Amirmohammad Nasrollahzadeh; Mohammad Jahani Chegeni; Ahmad Moghooeinejad; Zahra Manafi
Abstract
Due to the increasing consumption of lime in the flotation process to increase the pH of the system and create an alkaline environment, as well as its gradual increase in cost, the attention of researchers has been drawn to perform flotation operations in a neutral environment. Halophilic bacteria have ...
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Due to the increasing consumption of lime in the flotation process to increase the pH of the system and create an alkaline environment, as well as its gradual increase in cost, the attention of researchers has been drawn to perform flotation operations in a neutral environment. Halophilic bacteria have the potential to replace flotation reducers such as lime because flotation can be done with their help at neutral pH as well. Also, due to the buffer effect of sea water, which is the chosen medium for bio-flotation, the use of bio-flotation method reduces the use of drinking water, and also reduces the consumption of chemicals. In this research work, five types of halophilic bacteria are studied for pyrite bio-depression and chalcopyrite flotation. Bio-flotation experiments are conducted using Hallimond tubes, and the bacteria Halobacillus sp., Alkalibacillus almallahensis, and Alkalibacillus sp. had better performance in pyrite depression and chalcopyrite flotation than other bacteria. The recovery of pyrite depression when using them was 30.9, 30.3, and 34.0 %, respectively, and the recovery of chalcopyrite flotation by them was equal to 52.9, 68.6, and 55.7, respectively, which indicates the high selectivity of these bacteria in flotation. In addition to the above tests, the effect of the combination of these three types of bacteria on pyrite depression and chalcopyrite flotation was also studied. The results obtained indicate that in the combination (mix) test of all three types of bacteria (33.3% of each type), pyrite was depressed better than other tests, and its recovery was 27.5%, which was lower than the single bacteria tests. Also, the effect of the combination of these three types of bacteria on the flotation of chalcopyrite is investigated, and its recovery was 72.6%, which was higher than the single bacteria tests. On the other hand, considering that the recovery of chalcopyrite in the three-bacteria combination tests was is higher than the single-bacteria and two-bacteria tests, it can be concluded that the combination of all three bacteria can cause a better synergism and improve their performance in micro-flotation tests.
Environment
Akbar Esmaeilzadeh; Korosh Shahriar; Reza Mikaeil
Abstract
The hydraulic properties of the rock masses are of great importance in analyzing the behavior and stability of the structures constructed on or in rock mass. Permeability is key parameter among other rock mass features due to its important role in rock mass overall behavior. According to aforementioned ...
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The hydraulic properties of the rock masses are of great importance in analyzing the behavior and stability of the structures constructed on or in rock mass. Permeability is key parameter among other rock mass features due to its important role in rock mass overall behavior. According to aforementioned reason, numerous efforts have been made by researchers in the field of rock mechanics for its obtaining. To access the rock masses’ permeability, in-situ test methods and simulation techniques could be used. In-situ tests like Lugeon Test are time-consuming and costly and they provide local results. Simulation base methods calculate the permeability of the model that is generated similar to the real region indeed and the developing the results to the real condition always raises substantial challenges. according to the aforementioned reason, direct acquiring of permeability with optimum cost and time which is easily generalizable to the overall of a region would be very important. In this work using crack tensor concept, permeability tensor of Lorestan’s Rudbar dam cavern is calculated efficiently by considering rock mass structural features. Resulted permeability of the power plant’s cavern was obtained equal to that seems to be acceptable compared to the measured values which is obtained 9/87×10-7 m/s.
Exploitation
Mehdi Rahmanpour; Golpari Norozi; Hassan Bakhshandeh Amnieh
Abstract
Drift-and-fill mining is a variation of cut-and-fill mining method. Drift-and-fill mining method refers to the excavation of several parallel drifts in ore. Excavation of a new drift could start when its adjacent drifts are backfilled or not excavated. The amount of ore material and its grade depends ...
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Drift-and-fill mining is a variation of cut-and-fill mining method. Drift-and-fill mining method refers to the excavation of several parallel drifts in ore. Excavation of a new drift could start when its adjacent drifts are backfilled or not excavated. The amount of ore material and its grade depends on the excavation sequence of drifts. As the number of drifts increases, one will need a model to optimize the drift excavation and backfilling sequence. This paper introduces a mathematical model to determine the optimal drift-and-fill sequence while the safety constraints, excavation, and backfilling capacities and their dependencies are satisfied. The model seeks to minimize the deviations from some predefined goals, and it handles the long-term and short-term constraints in separate and integrated scenarios. An application of the model is presented based on the data available from a lead/zinc underground mining project. There are 91 drifts in the selected level. Based on the monthly planning horizon, the integrated model leads to the slightest deviations in both the mining rate and average grade, and the deviation from the predetermined annual goals is negligible. For the case where long-term and short-term plans are determined separately, the deviation is approximately 10%.
Environment
Daniyal Ghadyani; Amirhossein Badraddini; Mohammad Mirzehi Kalateh Kazemi; vahab sarfarazi; Hadi Haeri; Jinwei Fu; Sohrab Naser Mostofi; Vahid Khodabandeloo; Mohammad Fatehi Marji
Abstract
Regarding the hazard-prone working conditions in underground mines, synchronous monitoring and alarm system is vital to increase the safety. By analyzing the accidents in underground mines in Iran, it can be deduced that most fatalities are related to gas leakage, objects drop off on the head, and not ...
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Regarding the hazard-prone working conditions in underground mines, synchronous monitoring and alarm system is vital to increase the safety. By analyzing the accidents in underground mines in Iran, it can be deduced that most fatalities are related to gas leakage, objects drop off on the head, and not using helmets by the staff. Therefore, a smart helmet with the capability of measuring harmful gasses (regarding the type of the mine), detection of the existence of the helmet on the head, temperature and humidity measurement, and detection of blow on the head is designed and fabricated to eliminate the present dangers and problems. This system displays the evaluated data on a developed software through wireless data transmission hardware. The data transmission hardware is the primary a link between the intelligent safety helmet and the software. To follow the idea, practical experiments have been performed in Parvadeh four and East Parvadeh of Tabas coal mine to confirm the validity of data transmission that culminated in successful results. The results were altered by the complexity of the design of the underground spaces so that in a straight direction, data transmission was held until 430 meters. However, further progress was not possible due to tunnel limitations. Data transmission was reduced to 190 meters in access horizons with curvatures or tilts. According to present standards, some thresholds are defined for each of the mentioned cases such that alarm protocol is activated by exceeding these thresholds in critical circumstances. Then the helmet user and the software’s operator will be informed of the occurred danger and will settle the problem. The system outlined in this study ensures performance reliability through its alarm package. A key innovation is the in-depth examination of the impact of head injuries, transforming it into other factors by analyzing relevant content and setting boundaries for assessment rather than using specific numbers. Furthermore, the most evident aspect of this design is the enhancement of the managerial approach, which includes an attendance evaluation platform and performance reporting within the system.
Saeed Mojeddifar; Hojatollah Ranjbar; Hossain Nezamabadipour
Abstract
The main problem associated with the traditional approach to image classification for the mapping of hydrothermal alteration is that materials not associated with hydrothermal alteration may be erroneously classified as hydrothermally altered due to the similar spectral properties of altered and unaltered ...
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The main problem associated with the traditional approach to image classification for the mapping of hydrothermal alteration is that materials not associated with hydrothermal alteration may be erroneously classified as hydrothermally altered due to the similar spectral properties of altered and unaltered minerals. The major objective of this paper is to investigate the potential of a neuro-fuzzy system in overcoming this problem. The proposed system is applied to the northwestern part of the Kerman Cenozoic Magmatic Arc (KCMA), which hosts many areas of porphyry and vein-type copper mineralization. A software program based on an Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) was developed using the MATLAB ANFIS toolbox. The ANFIS program was used to classify Advanced Space-borne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) data based on the spectral properties of altered and unaltered rocks. The ANFIS result was then compared with other classified images based on artificial neural networks (ANN) and the maximum likelihood classifier (MLC). The verification of the results, based on field and laboratory investigations, revealed that the ANFIS method produces a more accurate map of the distribution of alteration than that obtained using ANN or MLC.
S. Tabasi; H. Hassani; A. R. Azadmehr
Abstract
In the present work, we aimed to focus on the identification and characterization of the heavy metal-tolerant plant species growing spontaneously at the tailings site of the Sarcheshmeh copper mine, south of Iran. Our aim was to find the plant species that were potentially useful for phytoextraction ...
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In the present work, we aimed to focus on the identification and characterization of the heavy metal-tolerant plant species growing spontaneously at the tailings site of the Sarcheshmeh copper mine, south of Iran. Our aim was to find the plant species that were potentially useful for phytoextraction purposes. The concentrations of As, Cu, Mo, Ni, Zn, and Re were analyzed in soil as well as in the shoots and roots of plant species separately by an Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometer (ICP–OES). The mean concentrations of As, Cu, Mo, Ni, Zn, and Re in soil were found to be 18.44±13.41, 1280±500.95, 25.06±13.33, 32.9±14.39, 251.82±95.82, and 1.7±0.78 mg kg-1, respectively. The translocation factor (TF) and the bioaccumulation factor (BCF) were defined and used to assess the amount of the elements accumulated in the shoots and roots of each plant species and to evaluate their potential for phytoextraction purposes. Based upon the results obtained and using the most common criteria, T. ramosissima, C. dactylon, A. leucoclada, and Z. fabago could strongly tolerate and extremely accumulate multiple metal(loid)s. Also Salsola kali, C. dactylon, A. leucoclada, and Z. fabago could be classified as hyperaccumulators for Re with TF and BCF greater than one and ten, respectively. The results of this work should be further developed in order to confirm the potential use of these species in phytoextraction programs.
Exploitation
R. Norouzi Masir; M. Ataei; A. Mottahedi
Abstract
The drilling and blasting method is the first choice for rock breakage in surface or underground mines due to its high flexibility against variations and low investment costs. However, any method has its own advantages and disadvantages. The flyrock phenomenon is one of the drilling and blasting disadvantages ...
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The drilling and blasting method is the first choice for rock breakage in surface or underground mines due to its high flexibility against variations and low investment costs. However, any method has its own advantages and disadvantages. The flyrock phenomenon is one of the drilling and blasting disadvantages that the mining engineers have always been faced with in the surface mine blasting operations. Flyrock may lead to fatality and destroy mine equipment and structures, and so its risk assessment is very essential. For a flyrock risk assessment, the causing events that lead to flyrock along with their probabilities and severities should be identified. For this aim, a combination of the fuzzy fault tree analysis and multi-criteria decision-making methods are used. Based on the results obtained, the relevant causing events of flyrock in surface mines can be categorized into three major groups: design error, human error, and natural error. Finally, using the obtained probabilities and severities for these three groups, the risk matrix is constructed. Based on the risk matrix, the risk numbers of flyrock occurrence due to the design errors, human errors, and natural influence are 12, 6, and 2, respectively. Hence, in order to minimize the flyrock risk, it is very vital for the engineers to select appropriate values for the design events of blasting pattern such as burden, spacing, delays, and hole diameter.
Mineral Processing
A. Behnamfard; E. Khaphaje
Abstract
Beneficiation of a low-grade iron ore was investigated by combination of the low-intensity magnetic separation and reverse flotation methods. The main constituents of the representative sample were 36.86% Fe, 8.1% FeO, 14.2% CaO, 13.6% SiO2, and 0.12% S based on the X-ray fluorescence, titration, and ...
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Beneficiation of a low-grade iron ore was investigated by combination of the low-intensity magnetic separation and reverse flotation methods. The main constituents of the representative sample were 36.86% Fe, 8.1% FeO, 14.2% CaO, 13.6% SiO2, and 0.12% S based on the X-ray fluorescence, titration, and Leco analysis methods. The mineralogical studies by the X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, electron probe micro-analyzer, and Fe/FeO titration methods showed that the ore minerals present in the representative sample were magnetite, hematite, and goethite, and the main gangue minerals were calcite and quartz. The effects of the operating parameters including the feed size, solid content, and drum rotation speed were investigated on the performance of the wet low-intensity magnetic separation (WLIMS). The optimum operating conditions of WLIMS were determined to be feed size = 135 μm, solid content = 40%, and drum rotation speed = 50 rpm. Under these conditions, a concentrate of 62.69% Fe grade and 55.99% recovery was produced. The tailing of WLIMS with an iron grade of 28.75% was upgraded by reverse flotation with fatty acids as the collector. The effects of five parameters on two levels were investigated using the 25-1 fractional factorial design in 16 experiments. The optimum flotation conditions were determined to be pH = 12; dosage of collector, 1 kg/t; dosage of Ca2+ as activator, 4 kg/t; and dosage of starch as depressant, 1 kg/t. Under these conditions, a concentrate of 53.4% Fe grade and 79.91% recovery was produced.
H. Fattahi; F. Jiryaee
Abstract
The surface settlement is an essential parameter in the operation of mechanized tunneling that should be determined before excavation. The surface settlement analysis caused by mechanized tunneling is a geo-technical problem characterized by various sources of uncertainty. Unlike the deterministic methods, ...
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The surface settlement is an essential parameter in the operation of mechanized tunneling that should be determined before excavation. The surface settlement analysis caused by mechanized tunneling is a geo-technical problem characterized by various sources of uncertainty. Unlike the deterministic methods, the reliability analysis can take into account the uncertainties for the surface settlement assessment. In this work, the reliability analysis methods (second-order reliability method (SORM), Monte Carlo simulation (MCS), and first-order reliability method (FORM)) based on the genetic algorithm (GA) are utilized to build models for the reliability analysis of the surface settlement. Specifically, for large-scale projects, the limit state function (LSF) is non-linear and hard to apply based on the reliability methods. In order to resolve this problem, the GMDH (group method of data handling) neural network can estimate LSF without the need for additional assumptions about the function form. In this work, the GMDH neural network is adapted to obtain LSF. In the GMDH neural network, the tail void grouting pressure, groundwater level from tunnel invert, depth, average penetrate rate, distance from shaft, pitching angle, average face pressure, and percent tail void grout filling are used as the input parameters. At the same time, the surface settlement is the output parameter. The field data from the Bangkok subway is used in order to illustrate the capabilities of the proposed reliability methods.
Mineral Processing
B. Nemati Akhgar; A. Fathzade; B. Golizadeh; S. Hajilou
Abstract
The flotation circuit in Sungun copper plant consists of two column flotation cells as cleaner, having fixed-spargers system. To achieve the expected aims in flotation step, there are serious operational challenges such as: fast choking of the static mixers, boiling problem, burping phenomena and pulp ...
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The flotation circuit in Sungun copper plant consists of two column flotation cells as cleaner, having fixed-spargers system. To achieve the expected aims in flotation step, there are serious operational challenges such as: fast choking of the static mixers, boiling problem, burping phenomena and pulp overflow to concentrate lander, maintenance and control problems. An attempt was exerted by implementing new helical static mixer in one of cleaner cells instead of old elliptical type to overcome the challenges. The changes resulted in proper performance of the column whereas burping phenomena due to choking was eliminated, finer bubbles were produced, and the boiling and overflow problems were solved. Also, the static mixers life time increased to 7 months in helical column cells from one month in elliptical column cells. In addition to 40% air consumption reduction and 20% solid percent increase in final product, the grade of Cu and Mo increased by helical static mixer replacement up to about 18.7% from 16.8% (11%) and to 511.1 ppm from 263 ppm (94%) in the cleaner step, respectively. Recovery of Cu and Mo were increased about 1.5% and 0.2%, respectively. Finally, the results proved the effectiveness of finer bubble generation on grade improvement is depend on minerals hydrophobicity as Mo grade increased more than Cu.
Mohammad Omidi manesh; Vahab Sarfarazi; Nima Babanouri; Amir Rezaei
Abstract
This work presents the Semi-Circular Bend (SCB) test and Notched Brazilian Disc (NBD) test of shotcrete using experimental test and Particle Flow Code in two-dimensions (PFC2D) in order to determine a relation between mode I fracture toughness and the tensile strength of shotcrete. Firstly, the micro-parameters ...
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This work presents the Semi-Circular Bend (SCB) test and Notched Brazilian Disc (NBD) test of shotcrete using experimental test and Particle Flow Code in two-dimensions (PFC2D) in order to determine a relation between mode I fracture toughness and the tensile strength of shotcrete. Firstly, the micro-parameters of flat joint model are calibrated using the results of shotcrete experimental test (uniaxial compressive strength and splitting tensile test). Secondly, numerical models with edge notch (SCB model) and internal notch (NBD model) with diameter of 150 mm are prepared. Notch lengths are 20 mm, 30 mm, and 40 mm. The tests are performed by the loading rate of 0.016 mm/s. Tensile strength of shotcrete is 3.25 MPa. The results obtained show that by using the flat joint model, it is possible to determine the crack growth path and crack initiation stress similar to the experimental one. Mode I fracture toughness is constant by increasing the notch length. Mode I fracture toughness and tensile strength of shotcrete can be related to each other by the equation, σt = 6.78 KIC. The SCB test yields the lowest fracture toughness due to pure tensile stress distribution on failure surface.
Rock Mechanics
Masoud Yazdani; Mohammad Fatehi Marji; Mehdi Najafi; Manouchehr Sanei
Abstract
Around 70% of the world's hydrocarbon fields are situated in reservoirs containing low-strength rocks, such as sandstone. During the production of hydrocarbons from sandstone reservoirs, sand-sized particles may become dislodged from the formation and enter the hydrocarbon fluid flow. Sand production ...
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Around 70% of the world's hydrocarbon fields are situated in reservoirs containing low-strength rocks, such as sandstone. During the production of hydrocarbons from sandstone reservoirs, sand-sized particles may become dislodged from the formation and enter the hydrocarbon fluid flow. Sand production is a significant issue in the oil industry due to its potential to cause erosion of pipes and valves. Separating grains from oil is a costly process. Oil and gas companies are motivated to reduce sand production during petroleum extraction. Hydraulic fracturing is one of the parameters that can influence sand production. However, understanding the complex interactions between hydraulic fracturing mechanisms and sand production around wellbores is critical for optimizing reservoir recovery and ensuring the integrity of production wells. This article explores the integrated simulation approach to model hydraulic fracturing processes and assess their effects on sand production. Two-dimensional models were created using the discrete element method in PFC2D software for this research. The fractures' length in the models varies based on the well's radius. The angle between two fractures at 90 and 180 degrees to each other was also modeled. In the first case, the length of the fracture is less than the radius of the well, in the second case, the values are equal and finally, the fracture length is assumed to exceed the well radius. The calibrated and validated results demonstrate the change in sand production rate in comparison to the unbroken state.
Mineral Processing
Ali Nikouei Mahani; Mohammad Karamoozian; Mohammad Jahani Chegeni; Mohammad Mahmoodi Meymand
Abstract
Generally, mineral processing plants generate a large quantity of waste in the form of fine particles. The flotation speed of mineral microbubbles by coarse bubbles is dramatically higher than that of individual particles. The advantage of microbubbles is due to the increase of binding efficiency of ...
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Generally, mineral processing plants generate a large quantity of waste in the form of fine particles. The flotation speed of mineral microbubbles by coarse bubbles is dramatically higher than that of individual particles. The advantage of microbubbles is due to the increase of binding efficiency of conventional bubbles with fine particles coated with microbubbles. Here, the focus is on reducing chemicals consumption and improving recovery. After preparing a representative sample, XRF, XRD, and mineralogical analyses were performed. Then 50 experiments were selected by experimental design using the response surface method (RSM), and in the form of central Composite design (CCD) by (design expert) DX 13 software. The interactions of collector consumption, frother agent, pH, particle size, and solid percentage were investigated, and 25 experiments using typical flotation and without nano-microbubbles and others with nano-microbubbles were conducted. The laboratory standard limit of the collector used in the pilot plant of the Sarcheshmeh Copper copper complex is 40 g/t (25 g/t of C7240 plus 15 g/t of Z11). Here, by consuming 20 g/t of collector in the absence of nanomicrobubbles, a recovery of 79.96% and in the presence of nanomicrobubbles, a recovery of 80.07% was obtained, that is a 50% reduction in collector consumption and a 0.11% increase in recovery was observed. Also the laboratory standard limit of frother used in the pilot plant of Sarcheshemeh Copper Complex is 30 g/t (15 g/t of MIBC plus 15 g/t of A65). Here, by using 10 g/t of frother in the absence of nanomicrobubbles, a recovery of 78.12%, and in the presence of nanomicrobubbles, a recovery of 82.05% was obtained. In other words, a decrease of 66.6% in the consumption of frother and an increase of 1.93% in recovery was observed.
M. Ataei; F. Sereshki
Abstract
Like most limestone mines, which produce the raw materials required for cement companies, the transportation cost of the raw materials used in the Shahrood Cement Company is high. It has been tried to build the crushing and grinding plant close to the mine as much as possible. On the other hand, blasting ...
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Like most limestone mines, which produce the raw materials required for cement companies, the transportation cost of the raw materials used in the Shahrood Cement Company is high. It has been tried to build the crushing and grinding plant close to the mine as much as possible. On the other hand, blasting has harmful effects, and the impacts of blast-induced damages on the sensitive machinery, equipment, and buildings are considerable. In such mines, among the blasting effects, blast-induced vibrations have a great deal of importance. This research work was conducted to analyze the blasting effects, and to propose a valid and reliable formula to predict the blast-induced vibration impacts in such regions, especially for the Shahrood Cement Company. Up to the present time, different indices have been introduced to quantify the blast vibration effects, among which peak particle velocity (PPV) has been widely considered by a majority of researchers. In order to establish a relationship between PPV and the blast site properties, different formulas have been proposed till now, and their frequently-used versions have been employed in the general form of , where W and D are the maximum charge per delay and the distance from the blast site, respectively, and , , and describe the site specifications. In this work, a series of tests and field measurements were carried out, and the required parameters were collected. Then in order to generalize the relationship between different limestone mines, and also to increase the prediction precision, the related data for similar limestone mines was gathered from the literature. In order to find the best equation fitting the real data, a simple regression model with genetic algorithm was used, and the best PPV predictor was achieved. At last, the results obtained for the best predictor model were compared with the real measured data by means of a correlation analysis.
Rock Mechanics
M. B. Eslami Andargoli; K. Shahriar; A. Ramezanzadeh; K. Goshtasbi
Abstract
During the recent decades, the design and construction of underground spaces into rock salt have been particularly regarded for storing petroleum fluids, natural gas, and compressed air energy, and also for disposing nuclear and chemical wastes. The rock salt hosting such spaces will be subjected to ...
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During the recent decades, the design and construction of underground spaces into rock salt have been particularly regarded for storing petroleum fluids, natural gas, and compressed air energy, and also for disposing nuclear and chemical wastes. The rock salt hosting such spaces will be subjected to various types of monotonic/cyclic, short-term/long-term stresses during the construction and/or operation phases. On this basis, it is necessary to investigate the mechanical behavior of the rock salt under the effects of various monotonic short-term/long-term stresses. Out of the most important factors affecting the creep behavior of rock salt are the composition of minerals and size of the crystals comprising the rock salt, humidity, temperature, time, loading scheme, loading rate, strain rate, and loading period. In the present research work, a loading scheme and a loading period were considered. On this basis, in order to achieve a true understanding of the creep behavior of rock salt, it is necessary to determine the creeping coefficients via laboratory tests. Thus, twenty cylindrical (length to diameter ratio > 2) specimens of rock salt were prepared for conducting the creep tests. Two stepwise short-term creep tests (each at three stress levels, namely 4.4, 10.1, and 11.9 MPa, and 7.5, 12, and 17 MPa, respectively) and eighteen long-term creep tests (at six stress levels, namely 5.5, 7.5, 10, 12, 14, and 18 MPa) were conducted. Then, first, the creep coefficients were determined according to the Lubby 2 constitutive model. These coefficients were adjusted using the results of the creep tests. Afterwards, a creep experimental model was presented using linear and nonlinear regression of the creep test data. For validation of the results obtained, both the adjusted Lubby 2 constitutive model and the proposed experimental model were compared with the results obtained for the creep tests. Both models had fairly good agreements with the data for the creep tests at a determination factor of about 93%.
Rock Mechanics
E. Khorasani; M. Amini; M. F. Hossaini
Abstract
Bimrocks are complex geomaterials that are defined as mixtures of rocks composed of geotechnically significant blocks within a matrix of finer texture. Bimslopes are made from bimrocks and are usually seen in weathered and shallow environments. Some characteristics of blocks affecting the strength of ...
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Bimrocks are complex geomaterials that are defined as mixtures of rocks composed of geotechnically significant blocks within a matrix of finer texture. Bimslopes are made from bimrocks and are usually seen in weathered and shallow environments. Some characteristics of blocks affecting the strength of bimrocks include VBP (Volumetric Block Proportion), orientation, and arrangement, which have important roles in the stability of bimslopes. Previous studies show that bimrocks usually have a specific block size distribution, and for a bimslope with height of “H”, the size of blocks is changed from 0.05H to 0.75H. In this paper, the influence of large blocks position on bimslope stability was investigated by the physical and numerical models. The blocks that had a dimension larger than 0.5H were considered as “large blocks”. In this work, first, thirty physical models were created and tested using a titling table machine. These models have a specific block size distribution and VBP with ellipsoidal blocks. The main variable of the models is large blocks position, where three categories including lower part of bimslope, upper part of bimslope, and sporadic state are considered. Based on the results of physical trials, thirty numerical models at the laboratory scale were generated using the finite element method. After comparing the physical and numerical models, which showed a good accordance, the numerical models were developed to the natural scale. The theoretical bimslopes investigated in this work showed that the position of large blocks had a significant influence on the stability of bimslopes.
V. Sarfarazi; H. Haeri; M. Fatehi Marji
Abstract
The tensile strength of the anisotropic rock-like material specimens is meastred directly in the laboratory using a new device converting the compressive loading to that of the tensile before the rock breakage. The specially prepared concrete slabs of dimensions 19 cm * 15 cm * 15 cm with a central hole ...
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The tensile strength of the anisotropic rock-like material specimens is meastred directly in the laboratory using a new device converting the compressive loading to that of the tensile before the rock breakage. The specially prepared concrete slabs of dimensions 19 cm * 15 cm * 15 cm with a central hole of 7.5 cm in diameter are tested experimentaly. The specimens are located in the compressive-to-tensile load converting device, and tested under a compressive loading rate of 0.02 MPa/s by the universal testing machine. The cubic slab samples are made in three different configurations to have the directions of 0°, 45°, and -45° with respect to the applied loading direction. In order to compare the direct tensile strength of the concrete samples with that of the indirect measuring tests, some Brazilian tests are also carried out on the concrete disc specimens prepared in the laboratory. By comparing the direct and indirect testing results of the concrete tensile strength, it can be concluded that the direct tensile strength values are somewhat lower than those of the indirect ones. The tensile strength values for the three different configurations of the concrete specimens are nearly the same.
M. Rezaie; S. Moazam
Abstract
Inversion of magnetic data is an important step towards interpretation of the practical data. Smooth inversion is a common technique for the inversion of data. Physical bound constraint can improve the solution to the magnetic inverse problem. However, how to introduce the bound constraint into the inversion ...
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Inversion of magnetic data is an important step towards interpretation of the practical data. Smooth inversion is a common technique for the inversion of data. Physical bound constraint can improve the solution to the magnetic inverse problem. However, how to introduce the bound constraint into the inversion procedure is important. Imposing bound constraint makes the magnetic data inversion a non-linear inverse problem. In this work, a new algorithm is developed for the 3D inversion of magnetic data, which uses an efficient penalization function for imposing the bound constraint and Gauss Newton method to achieve the solution. An adaptive regularization method is used in order to choose the regularization parameter in this inversion approach. The inversion results of synthetic data show that the new method can produce models that adequately match the real location and shape of the synthetic bodies. The test carried out on the field data from Mt. Milligan copper-gold porphyry deposit shows that the new inversion approach can produce the magnetic susceptibility models consistent with the true structures.
S. Mirshrkari; V. Shojaei; H. Khoshdast
Abstract
A coal waste sample loaded with Fe3O4 nanoparticles is employed as an efficient adsorbent to remove Cd from synthetic wastewater. The synthesized nanocomposite is characterized using the Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques. ...
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A coal waste sample loaded with Fe3O4 nanoparticles is employed as an efficient adsorbent to remove Cd from synthetic wastewater. The synthesized nanocomposite is characterized using the Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques. The visual analysis of the microscopic image shows that the mean size of the magnetite nanoparticles is about 10 nm. The effects of the operating variables of the initial solution pH (3-11) and nanocomposite to pollutant ratio (7-233) are evaluated using the response surface methodology on cadmium adsorption. The process is also optimized using the quadratic prediction model based on the central composite design. The statistical analysis reveals that both factors play a significant role in Cd adsorption. The maximum Cd removal of 99.24% is obtained under optimal operating conditions at pH 11 and nanocomposite/cadmium ratio of 90 after 2 h of equilibrium contact time. A study of the adsorption kinetics indicates that the maximum removal could be attained in a short time of about 2 min following a first-order model. The isotherm investigations present that the Cd adsorption on the Fe3O4/coal waste nanocomposite has a linearly descending heat mechanism based on the Temkin isotherm model with the minor applicability parameters than the other isotherm models. The overall removal behaviour is attributed to a two-step mechanism including a rapid adsorption of cadmium ion onto the active sites at the surface of nanocomposite followed by a slow cadmium hydroxide precipitation within the pores over the nanocomposite surface.
E. Farrokh
Abstract
In every tunnel boring machine (TBM) tunneling project, there is an initial low production phase so-called the Learning Phase Period (LPP), in which low utilization is experienced and the operational parameters are adjusted to match the working conditions. LPP can be crucial in scheduling and evaluating ...
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In every tunnel boring machine (TBM) tunneling project, there is an initial low production phase so-called the Learning Phase Period (LPP), in which low utilization is experienced and the operational parameters are adjusted to match the working conditions. LPP can be crucial in scheduling and evaluating the final project time and cost, especially for short tunnels for which it may constitute a major percentage of the total project completion time. The contractors are required to have a better understanding of the initial phase of a project to provide better estimates in the bidding documents. While evaluating and shortening of this phase of low production is important for increasing the productivity and daily advance rate of the machine, there has been limited a direct study and assessment of this period. In this work, we discuss the parameters impacting LPP, and introduce a new methodology for its evaluation. In this regard, an algorithm is introduced for estimation of the approximate extent of LPP based on some TBM tunneling case histories. On the basis of many statistical analyses conducted on the actual data and application of two different shapes of linear and polynomial for the description of LPP, a linear function is proposed for estimation of the learning phase parameters. The major parameters of this function are the learning conditions’ rating and the proportion of LPP to tunnel diameter (X1/D). Analysis of the correlation between these two parameters show a very good coefficient of determination (R2 = 92%). This function can be used for the evaluation of TBM advance rates in LPP and for adjusting the TBM utilization factor in the initial stages of a TBM tunneling project. The learning phase can affect the overall utilization rate and completion time of the tunnels, especially when their lengths are around a couple of kilometers. A true understanding of the LPP characteristics can help the contractors to come up with a more accurate bidding time and cost evaluation, and may also benefit the clients to arrange a better schedule for the final project delivery to the public.
Mohammadhossein Dehghani Firoozabadi; Mohammad Fatehi Marji; Abolfazl Abdollahipour; Alireza Yarahamdi Bafghi; Yousef Mirzaeian
Abstract
The presence of pores and cracks in porous and fractured rocks is mostly accompanied by fluid flow. Poroelasticity can be used for the accurate modeling of many rock structures in the petroleum industry. The approach of the stress to the value of the fracture stress and the effect of pore pressure on ...
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The presence of pores and cracks in porous and fractured rocks is mostly accompanied by fluid flow. Poroelasticity can be used for the accurate modeling of many rock structures in the petroleum industry. The approach of the stress to the value of the fracture stress and the effect of pore pressure on the deformation of rock are among the effects of fluid on the mechanical behavior of the medium. Due to the deformation-diffusion property of porous media, governing equations, strain-displacement, and stress-strain relationships can be changed to each other. In this study, constitutive equations and relationships necessary to investigate the behavior and reaction of rock in a porous environment are stated. Independent and time-dependent differential equations for an impulse and point fluid source are used to obtain the fundamental solutions. Influence functions are obtained by using the shape functions in the formulation of the fundamental solutions and integrating them. To check the validity and correctness of provided formulation, several examples are mentioned. In the first two examples, numerical application and analytical solution are used at different times and in undrained and drained conditions. In times 0 (undrained response of medium) and 4500 seconds (drained response of medium), there is good coordination and agreement between the numerical and analytical results. In the third example, using the numerical application, a crack propagation path in the wellbore wall is obtained, which is naturally in the direction of maximum horizontal stress.
Exploration
Khadijeh Validabadi Bozcheloei; Majid Hashemi Tangestani
Abstract
Evaporites are sediments that chemically precipitate due to the evaporation of an aqueous solution. Most evaporite formations, in addition to evaporite minerals, include detrital rocks such as mudstone, marl, and siltstone. Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Directed Principal Component Analysis (DPCA), ...
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Evaporites are sediments that chemically precipitate due to the evaporation of an aqueous solution. Most evaporite formations, in addition to evaporite minerals, include detrital rocks such as mudstone, marl, and siltstone. Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Directed Principal Component Analysis (DPCA), and Band Ratio methods were applied to Advanced Space-borne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) data for mapping the Gachsaran evaporite formation and distinguishing its lithological units in the Masjed Soleiman oil field, located in southwestern Iran. This oil field was the first recognized oil field in the Middle East. Colour composites of PCs 4, 5, and 2, as RGB images, effectively discriminated this formation from other sedimentary formations. The gypsum spectrum, resampled to the 9 band centres of ASTER, exhibited reflectance in bands 4 and 8 and absorption in bands 6 and 9. As a result, these bands were selected for DPCA application. PC4 effectively highlighted gypsum outcrops as bright pixels, while the band ratio 2/1 accentuated ferric iron, appearing as bright pixels, which correlated with the red marls. The results of this study demonstrate that ASTER image processing is a cost- and time-effective method that can be utilized for mapping evaporite formations and distinguishing their lithological units.
Mineral Processing
M. Maleki Moghaddam; A. R. Hasankhoei; E. Arghavani; A. Haji-Zadeh; M. Yahyaei; S. Banisi
Abstract
Liner design is becoming an increasingly more important tool for the AG/SAG mill performance optimization. The Gol-E-Gohar iron ore concentration plant uses three 9 m × 2.05 m autogenous mills (AG) in parallel in a dry operation. Due to large variations in feed characteristics and inadequate ...
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Liner design is becoming an increasingly more important tool for the AG/SAG mill performance optimization. The Gol-E-Gohar iron ore concentration plant uses three 9 m × 2.05 m autogenous mills (AG) in parallel in a dry operation. Due to large variations in feed characteristics and inadequate blending, the performance of AG mills has been lower than the target value. In order to increase the circuit throughput while maintaining the desired product size, based upon physical and numerical simulations, it was proposed to convert the AG mills to SAG mills. Simulation of the charge trajectory indicated that increasing the liner lifter face angle from 7 to 30° could provide an appropriate charge trajectory in the SAG mode. Installation of the new liners and conversion of AG mill No. 2 to SAG mill, by adding 5% (v/v) balls, resulted in an overall increase of 31% in throughput (from 419 to 548 t/h). Measurement of the wear profiles of shell liners indicated that the wear along the liner length was not uniform. In order to arrive at a uniform wear profile, a new liner design was proposed. Installing the second liner design in AG mill No. 1 and converting it to SAG mill increased the mill throughput by 18% (from 413 to 489 t/h), while the liner life showed a 7% increase. Measurement of the wear profiles of the second liner set indicate that the maximum wear occurs in the centre of the mill. A new liner design was then designed by increasing the width of the lifter top from 12.5 to 15 cm and increasing the lifter height from 16 to 26 cm to enhance the liner life.
Exploitation
S. Mohammadi; M. Ataei; R. Khaloo Kakaie; A. Mirzaghorbanali
Abstract
Immediate roof caving in longwall mining is a complex dynamic process, and it is the core of numerous issues and challenges in this method. Hence, a reliable prediction of the strata behavior and its caving potential is imperative in the planning stage of a longwall project. The span of the main caving ...
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Immediate roof caving in longwall mining is a complex dynamic process, and it is the core of numerous issues and challenges in this method. Hence, a reliable prediction of the strata behavior and its caving potential is imperative in the planning stage of a longwall project. The span of the main caving is the quantitative criterion that represents cavability. In this paper, two approaches are proposed in order to predict the span of the main caving in longwall projects. Cavability index (CI) is introduced based on the hybrid multi-criteria decision-making technique, combining the fuzzy analytical network processes (ANP) and the fuzzy decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEAMTEL). Subsequently, the relationship between the new index and the caving span is determined. In addition, statistical relationships are developed, incorporating the multivariate regression method. The real data for nine panels is used to develop the new models. Accordingly, two models based on CI including the Gaussian and cubic models as well as the linear and non-linear regression models are proposed. The performance of the proposed models is evaluated in various actual cases. The results obtained indicate that the CI-Gaussian model possesses a higher performance in the prediction of the main caving span in actual cases when compared to the other models. These results confirm that it is not possible to consider all the effective parameters in an empirical relationship due to a higher error in the prediction.
Mineral Processing
S. Ghasemi; A. Behnamfard; R. Arjmand
Abstract
The Sangan processing plant consists of four consecutive low-intensity magnetic separation steps with the same magnetic field intensity of 1300 Gauss for upgradation of iron ore. Hence, the iron ore minerals with lower magnetic susceptibility or interlocked with gangue minerals have no opportunity for ...
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The Sangan processing plant consists of four consecutive low-intensity magnetic separation steps with the same magnetic field intensity of 1300 Gauss for upgradation of iron ore. Hence, the iron ore minerals with lower magnetic susceptibility or interlocked with gangue minerals have no opportunity for upgradation, and proceed to the tailing dam. Flotation is a powerful technique for upgradation of these materials, and it is the focus of this research work. A sample of 43.09% Fe and 12.1% FeO was taken from the tailings of second step of magnetic separation. The ore minerals of the sample were determined to be magnetite and hematite. A concentrate of 67% Fe and mass recovery of 50% was produced through the Davis tube test. A reverse flotation route was selected for upgradation of the sample. Fatty acid-based anionic collectors with trade names Alke and Dirol were used in the flotation experiments. The design of experiments was done by resolution IV fractional factorial design with nine factors at two levels per factor. A resolution IV design allows discrimination of all main effects and two-factor interactions. A concentrate of 53.92% Fe at a mass recovery of 60% was obtained at optimum flotation conditions of solid content 20%, pH 12, collector concentration of 1 kg/t, starch as depressant at a concentration of 5 kg/t, Alke/Dirol collector mass ratio of 30/70, conditioning time of 10 min., and concentration of Ca2+ as activator 1 kg/t. In this research work, the concept of natural depression of iron minerals in the reverse flotation was introduced and evaluated.
