Mining Engineering Commons^™

Mineralogical Analysis And Beneficiation Assessment To Unlock The Lithium Potential In Kenticha Pegmatite Ore, Gutema Mekonen, Mulugeta Sisay, Goitom Gebreyohannes

Journal of Sustainable Mining

Lithium is utilized in various industries, especially currently Lithium-ion batteries are employed in electric vehicles and portable electronic devices as an energy source, in pharmaceutical industries, aerospace applications, glass and ceramics production, lubricants and greases, air purification systems, nuclear power, and aluminum production. The Kenticha pegmatite ore deposit in Ethiopia holds potential, and this study analyzed the mineralization of Kenticha spodumene ore and assessed its suitability for beneficiation by employing X-ray diffraction (XRD), Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS), and petrographic microscope analysis. The study determined the mineral composition, average composition, and texture of spodumene pegmatite ore for spodumene concentrate liberation. Based …

Potential Impact Of Coal Mining And Use For Electricity Generation In Brazil On Global Warming., Marisa Nascimento, Paulo Sergio Moreira Soares

Journal of Sustainable Mining

The study aims to evaluate the potential contribution of coal production for electric power generation in Brazil to greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions, applying life cycle assessment (LCA). The product system studied consists of mining, transportation of the coal to the power station, and power generation. The LCA was first developed only for coal mining in Brazil. Secondly, it was enlarged to include transportation of the coal domestically produced, the hard coal imported, and power generation (Integrated System BR). In the mining stage in Brazil (Brazilian coal), the contribution to the global warming potential was estimated at 237 kg of CO …

Determination Of The Liberation Size Of Mekaneselam Iron Ore In The Southern Wollo Zone, Northern Ethiopia: Implications For Beneficiation, Getahun Meseret, Bisrat Kebede, Belayneh Digafe

Journal of Sustainable Mining

Previous investigations in the target area primarily focused on ore genesis or the geological formations of the ore deposit, neglecting the specific beneficiation aspects associated with the ore. Due to gaps with respect to beneficiation aspects,the research aimed to determine the liberation size of the target iron-bearing ore mineral through mineralogical identification, chemical composition analysis, and examination of the particle size distribution. In this study, various methods were employed, including atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS), X-ray fluorescence (X-RF), X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, and sieve analysis. The chemical composition analysis of Mekaneselam iron ore revealed significant amount of 16.55–77.59 % Fe2O3, 7.31–59.02% …

Leveraging Intrinsic Properties For Classification Of Coal Seams Towards Spontaneous Combustion Proclivity And Predicting Susceptibility Using Machine Learning: Smart And Sustainable Mining Approach, Siddhartha Agarwal, Pradeep K. Gautam, Yuhao Zou, Rishabh Dwivedi, D.C. Panigrahi, C. Dagli, Atul Singh

Journal of Sustainable Mining

Mine fires and other hazards caused by spontaneous coal combustion are a pervasive and longstanding issue in Jharia coalfields, India. This study proposes a novel approach to classify coal seams based on their propensity to spontaneous combustion using the intrinsic properties of 30 coal samples from different seams. This method eliminates the need for expensive and time-consuming experimental determinations of susceptibility indices (SI) such as crossing point temperature (CPT), critical air blast (CAB), and differential thermal analysis (DTA). All clustering models, viz. hierarchical, k-means, and multidimensional scaling, aptly classify coal seams into three categories: highly risky, medium risky, and low …

A Dynamic Intuitionistic Fuzzy Group Decision Analysis For Sustainability Risk Assessment In Surface Mining Operation Projects, Mohammad Panahi Borujeni, Arash Behzadipour, Hossein Gitinavard

Journal of Sustainable Mining

With the increasing advancement of technology and science in the fields of engineering, different industries have different benefits that can help the global community in areas related to social, environmental, and economic requirements. The mining industry is one of the suitable sources of wealth production in different societies, which leads different societies to appropriate profitability. In this regard, one of the challenges facing managers and decision-makers is not related to financial challenges and risks. This research uses the dynamic intuitionistic fuzzy entropy method to compute the criteria weights, and the dynamic intuitionistic fuzzy maximizing similarity (DIF-SM) approach to compute the …

An Automated Integrated Web-Based Smart Tool For Open Stope Design, Yerkezhan Madenova, Fidelis Suorineni, Shuai Xu

Journal of Sustainable Mining

The Stability Graph is a widely used tool for the design of open stopes in underground mining. Many users of the Stability Graph still apply this design method manually. Although the manual approach has benefits, using multiple graphs and stability number computation charts for each stope surface is time-consuming, even for the experienced mining engineer. Current practice in the use of the method also limits data sharing. This paper presents a StopeSoft web-based tool for open stope stability prediction that is developed on the basis of the Stability Graph method and is available at openstope.com. StopeSoft incorporates flexibility in terms …

Enhanced Separation Performance For Fractionally Liberated Materials Using The Hydrofloat™ Process Technology, Yucel Ozsoy

Theses and Dissertations--Mining Engineering

The advent of HydroFloat™ technology, developed by Eriez Manufacturing, marks a significant milestone in the evolution of the mineral processing industry, particularly for the coarse particle flotation by shifting the limits, well-known as the “Elephant Curve.” As the industry strives to process lower-grade ores with higher tonnages for financial reasons, the significance of processing coarse particles through HydroFloat™ technology becomes increasingly critical.

This approach offers substantial benefits by potentially reducing energy consumption within grinding circuits, making it a key solution in enhancing efficiency and cost-effectiveness. This study presents a comprehensive review of the existing literature, laying a solid foundation by …

Navigating Wastewater: Minnesota Mining Wastewater Permit Challenges And Evolving Compliance Standards, Madelaine Adamich

Journal of Earth and Life Science

February of 2021 marked the beginning of Minnesota clearly establishing that groundwater qualifies as a Class 1 water in a legal battle involving United States Steel, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, WaterLegacy, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, the Minnesota Court of Appeals, and eventually the Minnesota Supreme Court (MNSC). Minnesota has a water classification system, as required by the federal Clean Water Act, with 7 classes of use. Class 1 waters are waters used for domestic consumption (MPCA 4, n.d.). According to Minnesota Statute § 7050.0220, the acceptable level for sulfate is 250 mg/L in Class 1 …

Image Processing And Machine Learning Using Lidar And 360 Camera In Underground Mines, Ana Fabiola Patricia Tejada Peralta

Theses and Dissertations--Mining Engineering

Underground mining environments present several safety challenges due to low visibility, poor lighting, and the absence of GPS coverage. These factors hinder situational awareness and delay hazard detection, particularly during post-disaster conditions. This research introduces an integrated framework that combines image processing and machine learning techniques applied to 360-degree camera and LiDAR data to enable automated object detection and remote monitoring in underground mines.

The study was divided into two main stages: 2D object detection and 3D object detection. The 2D component employed images captured with a Ricoh Theta Z1 360° camera and utilized YOLO-based deep learning models for object …

Experimental Investigation Of Surfactant Impact On Surfactant-Oil-Brine System For Surfactant Enhanced Oil Recovery, Chananpat Worpattanaluk

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) is a vital technique for improving hydrocarbon extraction efficiency from mature or low-production reservoirs. Among various EOR methods, chemical flooding, particularly surfactant-based EOR, has gained attention due to its ability to reduce interfacial tension (IFT), to alter rock wettability, and to mobilize trapped oil. However, the performance of surfactant systems is highly sensitive to reservoir salinity, temperature, and rock-fluid interactions, leading to surfactant precipitation, adsorption losses, and interfacial tension reduction. Therefore, understanding the effects of salinity, surfactant concentration, and the role of scale inhibitors on the physicochemical stability of surfactant-oil-brine systems is essential for designing robust …

Evaluating Co2 Storage Criteria : Focusing On Thailand's Petroleum Basins For Carbon Storage, Paul Tivere Benjamin

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from large point sources remain central to Thailand’s climate challenge, and geological carbon capture and storage (CCS) is now included in national mitigation plans. However, Thailand still lacks a transparent way to compare candidate saline aquifers and petroleum basins in terms of storage performance, containment, and socio-economic conditions, while allowing for uneven data quality. This thesis develops a Thailand-specific, two-stage framework that combines threshold-based screening with a multi-criteria ranking framework based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Data Confidence Scores (DCS). Twenty-one criteria in three groups (capacity and injectivity, containment, and socio-economic constraints) were …

Simulation On Hydrogen Production From Mae-Moh Lignite Coal Gasification, Pitatchai Arunwong

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Hydrogen energy has attracted significant attention due to its cleanliness, efficiency, and sustainability. Gasification is considered one of the most promising thermochemical routes to convert coal into high-quality syngas, which can subsequently be utilized for hydrogen production. Mae-Moh lignite, a low-rank coal with low carbon content and high moisture and volatile matter, is selected as the feedstock for this study. This research aims to develop a comprehensive simulation model of a hydrogen production process, integrating gasification, water-gas shift (WGS), acid gas removal, and hydrogen purification using the software simulator. The model predicts hydrogen product gas composition from Mae-Moh lignite under …

Collision Avoidance Information System Utilizing Machine Learning Image Recognition, Michael W. Long

Theses and Dissertations--Mining Engineering

This thesis addresses significant safety challenges presented by powered haulage fatalities in underground mining by developing and evaluating a machine learning-driven Collision Avoidance Information System (CAIS). The research utilized a ZED 2i camera to capture both RGB and depth data for enhanced spatial awareness in visually limited underground environments. A specialized dataset of underground mining equipment was captured from limestone and zinc mines, annotated, and used to train a segmentation network. The CAIS was field-tested in diverse underground settings, achieving an accuracy of 82% in a limestone mine similar to the training data, but a lower accuracy of 45% in …

The Dynamic Material Response Of Csa Cement Using A Split Hopkinson Bar, Elliott L. Morgan

Theses and Dissertations--Mining Engineering

The University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy Research (CAER) Cementitious Materials Group is developing a pourable Calcium Sulphoaluminate (CSA) cement-based concrete for rapid repair applications. Due to dynamic events like vehicle strikes, ballistic events, or other dynamic loading events, the dynamic material characteristics are important for understanding how the material will respond. A large diameter Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) was used to test samples of the pourable CSA cement and determine its dynamic material properties in the early strength development phase. 24 samples were tested in 7 day intervals for 28 days. Samples were prepared targeting a length …

Temporal Machine Learning For Predicting Accidents And Violations In The Mining Industry, Nathan T. Kelley

Theses and Dissertations--Mining Engineering

This thesis examines the predictive capability of a temporal machine learning model for forecasting future accidents and violations at individual mines, based on historical data. Mine accidents were categorized by accident classification and violations were categorized by the Part Section. The primary datasets utilized were the mine safety and health administration’s (MSHA’s) Accident Injuries and Violations datasets. The available datasets were cleaned and organized by mine type and commodity, then divided into separate subsets for training, validating, and testing. Different models, cutoff metrics, learning rates, number of hidden layers, data processing methods, data processing divisions, number of points observed …

An Autonomous Robotic Inspection System For Underground Mines Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (Uavs), Kiazoa M. Joao

Theses and Dissertations--Mining Engineering

Underground mining environments pose unique safety challenges for workers due to poor visibility, unstable ground conditions, and the absence of GPS signals. To adhere to safety and health standards, underground mines are required to perform safety inspections regularly. Conventional safety inspections require personnel to enter the hazardous environment, highlighting the need for a safer, remote alternative. The use of UAVs for safety inspection in underground mines is a somewhat novel idea but has shown great promise. While Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) cannot eliminate all hazards associated with mining, they provide critical support by accessing hazardous or restricted zones that are …

Analysis Of Dynamic And Final Surface Subsidence Movements Over Subcritical Panels In The Eastern Us, Mauricio Parra Valencia Sr

Theses and Dissertations--Mining Engineering

Subsidence prediction is a critical field in mining engineering, focusing on anticipating ground movements caused by underground coal extraction. Accurately forecasting these movements is essential for protecting surface structures and infrastructure from damage. However, despite extensive research by mining professionals worldwide, reliable prediction remains challenging, especially in complex environments like subcritical mining areas and locations characterized by highly variable topography. These conditions introduce non-linear rock mechanics that often complicate the application of traditional predictive models. This thesis utilizes measured subsidence data related to the extraction of two adjacent longwall panels in a deep coal mine in the eastern US to …

Selective Recovery Of Critical Minerals (Ni, Zn, Co, And Mn) From Acid Mine Drainage Utilizing Ion Exchange And Selective Precipitation Processes, Esteban Albeiro Cardenas Restrepo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Critical minerals (CMs) are essential for U.S. national security and technological development. The U.S. heavily depends on imports of these minerals from other countries, making supply chain disruptions a likely scenario. In consequence, finding alternative sources to conventional mining for these elements has become a topic of interest in recent years. Acid Mine Drainage (AMD), once solely viewed as an environmental problem, has emerged as a potential alternative source for CMs. AMD is a naturally occurring process where surface and underground water interact with sulfur-bearing minerals in the presence of oxygen and microorganisms. This interaction causes the water to become …

Life Cycle Assessment And Techno-Economic Analysis Of Mine Tailings As A Sustainable Raw Material For Mineral Carbonation And Recovery Of Critical Minerals, Vida Amankwaa

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

This study assesses the feasibility of using mine tailings for mineral carbonation and nickel recovery through a comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Techno-Economic Analysis (TEA). The LCA quantifies greenhouse gas emissions, energy use, and resource consumption, while the TEA evaluates capital investment, operational costs, and process efficiency. The conventional beneficiation process at Eagle Mine serves as a baseline, highlighting its environmental footprint and operational costs. Results indicate that tailings reprocessing incurs higher costs ($34.76 per tonne of tailings processed) compared to conventional ore processing ($25.90 per tonne) due to increased energy consumption and material handling requirements. Additionally, several mineral …

Iron Ore Tailings Reprocessing By Electrostatic Separation Plus Two Stages Froth Flotation, Vincent Bailey Arohunmolase

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The reprocessing of tailings is crucial for recovering valuable iron and reducing the environmental impact associated with tailings disposal. This study investigates the practicality of reprocessing tailings to enhance iron oxide content, combining electrostatic separation with a two-stage froth flotation process using oleic acid (direct flotation) and amine (reverse flotation). The primary goal is to efficiently recover valuable iron from tailings, thereby reducing waste and promoting sustainable resource utilization. The process aims to upgrade the iron oxide content to around 93-99% Fe₂O₃, making the recovered material suitable for the production of direct-reduced iron.

Electrostatic separation was …