S. R. Torabi; M. Ataei; M. Javanshir
Abstract
A literature review revealed that most of the empirical equations introduced for determination of the uniaxial
compressive strength (UCS) of rocks based on the Schmidt hammer rebound number (N) are not sufficiently
reliable mostly due to the relatively low coefficient of correlations. This is ...
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A literature review revealed that most of the empirical equations introduced for determination of the uniaxial
compressive strength (UCS) of rocks based on the Schmidt hammer rebound number (N) are not sufficiently
reliable mostly due to the relatively low coefficient of correlations. This is attributed to the fact that in most
cases one formula is used for all types of rocks, although the density of rocks is introduced to the formulae in
some cases. On the other hand, if one specific relationship between N and UCS is introduced for one rock
type, the equation will yield a much higher coefficient of correlation. During a research program supported
by the Shahrood University of Technology, Iran, a third type of approach was considered. The study aimed
to establish a relationship between N and UCS of a rock mass under particular geological circumstances. As
an example, in this study, the immediate roof rock of coal seams in North-Eastern coal fields of Iran was
selected. In order to determine the N and UCS, a significant number of samples were selected and tested,
both in-situ and in the laboratory, and a new equation was established. The equation can be used to predict
UCS of the roof rock in coal extracting areas in this zone by performing simple in-situ Schmidt hammer
tests. It is predicted that such a procedure will be feasible for other geological conditions.
M. Behnia; K. Goshtasbi; M. Fatehi Marji; A. Golshani
Abstract
Numerical methods such as boundary element and finite element methods are widely used for the stress analysis in solid mechanics. This study presents boundary element method based on the displacement discontinuity formulation to solve general problems of interaction between hydraulic fracturing and discontinuities. ...
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Numerical methods such as boundary element and finite element methods are widely used for the stress analysis in solid mechanics. This study presents boundary element method based on the displacement discontinuity formulation to solve general problems of interaction between hydraulic fracturing and discontinuities. The crack tip element and a higher order boundary displacement collocation technique are used to study the hydraulic fracture propagation and its interaction with the pre-existing cracks and discontinuities in an elastic rock mass. The maximum tangential stress criterion (or -criterion) and the strain energy density criterion (SED) are used to obtain the fracture path and the results of both criteria are compared with each other. The comparison of numerical method with the results brought in the literature shows a good performance of the method in the case of interacting cracks.
Rock Mechanics
P GANESAN; Ritesh D Lokhande; Siddhartha Roy; Hemant Agrawal
Abstract
Subsidence associated with underground coal mining is a significant geotechnical concern in many coal-producing regions. The extraction of coal over large areas from underground often leads to the collapse of overlying strata into the goaf, subsequently causing surface subsidence. The extent of this ...
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Subsidence associated with underground coal mining is a significant geotechnical concern in many coal-producing regions. The extraction of coal over large areas from underground often leads to the collapse of overlying strata into the goaf, subsequently causing surface subsidence. The extent of this subsidence varies widely across mines, depending on several factors, including mine geometry, geological discontinuities, physico-mechanical properties of the overlying strata, extraction method, seam thickness, and depth of working. Among these, the angle of draw (AoD) plays a critical role in delineating the subsidence-affected zone, particularly in underground coal mining. Accurate prediction of AoD is essential for safe mine planning and the mitigation of subsidence-related hazards. In the present study, a comprehensive field investigation was conducted to collect mine operational parameters from various underground coal mines. Using this dataset, Genetic Programming (GP) was employed to model the relationship between AoD and key mining and geological parameters. The developed GP model demonstrated a strong correlation between predicted and measured AoD values, with a coefficient of determination (R) = 0.7921, highlighting the model’s predictive capability. Additionally, a sensitivity analysis (SA) was performed to identify the most influential input parameters affecting AoD. The analysis indicated that, while all five input variables significantly impact AoD, the compressive strength of overlying strata exhibited the highest influence (sensitivity score = 0.98). The findings of this study provide a data-driven approach to predict the angle of draw in underground coal mines, offering valuable insights for improved mine design, extraction strategies, and surface infrastructure protection.
Kh. Maroufi Naghadehi; A. Hezarkhani; K. Seifpanahi Shabani
Abstract
Taknar deposit is located about 28 km to the north-west of Bardaskan in the Khorasan-e-Razavi province, which is situated in the north-eastern part of Iran. This deposit is unique, formed within the Taknar formation in the Ordovician time. As a result, it is of much interest to many researchers working ...
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Taknar deposit is located about 28 km to the north-west of Bardaskan in the Khorasan-e-Razavi province, which is situated in the north-eastern part of Iran. This deposit is unique, formed within the Taknar formation in the Ordovician time. As a result, it is of much interest to many researchers working in this field. By choosing the lithogeochemical study performed to recognize new exploration targets which a new stage in the field. After pre-processing the lithogeochemical data obtained, the distribution maps were obtained for the element anomalies and alteration indices. The ratios of additive composite haloes were used to study the erosion levels in the Taknar area. In order to produce the favorability map, eight information layers were integrated using the simple overlay method, and four new exploration targets were obtained.
J. Mantey; F. Owusu-Nimo; K.B. Nyarko; A. Aubynn
Abstract
The uncontrolled spread of illegal artisanal small-scale gold mining (ASM), popularly termed “galamsey” in Ghana, has, for decades, impacted adversely upon water bodies, soils, wildlife, human health, and safety. A lack of understanding, however, of the types of galamsey, their operational ...
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The uncontrolled spread of illegal artisanal small-scale gold mining (ASM), popularly termed “galamsey” in Ghana, has, for decades, impacted adversely upon water bodies, soils, wildlife, human health, and safety. A lack of understanding, however, of the types of galamsey, their operational attributes, and their relative impacts has unfortunately hindered an effective policy response despite numerous calls from civic societal groups to address this menace. This paper is part of a comprehensive study in 11 selected municipal and district assemblies of the Western Region of Ghana to help provide an in-depth understanding into the galamsey operations in Ghana. It discusses the various forms of galamsey, their operational attributes, and relative environmental impacts. Through extensive literature review, site visits, and task observations, five broad categories and 11 sub-groupings of galamsey were unearthed based on the gold deposit type, resources used, origin of technology used, mining, and processing style as well as the local names given. These include (1) Placer/alluvial galamsey (“dig and wash”, “washing plant”, “washing board”, “anwona”, dredging, and panning), (2) Underground galamsey (abandoned underground shafts and “sample pit”), (3) Surface (“chamfi”) galamsey, (4) Mill-House galamsey, and (5) Selection galamsey. Whilst the underground and selection galamsey involve ore mining only, the mill-house focuses exclusively on ore processing. The alluvial and surface galamsey, however, involve simultaneous mining and ore processing activities. The information presented in this paper could prove valuable to policy formulation efforts, design, and implementation of effective wasteland remediation programs by governments, conservation organizations, and other stakeholders in hard-hit regions with similar illegal gold mining dilemma.
Maysam Abedi; Kiomars Mosazadeh; Hamid Dehghani; Ahmad MadanchiZare
Abstract
This paper describes an efficient edge-preserved regularization algorithm for downward continuation of magnetic data in detection of unexploded ordnance (UXO). The magnetic anomalies arising from multi-source UXO can overlap at a height over the ground surface, while causative sources may not be readily ...
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This paper describes an efficient edge-preserved regularization algorithm for downward continuation of magnetic data in detection of unexploded ordnance (UXO). The magnetic anomalies arising from multi-source UXO can overlap at a height over the ground surface, while causative sources may not be readily separated due to low level of signal-to-noise ratio of the observed data. To effectively the magnetic method work in the cleanup stage of contaminated area with UXO, the magnetic anomalies of UXO sources should be enhanced in order to separate the locations of different sources. The stable downward continuation of magnetic data can increase the signal-to-noise ratio which subsequently causes the separation of UXO sources by enhancing the signals. We formulate the downward continuation as a linear ill-posed deconvolution problem in this study. To obtain a reasonable downward continued field, it is stabilized in a Fourier domain to regularize the downward solution using the edge-preserved (or total-variation) algorithm. The L-curve method is used to choose the optimum value of the regularization parameter which is a trade-off between the misfit and the solution norms in the cost function of optimization problem. A synthetic magnetic field is constructed from isolated multi-source UXO anomalies, whose results show that the data can be stably downward continued by the proposed method. Likewise, a field data set has been provided to demonstrate the capability of the applied method in UXO detection.
H. Mohammadi; M. A. Ebrahimi Farsangi; H. Jalalifar; A. R. Ahmadi; A. Javaheri
Abstract
In advance longwall mining, the safety of mine network, production rate, and consequently, economic conditions of a mine are dependent on the stability conditions of gate roadways. The gate roadway stability is a function of two important factors: 1) characteristics of the excavation damaged zone (EDZ) ...
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In advance longwall mining, the safety of mine network, production rate, and consequently, economic conditions of a mine are dependent on the stability conditions of gate roadways. The gate roadway stability is a function of two important factors: 1) characteristics of the excavation damaged zone (EDZ) above the gate roadway and 2) loading effect due to the caving zone (CZ) above the longwall working, which can extend the EDZ size. Generally, due to the coal seam dip, the failure possibility of main gate roadway is more severe than tail gate roadway. The aim of this work is to determine the longwall working effect on the EDZ extension above main gate roadway. To achieve this purpose, considering three factors involved in the CZ characteristics, the coal seam properties (dip and thickness) and the geomechanical properties of hangingwall, a new geometrical model is developed. Then, based on the geometrical calculations, a new relationship is presented to determine the working influence coeffiecint. Furthermore, taking into account the new geometrical model, an algorithm is suggested for the stability analysis of main gate roadways. Validation of the new geometrical model is carried out by the instrumentation and monitoring results of a longwall working carried out in the Parvade-2 coal mine of Tabas, Tabas, Iran. The results obtained show that there is a good agreement between the values obtained by the new model and the actual measured values. Finally, a sensitivity analysis is carried out on the effects of pillar width, bearing capacity of support system, and coal seam dip.
Ahmed Abd El-Dayiem Abd El-Fatah; Ahmed Ali Madani; Adel Abd Allah Surour; Mokles Kamal Azer
Abstract
The present work aims to enhance the utilization of Landsat-8 data in geological mapping when they are paired with spectroscopic measurements and field observations. This is applied to map and differentiate the different plutonic rocks in the Gebel El-Bakriyah pluton, a peculiar igneous body in the central ...
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The present work aims to enhance the utilization of Landsat-8 data in geological mapping when they are paired with spectroscopic measurements and field observations. This is applied to map and differentiate the different plutonic rocks in the Gebel El-Bakriyah pluton, a peculiar igneous body in the central Eastern Desert of Egypt. Therefore, we use a combination of remote sensing techniques such as principal component analysis (PCA), band ratios, fusion technique, and spectroscopic measurements to interpret igneous lithologies, and produce a new geologic map of the Gebel El-Bakriyah area. A false-color composite principal component image PC1, PC2, and PC3 in red, green, and blue (RGB) discriminates between alkali feldspar granite, syenogranite, and younger gabbro. In general, the spectral profiles of granites exhibit three distinct absorption features in the 1.4, 1.9, and 2.2 μm wavelength regions. These features are attributed mainly to altered mineral products such as kaolinite, sericite, and chlorite. The spectral profiles of pink and alkali feldspar granites show a broad absorption feature at 0.9 μm, which is attributed to a considerable Fe content. The spectral profiles of fresh, younger gabbros exhibit absorption features around 1 μm and 2.2 μm. A false-color composite image provides the most accurate discrimination of the three varieties of younger granites with band ratios of 7/4, 6/3, and 3/1 in RGB. The data that appear in the present work strengthen the usefulness of Landsat-8 imagery and spectroscopic measurements as a prevailing grouping to discriminate and map Neoproterozoic shield rocks in the Eastern Desert of Egypt.
V.F Navarro Torres; G Zamora Echenique; R.N Singh
Abstract
Hydrographically Bolivian Poopó Lake is located in the basin of Desaguadero River and it has over a dozen main tributary rivers and other smaller rivers with lower flow. The mine water discharge from the abandoned and current mining activities polluted these rivers by carrying heavy metals, dissolved ...
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Hydrographically Bolivian Poopó Lake is located in the basin of Desaguadero River and it has over a dozen main tributary rivers and other smaller rivers with lower flow. The mine water discharge from the abandoned and current mining activities polluted these rivers by carrying heavy metals, dissolved and suspended solids which in turn polluted the Poopó Lake which is considered as an important Lake in this area. The present paper deals with the environmental hazards associated with the mining activities with an objective of determining the environmental quality of the Poopó Lake and its tributary rivers, based on physical-chemical analysis of superficial water and sediment samples. The results of the research show that the Poopó Lake water quality can be classified as highly saline, containing high concentration of dissolved or suspended solid, as well arsenic, lead, cadmium, zinc and other heavy metals exceeding the permissible limits of pollutants. Desaguadero River contributed to the Poopó Lake pollution by 70% arsenic, 64% lead, 4.27% zinc and 2.18% cadmium. Other important pollution contributors are Antequera River by 57 % zinc, 32.9 % cadmium and 0.66% lead, and Huanuni River by 61.2% cadmium, 2.23% lead and 34.3% zinc. Vinto foundry, Kori kollo mine and mainly San José mine polluted the Poopó Lake by arsenic and lead through Desaguadero River. Bolivar and Huanuni mines polluted the Poopó Lake by cadmium and zinc through Antequera and Huanuni Rivers. Additionally the mining activities continue to pollute the Poopó Lake by dissolved and suspended solids transporting through Desaguadero, Antequera and Huanuni rivers.
Omid Saeidi; Ahmad Ramezanzadeh; Farhang Sereshki; Seyed Mohammad Esmaeil Jalali
Abstract
This study aims at presenting a numerical model for predicting grout flow and penetration length into the jointed rock mass using Universal Distinct Element Code (UDEC). The numerical model is validated using practical data and analytical method for grouting process. Input data for the modeling, including ...
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This study aims at presenting a numerical model for predicting grout flow and penetration length into the jointed rock mass using Universal Distinct Element Code (UDEC). The numerical model is validated using practical data and analytical method for grouting process. Input data for the modeling, including geomechanical parameters along with grout properties, were obtained from a case study. The effect of rock mass properties such as joint hydraulic aperture, spacing, trace length, orientation and grout properties as yield stress and water to cement, w/c ratio was considered on grout flow rate and penetration length. To illustrate the effect of aforementioned properties, models were constructed with dimensions of 40×20m. A vertical borehole with diameter of 60mm and 10m depth was drilled in a jointed rock media. The results were in a good agreement with analytical method. It was observed that by increasing joint hydraulic aperture, grouting flow increases using a power law function. The optimum grout penetration observed with joint sets intersection of 40°-60° as experienced in practice. With an increase in joint spacing grout penetration increases around borehole when spacing exceeds two meters it decreases, gradually.
M. Capik; B. Batmunkh
Abstract
Modelling wear of drill bits can increase the efficiency in the drilling operations. Related to the subject, it is aimed to investigate the wear mechanism of drill bits. Wear in drill bits is influenced by many factors related to the drilling and rock properties. The type and intensity of wear are dependent ...
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Modelling wear of drill bits can increase the efficiency in the drilling operations. Related to the subject, it is aimed to investigate the wear mechanism of drill bits. Wear in drill bits is influenced by many factors related to the drilling and rock properties. The type and intensity of wear are dependent on several complicated factors that are required to be considered in anticipating the rate of wear in the field and laboratory conditions. The laboratory tests have been performed in order to specify the relationships between the bit wear rate and the physico-mechanical properties, drillability, abrasive properties, and brittleness of rocks. Statistical analysis has been used to obtain equations for estimating the bit wear rate based on the rock properties. In this work, an ensemble technique is used to estimate the confidence interval and the prediction intervals for the regression models. This paper summaries the rock properties and bit wear mechanism, and argues the options to determine the bit wear rate. The test models indicate that the rock properties can give an idea of bit wear. They also show a good correlation between the bit wear rates. Also some models are developed to represent the wear quantification, and an approach is suggested in order to estimate the bit wear rate. The results obtained from studying the developed models provide a good agreement with the performance evaluation of an efficient drilling, which provide an indirect evaluation of drill bit wear rate during a drilling process, which can help to reduce the specific energy consumption and lower costs for the exchange of drill bits.
Mineral Processing
M. Diab; M. Abu El Ghar; I. Mohamed Gaafar; A. H. Mohamed El Shafey; A. Wageh Hussein; M. Mohamed Fawzy
Abstract
In this work we are concerned with the potentiality of using mineral processing for raising the grade of the valuable heavy minerals (VHMs) from the Quaternary stream sediments of Wadi and Delta Sermatai located on the southern coast of the Red Sea, Egypt. A rigorous understanding of the chemical and ...
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In this work we are concerned with the potentiality of using mineral processing for raising the grade of the valuable heavy minerals (VHMs) from the Quaternary stream sediments of Wadi and Delta Sermatai located on the southern coast of the Red Sea, Egypt. A rigorous understanding of the chemical and mineralogical characteristics of the studied samples is a prerequisite for the selection and development of the physical processing used in order to produce a high-grade concentrate. For this purpose, the grain size distribution analysis, heavy liquid separation tests as well as XRF, and SEM analysis are performed. The magnetite, ilmenite, garnet, zircon, rutile, apatite, sphene, pyrolusite, celestine, and heavy green silicates are the valuable heavy minerals recorded in the studied samples; but their quantity varies between Wadi and Delta. The upgrading experiments are performed via a shaking table in conjunction with the low and high-intensity magnetic separator in order to obtain the high-grade concentrates from the valuable heavy minerals, and after applying the optimum separation conditions, the total heavy mineral (THM) assay increase from 8.32% to 46.04% for Wadi Sermatai, while for Delta Sermatai increase from 8.37% to 50.13% into 8.89% and 9.59%, respectively, by mass yield. The THM recovery values reach 66.84% for Wadi Sermatai and 67.23% for Delta Sermatai. After the results of the chemical analysis of the concentrates, it is proved that the Sermatai area is considered as a potential source for some economic elements such as Fe, Ti, Zn, Zr, Cr, V, and Sr.
Rock Mechanics
Jagdish Lohar; Neha Shrivastava
Abstract
India is a leading producer and exporter of dimensional marble. The processing of marble into dimensional and finished forms involves sawing, grinding, and polishing, generating significant quantities of Marble Processing Waste (MPW). Efforts for bulk recycling of MPW from the rapidly expanding marble ...
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India is a leading producer and exporter of dimensional marble. The processing of marble into dimensional and finished forms involves sawing, grinding, and polishing, generating significant quantities of Marble Processing Waste (MPW). Efforts for bulk recycling of MPW from the rapidly expanding marble industry are essential due to significant environmental impacts, hindered by limited inclusion rates and complex processing requirements in current practices. Concurrently, the increased demand for geotechnical fill materials and the depletion of natural soils necessitates sustainable alternatives. Using MPW in geotechnical fills offers a viable solution, yet it lacks comprehensive characterization. The aim of this study is to evaluate MPW as a sustainable alternative to conventional geotechnical fill materials. In this study, a comprehensive analysis of MPW's physical, geotechnical, and electrochemical properties, along with its mineralogical, elemental, and chemical composition, was conducted. The findings show that MPW, being non-plastic and non-swelling with a grain size distribution and hydraulic conductivity similar to silty sands, can be used directly from disposal sites without further processing. Notably, MPW achieves a maximum dry density of 1.84 g/cm³ and exhibits internal friction angles of 36.5°, ensuring stability. Electrochemical analysis indicates low leachability risks, with pH levels of 8.1 and electrical resistivity of 6,200 ohm-cm. Scanning Electron Microscopy images reveal that MPW particles are irregular, with considerable angularity and surface roughness. These results position MPW as a viable and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional fill materials, with the potential to significantly reduce the exploitation of natural resources and advance sustainable waste management practices.
F. Habashi
Abstract
Processing of minerals and production of metals has increased greatly in recent years. As a result, the quantities of waste material and pollutants have also increased. In many cases technology has changed to cope with the problem. Processes have been either modified to decrease emissions, or replaced ...
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Processing of minerals and production of metals has increased greatly in recent years. As a result, the quantities of waste material and pollutants have also increased. In many cases technology has changed to cope with the problem. Processes have been either modified to decrease emissions, or replaced by others that are less polluting even if at a higher cost. This paper briefly reviews examples in the ferrous and nonferrous industries.
Exploitation
S. Barak; A. Bahroudi; G. Jozanikohan
Abstract
The purpose of mineral exploration is to find ore deposits. The main aim of this work is to use the fuzzy inference system to integrate the exploration layers including the geological, remote sensing, geochemical, and magnetic data. The studied area was the porphyry copper deposit of the Kahang area ...
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The purpose of mineral exploration is to find ore deposits. The main aim of this work is to use the fuzzy inference system to integrate the exploration layers including the geological, remote sensing, geochemical, and magnetic data. The studied area was the porphyry copper deposit of the Kahang area in the preliminary stage of exploration. Overlaying of rock units and tectonic layers were used to prepare the geological layer. ASTER images were used for the purpose of recognition of the alterations. The processes used for preparation of the alteration layer were the image-based methods including RGB, band ratio, and principal component analysis as well as the spectrum-based methods including spectral angel mapper and spectral feature fitting. In order to prepare the geochemical layer, the multivariate statistical methods such as the Pearson correlation matrix and cluster analysis were applied on the data, which showed that both copper and molybdenum were the most effective elements of mineralization. Application of the concentration-number multi-fractal modeling was used for geochemical anomaly separation, and finally, the geochemical layer was obtained by the overlaying of two prepared layers of copper and molybdenum. In order to prepare the magnetics layer, the analytical signal map of the magnetometry data was selected. Finally, the FIS integration was applied on the layers. Ultimately, the mineral potential map was obtained and compared with the 33 drilled boreholes in the studied area. The accuracy of the model was validated upon achieving the 70.6% agreement percentage between the model results and true data from the boreholes, and consequently, the appropriate areas were suggested for the subsequent drilling.
Mine Economic and Management
K. Shah; S. Ur Rehman
Abstract
Truck and shovel are the most common raw material transportation system used in the cement quarry operations. One of the major challenges associated with the cement quarry operations is the efficient allocation of truck and shovel to the mining faces. In order to minimize the truck and shovel operating ...
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Truck and shovel are the most common raw material transportation system used in the cement quarry operations. One of the major challenges associated with the cement quarry operations is the efficient allocation of truck and shovel to the mining faces. In order to minimize the truck and shovel operating cost, subject to quantity and quality constraints, the mixed integer linear programing (MILP) model for truck and shovel allocation to mining faces for cement quarry is presented. This model is implemented using the optimization IDE tool GUSEK (GLPK under SciTE Extended Kit) and the GLPK (GNU Linear Programming Kit) standalone solver. The MILP model is applied to an existing cement quarry operation, the Kohat cement quarry located at Kohat (Pakistan) as a case study. The analysis of the results of the relating case study reveals that significant gains are achievable through employing the MILP model. The results obtained not only show a significant cost reduction but also help in achieving a better coordination among the quarry and quality department.
Myong Nam Sin; Un Chol Han; Hyon Hyok Ri; Sung Il Jon
Abstract
Anthracite coal seam of Democratic People’s Republic of Korea was broken into particles to be soft due to geological tectonic actions through several stages in the Mesozoic era. Because the folds and faults have excessively developed and the shape of coal seam is very complicated, it is impossible ...
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Anthracite coal seam of Democratic People’s Republic of Korea was broken into particles to be soft due to geological tectonic actions through several stages in the Mesozoic era. Because the folds and faults have excessively developed and the shape of coal seam is very complicated, it is impossible to extract the anthracite coal by longwall mining system, and coal has been mainly mined by entry caving mining system. The aim of this work is to assess effectiveness of new combination of flying squirrel search algorithm (SSA) and artificial neural-network (ANN) for back-analysis of time-depending mechanical parameters of anthracite coal based on timber loads and displacements measured in the coal face entry. The case study deals with a coal face entry in Sinchang Coal Mine located in the Unsan County, South Pyongan Province, DPR Korea. To verify the good performance of new combination of the SSA and ANN, the comparison studies between proposed back-analysis method and other methods with the same purpose, are conducted using data measured in coal face entry. The mean absolute error (MAE) of weighted error norm of ANN-SSA is relatively smaller in comparison with other methods, which is 2.49. The new back-analysis is the good method to determine the suitable time-dependent mechanical parameters of anthracite coal surrounding the entry in very soft coal seam.
R. Mikaeil; Y. Ozcelik; M. Ataei; S. Shaffiee Haghshenas
Abstract
Evaluation and prediction of performance of diamond wire saw is one of the most important factors involved in planning the dimension stone quarries. The wear rate of diamond wire saw can be investigated as a major criterion to evaluate its performance. The wear rate of diamond wire saw depends upon non-controlled ...
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Evaluation and prediction of performance of diamond wire saw is one of the most important factors involved in planning the dimension stone quarries. The wear rate of diamond wire saw can be investigated as a major criterion to evaluate its performance. The wear rate of diamond wire saw depends upon non-controlled parameters related to rock characteristics and controlled parameters related to characteristics of the cutting machine and operational parameters. Under the same working conditions, the wear rate of diamond wire saw is strongly affected by the rock properties. This is a key factor that required in evaluating the wear rate of diamond wire saw. In this work, the four major dimension stone properties uniaxial compressive strength, Schimazek F-abrasivity factor, Shore hardness, and Young's modulus were selected as the criteria to evaluate the wear rate of diamond wire saw using the harmony search algorithm (HSA). HSA was used to cluster the fifteen different andesite quarries located in Turkey. The studied dimension stones were classified into three classes. The results obtained show that the algorithm applied can be used to classify the performance of diamond wire saw according to its wear rate by only some famous physical and mechanical properties of dimension stone.
Exploration
Balbir Nagal; Ajay Krishna Prabhakar; Mahesh Pal
Abstract
This study delineates groundwater potential (GWP) zones across Haryana, India, for the year 2023 using geospatial techniques integrated with the analytical hierarchy process (AHP). Multiple thematic layers, including slope, land use/land cover (LULC), soil, geology, drainage density (DD), lineament density ...
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This study delineates groundwater potential (GWP) zones across Haryana, India, for the year 2023 using geospatial techniques integrated with the analytical hierarchy process (AHP). Multiple thematic layers, including slope, land use/land cover (LULC), soil, geology, drainage density (DD), lineament density (LD), elevation, rainfall, and topographic wetness index (TWI), were generated using datasets from SRTM, Sentinel-2, food and agriculture organization (FAO), and the India meteorological department (IMD) and weighted through the AHP. These layers were integrated using weighted overlay analysis (WOA) to generate the final GWP map. The GWP map was validated against field groundwater level (GWL) data from 646 wells recorded in 2018 by the central ground water board (CGWB), resulting in an accuracy of 77.55 percent. This confirmed the reliability of the geographic information system (GIS) and AHP technique. The study reveals that moderate GWP zones dominate (43.71%) the region, followed by high (33.24%) and very high (11.96%) zones, whereas low and very low GWP zones cover 7.59% and 3.51% of the area, respectively. The findings indicate that Haryana’s groundwater distribution is largely stable, with minor variation observed between 2018 and 2023. This shows stable aquifer behaviour and relatively unchanged recharge and extraction patterns over the five-year period. The outcomes of this study are valuable for strategic groundwater management, especially in arid and semiarid regions of Haryana state.
Reza Ghaedrahmati; F Doulati Ardejani
Abstract
This paper utilises the modified Folchi method to assess the environmental impact of coal washing plant, Alborz Sharghi, North-east Iran. In this study, the number of factors designed in the method was slightly modified by focusing on the environmental impact of coal washing operations. In addition, ...
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This paper utilises the modified Folchi method to assess the environmental impact of coal washing plant, Alborz Sharghi, North-east Iran. In this study, the number of factors designed in the method was slightly modified by focusing on the environmental impact of coal washing operations. In addition, few other factors were designed and added to the previous factors. Then, twenty-one values of environmentally impacting factors from the study area and a case with standard amounts of effects were calculated. This method was conducted by forming an assessment matrix in which one dimension is the environmental components and the other one is impacting factors to estimate the environmental problems arising from the impacting factors of both cases. Comparison of the results of two cases shows that the amount of contamination produced by the plant, especially for components including air quality, agriculture and area landscape is significant.
Hossein Shahi; Abulghasem Kamkar Rouhani
Abstract
The method of weights of evidence is one of the most important data driven methods for mineral potential mapping in GIS. In this method, considering the characteristics of known mineralized locations, we can prospect new mineralized areas. In this research work, the method of weights of evidence has ...
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The method of weights of evidence is one of the most important data driven methods for mineral potential mapping in GIS. In this method, considering the characteristics of known mineralized locations, we can prospect new mineralized areas. In this research work, the method of weights of evidence has been used for hydrothermal gold potential mapping in Torbat-e-Heydarieh area, east of Iran. As a relatively large number of gold mineral occurrences (i.e., exactly 27 known gold mineralized locations) have been recognized in the study area, the use of the weights of evidence method for prospecting new gold mineralized zones in the area may be quite efficient. In this study, a combination of the results of the airborne geophysical, geological, argillic, propillitic and iron oxide alteration, geochemical and structural data based on the method of weights of evidence, has been made to determine probable gold mineralization zones in the form of a posteriori map of the survey area. Consequently, four major zones in this area have been identified as high gold mineralization potential zones, in which many vein and veinlet mineralization forms can be found.
Reza Ghavami-Riabi; H.F.J Theart
Abstract
The trace element contents on the surface originated from mineralization would depend to the thickness of the calcrete layer above the ore deposit on the surface. A very thick layer of calcrete may not allow for much dispersion of the elements of interest in the surface. These elements may be concentrated ...
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The trace element contents on the surface originated from mineralization would depend to the thickness of the calcrete layer above the ore deposit on the surface. A very thick layer of calcrete may not allow for much dispersion of the elements of interest in the surface. These elements may be concentrated in non-magnetic and magnetic part of calcrete. Based on the current research, mineralogical composition of the non-magnetic part of the calcrete consists of calcite, quartz and microcline and the magnetic part comprises of magnetite, hematite, calcite and albite (at Kantienpan). It could be demonstrated that calcrete samples close to the ore zone have higher contents of Cu, Zn and CaCO3 when compared to the calcrete samples further away from the ore zone. Lithogeochemical exploration program based on the visually cleaned calcrete samples may lead to the successful identification of underlying mineralization, but the dispersion of the interest elements may be severely restricted. It is however evident that these elements are available at the calcrete-sand interface and could then be dispersed by ground and rain water as in the case of mobile metal ions.
A. Entezari Harsini; S. A. Mazaheri; S. Saadat; J. F. Santos
Abstract
This paper presents the new geochemical isotopes Sr and Nd, and the mineralization data for the south Neyshabour volcanic rocks located in NE Iran. Based on the chemical classifications, the studied rocks are basaltic trachy andesite, trachy andesite, trachyte, and trachy dacite in composition. All the ...
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This paper presents the new geochemical isotopes Sr and Nd, and the mineralization data for the south Neyshabour volcanic rocks located in NE Iran. Based on the chemical classifications, the studied rocks are basaltic trachy andesite, trachy andesite, trachyte, and trachy dacite in composition. All the analyzed volcanic rocks display enrichment in light rare earth elements (LREE) relative to the heavy rare earth elements (HREE), have significant negative Ti and Nb anomalies, and have a positive U anomaly. The tectonic discrimination diagrams for the volcanic rocks in the studied area show a post-collisional arc environment. These characteristics are the specifications of the subduction-related volcanic rocks generated in a post-collisional setting. The initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios ranging from 0.70408 to 0.70593and the εNdi values between +3.34 and +5 for the four samples analyzed indicate that the studied rocks are derived from a lithospheric mantle source. Finally, it is concluded that these volcanic rocks should have formed in a post-collisional environment that followed the Neo-Tethys subduction. There are strong evidence for copper mineralization in these volcanic rocks. The main copper oxide minerals are malachite and atacamite. The copper sulfide minerals such as chalcocite, minor bornite, and covellit are also present. Chalcocite is the most abundant sulfide ore mineral present in this area. This mineralization is observed as open space filling and thin veinlets, and it is partially controlled by linear structures and fault zones. Based on the identified characteristics, this ore deposit is hydrothermal. Carbonate alteration is frequently seen in the area but argillic alteration is very low, and this issue displays a hydrothermal solution with an alkaline pH.
S. Safari Sinegani; A. Abedi; H. Asghari; A. A. Safari Sinegani
Abstract
Phytoremediation is a technology that uses plants for the remediation of the contaminated soils, sediments, tailings, and groundwaters. In this work, the ability of TrifoliumAlexanderium for the phytoremediation of the tailings soil in the Anjir-Tange coal washing plant was investigated. For this purpose, ...
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Phytoremediation is a technology that uses plants for the remediation of the contaminated soils, sediments, tailings, and groundwaters. In this work, the ability of TrifoliumAlexanderium for the phytoremediation of the tailings soil in the Anjir-Tange coal washing plant was investigated. For this purpose, Trifolium sp. was cultivated in three soils consisting of the tailings dam, an agricultural soil, and a mixed soil. The concentrations of Fe, Cr, Cd, and P, and the factorsTF (translocation factor), BCF (bio-concentration factor), and BAF (bio-accumulation factor) were measured in the soils and plants after the harvest of Trifolium sp. The results obtained showed that BCFs in the agricultural soil, tailings dam, and mixed soil were 10.4, 12.24, and 7.23, respectively. These results also showed that TrifoliumAlexanderiumwas able to accumulate Cd in the root tissues and stabilize it, and thus it can be regarded as an appropriate species for the stabilization of the Cd ions in the contaminants and soils.The results obtained suggest that this plant can be a good candidate for use in the revegetation and phytostabilization of the Cd-contaminated lands in the region.
Mineral Processing
R. Solis-Rdoriguez; S. Bello-Teodoro; A. Moreno-Baez; J. I Galvan-Tejada; J. G Arceo-Olague; H. Luna-Garcia; O. Alonso-Gonzalez
Abstract
Precious metals are currently associated with selenium (naumannite, Ag2Se) and tellurium (calaverite, AuTe2; sylvanite, (Au,Ag)2Te4) to form species refractory to cyanidation. The aim of this preliminary work was to study the use of the solvent extraction technique to recover tellurium and selenium ions ...
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Precious metals are currently associated with selenium (naumannite, Ag2Se) and tellurium (calaverite, AuTe2; sylvanite, (Au,Ag)2Te4) to form species refractory to cyanidation. The aim of this preliminary work was to study the use of the solvent extraction technique to recover tellurium and selenium ions from a synthetic solution similar to the cyanidation effluents to recycle the free cyanide back to the process. For the extraction of the Se and Te anions, the use of quaternary amines as extractants was evaluated (tallow trimethyl ammonium chloride, Quartamin TPR; hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium chloride, Amine F; and trioctyl methyl ammonium chloride, Aliquat 336) employing nonylphenol as a modifier in the organic phase (iso-octane). The results obtained showed that the extraction was strongly affected by the pH and that it was possible to recover up to 83% of Se and 10% of Te with Quartamin TPR from two synthetic solutions containing 23 mg/L of Te and 20 mg/L of Se with a molar cyanide:metal ratio of 1:4 at pH 11, a ratio of aqueous/organic (A/O) = 1 (V/V) and an extractant concentration of 0.022 mol/L. A maximum distribution coefficient (D) of 4.97 was obtained at pH 11. The McCabe-Thiele diagram indicates that two theoretical extraction stages are necessary to obtain a good extraction of Se complexes using Quartamin TPR.
