Engineering Commons^™

Recovery Of Rare Earth Elements By Advanced Processing Technologies, Prince Sarfo

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Rare earth elements (REEs) are strategic materials of extreme importance to both military and civil applications. REEs are mined and processed because of their criticality. End of life rare earth metals are recycled for efficient use of natural resources and also to ensure supply of these critical raw materials. By using hydro- or pyro-metallurgi­cal approaches, REEs can be processed from mined ore or recycled from magnets and other materials as rare earth oxides, fluorides and chlorides. Typically, rare earth oxides are dissolved in a molten halide bath, converted to metal by electrolysis at elevated temperatures, and then recovered as a …

An Investigation Into The Mechanisms Of Liquid Loading In Small-Diameter Vertical Pipes, Matt Malin

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Most gas wells produce either condensed water or liquid hydrocarbons, which over time build up in the wellbore and eventually kill the well – a phenomenon called “liquid loading”. Industry operators have used a criterion based on Stoke’s Law (the Turner criterion) for predicting when liquid loading will begin to occur. However, this approach does not account for multiphase flow effects in the wellbore, causing the Turner criterion to give inconsistent results when applied in the field. This research proposes a 4-stage flow behavior model for gas-dominant flow based on flow morphology changes observed during two experiments conducted in 2.0-inch …

Microstuctural Analysis Of Additively Manufactured 308l Stainless Steel Produced By Plasma Arc Welding, Ryan Foley

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Additive Manufacturing (AM) is a technique to produce special products by depositing layers of material in a specific pattern. Wire and arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) is an AM technique that uses welding equipment that has been modified and automated to deposit layers of welding wire. Characterization of specimens produced by WAAM method is required to optimize the process parameters. This research focuses on the microstructure characterization of 308L stainless steel samples produced by a novel WAAM technique known as Plasma Arc Weld Print 3D (PP3D). PP3D consists of multiple plasma arc torches that can deposit material in two modes of …

Investigation Of Surface Treatment And Density Separation For Selective Recycling Of Plastics, Adilbek Baigabelov

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Froth flotation has been a useful method for flotation separation of plastics. Teeter bed concentration may also be potentially employed to accomplish gravity-based separation of plastics from a mixture. This work investigates selective separation of six different types of plastics using a novel method by combining advanced gravity concentration and froth flotation techniques. Surface active reagents were used during flotation studies for modification of surface properties of certain plastics in order to enhance selectivity. Elutriation technology in a teeter bed separator was successfully employed to achieve gravity-based concentration of certain plastics. The novel flowsheet was shown to recover plastics of …

Vu Villa Structural Design And Rehabilitation, Kolby Sukut

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

The Vu Villa is a bar and pizzeria which has operated out of the first floor of the Campana building in Butte, Montana since 1967. Construction of the Campana building started in 1894 and was completed before the end of the 19^th century. The Campana building is a two-story building which primarily consists of exterior brick masonry walls and wood framing on the interior. Within the last several decades significant sag has been identified in the second-floor of the building as well as an adjacent staircase. In addition, renovation activities have been discussed for the upstairs which would involve …

Evaluating Volumetric Strain As A Predictor Of Yield And Peak Strength For The Multistage Triaxial Test: A Case Study With Utah Coal Specimens, Emmanuel Orilogi

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Failure envelopes used to characterize the shear strength of geological materials are generally obtained through conventional triaxial testing of multiple specimens and most of the specimens are heterogonous and expensive to obtain. Therefore, the multistage triaxial test was introduced to make use of a single specimen for material strength characterization, compared to the conventional triaxial test that requires at least three specimens. In the multistage triaxial test, the challenge to obtaining meaningful data is identifying when to terminate each loading stage. The goal is to be as close to the peak strength of the material but below the stress threshold …

Investigation Of The Toppling Of Rectangular Rigid Blocks Using A Shake Table And Distinct Element Models, Sara Magallon

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Understanding the engineering principles of failure modes in rock formations from seismic activity continues to be a challenging problem for engineers and geologists. The complexity of the geology, geometry, discontinuities, and earthquake ground motions contribute to the difficulty in estimating the stability of rock slopes. In this study, one classic rock slope failure mode is examined: the toppling behavior of a single rigid rectangular block under dynamic loading. An investigation employing experimental and numerical modeling techniques was performed to observe the response of wooden blocks with different aspect (width/height) ratios subjected to loading at the base and compared to established …

Mineralogy And Fluid Inclusion Study Of The Crystal Mountain Fluorite Mine, Ravalli County, Montana, Francis Grondin

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

The Crystal Mountain Fluorite Mine, known for its vast amounts of massively grown fluorite and rare accessory minerals including fergusonite (YNbO₄) and thortveitite (Sc₂Si₂O₇), is located in the Sapphire Mountains 22 km east of the town of Darby, Montana. This site has been mined previously between the years of 1954 through 1973. The Taber collection of drill core, thin sections, mine maps and miscellaneous reports on Crystal Mountain was recently donated to the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology for future studies. The purpose of the present study has been to use …

Enhancing The Efficiency Of Electrokinetic Remediation Through The Use Of Complexing Agents, Timothy Driscoll

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Electrokinetic remediation was accessed as a viable remediation technology for heavy metal contamination modeled after contamination present in Butte, MT caused by over a century of hard rock mining. The remediation technology was assessed at a laboratory scale using copper sulfate (CuSO₄) as a model compound of mine tailing contamination, and an artificial soil to control for variables outside the scope of work. This thesis designed a laboratory scale experiment that produced consistent results and could be easily repeated. The system design also included a method for managing the waste material produced during experiments. Following the experimental design, …

Downhole Rf Communication: Characterization And Modeling Of Waveguide Propagation In A Fluid-Filled Drill Pipe, Patrick Cote

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Current technologies for downhole communication in oil and gas drilling applications are severely limited in data rate and latency. This work proposes that a system based upon guided wave propagation could be designed to utilize a wireless, radio frequency (RF) signal to yield tens of megabits per second of data transfer. To determine the feasibility of the proposed system, a test setup was built to measure attenuation of RF signals transmitted through a pipe filled with various drilling fluids. A finite element analysis model was also built to further investigate waveguide propagation of electromagnetic signals in a fluid filled pipe. …

Using Groundwater Modeling To Assess Groundwater And Stream Connectivity In A River Restoration Application, John Joseph Lunzer

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Historic placer mining operations along the Middle Fork John Day River (MFJD) north of Galena, Oregon have left the MFJD channel straightened, incised and lacking in riverbed structure. This lack of riverbed structure makes this stretch of the MFJD poor habitat for trout and migrating salmon. In order to restore this stretch of the MFJD to better serve aquatic species, Inter-Fluve Inc. (IF), United States Forest Service (USFS) and The Freshwater Trust (TFT) will be performing restoration to both the MFJD channel as well as Bear Creek, a tributary of the MFJD. The proposed restoration work will consist of re-routing …

Resource Estimation And Simulation At West Butte In The Mcdonald Gold Deposit Near Lincoln, Montana, Jonathan Szarkowski

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

The McDonald gold deposit is located in Lewis and Clark County near Lincoln, Montana and is divided into two regions: East Butte and West Butte. Approximately 90% of gold mineralization at McDonald is hosted by quartz-adularia-altered lithic tuff. Low-grade, stratabound, disseminated mineralization within permeable volcanic tuff is the dominant style of mineralization at McDonald. Higher-grade mineralization at West Butte is interpreted to be controlled by subvertical, intersecting vein systems that occur along the 9800’ E-W fault. Preliminary gold estimates at West Butte indicated the possibility of a 500 koz gold orebody at an average grade of 7.2 grams per ton …

Wall Control Blasting At The Orphan Boy Mine – Butte, Montana, Jewel Sakyi

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Blasting is often conducted to produce desirable fragment sizes to minimize production cost and energy consumption in downstream processes, including loading, hauling, and crushing. However, the venting of explosive energy in the rock formation sometimes causes unwanted damage beyond the desired perimeter of the blast area. Control blasting has mainly been used in surface mining operations to minimalize blast damage. To explore the applicability of control blasting in underground mining operations, protect the safety of students, faculty, and staff, prevent overbreak, and to ensure the stability of openings and workings, four experimental control blasts, comprising of three smooth blasts and …

Horizontal Flow Loop Design For The Study Of Drill String Rotation Effects On Cuttings Transport, David C. Rathgeber

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Exploration and Production companies are continually focusing more time, energy and resources into Extended Reach Drilling in order to maximize reservoir production while minimizing both environmental impact and development costs. These long laterals (2:1 Measured Depth: True Vertical Depth) are often more difficult to drill and can be severely impacted by inadequate drilling practices. Cuttings transport efficiency is a critical parameter of Extended Reach Drilling operations, and poor wellbore cleaning can lead to excessive torque, drag, and several other serious downhole problems.

Although many studies have been performed that identify the importance of drill string rotation on cuttings movement, there …

Dynamic Mechanical Response Of Additively Manufactured 316l And Alsi10mg, Kristofer Kuelper

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Additive manufacturing (AM), or 3D printing, is a layer by layer method for the fabrication of end use parts. Its utilization in the production of metallic materials, while relatively new, is promising as an alternative technique to build custom or small batch parts with much greater agility than traditional manufacturing methods. The laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) AM technique offers a combination of high geometric accuracy and good mechanical properties for a variety of materials even without post-processing. It can do this by adjusting a number of processing parameters including the intensity of the laser and the thickness of the …

Investigation Of Multiple Torch Paw-Based Additive Manufacturing, Nathan Huft

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

PAW Print 3D (PP3D), a wire and arc additive manufacturing (AM) system was developed. PP3D comprises three plasma arc welding torches arranged radially around a central wire feed. Using three torches was hypothesized to eliminate sensitivity to travel direction. Two deposition modes were developed – continuous, which deposited continuous beads, and dabber, which deposited discreet “dabs” of material. Dabber was hypothesized to provide favorable solidification conditions that would refine the as-deposited grain structure. Three sets of process parameters for each deposition mode were developed. Ineffective workpiece melting was observed and investigated during process development. Using COMSOL Multiphysics software and experimental …

Mechanism For Disodium Carboxymethyl Trithiocarbonate (Orfom® D8) Depression In Chalcopyrite-Molybdenite Flotation Systems, Simon Timbillah

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

The chalcopyrite-molybdenite (Cu-Mo) flotation industry is increasingly turning to organic depressants as suitable replacements for inorganic reagents such as NaHS due to environmental and safety concerns as well as high consumption rates of the inorganic reagents. An opportunity arises for improving, designing and synthesizing new alternative reagents. Disodium Carboxymethyl Trithiocarbonate (Orfom^® D8) depressant is an organic depressant with a carboxylate group on one end and a trithiocarbonate group at the other end. Fundamental results are shown regarding the interaction of the Orfom^® D8 depressant in the bulk flotation of a Cu-Mo concentrate from an operating North American mine. …

Raspberry Pi Cluster For Parallel And Distributed Computing, Ngoc Ha

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Parallel and distributed computing have become an essential part of the ‘Big Data’ processing and analysis, especially for geophysical applications. The main goal of this project was to build a 4-node distributed computing cluster system using the Raspberry Pi single-board computers for educational and research purposes. After assembling together the system, a standard test was performed to check the system functionality. A Monte Carlo simulation to calculate π (pi) was used to demonstrate the advantages and drawbacks of parallelization and distribution of tasks and data within the cluster. Challenges encountered during installation of the software and testing phase, and their …

Geochemistry Of Metals And Nutrients In Fine-Sediment Pore Water In Blacktail And Silver Bow Creeks, Butte, Montana, Robert Radar

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Historical mining in Butte, Montana has impacted surface and groundwater in the area. Although most of the known sources of contaminants of concern have been removed or remediated, metal loading continues to occur in lower Blacktail Creek and upper Silver Bow Creek. Possible sources of metals include upwelling groundwater and interaction between the stream and metal-rich sediment in the stream bed. To assess the importance of fine sediment as a source (or sink) for metals, this investigation used sediment pore water diffusion samplers (“peepers”). Peepers are ideal for capturing cm-scale vertical gradients in pore water chemistry across the sediment-water interface. …

Developing Trees Tolerant To Degraded Mine Soils, Francis Inkoom

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

The project discussed in this thesis is part of a larger project developing trees that can tolerate and withstand heavy metals and acidic soils from historic mining operations in Butte Montana as a solution to re-establishing long-term tree growth on those sites. The project involved growing tree seedlings native to Butte, Montana and planting them on degraded mine soils, tailings, and processing wastes (mine waste) located within the Butte Priority Soil Operable Unit (BPSOU). The seedlings were grown for 34 weeks in a greenhouse located on Montana Tech’s campus before being transplanted to a contaminated site (the Clark Mill site) …

The Geology And Geochemistry Of The Golden Chest Gold Deposit, Murray, Idaho, Alexander Brown

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

The Golden Chest Au-W Mine has been intermittently mined since the 1880’s. Mineralized quartz veins have been deposited into the Upper Prichard Formation of the Proterozoic Belt Supergroup. The Golden Chest is located in the Summit Mining District within the Murray Gold Belt region of the greater Coeur d’Alene (CdA) Mining District. A modern geochemical study of the Golden Chest has never been conducted at the Golden Chest.

This thesis investigates, with the collaboration of New Jersey Mining Company (NJMC), the paragenesis of ore forming minerals, the mineralogy of the deposit and the genesis of the ore forming processes. A …

Development Of A Methodology For The Evalutation Of Uav-Based Photogrammetry: Implementation At An Underground Mine, Rachel Becker

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Autonomous systems in underground mining are increasingly being implemented as tools to collect data in inaccessible areas and improve the safety of mine personnel. There are many areas in the underground mining environment that cannot be accessed by personnel due to the high potential for ground fall and insufficient ground support. By combining unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with technologies such as photogrammetry and LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) scanners, 3D point clouds can be created for inaccessible sites. A 3D digital point cloud can provide valuable geotechnical information such as the ability to measure discontinuities, inspect rock conditions, generate accurate …

Experimental Investigation Of The Thermochemical Reduction Of Arsenite And Sulfate: Low Temperature Hydrothermal Copper, Nickel, And Cobalt Arsenide And Sulfide Ore Formation, Nicholas Allin

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Experiments were conducted to determine the relative rates of reduction of aqueous sulfate and aqueous arsenite (As(OH)₃,aq) using foils of copper, nickel, or cobalt as the reductant, at temperatures of 150ºC to 300ºC. At the highest temperature of 300°C, very limited sulfate reduction was observed with cobalt foil, but sulfate was reduced to sulfide by copper foil (precipitation of Cu₂S (chalcocite)) and partly reduced by nickel foil (precipitation of NiS₂ (vaesite) + NiSO₄·xH₂O). In the 300ºC arsenite reduction experiments, Cu₃As (domeykite), Ni₅As₂, or CoAs (langisite) …