Mining Engineering Commons^™

Modeling And Validation Of Local Electrowinning Electrode Current Density Using Two Phase Flow And Nernst-Planck Equations, Joshua M. Werner, W. Zeng, M. L. Free, Z. Zhang, J. Cho

Mining Engineering Faculty Publications

In this work we demonstrate the validity of a multi-physics model using COMSOL to predict the local current density distribution at the cathode of a copper electrowinning test cell. Important developments utilizing Euler-Euler bubbly flow with coupled Nernst-Planck transport equations allow additional insights into deposit characteristics and topographies.

A New Hybrid Decision Support Tool For Evaluating The Sustainability Of Mining Projects, S. Kamenopoulos, Zacharias Agioutantis, K. Komnitsas

Mining Engineering Faculty Publications

The integration of sustainable development challenges and opportunities into the decision making process during the design and/or implementation of multi-disciplinary mining projects is generally not supported by decision support systems (DSS). A new hybrid decision support tool, which features an integrated assessment of sustainable development issues as they apply to mining projects, is hereby proposed. The proposed DSS framework, named “Acropolis DSS”, can be used to assist involved stakeholders in critical decisions, especially when addressing issues such as stakeholder participation, transparency, and trade-offs. The proposed DSS is based on a multi-criteria decision analysis combined with the multi-attribute utility theory.

Reliability Analysis For Mine Blast Performance Based On Delay Type And Firing Time, Jhon Silva-Castro, Lifeng Li, Jeremy M. Gernand

Mining Engineering Faculty Publications

Mining blasts may be defined as the use of explosive charges in a controlled manner by following a tightly controlled timing sequence according to an assigned firing order. Changes of timing between charges may result in an altered firing order and failure of the blasting sequence, which can cause high vibration levels, poor fragmentation, and/or an undesirable rock mass movement direction. Despite the importance of timing in determining mine blast results, there exists a lack of methodologies or tools with which to assess performance of a complete blast based on delay type and timing sequence. This document applies reliability engineering …

Investigation Of The Effectiveness Of An Integrated Flooded-Bed Dust Scrubber On A Longwall Shearer Through Laboratory Testing And Cfd Simulation, Sampurna N. Arya

Theses and Dissertations--Mining Engineering

Dust generation at an underground coal mine working face continues to be a health and safety issue. Prolonged exposure to high concentrations of airborne respirable dust can cause a debilitating and often fatal respiratory disease called Black Lung. In addition, the deposition of float dust in mine return airways poses a serious safety hazard if not sufficiently diluted with inert rock dust. A localized methane explosion can transition into a self-propagating dust explosion. Since dust is a byproduct of various mining activities, such as cutting and loading, crushing, and transportation, the dust-related issues cannot be totally eliminated. However, the adverse …

Numerical Analysis Of Stress Distributions For Multiple Backfilled Stopes, Christopher Richard Newman

Theses and Dissertations--Mining Engineering

Over the past three decades, technological innovations with respect to cemented paste backfill (CPB) as a means of ground support has allowed for increased production within the mining industry, management mine waste costs, as well as the improvement of the overall health and safety of underground mining operations. Despite the extensive use of this relatively new ground support material, many fundamental factors affecting the design of safe and economical CPB structures are still not well understood.Recently, a significant amount of academic and industry research has been conducted to better understanding the distribution of stress with respect to primary-secondary extraction sequencing …

Evaluation And Prevention Of Spontaneous Combustion During Handling And Storage Of Coal, Amir E. Najarzadeh

Theses and Dissertations--Mining Engineering

Spontaneous combustion of coal has historically been a major problem for the coal industry, predominantly during storage and transportation. Various methods have been used in the laboratory for evaluating the propensity of different coal sources to self-heat. However, the heterogeneity of coal and the complexity of the system has resulted in inconsistencies and sometimes conflicting results as indicated by the findings reported in several publications.

The primary objective of the current study was to build a laboratory scale apparatus that simulates the condition of a coal stockpile to evaluate the events leading to spontaneous combustion and develop potential remedies. As …

Synthesis Of Single-Hole Vibration Waveforms From A Mining Blast, Lifeng Li

Theses and Dissertations--Mining Engineering

In mining engineering, blast-induced ground vibration has become one of the major concerns when production blasts are conducted, especially when the mining areas and the blast sites are near inhabited areas or infrastructure of interest. To comply with regulations, a vibration monitoring program should be developed for each mining operation. The vibration level, which is usually indicated by the peak particle velocity (PPV) of the vibration waveform, should fall below the maximum allowable values. Ideally, when blasting is near structures of interest (power towers, dams, houses, etc.), the vibration level (PPV) should be predicted prior to the actual production blasts. …

Investigation Of Environmental Cadmium Sources In Eastern Kentucky, Elizabeth Maher

Theses and Dissertations--Mining Engineering

Utilizing data collected by the University of Kentucky Lung Cancer Research Initiative (LCRI), this study investigated potential mining-related sources for the elevated levels of cadmium in Harlan and Letcher counties. Statistical analyses for this study were conducted utilizing SAS. A number of linear regression models and logarithmic models were used to evaluate the significance of the data. The linear regression models consisted of both simple and multivariate types, with the simple models seeking to establish significance between the potential sources and urine cadmium levels and the multivariate models seeking both to identify any statistically significant linear relationships between source types …

Analysis Of Underground Coal Mine Structures Subjected To Dynamic Events, Brooklynn Yonts

Theses and Dissertations--Mining Engineering

Underground coal mine explosions pose a significant threat to infrastructure such as mine seals and refuge alternative chambers. After a mine seal failed in the Sago mine disaster, which took the life of 12 miners, design requirements were reexamined and improved. However, most research being completed on the analysis of mine structures during an explosive event focuses solely on peak pressure values, while ignoring the impact of pressure duration. This study investigates the impact pressure duration, waveform shape, and impulse have on structural displacement, while also exploring what pressures and duration can be expected during a mine explosion. Additionally, the …

Dust Control Examination Using Computational Fluid Dynamics Modeling And Laboratory Testing Of Vortecone And Impingement Screen Filters, Ashish R. Kumar

Theses and Dissertations--Mining Engineering

Heavy industries, such as mining, generate dust in quantities that present an occupational health hazard. Prolonged exposure to the respirable dust has been found to result in many irreversible occupational ailments in thousands of miners. In underground mining applications, a variety of scrubbing systems are used to remove dust near the zones of generation. However, the wire-mesh type fibrous screens in the flooded-bed dust scrubbers used on continuous miners, are prone to clogging due to the accumulation of dust particles. This clogging results in a reduced capture efficiency and a higher exposure to the personnel. This research establishes the Vortecone, …