Mine Planning and Equipment Selection


Book Description

This edited volume includes all papers presented at the 22nd International Conference on Mine Planning and Equipment Selection (MPES), Dresden, Germany, 2013. Mineral Resources are needed for almost all processes of modern life, whilst the mining industry is facing strict requirements regarding efficiency and sustainability. The research papers in this volume deal with the latest developments and research results in the fields of mining, machinery, automatization and environment protection.







Fire Underground


Book Description

How a modern-day mine disaster has turned a Pennsylvania community into a ghost town * For much of its history, Centralia, Pennsylvania, had a population of around 2,000. By 1981, this had dwindled to just over 1,000—not unusual for a onetime mining town. But as of 2007, Centralia had the unwelcome distinction of being the state’s tiniest municipality, with a population of nine. The reason: an underground fire that began in 1962 has decimated the town with smoke and toxic gases, and has since made history. Fire Underground is the completely updated classic account of the fire that has been raging under Centralia for decades. David DeKok tells the story of how the fire actually began and how government officials failed to take effective action. By 1981 the fire was spewing deadly gases into homes. A twelve-year-old boy dropped into a steaming hole as a congressman toured nearby. DeKok describes how the people of Centralia banded together to finally win relocation funds—and he reveals what has happened to the few remaining residents as the fiftieth anniversary of the fire’s beginning nears.




Spontaneous Combustion of Coal


Book Description

This book aims to understand, analyze and mitigate the harmful impacts of spontaneous coal combustion in underground mines, a thermal phenomenon that triggers fires and explosions threatening the safety of mine workers globally. Based on experimental and theoretical research findings, the book emphasizes three essential questions that are fundamental to understand spontaneous coal combustion: What are the root causes? How to evaluate the causative factors to determine the activity of coal? and How to bring this issue under control in real longwall panel? Readers are introduced to experimental techniques applied to investigate the basic molecular structure of coal and evaluate chemical properties that induce self-heating behavior, theoretical analyses to predict the extrinsic effect on low temperature oxidation of coal in experimental scale and full-size longwall panel, and preventive measures to mitigate this issue using methods for retardant screening, numerical simulations for optimal grouting and nitrogen injections, and case studies analyzing thermal events using mine atmosphere gas monitoring data. The book will be of interest to students and researchers studying mining engineering and chemistry, as well as engineers and practitioners involved in coal mine development and risk assessment.




Prevention and Combating Mine Fires


Book Description

There is a growing concern about fires in mines, coal mines in particular. Attempts are being made to improve mine fire combat efforts and their prevention, taking advantage of developments in the fields of science and technology. This book looks at those developments and their applications.




Advanced Mine Ventilation


Book Description

Advanced Mine Ventilation presents the reader with a unique book providing the theory and applications for designing mine ventilation with computers, controlling respirable coal dust and diesel particulate matter, combustible gas control and, mine fire management. The book summarizes the latest knowledge created in the past 40 years in these areas. Authored by an expert in the field with 50 years' experience, the book is a great combination of theory and applications. The mine ventilation section provides computer programs (both FORTRAN and C++) to calculate not only air quantities and pressure losses but also the concentration of any pollutant in all junctions and branches of the mine network. Small particle mechanics and dust control is covered in the second section of the book. The third section on combustible gas control discusses all aspects of mine gases from origin to control. The last section on mine fire control discusses spontaneous combustion, frictional ignitions, mine explosions, and mine sealing and recovery. The book is not only a very good reference book but also an excellent textbook for two graduate level courses in Mining Engineering. Provides the latest knowledge on the four related topics of mine environment control; that is, ventilation, dust, gas, and fire in a single volume Computer simulation of mine ventilation in both FORTRAN and C++ State-of-the-art respirable dust control Mine degasification and methane production from a coal lease Mine fire management




Sensing and Monitoring Technologies for Mines and Hazardous Areas


Book Description

Sensing and Monitoring Technologies for Mines and Hazardous Areas: Monitoring and Prediction Technologies presents the fundamentals of mining related geotechnical risk and how the latest advances in sensing and data communication can be used both to prevent accidents and provide early warnings. Opencast mining operations involve huge quantities of overburden removal, dumping, and backfilling in excavated areas. Substantial increases in the rate of accumulation of waste dumps in recent years has resulted in greater height of dumps and also has given rise to the danger of dump failures as steeper open pit slopes are prone to failure. These failures lead to loss of valuable human lives and damage to mining machinery. This book presents the most recent advances in gas sensors, methane detectors, and power cut-off systems. It also introduces monitoring of the gas strata and environment, and an overview of the use of Internet of Things and cloud computing for mining sensing and surveillance purposes. Targeted at geotechnical and mining engineers, this volume covers the latest findings and technology to prevent mining accidents and mitigate the inherent risk of the activity. - Presents complete details of a real-time slope stability monitoring system using wireless sensor networking and prediction technique based on multivariate statistical analysis of various parameters and analytical hierarchy process methods - Discusses innovative ideas and new concepts of sensing technologies, mine transport surveillance, digital mining, and cloud computing to improve safety and productivity in mining industry - Includes slope stability prediction software, downloadable through a companion website, which can be used for monitoring, analyzing, and storing different sensors and providing audio-visual, SMS, and email alerts - Covers the latest findings and technology to prevent mining accidents and mitigate the inherent risk




The Coal Fire


Book Description




Unseen Danger


Book Description

The true story of the Centralia mine fire; a government's indecisiveness and a town's struggle for survival.




Management of Industrial Cleaning Technology and Processes


Book Description

More stringent quality standards and environmental/safety regulations as well as new process and chemical technology have changed industrial cleaning from a "wet and wipe application to a valued and demanding process operation. This book will help cleaning operatives, designers of equipment, metal finishers, industrial chemists and decontaminators understand the value and demands required within the industrial cleaning process and an environment of continuing change.* Covers all aspects of modern cleaning technologies, helping readers to understand basics of cleaning, equipment used, techniques and possible changes to come within the industry.* Includes environmental regulations and the basis for modern cleaning technologies, ensuring the reader is up to date on cleaning chemicals and their affects.* Covers testing for cleanliness, ensuring cleaning operatives, technicians and end users understand how to achieve the demands required within the industrial cleaning process and an environment of continuing change.