UNIVERSITY OF DAR-ES-SALAAM-CoET
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL AND MINING ENGINEERING
MN 120: INTRODUCTION TO MINING
TEST 1
Time allowed 1 hour
Answer all question
Question 1 (20 marks)
Explain the main objective and activities in the following stages of a modern mine
(i) Exploration
(ii) Development
(iii) Reclamation
Answers
(i) Exploration,
Objective
To define the extent and value of the ore
Main activities
- Calculating the tonnage of the ore
- Visual examination of the outcrop of the ore or weathered particles of the rock at
the area where there is the deposit
- Digging of trenches and do diamond core drilling
(ii) Development
Objective
To develop access to the ore body
Main activities
- Development of ramp
- Shaft sinking for underground mine
- Decline development
- Placement of ground support
- Charging and blasting
- Loading and hauling
(iii) Reclamation
Objective
Restoration of the land value to its initial state
Main activities
- Removal of the mining equipment
- Filling of the pits
- Clearance of the muck piles
- Planting of trees
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Question 2 (40 marks)
(a) Given the following information in table 2
Table 2
Triangle Grade Cu % Area (m2) Thickness (m)
124 0.277 14.5 3
146 0.223 21.6 5
235 0.237 21.1 6
245 0.346 26.2 4
If the SG of the ore is 2.5 and the average thickness of the ore is 2m, using triangular
method, calculate the following
(i) Tonnage
(ii) Average grade of Cu
(iii) The copper content in the ore
Answers
Before answering this question, it is important to know that there is an error in question
formulation, the height was given in the table but again it is given as 2m, there should be
only one height but for the sake of this, all the two solution were provided for both who
will use 2m as their height and those who will follow the table so as to have uniformity.
Triangle Grade Are Thickness1 Thickness2 Volume Volume2 Tonna Tonna SG
Cu % a , (m) , (m) 3 m3 (t2 x
1 m (t1 ge1 ge2
(m2) x A) A)
124 0.277 14.5 3 2 43.5 29 108.75 72.5 2.5
146 0.223 21.6 5 2 108 43.2 270 108 2.5
235 0.237 21.1 6 2 126.6 42.2 316.5 105.5 2.5
245 0.346 26.2 4 2 104.8 52.4 262 131 2.5
SUMATI ⅀= ⅀= ⅀= ⅀=
ON 382.9 166.8 957.25 417
Cu Cu content2
content1
0.301 0.201
0.602 0.241
0.750 0.250
0.907 0.453
2.560 1.145
(i) Tonnage for 2m is 417 t
Tonnage for the given data is 957.25 t
⅀Cu content2
(ii) Grade for 2m = × 100%
⅀tonnage2
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1.145
grade = × 100%
417
Grade for 2m is 0.275%
⅀Cu content1
grade for given height = × 100%
⅀tonnage1
2.560
grade = × 100%
957.25
Grade is 0.267%
(iii) copper content in the ore
For 2m the Cu content is 1.145t
For the given data Cu content is 2.560t
(b) There are four cross section having the area 6500m2, 5800m2, 1400m2, and 7000m2
respectively. The distance between the two adjacent cross section is 20m. using cross
sectional method, calculate the ore reserve using the tonnage factor of 2.5ton/m3
Solution
for cross sectional method with two sections
L
volume = 2 (A1 + A2)
fro 4 number of cross section
L L L
volume = (A1 + A2) + (A2 + A3) + (A3 + A4)
2 2 2
L
Hence volume = [A1 + 2(A2 + A3) + A4]
2
20
Volume = [6500 + 2(5800 + 1400) + 7000]
2
Hence the volume is 279,000m3
The tonnage is given by 279,000/2.5 = 111,600t
Question 3
(a) Explain what is dilution
(b) Briefly explain two types of dilution
(c) Explain the main causes of dilution? What is a solution in each causes mentioned?
(d) Given an ore block of dimension 30.46m x 15.25m, width of ore body is 0.6m and ore
grade is 10%. If lead is to be mined by a minimum width of 0.9m. estimate diluted grade
of the mined ore if the ore body density is 3ton/m3 and that of wall rock is 2.3ton/m3
(e) 100 tons of ore of 10% grade is diluted with 10t material 4% grade to give 110t. Find the
final grade after dilution
Answer
(a) Dilution refers to the waste material that is not segregated from ore during mining,
and it is mined with ore and sent to the processing plant.
(b) Two types of dilutions
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(i) Internal dilution, this refers to the inclusion of low grade pocket of ore that
cannot be separated and are inevitably mined with the mining block. It
depends on lithology and grade distribution; it is impossible to avoid.
(ii) External dilution, this refers to the waste outside of the orebody that is mined
together with the [Link] depends on geology, shape of the ore body. Drilling
and blasting technique and can be controlled.
(c) The main causes of dilution and their solution
- Mining equipment, if the equipment used in mining has low ability to dig the
materials, then there is a possibility of diluting the ore. Solution to this is to use
equipment which has the ability that match with the size of the orebody and
ability to dig the given rock with the given digging resistance
- Poor selection of mining method, if the method selected is not proper to the give
orebody’s condition then it is possible to dilute the ore, to solve this proper
mining method for a particular orebody’s condition has to be selected
- Poor ground support, if the ground is not well supported especially in
underground mining, then there is a possibility of collapsing of the waste rock to
the orebody, this will add excess material that are to mined together with the ore,
to solve this ground has to be properly supported
- Low mining technology, the aims of employing technology in mining is to
monitor thing like dilutions. Various dilution monitoring techniques are used
especially in underground mining methods like sub-level carving and block
carving. If the technology used is poor, then there is the possibility to have
dilution.
(d) Solution
The volume of the ore produced = 30.46 x 15.25 x 0.6 m3 = 278.709m3
The tonnage of the ore is 278.09 x 3 = 836.127t
The volume of the waste mined = 30.46 x 15.25 x (0.9 – 0.6) = 139.355m3
The tonnage of the waste mined = 139.355 x 2.3 = 320.515t
Total tonnage mined = 836.127t + 320.515t = 1,156.642t
The final grade = [(836.127)/(1,156.642)] x 100%
Hence the diluted grade is 72.3%
(e) Solution
⅀tonage of ore content
grade = × 100%
⅀total tonnage mined
(100 × 10%) + (10 × 4%)
grade = × 100% = 9.46%
110
Hence, final grade after dilution is 9.46%
In case of any mathematical error please check and correct it, it is not necessary to
rely on the calculations above.
Prepared by Haule, Innocent A
Good Luck!!!!!!!!
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