Mine operators from across Canada turned out here in record numbers during the festive winter carnival season, Feb. 24-27, to take in the unique French Canadian hospitality and to exchange mine operating tips. The occasion was the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy & Petroleum’s 10th underground operators’ conference. In two days of technical speeches, some 380 participants were treated to a wide range of topics of practical concern to mine operators — presented by the operators themselves. Among the topics covered were ways to mine safely and profitably in difficult ground and ways to reduce dilution. Many presentations dealt with the challenge of ground control.
Details of the conference will be published in the April issue of the Canadian Mining Journal.
Upon completion of the technical sessions, delegates praised the translators who provided simultaneous translation of 15 papers delivered in French and 12 in English.
The conference also featured several unique attractions: an innovative “sprint” session in which six practical ideas were presented in brief, 15-minute demonstrations; a 34-booth trade show — a first for this conference; and mine visits to 15 operations in northwestern Quebec.
During the technical sessions, operators learned: — How to produce more muck from an aging operation with fewer employees (Jason McKenzie of Nerco Inc.). — How to install cable bolts properly so that they support the ground more effectively (Fabien Miller, Noranda Technology Centre). — How to build simple, cost-effective mine backfill plants on surface (Stan Bharti, Bharti Engineering and Claude Bouchard, LAC Minerals). — How to safely and effectively recover crown pillars (B.P. Canada, Inco Ltd. and Audrey Resources). — How to build a shaft-sinking machine using raise-boring technology (M.K. Sinclair, Inco Ltd.). — How to accurately measure the volume of an open stope to calculate dilution and percent extraction (Yves Potvin, Noranda Technology Centre and Brad Skeeles, Echo Bay Mines). — How to automate the shotcreting process (Denis Wrixon, Minequip). — How to develop a shaft-bottom mucking machine (Leandre Babin, Aur Resources). — How to safely bring down hangups in raises and ore passes (Serge Dion, Minnova). — How to place densified backfill in mined-out stopes (R. Patterson, Inco Ltd.). — How to develop a compact, one-boom, long-hole drill jumbo for narrow vein operations (CRIQ, Placer Dome and Atlas Copco). — How to control dust in long-hole stopes (Donald Brisebois, Placer Dome). — How to prevent deviation in blasthole drilling (J.S. Redpath).
The next underground operators’ conference will be held in Thompson, Man., in 1992.
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