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Hampton Corners Project--Retsof, NY
Akzo Nobel Salt, Inc.

AAI completed Phases I and II Front-End Engineering to provide the concept for and definitive engineering, procurement, and construction bid documents for a new mine with two shaft accesses to produce 5 MTY of rock salt.  Work included -5% to +15% capital and operating cost estimates for all shaft and underground mining.  AAI was one of three engineering groups participating in Phase I and was selected to complete the more extensive Phase II.

Phase I included an evaluation of alternate mining hoisting and surface layouts, selection of the preferred alternatives, costing, and presentation to Akzo personnel.  Phase II incorporated ideas from other proposals and Akzo, and resulted in the development of bid packages for shafts, headframes, hoists and underground mining equipment, a detailed cost estimate, supporting materials for permit applications, and a final feasibility report.  Stone & Webster Engineering Corporation was responsible for the site and surface plant.

Geohydrology--AAI provided geohydrological services to assess groundwater inflow potential during construction of mine access shafts and subsequent mining operations.  Information from this study was integrated with geologic, geotechnical, and other hydrologic data to form a Geotechnical Design Summary Report (GDSR).  The GDSR was subsequently incorporated into an Engineer, Procure, and Construct Proposal request for development of the access shafts.

Shaft Lining through Water Bearing Ground and Evaporites--The shaft lining is designed for waterbearing strata near surface at an approximate depth of 600 ft.  Minor inflows occur below the 600-ft level down to the top of the evaporates.  The near-surface liner includes a walk-in water ring with a small pump to return residual inflow directory back to the surface.  Water rings are installed at depths of approximately 600 and 1000 ft to collect residual water from a backwall drainage system, transfer it into collector pipes in the shaft, and then deliver it to the main pit bottom sump.  Shaft lining in the vicinity of waterbearing strata and in those locations through the evaporate series is designed as 7500-psi microsilica concrete.  Backwall grouting is used in selected locations to seal off or minimize residual inflows.

Mining Engineering--AAI developed mine room-and-pillar design criteria with consideration for long-term stability of the underground mine structure, as well as minimizing rates of surface subsidence.  Mine manpower and equipment schedules were developed to support production demands, and operating and capital cost estimates were prepared.  Long-range mine plans were generated to assure adequate resource availability to meet projected marketing goals.  Specifications for mine mobile, utility, ventilation, and conveying equipment were generated for inclusion in a comprehensive bid package.

The pit bottom design incorporates a 24,000-T capacity mine surge and a 77-ft-high by 60-ft-wide by 200-ft-long (expandable) mine process gallery.  Ramps provide interconnections from two main mining horizons and from the bottom of the process gallery to the top of a 500-T bin at the production shaft.  Ventilation design provides for 600,000 cfm at 5 inches w.g. and includes low-pressure blowers and natural gas intake air heaters.

Ventilation Engineering--For this proposed new salt mine, AAI performed Phase I and II design of the complete ventilation system, leading to specification for the main fans, mine air heaters, and other ventilation equipment.  The optimum shaft diameter was selected based on a trade-off between ventilation operating cost and capital construction costs.

Congress Mine--Congress, AZ
Echo Bay Mining Company

AAI designed the ventilation system for a multilevel gold mine being brought into production in 1988.  The ventilation network was optimized by computer analysis.  Economic trade-off studies were performed to establish the lowest cost for number and size of ventilation shafts.  Optimum fan size and specifications were identified.  A field program was conducted to characterize radon gas production from underground excavations and potential backfill materials.  Ventilation capacities to dilute radon and diesel equipment emissions were specified.

Questa Mine
Molycorp, Inc.

AAI performed a ventilation survey, network modeling, and ventilation technology transfer for this dewatered and reopened block caving molybdenum mine.  A new ventilation borehole was sized to accommodate conversion from gravity draw to diesel equipment.

Gordonsville and Cumberland Mines
Savage Zinc, Inc.

For this highly complex, 100-year-old random room-and-pillar base metal mine, AAI performed a detailed ventilation survey prepared network models, and transferred network modeling technology to the mine operation.  The primary objectives of this project were to reduce operating costs associated with power for the ten underground booster fans.

• Mining Engineering

• Ventilation Engineering

• Highwall Mining

• Blasting & Explosives Eng.

• Solution Mining

• Rock Mechanics

• Rock Testing

• Stress Measurements

• Forensic Engineering

• Geology & Drilling Management

Project Summaries - Mineral

• Base Metals

• Coal

• Fertilizer Minerals

• Gold

• Limestone

• Oil Shale

• Trona

• Other

Project Summaries - Capability

• Backfill

• Block Caving

• Directional Drilling

• Forensics

• Geologic Studies

• Longwall

• Mine Reclamation

• Overcoring Stress Determinations

• Resource/Reserve Evaluation

• Slope Stability

• Solution Mining

• Subsidence

Abstracts

• Coal
• Hard Rock Mining
• Industrial Minerals
• Oil Shale
• Nuclear Waste
• Numerical Modeling
• Slope Stability
• Tunnels & Tunneling
• Ventilation