MiningEngHndbk3Vol1FM

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SME MINING ENGINEERING HANDBO OK SME MINING ENGINEERING HANDBO OK THIRD EDITION VOL UM E O N E EDITED BY PETER DA R LING Published by Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Explor ation, Inc. Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc. (SME) (303) 948-4200 / (800) 763-3132 www.smenet.org SME advances the worldwide mining and minerals community through information exchange and professional development. With members in more than 70 countries, SME is the world’s largest association of mining and minerals professionals. Copyright © 2011 Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc. Supported by the Seeley W. Mudd Memorial Fund of AIME. All Rights Reserved. Printed in the United States of America. Information contained in this work has been obtained by SME, Inc., from sources believed to be reliable. However, neither SME nor its authors and editors guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any information published herein, and neither SME nor its authors and editors shall be responsible for any errors, omissions, or damages arising out of use of this information. This work is published with the understanding that SME and its authors and editors are supplying information but are not attempting to render engineering or other professional services. Any statement or views presented herein are those of individual authors and editors and are not necessarily those of SME. The mention of trade names for commercial products does not imply the approval or endorsement of SME. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. ISBN 978-0-87335-264-2 Ebook 978-0-87335-341-0 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data SME mining engineering handbook / edited by Peter Darling. -- 3rd ed. v. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-87335-264-2 1. Mining engineering--Handbooks, manuals, etc. I. Darling, Peter, 1956- II. Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration (U.S.) III. Title: Mining engineering handbook. TN145.S56 2011 622--dc22 2010050815 Contents Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi About the Managing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii Contributing Authors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xv Technical Reviewers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxi PART 1: Mining: SeTTing The SCene 1.1 1.2 1.3 Mining: Ancient, Modern, and Beyond . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Current Trends in Mining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Future Trends in Mining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 39 49 65 73 PART 2: MARkeT eConoMiCS 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Economics of the Minerals Industry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pricing and Trading in Metals and Minerals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Market Capitalization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Investment Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PART 3: exPloRATion Geological Features and Genetic Models of Mineral Deposits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Minerals Prospecting and Exploration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 Geophysics Prospecting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 Geochemical Prospecting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 Geological Data Collection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Geologic Interpretation, Modeling, and Representation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sample Preparation and Assaying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ore-Body Sampling and Metallurgical Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mineral Resource Estimation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Valuation of Mineral Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mineral Property Feasibility Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cost Estimating for Underground Mines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cost Estimating for Surface Mines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145 173 187 193 203 219 227 263 281 297 309 317 331 341 349 357 377 385 405 PART 4: DePoSiT ASSeSSMenT 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 PART 5: MAnAgeMenT AnD ADMiniSTRATion 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Mine Economics, Management, and Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Economic Principles for Decision Making . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Management, Employee Relations, and Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A Global Perspective on Mining Legislation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PART 6: Mining MeThoD SeleCTion 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 Evaluation of Mining Methods and Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mining Methods Classification System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Selection Process for Hard-Rock Mining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Selection Process for Underground Soft-Rock Mining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Comparison of Underground Mining Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Comparison of Surface Mining Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v PART 7: RoCk BReAking MeThoDS 7.1 7.2 7.3 Mechanical Rock Breaking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 417 Blasthole Drilling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 435 Explosives and Blasting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 443 Introduction to Ground Mechanics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Soil Mechanics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Slope Stability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rock Mechanics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Geotechnical Instrumentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hard-Rock Ground Control with Steel Mesh and Shotcrete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Soft-Rock Ground Control. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ground Control Using Cable and Rock Bolting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mine Subsidence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tailings Impoundments and Dams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Waste Piles and Dumps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Electric Power Distribution and Utilization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Compressed Air . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mine Communications, Monitoring, and Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mine Surveying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dewatering Surface Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dewatering Underground Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Physical Asset Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Automation and Robotics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mine Infrastructure Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Systems Engineering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 463 471 495 527 551 573 595 611 627 645 667 683 705 717 731 743 765 781 805 825 839 PART 8: gRounD MeChAniCS 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7 8.8 8.9 8.10 8.11 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 9.7 9.8 9.9 9.10 PART 9: infRASTRuCTuRe AnD SeRviCeS PART 10: SuRfACe exTRACTion 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 10.6 10.7 10.8 10.9 10.10 10.11 Introduction to Open-Pit Mining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 857 Open-Pit Planning and Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 877 Mechanical Extraction, Loading, and Hauling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 903 Selection and Sizing of Excavating, Loading, and Hauling Equipment . . . . . . . 931 In-Pit Crushing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 941 Design, Construction, and Maintenance of Haul Roads. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 957 Surface Ore Movement, Storage, and Recovery Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 977 Strip Mining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 989 Strip Mine Planning and Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1013 Highwall Mining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1027 Quarrying. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1031 1049 1057 1073 1087 1103 1121 1135 1143 1157 1179 1203 1223 1255 1271 1295 PART 11: hyDRAuliC AnD PiPeline Mining 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 Hydraulic Mining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Placer Mining and Dredging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Heap Leaching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Surface Techniques of Solution Mining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . In-Situ Techniques of Solution Mining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Coal-Bed Methane Production . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PART 12: unDeRgRounD DeveloPMenT 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 12.6 12.7 12.8 12.9 Introduction to Underground Mine Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hard-Rock Equipment Selection and Sizing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Soft-Rock Equipment Selection and Sizing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Underground Horizontal and Inclined Development Methods. . . . . . . . . . . . . Subsurface Mine Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Construction of Underground Openings and Related Infrastructure . . . . . . . . Tunnel Boring Machines in Mining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Underground Ore Movement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hoisting Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi PART 13: unDeRgRounD exTRACTion 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 13.6 13.7 13.8 13.9 13.10 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 14.5 14.6 14.7 Room-and-Pillar Mining in Hard Rock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Room-and-Pillar Mining in Coal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shrinkage Stoping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sublevel Stoping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cut-and-Fill Mining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Backfill Mining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cave Mining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Longwall Mining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sublevel Caving. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Block Caving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Introduction to Mineral Processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Crushing, Milling, and Grinding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Classification by Screens and Cyclones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gravity Concentration and Heavy Medium Separation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fundamental Principles of Froth Flotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Magnetic and Electrostatic Separation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dewatering Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1327 1339 1347 1355 1365 1375 1385 1399 1417 1437 1455 1461 1481 1507 1517 1533 1547 1557 1567 1577 1595 1611 1625 1633 1643 1665 1689 1705 1721 1733 1753 1767 1779 1797 1817 PART 14: MineRAl PRoCeSSing PART 15: heAlTh AnD SAfeTy 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 15.6 15.7 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 16.6 16.7 Mine Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Health and Medical Issues in Global Mining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mine Ventilation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gas and Dust Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Heat, Humidity, and Air Conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Radiation Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Noise Hazards and Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Site Environmental Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mining and Sustainability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Impacts and Control of Blasting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Water and Sediment Control Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mitigating Acid Rock Drainage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Waste Disposal and Contamination Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Closure Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Community Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Social License to Operate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cultural Considerations for Mining and Indigenous Communities . . . . . . . . . Management of the Social Impacts of Mining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PART 16: enviRonMenTAl iSSueS PART 17: CoMMuniTy AnD SoCiAl iSSueS 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 A B C APPenDiCeS Web Sites Related to Mining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1827 Coal Mine Gas Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1833 Conversion Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1835 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I-1 vii Dedication With deep appreciation for his contributions to the mining industry, we dedicate this 3rd edition of the SME Mining Engineering Handbook to the memory of Richard E. Gertsch, 1945–2005. Richard provided the initial leadership and direction for this edition. His guidance allowed others to carry on with his vision. Richard was a widely respected and admired mining engineer enjoying an illustrious career spanning decades of work both in industry and academia. Richard served on the SME Board of Directors and as the Chair of the M&E Division. He was active on many committees working on important SME functions such as peer review, programming, membership, publications, nominations, scholarships, and awards. He received the Distinguished Service Award in 1991. viii Foreword Mining engineers throughout the world are the salt of the earth, and this third edition of the SME Mining Engineering Handbook will be their bible. It builds on the grand tradition begun by highly respected leaders of the mining industry—Peele (1918, 1927, and 1941) and continued by Cummins and Given (1973) and then Hartman (1992). Handbooks by their nature are often hard to read, but this one is a striking exception. Its readability immediately stands out and allows one to quickly absorb and comprehend its content—not only the text, but also the many tables, figures, and photographs. Artwork has been substantially upgraded and is especially appealing. The superb presentation reflects the managing editor’s technical writing background, as well as the input and skills of Jane Olivier, SME’s manager of book publishing, who spent a decade urging a new edition, and Diane Serafin, an editing specialist, who delved doggedly into the tedious details. The bar of excellence in the quality and scope of material is well maintained and at a high level throughout. Often a work involving numerous experts can lead to conflicting views on countless aspects. However, the clashing of ideas is notably a hallmark of serious thinking. The clear beneficiary of the high standard is the reader, which in this case is the practicing mining engineer in the worldwide mining industry, as well as others in academia and government. The strength of this handbook lies clearly in the quality of the chapter authors and peer reviewers. They are indeed talented experts in their specialized technical fields. A decided trend toward internationalism, paralleling similar trends in the supply and demand of mineral and energy raw materials, is evidenced by a cursory perusal of the lists of contributing authors and technical reviewers. Almost half of them are working and living outside the United States. In total, ten countries are represented—primarily English-speaking ones. Such a diverse cadre of individuals offers wide-ranging views of the worldwide mining industry’s multifaceted problems and potential solutions in a period of accelerated technological and social change. The broad scope is another strength for which no unanimity of thought can be expected or anticipated when taking a global perspective on the various issues. Carryover material from previous editions is strictly limited, and when included, it is updated to be genuinely contemporary and purposeful. Practical and useful instead of merely theoretical and interesting are the watchwords throughout the work. Comprehensiveness is an important feature not to be overlooked in a world-class handbook. This edition sets the standard and will be emulated far into the future. Much attention has been given to what can be instead of what is past. Productiveness received authoritative treatment. Specific emphasis has been given to broad topics that will continue to confront the industry in the years ahead, such as environmental issues, public concerns, health and safety matters, and sustainability. This handbook provides a pathway for the synthesis and solution of many of the complex issues and problems the mining industry is facing in the 21st century. Raymond L. Lowrie Editor of the SME Mining Reference Handbook Recipient of the 2004 SME President’s Citation February 2011 ix Preface It was Robert Peele who gathered a group of 46 specialists almost a century ago to write the now classic Mining Engineers’ Handbook, published in 1918 by John Wiley & Sons, with second and third editions published in 1927 and 1941. When Wiley declined to publish further editions, SME began publication of the SME Mining Engineering Handbook. SME published the first edition in 1973 and a second edition in 1992. From that initial publication in 1918, the handbook has been acknowledged as the repository of all essential information and useful, practical detail relating to virtually every aspect of mining. From the beginning of my mining career, I have relied heavily on this book as a source of inspiration and information. With the honor of being asked to take on the somewhat challenging role of managing editor for this third edition, I owe a debt of professional gratitude to several generations of managing editors, authors, and technical reviewers who set the seemingly impossible high standards in the previous editions of the handbook. From the onset, several objectives were established. These objectives included (1) to produce a book that would stand shoulder to shoulder as an equal alongside previous editions, (2) to maintain its tradition of being the “handbook of choice” for every practicing mining engineer, (3) to be practical rather than theoretical in its content and approach, and (4) to be international in its appeal and examples. Mining is an international business, and the importance of sharing experiences, knowledge, and examples from around the world cannot be overemphasized. A water “problem” in one part of the world may be considered “normal” in another. A “deep” mine on one continent may connote “very deep” on another. Tailings dams in some countries need to be earthquake proof, whereas in other countries they must be free draining. This edition attempts to take the best of the best from around the world and package it in a standard and logical format for the benefit of the global industry. This internationalism is shown by the subjects covered in each chapter as well as by the nationalities of the world-class authors and technical reviewers represented. It is noteworthy that most significant mining operations have graciously shared their knowledge, techniques, experience, and alternative viewpoints. The handbook has moved with the times to cover the issues that are exercising the industry, the innovations that are exciting, and how the industry is dealing with changing attitudes toward a number of its constituents such as energy (both electrical generation and carbon/petroleum based), water management, resource maintenance, and the whole subject of sustainable development. One of the significant areas in which this handbook differs from previous editions is that it includes several chapters on both the social and environmental issues often associated with mining, and, more importantly, how these issues and their impacts can be mitigated and managed. It is important to note that this is a handbook and not an encyclopedia of everything mining. Several subjects previously included as dedicated chapters are now covered in less detail within other chapters. This move was not designed to marginalize or dilute the importance of certain subjects but was done to acknowledge the significant shifts in the way mining has changed as a result of new technologies. It also reflects how the work and the responsibilities of today’s mining engineer have changed and developed. xi Attempts to encapsulate the essence of so diverse a discipline as mining engineering could not have been possible without the unselfish contributions of the hundreds of authors, coauthors, technical reviewers, and mentors who are very much the unsung heroes of this publication. Much gratitude and thanks are due to the many talented and world-class professionals who have given so freely, patiently, and enthusiastically of their time, hard-earned experiences, and masterful knowledge on a plethora of mining and related subjects to ensure that this handbook was produced on time and to the meteoric standards that the industry has come to expect. One of the many delights of managing this project has been the acquaintance (usually electronically) of so many helpful, patient, enthusiastic, and friendly people from within the various mining associations, academic establishments, mining companies, and consultancies, as well as retired engineers and specialist editors—everyone an expert in their field. Without their cooperation, steady guidance, constructive comment, and encouragement, the managing of this edition would have been an impossible task. I cannot name them all, and to mention some but not others would be ungracious, but tremendous appreciation is due. These experts are headed by the authors themselves, almost every one of whom is a world leader in their specialist field. Often with the briefest of guidance and without any form of remuneration, they have passionately undertaken their writing tasks. Their enthusiasm, commitment, and professionalism formed the bedrock on which the handbook has been based, and, as a result, they have produced superb and exceptional texts. I salute and thank you all. Next, I acknowledge the many technical reviewers who, often at short notice and, as this project progressed, with an ever shortening lead time, have been called on to read through many drafts before articulating and listing their comments, suggestions, and observations. It typically was not an easy task and often may have been a marathon requiring skills, diplomacy, and knowledge that went well beyond their original brief. I apologize and thank you. Thanks are extended to SME’s book publishing team who have been thoroughly professional and efficient in their handling of this edition. This team has checked every comma, word, phrase, sentence, and illustration. They have ensured that copyright rules have not been flaunted in the quest for expedience, checked and rechecked references, standardized units of measure, and performed a hundred and one other tasks to ensure that this finished product is a source of information in a format that at best pleases and at worst does not annoy. Their attention to detail in this exacting task is very much appreciated. I also thank SME for affording me this opportunity to repay some of the debt that I believe is owed to an industry that has kept me fed, watered, enthralled, and enthused for more than three decades. Finally, I trust that any errors in opinion, facts, or perceptions in the handbook are few in number and will not overtly detract from the usefulness of and, I dare say, enjoyment of this third edition of the SME Mining Engineering Handbook. Peter Darling February 2011 xii About the Managing editor Peter Darling, managing editor of the third edition of the SME Mining Engineering Handbook, has more than 30 years of experience as a mining engineer and journalist. A graduate of the Royal School of Mines, Imperial College, London, Darling worked as an oil industry engineer on offshore projects in Gabon, Congo, Angola, the Gulf of Guinea, the Gulf of Mexico, the North Sea, Tunisia, Egypt, and Abu Dhabi. He was also involved in underground platinum mines in South Africa and open-pit tin operations in Brazil. Darling then embarked on a career as a technical writer and editor. His assignments took him to mines, quarries, tunnels, and construction sites stretching from Chile to China, Alaska to Australia, Peru to Papua New Guinea, and Russia to La Reunion. During this period he served as editor for a variety of respected industry publications, including International Mining, Engineering and Mining Journal, Rock Products, Tunnels & Tunnelling International, International Construction, The Cement Edition, Construction Asia, and Coal (North America). Darling also served as the press officer for Rio Tinto in London. As a Royal Air Force Reserve officer, Darling was deployed to Gulf War II and twice to Afghanistan where he completed the final edit of the handbook. He is a Chartered Engineer and member of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining and a member of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration. Darling is currently a freelance technical editor, journalist, reporter, and speech writer specializing in mining, quarrying, oil and gas, tunneling, heavy construction, and engineering. Peter Darling BEng (Hons), ARSM, CEng Gothic House, Aylsham, Norfolk, England www.peterdarling.co.uk [email protected] xiii Contributing Authors Professor West Virginia University Morgantown, West Virginia, USA Chief Executive Officer Rio Tinto Ltd. London, United Kingdom Metallurgical Engineer Lyntek, Inc. Lakewood, Colorado, USA Professor, School of Mining & Petroleum Engineering University of Alberta Edmonton, Alberta, Canada President Tunnel Engineering and Applications, Inc. Renton, Washington, USA Pierre Lassonde Chair in Mining Engineering University of Toronto Toronto, Ontario, Canada Chief Operating Officer Rajant Corporation Malvern, Pennsylvania, USA Senior Applications Engineer P&H Mining Equipment Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA Engineering Manager BHP Billiton–San Juan Coal Company Farmington, New Mexico, USA Group Manager, Closure & Waste BHP Billiton Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Manager Long Term Planning, Olympic Dam BHP Billiton Adelaide, South Australia, Australia xv L. Adler Vice President of Mining and Geological Services Pincock Allen & Holt Denver, Colorado, USA Principal Advisor Environment Rio Tinto South Jordan, Utah, USA President Boutilier & Associates Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and Cuernavaca, Mexico Manager Underground Planning Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. Phoenix, Arizona, USA National Production Manager Lafarge Aggregates, Mountsorrel Quarry Loughborough, Leicestershire, United Kingdom Professor Emeritus, Mining & Nuclear Engineering Missouri University of Science and Technology Rolla, Missouri, USA Principal Consultant MineCraft Consulting Pty Ltd. Queensland, Australia Associate Professor University of Utah Salt Lake City, Utah, USA Chief Mine Engineer Henderson Mine, Climax Molybdenum Empire, Colorado, USA Manager of Mining Engineering BHP Billiton Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Director, Underground Planning Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. Phoenix, Arizona, USA Ernest Bohnet Tom Albanese Richard K. Borden Breanna L. Alexander Robert G. Boutilier Derek B. Apel Charles A. Brannon Odd G. Askilsrud Ian Brown William F. Bawden Richard L. Bullock Scott Beer Jeremy Busfield Eric N. Berkhimer Felipe Calizaya Stephen L. Bessinger Gordon K. Carlson Evelyn L. Jessup Bingham Peter G. Carter Martyn Bloss Timothy P. Casten Lead Discipline Engineer Cementation USA, Inc. Sandy, Utah, USA Associate Professor, Dept. of Geology & Geological Engrg. Colorado School of Mines Golden, Colorado, USA Principal Colwell Geotechnical Services Queensland, Australia Vice President Barr Engineering Company Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA (Deceased) Former Director of Geochemistry Newmont Exploration Ltd. Denver, Colorado, USA Honorary Professor & Professorial Research Fellow Centre for Energy, Petroleum & Mineral Law & Policy University of Dundee, Scotland Consulting Marine Mining Engineer Marine Minerals Technology Center Associates Honolulu, Hawaii, USA Professor of Mining Engineering Colorado School of Mines Golden, Colorado, USA (Deceased) Former Professor Emeritus University of Utah Salt Lake City, Utah, USA Lawyer and Independent Consultant in Mining Law Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada Managing Editor and Freelance Technical Writer Aylsham, Norfolk, United Kingdom Director and Consulting Geophysicist BDW Geophysics Consulting Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Principal Consultant AMC Consultants Pty Ltd. Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering Northwestern University Evanston, Illinois, USA Joe Cline Mining Manager Newcrest Mining Ltd. Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Manager Strategy BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Professor of Geological Engineering University of British Columbia Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (Retired) Mining Geology Consultant Anaconda, UPCM Co., AMAX, EXXON Coal & Minerals Co. Houston, Texas, USA Technology Manager for Drives ABB Switzerland Ltd. Baden, Switzerland Senior Research Fellow, University of Queensland Sustainable Minerals Inst., Centre for Social Resp. in Mining Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Senior VP Tech. Dev., Equipment & Systems Business Line Metso Mining & Construction Technology Kelowna, BC, Canada Head of Occupational Health Anglo American plc Johannesburg, South Africa Research Fellow, University of Queensland Sustainable Minerals Inst., Centre for Social Resp. in Mining Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Adjunct Professor, School of Mining Engineering University of New South Wales Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Newmont Professor of Minerals Engineering University of Nevada Reno, Nevada, USA Professor of Mining Engineering University of Alaska Fairbanks Fairbanks, Alaska, USA Adjunct Professor University of British Columbia Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Superintendent Life of Asset Planning, Olympic Dam BHP Billiton Adelaide, South Australia, Australia Geoff Dunstan L. Graham Closs Gary Dyer Mark Colwell Erik Eberhardt Ivan A. Contreras A.J. (Joe) Erickson Jr. J. Alan Coope Reinhold A. Errath Phillip C.F. Crowson Robin Evans Michael J. Cruickshank Brian Flintoff Kadri Dagdelen Frank H. Fox Donald A. Dahlstrom Daniel M. Franks Diana Dalton Russell Frith Peter Darling Maurice C. Fuerstenau J.A.J. (Barry) de Wet Rajive Ganguli Malcolm G. Dorricott Ginger Gibson Charles Dowding Don Grant xvi Senior Geotechnical Engineer Barr Engineering Company Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA Manager of Six Sigma Engineering Jim Walter Resources Brookwood, Alabama, USA President and Chairman of the Board of Directors Behre Dolbear Group, Inc. Denver, Colorado, USA Director, Lassonde Mineral Engineering Program and Lassonde Institute for Engrg. Geosciences, Univ. of Toronto Toronto, Ontario, Canada Associate Agapito Associates, Inc. Golden, Colorado, USA Professor Emeritus South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Rapid City, South Dakota, USA Mining Consultant Pincock Allen & Holt Lakewood, Colorado, USA Lassonde Institute, Department of Civil Engineering University of Toronto Toronto, Ontario, Canada President Ekati BHP Billiton Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada Assistant Professor, Dept. of Civil & Environmental Engrg. University of Alberta Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Researcher, Economic Geology Natural History Museum London, United Kingdom Managing Director Xenith Consulting Brisbane, Queensland, Australia (Deceased) Former Chief Chemist AMAX Exploration, Inc. Lakewood, Colorado, USA President, International Council on Mining & Metals Professor, Mining & Sustainability, Queen’s University Kingston, Ontario, Canada Jedediah D. Greenwood President The Robbins Company Solon, Ohio, USA Managing Director Joem Promotions Deal, Kent, United Kingdom Research Assistant, Norman B. Keevil Institute of Mining University of British Columbia Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Market Professional–Mining Caterpillar, Inc., Global Mining Division Decatur, Illinois, USA Independent Consultant Former Chief Economist at Rio Tinto & Norilsk Nickel London, United Kingdom Consultant Reading, Pennsylvania, USA President Geochemical Applications International, Inc. Centennial, Colorado, USA Associate Professor, Curtin University Western Australian School of Mines Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, Australia President Kappes, Cassiday and Associates Reno, Nevada, USA Professor of Chemical Engineering Michigan Technological University Houghton, Michigan, USA Senior Research Fellow, University of Queensland Sustainable Minerals Inst., Centre for Social Resp. in Mining Brisbane, Queensland, Australia President Knight Piésold and Company Denver, Colorado, USA Technical Director Truro, Cornwall, United Kingdom Professor of Mining Engineering South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Rapid City, South Dakota, USA Lok Home Ed Grygiel John Hooper Bernard J. Guarnera Paul B. Hughes John Hadjigeorgiou James D. Humphrey Douglas F. Hambley David Humphreys Kenneth N. Han Partha V. Iyer Jack Haptonstall Jeffrey A. Jaacks John P. Harrison Andrew Jarosz Paul Harvey Daniel W. Kappes Zaher Hashisho S. Komar Kawatra Richard Herrington Deanna Kemp Ken Hill Thomas Kerr Walter E. Hill Jr. Philip King Charles A. Kliche R. Anthony Hodge xvii BMA Chair and Professor of Mining Engineering University of Queensland Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Project Hydrologist Lidstone and Associates, Inc. Fort Collins, Colorado, USA General Manager, Vibrating Equip. & Systems Business Line Metso Mining & Construction Technology Columbia, South Carolina, USA Professor of Operation and Maintenance Engineering Luleå University of Technology Luleå, Sweden Senior Lecturer Curtin University of Technology Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, Australia Vice President Lyntek, Inc. Lakewood, Colorado, USA Mining Consultant Bushmans River Mouth, South Africa Acting Director, School of Mining Engineering University of New South Wales Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Senior Consultant SESCO Management Consultants Bristol, Tennessee, USA Adjunct Professor, Dept. of Mining and Geological Engineering University of Arizona Tucson, Arizona, USA CostMine Division Manager InfoMine USA Spokane Valley, Washington, USA Prof. and CRCMining Chair, Mech. & Mining Engrg. School University of Queensland Brisbane, Queensland, Australia President Lidstone and Associates, Inc. Fort Collins, Colorado, USA Assistant Professor, Mining Engineering Department University of Kentucky Lexington, Kentucky, USA Peter Knights Environmental Assessment Specialist SENES Consultants Limited Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Metallurgical Engineeer Kappes, Cassiday & Associates Reno, Nevada, USA Consultant Lead, South Dakota, USA Senior Associate Behre Dolbear & Company (USA), Inc. Denver, Colorado, USA Senior Process Engineer Lyntek, Inc. Lakewood, Colorado, USA Chairman and Principal Mining Consultant AMC Consultants Pty Ltd. Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Head of Innovation Rio Tinto Ltd. Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Executive Vice President–Operations PT Freeport Indonesia Tembagapura, Papua, Indonesia Department Chair, Mining Engineering College of Mines & Earth Sciences, University of Utah Salt Lake City, Utah, USA Environmental Manager Peabody Energy Steamboat Springs, Colorado, USA Associate Professor, Energy and Minerals Engineering Dept. Pennsylvania State University University Park, Pennsylvania, USA Principal Engineer and Owner Ore Reserves Engineering Lakewood, Colorado, USA Professor, Politics and Public Policy Griffith University Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Senior Geotechnical Engineer Ausenco Vector Grass Valley, California, USA Alistair MacDonald Abby Korte Travis J. Manning Ronald Kuehl II John Marks Uday Kumar Michael D. Martin Mahinda Kuruppu Douglas K. Maxwell John I. Kyle Peter L. McCarthy Dennis H. Laubscher David Laurence John McGagh John Mosher G. Aubrey Lee Michael G. Nelson José L. Lee-Moreno Jerry M. Nettleton Jennifer B. Leinart Antonio Nieto Paul Lever Alan C. Noble Christopher D. Lidstone Ciaran O’Faircheallaigh Braden Lusk Marc Orman xviii Consulting Geologist Monterey Coal Company Carlinville, Illinois, USA Associate Professor, Norman B. Keevil Institute of Mining University of British Columbia Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Senior Engineer Ausenco Vector Grass Valley, California, USA Supt. Central Maintenance & Projects, Sierrita Operations Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Co. Green Valley, Arizona, USA Consultant to NM Rothschild (mining team) Dir. of AIM Mining Research & PURE P-H Strategic Consulting London, United Kingdom (Retired) Former President of Skyline Labs, Inc. Wheat Ridge, Colorado, USA Director of the Australian Centre for Geomechanics University of Western Australia Perth, Western Australia, Australia Director Power Geotechnical Pty Ltd. Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Director, Western Operations, Minerals Services Div. SGS North America, Inc. Denver, Colorado, USA Group Executive & Chief Executive, Ferrous & Coal BHP Billiton Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Director and Head of Mining and Metals Liberum Capital London, United Kingdom Mines Manager Imerys Minerals Limited Cornwall, United Kingdom Assistant Professor, Energy and Mineral Engineering Pennsylvania State University University Park, Pennsylvania, USA Superintendent Five Year Planning, Olympic Dam BHP Billiton Adelaide, South Australia, Australia Jeffrey T. Padgett Founder Runge Ltd. Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Staff Engineer Ausenco Vector Fort Collins, Colorado, USA President Hydrometal, Inc. Knightsen, California, USA Director Seedsman Geotechnics Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia Business Development Engineer Outotec Jacksonville, Florida, USA Senior Mining Engineer Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA Associate Professor, Department of Civil Engineering University of Nottingham Nottingham, United Kingdom Professor of Resource Geoscience and Geotechnics Simon Fraser University Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada President Aventurine Mine Cost Engineering Spokane, Washington, USA Senior Consulting Engineer Stantec Mining Tempe, Arizona, USA Associate Professor of Minerals Engineering Curtin University (Western Australian School of Mines) Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, Australia Manager, Coal Seam Degasification CONSOL Energy, Inc. Morgantown, West Virginia, USA Professor of Mining Engineering Curtin University (Western Australian School of Mines) Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, Australia Assistant Professor University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign Champaign, Illinois, USA Ian Runge Rimas T. Pakalnis Kristin Sample Rich Peevers W. Joseph Schlitt Paul R. Peppers Ross Seedsman Fiona Perrott-Humphrey Ian Sherrell Edwin V. Post Yves Potvin Ernest T. Shonts Jr. Rod Stace Gavin Power Doug Stead Marc Rademacher Scott A. Stebbins Marcus Randolph George Stephan Michael Rawlinson Nimal Subasinghe Mark Richards Pramod Thakur Jamal Rostami Roger J. Thompson Cameron Routley S.D. Thompson xix Principal On Common Ground Consultants, Inc. Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Department of Mining and Nuclear Energy Missouri University of Science and Technology Rolla, Missouri, USA Consulting Engineer G.L. Tiley & Associates Ltd. Flamborough, Ontario, Canada Associate Professor of Mining Engineering University of Ballarat Ballarat, Victoria, Australia Senior Vice President Knight Piésold and Company Elko, Nevada, USA Consultant FLSmidth, Inc. Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA Research Assistant Camborne School of Mines (University of Exeter) Penryn, Cornwall, United Kingdom Principal Geochemist Golder Associates, Inc. Redmond, Washington, USA Ian Thomson Marketing Product Consultant Caterpillar, Inc., Global Mining Division Peoria, Illinois, USA Principal Consultant Primo Safety and Health Services, LLC Wilmington, Delaware, USA Technical Services Group Alliance Coal LLC Lexington, Kentucky, USA Senior Lecturer in Mining Engrg., Prog. Dir. BEng Mining Engrg. Camborne School of Mines (University of Exeter) Penryn, Cornwall, United Kingdom Global Manager, Planning Leadership Program BHP Billiton Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Chief Executive The Woodhouse Partnership Ltd. Kingsclere, Berkshire, United Kingdom Professor, Mining and Nuclear Engineering Department Missouri University of Science and Technology Rolla, Missouri, USA Technical Director of Conveyor Technologies FLSmidth Spokane, Washington, USA Joshua D. Wagner Jerry C. Tien Gary E. Walter Peter Tiley Mark Watson Michael A. Tuck Andrew Wetherelt Bryan Ulrich David Whittle Ronald W. Utley John Woodhouse Klaas Peter van der Wielen Paul Worsey Rens Verburg Sergio Zamorano xx Technical Reviewers Senior Associate and Principal Behre Dolbear & Company (USA), Inc. Denver, Colorado, USA Chief Operating Officer Barminco Hazelmere, Western Australia, Australia Mining Consultant Allen Associates Harrow-on-the Hill, London, United Kingdom General Manager General Moly, Inc. Eureka, Nevada, USA Senior Vice President M3 Engineering and Technology Corporation Tucson, Arizona, USA Chief Mining Engineer Tigers Realm Minerals Pty Ltd. Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Technical Director and Principal Mining Engineer AMEC E & C Mesa, Arizona, USA Self-Employed Blasting Consultant Parker, Colorado, USA Pierre Lassonde Chair in Mining Engineering University of Toronto Toronto, Ontario, Canada Manager–Technical Services Cia. Minera del Cubo S.A. de C.V. Guanajuato, GTO, Mexico Principal Engineer BRS Engineering Riverton, Wyoming, USA David M. Abbott Jr. Lead/Supervising Engineer MWH Americas, Inc. Denver, Colorado, USA Engineering Manager BHP Billiton–San Juan Coal Company Farmington, New Mexico, USA Environmental Toxicologist Boulder, Colorado, USA Professor and Chairman, Mining Engineering Department West Virginia University Morgantown, West Virginia, USA Senior Consultant DNV Business Assurance Centennial, Colorado, USA (Retired) Mineral Processing Consultant Formerly with Selection Trust Ltd. & UN Dev. Prog. Tring, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom General Manager–Nevada Underground Newmont Mining Corporation Carlin, Nevada, USA Professor Emeritus, Mining & Nuclear Engineering Missouri University of Science and Technology Rolla, Missouri, USA Vice President Special Projects Jennmar Corporation Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA Chair Uranium Council of Australia Adelaide, South Australia, Australia Regulatory Specialist Wek’eezhii Land and Water Board Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada Carmen Bernedo Mark Adams Stephen L. Bessinger Hugh E.K. Allen Patricia Billig Timothy D. Arnold Christopher Bise Doug Austin Steve Boydston Peter Balka Bill Bradford John C. Barber Wade W. Bristol Michael Barber Richard L. Bullock William F. Bawden Al Campoli John Baz-Dresch Mark Chalmers Douglas L. Beahm Rebecca Chouinard xxi Honorary Professor & Professorial Research Fellow Centre for Energy, Petroleum & Mineral Law & Policy University of Dundee, Scotland General Manager Urtek LLC Adelaide, South Australia, Australia Managing Director MiningOne Pty Ltd. Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Gen. Mgr. Innovation–Underground, Technology and Innovation Rio Tinto Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Winthrop Professor of Geotechnical Engineering Australian Ctr. for Geomechanics, Univ. of Western Australia Perth, Western Australia, Australia Principle Consultant AMC Consultants Pty Ltd. Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Director, Principal Consultant (Mining) SRK Consulting Perth, Western Australia, Australia Professor, Norman B. Keevil Institute of Mining Engineering University of British Columbia Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Minerals Industry Consultant Senior Geological Associate with ACA Howe International Hertfordshire, United Kingdom Director Resource Development Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold, Inc. Oro Valley, Arizona, USA Department of Geography and Planning University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada Adjunct Professor, School of Mining Engineering University of New South Wales Sydney, New South Wales, Australia President and CEO Engineering Consulting Services, Inc. Lexington, Kentucky, USA General Manager Asset Management Rio Tinto Copper Projects Salt Lake City, Utah, USA Phillip C.F. Crowson Energy Superintendent Climax Molybdenum Company Empire, Colorado, USA Project Manager New Hope Group Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Associate Agapito Associates, Inc. Golden, Colorado, USA Mining Consultant Pincock Allen & Holt Lakewood, Colorado, USA Vice President Technical Services and Continuous Improvement Peabody Energy Australia Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Professor & Head of the School of Mining Engineering University of New South Wales Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Vice President Independent Mining Consultants, Inc. Tucson, Arizona, USA Professor of Environmental Science and Engineering Colorado School of Mines Denver, Colorado, USA (Retired) Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Principal Geotechnical Engineer, Director SRK Consulting Brisbane, Queensland, Australia General Manager–Ray Operations Asarco LLC Hayden, Arizona, USA Chair, Educational Advisory Committee to the South Africa Council for Professional and Technical Surveyors Johannesburg, South Africa Senior Consultant (Rock Mechanics) SRK Consulting Australasia Perth, Western Australia, Australia Independent Consultant Former Chief Economist at Rio Tinto & Norilsk Nickel London, United Kingdom Mike Gleason James Davidson John Grieves Gary Davison Douglas F. Hambley Fred Delabbio Jack Haptonstall Phil Dight Alex Hathorn Mal G. Dorricott Bruce Hebblewhite Sjoerd Rein Duim Michael G. Hester W. Scott Dunbar Ronald R. Hewitt Cohen Roger Ellis Evert Hoek Richmond Fenn Kevin Holley Courtney Fidler Steven Holmes Russell Frith David Hull Steven Gardner Louie Human Barry Gass David Humphreys xxii Chairman of the Board M3 Engineering and Technology Corporation Tucson, Arizona, USA Pott College of Science and Engineering University of Southern Indiana Evansville, Indiana, USA President Kappes, Cassiday and Associates Reno, Nevada, USA (Retired) Research Scientist Geological Survey of Canada Ompah, Ontario, Canada Senior Principal and Chief Mining Engineer Coffey Mining Belo Horizonte, Brazil Professor of Mining Engineering South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Rapid City, South Dakota, USA Principal Tetra Tech Tucson, Arizona, USA Industrial Minerals Geologist IV Oklahoma Geological Survey Norman, Oklahoma, USA Vice President Lidstone and Associates, Inc. Fort Collins, Colorado, USA President Lidstone and Associates, Inc. Fort Collins, Colorado, USA Principal Luxford Mine Management Services Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Senior Associate Behre Dolbear & Company (USA), Inc. Denver, Colorado, USA Former Managing Director British Oxygen Corporation (BOC) Group Camberley, Surrey, United Kingdom Professor, Department of Mining Engineering University of Utah Salt Lake City, Utah, USA Conrad Huss Chairman and Principal Mining Consultant AMC Consultants Pty Ltd. Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Principal Hydrogeologist SRK Consulting Perth, Western Australia, Australia Professor Emeritus of Mining Engineering Pennsylvania State University University Park, Pennsylvania, USA Department Chair, Mining Engineering College of Mines & Earth Sciences, University of Utah Salt Lake City, Utah, USA Group Manager (Coal Technology–Business Development) Xstrata Coal Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Supt. Central Maintenance & Projects, Sierrita Operations Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Co. Green Valley, Arizona, USA Consulting Engineer Stantec – Mining (Formerly Mcintosh Engineering) Tempe, Arizona, USA Consultant to NM Rothschild (mining team) Dir. of AIM Mining Research & PURE P-H Strategic Consulting London, United Kingdom Director Power Geotechnical Pty Ltd. Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Manager of Geotechnical Engineering Barrick Gold Corporation Toronto, Ontario, Canada President and CEO Rare Elements Resources Ltd. Golden, Colorado, USA Manager Technical Services Cameco Resources Casper, Wyoming, USA Geologist/Geostatistician Pincock Allen & Holt Denver, Colorado, USA Dean Emeritus, School of Mines and Metallurgy Missouri University of Science and Technology Rolla, Missouri, USA Peter L. McCarthy Nils I. Johansen Stefan Muller Daniel W. Kappes Jan M. Mutmansky Patrick Killeen Michael G. Nelson Linton Kirk Dave Osborne Charles A. Kliche Paul R. Peppers David Krizek Clyde Peppin Stanley T. Krukowski Fiona Perrott-Humphrey Katherine Laudon Gavin Power Christopher D. Lidstone Jerry Ran Joe Luxford Donald E. Ranta Michael D. Martin Larry Reimann Bill McAuley Abani Samal Michael K. McCarter Lee W. Saperstein xxiii President Aventurine Mine Cost Engineering Spokane, Washington, USA Assistant General Manager Carlota Copper Company–QuadraFnx Mining Globe, Arizona, USA Chief Geologist Pincock Allen & Holt Lakewood, Colorado, USA Associate Professor of Minerals Engineering Curtin University (Western Australian School of Mines) Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, Australia Professor (private practice) Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Senior Associate Agapito Associates, Inc. Golden, Colorado, USA Principle Consultant Primo Safety and Health Services, LLC Wilmington, Delaware, USA Scott A. Stebbins Product Manager (Ground Engineering Products) Atlas Copco Construction Mining Technique Roseville, California, USA Consultant Innovative Mining Solutions Story, Wyoming, USA Senior Lecturer in Mining Engrg., Prog. Dir. BEng Mining Engrg. Camborne School of Mines (University of Exeter) Penryn, Cornwall, United Kingdom Global Manager, Planning Leadership Program BHP Billiton Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Principle Scientist/Senior Project Manager URS Corporation Phoenix, Arizona, USA Senior Environmental Manager (Hydrology) Barrick Gold Corporation Salt Lake City, Utah, USA Bill Warfield Doug Stiles Alan Weakly Barton Stone Andrew Wetherelt Nimal Subasinghe David Whittle Edward Thomas Anne L. Williamson Tom Vandergrift Johnny Zhan Gary E. Walter xxiv


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