SME MINING ENG EN GIN INE EERIN ING G HANDBO OK
SME MINING ENGINEERING HANDBO OK THIRD EDITION VOL UM E O N E
EDITED BY PETER DAR LING
Published by Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, 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 t o 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 pu blication may be repro duced, stor ed in a retrie val system, or transmit ted 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, Mode rn, and Beyond . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Current Trends in Mining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Future Trends in Mining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
PART 2: MARKET ECONOMICS 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4
Economics of the Minerals Industry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Pricing and Trading in Metals and Minerals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Market Capitalization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Investment Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
PART 3: EXPLORATION 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4
Geological Features and Genetic Models of Mineral Deposits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Minerals Prospecting and Exploration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 Geophysics Prospect ing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 Geochemical Prospecting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
PART 4: DEPOSIT ASSESSMENT 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9
Geological Data Colle ction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145 Geologic Interpretation, Modeling, and Representation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173 Sample Preparation and Assaying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187 Ore-Body Sampling and Metallurgical Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 Mineral Resource Estimation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203 Valuation of Mineral Pro perties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219 Mineral Property Feasibility Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227 Cost Estimating for Underground Mines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263 Cost Estimating for Surface Mines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
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 Persp ective on Minin g Legislation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
297 309 317 331
PART 6: MINING METHOD SELECTION 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6
Evaluation of Mining Methods and Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341 Mining Methods Classication System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349 Selection Process for Hard-Rock Mining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357 Selection Process for Underground Soft-Rock Mining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 377 Comparison of Underground Mining Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385 Comparison of Surface Mining Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 405
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PART 7: ROCK BREAKING METHODS 7.1 7.2 7.3
Mechanical Rock Breaki ng . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 417 Blasthole Drilling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 435 Explosives and Blasti ng . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 443
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
Introduction to Ground Mechanics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 463 Soil Mechanics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 471 Slope Stability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 495 Rock Mechanics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 527 Geotechnical Instrumentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 551 Hard-Rock Ground Control with Steel Mesh and Shotcrete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 573 Soft-Rock Ground Control. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 595 Ground Control Using Cable and Rock Bolting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 611 Mine Subsidence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 627 Tailings Impound ments and Dam s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 645 Waste Piles and Dumps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 667
PART 9: INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICES 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 9.7 9.8 9.9 9.10
Electric Power Distribution and Utilization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 683 Compressed Air . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 705 Mine Communications, Monitoring, and Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 717 Mine Surveying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 731 Dewatering Surface Oper ations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 743 Dewatering Underground Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 765 Physical Asset Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 781 Automation and Robotics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 805 Mine Infrastructure Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 825 Systems Engineering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 839
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
PART 11: HYDRAULIC AND PIPELINE MINING 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6
Hydraulic Mining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1049 Placer Mining and Dredgi ng . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1057 Heap Leaching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1073 Surface Techniques of Sol ution Mini ng . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1087 In-Situ Techniques of Solution Mi ning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1103 Coal-Bed M ethane Production. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1121
PART 12: UNDERGROUND DEVELOPMENT 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 12.6 12.7 12.8 12.9
Introduction to Underg round Mine Pla nning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1135 Hard-Rock Equipment Selection and Sizing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1143 Soft-Rock Equipment Selection and Sizing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1157 Underground Horizontal and Inclined Development Methods. . . . . . . . . . . . . 1179 Subsurface Mine Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1203 Construction of Underground Openings and Related Infrastructure . . . . . . . . 1223 Tunnel Boring Mach ines in Mining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1255 Underground Ore Movemen t . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1271 Hoisting Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1295
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PART 13: UNDERGROUND EXTRACTION 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 13.6 13.7 13.8 13.9 13.10
Room-and-Pillar Mining in Hard Rock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1327 Room-and-Pillar Mining in Coal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1339 Shrinkage Stoping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1347 Sublevel Stoping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1355 Cut-and-Fill Mining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1365 Backll Mining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1375 Cave Mining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1385 Longwall Mining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1399 Sublevel Caving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1417 Block Caving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1437
PART 14: MINERAL PROCESSING 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 14.5 14.6 14.7
Introduction to Mineral Processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1455 Crushing, Milling, and Grinding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1461 Classication by Screens and Cyclones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1481 Gravity Concentration and Heavy Medium Separation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1507 Fundamental Principles of Froth Flotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1517 Magnetic and Electrostatic Separation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1533 Dewatering Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1547
PART 15: HEALTH AND SAFETY 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 15.6 15.7
Mine Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1557 Health and Medical Issues in Global Mining. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1567 Mine Ventilation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1577 Gas and Dust Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1595 Heat, Humidity, and Air Conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1611 Radiation Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1625 Noise Hazards and Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1633
PART 16: ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 16.6 16.7
Site Environmental Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1643 Mining and Sustainability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1665 Impacts and Control of Blasting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1689 Water and Sediment Contr ol Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1705 Mitigating Acid Rock Drainage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1721 Waste Disposal and Contamination Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1733 Closure Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1753
PART 17: COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL ISSUES 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4
Community Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1767 Social License to Operate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1779 Cultural Considerations for Mining and Indigenous Communities . . . . . . . . . 1797 Management of the Social Impacts of Mining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1817
APPENDICES A B C
Web Sites Related to Mining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1827 Coal Mine Gas Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1833 Conversion Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1835
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I-1
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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 t he initial lead ership and direction for this edition. His guidan ce allowed o thers to carry on with his vision. Richard was a wid ely respected and admired min ing enginee r enjoying an illustrio us career spanning d ecades of work both in industry and acade mia. Richard serve d on the SME Board of Directors a nd as the Ch air of the M&E Division. He was act ive on many committees wo rking on imp ortant SME fu nctions such as peer review, programming, me mbership, p ublications, nominations , scholarships, and awards. He received the Distinguished Service Award in 1991 .
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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 tra dition 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, gures, and photographs. Artwork has been substantially upgraded and is especially appealing. The superb presentation reects 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 Seran, 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 conicting views on countless aspects. However, the clashing of ideas is notably a hallmark of serious thinking. The clear beneciary 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 elds. 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. Specic 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
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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 rst 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 benet of t he global industry. This internationalism is shown by the sub jects covered in each chapter as well as by the nationalities of the wo rld-class authors and technical reviewers represented. It is noteworthy that most signicant 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), wate r management , resource maint enance, and the whol e subject of sust ainable development. One of the signicant 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 signicant shifts in the way mining has changed as a result of new technologies. It also reects how the work and the responsibilities of today’s mining engineer have changed and developed.
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Attempts to encapsulate the essence of so diverse a discipline as mining engineering could not have been possible without the unselsh 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 eld. 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 eld. 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 eve r shortening lead ti me, have been c alled on to r ead throug h many drafts before articulating and li sting 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 efcient in their handling of this edition. This team has checked every comma, word, phrase, se ntence, and i llustration. They ha ve ensure d that copyr ight rules have not be en aunted 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 nished 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
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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 I nternational, International Constru ction, The C ement Edition , Constructi on Asia, and Coal (North America). Darling also served as the press ofcer for Rio Tinto in London. As a Royal Air Force Reserve ofcer, Darling was deployed to Gulf War II and twice to Afghanistan where he completed the nal 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]
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Contributing Authors
L. Adler Professor West Virginia Uni versity Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
Ernest Bohnet Vice President of Mining and Geological Services Pincock Allen & Holt Denver, Colorado, USA
Tom Albanese Chief Executive Ofcer Rio Tinto Ltd. London, United Kingdom
Richard K. Borden Principal Advisor Environment Rio Tinto South Jordan, Utah, USA
Breanna L. Alexander Metallurgical Engineer Lyntek, Inc. Lakewood, Colorado, USA
Robert G. Boutilier President Boutilier & Associates Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and Cuernavaca, Mexico
Derek B. Apel Professor, School of Mining & Petroleum Engineering University of Alberta Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Charles A. Brannon Manager Underground Planning Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. Phoenix, Arizona, USA
Odd G. Askilsrud President Tunnel Engineering and Applications, Inc. Renton, Washington, USA
Ian Brown National Pro duction Manag er Lafarge Aggregates, Mountsorrel Quarry Loughborough, Leicestershire, United Kingdom
William F. Bawden Pierre Lassonde Chair in Mining Engineering University of Toronto Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Richard L. Bullock Professor Emeritus, Mining & Nuclear Engineering Missouri University of Science and Technology Rolla, Missouri, USA
Scott Beer Chief Operating Ofcer Rajant Corporation Malvern, Pennsylvania, USA
Jeremy Buseld Principal Consultant MineCraft Consulting Pty Ltd. Queensland, Australia
Eric N. Berkhimer Senior Applications Engineer P&H Mining Equipment Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Felipe Calizaya Associate Professor University of Utah Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Stephen L. Bessinger Engineering Manager BHP Billiton–San Juan Coal Company Farmington, New Mexico, USA
Gordon K. Carlson Chief Mine Engineer Henderson Mine, Climax Molybdenum Empire, Colorado, USA
Evelyn L. Jessup Bingham Group Manager, Closure & Waste BHP Billiton Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Peter G. Carter Manager of Mining Engineering BHP Billiton Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Martyn Bloss Manager Long Term Planning, Olympic Dam BHP Billiton Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
Timothy P. Casten Director, Underground Planning Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. Phoenix, Arizona, USA
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Joe Cline Lead Discipline Engineer Cementation USA, Inc. Sandy, Utah, USA
Geoff Dunstan Mining Manager Newcrest Mining Ltd. Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
L. Graham Closs Associate Professor, Dept. of Geology & Geological Engrg. Colorado School of Mines Golden, Colorado, USA
Gary Dyer Manager Strategy BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Mark Colwell Principal Colwell Geotechnical Services Queensland, Australia
Erik Eberhardt Professor of Geological Engineering University of British Columbia Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Ivan A. Contreras Vice President Barr Engineering Company Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
A.J. (Joe) Erickson Jr. (Retired) Mining Geology Consultant Anaconda, UPCM Co., AMAX, EXXON Coal & Minerals Co. Houston, Texas, USA
J. Alan Coope (Deceased) Former Director of Geochemistry Newmont Explo ration Ltd. Denver, Colorado, USA
Reinhold A. Errath Technology Manager for Drives ABB Switzerland Ltd. Baden, Switzerland
Phillip C.F. Crowson Honorary Professor & Professorial Research Fellow Centre for Energy, Petroleum & Mineral Law & Policy University of Dundee, Scotland
Robin Evans Senior Research Fellow, University of Queensland Sustainable Minerals Inst., Centre for Social Resp. in Mining Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Michael J. Cruickshank Consulting Marine Mining Engineer Marine Minerals Technology Center Associates Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
Brian Flintoff Senior VP Tech. Dev., Equipment & Systems Business Line Metso Mining & Construction Technology Kelowna, BC, Canada
Kadri Dagdelen Professor of Mining Engineering Colorado School of Mines Golden, Colorado, USA
Frank H. Fox Head of Occupational Health Anglo American plc Johannesburg, South Africa
Donald A. Dahlstrom (Deceased) Former Professor Emeritus University of Utah Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Daniel M. Franks Research Fellow, University of Queensland Sustainable Minerals Inst., Centre for Social Resp. in Mining Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Diana Dalton Lawyer and Independent Consultant in Mining Law Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Russell Frith Adjunct Professor, School of Mining Engineering University of New South Wales Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Peter Darling Managing Editor and Freelance Technical Writer Aylsham, Norfolk, United Kingdom
Maurice C. Fuerstenau Newmont Pro fessor of M inerals Engineer ing University of Nevada Reno, Nevada, USA
J.A.J. (Barry) de Wet Director and Consulting Geophysicist BDW Geophysics Consulting Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Rajive Ganguli Professor of Mining Engineering University of Alaska Fairbanks Fairbanks, Alaska, USA
Malcolm G. Dorricott Principal Consultant AMC Consultants Pty Ltd. Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Ginger Gibson Adjunct Professor University of British Columbia Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Charles Dowding Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering Northwestern University Evanston, Illinois, USA
Don Grant Superintendent Life of Asset Planning, Olympic Dam BHP Billiton Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
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Jedediah D. Greenwood Senior Geotechnical Engineer Barr Engineering Company Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Lok Home President The Robbins Company Solon, Ohio, USA
Ed Grygiel Manager of Six Sigma Engineering Jim Walter Resources Brookwood, Alabama, USA
John Hooper Managing Director Joem Promotions Deal, Kent, United Kingdom
Bernard J. Guarnera President and Chairman of the Board of Directors Behre Dolbear Group, Inc. Denver, Colorado, USA
Paul B. Hughes Research Assistant, Norman B. Keevil Institute of Mining University of British Columbia Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
John Hadjigeorgiou Director, Lassonde Mineral Engineering Program and Lassonde Institute for Engrg. Geosciences, Univ. of Toronto Toronto, Ontario, Canada
James D. Humphrey Market Professional–Mining Caterpillar, Inc., Global Mining Division Decatur, Illinois, USA
Douglas F. Hambley Associate Agapito Associates, Inc. Golden, Colorado, USA
David Humphreys Independent Consultant Former Chief Economist at Rio Tinto & Norilsk Nickel London, United Kingdom
Kenneth N. Han Professor Emeritus South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Rapid City, South Dakota, USA
Partha V. Iyer Consultant Reading, Pennsylvania, USA Jeffrey A. Jaacks President Geochemical Applications International, Inc. Centennial, Colorado, USA
Jack Haptonstall Mining Consultant Pincock Allen & Holt Lakewood, Colorado, USA
Andrew Jarosz Associate Professor, Curtin University Western Australian School of Mines Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, Australia
John P. Harrison Lassonde Institute, Department of Civil Engineering University of Toronto Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Daniel W. Kappes President Kappes, Cassiday and Associates Reno, Nevada, USA
Paul Harvey President Ekati BHP Billiton Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
S. Komar Kawatra Professor of Chemical Engineering Michigan Technological University Houghton, Michigan, USA
Zaher Hashisho Assistant Professor, Dept. of Civil & Environmental Engrg. University of Alberta Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Deanna Kemp Senior Research Fellow, University of Queensland Sustainable Minerals Inst., Centre for Social Resp. in Mining Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Richard Herrington Researcher, Economic Geology Natural Histor y Museum London, United Kingdom
Thomas Kerr President Knight Piésold and Company Denver, Colorado, USA
Ken Hill Managing Director Xenith Consulting Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Philip King Technical Director Truro, Cornwall, United Kingdom
Walter E. Hill Jr. (Deceased) Former Chief Chemist AMAX Exploration, Inc. Lakewood, Colorado, USA
Charles A. Kliche Professor of Mining Engineering South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Rapid City, South Dakota, USA
R. Anthony Hodge President, International Council on Mining & Metals Professor, Mining & Sustainability, Queen’s University Kingston, Ontario, Canada
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Peter Knights BMA Chair and Professor of Mining Engineering University of Queensland Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Alistair MacDonald Environmental Assessment Specialist SENES Consultants Limited Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Abby Korte Project Hydrologist Lidstone and Associates, Inc. Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
Travis J. Manning Metallurgical Engineeer Kappes, Cassiday & Associates Reno, Nevada, USA
Ronald Kuehl II General Manager, Vibrating Equip. & Systems Business Line Metso Mining & Construction Technology Columbia, South Carolina, USA
John Marks Consultant Lead, South Dakota, USA Michael D. Martin Senior Associate Behre Dolbear & Company (USA), Inc. Denver, Colorado, USA
Uday Kumar Professor of Operation and Maintenance Engineering Luleå University of Technology Luleå, Sweden
Douglas K. Maxwell Senior Process Engineer Lyntek, Inc. Lakewood, Colorado, USA
Mahinda Kuruppu Senior Lecturer Curtin University of Technology Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, Australia
Peter L. McCarthy Chairman and Principal Mining Consultant AMC Consultants Pty Ltd. Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
John I. Kyle Vice President Lyntek, Inc. Lakewood, Colorado, USA Dennis H. Laubscher Mining Consultant Bushmans River Mouth, South Africa
John McGagh Head of Innovation Rio Tinto Ltd. Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
David Laurence Acting Director, School of Mining Engineering University of New South Wales Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
John Mosher Executive Vice President–Operations PT Freeport Indonesia Tembagapura, Papua, Indonesia
G. Aubrey Lee Senior Consultant SESCO Management Consultants Bristol, Tennessee, USA
Michael G. Nelson Department Chair, Mining Engineering College of Mines & Earth Sciences, University of Utah Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
José L. Lee-Moreno Adjunct Professor, Dept. of Mining and Geological Engineering University of Arizona Tucson, Arizona, USA
Jerry M. Nettleton Environmental Manager Peabody Energy Steamboat Springs, Colorado, USA
Jennifer B. Leinart CostMine Division Manager InfoMine USA Spokane Valley, Washington, USA
Antonio Nieto Associate Professor, Energy and Minerals Engineering Dept. Pennsylvania State University University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
Paul Lever Prof. and CRCMining Chair, Mech. & Mining Engrg. School University of Queensland Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Alan C. Noble Principal Engineer and Owner Ore Reserves Engineering Lakewood, Colorado, USA
Christopher D. Lidstone President Lidstone and Associates, Inc. Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
Ciaran O’Faircheallaigh Professor, Politics and Public Policy Grifth University Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Braden Lusk Assistant Professor, Mining Engineering Department University of Kentucky Lexington, Kentucky, USA
Marc Orman Senior Geotechnical Engineer Ausenco Vector Grass Valley, California, USA
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Jeffrey T. Padgett Consulting Geologist Monterey Coal Company Carlinville, Illinois, USA
Ian Runge Founder Runge Ltd. Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Rimas T. Pakalnis Associate Professor, Norman B. Keevil Institute of Mining University of British Columbia Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Kristin Sample Staff Engineer Ausenco Vector Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
Rich Peevers Senior Engineer Ausenco Vector Grass Valley, California, USA
W. Joseph Schlitt President Hydrometal, Inc. Knightsen, California, USA
Paul R. Peppers Supt. Central Maintenance & Projects, Sierrita Operations Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Co. Green Valley, Arizona, USA
Ross Seedsman Director Seedsman Geotechnics Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
Fiona Perrott-Humphrey Consultant to NM Rothschild (mining team) Dir. of AIM Mining Research & PURE P-H Strategic Consulting London, United Kingdom
Ian Sherrell Business Development Engineer Outotec Jacksonville, Florida, USA
Edwin V. Post (Retired) Former President of Skyline Labs, Inc. Wheat Ridge, Colorado, USA
Ernest T. Shonts Jr. Senior Mining Engineer Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
Yves Potvin Director of the Australian Centre for Geomechanics University of Western Australia Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Rod Stace Associate Professor, Department of Civil Engineering University of Nottingham Nottingham, U nited Kingdo m
Gavin Power Director Power Geotechnical Pty Ltd. Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Doug Stead Professor of Resource Geoscience and Geotechnics Simon Fraser University Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
Marc Rademacher Director, Western Operations, Minerals Services Div. SGS North America, Inc. Denver, Colorado, USA
Scott A. Stebbins President Aventurine Mine Cost Engineering Spokane, Washington, USA
Marcus Randolph Group Executive & Chief Executive, Ferrous & Coal BHP Billiton Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
George Stephan Senior Consulting Engineer Stantec Mining Tempe, Arizona, USA
Michael Rawlinson Director and Head of Mining and Metals Liberum Capital London, United Kingdom
Nimal Subasinghe Associate Professor of Minerals Engineering Curtin University (Western Australian School of Mines) Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, Australia
Mark Richards Mines Manager Imerys Minerals Limited Cornwall, United Kingdom
Pramod Thakur Manager, Coal Seam Degasication CONSOL Energy, Inc. Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
Jamal Rostami Assistant Professor, Energy and Mineral Engineering Pennsylvania State University University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
Roger J. Thompson Professor of Mining Engineering Curtin University (Western Australian School of Mines) Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, Australia
Cameron Routley Superintendent Five Year Planning, Olympic Dam BHP Billiton Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
S.D. Thompson Assistant Professor University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign Champaign, Illinois, USA
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Ian Thomson Principal On Common Ground Consultants, Inc. Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Joshua D. Wagner Marketing Product Consultant Caterpillar, Inc., Global Mining Division Peoria, Illinois, USA
Jerry C. Tien Department of Mining and Nuclear Energy Missouri University of Science and Technology Rolla, Missouri, USA
Gary E. Walter Principal Consultant Primo Safety and Health Services, LLC Wilmington, Delaware, USA
Peter Tiley Consulting Engineer G.L. Tiley & Associates Ltd. Flamborough, Ontario, Canada
Mark Watson Technical Services Group Alliance Coal LLC Lexington, Kentucky, USA
Michael A. Tuck Associate Professor of Mining Engineering University of Ballarat Ballarat, Victoria, Australia
Andrew Wetherelt Senior Lecturer in Mining Engrg., Prog. Dir. BEng Mining Engrg. Camborne School of Mines (University of Exeter) Penryn, Cornwall, United Kingdom
Bryan Ulrich Senior Vice President Knight Piésold and Company Elko, Nevada, USA
David Whittle Global Manager, Planning Leadership Program BHP Billiton Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Ronald W. Utley Consultant FLSmidth, Inc. Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA
John Woodhouse Chief Executive The Woodhouse Partnership Ltd. Kingsclere, Berkshire, United Kingdom
Klaas Peter van der Wielen Research Assistant Camborne School of Mines (University of Exeter) Penryn, Cornwall, United Kingdom
Paul Worsey Professor, Mining and Nuclear Engineering Department Missouri University of Science and Technology Rolla, Missouri, USA
Rens Verburg Principal Geochemist Golder Associates, Inc. Redmond, Washington, USA
Sergio Zamorano Technical Director of Conveyor Technologies FLSmidth Spokane, Washington, USA
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Technical Reviewers
David M. Abbott Jr. Senior Associate and Principal Behre Dolbear & Company (USA), Inc. Denver, Colorado, USA
Carmen Bernedo Lead/Supervising Engineer MWH Americas, Inc. Denver, Colorado, USA
Mark Adams Chief Operating Ofcer Barminco Hazelmere, Western Australia, Australia
Stephen L. Bessinger Engineering Manager BHP Billiton–San Juan Coal Company Farmington, New Mexico, USA
Hugh E.K. Allen Mining Consultant Allen Associates Harrow-on-the Hill, London, United Kingdom
Patricia Billig Environmental Toxicologist Boulder, Colorado, USA Christopher Bise Professor and Chairman, Mining Engineering Department West Virginia Un iversity Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
Timothy D. Arnold General Manager General Moly, Inc. Eureka, Nevada, USA
Steve Boydston Senior Consultant DNV Business Assurance Centennial, Colorado, USA
Doug Austin Senior Vice President M3 Engineering and Technology Corporation Tucson, Arizona, USA
Bill Bradford (Retired) Mineral Processing Consultant Formerly with Selection Trust Ltd. & UN Dev. Prog. Tring, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom
Peter Balka Chief Mining Engineer Tigers Realm Minerals Pty Ltd. Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Wade W. Bristol General Manager–Nevada Underground Newmont Minin g Corporatio n Carlin, Nevada, USA
John C. Barber Technical Director and Principal Mining Engineer AMEC E & C Mesa, Arizona, USA Michael Barber Self-Employed Blasting Consultant Parker, Colorado, USA
Richard L. Bullock Professor Emeritus, Mining & Nuclear Engineering Missouri University of Science and Technology Rolla, Missouri, USA
William F. Bawden Pierre Lassonde Chair in Mining Engineering University of Toronto Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Al Campoli Vice President Special Projects Jennmar Corporation Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
John Baz-Dresch Manager–Technical Services Cia. Minera del Cubo S.A. de C.V. Guanajuato, GTO, Mexico
Mark Chalmers Chair Uranium Council of Australia Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
Douglas L. Beahm Principal Engineer BRS Engineering Riverton, Wyoming, USA
Rebecca Chouinard Regulatory Specialist Wek’eezhii Land and Water Board Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
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Phillip C.F. Crowson Honorary Professor & Professorial Research Fellow Centre for Energy, Petroleum & Mineral Law & Policy University of Dundee, Scotland
Mike Gleason Energy Superintendent Climax Molybdenum Company Empire, Colorado, USA
James Davidson General Manager Urtek LLC Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
John Grieves Project Manager New Hope Gro up Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Gary Davison Managing Director MiningOne Pty Ltd. Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Douglas F. Hambley Associate Agapito Associates, Inc. Golden, Colorado, USA
Fred Delabbio Gen. Mgr. Innovation–Underground, Technology and Innovation Rio Tinto Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Jack Haptonstall Mining Consultant Pincock Allen & Holt Lakewood, Colorado, USA
Phil Dight Winthrop Professor of Geotechnical Engineering Australian Ctr. for Geomechanics, Univ. of Western Australia Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Alex Hathorn Vice President Technical Services and Continuous Improvement Peabody Energy Australia Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Mal G. Dorricott Principle Consultant AMC Consultants Pty Ltd. Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Bruce Hebblewhite Professor & Head of the School of Mining Engineering University of New South Wales Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Sjoerd Rein Duim Director, Principal Consultant (Mining) SRK Consulting Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Michael G. Hester Vice President Independent Mining Consultants, Inc. Tucson, Arizona, USA
W. Scott Dunbar Professor, Norman B. Keevil Institute of Mining Engineering University of British Columbia Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Ronald R. Hewitt Cohen Professor of Environmental Science and Engineering Colorado School of Mines Denver, Colorado, USA
Roger Ellis Minerals Industry Consultant Senior Geological Associate with ACA Howe International Hertfordshire, United Kingdom
Evert Hoek (Retired) Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Kevin Holley Principal Geotechnical Engineer, Director SRK Consulting Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Richmond Fenn Director Resource Development Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold, Inc. Oro Valley, Arizona, USA
Steven Holmes General Manager–Ray Operations Asarco LLC Hayden, Arizona, USA
Courtney Fidler Department of Geography and Planning University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
David Hull Chair, Educational Advisory Committee to the South Africa Council for Professional and Technical Surveyors Johannesburg, South Africa
Russell Frith Adjunct Professor, School of Mining Engineering University of New South Wales Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Louie Human Senior Consultant (Rock Mechanics) SRK Consulting Australasia Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Steven Gardner President and CEO Engineering Consulting Services, Inc. Lexington, Kentucky, USA
David Humphreys Independent Consultant Former Chief Economist at Rio Tinto & Norilsk Nickel London, United Kingdom
Barry Gass General Manager Asset Management Rio Tinto Copper Projects Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
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Conrad Huss Chairman of the Board M3 Engineering and Technology Corporation Tucson, Arizona, USA
Peter L. McCarthy Chairman and Principal Mining Consultant AMC Consultants Pty Ltd. Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Nils I. Johansen Pott College of Science and Engineering University of Southern Indiana Evansville, Indiana, USA
Stefan Muller Principal Hydrogeologist SRK Consulting Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Daniel W. Kappes President Kappes, Cassiday and Associates Reno, Nevada, USA
Jan M. Mutmansky Professor Emeritus of Mining Engineering Pennsylvania State University University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
Patrick Killeen (Retired) Research Scientist Geological Survey of Canada Ompah, Ontario, Canada
Michael G. Nelson Department Chair, Mining Engineering College of Mines & Earth Sciences, University of Utah Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Linton Kirk Senior Principal and Chief Mining Engineer Coffey Mining Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Dave Osborne Group Manager (Coal Technology–Business Development) Xstrata Coal Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Charles A. Kliche Professor of Mining Engineering South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Rapid City, South Dakota, USA
Paul R. Peppers Supt. Central Maintenance & Projects, Sierrita Operations Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Co. Green Valley, Arizona, USA
David Krizek Principal Tetra Tech Tucson, Arizona, USA
Clyde Peppin Consulting Engineer Stantec – Mining (Formerly Mcintosh Engineering) Tempe, Arizona, USA
Stanley T. Krukowski Industrial Minerals Geologist IV Oklahoma Geological Survey Norman, Oklah oma, USA
Fiona Perrott-Humphrey Consultant to NM Rothschild (mining team) Dir. of AIM Mining Research & PURE P-H Strategic Consulting London, United Kingdom
Katherine Laudon Vice President Lidstone and Associates, Inc. Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
Gavin Power Director Power Geotechnical Pty Ltd. Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Christopher D. Lidstone President Lidstone and Associates, Inc. Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
Jerry Ran Manager of Geotechnical Engineering Barrick Gold Corporation Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Joe Luxford Principal Luxford Mine Management Services Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Donald E. Ranta President and CEO Rare Elements Resources Ltd. Golden, Colorado, USA
Michael D. Martin Senior Associate Behre Dolbear & Company (USA), Inc. Denver, Colorado, USA
Larry Reimann Manager Technical Services Cameco Resources Casper, Wyoming, USA
Bill McAuley Former Managing Director British Oxygen Corporation (BOC) Group Camberley, Surrey, United Kingdom
Abani Samal Geologist/Geostatistician Pincock Allen & Holt Denver, Colorado, USA
Michael K. McCarter Professor, Department of Mining Engineering University of Utah Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Lee W. Saperstein Dean Emeritus, School of Mines and Metallurgy Missouri University of Science and Technology Rolla, Missouri, USA
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Scott A. Stebbins President Aventurine Mine Cost Engineering Spokane, Washington, USA
Bill Wareld Product Manager (Ground Engineering Products) Atlas Copco Construction Mining Technique Roseville, California, USA
Doug Stiles Assistant General Manager Carlota Copper Company–QuadraFnx Mining Globe, Arizona, USA
Alan Weakly Consultant Innovative Mining Solutions Story, Wyoming, USA
Barton Stone Chief Geologist Pincock Allen & Holt Lakewood, Colorado, USA
Andrew Wetherelt Senior Lecturer in Mining Engrg., Prog. Dir. BEng Mining Engrg. Camborne School of Mines (University of Exeter) Penryn, Cornwall, United Kingdom
Nimal Subasinghe Associate Professor of Minerals Engineering Curtin University (Western Australian School of Mines) Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, Australia
David Whittle Global Manager, Planning Leadership Program BHP Billiton Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Edward Thomas Professor (private practice) Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Anne L. Williamson Principle Scientist/Senior Project Manager URS Corporation Phoenix, Arizona, USA
Tom Vandergrift Senior Associate Agapito Associates, Inc. Golden, Colorado, USA
Johnny Zhan Senior Environmental Manager (Hydrology) Barrick Gold Corporation Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Gary E. Walter Principle Consultant Primo Safety and Health Services, LLC Wilmington, Delaware, USA
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