Mining Engineering Commons^™

Assessment Of Heavy Metal Contamination In Surface Water Near Tailings Dam, Gera Techane Mengistu, Tesema Kebede, Enatfenta Melaku, Engdasew Temere

Journal of Sustainable Mining

Elevated levels of heavy metals in surface water can lead to the degradation of water quality, especially in mining areas where tailing dams are sources of heavy metal pollution. This study focuses on evaluating the concentrations of heavy metals in surface water near the Legadembi tailings dams. The mean concentrations (in µg/L) of various heavy metals including: arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), mercury (Hg), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), antimony (Sb), selenium (Se), thallium (Tl), uranium (U), vanadium (V), tungsten (W), zinc (Zn), and zirconium (Zr) were determined: 79.7, 0.15, 162.3, 0.66, 18.1, 0.01, …

Intrinsically Safe Pneumatic Seismic Source For Controlled Rock Mass ,Monitoring And Imaging In Underground Mining, Przemysław Sierodzki, Leszek Remiorz, Mateusz Ćwiękała, Krzysztof Krawiec

Journal of Sustainable Mining

This article explores the technical principles of pneumatic seismic sources, focusing on their application in underground mining operations, including environments prone to fire hazards. It introduces an intrinsically safe pneumatic seismic source as a cost-effective solution for quasi-continuous seismic excitation, useful for detecting stress concentrations in mining settings. These stress concentrations are identified through anomalies in seismic wave velocity, which may indicate potentially hazardous deformations in the rock mass. The developed system enables fully remote operation from the surface and integrates with a seismic monitoring system to capture high-resolution waveforms. The study provides an overview of the pneumatic system’s technical …

Investigating Frozen Paste Surface Disposal As A Climate Change Adaptation Strategy: Case Study Of Mont-Wright Mine, Khalil Hashem, Agus P. Sasmito, Laxmi Sushama, Ferri Hassani, Mehrdad Kermani

Journal of Sustainable Mining

The mining industry faces evolving challenges in adapting to the impacts of climate change. Among these challenges is the management of tailings. This study focuses on investigating surface disposal of non-cemented paste tailings, particularly the effect of water content, freeze-thaw cycles (FTC, defined as freezing the sample to –20°C and thawing it to +20°C), and ambient temperature on the mechanical characteristics and thermophysical properties of paste tailings. The potential for maintaining non-cemented tailings in a frozen state year-round is also investigated through field-scale numerical simulations. Experiment results of thermophysical properties of tailings with water content, freeze-thaw cycles and ambient temperatures …

A Literature Review And Conceptual Framework For Sustainability In Open-Pit Mine Planning, Raymond Kudzawu-D'Pherdd, Kwame Awuah-Offei, Esteban Koberg De La Cruz, Marcos Goycoolea, Andrea Brickey, Alexandra M. Newman

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper presents a comprehensive literature review and a conceptual framework for integrating environmental sustainability into strategic mine planning, focusing on open pits. Despite growing interest, easily discernible sustainability metrics remain elusive in early mine-planning stages, and are included as a post-processing step, if at all, rather than integrated a priori into a mine plan via, e.g., optimization. Through a literature review, we identify efforts regarding how environmental dimensions, such as emissions, water use, and land rehabilitation, are addressed across mine planning phases. We propose the Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability Framework for Mine Planning, which: (i) embeds sustainability into decision …

Bio-Based Oxalic Acid Production In Issatchenkia Orientalis Enables Sustainable Rare Earth Recovery, Jingxia Lu, Wenjun Guo, Ziye Dong, Sarang S. Bhagwat, Shih-I Tan, Zhixin Zhu, Andrew Johnson, Jeremy S. Guest, Rick Q. Honaker, Dan M. Park, Yongqin Jiao, Huimin Zhao

Mining Engineering Faculty Publications

The growing demand for rare earth elements (REEs) in clean energy and high-tech industries underscores the need for sustainable recovery methods and a reliable supply of processing chemicals. Here, we establish a microbial platform using the acid-tolerant yeast Issatchenkia orientalis SD108 to produce bio-oxalic acid for REE recovery. By introducing an oxaloacetate cleavage pathway and applying metabolic engineering, the engineered strain produces 39.53 g·L^-1 oxalic acid at pH 4.0 in fed-batch fermentation. The crude fermentation broth, used without purification, efficiently precipitates over 99% neodymium (Nd), 99% dysprosium (Dy), and 98% lanthanum (La) from individual REE chloride solutions. Recovery from …

Aster Remote Sensing Satellite Imagery For Regional Mineral Mapping In The Mcmurdo Dry Valleys, South Victoria Land, Antarctica, Khurram Riaz, Amin Beiranvand Pour, Jabar Habashi, Aidy M. Muslim, Iman Masoumi, Ali Moradi Afrapoli, Mazlan Hashim, Kamyar Mehranzamir, Farshid Sattari

Mining Engineering Faculty Publications

The McMurdo Dry Valleys (DVs) of South Victoria Land, Antarctica, constitute the largest ice-free region on the continent and one of Earth’s most Mars-analog environments. Their hyper-arid polar desert conditions offer a unique setting for investigating surface weathering and mineralogical processes under extreme climates. This study presents the first regional-scale mapping of alteration and crystalline weathering minerals across the McMurdo DVs. It uses Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) multispectral data; visible and near-infrared (VNIR) and shortwave infrared (SWIR) bands were analyzed through a Spectral Hourglass Workflow, endmember extraction, and spectral unmixing with Matched Filtering (MF) and Constrained …

Characterization Of Full Bridge Strain Transducers For Haulage Equipment Payload Distribution Monitoring, Jean-Pierre Strydom, Steven Schafrik, Zacharias Agioutantis, Matthew J. Beck, Joseph Sottile

Mining Engineering Faculty Publications

Creating a dependable approach for identifying both the mass of a shuttle car and how material is distributed in it removes the need for equipment operators to manually engage the flight chain. The quantification of environmental and installation conditions and the extent of influence considering their combined contribution towards inaccurate or exclusive measurements are to that degree limited. This experimental study investigated how two different strain transducers—installed in a force-shunt configuration—respond to thermo-mechanical loads when used to determine load distribution and position. Initial observations indicated that thermal effects at the installation site contributed to measurement inaccuracies or exclusive readings. The …

Automated Object Detection And Change Quantification In Underground Mines Using Lidar Point Clouds And 360◦ Image Processing, Ana Fabiola Patricia Tejada Peralta, Roya Bakzadeh, Sina Siahidouzazar, Pedram Roghanchi

Mining Engineering Faculty Publications

Underground mining environments pose significant challenges for automated hazard detection due to low illumination, restricted visibility, and the absence of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) coverage. These factors limit situational awareness and delay inspection efforts, particularly after disruptive events when rapid assessment is essential for safety. This study addresses this problem by developing a dual-pipeline framework for 2D–3D detection that uses 360° imaging and LiDAR-based machine learning to identify people, vehicles, and positional changes in underground settings without requiring personnel to re-enter hazardous areas. The objective was to create a system capable of recognizing objects and monitoring spatial changes under …

Utilizing Digital Twins To Model And Optimize Hydraulic Excavator Operator Performance Through Arena Simulation, Mateo Fernando Montenegro Defaz, Kwame Awuah-Offei

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This study aims to provide a digital twin tool for mining and construction companies to evaluate the effect of operator behaviors on the truck-loading process, focusing on swing and bucket rotation. While equipment performance estimators are available, there are few tools to assess the influence of operators. The aim is to create a discrete event simulation (DES) model in Arena® to evaluate how variations in swing and bucket angles affect hydraulic excavator production rates. We validated the DES model using real-world data from a case study to assess the differences in behavior among four operators. Results showed that Operator 1 …

Stall Detection In Hydraulic Excavator Operations Using Heuristics And Machine Learning: A Case Study, Mateo Fernando Montenegro Defaz, Kwame Awuah-Offei, Yixiang Gao

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This work aims to develop a reliable algorithm for stall detection during excavator digging by analyzing key operational variables such as velocity and angular displacements from machine monitoring data. The work develops and validates a heuristic algorithm to detect stalling events and trains a support vector machine classification algorithm to distinguish between "normal" digging cycles and cycles with stalling. This work is a novel attempt at using a classification algorithm to categorize digging cycles into normal and those with stalling events based on machine monitoring data alone. The developed classification algorithm achieved a sensitivity of 100%, indicating it correctly identified …

Analysis Of Pull-Out Tests For Resin-Grouted Rib Bolts, Khaled Mohamed, Yuting Xue, Dogukan Guner, Alper Kirmaci, Taghi Sherizadeh

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Resin-grouted rib bolts serve as a crucial means of stabilizing spalling of coal ribs in underground coal mines. A comprehensive investigation into their efficacy was undertaken by a collaborative effort between the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and Missouri University of Science and Technology (MST). This study involved pull-out tests of rib bolts in multiple locations, including six coal mines and the NIOSH research mine. A total of seventy-three (73) pull-out tests were conducted for rib bolts installed at different rotation speeds and a wide range of anchorage lengths, ranging from a short encapsulation length of 0.305 …

Linking S‑Pillar Empirical Criteria With Boundary And Finite Element Models For Underground Stone Pillar Analysis, Benjamin Diddle

Theses and Dissertations--Mining Engineering

The objective of this thesis is to strengthen the relationship between empirically based stone pillar design methods and two numerical modeling techniques by calibrating boundary element and finite element models to the S‑Pillar empirical criteria and observed pillar behavior in underground stone mines. The first component of the research investigates the displacement‑discontinuity boundary element method implemented in LaModel, quantifying the influence of the lamination thickness and element size on stone pillar safety factor predictions. Results showed that optimal thickness depends on overburden modulus, while larger element sizes introduce significant SF differences from S-Pillar values once the grid size exceeds 5 …

Validation Of Final And Dynamic Subsidence Prediction Models Using The Influence Function Method, Carlos M. Hernandez Garcia

Theses and Dissertations--Mining Engineering

This study evaluates the Surface Deformation Prediction System (SDPS Version 7) for predicting final and dynamic subsidence in longwall mining. Using the influence function method, SDPS 7 was calibrated using data from the Quarto 7 Mine (Ohio, USA) and two panels in Anhui Province, China, to test the reliability of the method under varying geological and operational conditions, particularly low advance rates.

For the Quarto 7 Mine, monument line C provided the optimal set of subsidence parameters: SSF of 78%, tanβ of 2.97, edge‑effect offset of 160 ft, with an RMSE of 0.108 ft. These values aligned with estimates obtained …

Evaluation Of The Proclivity For Recovering Rare Earth Elements Via Heap Leaching Of Coal And Coal Byproducts, Dylan Connell

Theses and Dissertations--Mining Engineering

Rare earth elements (REEs) - 17 elements classified as light (LREE) or heavy (HREE) - underpin modern technology. This thesis presents the development, design, and testing of a heap leach pad (HLP) to extract REEs from Western KY No.13 seam coal refuse. Testing included resource estimation, column and heap leaching, and an economic feasibility study. Drillhole analyses identified average REE concentrations in two refuse piles of 286 ppm and 290 ppm. The resource base totaled approximately 7,085 metric tons of REOs. The HLP, constructed with 2,000 metric tons of coal refuse material, was tested continuously over 308 days. Fresh lixiviant …

First Water-To-Ligand Substitution Dictates Co2+/Ni2+ Extraction Selectivity, Kailong Zhang, Yuxuan Zhang, Bin Ji, Rick Q. Honaker, Isabel C. Escobar, Jian Shi, Qing Shao

Mining Engineering Faculty Publications

Solvent extraction is a crucial technology for the large-scale recovery of critical metals. One key challenge is to develop ligands with high ionic selectivity, especially for ions with similar properties. Manipulating ionic solvation emerges as a viable approach to enhance the selectivity. However, such manipulation requires a thorough understanding of the thermodynamics underlying ligand-induced variation in ionic solvation. We investigated the thermodynamics governing the binding of two organophosphorus ligands (Cyanex 272 and D2EHPA) with Co²⁺ and Ni²⁺ at the aqueous-organic liquid–liquid interface using a combination of experiments and computations. UV-vis and IR spectroscopy confirmed that extraction induces solvation …

Geometric Effects Of Warfighters On Body Armor Fit And Protective Capabilities Against Shock Wave Energy, Melissa Lynn Sutter

Doctoral Dissertations

Body armor is a vital piece of protective equipment for warfighters to defend against threats, necessitating continued development to improve comfort, weight, and protection. However, female warfighters often wear unisex body armor, designed primarily for the male torso. Current research has evaluated the short- and long-term detriments of female warfighters wearing these armors, focusing on comfort and performance. However, these studies do not comprehensively consider how a non-form-fitting armor compromises warfighter safety from battlefield threats. This research examines the geometric effects of female warfighters on armor protection level when defending against shock threats by evaluating the energy distribution on a …

Advancing Coal Rib Support Design Through The Integration Of Field Studies And Numerical Simulations, Alper Kirmaci

Doctoral Dissertations

Coal rib stability remains a major safety concern in U.S. underground coal mines, with rib failure-related injuries and fatalities still occurring. A key challenge is the lack of a standardized methodology for designing rib support systems that can address varying geological conditions. As a result, many mines rely on trial-and-error or traditional practices, leading to inconsistent designs. This research aims to develop a systematic methodology for rib support design to improve coal rib stability in U.S. mining operations.

The study consists of: i) field monitoring in active room-and-pillar coal mines, ii) in-situ pull-out tests on coal ribs, iii) numerical model …

Sustmine: A Framework For Integrating Sustainable Development Dimensions Into Strategic Mine Planning, Hussam Altalhi, Kwame Awuah-Offei, Gabriel Nicolosi, Abdullah Al Moinee, Nasib Al Habib

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Strategic mine planning involves optimizing resource extraction to achieve economic, environmental, and social objectives. However, only a few frameworks offer a unified approach that simultaneously employs systematic indicator selection and weightless trade-off evaluation. This study addresses these issues by proposing a comprehensive framework for integrating sustainability into strategic mine planning, named SustMine. SustMine introduces two key advancements: (1) a rigorous, systematic, criteria-based process for selecting site-specific sustainable development indicators (SDIs), and (2) a weightless evaluation strategy that utilizes Pareto front analysis to construct composite indices. This allows decision-makers to identify non-dominated (optimally balanced) alternatives without relying on arbitrary or subjective …

Explaining The Unseen: Multimodal Vision-Language Reasoning For Situational Awareness In Underground Mining Disasters, Mizanur Rahman Jewel, Mohamed Elmahallawy, Sanjay Kumar Madria, Samuel Frimpong

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Underground mining disasters produce pervasive darkness, dust, and collapses that obscure vision and make situational awareness difficult for humans and conventional systems. To address this, we propose MDSE, Multimodal Disaster Situation Explainer, a novel vision-language framework that automatically generates detailed textual explanations of post-disaster underground scenes. MDSE has three-fold innovations: (i) Context-Aware Cross-Attention for robust alignment of visual and textual features even under severe degradation; (ii) Segmentation-aware dual pathway visual encoding that fuses global and region-specific embeddings; and (iii) Resource-Efficient Transformer-Based Language Model for expressive caption generation with minimal compute cost. To support this task, we present the Underground Mine …

Synthesis Of Nickel Nanoparticles By Gamma Irradiation And Femtosecond Laser Ablation, V. M. Rao, Y. Han, H. Tsai, C. H.C. Giraldo, T. Akyurek

Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Nickel nanoparticles were synthesized by (i) gamma irradiation of aqueous nickel chloride precursors and (ii) double scan femtosecond laser (FSL) ablation of a pure nickel foil in water. The nanoparticles produced by FSL ablation were further stabilized in acetone. Gamma radiolysis yielded nickel nanoparticles in the 2–22 nm range, with the average particle diameter governed by the total absorbed dose. Nickel nanoparticles produced by double scan FSL ablation were in the 2–17 nm range but less monodispersed than the nanoparticles produced via gamma radiolysis. FSL ablation proved to be superior in terms of yielding a higher number of smaller nanoparticles …