Slurry pump shaft seals play a critical part in improving pump uptime, reducing water consumption, and lowering operating costs. by Jonathan Rowland Slurry pumps power the circulatory system that keeps mineral processing plants running. Many factors go into ensuring the efficiency and reliability of these essential pieces of equipment. The shaft seal may play a supporting role relative to other…
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From underground coal mines in 1980s Germany to some of the world’s highest-altitude conveyor systems in the deserts of South America today, gearless drive technology is transforming how mining operations move material. by Jonathan Rowland “Gearless drive systems were first used in various industrial applications long before they were considered a viable alternative to conventional conveyor drive concepts with gearboxes,”…
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NAM editor Donna Schmidt recently sat down with FLANDERS senior global product director Gerhard Labuschagne about some pressing issues for the future of drilling. Just what is an optimized mine from a driller’s perspective, and in the age of digitalization, what’s an engineer’s role? How are field relationships between operator and drilling partner key to each step of success along…
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Fully automated longwall operations have been dreamt about since the 1950s. Are they finally within grasp? by Jonathan Rowland Longwall mining has always been associated with significant safety risks for personnel. Reducing this risk through mechanization, automation, and remote-controlled operation has – alongside improving productivity and operational efficiency – been a “central driver of longwall innovation for more than five…
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From the pit to control room, how video analytics is streamlining mining operations in North America. by Gary Ng There was a time when mining oversight meant standing at the edge of a pit with a clipboard, hoping the dust did not hide the data. But today? The pit watches itself and reports in real-time. What previously relied on radios,…
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This lithium production methodology is growing rapidly, drawing interest from environmentalists and producers alike, because it reduces the environmental impact and the cost of lithium production. by Jorge Espinoza and Victor Mwaba Growing demand for lithium compounds for use in the manufacture of rechargeable batteries is constrained by the difficulty of maximizing its extraction from natural sources. There are only…
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Innovation in surface drill and blast operations is delivering measurable improvements in environmental performance, operational efficiency, community impact, and personnel safety. by Jonathan Rowland As the mining industry intensifies its focus on sustainability, surface drill and blast practices are undergoing a shift. Once viewed primarily through the lens of productivity and cost-efficiency, innovation is helping to reimagine these operations as…
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With innovative, digital technologies proliferating in mining, an intelligent future beckons. by Jonathan Rowland The global pressures mining operations face will be familiar to readers of North American Mining. The increasing demand for critical minerals, along with diminishing ore grades, tightening environmental expectations, the need for safer workplaces and skilled personnel, and fluctuating commodity markets, all place demands on this…
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Data from the U.S. Geological Survey’s Landsat satellite program, managed in partnership with NASA, has helped shape the development of the Thacker Pass lithium project. For more than 50 years, Landsat, the satellite program managed by the U.S. Geological Survey and NASA, has provided continuous Earth observation data to support science-based decision-making, including mine planning in sensitive environments. A recent…
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A mine plan modification will restore full-scale mining and prolong operations at the historic site through 2039. by Josephine Patterson The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) has approved a change in the mining plan for the Black Butte mine in Sweetwater County, Wyo., approximately 25 miles east of Rock Springs. The modification enables Black Butte Coal Co. to recover…
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