Engineering Commons^™

High-Pressure Slurry Ablation For Improving Separation Of Copper/Molybdenum And Flotation Of Gold Tailings, Mitchell Harvey

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Disa Technologies’ High-Pressure Slurry Ablation (HPSA) is a patented particle attrition technology for the comminution and selective liberation of minerals. Two slurry streams are pumped at high pressure through opposing nozzles and collisions between solid particles suspended in the slurry streams cause breakage of the feed material. HPSA was evaluated for improving the rougher flotation of molybdenite from Cu-Mo bulk concentrate and gold-bearing pyrite from gold tailings.

Copper/molybdenum samples were provided by Montana Resources in Butte, Montana. A two-factor factorial design of experiments was used to identify HPSA operating conditions which gave the highest increase in flotation performance. Variables were …

Optimization Of Porosity In Cold Spray Produced Copper And Zinc Coatings, Cameron Hughes

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Since its invention in 1981, the cold spray (CS) additive manufacturing (AM) process has been studied and optimized to produce well-adhered, dense material coatings. CS can operate at a wide range of temperatures if the feed material remains in a solid state. Copper and zinc were studied to characterize and understand the effects of heating element voltage, travel speed, and standoff distance on deposit porosity, grain size, microhardness, and coating thickness. Samples were sprayed on 3.2 mm x 25 mm x 150 mm 6061 aluminum substrates. Sections were taken from the middle of the samples to represent steady-state conditions. Sample …

Predicting The Damage Behavior And Fracture Propagation In A 3d-Printed Synthetic Rock Material With The Distinct Element Method (Pfc3d) And Hybrid Finite-Discrete Element Method (Irazu3d), Frankie Johnston

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

The ability to monitor and predict the evolution of rock damage and fracture is key for creating reliable and sustainable civil infrastructure. Rock crack propagation is a complex process that is dependent on material properties such as tensile strength, compressive strength, density, elastic modulus, Poisson's ratio, friction coefficient, cohesion, and specimen conditions such as preexisting microcracks, particle size distribution, and mineral distribution. In conjunction with the 56th US Rock Mechanics/Geomechanics Symposium, researchers primarily at Purdue University organized the Damage Mechanics Challenge to determine the current state and future direction of the rock modeling community’s ability to simulate rock crack formation. …

Correlations Of Subsurface Geotechnical And Geophysical Parameters In Central Montana, David Barrick

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

This paper summarizes the results of a suite of tests performed in conjunction with a site investigation for the replacement of six timber bridges in Central Montana and four investigative geotechnical boreholes from a nearby ranch. The sites at the six timber bridges consist of Cretaceous sedimentary rocks (shale with stratified sandstone), overlain by thin layers of residual clays or Quaternary alluvium. The geology at the nearby ranch consists of either Quaternary vuggy travertine or Quaternary alluvium/colluvium deposits overlying residual shale of the Mississippian Heath Formation. In total, 49 samples were collected ranging from three Quaternary travertine HQ core samples, …

Investigation Of The Structure, Chemistry And Functional Performance Of Novel Biochars, Julie Elizabeth Muretta

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Biochars are a class of carbonaceous materials possessing high degrees of structural and chemical disorder in both organic and inorganic constituent phases. Despite this disorder, and in some cases because of this disorder, biochars have shown strong performance in adsorbing and even sequestering contaminants from soil, surface water and air. Biochar is the carbonaceous, solid product of heating carbonaceous feedstock in an oxygen-limited environment above 250°C, usually sourced from inexpensive, locally available agricultural and forestry wastes which can otherwise be difficult and expensive to dispose of. Biochar possesses attractive functional properties like high specific surface area, high micropore volume, and …

A Study Of The Integration Of Environment, Social, And Governance Policy In The Mining Industry, Ryan Isto

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

In a push to reach more responsible and sustainable business practices, extractive resource industries like the mining and oil industry have faced increasing pressures to update their policies to reflect the global trend of improving environmental and social responsibility. Industries have adopted numerous corporate social responsibility (CSR) frameworks to shape policies to improve sustainability, mitigate risk, and increase marketability. A CSR that has become increasingly relevant within the mining industry is the use of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) to influence sustainability policy. Mining companies have adopted ESG as a method to influence their corporate policy to manage public relations, …

The Tempering Response Of Cpm® 3v Tool Steel Investigated Through Tensile Testing And Microstructural Observations, Stephen A.C. Hanson

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Heat treatment, tensile testing failure analysis, and microstructural evaluation of the Crucible Industries tool steel CPM® 3V was undertaken to investigate CPM® 3V’s tempering response for the following samples: As-Hardened (no tempering); tempered at 450°C, 550°C, 650°C, and 700°C; and As-Received (annealed). CPM® 3V tool steel is manufactured by Crucible Industries using their proprietary Crucible Particle Metallurgy (CPM®) technology. This material was heat-treated at four different tempering temperatures and was evaluated for tensile properties according to ASTM E8. A TMS landmark tensile fixture was used to establish the ultimate tensile strength and the yield strength of the material for the …

Synthesis And Stabilization Of Gold Nanoparticles From Chloride And Cyanide Systems, Kathryn Ariela Bozer

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Generating gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) from gold chloride solution by precipitating with compounds can be difficult due to the potentially required high temperatures. Tin chloride can be used to overcome this dilemma. The process that is known to make Purple of Cassius is a method where gold chloride and tin chloride solutions are mixed to form AuNPs and tin oxide precipitate. However, it is modified by adding hydrazine to resolubilize the tin oxide and provide a more stable solution for the AuNPs. A three-factor central composite experimentally designed model was created using Design Expert incorporating pH, temperature, and gold concentration as …

In-Situ Generation Of Hydrocarbons From Kerogen Using Electromagnetic Radiation, Forrest Green

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

From using surface seeps to modern day exploitation of hydrocarbon source rocks, the petroleum industry is awaiting the next big innovation, accelerated kerogen conversion. In the industry’s history, electromagnetic radiation (EMR) has been used for exploration and now it will be taken to the extreme by determining an effective and efficient method to synthetically generate readily available hydrocarbons. The study starts with examining and defining what kerogen is and its importance as a source material. A strong understanding of what kerogen is, and an analysis of other in-situ projects presents an opportunity to study the finer details of kerogen’s conversion …

Treatment Of Mine Tailings Through Two Methods Of Calcite Precipitation: (I) Using Natural Mineral Trona, (Ii) Microbially Induced Calcite Precipitation Via Denitrification, Nathaniel Small

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Mine tailings not only pose environmental risks such as dust emission and acid mine drainage but also present geotechnical risks in cases of tailings dam failures which could lead to loss of human life and severe damages to infrastructure. In-situ cementation of tailings has the potential to reduce the risks associated with such failures as well as the related environmental problems. Over the years, different methods of chemically and microbially induced cementation of tailings have been examined many of which have shown promising results on a laboratory scale and some even on a ϐield scale. In this paper, a new …

Increasing Hydrogen Production In Electrolysis With A Magnetic Field, Laurie Battle

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Hydrogen is an important energy carrier that has no carbon emissions when energy is extracted and also can be used as energy storage to increase the practicality of many renewable energy sources. The prominent methods of hydrogen production make use of fossil fuels, resulting in carbon emissions. Electrolysis is a lesser used technology for hydrogen production in which electricity splits water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen gases. If the electricity is sourced from renewable energies, this process releases little to no carbon and the resulting hydrogen is termed “green hydrogen.” While electrolysis and fossil fuel methods have comparable efficiencies of …

Investigating The Possibility Of Using Smelted Water-Cooled Copper Slag Regolith As A Terrestrial Based Lunar Regolith Simulant, Scott A. Morley

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

There is a need for a stable, efficient, and cost-effective option of a terrestrial lunar regolith simulant that can be easily made and at a lower cost to the consumer. A lunar regolith is the layer of unconsolidated rocky material covering bedrock that is on planets. All simulants fabricated for the moon, are based off three types of lunar regolith areas. The first is the lunar highlands which are the high areas of the moon, these areas are anthracitic. The second is lunar mare which is the meteoroid bombarded areas of the moon that look like dark grey areas from …

Characterizing Hydrostratigraphic Communication Of The Semi-Consolidated Sediment Aquifers Of The Flathead Valley In Northwestern Montana Through Hydrogeophysical Surveys, Elizabeth Katherine Breitmeyer

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

To accurately forecast the cascading effects of increased stress to a hydrologic system, characterization of the continuity and permeability of the primary confining layer (PCL) separating the shallow and deep intermontane alluvial aquifers is required. Geophysical methods provide a faster cost-effective alternative to drilling to acquire additional information on the changes of hydrostratigraphy with depth. Geoelectric resistivity models recovered through inversion of TEM central loop sounding data to delineate changes in geoelectric properties with depth, providing information on the depth, thickness and resistivity of the hydrostratigraphy. Comparison of geoelectric resistivity models with well completion report lithologies yield information about the …

Fabrication And Characterization Of Manganese Oxide Surfaces From Polymer-Based Fiber Precursors, Molly C. Brockway

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Supercapacitors are an energy storage technologycombining properties of both capacitors and batteries to deliver high power and energydensities. Supercapacitors store charge through electrostatic and faradaic interactions between the electrode and ionic electrolyte. By improving the physical structure of electrodes, the interfacial area where energy storage occurs can be increased and electrochemical performance improved. New, fibrous, manganese oxide web-based structures tested for use as a supercapacitor electrode were fabricated by electrospinning and direct calcinationof metal salt-containing polymer fibers, and the effects of fabrication parameters on electrochemical performance were investigated. Data show that high polymer concentrations and low oxide precursor concentrations during …

Inhomogeneous Composite Design For High Energy Impact Resistance Through Computational Design, Physical Testing And Analysis, And Mathematical Modeling, Trenin Bayless

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Research in the development of impact resistant materials has been an expanding field for the better part of a hundred years. The development of a light penetration resistant and man-portable system that can resist extreme quantities of kinetic energy has been a subject of substantial study. In particular, the use of composite materials, polymers, ceramics, and metals has been critical to the development of the field. With the advent of complex computational programs for defining material properties, it has become possible to use simulations as a starting point for the development of next generation armored systems. To that end, it …

Can Laboratory Results From New Methods Of Measuring Proppant Conductivity Be Used To Better Model Hydraulic Fractures In Reservoir Simulation?, Kofi Dabo

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Proppants are a key part of hydraulic fracturing, a technique in oil production that allows the production of hydrocarbons from low permeability reservoirs. The hydraulic fracturing process intends to create new fractures in the rock as well as increase the size, extent, and connectivity of existing fractures. The American Petroleum Institute (API) developed two testing procedures for measuring conductivity of proppants in a laboratory setting, namely; the Short-Term Proppant Conductivity Testing Procedure (API PR 61, 1989) and Long-Term Proppant Conductivity Testing Method (API PR 19D, 2008). However, testing methods produced inconsistent results, with a significant coefficient of variance of ±80% …

Adapting Open Pit Mine Design Fundamentals To Leverage The Advantages Of Autonomous Haulage Systems, Race Owens

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

It is common practice, and even legally required in many jurisdictions, to design two-lane haul roads in open pit mines to three and a half times the widest dimension of the haul trucks operating on the road. In open pit gold mines with high strip ratios, the road width has a significant impact on the economics of a design. It is possible to minimize the flattening of the highwall if the road width is reduced, assuming the width used is not needed to flatten the slopes for geotechnical purposes. With the use of autonomous haulage and pull-outs, it may be …

Particle Tracking Of A Simulated Melt Pool Of Selective Laser Melting, Prakash Gautam

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Metal additive manufacturing (AM) produces parts by addition as compared to subtraction of material. Selective laser melting (SLM) is an AM technique that prints objects layer-by-layer, selectively melting powders using a laser. The mechanical properties of SLM parts are affected by processing parameters and powder characteristics, both of which alter the molten melt pool flow field. Marangoni convection (M-flow) is a thermo-capillary mass transfer from a region of lower surface tension to a region of higher surface tension, referred to as a radially outward flow for SLM. However, in the presence of surface-active elements such as oxides and sulfides, the …

Orphan Boy And Orphan Girl: Historical Information On Groundwater And Flooded Workings, Emelina Doucette

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Groundwater has historically, and still is, a concern within the mining industry due to the relationships between potential environmental and safety impacts. Montana Technological University uses a once operating silver mine, the Orphan Boy, to provide students with hands-on experience and is known as the Underground Mine Education Center (UMEC). The UMEC, and neighboring Orphan Girl mine located at the World Museum of Mining, have experienced increasing water levels the past few years. A compilation of known information pertaining to the Orphan Girl and Orphan Boy groundwater connections is presented using historical groundwater and mine data, stope books, hydrographs, and …

Phytoremediation Of Mining Contaminated Soil And Groundwater By Hemp (Cannabis Sativa L.) And Locally Adapted Native Plants, Nathan Carpenter

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Phytoremediation is an environmentally friendly and cost-effective method of using plants to remediate soils and groundwater by extracting and accumulating contaminants in their tissues. Using locally adapted native plants is preferable to non-native species due to native species being accustomed to the environmental conditions allowing for increased plant growth and fitness. It is typical to use hyperaccumulator plant species since they will grow in soils with very high concentrations of metals and metalloids and show efficient ability to recover (phytoextraction potential) and accumulate (bioconcentration factor) the contaminants in its tissues.

This study focuses on using thirteen locally adapted native plant …

Analysis Of Semi-Arid Riparian Environments Using Satellite Imagery, Kira Overin

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Semi-arid riparian environments are at risk of being over-exploited or degraded due to increased water usage associated with growing housing demands. Trends surrounding these developments can be monitored using freely available Landsat satellite imagery in conjunction with seasonal stream discharge rates. This project focuses on a stream system located southwest of Ennis, Montana, where population is growing rapidly. It aims to characterize the connection between variable discharge rates in small-scale riparian environments and adjoining vegetation health, while considering possible implications of continued urbanization. Methods for preventing riparian ecosystem degradation and promoting resilience are also discussed.

Effect Of Global Energy Density On Dynamic Strain Hardening Of Selective Laser Melted Alsi10mg, Md Salah Uddin

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

The characteristics of strain hardening of selective laser melting (SLM) processed AlSi10Mg under dynamic impact was investigated. The dynamic impact at high strain rate loading conditions occurs in many engineering applications, such as collisions of flying objects on aircraft engine components like bird impact, vehicle collisions, and impacts occur in sports events like club impact on golf balls and helmet impact. Among these various applications, the strength of the materials needs to characterize accurately for product quality, performance, and reliability.

AlSi10Mg is a lightweight metal alloy, and it has a growing demand in aircraft, military, and automotive applications. SLM is …

Investigation Into The Effects Of Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Exposure On Well-Bore Cement Integrity, Claude Boiteau

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Current subterranean injection of anthropogenic Carbon Dioxide (CO₂), or CO₂ resulting from human activity, is occurring at multiple locations in both the domestic United States and abroad. It involves the capture of CO₂ from stationary industrial sources such as power plants and processing facilities, and subsequent injection into suitable subsurface environments. Injection is an alternative to the release of CO₂ and reduces the environmental impact of increased atmospheric carbon levels. The three scenarios for CO₂ injection are: the sequestration of captured anthropogenic CO₂, the re-injection of produced CO₂, and the …

Use Of Shotcrete Made With Mine Waste To Reduce Costs And Environmental Impacts Of Waste Disposal, Casey Penney

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Mine waste rock is often recycled for paste and cement backfill in underground cut and fill mining operations. Aggregate in concrete and road surfacing material is another use if the mine waste does not contain deleterious materials that can degrade surface and ground water quality where it is used. Shotcrete usage in mining has been primarily limited to packaged dry mixes from offsite manufacturers. Substituting a manufacturer’s pre-mixed shotcrete with crushed and sized mine waste rock can reduce both the shotcrete cost and the environmental impact of waste disposal operations by reducing the required volume capacity and footprint size required …

Modeling And Prototyping A Modular, Low-Cost Collision Avoidance System For Uavs, Tyler Holliday

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Many challenges arise when attempting to use unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in indoor environments, such as the lack of a GPS signal for use in navigation and the smaller margin of error in movements. Typically, those challenges are addressed by using a collision avoidance system. However, most commercially available collision avoidance systems are expensive, limited in suppliers, and are restricted to use on a specific platform. Additionally, some of the collision avoidance systems choose to forego obstacle detection in one or more directions, usually the upward direction. This work proposes that it is possible to develop a custom, low-cost collision …

Synthesis Of Carbide Ceramics Via Reduction And Carburization Of Oxyanions Adsorbed Onto An Activated Carbon Matrix, Grant Wallace

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Carbide ceramics rank high among the hardest and most chemically resistant materials. Their ability to resist physical and chemical attack under conditions where more traditional materials fail make them very desirable for a number of industrial applications. Their use is limited, however, due to the expensive and energy-intensive methods required to produce them commercially.

A more versatile and energy-efficient process for commercial carbide production has been developed by synthesizing micron/sub-micron carbide ceramic particles through the adsorption and subsequent carburization of anions on an activated carbon matrix. Oxyanion solutions containing sodium tungstate, sodium molybdate, or sodium metasilicate are adsorbed onto activated …

A Testbed And Methods For Improved Power Plant Model Validation Via Pmu Terminal Measurements, Jacob Eisenbarth

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

The power industry requires the validation and sharing of the models for generators and controlling equipment to other utilities within North America. Accurate simulation of the electric grid is essential when setting operation and control strategies during various conditions present on the grid. An industry accepted method for performing model validation involves using the voltage and frequency measurements during an event, typically recorded by a phasor measurement unit, to perform a dynamic simulation on the system. The output real and reactive powers from the dynamic simulation and the actual event are then compared to each other. If the real and …

Assessing The Energy Management Culture Of Global Leading Mining Companies: Curbing Carbon Emissions In A World Of Growing Climate Change Concerns, Irene Ateng

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Industries such as the oil, mining and chemical industry have been under a lot of pressure from governments and certain organizations worldwide to reduce their carbon footprint. The United Nations (UN), the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) and other organizations, have mapped out policies and recommendations that can be used to achieve this. Mining companies all over the world have adopted sustainability commitments based on recommendations by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and have set targets for managing their energy use and GHG emissions. This research assessed the energy management culture of twenty (20) leading …

A Novel Method For Making Titanium Dioxide For Photocatalytic Applications, Gary Wilson

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Titanium dioxide possesses near-ideal properties for large-scale application as a photocatalyst. It is cheap and abundant, nontoxic, and environmentally safe. However, it still suffers from logistical problems preventing its application in industry: namely, rapid electron-hole recombination and inability to utilize visible light. For nearly five decades researchers in this booming field have made numerous attempts to address these problems, doping and combining titanium dioxide with a wide range of materials. A novel ambient-temperature approach to synthesis and doping/modification of anatase-form titanium dioxide was attempted using both oxygen-rich and oxygen deprived synthetic routes. Reactants were exposed to various wavelengths of ultraviolet …

Hydrologic Response Of Headwater Streams Restored With Beaver Dam Analogue Structures, Evan Norman

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

In the semiarid and arid western United States, it is important to understand the potential effects of stream restoration on surface-water and groundwater. In this study, we evaluate the seasonal and annual hydrologic impacts of beaver-dam analogue (BDA) restoration in the Blacktail Creek (BTC) Watershed south of Butte, Montana. We monitored surface water flow, groundwater levels, temperature, and specific conductance primarily using a control-treatment study design. In treated reaches, groundwater levels were closer to the ground surface and showed less seasonal fluctuation. Changes in overall streamflow in the control reaches had stream losses and gains varying from -21.0 to 19.9 …