WednesdayAug 19, 2020 3:45 pm

A New Use for Inoperative UK Coal Mines is Being Piloted

Non-operational coal mines in the UK may yet have a new purpose; heating businesses and homes. This will be done by using warm water from flooded mines. The mines may also be used in horticulture to provide heat to growing houses. In the coastal town of Seaham close to Newcastle, in the Seaham Garden Village, 750 homes are being designed that will use water drawn from the unused mines. This will be a steady heat source, unchanged by exterior elements and having the ability to supply heating energy of 6 megawatts with no carbon outflows. The head of innovation at…

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WednesdayAug 19, 2020 2:00 pm

Underwater Mining: An Effective Way to Access Mineral Resources

Mining companies interested in a different yet more efficient method to extract minerals underwater should look into project VAMOS. This project is in the process of inventing a mining system that can be operated underwater whose main purpose is to access minerals underground in underwater unmined deposits as well as in deserted flooded mines, which are difficult to extract using standard mining techniques. This robotic mining system opens up the way for reviving deserted and flooded mines that have open pits. The technology has the capability to lengthen the lifespan of opencast mines with high stripping ratios where huge quantities…

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TuesdayAug 18, 2020 4:30 pm

Identifying Mining Pollution by Use of Thin Films

Over the years, various techniques have been used to check for inorganic and organic pollutants that are present in the environment. However, the extensive distribution of many different species that are present in soil and water among other environmental bodies complicates the capacity to attain correct analysis of these pollutants. In order to tackle these issues, thin film technology is used as it has shown to be highly reliable in picking out pollutants, especially those that come from mining sites. During mining, various pollutants can be released and they could eventually contaminate the environment nearby. Several of these are highly…

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TuesdayAug 18, 2020 1:30 pm

Natural or Synthetic Diamonds: Which is better?

While most of the diamonds mined by sector players like Rio Tinto Plc (NYSE: RIO) are considered industrial grade, only 3% of them are used in industry and synthetic diamonds make up the remaining 97%. This is because they can be manufactured in large quantities and tailored to various applications. About 70% of mined diamonds are traded for use in different industries. These diamonds are known as bort and possess many great qualities. Diamonds are the hardest materials in existence and have a very high thermal conductivity. They can be used in drilling, grinding, polishing and cutting and are also…

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MondayAug 17, 2020 1:30 pm

Agriculture and Mining: Can They Coexist?

Mining is the extraction of minerals, ores, clay, fossil fuels, gravel and stone, among other commodities. The increase in demand for minerals, such as gold and silver, has influenced a steady rise in metal mining and mineral extraction from the ore over the years. The mining industry provides different industries with raw materials by a variety of entities like Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSE American: UUUU) (TSX: EFR). Take for instance, the steel and iron industries who use mineral ore as a raw material for their operations. The finished products of these industries are used as raw materials in other industries…

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MondayAug 17, 2020 11:30 am

3D Printing: A Bright Future in Mining

3D printing or additive manufacturing is a manufacturing process where three-dimensional objects are created using a 3D printer by sequentially layering materials such as glass, metal powder and ceramics, in line with the object’s designed 3D digital model. 3D printing has taken up center stage in innovating within various industries including robotics, manufacturing and automotive industries, with many others looking into its vast possibilities. The mining industry has been gradual on its implementation of 3D printing as it’s still an emerging technology in the mining sector. How can 3D printing improve the mining industry? Generation of precise 3D topography maps…

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FridayAug 14, 2020 3:00 pm

A New Application for Diamonds in Space

Diamonds are the hardest known material on the planet with very high thermal conductivity. These qualities make diamonds useful in many industries. Of the large quantity of diamonds that are mined by firms like Rio Tinto Plc (NYSE: RIO), about 70% of these are sold for use in various industries. These small, granular, opaque diamonds commonly known as bort are used as abrasives for cutting tools as well as in drilling, grinding, polishing and drilling. They are also preferred due to their cost-effectiveness as well as the fact that they last longer as well as cutting faster. Diamonds also possess…

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FridayAug 14, 2020 1:00 pm

Portable XRF Analyzers and Their Advantages

An x-ray fluorescence (“XRF”) analyzer refers to a non-destructive x-ray instrument used in procedural chemical analysis of minerals, rocks, fluids and minerals. It determines the chemical composition of different materials. Since the 1960s, portable XRF equipment has existed and with each decade that passed, been improved in terms of performance, ease of use and size as technology evolved. In today’s world, portable XRF analyzers are used in most field industries as they possess a vast range of applications. The following are a few of the uses of the portable XRF analyzer. Studying rocks Lithology is the study of the physical…

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ThursdayAug 13, 2020 4:00 pm

Water Purity Maintenance and Effective Waste Management in a Quarry

Mines are excavations in the earth that have been dug by companies like Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE: FCX) in order to extract geological materials and valuable minerals found in deposits under the ground. These minerals include gemstones, coals, metals, limestone, potash, gravel and rock salt. Why is managing quarries necessary? A quarry forms when excavation of rock like gravel or sandstone occurs in an open-pit mine. The presence of a quarry in a given area can affect the surrounding environment in different ways, from changing the chemical composition of water when it dissolves in it to inhibiting photosynthesis through the dust from…

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ThursdayAug 13, 2020 11:45 am

Track Straight: The solution to Misaligned Conveyor Belts

As societies evolve, so do their industries, with mining among them. Technology and innovation ensures that as we develop, safer ways to increase productivity as well as efficiency are found. One such innovation is the conveyor belt. Bulk material handling conveyor belts are normally used in bulk holding industries. They handle volumes of bulky material in the mining industry such as ores, minerals, stone and coal. Conveyor belts are also used in underground mining and should be fire resistant in the event that underground fires occur. On account of the harsh working conditions in the mines, a good conveyor belt…

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