Mining Engineering Commons^™

Optimisation Of Open Pit Slope Design Considering Groundwater Effects Using Particle Swarm Optimisation And Scaled Boundary Finite Element Method, Dakshith Ruvin Wijesinghe, Ethmadalage Perera, Ean Hin Ooi, Sundararajan Natarajan, Taghi Sherizadeh, Ean Tat Ooi

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Slopes are a crucial structure in open pit mines. Their design has implications on the economic, safety and environmental operation of the mining industry. Designing stable slopes can be challenging due to the complexities introduced by the stratigraphy and hydrology of the strata. With rising commodity costs and inflation rates, mining operating costs are increasing. Reducing operational costs is necessary for mining industries to remain competitive. While steepening the pit slope can decrease stripping materials and save money, it also increases the risk associated with slope surges. Therefore, optimizing slopes is crucial for both financial and safety reasons. Numerical models …

Verification And Validation Of Modeling Of Fluid–Solid Interaction In Explosion-Resistant Designs Using Material Point Method, Mohammed H. Saffarini, Zhen Chen, Ahmed Elbelbisi, Hani Salim, Kyle A. Perry, Andrew L. Bowman, Stephen D. Robert

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Verifying and validating explosion-resistant design models are challenging tasks due to the difficulties in accurately capturing the failure evolution within a setup influenced by the combined effects of fluid–solid interactions (FSI), blast waves, fragmentation, and impact. Curtain wall system, as a key structural component, is widely used in various types of buildings for its aesthetic appeal and weather protection. Hence, optimizing the explosion-resistance of such systems is necessary to improve building safety. In this work, we develop computational procedures that can be used to enhance the design of blast-resistant structures. This paper focuses on studying a representative component (e.g., window …

A Review Of The Dry Methods Available For Coal Beneficiation, Nikki Hughes, Marco Le Roux, Quentin Peter Campbell, Fardis Nakhaei

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Water is a precious global resource that is important in most currently employed coal beneficiation practices. These widely accepted processes deliver consistent and precise separation efficiencies at desired product yields and throughputs. Although favored, the water usage related to wet processing may be impractical and unsustainable in certain regions. Consequently, present-day practices used in coal processing may soon have to adapt, irrespective of any improved technical and economic feasibility offered. Therefore, the development of efficacious dry beneficiation methods has become an appealing research topic. This review assembles information pertaining to the principle and success of commercially available and experimental phase …

Tellurium Enrichment In Copper Tailings: A Mineralogical And Processing Study, José L. Corchado-Albelo, Lana Alagha

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

As the global demand for tellurium (Te) increases, it is crucial to develop efficient recovery methods that consider existing supply streams. This research combines gravity separation and froth flotation processes to enhance the recovery of Te minerals from tailings produced during the beneficiation of copper porphyry ores. Prior to processing, a systematic and comprehensive characterization study of copper tailing (CT) samples was conducted to examine the deportment of Te minerals in different mineral phases and to understand their locking and liberation behavior. Characterization techniques included inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and TESCAN's integrated mineral analysis (TIMA). Copper tailing characterization …

Hybrid Mechanism Of Electrical Breakdown In Ferroelectric Materials Under High-Pressure Shock Loading, Sergey I. Shkuratov, Jason Baird, Vladimir G. Antipov, Jay B. Chase, Christopher S. Lynch

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The unique ability of ferroelectrics to generate high voltage under shock loading is limited by electrical breakdown within the shock-compressed ferroelectric material. Breakdown is a hybrid process of initiation and growth. The possible mechanisms of electrical breakdown in ferroelectric films and bulk ceramics subjected to high-pressure shock loading are discussed and experiments designed to elucidate which mechanisms govern breakdown. Gigapascal shock loading experiments were performed on poled Pb_0.99(Zr_0.95Ti_0.05)_0.98Nb_0.02O₃ ferroelectric film specimens in the range of 32-156 μm thickness to determine the dependence of the breakdown field on thickness and …

Failure Analysis Of Abutment-Loaded Underground Coal Mine Stoppings During Explosion, Kutay E. Karadeniz, Dogukan Guner, Taghi Sherizadeh

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Underground Mine Structures Like Mine Seals or Built-In-Place (BIP) Refuge Alternatives (RA) Are Exposed to Specific Loadings Like Explosions Because of overlying and Underlying Strata Conditions. Previous Studies Worked on the Vertical Loading Response of Structures Like Abutments from Panel Extraction But Not the Explosion Resistance Upon Being Subjected to These Vertical Strata Loads. in This Study, Two Steel-Reinforced Concrete Wall Designs as Seal and RA Applications Are Simulated to Examine the Performance and Failure Analysis under Abutment-Loading Conditions during an Explosion for a Coal Mine Model using Dynamic Analysis by a Distinct Element Code (3DEC). the Available Abutment Monitoring …

Dynamic Compressive Properties Of Heat-Treated And Pre-Stressed Cement Mortar Specimen Subjected To Cyclic Impact Loading, Ronghua Shu, Guang Xu, Lijinhong Huang

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

By carrying out the cyclic dynamic compressive experiment, the dynamic compressive properties of heat-treated and pre-stressed cement mortar subjected to cyclic impact loading were obtained. The results show that under static and cyclic impact loading, the peak stress shows a nonlinear decrease trend with the increasing dynamic impact number, and the failure strength decreases as heated temperature increases. The strain rate shows a linear increase trend as impact number increases. The relationship among the strain rate, temperature and impact number obey exponential relations, which could be expressed as ε˙ = 0.64E0.00854T+4.93 X 10−3tn+0.77N+18.70. The strain rate increase factor could be …

The Interplay Of Casing Material And Detonation Wave Shock Parameters In Steel Witness Plate Dent Formation, Emily M. Johnson, Catherine E. Johnson

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This Study Uses Both Experimentation and Simulation to Investigate How Varying Casing Material Around Cylindrical Composition-B Charges Affects Witness Plate Response and Diagnoses the Cause of the Differences in the Dents Produced. through Experimentation, It Was Found that Consistent Dents Are Produced from Repeated Tests and Characteristically Different Dents Are Produced by Charges with Different Casing Material. Charges Cased in Viscoelastic Materials Produced Shallower Dents Than Those Without Casing. Simulation Was Validated Against the Experimental Dents, and the Detonation Wave Parameters Were Measured for 25 Differently Cased Charges: 15 Metals and 10 Polymers. Regression Fit Relationships Were Derived Relating Dent …

Tnt Equivalence Of Binary Energetics, Gracie Mae James

Undergraduate Research Conference at Missouri S&T

TNT equivalency is a standard used to measure and quantify the effects of energetic materials. Using these equivalencies, the safety factors for minimum distances and storage of explosives are determined. Having a known TNT equivalence of energetic materials also helps estimate potential blast damage and risks for individuals. The TNT equivalencies for numerous energetic materials, such as binaries, have no published values, but are regularly used in industry, military, and research testing. To determine TNT equivalence, three tests will be performed: 1) a plate dent test, 2) air blast tests to measure air overpressure and calculate impulse, and 3) velocity …

Tnt Equivalence: Measuring, Validating, And Appending Binary Energetics To The Literature, Gracie Mae James, Rachel Bauer, Alexander Douglas, Catherine E. Johnson

Undergraduate Research Conference at Missouri S&T

TNT equivalency is a standard used to measure and quantify the effects of energetic materials. Using these equivalencies, the safety factors for minimum distances and storage of explosives are determined. Having a known TNT equivalence of energetic materials also helps estimate potential blast damage and risks for individuals. The TNT equivalencies for numerous energetic materials, such as binaries, have no published values, but are regularly used in industry, military, and research testing. To determine TNT equivalence, three tests were performed: 1) a plate dent test for direct dent comparison, 2) air blast tests to measure air overpressure and calculate impulse, …

Editorial For Special Issue “Design, Modeling, Optimization And Control Of Flotation Process”, Fardis Nakhaei, Ahmad Hassanzadeh, Luis A. Cisternas

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Editorial For Special Issue “Design, Modeling, Optimization And Control Of Flotation Process”, Fardis Nakhaei, Ahmad Hassanzadeh, Luis A. Cisternas

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Numerical Back Analysis Of An Underground Bulk Mining Operation Using Distributed Optical Fiber Sensors For Model Calibration, Samuel Nowak, Taghi Sherizadeh, Mina Esmaeelpour, Paul Brooks, Dogukan Guner, Kutay Karadeniz

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Numerical Modeling Of Complex Underground Engineering Projects Such As Caverns, Tunnels, And Bulk Mining Zones Is An Essential Part Of The Design Phase. Large-Scale Models Require Significant Reductions In Complexity From The Real-World Scenario, Which Often Leads To Low Confidence In The Model Output. In This Work, A Mine-Scale Numerical Model Is Developed To Simulate A Room And Pillar Extraction Mining Operation. The Model Inputs Are Calibrated Through The Comparison Of The Model Response To Pillar Extraction In An Analogous Mine Geometry With Measured Strain Values Collected Using A Novel Distributed Optical Fiber Strain Sensing Technique After Pillar Extraction. Calibration …

Advancing Occupational Health In Mining: Investigating Low-Cost Sensors Suitability For Improved Coal Dust Exposure Monitoring, Mirza Muhammad Zaid, Nana Amoah, Ashish Kakoria, Yang Wang, Guang Xu

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Exposure to coal dust in underground coal mines poses significant health risks to workers, including the development of diseases such as coal workers' pneumoconiosis and silicosis. Current available methods for monitoring coal dust exposure are expensive and time-consuming, necessitating the exploration of alternative approaches. Low-cost light scattering particulate matter sensors offer a promising solution, and its development in recent years has demonstrated some success in air quality monitoring However, its application in sensing coal particles is limited partially due to that the operating condition in a mine is different than the atmosphere. Thus, the objective of this paper is to …

Dielectric Permittivity Of Pzt 95/5 Ferroelectric Ceramics And 0.27pin-Pmn-0.26pt Single Crystals Under Pulsed High Electric Fields, Sergey I. Shkuratov, Jason Baird, Vladimir G. Antipov, Christopher S. Lynch

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The dependence of the dielectric permittivity of ferroelectric materials on electric field magnitude impacts the performance of ferroelectric devices. In a ferroelectric generator, a shock wave travels through the ferroelectric element and depolarizes it, and surface charges are released from the element electrodes, resulting in the generation of a megawatt power level for several microseconds. The dielectric properties of the compressed and uncompressed zones of the ferroelectric element affect the generated voltage and energy. The results of previous studies indicate that the low-field dielectric permittivity of poled Pb0.99(Zr0.95Ti0.05)0.98Nb0.02O3 (PZT 95/5) ferroelectrics in the uncompressed zone differs significantly from the high-field …

Investigating Detonation Parameters Through The Plate Dent Test: A Novel Approach For Characterizing Detonation Curvature And Thickness, Emily Michelle Johnson

Doctoral Dissertations

Detonation is the driving factor behind how an explosive, used in an array of applications, performs. Understanding and measuring detonation parameters of an explosive is key in explosive charge design and application. Currently, determining parameters is costly as the instrumentation needed is expensive in terms of price, maintenance, and personnel. This research examines two methods of determining detonation parameters through measurement of secondary material response to the detonation wave in an effort to provide an alternate, simple, and inexpensive method of measurement. The first of these studies focuses on the Gurney Model and demonstrates that the model's accuracy was diminished …

Cav-Ad: A Robust Framework For Detection Of Anomalous Data And Malicious Sensors In Cav Networks, Md Sazedur Rahman, Mohamed Elmahallawy, Sanjay Madria, Samuel Frimpong

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

The adoption of connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) has sparked considerable interest across diverse industries, including public transportation, underground mining, and agriculture sectors. However, CAVs' reliance on sensor readings makes them vulnerable to significant threats. Manipulating these readings can compromise CAV network security, posing serious risks for malicious activities. Although several anomaly detection (AD) approaches for CAV networks are proposed, they often fail to: i) detect multiple anomalies in specific sensor(s) with high accuracy or F1 score, and ii) identify the specific sensor being attacked. In response, this paper proposes a novel framework tailored to CAV networks, called CAV-AD, for …

Dig Limits Optimization Using Binary Integer Linear Programming Method In Open Pit Mines, Hussam Naif Altalhi

Masters Theses

"Dig limits optimization is the process for classifying different materials (e.g., ore, stockpile material, and waste) into appropriately sized contiguous zones for open pit mining. The efficient determination of dig-limits is crucial for profitable and sustainable resource extraction in mining. Previous research has focused on defining dig-limits manually or using optimization approaches, but these methods are limited to only handling two material destinations (ore and waste). Thus, there is a need for operations research methods that consider the selectivity of mining equipment and can optimize dig-limits for metal mining operations with more than two material destinations. Consequently, the objective of …

The Influence Of Surfactants' Ionicity On The Performance Of Coal Dust Suppression, Zidong Zhao, Ping Chang, Apurna Ghosh, Guang Xu, Yanwei Liu, Ramakrishna Morla

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Coal dust is a significant health hazard for coal workers, as prolonged inhalation can lead to severe diseases such as Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis. Water spray with surfactants is commonly used as a pre-control strategy to control coal dust in underground mines. The zeta potential test is a widely used static test to evaluate surfactants with different ionicities. However, there are still some arguments about the evaluation criteria of zeta potential on surfactant performance between different researchers. Moreover, whether zeta potential can be used as an index to evaluate the surfactant suppression performance is inconclusive. To address these problems, this study …

Minerrouter : Effective Message Routing Using Contact-Graphs And Location Prediction In Underground Mine, Abhay Goyal, Sanjay Madria, Samuel Frimpong

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Location-based distributed communication in underground mines has been a hard problem to solve due to unreliable centralized architecture such as leaky feeder systems, high attenuation, and the unavailability of GPS signals. Delay Tolerant Networks (DTN) enable decentralized message routing using the store-carry-forward method that can help in creating situational awareness needed to handle emergency and disaster scenarios. The ability to predict where the DTN nodes (miner) might have been at/are headed to (with respect to the mine regions and pillars) at different times, combined with contact-based routing and intelligent handling of buffer, can be used for better delivery of messages. …

A Binary Integer Linear Programming Model For Optimizing Underground Stope Layout, Theophilus Mensah

Masters Theses

"Underground mine planning engineers face significant challenges when determining what geometry provides the most profitable and safe stope for extraction. Several techniques and optimization algorithms have been developed in recent years, but most fail to find optimal solutions because they are heuristic or LP-based without efficient geometric constraints. This thesis work proposes a two-dimensional binary linear programming (BILP) model for determining the optimal combination of blocks in a stope that maximizes the economic value of the layout of stopes for a sublevel deposit. The work draws from Queyranne and Wolsey’s (2017 & 2018) formulations of tight constraints for bounded up/down …

High Strain Rate Analysis Of 3d Printed Concrete As Compared To Conventionally Cast Concrete, Weston Mcleod Thomsen

Masters Theses

"3D Printed Concrete (3DPC) is a developing method of construction that has advantages over conventional methods, including formwork reduction, complex geometry, and expedited construction. This technology has potential benefits for the military when considering the austere environments that forward operating bases are built in. This study aims to assess 3DPC applications in protective structures that protect critical assets from explosive blasts. These protective structures experience a high-strain rate response during blast loading of the structure, and the effects of this have yet to be analyzed in the literature concerning 3DPC. With the lack of prior research, the focus here will …

Laboratory Scale Experimental Analysis Of The Effect Of Surfactants On Acid Mist Suppression During Copper Electrowinning, Thurman Kollie Elgin

Masters Theses

"The reduction in acid mist generation is an industrial occupational objective in the electrowinning industry of base metals. The technology of electrowinning as an extractive metallurgical technique of metals proficiently contributed to the recovery of pure base metals. During the process of electrowinning, oxygen bubbles are generated on the anode of the electrowinning cell because of the over potential in the cell due to high voltage. The bubbles formed tend to contain sulfuric acid of the electrolyte in the form of liquid-gas ascending particles of the solution. As these bubbles ascend to the surface of the solution, they burst at …

Discrete Event Simulation (Des) In Swapping/Charging Of Battery Electric Vehicles In Underground Mining, Albert Einstein Amponsem

Masters Theses

"With climate change concerns escalating, international agreements such as the Kyoto Protocol, the US Presidential Policy, and the Paris Agreement aim to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, targeting significant reductions by 2050. The mining sector, a notable contributor to GHG emissions primarily through diesel-powered material haulage, emits approximately 68 million tons of CO₂ annually. Transitioning to Battery Electric Trucks (BETs) presents a viable mitigation strategy by replacing diesel trucks with electric alternatives, thus eliminating CO₂ emissions.

However, the effectiveness of BETs hinges on optimized battery swapping and charging procedures. This study employs Discrete Event Simulation (DES), a computational …

The Mechanism And Effect Of Seismic Source Location Using Double Waves In Three-Dimensional Microseismic Monitoring, Zhigang Wang, Xiaoqing Wang, Shunlin Yin, Maochen Ge

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Accurate seismic source location has always been the most important purpose of micro seismic and seismic monitoring. The location accuracy inside the existing monitoring networks is generally high, whereas the accuracy in the external area and sensor accessories area tends to be low. This scenario contributes to an overall limitation in the effective monitoring area. The seismic source location was performed in this study using P waves and S waves to improve the location accuracy outside the monitoring networks and in the adjacent area and enlarge the high-accuracy control area of the monitoring networks. Moreover, the mechanism of seismic source …

Spatiotemporal Variance Image Reconstruction For Thermographic Inspections, Logan M. Wilcox, Emily M. Johnson, Emma T. Bohannon, Catherine E. Johnson, Kristen M. Donnell

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Active microwave thermography (AMT) is a nondestructive testing and evaluation (NDT&E) technique that utilizes a radiating antenna to induce a thermal increase on or within a specimen under test (SUT). The radiated power density is spatially nonuniform and therefore results in a spatially nonuniform thermal excitation, which may result in missed or false indications of defects. To this end, this work proposes a novel image reconstruction technique for nonuniform excitation/heating and is referred to as Spatiotemporal Variance Reconstruction (STVR). STVR utilizes the spatial and temporal variance of the surface thermal profile. STVR is advantageous in that it does not require …

Generation Of Micro-Fracture Clouds In Rocks: Mechanisms And Applications, U. Mutlu, G. Boitnott, A. Lisjak, O. Mahabadi, Taghi Sherizadeh, D. Guner, S. Nowak, A. Ghassemi

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Volume increasing or decreasing processes in rocks can lead to inter or intragranular fractures in subsurface formations. The volume change can be caused by chemical reactions involving fluid, reactive transport, and coupling with the mechanical deformation of the grains. Depending on stress, material properties and coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical (THMC) conditions, grain scale fractures may propagate and coalesce, forming a cloud of well-connected fracture networks. The mechanisms responsible for propagation, coalescence and inhibition of cloud fractures are not well known. In this study, we review coupled micro-fracture network generation mechanisms as published in the literature and observed in field, experiments, and models. …

Numerical Investigation For The Effect Of Joint Persistence On Rock Slope Stability Using A Lattice Spring-Based Synthetic Rock Mass Model, Mariam Al-E'Bayat, Dogukan Guner, Taghi Sherizadeh, Mostafa Asadizadeh

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This study underscores the profound influence of rock joints, both persistent and non-persistent with rock bridges, on the stability and behavior of rock masses—a critical consideration for sustainable engineering and natural structures, especially in rock slope stability. Leveraging the lattice spring-based synthetic rock mass (LS-SRM) modeling approach, this research aims to understand the impact of persistent and non-persistent joint parameters on rock slope stability. The Slope Model, a Synthetic Rock Mass (SRM) approach-based code, is used to investigate the joint parameters such as dip angle, spacing, rock bridge length, and trace overlapping. The results show that the mobilizing zones in …

Comparative Analysis Of Different Cfd Turbulence Models For A Diesel Pool Combustion Event In An Underground Mine: A Case Study, Ashish Ranjan Kumar, Oluwafemi Salami, Nana A. Amoah, Guang Xu

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Underground Mine Fires Are Dangerous, Consume Resources, and Emit Pollutants. Therefore, Acquiring In-Mine Data for Fire Research is Hazardous and Expensive Due to Unsteady Temperature Changes and Toxic Gas Emissions. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Models Are Often Developed to Mimic Airflows and Combustion-Associated Heat Transfer. However, Research on the Performance Evaluation of the CFD Turbulence Models to Mimic Fire Events is Limited. This Paper Summarises the Modelling Results for a Diesel Pool Fire Event in an Experimental Underground Mine that Uses an Exhaust Ventilation System. a Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS) Model Was Developed to Show the Spatio-Temporal Temperature Evolution. Reynolds-Averaged …

Investigation Into Helmet–Head Shock Wave Interactions At Low Overpressures Through Free-Field Blasts And Schlieren Imagery, C. J.H. Thomas, Catherine E. Johnson

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Brain Injuries in Warfighters Due to Low-Level Blasts, Even While Wearing a Helmet, Are Common. Understanding How the Form of a Shock Wave Changes When Impacting a Head Donning a Helmet May Present Solutions to Reducing Shock Loading on the Head, Thereby Reducing the Prevalence of Blast-Induced Traumatic Brain Injury. a Manikin with PCB Piezoelectric Transducers throughout the Head Was Exposed to Low-Pressure Free-Field Blasts using an RDX-Based Explosive Charge Designed to Output a Side-On overpressure of 4 Pounds Per Square Inch (Psi) [27.5 Kilopascals (KPa)] with and Without a Helmet. Orientations of 0, 45, 90, 135, and 180 Degrees …