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Kansei Engineering (KE) has shown its prominent applicability in service design and development, focusing on translating and interpreting customers' emotional needs (Kansei) into service characteristics. It is critical and promising as the services sector has grown faster than the manufacturing sector in developing economies in the past three decades. It accounted for an average of 55% of GDP in some developing economies. KE's flexibility in collaborating with other methods and covering various service settings shows its unique superiority. However, there is criticism of the collected Kansei's validity and the proposed solution's robustness. It might be potentially caused by the dynamics of customer emotional needs and various service settings. As a result, Kansei is found to be somewhat fuzzy, unclear, and ambiguous. Hence, a more structured KE methodology incorporating the Kansei text mining process for robust service design is proposed. Kansei text mining approach will extract and summarize service attributes and their corresponding affective responses based on the online product descriptions and customer reviews. The Taguchi method will support the robustness of the proposed improvement strategy. An empirical study of a zoo as a tourism attraction service and its practical implication is discussed and validated in the proposed integrative framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sustainable development of mining processes requires a deep knowledge of the effectiveness of mining equipment and is quite complex to analyze due to the intrinsic characteristics of the mining industry. In this regard, its measurement and control can lead to appropriate management, improving the mining processes' efficiency, increasing safety levels, and reducing environmental impacts. This paper developed a new methodology to study the effectiveness of equipment in mining processes, researching the impacts of process management, process control, operating conditions, operational mining schedule, and maintenance programs on the effectiveness of drilling rig fleets using two actual coal mines located in the northwest of Spain and data collected over 10 years. Thus, a new method, called Overall Mining Equipment Effectiveness (OMEE), was developed, verifying its appropriateness and flexibility to analyze the effectiveness of mining equipment by examining the availability rate, utilization rate, and productivity index. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Filling mining is the main mining method in coal mine, and its safety is the pillar of the overall safety of the mine. Filling mining can effectively protect the surface environment, better solve the problem of ground pressure, and maximize the recovery of underground resources. Therefore, this method has an irreplaceable role in deep mining of coal mines and is highly valued by the mining industry all around the world. In order to evaluate the implementation effect of filling mining, a comprehensive weighting-set pair analysis safety evaluation model is established. This model optimizes the subjectivity of analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and the objectivity of Entropy Weight Method (EWM) in traditional methods. Besides, we add experts' weight to Entropy Weight Method. The combination of the two methods makes the index weight more reasonable and effective, and can more fully reflect the difference and correlation of index. Firstly, the accident causation analysis and taxonomy (ACAT) is used to find out the accident causation factors of filling mining, and then, the AHP and EWM are used to determine the weight of each evaluation index from different perspectives. Then, the evaluation group is established to score the importance of each expert, so as to reduce the subjectivity of expert scoring. Finally, according to the principle of set pair analysis, the safety evaluation model of filling mining is applied to Yuxing Coal Mine in Inner Mongolia. The evaluation result shows that the safety grade of this mine is grade 1 "safety." This paper provides a new way and direction for the comprehensive evaluation of similar mining methods, the establishment of index system, the acquisition of index weights, and the evaluation of safety level, which has promotion and application value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of using the method is to obtain information on the social perception of the employment restructuring process in the mining industry, taking into account the phase of design, implementation, monitoring and impact assessment for the industry and local communities. Design/methodology/approach: The theses presented in the article have been verified using: literature review, critical literature analysis, document research and comparative analysis. The article presents a research method enabling social assessment of barriers and determinants of the employment restructuring process in the mining industry under the just transition mechanism. The method of researching the social perception of the hard coal mining employment restructuring process, due to the specificity and complexity of the issue under consideration, uses various, mutually complementary methods and techniques of social research: quantitative and qualitative. Findings: As a result of the analyzes and surveys carried out, a set of conclusions can be presented, the most important of which include conclusions relating to social issues – implementation of the economic transformation in mining communes and poviats is possible in the coming years, but the communes are not prepared for the transformation. The negative effects of the employment restructuring process on the local economy may be noticeable in significant liquidation of enterprises cooperating with entities restructuring industry, reduction of revenues to the budget of local government authorities and reduction of demand on the local market. Originality/value: The article enriches knowledge and develops a discussion in the area of social perception of the employment restructuring process in the mining industry. The attempt to capture the phenomena and processes presented here that may result from the transformation of hard coal mining in Poland is aimed at a better comprehension of the task that may be played by the local government in the area of which operating or closed mines and mining companies are located. On the basis of the results of the survey, it is mainly noticed that there is a need to define the challenges and tasks that should be undertaken in real action by the institutions responsible for the transformation of mining communes – especially due to the need to limit the social and economic consequences that may appear in the transformation process, both in the area of mining communes mining and in their surroundings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of using the method is to obtain information on the social perception of the employment restructuring process in the mining industry, taking into account the phase of design, implementation, monitoring and impact assessment for the industry and local communities. Design/methodology/approach: The theses presented in the article have been verified using: literature review, critical literature analysis, document research and comparative analysis. The article presents a research method enabling social assessment of barriers and determinants of the employment restructuring process in the mining industry under the just transition mechanism. The method of researching the social perception of the hard coal mining employment restructuring process, due to the specificity and complexity of the issue under consideration, uses various, mutually complementary methods and techniques of social research: quantitative and qualitative. Findings: As a result of the interviews carried out, it seems that all the expert assessments and opinions expressed confirm thesis that if the changes related to the just transition process cannot be stopped, then one must learn to take advantage of it. The view expressed above regarding the process of just transformation, which implies both economic and social challenges that are important for mining communes, among which the following deserve special attention as increasing the importance of the participation of mining communes in making government decisions, more friendly conditions shaping cooperation, need for mining communes to implement projects based on local mobility, adaptability and social sensitivity, need to increase social awareness related to mining in mining communes with responsibility for the just transition process, disappearance of state policies in the implementation of social functions in the phase of ongoing changes and taking them over by the local society. Originality/value: The article enriches knowledge and develops a discussion in the area of social perception of the employment restructuring process in the mining industry. Based on the assessments and opinions of experts, it seems that in the perspective of the predictable occurrence of the transformation process, it could be important for local governments, and in particular mining communes, to promote actions for an evolutionary, not short-term shift from coal-based energy to low-emission sources - striving to make it a multi-stage and long-term process. Equally important may be the pursuit of solutions according to which the principle of introducing funds directly to individual communes for the implementation of the just transformation process will be adopted. Must be considerated need for local governments, including mining communes, to obtain state intervention appropriate to the scale of the [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The worldwide mining industry consumes a vast amount of energy in reduction of fragment size from mining to mineral processing with an extremely low-energy efficiency, particularly in ore crushing and grinding. Regarding such a situation, this article describes the effects of rock fragmentation by blasting on the energy consumption, productivity, minerals' recovery, operational costs in the whole size reduction chain from mining to mineral processing, and the sustainability of mining industry. The main factors that influence rock fragmentation are analysed such as explosive, initiator, rock, and energy distribution including blast design, and the models for predicting rock fragmentation are briefly introduced. In addition, two important issues—fines and ore blending—are shortly presented. Furthermore, the feasibility of achieving an optimum fragmentation (satisfied by a minimum cost from drilling-blasting to crushing-grinding, maximum ore recovery ratio, high productivity, and minimum negative impact on safety and environment) is analysed. The analysis indicates that this feasibility is high. Finally, the measures and challenges for achieving optimum fragmentation are discussed. Highlights: The effects of rock fragmentation on the whole size reduction chain from mining to mineral processing are described. The main factors influencing rock fragmentation by blasting are analysed. Main models for predicting rock fragmentation are briefly introduced and commented on. The feasibility, measures, and challenges of achieving optimum fragmentation are analysed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mining in Brazil is one of the pillars that support its GDP (gross domestic product). Its execution requires technique and expertise. In a mining venture, the value chain drives the business to achieve its goals. Mine planning has a great influence on its performance, as it is through it that the organization is based to offer its products to the market and, consequently, the low compliance with the established premises will bring undesirable inconveniences. Within the planning, the short term is dedicated to operationalize the plans made possible by the long and medium term teams, in addition to attending to market variations. The indicators that control this process are of great importance, as an incorrect identification inserted in the various criteria that compose it can guide managers towards inefficient decision making. The objective of this study was, through lean methodology, to identify the main performance indicators that impact on the non-exception of the mining plan measured by the adherence and compliance indicators. In this method, the main causes of non-adherence and compliance with the mining plan were identified, enabling short and medium-term actions that leveraged the indicators. This study leveraged the average adherence and compliance by 17% and 54.9%, respectively, exceeding the target set for 6.5% and 49.2% respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Nonferrous Metals (Mining Section) is the property of Beijing Research Institute of Mining & Metallurgy Technology Group and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

With the rise of historical data availability and increased computational power, reinforcement learning (RL) has become more prominent. It has shown the ability to outperform human knowledge in certain areas. RL is particularly valuable in control applications due to its generalization, self-adjustment, and independence from a mathematical model. Despite its potential, there are limited studies and applications focusing on using RL for mining processes. This study aims to showcase the applicability of RL in the mining industry. An algorithm was developed using proximal policy optimization (PPO) to control a simulated conventional cylindrical-conical thickener. The controller's goal is to adjust the slurry density and solid interface height to produce a material with a high solid concentration. By regulating the thickener's output flow and the flocculant dosage in the incoming slurry, PPO achieves this objective. Through simulation, an RL agent was trained to control the thickener efficiently, managing flocculant usage and responding appropriately to system disturbances. The study concludes that applying reinforcement learning holds promise for enhancing mining process control. However, further research is needed to fine-tune algorithm parameters, enhance design structure, optimize control, and maximize the technique's benefits. • Demonstrate that reinforcement learning (RL) can be applied in the mining industry. • Control is performed using the proximal policy optimization (PPO). • Tests are conducted using a simulated conventional cylindrical-conical thickener. • RL agent capable of being applied to a real thickener. • Control presents efficient use of flocculant and rejection of disturbances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Underground mining is one of the riskiest industries. It is well established that the investigation of geomechanical parameters at the design stage of an underground mine provides the approximate rock mass characteristics, which are associated with some risks in the design. From a realistic risk assessment point of view, it is essential to classify risky design parameters as relevant to risk groups and determine a suitable weighting strategy for risk-prone elements aiming at risk assessment. Therefore, a realistic weighting procedure is an essential step in making realistic design decisions to increase the safety of mining operations and economic vitality. This study aimed to develop a realistic weighting procedure to assess and compare various geomechanical parameters that pose a risk to opening stability. In this research, sub-level stoping mining methods, which are commonly used in the Kazakhstan mining industry, were selected to test the developed weighting algorithm. In this study, the risk-prone geomechanical parameters for the chosen mining method were defined, and a weighting procedure was developed using the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) method. The proposed methodology was verified against available data from the Ridder–Sokolny underground mine, and the analysis results showed good agreement with actual observations in the mine. The obtained preliminary results show that FAHP is a reliable method for weighting geomechanical parameters and can be used as an input in any geomechanical risk assessment practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mining resources have played a leading role in the development of humanity, and the demand for these raw materials is expected to increase in the foreseeable future. In addition, new technologies also require the extraction of new critical materials. These trends pose various challenges as there is a limited supply of natural resources, and standard mining and mineral processing practices are associated with significant environmental impacts, such as waste generation, energy and water consumption, and CO2 emissions. The circular economy (CE) has recently gained attention as a model to address such a complex scenario. This work analyzes the current efforts toward the application of CE in mineral processing. Although advances have been made, this review shows that the most significant material flows and environmental impacts occur near the production sites, which currently limits the closure of loops. Besides, mining industries are conservative regarding the adoption of new technologies or processing strategies, which is another hindrance to the implementation of the CE. Thus, and with few exceptions, while some sectors are already facing advanced stages of CE (namely, CE 3.0), the mineral processing field struggles to advance from the basic CE requirements (i.e, CE 1.0 to CE 2.0). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recovery of scandium (Sc) from wastes and various resources using solvent extraction (SX) was discussed in detail. Moreover, the metallurgical extractive procedures for Sc recovery were presented. Acidic and neutral organophosphorus (OPCs) extractants are the most extensively used in industrial activities, considering that they provide the highest extraction efficiency of any of the valuable components. Due to the chemical and physical similarities of the rare earth metals, the separation and purification processes of Sc are difficult tasks. Sc has also been extracted from acidic solutions using carboxylic acids, amines, and acidic β-diketone, among other solvents and chemicals. For improving the extraction efficiencies, the development of mixed extractants or synergistic systems for the SX of Sc has been carried out in recent years. Different operational parameters play an important role in the extraction process, such as the type of the aqueous phase and its acidity, the aqueous (A) to organic (O) and solid (S) to liquid (L) phase ratios, as well as the type of the diluents. Sc recovery is now implemented in industrial production using a combination of hydrometallurgical and pyrometallurgical techniques, such as ore pre-treatment, leaching, SX, precipitation, and calcination. The hydrometallurgical methods (acid leaching and SX) were effective for Sc recovery. Furthermore, the OPCs bis(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid (D2EHPA/P204) and tributyl phosphate (TBP) showed interesting potential taking into consideration some co-extracted metals such as Fe(III) and Ti(IV). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article contains a case study focusing on the safety procedures related to the mining industry in Canada. The purpose of the study was to identify the best mining practices in Canada. The paper contains an overview of the laws and procedures regulating the mining industry in Canada as well as the procedures for enforcing environmental and safety regulations. The procedures for changing and constantly updating the safety regulations are also being discussed. This was also done for the purpose of identifying the best practices. The article also addresses the procedure for investigating mining accidents in Canada. The article emphasizes the importance of a three-way partnership (management of the mining company, labor union, and the Ministry of Labor). That three-way partnership is important from the perspective of revising and modifying the mining safety regulations as well as enforcing those regulations. Participation of the labor union as well as the management of the mining company in updating safety regulations makes them more practical and reflective of real safety issues. Unpractical and obsolete mine safety regulations are being eliminated. The labor union and mine management feel the ownership of the mining safety regulations. This fact makes it easier to enforce new regulations. The article also focuses on environmental protection procedures. Environmental risk evaluation is conducted before a mining permit is issued. This is being done by the provincial government. During the mining operation, the Ministry of Labor is handling the environmental protection issues. The Ministry of Labor is constantly checking the compliance with the safety as well as the environmental and sustainability guidelines. Using artificial intelligence and Industry 4.0 technology is also being mentioned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers the issue of mining non-metallic (rock) products in the context of transition economies. Our studies have shown that interest in nonmetallic products is growing every year, as evidenced by the growing volumes of production both around the world and in the group of countries considered in the article. The market analysis for non-metallic minerals has revealed the market development dynamics; however, its high monopolization may lead to some restrictions on free competition in subsoil use. In order to assess such monopolization, we have calculated the Herfindahl-Hirschman index for each non-metallic mineral mined in countries with economies in transition. We have found that the entire product range under consideration is part of a highly concentrated market dominated by the Russian Federation. We have presented some options for designing and introducing various kinds of arrangements to develop the mining potential of non-metallic minerals in order to reduce the dominant component of individual countries or companies and to balance the market. It is proposed to consider a partial transition from the possibility of developing deposits to an underground one -- as an alternative option that harms the environmental load on the situation in the mining area. The results of this study will be used to conduct a detailed analysis in each country under review, which will provide the most complete picture of the mining industry in countries with economies in transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the significant growth of the world population, the accelerated growth of economic industries in various countries, and improved living conditions, freshwater consumption has increased dramatically and is currently under critical pressure. Its good use and rationing are essential. Even though mining is an industry that consumes much less water than other industries, such as agriculture, surrounding communities are constantly questioned. This occurs mainly because mining deposits are generally found in arid areas where freshwater is scarce, forcing government authorities to regulate water use in mining processes more severely. Faced with this scenario, the mining industry has innovated the use of seawater and wastewater from processes for its production processes. In addition, various projects are under development to construct desalination plants and water impulsion systems of the sea; therefore, it is expected that seawater and/or wastewater in mining will continue to grow in the coming years. Among the main challenges faced in the use of these water resources in mining is: (i) the close relationship that exists between the use of seawater and energy consumption, transferring the problem of water scarcity to a problem of energy cost overruns; (ii) generation of greater integration between the use of water and sustainable energy; and (iii) brine management is economically expensive and technically challenging and, therefore, most desalination plants discharge untreated brine directly into the sea, causing an environmental impact. On the other hand, regarding the use of these water resources in leaching processes, there are very positive results for the dissolution of copper from sulfide minerals, where the wastewater from desalination plants presents better results than seawater due to its higher concentration of chloride ions, allowing it to work at higher redox potential values in order to increase copper dissolution. This manuscript is a bibliographic review in which finally, it is concluded that it is feasible to incorporate wastewater from water desalination plants in heap leaching processes for copper sulfide ores, as long as the cost of transfer from water desalination plants to mining sites can be supported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Nonferrous Metals (Mining Section) is the property of Beijing Research Institute of Mining & Metallurgy Technology Group and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Modern technologies have been revolutionizing industries for years, providing competitive advantages to companies. As a technology based on decentralization, Blockchain becomes a tool to support and secure processes and transactions in industries such as mining and power engineering. It also supports supply chain processes, which are particularly important in today's mining business. The use of advanced cryptography methods results in increased cyber security in entities that implement such solutions. The use of Blockchain technology carries a strong message, both to competitors and customers, about intensifying work on authentication and process traceability. This publication focuses on defining the trust gap problem in the mining industry and on examples of the use of technology in data traceability processes. The mining industry is beginning to use technologies which had been previously available only in the theoretical realm. The ongoing development towards a smart industry entails a number of studies and expert assessments, aimed to integrate knowledge from the mining and IT areas. The combination of these research areas leads to an increase in the value of both the companies implementing modern technologies and traditional companies that implement such applications in their value chain. Based on the analyzed articles, two main areas of consideration in the context of the extractive industry were distinguished: systems that track and secure the flow of data in specific mining processes and systems that monitor and secure information on processes which support the raw materials supply chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kriging methods require parameters to define search strategy (kriging neighbourhood). These parameters affect the precision and accuracy of its estimates. Frequently, the choice of these parameters is merely subjective. Some practitioners prioritise estimates that lead to models with a reduced smoothing effect or a regression slope as close as possible to one. However, it is prevalent to use the same kriging neighbourhood or search strategy for all blocks estimated within a stationary domain. This study presents a contribution that challenges this concept by using a block-by-block optimisation approach focused on the localised kriging parameter optimisation (LKPO) methodology. A comparative study is carried out, and some of the metrics analysed include the kriging efficiency and the slope of regression (typical in optimising methodologies in the mining industry). The results indicate that the LKPO methodology provides more accurate and precise estimates than those based on a global kriging neighbourhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de Historia (07169108) is the property of Universidad de Concepcion and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The paper highlights the results of a study that examined the employees' expertise and awareness of occupational hazards in their work environment. The research involved a survey conducted in the form of a short questionnaire among employees responsible for loading and hauling of excavated material in an opencast mine. Among 23 major hazards that were thus identified, there were global hazards (affecting the entire mining process) as well as local, task-specific hazards. Depending on the number of responses, 10 local and 3 global hazards were identified in the analyzed area, involving noise, stress and dust. Active participation of the crew in the risk identification process helped in the assessment of their criticality levels, according to employees carrying out various task, highlighting the benefits of such approach for effective work safety management in a mining company. The conducted research demonstrated yet another goal to be achieved - i.e. the comparison of criticality levels of hazards as identified by employees and those reported in occupational risk assessment reports in the mine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coal is one of the most precious mineral resource, mining and mineral processing contributes to the economic development. In Vietnam, coal mining industry is economically profitable. However, this industry shows several disadvantages such as low productivity, wasting resources, negative environmental impact. Therefore, the State of Vietnam need to improve the coal mining governance to raise revenues, avoid wasting resources and meet the requirements of sustainable development. The paper aims to evaluate State governance of coal mining industry in Vietnam, and shows the advantages and disadvantages of this governance. Therefore, this paper proposes the strategies and solutions to improve coal mining governance in Vietnam towards sustainable development. The structure of the paper includes: (i) Literature review of the importance and requirements of state governance of coal mining industry towards sustainable development; (ii) State governance of coal mining industry in Vietnam; (iii) Proposals to improve State governance of coal mining industry towards sustainable development in Vietnam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Processing of mining waste can be both cost-effective and environmentally friendly. Smaller mining waste stocks containing valuable components, such as non-ferrous metals (anthropogenic mineral resources), may be of interest to small- and medium-sized businesses. However, anthropogenic waste processing projects are rare in the Murmansk Region, Russia, despite the huge accumulated waste stocks. This study shows that the statutory requirements that currently apply in Russia to the development of anthropogenic mineral resources are excessively stringent. The existing regulatory framework prevents small- and medium-sized businesses from implementing mining waste processing projects, since the required procedures are costly and take time to complete. Time is a critical resource for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which generally undertake investment projects only during periods of high commodity prices. In addition, the grade of the mining waste and its process properties deteriorate with time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mining industry is increasingly facing lower feed grades, which is resulting in the necessity to reduce mining and processing costs. One of the most renowned approaches to increasing feed grades is the application of pre-concentration technologies prior to introducing the extracted ore to the main processing plant. This paper reviews the concept of pre-concentration systems and identifies the benefits of pre-concentration in underground mining through the rejection and appropriate deposal of waste and/or low-grade materials. All previous studies into underground pre-concentration theories and applications together with the highlights that were achieved are presented. This is followed by recommendations for future works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mining industry produces a large amount of mine waste rock and tailings, which pose a severe threat to the environment. The most common way for the disposal of these industrial wastes is dumping at sites, which contributes to soil degradation and water pollution, and also covers the useful land. Recycling of mine tailings (MTs) in raw material - intensive applications presents a good alternative to manage the waste generated from mining and mineral processing industries. The geopolymer technology provides a green solution to the utilization of MTs, avoiding its negative environmental impacts. This paper is the first part of the review which summarizes the physicochemical and environmental aspects of different types of MTs, as well as the technological aspects of the preparation of geopolymers (GPs) based on them. The work scrutinizes potential environmental and socio-economic risks of the mining industry associated with the accumulation of tailings. The issues of MTs toxicity that should be taken into account when developing methods for disposal of tailings in geopolymers are touched upon. The features of the chemical and mineral composition of tailings used in geopolymers, as well as their physical properties, are systematized and scrutinized. Methods of utilizing MTs as precursors of GPs or aggregates described in the scientific literature, as well as general patterns of the geopolymerization process are discussed. Finally, the key issues in this area that require additional research are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mining occurs in highly variable, spatially dynamic environments. Existing methods of planning and operations management are insufficient to adequately account for variability. Managing variability within the value chain aims to maximise business value. This paper presents a methodology for managing variability. This includes: assessing the impact of variability on a deterministic mine schedule; applying guiding principles based on Theory of Constraints to stabilise and exploit the value chain; developing a risk approach to minimise costs of plan delivery; and establishing tools for critical path planning, reconciling performance against plan and establishing corrective actions to deliver plan outcomes. A case study is presented from the Olympic Dam mine. Conclusions include: operations contain significant variability that if not managed will fail to deliver the mine plan; the proposed methodology can be applied to reduce variability and robustly deliver the best-value mine plan; and this methodology has broad application across the mining industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mining extractive companies have extended their operations to other realms, such as the management of media. Thus, from a space of physical intervention, they start to conquer a space of symbolic representation, creating a gap between local communities' perceptions of the mining process and the perception that is spread through media outlets about the operations in the territories. In Chile, this perception is complicated by the participation of the mining industry in media ownership and the overall concentration of media. Through critical ethnographic fieldwork, analysis of national and local community media examples, this article explores an ongoing socio-environmental conflict in the Choapa Valley where the copper mine Los Pelambres operates. It does it by first discussing how the mining industry pursues narratives of extractivism in the Chilean media and then discussing how local communities defy this narrative by creating their description of the territory through local media outlets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sublevel caving method without bottom column and filling method were used for mining in a mine. This paper studied the change of stope ground pressure and stope stability when two mining methods were used simultaneously. FLAC3D numerical simulation technology was used to simulate the evolution law of stope ground pressure in this mine, and microseismic monitoring technology was used to verify the simulation results. The results showed that with the development of sublevel caving method, the stability of the lower consolidated backfill was significantly improved, and the force on the lower stope pillar was on the decline. After the mining of sublevel caving method, the vertical stress of the lower stope pillar decreased by about 35%. Thus, it was proved that the mining method of sublevel caving without bottom column can effectively relieve the ground pressure in the lower filling stope and is conducive to improving the stability of stope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, in the coal mining industry, achieve to goals such as high production rates and efficiency with increasing safety and reducing production costs needs to using mechanized mining methods and advanced equipment. As case studies, Takht coal mine and Tazareh coal mine in north-eastern of Iran and Tabas coal mine in mid-Eastern Iran were selected. In total, 17 coal seams with the potential for mechanization from three mentioned mines were studied. In this present study in order to evaluating these coal mines potential of mechanization, important and influential factors such as seam inclination, seam thickness, roof strength, seam uniformity condition, seam extension, bearing capacity and water at the working face were investigated. In this study, it was tried to select the best seams between studied seams with potential for mechanization based on the mentioned factors, by using Preference Ranking Organization Method for Enrich Evaluation method. Finally, Tabas and K11 seam from Takht mine were selected as the top options for mechanization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the last few decades, the mining industry has increasingly turned to autonomous systems in its efforts to modernize and advance mining methods and techniques. Vehicle automation in such complex working environments can play a critical role in improving worker safety and mine productivity. Moreover, as the global demand for minerals continues to increase, such technologies will enable access to deeper and more difficult to mine orebodies. The research reported in this article seeks to demonstrate the feasibility of autonomous batch haulage vehicles in the underground coal mining production cycle. By introducing autonomous shuttle cars, the operator can be removed from dusty, noisy, and potentially dangerous conditions and be placed in a relatively safe location, while supervising the machine rather than operating it. This article presents an overview of the approach taken, a description of a lab-scale model and mock mine environment, and preliminary results for autonomous navigation of the prototype shuttle car. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large-scale mining methods are commonplace in the mining industry, and caving has become the preferred underground mining technique. The use of block caving has increased worldwide and is expected to grow because of high production rates, low mining costs, and low waste production. One key engineering consideration in block caving is the drawpoint spacing layout, which must be selected prior to production based on widely spaced exploration data; uncertainty is highest during this stage of mining; and selecting an appropriate extraction level and layout is important for economic and safety considerations. In the proposed methodology, uncertainty in the grade block model is assessed with sequential Gaussian simulation and an optimisation procedure is developed to maximise net present value over many realisations while being constrained by mining considerations. This novel approach generates one layout that is optimal over all realisations rather than consider optimisation on a single kriged model which is standard practice; in this way risk can be assessed and mitigated by selecting the layout that maximises profit but also minimises the variance of profit over all realisations. The methodology is demonstrated using a case study, and the proposed technique outperforms traditional optimisation based on a kriged model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, high levels of radioactivity were found in products from Chinese mineral processing industries that handle mineral placer from Southeast Africa. The findings led to public panic. The aim of this work is to provide radiological data for the government, workers and the public. In this work, activity concentrations of 238 U, 232 Th, 226 Ra and 40 K in raw ore from Southeast Africa were analysed in the laboratory. Products like monazite and building material were analysed. High concentrations of 238 U, 232 Th and 226 Ra in products were found to be at a level of 10 4   Bq/kg. Around the South China Mineral Processing Industry, radioactivity in soil and groundwater was analysed. Absorbed dose rates in air and indoor radon concentrations at workplaces were monitored. Annual effective dose to workers and the public was calculated and found to exceed Chinese dose criterion. This report might be an alert for mining and mineral processing in Southeast Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the erosion-corrosion behaviour of spark plasma sintered Fe-Cr-Ni relating additive and synergistic effects on the sintering temperature and time in mining and mineral processing industries. All tests were carried out using a rotating cylinder electrode system. The relative density has a relationship with the hardness values of the sintered alloys. The results linked the effects of the stainless steel sintering parameters (temperature and time) on the total mass loss, pure erosion, erosion-enhanced corrosion, and corrosion-enhanced erosion conditions. No correlation exists between the erosion-corrosion components and the densification mechanism since the porosity of the samples does not influence the sintered alloys behaviour. The surfaces indicated localized attack which increased with increasing time but decreased as the sintering temperature increased. Image 1 • Spark plasma sintered UNS 32205 was investigated in simulated mine water. • Sintering process parameters influenced the erosion-corrosion behaviour of sintered steel. • Sintering temperature and time of 1100 °C and 10 min is recommended for erosion-enhanced corrosion conditions. • Sample sintered at 1000 °C and 10 min gives the optimal corrosion-enhanced erosion rate. • Localized attacks decreased with increasing sintering temperature but increases with sintering time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work analyzes and discusses the current situation of Chilean mining and its relation with environmental issues and with a proposal for capturing, transporting and sequestering carbon dioxide (CO2) in mine tailings. Some aspects related to climate change, greenhouse effect, and carbon footprint are discussed. Also, analysis is done on how the mining industry, not only in Chile but around the world, can make use of raw material being permanently formed such as the waste material forming mine tailings, to mitigate the problem of excess of CO2 in the atmosphere, mainly formed in power plants that provide energy to the mining and metallurgical processes. Also, sequestration of CO2 is analyzed as a viable alternative to reduce the amount of harmful gases in the atmosphere. Finally, a method for the capture of CO2 contained in flue gases and its transport to the place of sequestration using ionic liquids is proposed. It is concluded that despite the costs of sequestration are still high, work must be done to optimize processes for making the technology economically viable for the capture and transport of CO2 using ionic liquids and its sequestration in mineral tailings, in the shortest possible time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a widely-used methodology for estimating the potential environmental impacts of technological systems in nature. Relative maturity of this method has been achieved thanks to recent standardization efforts, although there are still several challenges, particularly in the minerals industry where LCA still needs to be strengthened and extended in use. An exhaustive review of recent LCA studies on mining and mineral processing operations was conducted to identify how these have dealt with various methodological challenges. A total of twenty-nine studies were found, most of which focusing on developed regions and in three commodities: coal (28%), aggregates (21%), and copper ores (14%). The source of data for background processes has been the Ecoinvent database in 45% of the studies analyzed, whereas the SimaPro software has been the preferred LCA tool in 66% of such studies. Although important advances have been made, significant issues remain. For instance, inconsistencies were found in the definition of the functional unit and system boundaries (temporal and technological). Further, the adoption of allocation criteria and the use of normalization and weighting in impact assessment have not been considered in most cases. While climate change was the main environmental hotspot (more than 90% of the studies addressed this impact category), the impacts associated with water use and waste management have been overlooked in most studies. Furthermore, mining and processing operations have been described as generic, averaged values or as simple functional relationships between system inputs and outputs using parameters without physical significance ("black box models") in several production chains, making it difficult to identify opportunities for environmental sustainability enhancement within the sector. The work then discusses the opportunity of improvement in LCA in the minerals industry through the incorporation of process simulation from a bottom-up perspective. Evidence from other industries and recent advances in the computational development of such tools for the mineral sector are reviewed, which suggests that there is an opportunity for reducing the epistemic uncertainty in future LCA studies of mining and processing operations through the combination of both approaches. Image 1 • Critical evaluation of recent peer-reviewed LCA studies in the minerals industry. • Methodological challenges of LCA within this sector are discussed. • Potential improvements in LCA from a bottom-up approach are examined. • Process simulation coupled with LCA can become a reality for the mining sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analysed and summarised the significant research outputs published on the environmental impact assessment of mining and mineral processing industries through life cycle assessment. The paper presents valuable insights in identifying the gaps, where should the focus be in the mining and mineral processing industries for a sustainable future. Mining and mineral processing industries have been the key focus of research in many countries due to its increasing sustainability concerns that affect global warming and climate change. Use of heavy equipment that consumes electrical energy, mechanical energy, and an enormous amount of process heat is a key contributor to the overall impacts in the industry. Due to the use of heavy equipment and associated energy consumption, these industrial sectors contribute notably to global warming, human health, ecosystems, and resources. Among the various environmental impact assessment tools which are widely used to identify sustainability indicators, life cycle assessment (LCA) is a well-justified approach among the practitioners and researchers. Though state of the art technological tools and resources are being used now a days, there is still a research gap in identifying the key mining processes which need to be the focus of attention. Renewable energy integration in the mineral processing sector and process heating from green energy sources is becoming the emergent field of research. The review results reveal, the assessment indicators in human health and ecosystems are key factors that are mostly missing in the previous studies which are crucial for people or community living nearby mining area. This review paper identifies the research gaps to the existing literature that can form the base for future research direction in the field of LCA and sustainable energy integration in mining and mineral processing industries. • A review based on life cycle assessment studies in mining and mineral processing. • 16 metal mining industries are reviewed. • Summarised key factors of environmental effects using LCA. • Future research directions are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Particle-laden flows in helical channels are of interest for their applications in spiral particle separators used in the mining and mineral processing industries. In this paper, we extend the previous work of Lee, Stokes, and Bertozzi ["Behaviour of a particle-laden flow in a spiral channel," Phys. Fluids 26, 043302 (2014)] by studying thin-film flows of monodisperse particle-laden fluid in helically wound channels of arbitrary centerline curvature and torsion and arbitrary cross-sectional shape. In the case where the particles are uniformly distributed through the depth of the film, significant analytic progress can be made yielding insight into the influence of channel geometry on particle distribution across the channel cross section: the governing equations reduce to a single nonlinear ordinary differential equation, which is readily integrated numerically to obtain the solution subject to appropriate boundary conditions. Motivated by possible application to the design of spiral separators, we consider the effects of changing the channel centerline geometry, the cross-sectional shape and the particle density on the resulting flows, and the radial distribution of particles. Our results support the findings in the work of Arnold, Stokes, and Green ["Thin-film flow in helically wound rectangular channels of arbitrary torsion and curvature," J. Fluid Mech. 764, 76–94 (2015)] regarding the effect of channel centerline geometry and cross-sectional shape on flows in particle-free regions. In particle-rich regions, similar effects are seen although the primary velocity is lower due to increased effective mixture viscosity. Of key interest is the effect of channel geometry on the focusing of the particles for given fluxes of fluid and particles. We find that introducing a trench into the channel cross section, a feature often used in commercial spiral particle separators, leads to a smaller radial width of the particle-rich region, i.e., sharper focusing of the particles, which is consistent with experiments showing that channel geometry influences particle separation in a spiral separator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Production planning in an underground mine plays a key activity in the mining company business. It is supported by the fact that mineral industry is unique and volatile environment. There are two uncertain parameters that cannot be managed by planners, metal price, and operating costs. Having ability to quantify and incorporate them in the process of planning can help companies to do their business in much easier way. We quantify these uncertainties by the simulation of mean reverting process and Itô-Doob stochastic differential equation, respectively. Mineral deposit is represented as a set of mineable blocks and room and pillar mining method is selected as a way of mining. Multicriteria clustering algorithm is used to create areas inside of mineral deposit that have technological characteristics required by the planners. We also developed a way to forecast the volatility of economic values of these areas through the planning period. Fuzzy 0-1 linear programming model is used to define the sequence of mining of these areas by maximization of the expected value of the fuzzy future cash flow. Model was tested on small hypothetical lead-zinc mineral deposit and results showed that our approach was able to solve such complex problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a review of research devoted to the study of genotoxic and carcinogenic effects of exposure to factors of the production environment of the coal mining and coal processing industries. The first part of the review analyzes mutagenic effects: chromosomal aberrations (CA), sister chromatid exchanges (SCE), micronuclei (MN), and DNA comets in coal mining workers (mines) and workers in coal processing (coal heating plants, coking plants) enterprises. The second part is devoted to the study of cancer incidence in workers employed in the coal industry. The third part deals with works that carried out a comprehensive analysis of the mutagenic and carcinogenic effects in miners and workers at coal-fired power plants and coking plants. In general, the analysis of the literature confirmed the high genotoxic and carcinogenic danger of the working conditions for workers employed in the coal mining and coal processing industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mining industry contributes to a particular extent to the pollution of environmental factors, both through the large quantities of pollutants it produces and the diversity of the environment. The negative impact of mining activities on the environment is a direct one, which is strictly related to the actual extraction activity of mineral deposits useful and indirect, related to the mining activity processing and use. Usually these activities are concentrated in certain geographic perimeters, the same area being influenced by the mining activity, both directly and indirectly. This paper presents the present study on noise pollution by the mining operation ROŞIUŢA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was performed to determine the bioavailable amounts of cadmium, lead, and zinc in the soils contaminated over the years of Zn-Pb ore mining and processing near Olkusz, Poland, and to identify the environmental risk (RAC) associated with the occurrence of the most mobile forms of these metals in the soil. The authors analyzed the topsoil samples for the basic physical and chemical parameters, as well as for total metal content (by aqua regia extraction), and for percentage of 1 M HCl- and 1 M NH4NO3 - extractable fractions. The results were compared with the content of these metals in a common grass species, Agrostis capillaris. In the study region, the Cd, Pb, and Zn contents were (respectively, in mg∙kg-1): 0.5-33.5, 2-529, and 4-7877. This means that in more than 24%, 30%, and 38% of samples, respectively, the metal content exceeded the limits defined by the Polish Environment Minister's Regulation of September 9, 2002, with nearly 24% of soil samples contaminated by all three metals. On the basis of the Environment Minister's Regulation of September 1, 2016, which is currently in force, and using the allowed limits for subgroup IV (industrial land), set at 15 mg∙kg-1 for Cd, 600 mg∙kg-1 for Pb, and 2000 mg∙kg-1 for Zn, the analysis also found the excessive metal content in a considerable percentage of the topsoil samples (33%, 13%, and 38%, respectively). The content of the studied elements in a common grass species, Agrostis capillaris, was significantly higher than the so-called natural content. A strict association was found between the total Cd, Pb, and Zn content, and the potentially available 1 M HCl - extractable fraction. The environmental risk presented by the content of mobile Cd, Pb, and Zn forms, assessed in all the studied soil samples using Risk Assessment Codes (RAC), demonstrates very high environmental risk associated with Cd, high environmental risk connected with Zn, and moderate environmental risk related to Pb. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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When two adjacent surface mines are simultaneously mined in the same direction with a certain relationship of the time and space, the mining arrangement of the former mine will greatly affect the mining plan and economic benefit of subsequent surface mine. In this paper, the optimized mathematical model is established with the mining conditions and economic benefits taken into account. The minimum cost of objective function is analyzed in the condition of considering the different transportation distance with different dumping amount and secondary stripping amount. At the end of this paper a conclusion is drawn that the reasonable dumping level is determined as 1130 based on the annual planning project location and stripping amount, which will reduce the cost of production and smooth the coal mining. Moreover, it is verified by an example to be correct that the mathematical model can be used to solve similar problems of tracing mining or adjacent districts mined in surface mines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the non-Darcy flow has seen a significant increase in interest in conventional and unconventional gas developments. The nonlinear behavior can be described by adding a quadratic term of the velocity with the permeability-dependent β factor in Darcy’s law. The methods for improving permeability such as the hydraulic flushing hole enlargement (HFHE) technique can remarkably enhance the coal permeability thus changing the β factor. However, few studies have been done previously to seek how this non-Darcy flow impacts the permeability-enhanced gas drainage. In this study, a fully coupled coal deformation and damage, the non-Darcy flow of free methane gas in the fractures, and Fickian diffusion of adsorbed methane in the coal matrix model were developed. The Klinkenberg effect has been taken into account as a reference object. A series of simulation scenarios were carried out to evaluate and compare the influences of the non-Darcy effect, gas-coal interaction effect, and Klinkenberg effect on the HFHE-enhanced gas drainage. Results of the simulation illustrate that the HFHE technique can significantly improve the gas drainage efficiency by permeability enhancement. But the HFHE-enhanced gas drainage is unique to the other gas developments with high or low flow rates; a slight pressure gradient and short drainage time make the non-Darcy effect fail to generate cumulative influence on the HFHE-enhanced gas drainage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mining has been observed as a high-risk industry for a long time. Accident statistics of Indian mines still shows very high rate of injuries and fatalities. The current death rate per 1000 person employed in coal and non-coal mines is 0.27 and 0.40 respectively. The serious injury rate in the current year is also very high and unacceptable. More disturbing is the fact that a few causes are repeated for fatal, non-fatal and serious accidents. Even though all the accidents are being investigated by different agencies and recommendations are made against them in each cases but still similar accidents are repeated. Therefore question mark is automatically put against the effectiveness of present-day investigation methodology. In this paper a few recent fatal accidents in Indian mines have been reviewed and identified causes and recommendations analyzed. The review highlights certain deficiencies in the current investigation methodology of India. The aim of this study is to analyse the investigation report to identify the gaps in the current investigation procedure (i.e. where are we?) and suggest for changing the focus of investigation from human error to system deficiency i.e. where do we go from here? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya large scale coal mining operation is going on since 1970. In these areas coal is extracted mainly by rat hole mining method. In the rat hole method large scale labours are employed in areas to carry out the mining operation. In doing so huge number of child labours are being engaged specially from Bangladesh and Nepal. These child specially in the age group of 10 - 14 years are brought from the neighboring countries. In these mining areas human rights are violated for these children's - these children are being forced to work which is a violation of Article 23 of Indian constitution. They are being imported specially from adjoining countries as a traffic in human beings. Among child below the age of 14 years are also engaged for digging the coal. They work in a dangerous condition which is a type of exploitation and their normal human rights are violated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming to reduce the high mining stress observed in large-space roof structures during mechanized mining of thick coal seams, a control technique based on protective-seam mining is proposed. This technique was used to investigate the 8108 working face of the No. 3-5 thick coal seam of the Tashan mine located in the Datong area of Shanxi, China, by means of simulations and field measurements. The numerical simulation revealed that the No. 3-5 coal seam undergoes expansion and deformation, accompanied by stress relief due to the mining of the overlying No. 4 coal seam. The physical simulation demonstrated that mining the protective seam changes the structural characteristics of the overlying strata in advance and reduces the integrity of the roof in the No. 3-5 coal seam. Field measurements showed that the support loads in the 8108 working face are significantly weaker than those in the adjacent 8107 working face, where protective-seam mining was not performed. In the absence of high resistance on the support and distinct periodic weighting characteristics, the rock masses around the 8108 working face and roadway could be easily supported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental protection in our country has come to represent a matter of national interest and an obligation of the authorities and central and local government, and all natural and legal persons. Developing mining industry exerts negative influences on the environment manifested in all phases of mining processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]