Mining Engineering Commons^™

Management Of Coal Dust Explosions In United States' Coal Mines Using Bag Type Passive Explosion Barriers, Jay Robert Schafler

Masters Theses

"The most significant and powerful hazard that exists in an underground coal mine is a coal dust explosion. A coal dust explosion has the potential to propagate throughout a mine resulting in massive damage to the mine and equipment, as well as tragic loss of life. An assessment of current global regulations and practices uncovered four main control methods utilized to prevent coal dust explosions in coal mines world-wide. The United States is one of the few countries that does not regulate or employ all four of these safety practices. Additionally, a review of past research into coal dust explosions …

Correlation Between Delay Time And Measured Concentration And Concentration Uncertainty By Neutron Activation Analysis, James Thomas Seman

Doctoral Dissertations

"For the last several decades, it has been apparent that new methods of identifying explosives can help investigators trace their origins. One way to identify an explosive is through the use of taggants: materials added to a product that encodes information about the product such as when it was manufactured.

This research investigates the survivability of a new identification taggant called the Nuclear Barcode that overcomes some of the downfalls that have been identified in prior taggants. The Nuclear Barcode encodes information as a unique combination of concentrations of rare earths (Ho, Eu, Sm, Lu, and Dy) and precious metals …

Imaging And Mitigating Karst Features, Kenneth Joseph Bansah

Doctoral Dissertations

"Over the last three years, a comprehensive subsurface investigation that combines both conventional and geophysical techniques has been conducted near Springfield in southwest Missouri, United States. This study, which forms part of the comprehensive subsurface investigation, aimed to (1) image and characterize the subsurface, (2) map variations in engineering properties of soil/rock, (3) map variable depth to top of rock, (4) explore the utility of the geophysical techniques, (5) determine the factors contributing to karst processes, and (6) propose karst mitigation. Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and multichannel analysis of surface waves (MASW) were employed for the acquisition of subsurface geophysical …

Mitigation Of Environmental Hazards Of Sulfide Mineral Flotation With An Insight Into Froth Stability And Flotation Performance, Muhammad Badar Hayat

Doctoral Dissertations

"Today's major challenges facing the flotation of sulfide minerals involve constant variability in the ore composition; environmental concerns; water scarcity and inefficient plant performance. The present work addresses these challenges faced by the flotation process of complex sulfide ore of Mississippi Valley type with an insight into the froth stability and the flotation performance. The first project in this study was aimed at finding the optimum conditions for the bulk flotation of galena (PbS) and chalcopyrite (CuFeS₂) through Response Surface Methodology (RSM). In the second project, an attempt was made to replace toxic sodium cyanide (NaCN) with the biodegradable chitosan …

Improving Workers' Safety And Health In The Zimbabwean Mining And Quarrying Industry, Bernard Mabika

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Lack of effective occupational safety and health (OSH) strategies is a reason that

workplace accidents in the mining and quarrying industry remain high, making the

industry one of the riskiest operations worldwide. The purpose of this multiple case study

was to explore successful strategies mining and quarrying leaders in Zimbabwe used to

improve OSH. The key research question addressed successful strategies leaders in the

mining and quarrying industry use to improve employee occupational safety and health in

Zimbabwe. Six successful business leaders from 3 mining and quarrying mines in

Zimbabwe demonstrated an exception to unsafe practices, particularly through their

exceptional …

Exploring The Use Of A Time-Frequency Domain Technique For The Filtering Of Acoustic Emission/Microseismic Data, Charles Mborah, Maochen Ge, Zhigang Wang

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The performance of acoustic emission/micro seismic (AE/MS) monitoring systems in mines is greatly impacted by background noise interference. Mine trucks/vehicles, fans, blasting and electrical spikes generate noise which negatively affect AE/MS signal quality. Using such datasets without filtering may lead to inaccurate determination of first arrivals and hence wrong source location. Also, data contaminated with noise makes manual identification and picking of the first arrivals impossible or difficult to achieve. This paper explored the use of stationary discrete wavelet transform as a filter to augment noise reduction on mine AE/MS data. The output of a test run on both noisy …

Effect Of Explosive Charge Geometry On Shockwave Propagation, Catherine E. Johnson, Phillip R. Mulligan, Kelly Williams, Martin Langenderfer, Jeffrey Heniff

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

With advancements in the 3D printing of explosives, the understanding how the shape of an explosive charge influences the energy expansion and subsequently the focusing of energy is becoming increasingly more important. Theoretically, explosive charges could be printed to focus the energy on targets of interest or to synthesize nanomaterials. The first step to quantifying the energy expansion and shock wave convergences for a 3D printed charge is to examine simple geometries of traditional explosive charges (non-3D printed). Detonation of 15 PETN-based primasheet charges in the spherical, cubic, cylindrical, and tetrahedral configurations have been examined in this study. Qualitative data …

Electrospinning: Polymer Nanofibre Adsorbent Applications For Metal Ion Removal, O. K. Pereao, C. Bode-Aluko, G. Ndayambaje, O. Fatoba, L. F. Petrik

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In recent decades, electro spun nanofibers have been applied to different potential fields such as sensor devices, tissue engineering scaffolds, wound dressing, filtration, drug delivery, etc. and significant review papers have been published in these fields. However, the use of electro spun nanofibers in metal ion adsorption is emerging and comparatively innovative. Nanofiber materials hold great potential in advancing the growth of metallurgical technologies and progress for the separation of metallic ions from various sources. The Physico-chemical removal processes of adsorption use nanofibers due to their large surface area to volume ratio and the availability of a wide variety of …

Shockwave Interaction With A Cylindrical Structure, Phillip R. Mulligan

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

An increased understanding of the shockwave interaction with a cylindrical structure is the foundation for developing a method to explosively seal a pipe similar to the Deepwater Horizon accident in the Gulf of Mexico. Shockwave interactions with a cylindrical structure have been a reoccurring focus of energetics research. Some of the most notable contributions of non-destructive tests are described in ``The Effects of Nuclear Weapons'' (Glasstone, 1962). The work presented by Glasstone examines shockwave interaction from a 20-megaton bomb with a cylindrical structure. However, the data is limited to a peak overpressure of less than 25 psi, requiring several miles …

Crustal Thickness Beneath Libya And The Origin Of Partial Melt Beneath As Sawda Volcanic Province From Receiver Function Constraints, Awad A. Lemnifi, Abdelsalam Elshaafi, John Browning, Nassib Aouad, Saad K. El Ebaidi, Kelly K. Liu, Agust Gudmundsson

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This study investigates crustal thickness and properties within the Libyan region. Results obtained from 15 seismic stations belonging to the Libyan Center for Remote Sensing and Space Science are reported, in addition to 3 seismic stations publically available, using receiver functions. The results show crustal thicknesses ranging from 24 km to 36 km (with uncertainties ranging between ±0.10 km and ±0.90 km). More specifically, crustal thickness ranges from 32 km to 36 km in the southern portion of the Libyan territory then becomes thinner, between 24 km and 30 km, in the coastal areas of Libya and thinnest, between 24 …

Time Effect Of Water Injection On The Mechanical Properties Of Coal And Its Application In Rockburst Prevention In Mining, Xiaofei Liu, Guang Xu, Chong Zhang, Biao Kong, Jifa Qian, Dong Zhu, Mingyao Wei

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Coal seam water injection is widely used to prevent rockbursts in coal mines, and the duration of water injection is an important parameter related to the effectiveness of rockburst prevention, making it of practical importance to optimize the effective water injection duration. This paper presents the test results of the mechanical properties and pore structure of samples with different soaking time, obtained from a working face where rockburst occurred. Soaking time changes the mechanical properties of samples, and this time effect differs with the coal size (from centimeter to nanometer size). Results of numerical simulation and on-site tests in the …

Early Warning System For Shallow Landslides Using Rainfall Threshold And Slope Stability Analysis, Shruti Naidu, K. S. Sajinkumar, Thomas Oommen, V.J. Anuja, Rinu Samuel, C. Muraleedharan

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

A combined cluster and regression analysis were performed for the first time to identify rainfall threshold that triggers landslide events in Amboori, Kerala, India. Amboori is a tropical area that is highly vulnerable to landslides. The 2, 3, and 5-day antecedent rainfall data versus daily rainfall was clustered to identify a cluster of critical events that could potentially trigger landslides. Further, the cluster of critical events was utilized for regression analysis to develop the threshold equations. The 5-day antecedent (x-variable) vs. daily rainfall (y-variable) provided the best fit to the data with a threshold equation of …

Geopolitics Of Rare Earth Elements, Bert Chapman

Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

Rare earth elements (REE) contain unique chemical physical properties such as lanthamum, are found in small concentrations, need extensive precise properties to separate, and are critical components of modern technologies such as laser guidance systems, personal electronics such as IPhones, satellites, and military weapons systems as varied as Virginia-class fast attack submarines, DDG-51 Aegis destroyers, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, and precision guided munitions. The U.S. has some rare earth resources, but is heavily dependent on access to them from countries as varied as Afghanistan, Bolivia, and China. Losing access to these resources would have significant adverse economic, military, and …

Engineering Decision Making Under Uncertainties, Snehamoy Chatterjee

TechTalks

Uncertainty is an inherent component of any engineering problem. Uncertainty comes at different stages of an engineering project with different level of complexities. Decision making by neglecting uncertainty may leads to an incorrect solution for a project. Our research focuses on identification and quantification of different sources of uncertainness, and bringing uncertainties within the decision making framework. We are developing algorithms for uncertainty evaluation of spatial and temporal data by integrating multiple source and multiple scale data types, and stochastic optimization models to take into account multiple objectives and constraints. We are applying our research on mining, geology, and geo-hydrology …

Atmospheric Processes Affecting The Separation Of Volcanic Ash And So < Inf> 2 In Volcanic Eruptions: Inferences From The May 2011 Grímsvötn Eruption, Fred Prata, Mark Woodhouse, Herbert E. Huppert, Andrew Prata, Thor Thordarson, S. Carn

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

The separation of volcanic ash and sulfur dioxide (SO2) gas is sometimes observed during volcanic eruptions. The exact conditions under which separation occurs are not fully understood but the phenomenon is of importance because of the effects volcanic emissions have on aviation, on the environment, and on the earth's radiation balance. The eruption of Grímsvötn, a subglacial volcano under the Vatnajökull glacier in Iceland during 21-28 May 2011 produced one of the most spectacular examples of ash and SO2 separation, which led to errors in the forecasting of ash in the atmosphere over northern Europe. Satellite data from several sources …

Reference Data Set Of Volcanic Ash Physicochemical And Optical Properties, A. Vogel, S. Diplas, A. J. Durant, A. S. Azar, M. F. Sunding, William I. Rose, A. Sytchkova, C. Bonadonna, K. Krüger, A. Stohl

Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences Publications

Uncertainty in the physicochemical and optical properties of volcanic ash particles creates errors in the detection and modeling of volcanic ash clouds and in quantification of their potential impacts. In this study, we provide a data set that describes the physicochemical and optical properties of a representative selection of volcanic ash samples from nine different volcanic eruptions covering a wide range of silica contents (50–80 wt % SiO₂). We measured and calculated parameters describing the physical (size distribution, complex shape, and dense-rock equivalent mass density), chemical (bulk and surface composition), and optical (complex refractive index from ultraviolet to …

Effects Of Loading Rate On Gas Seepage And Temperature In Coal And Its Potential For Coal-Gas Disaster Early-Warning, Chong Zhang, Xiaofei Liu, Guang Xu, Xiaoran Wang

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The seepage velocity and temperature externally manifest the changing structure, gas desorption and energy release that occurs in coal containing gas failure under loading. By using the system of coal containing gas failure under loading, this paper studies the law of seepage velocity and temperature under different loading rates and at 1.0 MPa confining pressure and 0.5 MPa gas pressure, and combined the on-site results of gas pressure and temperature. The results show that the stress directly affects the seepage velocity and temperature of coal containing gas, and the pressure and content of gas have the most sensitivity to mining …

Impact Of Coalbed Incidence Angle On Methane Enrichment Zone In Longwall Gob, Shengyong Hu, Ao Zhang, Guorui Feng, Shuwen Guan, Xiangqian Guo, Chao Li, Guang Xu

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

To control methane emissions in gob into longwall working faces, it is necessary to understand the distributions of methane enrichment zones (MEZ) around mined coal seams with different incidence angles. In this paper, FLAC^3D software is used to calculate the three-dimensional stress distributions in MEZ in gobs with coalbed incidence angles ranging from 0° to 50°. The results show that MEZ consistently exhibit a "hexagon" shape, and rotate in a clockwise direction as the coalbed angle increases. The MEZ range above the mined seam is larger than that below the mined seam. As the coalbed angle increases, the MEZ …

Degradation Of Bisphenol-A By Dielectric Barrier Discharge System: Influence Of Polyethylene Glycol Stabilized Nano Zero Valent Iron Particles, Jimoh O. Tijani, Massima E.S. Mouele, Ojo O. Fatoba, Omotola O. Babajide, Leslie F. Petrik

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In this study we report the synthesis and catalytic properties of polyethylene glycol stabilized nano zero valent iron particles (PEG-nZVI) added to the dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) system to induce photo-Fenton process in the degradation of bisphenol A (BPA) in aqueous solution. The influence of operating parameters such as solution pH, initial concentration of the modelled pollutant and PEG-nZVI dosage on the extent of BPA degradation was investigated. The residual concentration of BPA and its intermediates were determined using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LCMS). The high-resolution scanning electron microscope (HRSEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller …

Degradation Of 2-Nitrophenol By Dielectric Barrier Discharge System: The Influence Of Carbon Doped Tio2 Photocatalyst Supported On Stainless Steel Mesh, J. O. Tijani, M. E.S. Mouele, T. C. Tottito, O. O. Fatoba, L. F. Petrik

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This study investigated the degradation of 2-nitrophenol (2-NP) in aqueous solution by dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) system alone and its combination with supported TiO₂ photocatalysts. The TiO₂ photocatalyst supported on a stainless-steel mesh was synthesized using sol–gel solution of 8% polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/dimethylformamide/TiCl4 followed by pyrolysis in the furnace under N2 atmosphere at temperatures of 300, 350, or 400 °C for 3 h holding time. The supported catalysts were characterized for their morphologies, functional groups, crystallinity, surface areas and elemental chemical states by high resolution scanning electron microscope (HRSEM), Fourier transform infrared, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area, …