50 mesh (300 µm) 3.1 8.6 0.8 2.1
deposition, the South Seven Devils deposit was
-50, +70 mesh (212 µm) 29.0 28.9 12.4 20.7 partially mined during WWII, thus removing the
-70, +100 mesh (150 µm) 39.5 34.3 39.4 39.3 upper sections of deposition that is still preserved
-100, +140 mesh (106 µm) 16.2 11.8 29.8 26.4 at the North Seven Devils deposit.
-140, +200 mesh (75 µm) 12.2 13.9 16.2 10.9 The Westbrook, West Bohemia, West Sec-
-200 mesh (-75 µm) 0.0 1.1 0.8 0.5 tion 10, and Section 33 deposits are all part of the
Seven Devils terrace transgressive sedimentary
package that has been dissected by erosion and
met or exceeded the results of zircon in all found- mass wasting. These deposits are represented by
ry tests as well, making it a viable, lower cost alone bulk sample resulting from the drilling at the
ternative. Currently, ORC has memorandums of Westbrook deposit.
understanding for product sales with HA-Inter- Bulk samples were collected by splitting 1.5 m
national, IGC Technologies and Possehl Erzkon- (5 ft) drillhole interval samples previously collect-
tor GmbH. ed and warehoused by ORC. A small sample was
retained, while the remainder was placed in 208 L
Process design (55 gal) drums. Samples for bulking were selected
Bulk sample selection and preparation. A to- on the criteria that greater than, or equal to, 4 per-
tal of four bulk samples for metallurgical test work cent chromite be present in situ. This cutoff is typi-
and plant design were collected by the ORC team cally considered by ORC to be of economic value.
(Table 1) and delivered to Outotec (USA) Inc. for Interbedded lenses of less than 4 percent chromite
characterization. Criteria for selection included were included in the sampling, thus representing
marine terrace deposition, geological facies and the realistically mined deposit (Tables 2, 3).
mineralogy.
Upon selection, the bulks were collected using Mining and ore grade control. The sample
existing drillhole samples. characterization summarized in Tables 1, 2 and 3
To accomplish the goal of creating a set of bulk were homogenous samples produced from a drill
samples that best represented the known minable program undertaken in 1991 by ORC. The goal of
resources, the ORC team divided the Seven Devils the 1991 drill program was to verify the findings
from the Pioneer terrace deposits. Based on pre- of previous drilling studies and not necessarily to
vious work by Griggs (1945) and Peterson et al. define the vertical and horizontal economic pit
(1987), the mode of depositional (facies) changes boundaries. Subsequent exploration programs in
between both terraces and the mineral sourcing 2007 defined vertical and horizontal economic pit
variability present at the time of deposition was boundaries. The most recent drill studies indicate
enough to warrant concurrent metallurgical inves- that grade varies, not only by deposit, but also ver-
tigation of the two terraces. tically within the same deposit. For example, the
At the time of bulk preparation, only the heavy mineral content of S7D can from vary from
Shepard deposit within the Pioneer terrace had 10 percent at the surface to > 70 percent at the
been delineated and drilled out, thus the require- bottom of the deposit.
ment for only one bulk sample. The Shepard de- The heavy mineral variations dictate the first
posit on the Pioneer terrace also represents the design consideration, ore feed, grade control.
largest shift in mineralogical assemblage, specifi- Grade control will be accomplished by mining
cally the Seven Devils terrace deposits, however, it method. Mining will begin by establishing a low
included multiple deposits delineated and drilled point at the edge of the deposit. Bulldozers will
out by ORC. A total of three bulks were selected push diagonally through the vertical plane, taking
within the Seven Devils terrace on the basis of, slices of material from the entire vertical plane
first, location relative to the eastern boundary of (top to bottom) with each push.
deposition, a north-south trending normal fault Grade control is especially important in the
scarp described by Griggs (1945) to be the equiv- wet process. The wet process incorporates spirals
alent of a sea cliff. The North and South Seven where slurry is pumped to the top of the spiral
Devils deposits are located at the base of this scarp and flows down the spiral in a corkscrew fashion.
and are notably thicker in total sand deposition While descending the spiral, the minerals sort
Figure 5
Typical spiral cross section.
into distinct bands of materials of similar densi-
ties. Similar minerals are concentrated by split-
ters, which physically direct like bands of material
onto the next processing step.
Feed grade should be made as consistent as
possible in order to keep the width of the bands
as uniform as possible. The position of the split-
ters is adjustable and the spiral circuit does have
several reprocessing loops but the system would
not be able to stabilize heavy mineral concentrate
(HMC) recovery and grade with variations rang-
ing from 10 to 80 percent (S7D). Figure 4 illus-
trates a typical spiral cross section. Dense ma-
terials, depicted by darker particles on the inside
(right side), produce a distinct band. Stabilizing
the feed grade produces a consistent band width
of concentrate. The splitter would be positioned
at the boundary between dense and non-dense
material. Stabilizing feed grade stabilizes band
width and makes maximizing recovery and stabi-
lizing HMC grade possible.
contained no free water, could be successfully
Ore and tailings transportation. Typically, wet transported, off loaded and contoured immedi-
concentrators are located close to the deposit to ately.
minimize the transportation cost of getting ore Sample characterization and flowsheet devel-
to the wet concentrator and moving tailings back opment testwork by Outotec (USA) produced
to the reclamation pits. Tailings are usually trans- both fine and coarse tailings samples from each
ported to reclamation areas by pumps moving deposit. Dewatering testing at FLSmidth com-
slurry at 30 to 40 wt percent solids. menced with sample characterization and a stan-
The -230 mesh material (slimes), portion of dard flocculant screening matrix. The fine mate-
tailings are usually difficult to dewater and, for rial was not difficult to flocculate using any floccu-
this reason tailings, are frequently pumped to a lant with high molecular weight and low anionic
series of settling ponds where heavy equipment charge density. Flowsheet development by Outo-
is used to work the coarse and fine material back tec, indicated the feed to the thickener would
together. Handling tailings this way is often dif- contain 7-10 wt percent solids. Static 2,000 mL
ficult, as a series of collection ponds is usually re- (676 oz) cylinder tests were conducted using feed
quired to allow the suspended solids enough time samples with 7-10 wt percent solids, as expected,
to settle, so the water fraction can be reused as results were poor. Feed conditions with solids of
process water. 7-10 wt percent, produced high flocculant dosage
Due to high ore grade, topography, zoning requirements, slow settling rates, poor superna-
issues and lack of existing utilities and available tant clarity and low underflow densities (45-50 wt
process water at the mine site, both the wet and percent). Subsequent tests were conducted where
dry processing facilities are to be located separate the feed solids were reduced to <5 wt percent. Re-
from the mine site. The processing facilities will ducing the feed solids also dramatically reduced
be located approximately 32 km (20 miles) from flocculant consumption (on a lb flocc/ton dry sol-
the mine site. ids basis) and improved supernatant clarity. How-
Typical thickened tailings slurry (thickened ever, settling rates and underflow densities were
slurry at 40 wt percent solids) could not be suc- not dramatically improved. Next, coarse tailings
cessfully trucked back to the reclamation site. were mixed with the fine tailings in ratios of 1:1
Project success rests on ORC’s ability to dewater to 4:1 (coarse:fine), adjusted back to 5 wt percent,
tailings so that it can be handled with standard, and static 2,000 mL (676 oz) cylinder tests repeat-
over the road, belly dump trucks. ed. The result of mixing coarse and fine material,
diluting the feed and using proper flocculant dos-
Tailings dewatering and process water treat- ages was dramatic. The resulting flocculated par-
ment. ORC, working together with FLSmidth ticles were formed at nearly their ultimate density
Dorr-Oliver Eimco, has developed a unique solu- and settled very fast. Additionally, underflow den-
tion to the challenge of tailings dewatering. The sities of 65 wt percent were achieved. The under-
goal of the test work was to produce tailings that flow was essentially a paste. So to be sure it could
be pumped, rheology work was conducted. Yield mine site much simpler. Because ORC will not
stresses vs. solids concentrations were measured. place tailings by pumping slurry, there is no need
Bingham yield stress values of ~100 Pa at 65 wt for a complex system of tailings booster pumps or
percent solids were considered to be acceptable. to build and manage a series of settling ponds. The
Supernatant quality was also excellent, averaging operating mine footprint will be very small (one
Dewatered 70-90 ppm TSS but never exceeding 130 ppm TSS pit). ORC will be able mine and perform reclama-
tailings will make (very clean for process water at a mineral sands tion concurrently in the same pit due to the ab-
operations at the operation). Recovery at minerals sands opera- sence of water. The water make up requirement at
mine site much tions often suffers with dirty process water. Fine the process facility is very small. The only paths to
simpler. Because valuable mineral and dirty process water often re- lose water at the process facility is the difference in
ORC will not sult in a smearing of the concentrate on the spiral moisture contents of the feed and the tailings, and
place tailings by and result in lower recoveries and HMC grades. water vapor lost at the fluid bed dryers preceding
pumping slurry, At 65 wt percent solids, the thickener under- the dry mill. The process water make up require-
there is no need flow is not acceptable for over the road transport ment is < 3.15L/s (< 50 gpm).
for a complex in belly dump trucks, as it has the consistency of A third piece of equipment, known as a hori-
system of tailings tooth paste and would fluidize in a moving truck zontal vacuum belt filter, will be provided by
booster pumps and possibly leak. As a result, further dewatering FLSmidth and positioned between the spirals and
or to build and is required. HMC storage (Fig. 6). The HMC dewatering filter
manage a series Pressure filtration tests were conducted unsuc- will increase the solids content of the HMC from
of settling ponds. cessfully on underflow samples containing less than approximately 80 wt percent solids, up to 95-98
1:1 coarse:fines ratios (very slow filtration, low cake wt percent solids. Usually, HMC is stockpiled on a
solids). Acceptable results were achieved when concrete pad and allowed to drain. Solids contents
the coarse:fine particle size ratios approached 4:1. of 90-95 wt percent are common with this method,
Vacuum filtration tests were also successful at the depending on particle size distribution, process
higher ratio. Vacuum filtration has the advantage water viscosity and drainage time. Filtered HMC
of being a continuous operation, does not require containing half the water content of typical HMC
intermediate holding tanks, multiple units or a is expected to require approximately half the fuel
pug mill for breaking up cake. It was determined (less efficiency losses). Fuel cost savings at 2008
that adding coarse dry mill tailings and additional natural gas prices are expected to pay for the cost
flocculant to the thickener underflow, vacuum fil- of the filter in approximately 1.5 years. Addition-
tration would produce a dewatered tailing mate- ally, if stockpiled HMC is low due to operational
rial suitable for transport and reclamation. Adding upsets, the dewatered HMC can be directly fed to
coarse material to the fines is not only crucial for the dryers without throughput or additional fuel
thickener performance but also makes vacuum fil- requirement penalties.
tration possible by producing a more porous cake.
The coarse material provides pathways for the wa- Solid waste exemption. Tailings, even though
ter to migrate, much the same as body aid would. being returned to their origin, required a solid
By adding coarse tailings, vacuum filtration pro- waste exemption from the Oregon Division of
duced cake with a minimum of 82 wt percent solids Environmental Quality (ORDEQ). This exemp-
and no free water. The dewatered cake at 82 wt tion details the composition of the tailings and
percent resembles wet sand and passes paint filter designates the material as clean fill, thus permit-
tests, can be successfully transported and immedi- ting the reclamation of the tailings as previously
ately contoured at the reclamation site. described.
Figure 6 illustrates the approach to managing The only process chemical use planned was
water and tailings. Fines from the desliming cy- polyacrylamide flocculant for slurry thickening
clones are combined with coarse tailings from the and final tails filtering. The Oregon DEQ ex-
wet mill and filtrate from the tailings filter, condi- pressed reservations about the small amount of
tioned with flocculant, diluted using supernatant unreacted residual acrylamide (chemical formula:
(internal, not shown) and fed to the thickener. The C3H5NO) in the flocculant remaining from the
thickener overflow is recycled to the process water manufacturing process. Flocculants typically have
tank. The thickener underflow is conditioned with residual acrylamide concentrations ranging from
additional flocculant and mixed with more coarse nil to a maximum 1,000 ppm. The ORDEQ’s con-
material from the dry mill, and dewatered on the cerns related to possible residual acrylamide con-
horizontal vacuum belt filter. The oversize sepa- centrations in drinking water that at some future
rated at the wet screen is added to the cake and date could flow through the tailings sand.
stacked as dewatered tailings ready for transporta- ORC retained Argo Consulting LLC (Wilson-
tion and reclamation. ville, OR), a mining consultant, to support the de-
Dewatered tailings will make operations at the velopment of an effective chemical oxidation route
Figure 6
Process flow diagram.
that could be implemented in operation
to reduce the residual acrylamide to
non-detect levels.
Calculations at ORC’s estimated
flocculant use rates and highest expect-
ed residual acrylamide dosages showed
that a maximum 72 kg/a (160 lb/year) of
residual acrylamide potentially would
report to the re-deposited tails, which
will average 653 kt/a (720,000 stpy).
This is a maximum of 46 µg/kg tails. For
perspective, researchers have found
that acrylamide naturally forms in fried
foods at concentrations as high as 7,800
µg/kg (gingerbread). From a practical
standpoint, acrylamide is carcinogenic
as an acrylamide monomer product as
used in industrial and manufacturing
situations.
Health and food studies are under
way in an attempt to establish whether
the residual dietary acrylamide food
levels are even a human hazard, as re-
search to date has not found any car-
cinogenic link to dietary acrylamide. Consider- on the system design installation with Solvay
ing that polyacrylamide flocculants are already Chemicals support, which is providing the bulk
approved for use in drinking water clarification, storage tank. With the award of the process floc-
dewatering food plant waste that becomes ani- culant business, Zeroday is also providing their Z
mal feed, agricultural field erosion control and ChemGear dry flocculant mixing-feeding system
a myriad number of other applications that can and assisting with flocculant system plant design
lead directly and indirectly to human acrylamide and installation.
ingestion, the ORDEQ regulator’s concern at this
point appears to be misplaced. Characterization and circuit development. Con-
Acrylamide is a fairly reactive molecule and siderable effort was made by ORC and Outotec to
decomposes naturally in the environment by bac- develop a robust process design. The goal of the de-
terial action, ultraviolet light, iron, natural min- sign work was to produce a process capable of pro-
eral free radicals, organic acids (tannins, lignins), ducing 63 kt/a (70,000 stpy) of high quality chromite
oxidizers, acids, bases and heat. There is a possibil- foundry sand as well as secondary products (high-
ity that the residual acrylamide molecules would iron, garnet and zircon).
not even survive to tailings deposition but ORC Producing and characterizing representative
would be in a very difficult position to prove this samples for each deposit was critical for understand-
point without extensive and lengthy studies. ing the range of processing requirements necessary
Various chemical oxidizers were considered to reach design goals. Simply taking all the drillhole
as well as bacteria/enzymic treatment. In the lab samples and combining them into one large sample
process simulation studies, it was found that hy- for testing would have resulted in a design not suit-
drogen peroxide dosed in the thickener and filter ed to any of the individual deposits
following flocculant solution addition at 0.025 Table 1 demonstrates the wide variability of the
percent w/w (slurry basis) dosage would reduce presence heavy mineral, as well as finished products,
acrylamide to non-detect levels. by terrace as well as deposit. Table 1 illustrates that
With these findings, the ORDEQ approved the S7D contains almost twice as much HMC and chro-
permit with use of hydrogen peroxide to degrade mite as WB. An inflexible design based on one de-
acrylamide to nondetect levels. Hydrogen peroxide posit would have been inappropriate when mining
is readily available although it poses safety con- in the opposite deposit. For this reason, the solids
cerns that must be engineered into the system. An- handling systems and wet plant capacity have an
nual use rates will be approximately 204,000 kg/a operating range of 63 to 127 t/h (70 to 140 stph).
(450,000 lb/year) of 35 percent peroxide liquid. Table 1 also illustrates that SH contains approxi-
Zeroday Enterprises will be supplying the hy- mately three times as much HMC as WB. A dry
drogen peroxide and has been working with ORC plant design based on an average HMC value would
Table 4
Permits required for mining and processing.
Processing plant
Permit Permitted Regulatory agency Type Application Permit received
activity submitted
NPDES 1200 C Construction OR DEQ Permit September 2007 October 2007

permit stormwater
Conditional land Site development Cross country Permit April 2007 August 2007
use permit and use
NPDES individual Stormwater discharge OR DEQ Permit December 2008 December
permit 2008
Mine operating Ore processing DOGAMI Permit April 2009 November
permit 2009
Air contaminant Air discharges OR DEQ, DOGAMI Permit February 2010 September
discharge permit 2010 (est.)
Mine sites
Permit Permitted Regulatory agency Type Application Permit received
activity submitted
Radioactive waste Disposal of tailings OR DOE Exemption May 2007 June 2007
exemption
Conditional land use Site development Coos County Permit May 2007 February 2008
permit and use
Water pollution Stormwater management OR DEQ, DOGAMI Permit June 2008 September
control facilities 2009
permit
Solid waste Disposal of tailings OR DEQ Exemption September 2009 October 2009
exemption
Mine operating Mining DOGAMI Permit June 2008 February 2010
permit
401 certification Mining OR DEQ Certification February 2009 February 2010
Biological Mining NMFS Certification October 2009 February 2010
assessment
404 permit Impacts to wetlands ACOE Permit May 2008 March 2010
Removal-fill permit Impacts to wetlands OR DSL Permit May 2008 March 2010
OR DOE - Oregon Department of Energy DOGAMI - Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Ind.
OR DSL - Oregon Department of State Lands ACOE - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
OR DEQ - Oregon Division of Environmental Quality NMFS - National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA)
not have the capacity required when processing ore shown in Table 2. The design includes extra screen
from a deposit with a lot of trash heavy mineral. For capacity for this concern.
this reason, the dry plant is capable of operating 18 Characterization results given in Table 2 dem-
to 36 t/h (20 to 40 stph). The design process included onstrate the need for a desliming circuit, as slimes
a plant-wide bottleneck analysis. The need for a bot- contents that high would affect spiral recoveries
tleneck analysis can be seen in the garnet content as a result of the smearing effect previously men-
shown in Table 1. If the solids handling capacity for tioned.
garnet circuit were sized for WB, the entire process A pilot scale test was conducted in August 2007.
could be either choked when not in WB or would During the pilot test, 31 t (34 st) of finished chro-
result in garnet being wasted, as the excess would mite foundry sand was produced. The wet process
simply be thrown to tails because the capacity was was completed at ORC’s facility. The dry processing
not present to process it. was completed at Hazen Research in Denver, CO.
The 1991 drill program used an reverse-circula- Until the processing at Hazen was undertaken, the
tion drilling rig. For this reason, it is believed the pit importance of the last two steps of the wet process-
and plant oversize will be greater than the values ing were not fully appreciated. Foundries require
that quality chromite contain less than 1.0 wt lawyer team at the state level referred to as the
percent clay coatings. Clay content is critical be- Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA). The LUBA
cause it affects the binder requirement and mold affirmed the decision of the Coos County plan-
strength. If foundries start with dirty chromite, ning commission and the elected commission-
the binder requirement is higher and the mold’s ers, thus ending the appeal process and granting
tensile strength is lower. The last two steps deter- ORC the necessary permit to continue. Overall, The permitting
mined by bench scale testing at Outotec were at- this process for the mining land use permit took process officially
tritioning of the HMC and final rinsing and grade 11 months. In contrast, the land use permit for the kicked off in 2006
control using a Floatex hydrosizer. The attrition- processing facility was not appealed and took five with delineations
er liberates the clay coating on the HMC grains months to receive. of wetlands
and the hydrosizer flushes it away while provid- The Oregon Department of Geology and and surveys for
ing final grade control. When the pilot work was Mineral Industries issues the Mine Operating threatened and
undertaken at Hazen, the exact pilot equipment Permit (MOP), which covers all aspects of mining. endangered
to simulate the final steps in the wet process was The Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral species.
not available and the final steps were simulated Industries also works closely with OR DEQ, OR Concurrent
using alternative equipment. The chromite pro- DSL, etc. to aid in the general permitting process with surveying
duced had excessive clay content, which was un- within those agencies. An additional MOP was re- activities, ORC
acceptable for marketing purposes as the material quired by DOGAMI to cover the processing facil- applied for
had to be representative of full-scale production ity site, as it is interrelated and codependent with conditional land
quality. Processing was halted until the appropri- the mining sites. use permits in
ate equipment was available. The final material Several exemptions and concurrences were Coos County for
produced is low in clay (< 0.5 wt percent), has crucial in obtaining all permits, an example be- the mining and
a low binder requirement and produces strong, ing the previously mentioned solid waste exemp- processing sites.
high-quality casting molds that provide ORC a tion. Without the exemption, ORC would have to
marketing edge over competitors. classify its reclamation (filling and recontouring
the pits with tailings) as a landfill operation. The
Permitting and construction radioactive waste exemption from the OR DOE
Oregon Resources Corp.’s management team, was required as part of the tailings characteriza-
along with consultants URS Corp. and attorney tion and was crucial for the solid waste exemp-
Stoel Rives (Portland, OR), successfully navigat- tion. The biological assessment was required by
ed the complex and challenging task of successful- NMFS, as the proximity to streams and potential
ly permitting a new mine and processing facility in Coho salmon habitat required further study.
three years (Table 4). The remaining permits are standard in the
The permitting process officially kicked off in industry, including the Water Pollution Control
2006 with delineations of wetlands and surveys Facility permit (OR DEQ), 401 Clean Water Act
for threatened and endangered species. Concur- Certification (OR DEQ), 404 permit (ACOE),
rent with surveying activities, ORC applied for wetland and waters of the state removal/fill per-
conditional land use permits in Coos County mit (OR DSL), and WPCF and NPDES (OR
for the mining and processing sites. The mining DEQ). The Air Contaminant Discharge Permit
sites are located in zoning for forestry, which in from ORDEQ remains outstanding, as issuance
the Coos County Zoning and Land Development is being timed to coincide with the completion of
Ordinance, allows for outright exploration, but the processing plant construction.
requires a public hearing in front of a planning With permits in hand, construction began on
commission to site a mining project. The planning the site in the first quarter of 2010. Heery Interna-
commission can add conditions to the operation tional was engaged as project manager for ORC
to aid in making sure it fits the intended land use. while construction will be completed by West
The processing facility is located on industrial Coast Contractors (site prep and grading, piling,
zoned land, making the process fairly straightfor- concrete work), Mid-City Steel (structure fabrica-
ward, as the intended use fits the zoning. Oregon tion), and CCC Group (structure erection).
land use law allows for challenges of decisions,
so an appeal of a proposed mining site was not Conclusion
expected (the processing facility land use permit Oregon Resources Corp. has successfully
was not appealed). This process involves several navigated engineering challenges and permitting
stages of appeal. The first is to the Coos County requirements and is on schedule to break ground
commissioners, an elected three-member board. at the mining sites in November 2010 and com-
At this stage, the land use permit had additional mission the processing facility currently under
conditions added to it and accepted by ORC. The construction in January 2011. (References are
next stage of appeal is to a three-member land- available from the authors.) n
Technology News
Optimizing flotation cells

in the mining industry
O ne of the most important process operations
in a mining concentrator is the flotation cell
area. Profitability of the concentrator is largely
displacement float transmitter that it is replacing.
Remote mounted transmitters are also an option.
attributable to this area of the process. Measure froth height

Older flotation cells use a displacement Hawk also provides as an option a non-
float below the froth layer to measure the pulp intrusive transmitter to measure the froth height.
height. Pulp height is an extremely important Continuous measurement of the froth height,
process measurement, used to ensure that liquid provided as feedback to the control loop for the
pulp is not allowed to overflow to the launders. inlet “dart valve,” allows a flotation cell to maintain
If pulp overflows, the flotation cell ceases to constant overflowing of froth to the launder, even
function effectively — this is costly to the process. when the orebody type may produce variations
The displacement float technique is limited in to frothing consistency. Small changes in the pulp
performance in a variety of ways: the float may at height to keep the froth overflowing at all times
times stick, slurry builds up on the float mechanism will increase the efficiency of the flotation cell
changing the effective specific gravity tracked, they and, consequently, increase profitability. Hawk
are affected by high agitation, etc. transmitters will reliably measure froth height,
even when froth density changes.
Measure pulp height
Hawk has developed a low frequency “acoustic Measure froth density
wave transmitter” that is nonintrusive and will Hawk also provides a third type of transmitter
penetrate through the froth to measure the pulp to measure relative froth density. Higher density
height. The Hawk sensor is mounted above the froth will have greater entrainment of mineral going
froth and pulp height, so it has no maintenance over the launder. Currently, density measurement
or mechanical problems. Typically, the transmitter is not widely used due to the degree of difficulty
can be mounted at walkway height for easy in making an effective online density measurement
serviceability. The low frequency level transmitter in each flotation cell. Bubbler type pressure
can be supplied ready for connection to the transmitters have been commonly used, though
typical two-wire loop power supply used for the they have high maintenance costs due to their
intrusive installation. A nonintrusive transmitter
that penetrates partly through the froth gives an
output proportional to density. Data from the froth
height transmitter is used with the froth penetration
(density) information. Monitoring of the deviation
between froth height and froth penetration allows
the control system to track relative froth density
— all nonintrusively. Relative density data can be
used to control density through a feedback loop,
regulating forced airflow into the flotation cell. Air
input is currently largely controlled manually by
onsite operators.
Self-cleaning transmitter
Hawk’s low frequency transmitters require no
maintenance due to their self-cleaning nature. The
high-powered acoustic wave being transmitted
will automatically clean the sensor face with
every measurement pulse. Self-cleaning minimizes
buildup on the sensor facing, which would
otherwise prevent the sensor from measuring
accurately. Buildup is a significant problem in the
mining industry due to the dirty nature of materials
being handled, and also the presence of moisture
and dust in the environment. n

Technical Papers
Continuous miner spray

considerations for optimizing scrubber
performance in exhaust ventilation systems
by J. Organiscak and T. Beck
Abstract n A majority of continuous mining machines employ a water spray system and a
machine-mounted flooded-bed scrubber to suppress and capture dust during coal mining.
These machine-mounted dust control systems must be designed to function within the
localized face ventilation system at the mining section to control both dust and methane. Spray
systems can impede or improve the scrubber effectiveness in controlling dust or methane at the
mining face. Laboratory experiments were conducted to examine the effect of spray type, spray
pressure, machine body blocking sprays and scrubber airflow on dust and gas levels, while
using a 12.2-m (40-ft) exhaust ventilation curtain setback from the face. These experiments
were conducted with the mining machine positioned at the end of a simulated 6.1-m (20-ft)
sump and slab cut. Results indicate that the hollow cone nozzles with blocking sprays best
complement the flooded-bed scrubber performance in an exhaust ventilation system. This
external spray system notably reduced dust and gas levels on the off-curtain side of the mining
machine for both the sump and slab cut compared to the flat spray nozzles. Higher scrubber
airflows reduced dust and gas levels on the curtain side and in the return of the continuous
mining machine. The remote operator position, located on the off-curtain side and parallel to
the inlet end of the exhaust curtain, sustained the most stable and lowest dust levels around
the mining machine.
Introduction especially within several geographic standard, based on the percentage of

Coal miner overexposure to re- clusters of the Appalachian coal region quartz content, is intended to limit
spirable coal and crystalline silica (or (Antao et al., 2005). Mining also has worker respirable crystalline silica
quartz) dust can cause pneumoconiosis some of the highest incidences of work- (quartz) exposure to 0.1 mg/m3 or less
and silicosis, respectively, which are de- er-related silicosis, with mining machine for the shift.
bilitating and potentially fatal respira- operators being the occupation that is Coal mine worker overexposure to
tory lung diseases. Although significant most commonly associated with the dis- coal and quartz dust continues to be
progress has been made in the United ease (NIOSH, 2008). a problem at underground coal min-
States (U.S.) with the reduction of coal The U. S. Mine Safety and Health ing operations in the U.S. Over 90%
workers’ pneumoconiosis, severe cases Administration (MSHA) enacts and of mechanized mining units operating
continue to occur among coal miners, enforces mine worker safety and health in U.S. underground coal mines are
standards to mitigate mine worker inju- continuous mining machines (MSHA,
ries and occupational diseases. MSHA’s 2009). The percentage of valid MSHA
J. Organiscak and T. Beck, members permissible coal mine dust exposure inspector dust samples for continuous
SME, are mining engineers at the limit is 2.0 mg/m3 during an eight-hr mining machine operators from 2004
National Institute for Occupational shift for coal mine workers, as defined to 2008 that exceeded the respirable
Safety and Health, Office of Mine by the Mining Research Establish- coal dust standard or the reduced dust
Safety and Health Research, ment (MRE) Criteria (30 CFR 70-72, standard was 7.2% and 19.5%, re-
Pittsburgh, PA. Paper number 74 2009). If more than 5% quartz mass spectively (U.S. Department of Labor,
TP-10-004. Original manuscript is determined to be in the coal mine 2009). Therefore, many continuous min-
submitted January 2010. Manuscript worker dust sample using MSHA’s P7 ing machine operators continue to be
accepted for publication May 2010. infrared method (Parobeck and Tomb, overexposed to coal and quartz dust.
Discussion of this peer-reviewed and 2000), the applicable respirable dust The primary dust controls used on
approved paper is invited and must standard is reduced to the quotient of most continuous mining machines are
be submitted to SME Publications by 10 divided by the percentage of quartz water sprays and flooded-bed scrub-
Jan. 31, 2011. in the dust sample. This reduced dust bers. Initially, flooded-bed scrubbers
Figure 1
Plan view of continuous miner gallery test setup.
tional Safety and Health (NIOSH) conducted additional

experiments in its full-scale continuous miner gallery at the
Pittsburgh Research Laboratory (PRL). The objective of
these experiments was to examine external water spray con-
figurations that are complementary to scrubber performance
for exhaust ventilation systems. The experimental factors
studied were spray nozzle type (hollow cone vs. flat), water
spray pressure (550 kPa vs. 1,100 kPa or 80 psig vs. 160 psig),
blocking sprays (off vs. on) and scrubber airflow (reduced vs.
maximum). This paper describes the experiments conducted
and the dust and gas level results measured around the min-
ing machine.
were used with blowing face ventilation systems in gassy coal Experimental design
seams to help remove dust being blown over workers at the Laboratory experiments were conducted within a full-
mine face, while providing satisfactory face methane removal scale continuous miner gallery as shown in Fig. 1. The gal-
for curtain setback distances up to 15.2 m (50 ft) (Volkwein lery entry dimensions were 5.5 m (18 ft) wide by 2.0 m (6.5
et al., 1985; Jayaraman et al., 1990). With the development of ft) high, with a full-scale plywood mockup of a Joy CM14
remote control technology for continuous mining machines, continuous mining machine positioned at a simulated min-
flooded-bed scrubbers were also adopted on exhaust face ing face. This mining machine was equipped with a flooded-
ventilation systems for use in extended-cut mining applica- bed scrubber, several banks of external spray nozzles and a
tions (beyond 6.1 m or 20 ft of entry advance). Research has 0.91-m (36-in) diameter cutting drum that rotates at 50 rpm.
shown that positioning the operator away from the mining The flooded-bed scrubber utilized a 30-layer pleated stain-
machine during extended-cut mining was a significant factor less steel filter wetted by three spraying system full-cone
in lowering operator dust exposures on both blowing and QPH-6.5 nozzles (Spraying Systems, Wheaton, IL) and was
exhaust ventilation systems (Fields et al., 1990). The best powered by a variable frequency ac drive speed-controlled
continuous miner operator position for blowing ventilation is fan. Scrubber inlets were located under each side and center
in front of the discharge end of the intake curtain (Jayaraman of the cutter boom near the hinge point. External sprays con-
et al., 1987; Goodman and Listak, 1999). The best operator sisted of 15 top-mounted boom sprays directed at the top of
position for exhaust ventilation is parallel to or outby the in- the rotating drum, three under boom throat sprays directed
let end of the return curtain on the opposite side of the entry at the loading pan and three sprays on each side of the cutter
(Colinet and Jankowski, 1996; Goodman and Listak, 1999). boom directed at the drum’s end rings. Two blocking sprays
Since continuous miner operators cannot or do not al- were vertically mounted 7.6 cm (3 in.) apart on each side of
ways stay at these optimum positions during mining, their the mining machine body, located two feet outby the scrub-
dust exposure can notably increase at other positions around ber inlets and two feet above ground level. These blocking
the rear of the mining machine (Goodman and Listak, 1999). sprays were oriented at a 15° angle away from the machine
Previous research on machine-mounted scrubbers in blowing body toward the rib and were operated at the same pressure
face ventilation systems have shown that the lowest dust lev- as the other external sprays.
els at the rear corners and return of the mining machine are Coal dust and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) gas were intro-
achieved when the face ventilation-to-scrubber airflow ratio duced in front of and along the length of the rotating cutting
is at or slightly above 1 (Jayaraman et al., 1992). Another drum. Pulverized coal dust (Keystone mineral black 325BA,
scrubber study with blowing ventilation showed that dust Keystone Filler & Manufacturing Co., Muncy, PA) was fed
rollback at the rear of the mining machine was reduced when into the gallery at 25 g/min (0.9 oz/min) with a screw feeder
the face ventilation curtain setback distance was increased (Vibra Screw, Inc., Totowa, NJ) and two LH-1/2 brass educ-
from 6.1 m (20 ft) to 12.2 m (40 ft) and/or when blocking tors (Penberthy, Prophetstown, IL) operated with 30 kPa
sprays are used on both sides of the mining machine outby (4 psig) of compressed air. One eductor discharged dust
the scrubber inlets (Goodman, 2000). Machine-mounted through a hose along the left front side of the drum and the
scrubber research with exhausting face ventilation systems other eductor discharged dust through a hose along the right
showed dust levels increased at the remote operator posi- front side of the drum. SF6 gas was also released from tub-
tion outby the mining machine when using a larger curtain ing at each end of the dust discharge hoses to mix in the gas
setback distance, 12.2 m (40 ft) versus 9.1 m (30 ft), external with the dust. A model 1303 multipoint gas doser (California
directional sprays and/or under boom sprays (Goodman et Analytical Instruments, Orange, CA) released the SF6 gas at
al., 2006). Although the external directional sprays redi- a flow rate of 6 mL/sec (177 fl oz/ sec). The rotating drum
rected dust past the scrubber inlets and increased operator ensured their mixing and simulated dust and gas emissions
dust levels, these sprays noticeably reduced gas levels on the from the face during mining.
off-curtain side of the face. On the other hand, the under Respirable dust and SF6 gas concentrations were mea-
boom sprays showed increases to both operator dust levels sured at several locations around the mining machine, as
and gas levels at the face. shown in Fig. 1. Respirable dust concentrations were mea-
In order to improve dust and gas control around a con- sured with coal mine dust personal sampling units (CMDP-
tinuous mining machine using a scrubber and external sprays SU), comprised of an ESCORT-Elf constant flow air sampling
with exhaust ventilation, the National Institute for Occupa- pump pulling dust-laden air through a 10-mm nylon cyclone
Table 1
Experimental parameters.
Experimental Sump cut, 9.1 m (20 ft) deep Slab cut, 9.1 m (20 ft) deep
Test factors Low level (-1) High level (+1) Low level (-1) High level (+1)
Nozzle type Hollow cone Flat Hollow cone Flat
Spray pressure 550 kPa 1,100 kPa 550 kPa 1,100 kPa
Blocking sprays Off On Off On
Scrubber airflow Reduced ~ 20% Maximum Reduced ~ 20% Maximum
(respirable dust classifier) and depositing the respirable frac- kPa (161 psig), respectively. An approximately 20% reduc-
tion onto a preweighed 37-mm filter cassette (MSA, Pitts- tion in scrubber airflow was also used to simulate a realistic
burgh, PA). A pair of samplers (CMDPSU) were placed decrease from material buildup on the filter screen during
and operated at the remote operator (Oper) position, the the shift. The reduced scrubber airflow was controlled by
right rear corner (RRC) of the mining machine, the left rear decreasing the fan speed with the variable frequency drive,
corner (LRC) of the mining machine and the return (Return) yielding a 1.78 m3/s (3,780 ft3/min) average for these experi-
air course. Each pair of dust concentration measurements ments. These experimental factors were examined for both
was averaged to determine the dust concentration at each a simulated 9.1-m (20-ft) sump and slab cut. All testing is
sampling location. SF6 gas measurements were made using a limited to examining airborne dust captured around a con-
California Analytical Instruments model 1312 photoacoustic tinuous mining machine and do not represent dust suppres-
gas monitor, which sequentially drew gas samples through sion from coal wetting.
tubing from the off-curtain side (OCS) of the cutting boom, Each experimental factor combination in Table 1 was
the curtain side (CS) of the cutting boom and the Return air replicated for at least three tests. Experimental tests were
course. This data was collected with a computer-based data blocked or separately conducted for the sump and slab cuts
acquisition system and the gas concentrations at each loca- for experimental practicality. Experimental tests were also
tion were averaged for the test. blocked by nozzle type. A test of random combinations of
Other operating parameters measured and recorded spray pressure, blocking sprays and scrubber airflow com-
were water spray pressure, machine water flow, face return binations was conducted for each nozzle type before it was
airflow and scrubber airflow. Water pressure and flow were changed. The nozzle types were alternated to complete the
measured with electronic instruments and recorded with a three test replicates. All experimentally controlled test fac-
computer data acquisition system. Face return airflow was tors were precisely maintained and had relative standard
measured at the inlet end of the ventilation curtain with a deviations (RSD = (standard deviation /average) x 100%)
handheld vane anemometer (moving traversely), with the less than 3% of their measured average.
scrubber off at the beginning and end of each test. Scrubber
airflow was also measured with a handheld vane anemometer Experimental results
at the discharge end of the scrubber (moving traversely) Test replicate averages and standard errors were deter-
at the beginning and end of each test. A moving traverse mined for respirable dust and SF6 gas concentrations at the
airflow measurement at the scrubber exhaust was found to multiple locations around the mining machine during these
be very comparable to a fixed-point traverse measurement experiments. The averages and standard errors for the sump
within the scrubber duct. cut are illustrated in Figs. 2-4 and for the slab cut in Figs. 5-7.
For these scrubber/spray experiments, the continuous The tests without blocking sprays are presented on the left
miner gallery was configured for exhaust curtain ventilation side of these figures and the blocking spray tests are present-
with a 12.2-m (40-ft) setback from the face as shown in Fig. ed on the right side of these figures. Their x-axes are labeled
1. A 2-level, 4-factor experimental design was conducted and by water pressure in descending order and scrubber airflow
is shown in Table 1. Return airflow for these experiments in ascending order.
was set to approximately 1.25 times the maximum scrub- Stepwise regression analysis was also conducted on the
ber airflow rate. The maximum scrubber airflow averaged experimental data to examine the significant test factor rela-
2.27 m3/s (4,810 ft3/min) and the return airflow averaged 2.90 tionships (at a 95% confidence level) with dust and gas con-
m3/s (6,150 ft3/min) for these experiments. The water sprays centrations. The low and high experimental test factor levels
tested were Spraying Systems 3/8-BD-3 hollow cone nozzles were represented as -1 and +1, respectively, in the regression
(77° spray angle @ 550 kPa or 80 psig) and Spraying Systems model. Regression analyses were separately conducted at
3/8-TT-5006 flat nozzles (56° spray angle @ 550 kPa or 80 each dust and gas sampling location during the sump and
psig). These nozzles were chosen because their specifications slab cut. Since the dust concentrations measured at the RRC
showed comparable water flow rates at the same water pres- and LRC locations exhibited an extensive data range, non-
sures. All the external sprays, including the blocking sprays, normality and unequal variances, natural logarithms of these
used the same nozzle type during experimental comparisons. concentrations were used to stabilize their regression model
The flat spray pattern orientation was parallel to the roof variance (Myers and Montgomery, 1995). The most signifi-
for the top boom sprays and parallel to the ribs for the side cant experimental test factors are shown in Table 2, with a
boom and blocking sprays. The low and high operational “+” symbol illustrating a direct relationship and a “–” symbol
water spray pressures averaged 560 kPa (81 psig) and 1,110 illustrating a negative relationship in the regression models.
Table 2
Significant dust and gas concentration relationships.
Sump cut Slab cut
Sample
location Nozzle Spray Blocking Scrubber Nozzle Spray Blocking Scrubber
type pressure sprays airflow type pressure sprays airflow
Dust-RRC + + + − −
Dust-LRC − + −
Dust- − − −
Return
Gas-OCS + − + −
Gas-CS − + + −
Gas-Return + − + −
Key: + and – symbols refer to direct and indirect relationships, respectively, at the 95% confidence level.
Since the operator position had minimal concentra-

tion changes in these experiments and there were
Figure 2 very few regression factor interactions at the other
sampling locations, these regression results were
Sump cut dust concentrations on the off-curtain side of the entry. not shown in Table 2 for simplicity.
Sump cut
Figures 2 and 3 show the dust concentrations
measured for the sump cut on the off-curtain side
and curtain side of the entry, respectively. The SF6
gas concentrations measured for the sump cut are
shown in Fig. 4. Table 2 shows the significant dust
and gas relationships in these figures.
The most significant factors affecting dust con-
centrations in the sump cut were the nozzle type
and scrubber airflow. The hollow-cone nozzle ap-
peared to exhibit very little dust rollback to the
RRC of the machine, whereas the flat nozzle cre-
ated significant dust rollback to the RRC. Block-
ing sprays didn’t seem to have a significant effect
on controlling dust in the sump cut with either of
the spray nozzle types. The dust concentrations on
the curtain side of the entry were most affected by
scrubber airflow. Dust levels at the LRC and in
Figure 3 the Return were significantly reduced with higher
scrubber airflows. The remote operator position
Sump cut dust concentrations on the curtain side of the entry. had the lowest and most stable dust concentrations
observed for these sump cut tests.
The most significant factors affecting SF6 gas
concentrations in the sump cut were nozzle type
and blocking sprays. Figure 4 shows that the
highest gas concentrations are at the OCS of the
continuous miner boom with no blocking sprays
operating. Hollow cone sprays achieved lower gas
concentrations on both sides of the miner boom
with no blocking sprays, compared to the flat
sprays. The blocking sprays significantly reduced
the OCS gas concentrations, especially for the hol-
low cone spray nozzles. The decrease in OCS gas
levels were somewhat offset by an increase in gas
levels on the CS of the continuous miner boom.
The increased gas concentrations at the CS location
Figure 4
Sump cut gas concentrations.
with the blocking sprays were still lower than the

concentrations at the OCS location without the
blocking sprays.
Slab cut
Figures 5 and 6 show the dust concentrations
measured for the slab cut on the off-curtain side
and curtain side of the entry, respectively. The SF6
gas concentrations measured for the sump cut are
shown in Fig. 7. Table 2 shows the significant dust
and gas relationships in these figures.
All the experimental factors significantly af-
fected dust concentrations at the RRC of the min-
ing machine in the slab cut. Both spray nozzle
types showed prominent dust rollback to the RRC
of the machine with no blocking sprays operat- Figure 5
ing. The flat spray nozzles exhibited significantly
higher dust concentrations than the hollow cone Slab cut dust concentrations on the off-curtain side of the entry.
sprays at this RRC location. Lower water pres-
sures and higher scrubber airflows significantly
reduced this rollback effect. Application of the
blocking sprays appeared to eliminate all dust
rollback to the RRC location, reducing these dust
concentrations to nearly Oper position levels.
The dust concentrations on the curtain side
of the entry were most affected by water pres-
sure and scrubber airflow. Dust levels at the LRC
were significantly increased by higher spray pres-
sures, while higher scrubber airflows reduced dust
concentrations at the LRC and Return sampling
locations. Similar to the sump cut, the remote
operator position again had the lowest and most
stable dust concentrations for these slab cut tests.
The most significant factors affecting SF6 gas
concentrations in the slab cut were, again, nozzle
type and blocking sprays. Figure 7 shows that the Figure 6
highest gas concentrations are at the OCS of the Slab cut dust concentrations on the curtain side of the entry.
continuous miner boom with no blocking sprays
operating. The flat sprays exhibited significantly
higher gas concentrations on the OCS side of the
miner boom with no blocking sprays, compared to
the hollow-cone sprays. Blocking spray applica-
tion again significantly reduced the OCS gas con-
centrations, especially for the hollow-cone spray
nozzles. The decrease in OCS gas levels was some-
what offset by an increase in gas levels on the CS
of the continuous miner boom. The increased gas
concentrations at the CS location with the block-
ing sprays were still lower than the concentrations
on the OCS location without the blocking sprays.
Conclusions
Laboratory experiments were conducted to
examine the effect of spray type, spray pressure, machine corners and return of the continuous mining machine.
body blocking sprays and scrubber airflow on dust and gas • Hollow-cone nozzles exhibited less dust rollback
levels while using a 12.2-m (40-ft) exhaust ventilation curtain than flat sprays on the off-curtain side of the mining
setback from the face. From these experiments the key ob- machine for both the sump and slab cuts.
servations made include: • Blocking sprays notably reduced dust concentra-
tions on the off-curtain side of the mining machine
• The remote operator position had the lowest and for the slab cut, with negligible dust changes for the
most stable dust concentrations compared to the rear sump cut.
Figure 7
Slab cut gas concentrations.
Colinet, J.F., and Jankowski, R.A., 1996,
“Dust control considerations for deep-cut
faces when using exhaust ventilation and
a flooded-bed scubber,” SME Transactions,
Vol. 302, Littleton, CO: Society for Mining,
Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc., pp. 104-
111.
Fields, K.G., Atchison, D.J., and Haney,
R.A., 1990, “Evaluation of a combined face
ventilation system used with a remotely op-
erated mining machine,” in: Proceedings of
the 1990 International Symposium on Re-
spirable Dust in the Mineral Industries, pp.
349-353.
Goodman, G.V.R., 2000, “Using water
sprays to improve performance of a flood-
ed-bed dust scrubber,” Appl. Occup. Envir.
• Higher water spray pressure was more detrimental, Hyg., Vol. 15, No. 7, pp. 550-560.
increasing dust concentrations at the back corners Goodman, G.V.R., and Listak, J.M., 1999, “Variation in dust levels with
of the mining machine for the slab cut, compared to continuous miner position,” Mining Engineering, Vol. 51, No. 2,
the sump cut. pp. 53-59.
• Hollow-cone nozzles and blocking sprays both no- Goodman, G.V.R., Beck, T.W., and Pollock, D.E., 2006, “The effects of
ticeably reduced gas concentrations at the off-curtain water spray placement for controlling respirable dust and face
side of the continuous miner boom. methane concentrations,” Journal of the Mine Ventilation Society
• Higher scrubber airflows reduced dust levels on the of South Africa, April/June, pp. 56-63.
curtain side of the continuous mining machine, and Jayaraman,, N.I., Stritzel, D.L., and Jankowski, R.A., 1987, “Improv-
reduced both dust and gas levels in the return. ing health, safety and productivity through the use of machine-
mounted scrubbers,” in: Proceedings of the 95th Annual Meeting of
Given these experimental observations, it appears that the Illinois Mining Institute, Mount Vernon, IL, pp. 62-75.
the hollow-cone nozzles with blocking sprays best comple- Jayaraman, N.I., Volkwein, J.C., and Kissell, F.N., 1990, “Update on
ment the flooded-bed scrubber performance in an exhaust continuous miner dust scrubber application,” Mining Engineering,
ventilation system. This external spray system notably re- Vol. 42, No. 3, pp. 281-284.
duced dust and gas levels on the off-curtain side of the min- Jayaraman, N.I., Jankowski, R.A., and Whitehead, K.L., 1992, “Opti-
ing machine for both the sump and slab cut compared to mizing continuous miner scrubbers for dust control in high coal
the flat spray nozzles. Using lower water spray pressures seams,” Proceedings of the 121st Annual SME Meeting, Phoenix,
noticeably reduced dust rollback to the rear corners of the AZ, Feb. 24-27, pp.193-205.
mining machine (RRC and LRC), primarily during the slab MSHA, 2009, Information provided by George Niewiadomski, Health
cut. Higher scrubber airflows reduced dust and gas levels Division, Mine Safety & Health Administration, Headquarters,
on the curtain side and in the return of the continuous min- Arlington, VA.
ing machine. Finally, the remote operator position, located Myers, R.H., and Montgomery, D.C., 1995, Response Surface Method-
on the off-curtain side and parallel to the inlet end of the ology: Process and Product Optimization using Designed Experi-
exhaust curtain, sustained the most stable and lowest dust ments, New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
levels around the mining machine.n NIOSH, 2008, Work-Related Lung Disease Surveillance Report 2007,
Volume 1, Department of Health and Human Services, Centers
Disclosure for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupa-
The findings and conclusions in this report are those of tional Safety and Health, Division of Respiratory Disease Studies,
the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the DHHS (NIOSH), Publication No. 2008-143a.
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Parobeck, P.S., and Tomb, T.F., 2000, “MSHA’s Programs to Quantity the
Crystalline Silica Content of Respriable Mine Dust Samples,” SME
References preprint 00-159, Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration,
Antao, V.C. dos S., Petsonk, E.L., Sokolow, L.Z., Wolfe, A.L., Pinheiro, Inc., Littleton, CO.
G.A., Hale, and Attfield, M.D., 2005, “Rapidly progressive coal US Department of Labor, 2009, Mine Safety and Health Administra-
workers’ pneumoconiosis in the United States: geographic and tion, Program Evaluation and Information Resources, MSHA
other factors,” Occupational Environmental Medicine 2005; Vol. Standardized Information Systems, Arlington,VA.
62, pp. 670-674. Volkwein, J.C., Halfinger, G. Jr., and Thimons, E.D., 1985, “Machine-
CFR, 2009, “Code of Federal Regulations,” Washington, DC: US Gov- mounted scrubber helps ventilate face,” World Mining Equipment,
ernment Printing Office, Office of the Federal Register. Vol. 9, No. 2, pp. 15-16.

Technical Papers
Breaking the ice on the booster fan

dilemma in US underground coal mines
by A.L. Martikainen and C.D. Taylor
Abstract n Booster fans increase air pressure to overcome resistance, the objective being
to force adequate amounts of air through distant workings. They are used in areas that are
difficult or uneconomic to ventilate with main fans alone. Booster fans are currently permitted
in underground coal mines in some countries; the United Kingdom, South Africa, Australia and
Canada have been defined as major users. Booster fans are not allowed in the US bituminous
and lignite coal mining operations at the present time due to safety concerns. This paper
presents the history of booster fan use in coal mines of the United States during the last 90
years. Changes in regulations, as well as advantages and disadvantages of booster fan use,
are discussed. Research and petitions for booster fan use are highlighted in order to bring the
debate into focus.
Introduction cerns and issues that may affect their tical or uneconomical. A booster fan is
In the United States, booster fans use in the future. typically installed to overcome mine
are permitted in metal and nonmetal First, it is important to understand environmental conditions in which the
(M/NM) mining, as well as in anthracite what a booster fan is and what it is used surface fan is physically incapable of
coal mines. Legislation promulgated for. The most often-mentioned attri- meeting the airflow requirements or
in 1992 specifically prohibits their use butes that define a booster fan are: when these requirements can only be
in underground bituminous and lignite fulfilled at extremely high pressures,
coal mines (Federal Register, 1992). • Installed underground. which can cause excessive air leakage
Currently, the National Institute • Installed in the main airstream (Calizaya et al., 1988).
for Occupational Safety and Health or a split of the main airstream.
(NIOSH) is beginning a new research • Operates in combination with Regulation for the last 90 years
program that will include an investiga- the main fan(s), even if physi- Early 1900s. Discussions concern-
tion of booster fan use as an alterna- cally separated. ing the safety of booster fans in under-
tive to using the belt entry to supply • Used to balance pressure ground coal mines resulted in initial
ventilation airflow to production faces. drops, decrease leakage and/or regulations in the 1920s and were influ-
The aim of this paper is to present a his- increase pressure to overcome enced by several accidents, fires and ex-
torical review of past experience with resistance. plosions related to their use. Research
booster fans and discuss the safety con- • Handles airflow of either one was performed to study booster and
or several districts of the mine. auxiliary fans for the purpose of for-
A.L. Martikainen, member SME, is • Not used as a face fan to venti- mulating recommendations (Horsley,
a research engineer and C.D. Taylor late blind headings. 1926; Smith, 1927). In December 1928,
is an industrial hygienist at the the Mine Safety Board recommended
National Institute for Occupational Some definitions include installa- that auxiliary fans or blowers should
Safety and Health, Pittsburgh tion in a permanent stopping or a bulk- not be used in coal mines as a substitute
Research Laboratory, Pittsburgh, PA. head. for methods of regular and continuous
Paper number TP-09-030. Original Booster fans are used in other coursing of the air to every face (Mine
manuscript submitted June 2009. countries, as well as in M/NM mines Safety Board, 1928).
Revised manuscript accepted for of the U.S., to ventilate distant work- In 1937, booster fans were ad-
publication May 2010. Discussion ings. Installing booster fans is the only dressed directly for the first time (Mine
of this peer-reviewed and approved alternative to building more surface Safety Board, 1937). Their use was sug-
paper is invited and must be connections when the usual ways to in- gested only where it is not practical to
submitted to SME Publications by crease ventilation, such as adding intake put down a new shaft and when the air
Jan. 31, 2011. and return entries, larger main fans or pressure required would be so high as
widening shafts, are considered imprac- to prevent proper operation of under-
Figure 1
Ventilation system of the North Goonyella Mine prior to booster fan installation (Marlborough, 2003).
ground ventilating doors. The reason for this recommenda- tion 30 CFR § 75.302 states: “Each coal mine shall be venti-
tion was that recirculation of mine air was found in most lated by one or more main mine fans. Booster fans shall not
investigated installations. be installed underground to assist main mine fans except in
The use of booster fans was regulated a year later (Fed- anthracite mines.”
eral Register, 1938). Several members of academia presented their opinions in
These regulations stated, in part, that “Booster and aux- the late 1980s and early 1990s. Hartman (1987) said: “Why
iliary fans may be used underground only with the written are gassy mines restricted from using booster fans? The ra-
permission of the district mining supervisor under specified tionale is that main fans cannot be safely operated and ad-
conditions. With a booster fan, these conditions include pro- equately controlled when located underground in flammable
tection against fire, and automatic starting and timing device atmospheres. While such a claim might have been valid 40
to prevent a fan from starting after it has been stopped long years ago, it has no bearing today, and within 15 years, will
enough to permit an accumulation of gas, and a recording be totally discounted. I predict that booster fans in U.S. coal
device to show continuity of fan operation. Also, a booster mines will be legalized in the near future. Arguments in their
fan shall not be operated where more than 10% of the air is favor are compelling. Further, no new technology is needed
recirculated by the fan.” — computerized, remote, automated control systems of high
These guidelines were added to several state laws. In reliability are now available and in operation in other coun-
some coal mining states, utilization of booster fans was fur- tries. The exclusion of main fans underground compels venti-
ther restricted by additional safety requirements. lation engineers to overregulate mines in an effort to balance
disparate ventilation circuits — resulting in excessive energy
Late 1900s and early 2000s. The Federal Coal Mine waste, air leakage, insufficient air delivery to some working
Health and Safety Act of 1969 (Coal Act) did not specifically faces and generally less efficient and effective air distribution
prohibit the use of booster fans in underground coal mines. throughout our mines.”
The requirement of main fans on the surface, however, acted McPherson (1991) continued: “At the present time, at-
effectively against the use of booster fans underground (Ra- tempts to install booster fans in U.S. coal mines are effective-
mani, 1993). ly blocked by MSHA and proposals have been promulgated
In 1989, when the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Admin- to render booster fans illegal. If this prohibition becomes
istration (MSHA) published a new proposal for coal mine law, then our underground coal mining industry would be de-
ventilation rules, it provided an opportunity for revising and nied a powerful and efficient means of improving the health
updating the ventilation regulations issued almost two de- and safety of mine workers — a means that has long been
cades prior, although the final rule in 1992 still does not per- employed successfully in other coal mining countries. Where
mit the use of booster fans in underground bituminous and incidents have occurred historically, they have arisen from
lignite coal mines. Reasons cited by MSHA include existing misuse or mismanagement of equipment.”
approval criteria, established industry practice and several Ramani (1993) concluded: “The restriction on booster
safety concerns associated with such issues as recirculation, fan use reduces flexibility in mine system design and op-
fires, fan control, noise and dust. About coal mine fans, sec- eration. As depths to coal seams increase, as panels become
Figure 2
Ventilation system of the North Goonyella Mine after booster fan installation (Marlborough, 2003).
larger and wider and as rates of productivity inch higher, the tions. Only specifically designated persons are permitted to
difficulty of designing coal mine ventilation systems with fans start, stop or alter the fan. As an example, the ventilation
located only on the surface must surely increase. Without system of the North Goonyella coal mine is presented in Figs.
approval of booster fans in underground mines on an experi- 1 and 2 (before and after booster fan installation).
mental basis, data and experience in U.S. coal mines will not The legislation of New South Wales (New South Wales
be developed.” government, 2006) states that the operator of an underground
mine must ensure that any auxiliary ventilation fan used in
Legislation in countries permitting the use of booster fans the underground parts of a mine is located and operated in
in underground coal mines. In the United Kingdom, where such a manner as to prevent recirculation of air through the
booster fans are commonly used in underground coal mines, fan. Also, installation of a booster fan is considered a high-
the law requires booster fan installations to be examined risk activity and requires a three-month waiting period prior
every 30 minutes and to have basic monitoring information to use. Information that is required to be submitted includes
recorded every two hours. The Office of Health and Safety the fan location and a ventilation plan that summarizes the
Executive (HSE) can issue exemptions from the require- risks and controls to be put into place to operate the fan.
ments and, in return, it may impose conditions (Leeming, Federal regulations in Canada are no longer in effect.
2008). Instead, individual Canadian provinces have regulations con-
In South Africa, the regulation concerning main fans ap- cerning booster fans. Current and potential underground coal
plies also to booster fans. Monitoring and early warning of mining operations are located in British Columbia, Alberta
defective operation are required. Every booster fan has to and Nova Scotia (Bonnell, 2008).
be examined for effective operation at intervals not exceed- In British Columbia, a pressure quantity survey is re-
ing three months. Power supply has to be provided from two quired to determine the necessity for a booster fan, the ex-
different sources. Booster fans have to be installed, oper- pected performance range, an adequate location and the
ated and maintained in accordance with a written procedure fan’s effect on the rest of the ventilation survey. Also, an
prepared and implemented for that purpose (van Zyl, 2008). employer must ensure that a booster fan is located in such
In Australia, the states have independent mine safety reg- a manner that, if it stops, the free passage of ventilating air
ulations. The large underground coal operations with possible to or from a main fan will be restricted as little as reason-
interest in booster fans are located mainly in Queensland and ably practicable. These requirements are stated also in Nova
New South Wales. In Queensland (Queensland Consolidated Scotia’s regulations (Nova Scotia Regulations, 2009). In ad-
Regulations, 2001), at least one methane monitor must be lo- dition to these regulations, booster fan controls have to be
cated near the fan to warn workers if concentrations exceed protected and sufficiently remote from the fan locations.
1.25% and to shut the fan down if concentrations exceed Main fan, booster fan and associated equipment have to be
2.0%. Standard procedures for each fan include procedures inspected at least once a week. Main and booster fans with
to be followed when the fan activates an alarm. In addition a capacity of 37 kW (50 hp) or more have to be inspected
to monitoring the fan’s static pressure, mine operators must for overheating of bearings or fan failure at least every 30
be sure to continuously monitor other fan operating condi- minutes if the fans are not continuously monitored for these
issues and at least every eight hours if they are continuously directly to the surface fan power circuit to avoid inadver-
monitored. The competent person who inspects the fans and tent recirculation caused by the stoppage of main surface
equipment must prepare a report of the inspection. fans while the underground fans are still operating. Modern
It is required by Alberta regulations that the free passage monitoring systems can be used to collect data and to exer-
of air delivered by a main fan is not restricted if the booster cise booster fan control. The parameters monitored at or
fan stops. If the main fan stops, the booster fan must also stop. near a booster fan may include methane, carbon monoxide,
The International Labour Office (ILO, 2009) presents air velocity and pressure, fan speed, vibration, motor and im-
several recommendations concerning the safe use of booster peller bearing temperatures and electric power (Calizaya et
fans in underground coal mines: al., 1990). It is also possible to separate the fan and the motor
from each other to reduce fire and explosion risks.
• Fans must be installed and operated without detri- The usual guidelines followed in the mines to avert inci-
ment to the safety and health of employees. dents associated with booster fans are based on Kumar and
• A ventilation survey by a qualified person is required Sastry (1997):
prior to installation.
• The fan must conform to standards for inspection, • An effective mine communication system.
monitoring, maintenance and use. • Well-planned emergency/ evacuation plans.
• The fan should be equipped with safety and opera- • Continuous monitoring of mine environment.
tional efficiency monitoring devices with alerts for • Use of fireproof materials with the booster fans.
reduced ventilation, air reversal, dangerous gases, • Simulation studies to assess the effects of stoppage
fires or electrical disruptions. of fans in the mine and/or closure of airways due to
• Fans must be approved by a competent authority. roof falls.
• Proper selection and location of booster fans.
In addition to these guidelines, it is suggested that the
manager of the mine formulate booster fan rules, add them Disadvantages of booster fans. Section 75.302 of the 1992
to the ventilation plan and post them at a conspicuous place regulations requires all main mine fans to be installed on the
at the mine. This step is recommended where national laws, surface. According to an MSHA proposed decision and or-
regulations and standards do not provide, or provide ineffec- der (PDO) regarding a petition to allow the use of a booster
tive or outdated, guidance on ventilation. fan in an underground bituminous coal mine, this regulation
serves to protect main mine fans from fires and damage, so
Advantages and disadvantages of booster fans that in the event of an underground explosion ventilation can
Advantages of booster fans. There are several ways of be maintained (Langton, 2003). Several other safety concerns
gaining advantage from the use of a booster fan. Even if are also listed in the mine-specific PDO regarding the pro-
booster fans are not suitable for every situation, they are posed use of a booster fan:
capable of providing improvements in various underground
environments when properly sized and located (Calizaya et • Booster fans reduce the ability to control recircula-
al., 1988; Calizaya et al., 1990; McPherson, 2009). Booster tion of air underground.
fans can be used to: • If an underground main mine fan is damaged, boost-
er fans limit opportunities to restore ventilation to
• Improve the airflow distribution in the mine, espe- specific areas.
cially in difficult-to-ventilate areas. • If it is necessary to remove electricity from an area,
• Increase flow rates in high-resistance circuits. ventilation can be interrupted.
• Provide air to areas with difficult surface conditions • A fire or explosion can make it impossible to control
(such as mining sections under water). the booster fan in order to adjust ventilation in spe-
• Reduce air pressure differentials between intake and cific areas of the mine.
return airways. • Booster fans can also increase noise, respirable dust
• Reduce leakage between intake and return airways. and float coal mine dust levels.
• Reduce overall power costs.
• Reduce development costs. Other possible disadvantages, described by Calizaya et al.
• Decrease main fan pressure requirements. (1990) and Brake and Nixon (2006) include:
• During mine fires, prevent smoke from entering in-
take airways. • Problems in case of main fan/booster fan stoppage.
• Complexity of the ventilation system and its man-
As an underground coal mine becomes older or larger, a agement.
significant portion of the fresh air is short-circuited through • Inappropriate use of a booster fan that may result in
leakage paths. In large mines, high pressure differentials increased operating costs and/or increased leakage.
required to move air to faces can result in considerable air
flow losses through stoppings. However, air leakage in a mine Unplanned, uncontrolled recirculation is the most promi-
can be controlled by the addition of pressure sources in the nent potential drawback of booster fan utilization. When
form of underground booster fans (Moll and Lowndes, 1994). booster fans are not designed, installed, located or operated
There are several ways to enhance the safety of booster correctly, the possibility of uncontrolled recirculation exists.
fans. They can be equipped with electrical interlocks wired If the supply of fresh air is not maintained at a minimum
Figure 3
Longwall mine production in the U.S. in years 1983, 1993
and 2003 (1000 short tons).
level, then uncontrolled recirculation may cause an increase
of contaminant concentrations to unacceptable levels.
Another issue often mentioned is the question: What
happens if the booster fan/main fan stops? The effect of these
stoppages should be studied and taken into account in plan-
ning. Minimum required airflows have to be maintained at
all times. The consequences of either the main fan or the
booster fan going into stall should also be studied during the
initial design of a booster fan setup. Regulation concerning
booster fans in M/NM mines in the U.S. requires interlocking,
so stalling does not present a problem. A similar requirement
for booster fans could be implemented in coal mines.
The overall capital costs of a combined surface-booster
fan system may be greater than that of a larger surface fan
alternative, due to the need for additional underground ex- Effect of longwall mining on booster fan research. What
cavation and a monitoring system. Also, a badly positioned suddenly initiated this research in the 1980s after so many
booster fan can exacerbate leakage problems. quiet decades? It can be speculated that the resurgence re-
sulted from increasing longwall productivity in the U.S. in
Research in the US the 1980s and the increasing airflow requirements needed
Research programs. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and to control the resultant dusts and gases. The limited number
State University studied the optimization of multiple fan of airways in longwall mining requires high ventilation pres-
systems that included booster fans. A critical path-crashing sures to overcome the resistance.
technique to optimize multiple fan ventilation systems with Nationally, longwall mines produced 126 Mt (139 million
booster fans was introduced first (Bhamidipati and Topuz, st) of coal in 1993, or 75% more than in 1983. In contrast,
1983). Further research by Wu and Topuz (1987, 1989) de- total underground coal production increased by only 17%
scribes other techniques, like linear programming, the out- throughout the same period. By 1993, longwall mines ac-
of-kilter method and the network simplex method. Based counted for 40% of underground coal production (Fig. 3),
on these studies, the optimal methodology is developed and up from 27% in 1983 (Energy Information Administration,
examples presented by Wu et al. (1991). The authors reported 1995). In 2003, already more than half of the total under-
that computer software based on the methodology would be ground coal production occurred in longwall mines (National
developed, but no further studies were forthcoming. This may Mining Association, 2008).
be due to the change in regulations that occurred in 1992.
The largest single effort to study booster fans in the U.S. Petitions from industry
was performed as a contract under a grant from the U.S. Bu- Petition process. Under section 101 of the Federal Mine
reau of Mines in 1985. The research started with an extensive Safety and Health Act of 1977, a mine operator may petition
survey on the use of booster fans. The study showed that 318 and the Secretary of Labor may modify the application of a
booster fan installations were located in underground coal mandatory safety standard, such as § 75.302, to a mine if the
mines worldwide, with the United Kingdom being the major secretary determines that:
user, followed by South Africa and Canada (McPherson et
al., 1985). Also, a study concerning the attitudes toward the 1. An alternative method exists that will guarantee no
use of booster fans in the coal mining industry of the U.S. less protection for the miners affected than that pro-
was conducted. It was found that out of the represented coal vided by the standard; or
mines, 42% were interested in installing booster fans. Out of 2. that the application of the standard will result in a
the uninterested operations, 52% considered the risk of re- diminution of safety to the affected miners.
circulation to be the primary reason for not taking an interest
in using booster fans and only 6% pointed out other primary MSHA bases the final decision on the petitioner’s state-
reasons (McPherson et al., 1985). ments, any comments and information submitted by inter-
The study was expanded in the late 1980s to include ested persons and a field investigation of the conditions at
booster fans and regulators at fixed locations and to minimize the mine. In some instances, MSHA may approve a petition
the overall power consumption. The problem was studied for modification on the condition that the mine operator
by Calizaya et al. (1987) using the commercially available complies with other requirements noted in the decision.
ventilation simulator VNETPC. A computer program called To date, there have been two petitions filed by mine op-
MFSELECT was developed to determine the fans and regu- erators to use booster fans in underground bituminous mines.
lators that would fulfill the airflow requirements of a mine In both cases, MSHA determined the proposals did not pro-
and minimize the total power consumption. The application vide at least the same level of protection as the standard.
of the program was illustrated by a detailed solution of a
sample problem based on the Jim Walter Resources’ No. No. 7 Mine, AL. In 1985, Jim Walter Resources Inc.
7 Mine. This solution described the basic requirements for (JWR) noticed that additional ventilation capacity was re-
the design and operation of booster fans and showed their quired to mine a remote block of its No. 7 Mine in Alabama.
potential benefits (Calizaya et al., 1987; Calizaya et al., 1988; Its personnel studied the situation and the review process
Calizaya and Mousset-Jones, 1989; Calizaya et al., 1990). indicated that either a 7-m (23-ft) intake airshaft or a 746-
kW (1,000-hp) underground booster fan installed in the east not at all times guarantee no less than the same measure of
main intake would satisfy the predicted airflow requirement. protection afforded the miners under 30 CFR 75.302, so the
A petition for modification to operate an underground petition was denied (Langton, 2003).
booster fan was submitted to MSHA on June 11, 1986. It
included safety features, such as electrical interlocking, in- Conclusions
dependent power supply and remote atmospheric monitor- It can be seen that the interest in booster fan use in un-
ing and was based on references obtained from the UK and derground coal mines of the U.S. has fluctuated during the
Australia. The potential for recirculation of air through the last 90 years. Booster fan research essentially stopped in
fan was given as a primary reason for denial of the plan after 1992, following the final coal mine ventilation rule that out-
evaluation by MSHA. lawed booster fans. The booster fan issue was reopened in
JWR developed an improved plan. Various booster fan the search for alternatives to belt air during the Technical
locations were simulated in search of a more suitable fan Study Panel meetings in 2007 (Anon, 2007). Use of booster
site. This defined a new location, in which a fan equipped fans was presented as one of the three recommended re-
with a 298-kW (400-hp) motor would fulfill the ventilation search topics in the Final Report of the Technical Study Panel
requirements. The simulations indicated that under normal on Utilization of Belt Air and the Composition and Fire Re-
operating conditions the pressure differentials would be from tardant Properties of Belt Materials in Underground Coal
intake to return at all locations, so recirculation conditions Mining (Mutmansky et al., 2007). The MSHA response to
would not exist. Events of booster fan failure and shutdown the report (Federal Register, 2008), released in June 2008, did
were also simulated with favorable results. The new plan was not address the research recommendations. However, in the
proposed to MSHA on June 2, 1987. Safety considerations, text MSHA noted the need to maintain the pressure differ-
like fireproof housing of the motor, transformer and starter, ential from the primary escapeway to the belt air course to
and a fire-sensing system with dry powder extinguishers, were prevent the leakage of contaminants to the escapeway in the
included in the plan. Also, the booster fan would have been event of a fire. This pressure differential could theoretically
attached to a separate power circuit from the surface through be achieved by using a booster fan.
a borehole. It was also noted that the booster fan would be Since the passage of the regulation in 1992, several safety
located in a main return, away from the working face and, improvements have become available. Use of separate pow-
thus, dust and noise were not considered to be a problem er circuits, AMS improvements and wireless communication
(Sartain and Stevenson, 1988). technology can make a difference in the safety of booster
The new plan was inspected by MSHA. Ventilation engi- fan use. Also, the research, experiences and regulations of
neers from the MSHA Technical Support Center performed other countries can present important comparisons for the
a detailed ventilation survey of the mine in November 1988. potential application of booster fan use in the U.S.
However, the plan failed to convince MSHA and the booster However, under current regulations, booster fan research
fan petition was later denied again (McNider, 2008). in the U.S. will be challenging, due to nonexistent options for
field studies in coal mines. Computer simulations, labora-
Loveridge No. 22 Mine, WV. On Sept. 15, 2003, Consoli- tory studies and comparisons to M/NM mine practices are
dation Coal Co. filed a petition for modification of 30 CFR expected to be the main research tools to evaluate booster
75.302 at the Loveridge No. 22 Mine in West Virginia. The fans’ possible safety advantages. These studies will include
petition described an alternate method that would allow use ventilation network simulations of underground operations
of an auxiliary fan to prevent the freezing of the slope dur- to evaluate their ability to assist in defining the safest and
ing the winter months. Safety considerations in the petition most feasible locations for booster fans. Safety concerns will
included fireproof housing, an automatic fire suppression be addressed by comparing and evaluating current practices
system, CO, temperature and vibration monitors and daily and fan monitoring systems. Finally, the impacts of existing
inspection. domestic and international booster fan safety regulations will
MSHA pointed out after the investigation that the auxil- be reviewed for relevance to U.S. mining conditions. n
iary slope fan would be used to improve or augment ventila-
tion in a segment of the mine. Consequently, the auxiliary Acknowledgments
slope fan was in reality a booster fan. Simulations demon- All companies and individuals who have provided infor-
strated that major ventilation changes occurred when the mation are greatly appreciated. The authors especially wish
auxiliary slope fan stopped. Slope ventilation reversed and to thank Mr. Tom McNider for valuable comments and Dr.
the intake at one of the shafts decreased by 53,000 cfm. Gerrit Goodman, Dr. Jürgen Brune and Mr. Chris Pritchard
In addition, MSHA determined several safety issues that for providing feedback.
were not addressed by the plan, such as vulnerability to dam-
age from a major mine fire, lack of an independent power cir- Disclosure
cuit and no means to start or stop the fan remotely from the The findings and conclusions in this report are those of
surface. Also, MSHA pointed out a mine fire accident that the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of
had happened in early 2003, in which a similar fan installation the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
had hampered firefighting efforts. For the reasons described Mention of any company or product does not constitute en-
above, MSHA concluded that the alternative method would dorsement by NIOSH.

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Calizaya F., McPherson, M.J., and Mousset-Jones, P., 1987, “An algorithm Certain Questions of Mine Safety, BuMines IC 609, 12 pp.
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posium, Penn State University, University Park, PA, pp. 408-417. Mines IC 6946, 46 pp.
Calizaya, F., McPherson, M.J., and Mousset-Jones, P., 1988, “Guidelines Moll, A.T.J., and Lowndes, I.S., 1994, “Approach to the optimization of
for implementing a booster fan monitoring and control system in multi-fan ventilation,” Journal of the Mine Ventilation Society of
coal mines,” Proceedings of the 4th US Mine Ventilation Sympo- South Africa, Vol. 47, No. 1, pp. 2-18.
sium, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, pp. 382-391. Mutmansky, J.M., Brune, J.F, Calizaya, F., Mucho, T.P., Tien, J.C., and
Calizaya, F., and Mousset-Jones, P., 1989, “The use of booster fans in Weeks, J.L., 2007, “Final report of the technical study panel on
underground coal mines,” Seventh Annual Workshop, Generic Min- the utilization of the belt air and the composition and fire retar-
eral Technology Center, Mine Systems Design and Ground Control, dant properties of belt materials in underground coal mining,”
Blacksburg, VA, pp. 105-116. December, 131 pp. http://www.msha.gov/BeltAir/BeltAirFinalRe-
Calizaya, F., McPherson, M.J., and Mousset-Jones, P., 1990, “The use of port122007.pdf.
booster fans in underground coal mines,” Final Report, U.S. Bureau National Mining Association, 2008, “Most requested statistics - U.S. Coal
of Mines Grant No. G1125151, February, OFR Rpt. No.12-90. Industry,” http://www.nma.org/pdf/c_most_requested.pdf.
Energy Information Administration, 1995, “Longwall mining,” DOE/ New South Wales Government, 2006, “Coal Mine Health and Safe-
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gov/ftproot/coal/tr0588.pdf. inforce/subordleg+783+2006+cd+0+N/?dq=Regulations%20
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Kumar, G.V., and Sastry, V.R., 1997, “Selection of optimum combination van Zyl, K., 2008, Personal communication.
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Conference of Safety, Vol. I, pp. 311-317. in underground mines,” Proceedings of the 3rd Mine Ventilation
Langton, J.F., 2003, “Proposed decision and order. Petition for modifica- Symposium, pp. 401-407.
tion in the matter of Consolidation Coal Company Loveridge No Wu, X., and Topuz, E., 1989, “Comparison of methods for determination
22 Mine,” MSHA Docket No M-2003-069-C. http://www.msha.gov/ of booster fan locations in underground mines,” Proceedings of the
readroom/petitions/2003-069.75.302%20with%20sol%20chang- 4th Mine Ventilation Symposium, pp. 355-362.
es%2011%2021%2003%20.pdf. Wu, X., Topuz, E., and Karfakis, M., 1991, “Optimization of ventilation control
Leeming, B., 2008, Personal communication. device locations and sizes in underground mine ventilation systems,”
Marlborough, L., 2003, “The installation of underground booster fans at Proceedings of the 5th US Mine Ventilation Symposium, pp. 391-399.

Coming Events
Upcoming SME Events
Dreyer Conference Arizona Conference George A. Fox Conference
October 10-12, 2010 December 5-6, 2010 January 26, 2011
Westin Chicago River North Hotel Hilton El Conquistador Resort Graduate Center
Chicago, IL, USA Tucson, AZ, USA City University of New York
New York, NY, USA
For additional information, Contact: Meetings Dept., SME
Phone 800-763-3132 • 303-948-4200 • Fax 303-979-3461 • E-mail: sme@smenet.org • www.smenet.org
October 2010 15-19 • Economic Evaluation and Investment Decision Methods

Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO, USA
24-27 • MEMO 2010 Phone: 303-273-3221, 800-446-9488 • Fax: 303-273-3314
Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, Canada E-mail: space@mines.edu
Phone 514-939-2710 • Fax: 514-939-2714 http://outreach.mines.edu/cont_ed/econeval.shtml
E-mail: cmurphy@cim.org
www.cim.org/calendar
18-20 • Manitoba Mining and Minerals Convention 2010
Winnipeg Convention Center Winnipeg, MB, Canada
26-27 • Fluorspar ‘10 Phone: 800-223-5215, 204-945-6558 • Fax: 204-945-1406
InterContinental Presidente Hotel, Mexico City, Mexico E-mail: convention@gov.mb.ca
Phone: 440 20 7779 7999 • Fax: 440 20 7779 8294 www.mineralsconvention.com
E-mail: mktg@indmin.co
www.indmin.comevents
22-25 • Quebec Exploration 2010, Creating Collective Wealth
Fairmont Chateau Frontenac Hotel, Quebec, PQ, Canada
28-29 • SME/PCMIA Annual Joint Meeting Phone: 418-627-6392 • Fax: 418-643-2816
Hilton Garden Inn, Southpointe Canonsburg, PA, USA E-mail: info@quebecexploration.qc.ca
Phone: 412-835-7387 www.quebecexploration.qc.ca
E-mail: mary412d@comcast.net
www.miningorganizations.org/pcmia/pcmia_index.htm
23-26 • Mine Closure 2010
November 2010 Sheraton Miramar Hotel and Convention Center, Vina del Mar, Chile
Phone: 56-2 652 1519
1-4 • 2010 Arizona Hydrological Society Symposium E-mail: mc@mineclosure2010.com
Westin LaPaloma, Tucson, AZ, USA www.mineclosure2010.com
Phone: 480-270-4937
E-mail: azhydrosco.web@gmail.com December 2010
www.azhydrosoc.org/index.html
1-3 • Mine Planning and Equipment Selection MPES 2010
Esplanade Hotel, Freemantle, WAS, Australia
4-6 • Emerging Leaders Alliance US Capstone 2010 Phone: 61 396586105 • Fax: 61 9662 3662
Renaissance Stapleton, Denver, CO, USA E-mail sfinlay@ausimm.com.au
E-mail: ELA@tms.org www.ausimm.com.au/MPES2010
www.emergingleadersalliance.org
4 • American Mining Hall of Fame and Museum Banquet
8-9 • Bio-Hydromet ‘10 Tucson Marriott University Park Hotel, Tucson, AZ, USA
Vineyard Hotel, Claremont, Cape Town, South Africa Phone: 520-577-7519 • Fax: 520-577-7073
Phone: 44 7768 234121 • Fax: 44 1326 318352 E-mail admin@miningfoundationsw.org
E-mail: bwills@min-eng.com www.miningfoundationsw.org
www.min-eng.com/biohydromet10
8-10 • Procemin 2010
8-11 • Mineral Project Evaluation Techniques and Applications Sheraton Santiago Hotel and Convention Center, Santiago, Chile
McGill University, Montreal, PQ, Canada Phone: 56-2 6521555 • Fax: 56-2 6521570
Phone: 514-398-4755 • Fax: 514-398-7099 E-mail: procemin@procemin.cl
E-mail: admcrc.mining@mcgill.ca www.procemin.cl
www.cim.org/mcgill/#Nov_8-11_2010
February 2011
10-12 • Automining 2010 7-9 • Arctic Technology Conference
Sheraton Santiago Hotel and Convention Center, Santiago, Chile George R. Brown Convention Center, Houston, TX, USA
Phone: 56-2 6521555 • Fax: 56-2 6521570 Phone: 888-945-2274 ext. 617
E-mail: automining@automining2010.com E-mail: convene@aapg.org
www.automining2010.com www.arctictechnologyconference.org n

SME News SME Foundation
McIntosh Engineering scholarship;

SME Foundation presents six scholarships
By Tessa Baxter, SME Division and Section Coordinator
I n May of this year, the SME Foundation (SMEF) in-

troduced the McIntosh Engineering Scholarship, a new
undergraduate scholarship made possible by a generous do-
nation from Scott McIntosh and the McIntosh Engineering
Group. The McIntosh Scholarship is awarded annually to
up to six promising undergraduate students entering their
junior year of an accredited undergraduate degree pro-
gram in mining engineering with a focus on underground
mining. The McIntosh Engineering Scholarship is a renew-
able scholarship with total potential funding of $12,000
per student — $5,000 for the junior year and, subject to
renewal approval, an additional $7,000 for the senior year.
At the University of Kentucky, Rick Honaker (l), Mining
The selection of scholarship recipients and the approval of
Department chair and professor, and Andrzej Wala (r), professor,
scholarship renewals are at the discretion of the McIntosh
present a McIntosh scholarship to Andrew Goderwis (c).
Engineering Scholarship Committee.
Scholarship recipients ing the past two summers and school breaks, he worked
Richard Boakye-Yiadom is a junior in the University of with Consol Energy, primarily at the Enlow Fork Mine and
Utah’s mining engineering program. He is from Ghana. His on the Bailey Mine expansion. Upon completion of his un-
country’s long history in mining and the recent renewed dergraduate education at Penn State, he plans to further his
activity there influenced his decision to become a mining education with an M.B.A.
engineer. He has interned with the Horizon coal mine near Brandon Burton is a junior in the Southern Illinois
Price, UT, where he was the assistant surveyor and complet- University-Carbondale mining engineering program. Prior
ed timing studies on current and future working sections. to beginning his studies, he served on active duty in the U.S.
He plans to specialize in mine administration and pursue Navy from 2001 to 2006. He completed a summer intern-
graduate studies. ship at Freeport-McMoRan’s mine in Morenci, AZ, where
Robert Burns is a junior mining engineering student at he worked with the slope stability department.
The Pennsylvania State University. He has been active in Andrew Goderwis is junior in the Mining Engineering
the Penn State Mining Society SME student chapter. Dur- Department at the University of Kentucky (UK). He is an
officer in the Norwood student chapter of SME and the
president of the UK Engineering Student Council. He has
completed internships with Nally and Gibson, a crushed
limestone operation in cen-
tral Kentucky; at Consol
Energy’s Bailey longwall SME News
operation in western Penn-
sylvania and with Peabody contents
Energy, where he worked
throughout the Midwestern 56
United States. Young Leaders’ Mentor
Paul Phillips is a junior Program
majoring in mining and min- 57
erals engineering at Virginia Krumb Lecturers
Tech. He spent a summer at
Resolution Copper in Supe- 59
rior, AZ where he performed NSSGA Competition
technical engineering proj-
Robert Burns (r) receives a McIntosh scholarship check from ects, such as redesigning the 63
R. Larry Grayson (l), professor at Penn State and SME student
chapter sponsor. (Continued on page 63) Obituaries

SME Young Leaders
SME News
Student Mentoring Program;
Be a part of the future
By Abram Woodward, Student Relations chair, SME Young Leaders Committee
W ith SME’s 2011 Annual Meeting right around the

corner, it is time for students and professionals to
sign up for this year’s mentor program. I was challenged
with the right mentoree. I had to take a little extra time
to fill out one more page during registration, and it was
worth it. I was able to take my mentoree around the hall
by my peers within the Young Leaders Committee last and meet the vendors I deal with in the field. It also al-
year to be a part of the mentor program. I found it to be a lowed time to discuss any questions that they had about
rewarding experience and one that I look forward to being what I do and about the transition to being a professional.
a part of this year, as well. I would like to fill you in on my The Young Leaders arranged a group dinner with
experience. our mentorees that was a lot of fun. The group dinner al-
I first participated in the mentor program when I was lowed time for us to interact with other mentorees in the
a sophomore in college majoring in mining engineering. I program and to share more about what our jobs were and
found that being matched with the right mentor was the what our companies had to offer. The mentor program is
key to having a valuable and educational experience. To also a great way to look for a student who may be inter-
find that match, you need to submit your student applica- ested in a summer internship with your company or even
tion early and take the time to think through in what sector full-time employment in your sector of the industry. It
of the mining world you would like your mentor to work. was an experience that only requires as much time as you
As a student at the meeting, I was there to experience all allow. And it can continue beyond the SME meeting and
that the industry had to offer. I did not have any vendors into the future.
to talk to about upcoming projects or any meetings to at- The mentor program is a way for professionals to be
tend to further SME’s mission. I found that touring the involved with the students at the meeting and share the
conference hall, attending section meetings and just joining experiences we have with those who are new to SME and
my mentor for dinner was a way to show me the value of to our corner of the world. If you would like more infor-
attending the conference and being a member of SME be- mation on the mentor program, please visit the mentor
yond college. It was also a great way to make contacts as a program page on the SME website, www.smenet.org/men-
student and get information on potential employers. tor or contact Mona Vandervoort, Education Coordinator,
As a professional submitting an application to be a at 303-948-4227, e-mail vandervoort@smenet.org. I am
mentor, I found that it was also important to submit the also available to answer questions at Abram.Woodward@
application as early as possible to allow time to match me gcinc.com. n
New student section at University of Pittsburgh

By Susan B. Bealko, chair, SME Pittsburgh Section
T he SME Pittsburgh Local Section is pleased to an-

nounce that a new student chapter has been founded
within the geographical boundaries of the section. The new
University of Pittsburgh SME student chapter held its kick-
off meeting on March 16, 2010 at the Pitt Student Union
on the Oakland Campus in Pittsburgh, PA. This exciting
event included a social hour with snacks, refreshments, a
silent auction and a technical presentation on the Shoe-
maker Mine renovation project given by four prominent
engineers from Consol Energy. The speakers and topics
were: Joseph C. Wilcox, P.E., introduction to the Shoemaker Consol Energy engineers share their knowledge and experiences
Project; Adrienne Carney, P.E., underground rehabilitation/ at the University of Pittsburgh kickoff meeting for the new SME
(Continued on page 62) student chapter.

SME News SME Krumb Lecturers
SME announces the 2010-2011

Henry Krumb lecturers
T he Henry Krumb Lecture series was established in 1966 so that local SME sections could hear prominent minerals
professionals speak on subjects in which they had recognized expertise. Henry Krumb, a 1897 graduate of the Co-
lumbia School of Mines, had an interest in engineering education and improving the status of the mining profession. He
anonymously established an endowment fund “for any purpose that is for the benefit of the Institute (AIME).”
The 2010-2011 Henry Krumb lecturers are profiled below. To request a lecturer to speak at one of your local section
meetings, visit www.smenet.org, click sections, click Krumb Lecture Series and fill out the lecture request form.
If you have any questions, please call Tessa Baxter at 303-948-4208.
DAVID ARMSTRONG
Different Techniques for Classifying Mineral Resources
David Armstrong is an associate professor and chair of Different Techniques for Classifying
the Department of Mining Engineering at Montana Tech Mineral Resources
in Butte, MT. Prior to coming to Montana Tech, he worked One of the necessary steps in min-
for 36 years in the mining industry in a variety of engineer- eral resource modeling and reporting
ing and management positions. He began work as a systems is to classify the mineral resource into
engineer in the exploration group at Amax and moved up the classes of measured, indicated and
to chief mine engineer. Since leaving Amax, he worked in inferred. This classification can be based
Tucson, AZ for Mintec, Magma Copper and BHP, and in on manual, mechanical or mathemati-
Phoenix, AZ for Phelps Dodge. His primary experience is cal methods. Practitioners have favorite
in mine planning and reserve estimation. He received B.S. methods of making this breakout so ARMSTRONG
and M.S. degrees in mathematics from the Colorado School they can move on to feasibility reports
of Mines and an M.B.A. from the University of Denver. He and mine planning and, later, into reporting to regulatory
is a registered member of SME and a fellow of AusIMM. authorities. The different methods give different results and
He has been on the SME Resources and Reserves Com- these results can be substantial. This lecture presents the
mittee since 1997. He is a licensed professional engineer in standard ways industry does this classification and discusses
Montana. the advantages and problems of the many methods.
MICHAEL KARMIS
Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Research: The Road to Deployment
Michael Karmis is the Stonie Barker professor in the numerous awards from scientific, profes-
Department of Mining and Minerals Engineering and the di- sional and industrial organizations.
rector of the Virginia Center for Coal and Energy Research
at Virginia Tech. His expertise is in the areas of rock mechan- Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Re-
ics, health and safety, carbon sequestration and the sustain- search: The Road to Deployment
able development of energy and mineral resources. He has Any reduction of greenhouse gas
written more than 150 scientific papers, reports, proceedings emissions to meet proposed or planned
volumes and textbooks. He has directed 45 major research climate change will require the develop-
projects. He has also been recognized as an outstanding ment and deployment of CO2 capture KARMIS
teacher and has received numerous Certificates of Teaching and storage technologies. Such technolo-
Excellence and other teaching commendations. gies are needed, in combination with other mitigation mea-
Karmis has been active in consulting with the minerals sures, to achieve the necessary stabilization in anthropogenic
industry, consulting companies, government organizations emissions. National and global efforts in CCS research are
and legal firms. He served as the 2002 president of SME and intensive, multi-stakeholder and comprehensive, ranging
as the 2009 president of AIME. He was elected as the 2002 from basic research to deployment scale demonstrations. In
president of the Society of Mining Professors and has served addition to technological developments, a number of other
as its secretary general since 2005. He is a Distinguished barriers to CCS are also addressed: legal, regulatory and
Member of the SME, an Honorary Member of AIME, a financial barriers; availability of financial incentives; and
fellow of the Institute of Quarrying and a Fellow of the In- public acceptance concerns. This lecture presents a status of
stitute of Materials, Minerals and Mining. He has received CCS on the road to deployment.
SME Krumb Lecturers
SME News
RIMAS C. PAKALNIS
Ground Support Methodology Employing Shotcrete for Underground Mines
Rimas Pakalnis, P.Eng., is an as- ing, the County of Los Angeles, Inco, BHP Utah, Lynn
sociate professor in the Department of Gold, Sherritt Gordon, Westmin, Dickenson and Echo Bay
Mining Engineering at the University of Mines. He is the co-author of more than 50 papers on mine
British Columbia (UBC). He received rock mechanics design.
his Ph.D. from UBC in 1982, special-
izing in the field of rock mechanics. His Ground Support Methodology Employing Shotcrete for
research involved the development Underground Mines
of empirical design tools for optimum This lecture describes the research work conducted
stope wall design. The courses under his by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and
PAKALNIS instruction include rock mechanics, rock Health’s Spokane Research Laboratory in the investigation
fragmentation, mine design and mining of shotcrete within underground mines to applied design
methods and equipment selection. of ground support for the operator. It looks at the design
During the past 20 years, Pakalnis has supervised two methodology in terms of employing shotcrete as a fabric to
Ph.D. candidates and 26 masters candidates. He has orga- confine the rock mass between the individual bolts as dic-
nized and presented professional development courses for tated by empirical charts. This is coupled with guidelines for
the mining industry in the design of mine openings and pil- safe entry in terms of cure times as well as understanding of
lars, cable-bolt support, blasting, numerical modeling, geo- the behavior of the shotcrete in terms of fibers and overall
technical mapping, rock mass classification and bulkhead strengths that result with respect to the design of the mine
design. He has also served as an expert witness and as a openings. This enables the operator to better understand his
consultant to Placer Dome, Hudson Bay Mining and Smelt- workplace and thereby provide a safer work environment.
JOHN E. SHIVELY
The Pebble Project, Southwest Alaska
John Shively first went to Alaska in Chamber of Commerce as the outstanding Alaskan of the
1965 as a VISTA volunteer. What start- year. He also received the Denali Award from the Alaska
ed as a one-year assignment, turned into Federation of Natives. He currently leads the Anchorage-
a career involved in the issues that have based Pebble Partnership as chief executive officer.
shaped Alaska in the private and pub-
lic sector. He worked with the NANA The Pebble Project, Southwest Alaska
Regional Corporations on the develop- The potential for a mine at the Pebble Deposit located
ment of the Red Dog Mine and served in Southwest Alaska has captured the attention of the
most recently as a Holland America mining industry and nearly all Alaskans. This world class
SHIVELY Lines executive in Alaska. He has copper, gold and molybdenum deposit has brought a major
served two governors and is a former public policy decision to the forefront in Alaska about min-
commissioner with the Department of Natural Resources. ing, its legacies and its role in the modern economy. There
Shively has been a trustee for the Alaska Permanent is a well-funded, organized campaign to stop the develop-
Fund, a regent at the University of Alaska and served on ment, but there is also equal interest in the opportunities
numerous boards, including the Resource Development it could bring. Pebble Partnership CEO John Shively will
Council where he served as president for five years. In 2009, share his views about one of the most interesting prospects
he received the Bill Egan Award from the Alaska State in mining today.
MARK A. SMITH
Molycorp Minerals, Mountain Pass Rare Earth Operations
Mark A. Smith is chief executive officer, a member Minerals is also engaged in technology development con-
of the board of directors and a shareholder of Molycorp cerning rare earth applications and has several patents in
Minerals headquartered in Greenwood Village, CO. The this regard.
company owns and operates a rare-earth mine and pro- Previously, Smith was the president and chief execu-
cessing facilities in Mountain Pass, CA, where it produces tive officer of Chevron Mining, a wholly owned subsidiary
various forms of rare earth products for sale. Molycorp of Chevron Corp. Chevron Mining operated five mines
SME News SME Krumb Lecturers
and was engaged in a joint venture with Consol Energy essential to the clean energy and defense
to develop the Youngs Creek Mine, a surface coal mine in technologies on which our nation’s (and
Wyoming. Smith also served as a vice president for Unocal, many other nations’) economy, secu-
where he was responsible for managing the real estate, rity and future depend. As global RE
remediation, mining and carbon divisions. He worked for requirements continue to grow at dou-
Unocal for more than 22 years. ble-digit rates, fueled primarily by the
Smith received a B.S. degree in agricultural engineer- development of green energy technolo-
ing from Colorado State University in 1981 and his Juris gies, China’s domestic demand is also
Doctor, cum laude, from the Western State University soaring, and it has been forecast that the
College of Law in 1990. He is a registered professional country’s production will soon match its SMITH
engineer and an active member of the state bars of Cali- internal consumption.
fornia and Colorado. Molycorp Minerals has developed a mining-to-magnets
business strategy and plans to produce 18 kt (20,000 st)
Molycorp Minerals, Mountain Pass Rare Earth Operations REO per year by 2012, including up to 6.8 kt (7,500 st) of
Rare earths (RE) and rare earth permanent magnets are RE permanent magnets. n
Student design competition

gets under way
By Brady Johnson, co-chair, Student Design Competition
A s the new academic year opens, SME and the Na-

tional Stone Sand and Gravel Association (NSSGA),
have begun the 7th Annual Student Design Competition.
of participating in the competition include experience in
engineering design, a chance to enhance public speaking
skills and leadership experience in a team environment.
The competition is the mining industry’s The competition is a great résumé builder
only academic competition of the year. and the sponsoring companies may be
The competition is a two-stage, team- looking for new employees. Of course,
based problem involving a technical there is always the prize money.
design and an oral presentation. The first If you are not a student but are inter-
stage — technical design — takes place ested in being involved with the youth
during the first semester of the school year of the mining industry, please become a
on each team’s campus. It is designed to sponsor of the competition. By becom-
simulate an engineering project prepared ing a sponsor, your company’s name will
by an engineering group for a company. appear in front of a large group of the
This year, the problem will focus on industry’s future employees. Each year,
evaluating the purchase of permitted sand nearly 100 students from mining schools
and gravel reserves. The problem will across the country participate in the com-
highlight the challenges of mine planning, petition. If you become a sponsor, any
plant design and reserve modeling. The student seeking employment will have
second stage of the competition will be held at the 2011 the opportunity to contact you. The competition will also
SME Annual Meeting in Denver, CO. It will be an oral give you the opportunity to see your future employees in
presentation given to the “board of directors” of the com- action. This is a perfect opportunity to invest in the future
pany. In the past, the second stage has typically consisted of our industry.
of a financial justification of the first stage. The presenta- If you have any interest or questions about the 7th An-
tions are open to anyone attending the 2011 SME Annual nual SME/NSSGA Student Design Competition, please
Meeting. contact the Student Design Competition Committee, Brady
Students — if you would like to participate and can Johnson competition co-chair, e-mail brady.johnson@gcinc.
put together a team of six undergraduates, please contact com, phone 916-855-8877. We are very excited about this
the Student Design Competition Committee. The benefits year’s event and hope to see you in Denver. n
SME Scholarships
SME News
Peng ground control scholarship
issues call for applications
T he primary objective of the new Syd S. Peng Ground Control in Mining scholarship is to promote the science of
ground control. Recent trends in mining engineering education indicate a possible future shortage of competent
ground control engineers. To remedy this situation, undergraduate or graduate scholarships will be awarded annually to
encourage the development of ground control engineers and promote the ground control engineering discipline. View the
complete guidelines and submit an application online at www.smenet.org/scholarships. All applications are due by Oct. 25,
2010. If you have any questions, please call Membership Services at 303-948-4208 or e-mail baxter@smenet.org.
JEFFREY B. KERR graduated in May 2010 with a ANTHONY M. LeBARON is a graduate student and
B.S. in mining engineering from Virginia Tech. Kerr plans research assistant in the mining engineering department
to continue on to graduate school researching a topic in at the University of Utah. He is focusing his studies on
ground control and roof stability for underground mines. rock mechanics, numerical modeling, subsidence and rock
Because he was on the Dean’s List, Kerr was able to de- mass characterization. His thesis topic is on the coupled
clare his major as a sophomore. He was on the dean’s list modeling of subsidence associated with block caving using
for all of the semesters that he was at Virginia Tech. numerical analysis and remote sensing. It is unique in that
Kerr spent two summers working for Patriot Coal in the numerical models will be calibrated and validated using
West Virginia where he earned experience in underground subsidence data collected by means of differential inter-
surveying, environmental control, ventilation calculations ferometric synthetic aperture radar.
and mine planning. He worked more than 60 hours a week LeBaron received a B.S. degree in mineral engineer-
to help pay for school. He also worked as a lab assistant for ing from New Mexico Tech. His senior design project was
professor Mario Karfakis in the junior-level rock mechanics on the Questa molybdenum deposit in Questa, NM. As an
laboratory during the school year. His duties as a lab assis- undergraduate, he worked as a teaching assistant in the
tant include preparing core samples for uniaxial and triaxial surveying class and plans to make teaching a part of his fu-
testing and providing assistance to Karfakis during the lab ture career. For two summers, he worked as a intern at Lee
sessions. Ranch Coal. He did GPS surveying and initiated a program
Kerr was a member of the Virginia Tech student chap- to quantify haul truck performance using off-the-shelf GPS
ter of SME, the Burkhart Mining Society. He has served as units. In 2009, he published a paper with J. Donovan at the
the director of student intramural sports activities and as a 43rd US Rock Mechanics Symposium and 4th US-Canada
mentor to new sophomores coming into the mining depart- Rock Mechanics Symposium entitled, “A comparison of
ment. He is also a member of the International Society of photogrammetry and laser scanning for the purpose of
Explosives Engineers, and he has participated in the Appa- automated rock mass characterization.” He is a member of
lachian Service Project. SME. n
Syd S. Peng (r) presented a Peng Ground Control in Mining Syd S. Peng (r) presented a Peng Ground Control in Mining
scholarship to Jeffrey B. Kerr, Virginia Polytechnic University and scholarship to Anthony Le Baron (l), University of Utah, at the
State University (l), at the SME Annual Meeting in Phoenix. SME Annual Meeting in Phoenix.

SME News
Portal 31 exhibition mine honored
in engineering competition
E ngineering Consulting Services Inc. (ECSI) of Lexing-

ton, KY received one of 16 Honor Awards given in the
American Council of Engineering Companies’ (ACEC)
44th Annual Engineering Excellence Awards competi-
tion. The award was given for ECSI’s work at the Portal 31
Exhibition Mine
in Lynch, KY. The
ACEC is a Wash-
ington D.C.-based
business association
representing ap-
proximately 5,700
independent engi-
neering companies
throughout the The Portal 31 exhibition mine visitors’ car begins its mine tour.
United States.
ECSI worked tourism to the state. The project is among 163 engineering
with museum and projects that were recognized by ACEC as pre-eminent
exhibit designers to engineering achievements for 2009. Judging for the awards
transform a deacti- took place in February 2009 by a distinguished panel of
vated mine portal more than 30 engineers, architects and representatives from
J. Steven Gardner (r), president and chief into a high-tech government, media and academia. Criteria for the awards
executive officer, and Jamie Draper, attraction that show- include uniqueness and originality, technical, social and eco-
marketing director, accepted the award cases Kentucky’s nomic value, complexity and success of the project in meet-
on behalf of ECSI. coal mining heritage, ing goals. All winners were recognized at the Engineering
from the days of picks and shovels to modern equipment. Excellence Awards Gala held April 27, 2010 at the Grand
Portal 31 is part of a series of attractions designed to bring Hyatt Hotel in Washington, D.C. n
Mining exhibit a hit at Taste of Colorado festival

T housands of attendees and hundreds of teachers
learned about the importance of mining and minerals
in the 12.2 x 12.2 m (40 x 40 ft) exhibit tent at the Festival
people attended the festival and exit polls showed that
thousands visited the mining exhibit.
Major sponsors who donated more than $1,000 included
of Mountain and Plain — Taste of Colorado during the FMI/Henderson, Newmont, Arch/Mountain Coal, Peabody/
Labor Day weekend in downtown Denver. The Colorado Twentymile and Chevron Mining. Additional support came
Mining Exhibit Foundation of Lakewood, CO, a nonprofit from the Colorado Department of Natural Resources,
education corporation, organized the event in Civic Center the Rocky Mountain Coal Mining Institute, the Mining &
Park. About $30,000 was raised to fund the walk-through Metallurgical Society of America, the Denver Gold Group,
tent, which contained free gold panning, a free fossil hunt the Colorado Mining Association, the American Coalition
and about 100 industry volunteers to talk to people about for Clean Coal Electricity, the SME GEM Committee, As-
mining. sociated Governments of Northwest Colorado, the Den-
Other displays included videos showing modern mining ver Coal Club and the Office of Surface Mining. Barney
and reclamation technologies, large graphics showing how Guarnera and Stan Dempsey were personal contributors.
minerals are important to our high standard of living and For more information on this proactive outreach proj-
tables full of free educational material for teachers, home ect, contact Guy Johnson, Exhibit Coordinator, at 303-969-
schoolers, librarians, Scouts and parents. More than 500,000 0365 or GPJ222@aol.com. n
Meetings
SME News
West Virginia hosts
29th ground control conference
T he 29th International Conference on Ground Control
in Mining was held this fall in Morgantown, WV. The
conference, which began in 1981, was the vision of Syd S.
Peng, professor at West Virginia University. His vision was
to bring together the mining community to discuss and pro-
mote technologies and strategies for ensuring the stability
of surrounding rock formations during mining operations.
Presenters and attendees at this conference represent a
true who’s who of ground control for mining. This year, the
conference had nearly 300 attendees who were treated to
top-quality presentations from 45 well-known engineers
and scientists. The attendees came from all regions of the
United States and 14 foreign countries, including Australia,
Austria, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, Japan, Liech-
tenstein, Mexico, the Netherlands, Poland, South Africa,
Switzerland and the United Kingdom. As in past years,
the topics covered encompassed nearly all areas of ground
control, including mine design, roof bolting and numerical Many attendees took a post-conference mine tour of Consol
Energy’s Robinson Run Mine near Shinston, WV.
modeling, to name a few. Each attendee received a confer-
ence proceedings as a full-color, hard-cover book and as
a flash drive. The 29th conference was coordinated under
the leadership of Thomas Barczak and Steve Tadolini. They
have been involved in the conference for decades and both
studied under the mentorship of Professor Peng. They will
continue to serve in leadership positions as the conference
moves into its third decade and will have significant respon-
sibilities for continuing this prestigious event.
The 30th International Conference for Ground Control
in Mining is already being planned and additional details
can be found at www.icgcm.conferenceacademy.com. Next
Tom Barczak (l) and Steve Tadolini (r) talk to Australian year’s conference will include several special events as it
visitor, Fritz Russell. will celebrate the 30-year anniversary of Peng’s vision. n
Pittsburgh student chapter

(Continued from page 56)
construction; Jim Mazzocca, overland conveyor installa- The student chapter faculty advisor leading this ener-
tion; and Chad Cunningham, preparation plant and harbor getic group of students is Anthony Iannacchione, P.E. He
upgrades. is the director of the Pitt Mining Engineering Certificate
Student chapter president, Nicole Iannacchione, opened Program and former SME Krumb lecturer. Gary Takena-
the meeting by welcoming more than 50 mining industry ka is the chapter industry advisor. He is general manager
professionals. These included representatives from coal of applied improvements at Consol Energy. The new chap-
companies, mining contractors, state and government agen- ter members are eager to learn more, gain hands-on min-
cies, vendors, machine manufacturers, mining consultants, ing experience and enjoy what SME has to offer students.
academia and SME members from the Pittsburgh Section. Please join me in welcoming the University of Pittsburgh
Many from these groups have provided donations to sup- student chapter to SME and an exciting mining career.
port the new student chapter, the mining engineering pro- For more information about the University of Pitts-
gram, student fundraising events, field trips and upcoming burgh student chapter, visit its website at http://pittsme.
SME student activities. webs.com. n

SME News Obituaries
Jack Victor Desvaux

J ack Victor Desvaux died May 11, 2010 in Georgetown, TX. He was born in Kansas
City, MO Oct. 26, 1919. He received a B.S. degree in mining engineering from the New
Mexico School of Mines in Socorro, NM in 1941. He was associated with Asarco for 35
Necrology
date name and city
elected
years in a variety of technical and supervisory positions, from junior engineer to manager.
Desvaux was mine superintendent at Ground Hog in Vanadium. 1938 A. L. Barrett **
Following several promotions and transfers, Desvaux served 10 years as manager of the Virginia Beach, VA
Eastern Division of the company’s Exploration Department, headquartered in Knoxville,
TN. Prior to his retirement, he was an administrator in the Exploration Department in New 1970 William J. Cavanaugh
York. His career included extensive traveling, and he lived in Arizona, New Mexico, Peru, Barnegat, NJ
Tennessee and New York. He joined SME in 1952 and was a member of the Legion of Hon-
or. He was a professional engineer in New Mexico. 1992 Stephen W. Kline
Desvaux retired to Silver City, NM in 1978. He enjoyed outdoor activities and was Russellville, AR
an avid fisherman. He was involved in many local clubs, including SME, and was a past
member of the New York Mining Club. He was also a part-time consultant to the mining 1973 Fredoon S. Watcha
industry with assignments in Alaska and the Philippines. Mumbai, India
Desvaux was preceded in death by his wife, the former Louise Sherwood of Silver ** Legion of Honor n
City. He is survived by his daughter Jill Hubbs, his son Jay, and two grandchildren. n
SMEF McIntosh Scholarship

(Continued from page 55) serves as captain of the MST Black mine rescue team. This
2009 mine layout to the 2010 footprint, geotechnical trace has inspired him to seek an emphasis in mine health and
mapping and fault mapping. He is a member of Virginia safety. Congratulations from the SMEF to all recipients.
Tech’s SME student chapter, and he also participates in the More information about the McIntosh Engineering
mining and mineral competition and Women in Mining. Scholarship may be found online at www.smenet.org/schol-
Benjamin Sutton is a junior studying mining engineer- arships or by contacting Tessa Baxter, Division and Local
ing at the Missouri University of Science and Technology Section Coordinator, SME, 8307 Shaffer Pkwy., Littleton,
(MST). He completed a summer internship for the Doe CO 80127, 303-948-4208, e-mail baxter@smenet.org. Ap-
Run Co. where he worked in underground metal mining. plications for the 2011-2012 scholarships will be accepted
He is the secretary for the SME student chapter and also beginning Jan. 1, 2011. n
SME Membership
Matthew Aikins, Sydney, NSW, Australia Roberto Gonzalez, Col San Pedro de Steve Menden, Maple Plain, MN
Jenna Alexander, Safford, AZ Los Pinos, DF, Mexico Hans Meyer, Atlanta, GA
John Ayarbe, Albuquerque, NM Christian Guerra Rojas, Lima, Peru Donald Morrison, Hibbing, MN
Britt Babcock, Colorado Springs, CO Danielle Gunnell, Newport, VIC, Craig Mort, Leichhardt, NSW, Australia
Ron Babich, Glendale, AZ Australia Patrick Mukonki, Lubumbashi,
Kelly Bailey, Birmingham, AL Nick Hasche, Randwick, NSW, Australia Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Medhi Bakhshi, Tempe, AZ Cody Hildreth, Alledonia, OH Alejandra Pesqueira, Safford, AZ
Eric Bella, Shavertown, PA Zeshan Hyder, Blacksburg, VA Kevin Petz, Hoyt Lakes, MN
James Benda, Virginia, MN Jeff Johnson, Salt Lake City, UT Trevor Plote, Duluth, MN
Robb Bigelow, Hibbing, MN Park Junhyeok, Seoul, Republic of Korea, Nirmal Prasad, Sahuarita, AZ
William Bond, Virginia, MN Michael Keener, Canonsburg, PA Majumdar Prithvi, Chennai TN, India
Joseph Bontje, Denver, CO Jonathan Kolbe, Kittanning, PA Tim Quintero, Safford, AZ
Terry Briggs, Greenwood Village, CO John Krell, Blacksburg, VA Owen Riddy, Muswellbrook, NSW,
Ana Lucia Del Carpio, Lima, Peru Matt Lamoreaux, Alledonia, OH Australia
Carlos Espinoza, Vina Del Mar, Chile Jean Lebire, Les Coteaux, PQ, Canada Benjamin Schmidt, Lakewood, CO
Gerald Eykholt, Madison, WI Alexander Lemon, London, England Santosh Stephen, Frisco, TX
Eric Fisher, Kingsford, NSW, Australia Ralph Lestock, Rocky River, OH Kirt Suomela, Washington, DC
Richard Fredrickson, Hoyt Lakes, MN Philip Lundman, Freedonia, WI Isao Taniguchi, Tokyo, Japan
Antonio Gallovich, Williamsport, MD Chris Lynch, Thirlmere, NSW, Australia Antonio Velarde, Pittsburgh, PA
Ignacio Garcia, Grande Cache, AB, Daniel Magill, Webster, TX Raul Villacorta-Iriarte, Winnemucca, NV
Canada Darren Mathewson, Cameron Park, NSW, Katherine Wood, Wheeling, WV
Baylor Gibson, La Crescenta, CA Australia Mohit Yadav, Jaipur, India n
New Products
Larox Flowsys introduces new knife gate valves

The new line of Larox knife gate valves features position. At this point, the sleeves are sealed tightly
an industrial cast-iron body and a heavy-duty against both sides of the gate, so that the line pressure
stainless steel gate. Each valve is fully loaded and is completely and efficiently contained.
originally equipped with a flushing port, limit switch There are two matching rubber sleeves in the
mounting, a locking gate and top and bottom stem valve housing that seal tightly against the gate when
protectors. The new knife gate valves have a heavier the valve is in the closed position. They suction
thicker gate and a J-ring seat design that is together when it is in the open position. This
able to withhold higher pressures than the tight seal provides the high, internal line
conventional C-ring design. Removable pressure, which, in combination with the
seats on both sides of the blade provide double-seated sleeve design, permits a
a bi-directional bubble-tight seal. No perfectly tight shutoff. A variety of sleeve
part of the metal is exposed to the slurry. materials are available for different process
Three types of Larox knife gate valves are needs.
offered for every process need — flanged, Larox knife gate valves have
wafer and high-pressure. They are available elastomer secondary seals that replace the
with pressure ratings up to 300 psig and conventional gland packing. These elastomer
diameters ranging from 50.8 to 609.6 mm secondary seals perform wiping and
(2 to 24 in.) lubricating actions to the blade as it strokes
When a knife gate valve is in the down into the silicone-filled grease contours
open position, the two sleeves seal against of the seal itself. This type of lubrication
each other in the center. A full bore allows allows easer actuation and movement. And
the slurry to travel through the valve there is no need to remove the valve from the
without touching any metallic components. line when a replacement is necessary.
While closing the valve, the gate is forced
progressively down as it nears the fully closed www.larox.com
Bucyrus offers underground vehicle flexibility

Bucyrus diesel rubber-tire vehicles have been heavy-lift shield haulers. The shield haulers can be used to
designed to work in combination with other equipment or transport AFC drives and shearers. They are designed to
independently in high-production underground coal mines. be compact, with a minimum profile and roadway presence.
A crucial feature of Bucyrus diesel rubber-tire vehicles is A removable cookie plate and fixed fork tynes allow the
that they deliver a high return on investment, since they are shield hauler to supplement underground roof support
flexible, not task-specific and perform multiple functions. installation and relocate transport equipment. They can also
The design philosophy behind Bucyrus rubber-tire diesel be used in other heavy-lift operations.
vehicles is to have a commonality of parts across shared With a CHT-50 trailer, the LHD utility vehicle can be
platforms. Major components are common with other units used in a longwall move transporting roof supports. With
in the Bucyrus product line. a reeler attachment, it can install AFC chains, conveyor
The three major types of Bucyrus diesel rubber-tire belts and cables. With a jib crane, it can lift and locate
vehicles in underground coal mines are load haul dump components. The range of buckets allows the LHD to
(LHD) utility vehicles, material haulage transportation and transport and load coal, rock or road base and cleanup
roadways. Bucyrus rubber-tire diesel
The Bucyrus FBL-10 LHD utility vehicle with trailer CHT 50. vehicles offer either wet bath or dry
scrubber exhaust systems. By combining
low-emission engines and the wet and
dry exhaust packages, Bucyrus addresses
mine ventilation concerns in dissipating
diesel-particulate emissions. The dry
and wet exhaust systems cool and clean
the exhaust gas before it mixes with
mine ventilation air and use a catalytic
converter to regenerate the exhaust gas
and reduce the emissions.
www.bucyrus.com
New Products
Sioux heaters are ideal for heap-leach process

Sioux Corp., a manufacturer of application-specific, specialty cleaning
equipment, fluid heating systems and steam generators, offers a complete line
of solution heaters for the mining industry. Sioux’s solution heaters are ideal
for heating cyanide for the heap-leach process, in addition to many other
solution heating applications. These units use 100 percent stainless-steel wetted
parts, including the heating coil. This makes them ideal for use with caustic
solutions, such as cyanide. The electrical enclosures are watertight NEMA 4 for
improved reliability in wet environments, and the heating coil has had numerous
improvements to increase performance, efficiency, reliability and ease of
maintenance.
All Sioux products are backed by the company’s 20-year reliability guarantee,
superior support after the sale and more than 70 years of experience.
www.sioux.com Solution heaters substantially increase

gold recovery efficiency by using hot
solution during the heap leach process.
Cognis receives U.S. patent for

split circuit technology
The Mining Chemical Technology Division of Cognis’ The configuration minimizes soluble losses.
Functional Products Group has received a U.S. patent for The economic benefits of the split circuit are apparent
its split circuit technology. This technology is particularly once a detailed mass balance of both the metal species and
applicable to the agitation leach/solvent extraction circuits acid is performed. The simplicity of the concept means that
of copper ores. The split circuit configuration splits the it can easily be incorporated into an existing flowsheet with
leached solution into high- and low-grade streams, which, a minimum of capital outlay. In areas of the world where the
in turn, are treated separately in the solvent extraction cost of acid and neutralizing agent are high, the operating
process. The raffinate produced from the high-grade cost benefits of the concept can be substantial. The split
solution is returned to the leaching step to fully reuse the circuit concept has been implemented at five copper
acid that has been generated. Raffinate produced from the agitation leach/solvent extraction circuits and has been
low-grade leach solution, lower in concentration of metal included in feasibility studies for other large-scale projects.
species and acid, is used in the washing activity. A portion is
ultimately bled from the circuit as the soluble loss fraction. www.cognis.com
Magnalight adds a portable LED light

tower to its product line
Larson Electronics announced the addition of a 14,400-lumen LED light tower to
its product line. Dual 90-watt LED light heads are fixed to a removable mount head,
supported by a 2.44 m (8-ft) collapsible tripod. The WALTP-2X90Y tower can be
configured to project 180 watts of bright, white light in a long, narrow spot or wide area
flood mode. In flood mode, the wet-area rated LED light covers as much area as a 1,000-
watt metal halide light. The dual, 90-watt LED light head is removable from the collapsible
industrial-grade aluminum tripod. Operators can collapse the tripod into a 0.92-m, 3.6-kg
(3-ft, 8-lb) package for portability. The 4.1-kg (9 lb) LED light heads are easily stored as
well. The tower can be operated from standard U.S. 110-volt power or 12/24-volt dc power,
such as a standard U.S. wall outlet or a military vehicle. It is IP67 rated for outdoor use and
can be deployed quickly.
Larson Electronics’ Magnalight line offers a selection of LED lighting, including
vehicle-mounted lights, explosion-proof lights, intrinsically safe flashlights, replacement
bulbs, PAR38 bulbs and standard bulbs. n
www.magnalight.com
New Media
Hoist & Haul 2010
2010, Proceedings of the International Conference on Hoisting and Haul-
age, edited by Peter Brokenshire and Susan Andersen, published by SME, 8307
Shaffer Pkwy, Littleton, CO 80127 USA, phone 1-800-763-3132, 303-948-4225,
fax 303-933-6269, e-mail books@smenet.org, website www.smenet.org, 344 pp,
ISBN-13: 978-0-87335-337-3, $119.
Today’s mining professionals must meet the ever increasing challenges of
larger, more efficient and safer ore-handling systems. New developments in
technology have led to a host of different transport solutions. Design decisions
are greatly influenced by these advancements, which can impact the financial
requirements for new projects. Hoist & Haul 2010 provides the most current,
cutting-edge insights into these important issues.
This book is a compilation of the papers delivered at the 2010 International
Conference on Hoisting and Haulage. It provides a comprehensive update of
major developments and lessons learned since the last industry gathering in
2005. From the handling of ore at the point of extraction to stockpiling on the
surface, dozens of case histories document the latest trends in shaft hoisting,
incline and drift hoisting, conveying, hydraulic hoisting, rail haulage, tramming
and truck haulage. Experts involved in key mining projects throughout the world
share best practices on the design of systems and components, operations and
economic and safety issues.
Hoist & Haul 2010 is essential reading for anyone in the mine hoisting and
underground material transport community, including operators, engineering
and construction firms, equipment vendors, consultants, academicians and gov-
ernment officials. Sample contents of the book include:
• Brakes and Brake Controls • Drives and Drive Controls • Underground Materials Handling
• Incline Shaft Systems • Hoisting System Elements • Horizontal Transport
• Shaft Guides • Health, Safety and Risk • Design, Operation and
• Innovative Systems • Shaft Systems: New and Upgraded Maintenance of Ropes.
Equipment Management Workbook

2010, by Paul D. Tomlingson, published by SME, 8307 Shaffer Pkwy, Little-
ton, CO 80127, USA, phone 800-763-3132, 303-948-4225, fax 303-933-6269,
e-mail books@smenet.org, website www.smenet.org, 152 pp., ISBN-13: 978-0-
87335-335-9, $69.
The Equipment Management Workbook is a companion to the acclaimed
text, Equipment Management: Key to Equipment Reliability and Productiv-
ity in Mining, second edition. The Equipment Management text is regarded as
essential reading for mining professionals and outlines a proven and practical
strategy for ensuring the profitability of mining operations through quality
maintenance management. This workbook provides an easy, effective way for
readers to review and confirm the valuable lessons presented in the original
text. Its step-by-step approach focuses on the most critical aspects of a success-
ful maintenance management program. Each chapter challenges the reader to
recall the real-world experiences and recommendations from the text. Multi-
ple-choice, true/false and yes/no exercises reinforce every key concept.
The reader will benefit from author Paul Tomlingson’s more than 35 years
of worldwide maintenance consulting experience. Tomlingson’s textbook and
workbook comprise a how-to guide that will enable mining organizations to
implement a comprehensive equipment management strategy to ensure equip-
ment reliability, as well as work force productivity. Sample chapters of the book
include:
• Understanding Equipment Management • Leadership in Equipment Management,
• Applying the Principles of Equipment Management • Work Load Versus Work Force
• Developing the Equipment Management Program • Improving Work Force Productivity. n

international coal
PreParation congreSS
2010 conference
ProceedingS
The challenges facing the coal preparation industry have never been more
complex or daunting: China, India, and South Africa are experiencing
unprecedented growth in the use of coal. India is expected to be the world’s
largest importer of coal through 2030. New environmental regulations
in the United States and elsewhere are forcing operators to be even more
innovative and resourceful. How will the burgeoning demand affect global
pricing? How can coal preparation companies employ more effective
cleaning processes and technologies to reduce the environmental
footprint of their mining facilities and waste storage areas?
You’ll find answers to these and hundreds of other critical questions in
International Coal Preparation Congress: 2010 Conference Proceedings.
This 992-page book is a compilation of 118 state-of-the-art technical
papers presented at the industry’s most prestigious gathering. A CD con-
taining the full text is included. Read what coal preparation experts from
20 countries have to share on a variety of current issues, including:
• Water-based coal processing facilities and a review of plant
designs and operations used throughout the world.
• Breakthroughs in dense medium separations, water-based
separation processes, froth flotation, and de-watering.
• New wear-resistant materials proven to help plant operators
reduce maintenance costs, elevate plant availability, and
maintain a high level of process efficiency.
international coal • Groundbreaking methodologies that maximize the amount of

coal recovered while meeting the required product specifications.
PreParation congreSS: • The processing and potential uses of waste.
2010 conference ProceedingS • Innovative online monitoring and control methods and the
latest on the application of modeling and simulation.
Edited by Rick Q. Honaker • Advancements in technologies that can upgrade coal without
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Classifieds
AUGUST 2010
VOL. 62 NO. 8
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The Drift of Things
Coal versus natural gas

New law hurts market.” However, he pointed out that coal
export sales (outside of the state), decreased by
Colorado coal nearly 5.4 Mt (6 million st), or 27 percent, in a
year. And the passage of H.B. 1365 means that
Colorado’s legislature, in April, 2.3 Mt (2.6 million st) of coal that is currently
passed H.B. 1365, a bill that required sold to two of Xcel’s Front Range plants will
the state’s largest utility, Xcel Energy, disappear.
to file a plan with the state’s Public Proponents of H.B. 1365 and the utility’s plan
Utilities Commission (PUC) outlining point to a study by the University of Colorado’s
how it will reduce air pollution Leeds School of Business that showed a positive
emissions from its electric generating economic impact for the state. It projected that
plants. Xcel’s spending would generate up to $1.7 billion
The measure, dubbed the Clean in economic activity and create 1,254 jobs in the
Air-Clean Jobs Act, was signed into construction industry between 2010 and 2026.
Steve Kral, However, an analysis of Xcel’s plan by Roger
law by Gov. Bill Ritter. It provided
Editor
Xcel Energy with incentives to Bezdek, an economist and national energy
replace 900 MW of electricity from expert, went in the opposite direction. He said
its coal plants with natural gas by 2017. At the in testimony filed with the PUC that Xcel’s
time the measure was proposed, Xcel Energy plan would cause electricity rates in Colorado
voiced its opposition, saying the costs would be to increase between 11 percent and 50 percent,
too great. However, once it became evident that contrary to Xcel’s 2 percent estimate. Bezdek
the measure had a significant amount of support also said the utility’s plan would result in:
from state lawmakers, the utility changed its
position to one of support. • A reduction in Colorado’s gross state
Xcel’s plan is to spend $1.3 billion to retrofit product (GSP) of between $2.8 billion
several of its coal-burning units to natural and $12 billion annually.
gas. The utility claims its plan would promote • Annual job losses in range of 30,000 to
economic development in the state and only add nearly 120,000.
about 2 percent, or $14, to the average residential • Cumulative GSP losses from 2011
bill by 2020. However, Xcel also said that base through 2020 of almost $117 billion.
rates through inflation could increase by 31 • Cumulative job losses between 2011 and
percent during the next 10 years, bringing the 2020 of 1.2 million.
average annual residential bill to $934. • Cumulative costs to ratepayers during
The plan is, of course, supported by the oil the same time period of up to $22 billion.
and gas industry, environmental groups and the
governor, who has made it clear since his election Another analysis of Xcel’s plan was
that he wants Colorado to be known as a clean performed by Harvey Cutler, an economist at
energy, clean jobs state. He is not running for re- Colorado State University. His analysis may be
election, by the way. the most significant of the three in that it was
The Colorado Mining Association (CMA) performed for the PUC and could be the one the
and other opponents to the plan say the Clean commission most relies upon. Cutler calculated
Air-Clean Jobs Act was rushed through the that, over 10 years, Xcel’s planned move from
legislature with little input from industry. CMA coal to natural gas would cost Colorado residents
president Stuart Sanderson said the bill is about $89 million. And local and state taxes
“decidedly anti-coal.” In addition to significant would be reduced by about $2.8 million.
job losses in the coal industry, energy consumers Cutler’s analysis also determined that job
stand to lose in a big way, he said, “as the cost of losses associated with increased electricity rates
natural gas exceeds that of coal by 300 percent.” could reach 2,459. This would include 882 jobs
The coal industry in the state will suffer that are linked to the Clean Air-Clean Jobs Act.
by Xcel’s plan. “It will hurt Colorado coal Colorado’s PUC held hearings on the plan
production,” Sanderson said. “Proponents for two weeks during late October and early
erroneously contend that Colorado will not November. A final decision approving or
suffer major impacts as we sell coal on the export disapproving the plan is due by Dec. 15. n

2011 SME Annual Meeting & Exhibit
& CMA 113th National Western Mining Conference
Shaping a Strong Future Through Mining
February 27 – March 2, 2011 • Denver, Colorado
The premier gathering of mineral professionals is not to be missed.

Mark your calendar for the following:
PROGRAM
Coal & Energy • Industrial Minerals & Aggregates • Environmental
Geology • Mining & Exploration • Mineral & Metallurgical Processing
Robert Bates Symposium • R-H Yoon Symposium
Underground Construction Association of SME • Valuation
EXHIBIT
The industry’s best market place. Plan on experiencing more than
400 of industry’s most innovative suppliers of products and services.
PLUS: Short Courses • Field Trips • Social Activities

Student Activities • And much more!
For more information on the 2011 SME/CMA Meeting, contact:

SME, 8307 Shaffer Pkwy, Littleton, CO 80127
www.smenet.org • sme@smenet.org • 303-948-4200
The Clean Power Leader.
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With nearly 3,000 Tier 2 emissions-certified high-horsepower mining engines producing millions of
horsepower every day, Cummins is clearly the clean power leader. Our full line of engines from
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For more information, see everytime.cummins.com or call our 1-800-DIESELS™
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©2010 Cummins Inc., Box 3005, Columbus, IN 47202-3005 U.S.A.

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OCTOBER 2010

PROCESS REALISING ITS POTENTIAL?

To learn how to realise full processing potential, visit www.weirminerals.com

KHD is the registered trademark of KHD.

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF SME

19 Residual impacts of a mining project

24 Iron ore review 2009/2010

29 A new industrial mineral sand mine

40 TECHNOLOGY NEWS: Optimizing flotation cells

Technical Papers (peer-reviewed and approved)

2 OCTOBER 2010 Mınıng engıneerıng www.miningengineeringmagazine.com

Paid for by the Government of Ontario.

Reproduction: More than one photocopy of an item

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Minerals Rep rt 4/10

Mine operators count

T he parents were married in Wilkes-Barre,

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First Nations sign mining tax

Federal judge issues pricey Mining royalty

8 OCTOBER 2010 Mınıng engıneerıng www.miningengineeringmagazine.com

Hoist and Haul 2010 provides the most current, cutting-edge

This book is a compilation of the papers delivered at the prestigious

From the handling of ore at the point of extraction to stockpiling on

Experts involved in key mining projects throughout the world share

Bingham Canyon extension

Newswatch Kinross Gold purchases

10 OCTOBER 2010 Mınıng engıneerıng www.miningengineeringmagazine.com

Grupo Mexico to invest $30 million

{ Geomembranes that work }

www.miningengineeringmagazine.com Mınıng engıneerıng OCTOBER 2010 11

Alberta ranks first in Fraser Survey;

Nevada slips in global gold output;

Peabody Energy walks a dragline;

Stillwater Mining buys Marathon;

Hycroft Mine to get larger mill;

First Bucyrus branded MT3700 goes into service

www.miningengineeringmagazine.com Mınıng engıneerıng OCTOBER 2010 15

Coal talks heat up in US, Australia;

Chinese look to the sea floor for minerals;

T&UC – Tunneling & Underground Construction – brings the

underground construction and mining professional serious resources

field. Tunnel Demand Forecast – an in-depth review of top mining

about underground construction – get serious with the resources you

Need advertising or marketing support? +1-303-948-4243. Dig Deeper.

A new mining project can raise questions about

Column may not add to totals due to rounding.

22 OCTOBER 2010 Mınıng engıneerıng www.miningengineeringmagazine.com

of operations when requesting permission to permission to publish this paper.

www.miningengineeringmagazine.com Mınıng engıneerıng OCTOBER 2010 23

Chinese production statistics as a basis, RMG has

308 Mt (340 million st) in 2007 while its closest

project pipeline in May 2010 contains more Outlook

• Domestic Chinese iron ore production

Meanwhile, the new pricing system gives the

A new industrial mineral sand mine

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