Online first (OF) is the advance electronic publication of accepted articles that will be posted in upcoming issues. OF articles cannot be changed (including title, authors, etc.) or withdrawn (without regard to violation of publication ethics). Such an online publication differs from a traditional one in that it does not have fixed page numbers and is not tied to a specific journal issue. However, each such publication has a digital DOI identifier or EDN number for correct citation and is indexed by databases in the usual manner. That is, the article can be fully used in the lists of references and indicated in the reporting documents.
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When citing an Online First article, you must include the author's name, article title, journal title, year of publication, and DOI or EDN number. Example of the citation format:
Pashkevich Mariya A., Bykova Marina V. Methodology for Thermal Desorption Treatment of Local Soil Pollution by Oil Products at the Facilities of the Mineral Resource Industry. Journal of Mining Institute. 2022. DOI: 10.31897/PMI.2022.6
Gorlanov E.S., Leontev L.I. Directions in the technological development of aluminium pots // Journal of Mining Institute. 2023. EDN PYSEVM
Пашкевич М.А., Быкова М.В. Методология термодесорбционной очистки локальных загрязнений почв от нефтепродуктов на объектах минерально-сырьевого комплекса. Записки Горного института. 2022. DOI: 10.31897/PMI.2022.6
The use of stage-wise schemes in the development of deep quarries is one of the ways to increase the economic efficiency of mining a deposit and determining the optimal stage parameters remains an urgent task. Such parameters are stage depth, bench height, block length, etc. However, there is a wide range of values for these parameters. Therefore, to select the optimal values and evaluate the effectiveness of design solutions, it is advisable to use the net present value, which is an international notion. As a result of the analysis of data on deposits, a large number of variable indicators can be identified that presumably affect the efficiency of mining. The article proposes to divide all parameters of the quarry mining into two types: mine engineering and economic. The importance of each of them is determined by the measure of influence on the net present value. Thus, to assess the measure of influence of mining indicators, the average values of each of them are taken, and as a result of the alternating change of one parameter under study, the measure of its influence on the discounted income received is estimated. The results of the analysis of relevant factors, their evaluation and comparative analysis are important indicators that significantly affect the design decisions made and the effectiveness of the investment project.
One of the priority areas of scientific research in Antarctica is the study of its deep structure. Most of the continent is covered with a thick ice sheet, so the main geoscientific data are acquired using geophysical methods, among which magnetotelluric (MT) ones have the greatest penetration depth and insignificant environmental impact. The possibility of acquiring high-quality MT data in the conditions of the sixth continent has long been questioned. The work is aimed at studying the specifics of magnetotelluric survey in Antarctica. The following tasks were set: to summarize the world experience of studying Antarctica using MT sounding methods; to identify factors that negatively affect the high-quality data acquisition; to determine methods for minimizing the influence of these factors. The article analyses geophysical studies conducted by the magnetotelluric sounding method in the Antarctic region from 1964 to the present. The application of the method is complicated by the following: extremely low temperature affects the drop in the batteries capacity, freezing of the non-polarizing electrodes solution, and changes in the strength properties of materials. Electromagnetic noise occurs during strong winds; proximity to the magnetotelluric field source can violate the plane wave principle on which the method is based. The ice sheet covering most of Antarctica does not allow acquiring optimal values of the contact resistance of the electrode grounding; the extended coastline distorts the acquired data. Studies of the influence of factors complicating the MT sounding method in the coastal and central parts of Antarctica made it possible to formulate recommendations for preparing equipment and adapting the work procedure, modifying the processing flow and a set of measures to ensure safety, the implementation of which will both allow safe performance of geophysical investigations and high-quality data acquisition.
The problem of pollution of natural water objects with heavy metals is extremely relevant for the areas where industrial enterprises are located. Unauthorized discharge of contaminated wastewater, inefficient operation of sewage treatment plants, as well as leakage of drainage waters from man-made massifs lead to changes in the hydrological system affecting living objects. The article studies the composition of ash from the combustion of alternative fuels from municipal waste, and also considers the possibility of using it to neutralize sulfuric acid drainage waters and extract metal ions (Cu, Cd, Fe, Mn, Zn) from them. It has been established that the efficiency of water purification from metals depends on the pH value achieved during the purification process. The pH value is regulated by the dose of the introduced ash, the contact time and depends on the initial concentration of metal ions and sulfates in the solution. Studies on the neutralization and purification of a model solution of sulfuric acid drainage waters of a tailings farm of known composition have shown that in order to achieve a pH of 8-9, optimal for precipitation of metal hydroxides Cu, Cd, Fe, Mn, Zn and Al washed out of ash, and water purification with an efficiency of 96.60 to 99.99 %, it is necessary to add 15 g/l of ash and stir the suspension continuously for 35 minutes. It was revealed that exposure to ash with sulfuric acid waters leads to the transition of water-soluble forms of metals into insoluble ones and their “cementation” with calcium sulfate. The amount of Zn and Fe ions washed out of the ash decreases by 82 and 77 %, Al, Cd, Cu, Mn – by 25 %. This reduces the toxicity of ash, which is proved by a decrease in the toxic multiplicity of dilution of the water extract by 14 times.
The article presents the findings from research conducted at Vostok Station during the 69th Russian Antarctic expedition. The primary goal of the research is to perform a thorough investigation of the snow-firn layer using both direct (drilling and core analysis) and indirect (georadiolocation and seismic exploration) methods. As part of the research, fundamental tasks related to the study of the structure and dynamics of the upper part of the ice sheet were addressed, as well as applied tasks aimed at justifying the depth of explosive charge placement for seismic work with the goal of conducting a detailed study of Lake Vostok and selecting the point for drilling access to the lake. Data on the microstructure and physical properties of the snow-firn layer were collected. The findings will allow for future improvements to the firn densification model, which is required to understand the evolution of ice grains during the early stages of metamorphism. The study's findings aided in the understanding of the structural features of the ice sheet's surface layer, allowing for more precise determination of the structural and physical characteristics of the snow-firn layer and ice, potentially leading to a better understanding of climatic and geological processes in Antarctica.
The petrogenesis and evolution of metamorphic rocks of the volcano-plutonic units of the Kaskama block of the Inari Terrane in northwestern Russia were studied. A petrographic and mineral study and modeling of igneous and metamorphic mineral formation were performed. PT -conditions of rocks, along with previously known data, including geochronological ones, do not allow us to correlate the studied units with rocks of the Belomorian complex, as previously thought. Modeling of igneous and metamorphic mineral shows good convergence with the fields of stability of mineral parageneses and quantitive ratio of minerals with those observed in the real samples. The early mineral parageneses of the magmatic stage corresponds to the crystallization of rock-forming and accessory minerals from the komatiite melt, and mineral parageneses of progressive and regressive metamorphism stages are superimposed on them. Relic igneous minerals (olivine, clinopyroxene, orthopyroxene, magnetite-spinel) in metaperidotites make it possible to estimate their liquidus temperatures in the range of 1,480-950 °С. The progressive stage of metamorphism is characterized by the development of mineral parageneses: garnet + amphibole + plagioclase + quartz ± biotite, amphibole + plagioclase + quartz. The late low-temperature regressive stage of metamorphism is characterized by the development of epidote-, zoisite-, actinolite-containing associations and a number of other low-temperature minerals. Peak parameters of progressive metamorphism are estimated as Т = 600-700 °С, Р = 5-9 kbar and for the regressive stage as Т = 400-500 °С, Р = 3-5 kbar. The identified thermodynamic conditions for the Kaskama block should be considered when determining whether the studied volcano-plutonic and metasedimentary units belong to the Paleoproterozoic terranes of the Kola-Norwegian Region of the Fennoscandian Shield.
For more than 50 years, most rare earth elements were extracted from carbonatite deposits, which can contain different rare earth phases, but the main extracted minerals are bastnaesite, monazite and xenotime. Many studies focused on the improvement and development of dressing circuits for ores of these minerals. However, in some carbonatite complexes, rare earth deposits are composed partly or mainly of ancylite ores. This type of rare earth ores was very poorly studied in terms of dressability – previous experiments with ancylite ores are rare and not productive enough. Ancylite is the main concentrator of rare earth elements in most carbonatite complexes of the Devonian Kola Alkaline Province (northwest Russia). Dressability of ancylite ore from the Petyayan-Vara carbonatite field in the Vuorijärvi alkaline-ultramafic complex was assessed using the flotation method. The complex is one of the most potential rare earth deposits associated with carbonatites in the Kola Region. Petrographic and mineralogical studies demonstrated the occurrence of abundant iron and barite oxide inclusions in ancylite, which imposes restrictions on physical separation of these three minerals. The study of petrogeochemical and mineralogical composition of fractions formed during mechanical grinding of ores to a size less than 2.0 mm showed that even at this stage of sample preparation, the finest-grained fractions (less than 0.071 mm) were enriched in ancylite (to 19 vol.% or more with a content of 15 vol.% in ore). Three classes of reagents were considered as collectors in flotation experiments: fatty acids, alkyl hydroxamic acids, and amino acid derivatives. The reagent from the amino acid derivative class was highly efficient. The use of such a collector in combination with sodium hexametaphosphate depressant made it possible to obtain a flotation concentrate in an open circuit with total rare earth oxides content 33.4 wt.% at 64.7 % extraction.
Construction of a new wintering complex at the Antarctic Vostok Station required prompt delivery of builders and mechanics to Progress Station to move them further to the work area. To solve this major logistical issue, a new landing site, later named Zenit, certified for accommodating heavy wheeled aircraft, was prepared in the Progress Station area from March to August 2022. Its snow pavement slab with a total area of 350 thousand m2 is from 100 to 120 cm high. It was made by applying snow layers with their subsequent compaction by a specially designed compaction platform for snow airfields suitable for heavy wheeled aircraft. As a result, the pavement has a surface hardness of at least 1 MPa. The layer from 30 to 60 cm has a hardness of at least 0.8 MPa, and the bottom layer at least 0.6 MPa. The first Il-76TD-90VD aircraft of the Russian company Volga-Dnepr was accommodated to the new runway on 7 November 2022. The aircraft landed in normal mode. The depth of the chassis wheels track after landing did not exceed 3 cm. The research provided in-depth understanding of the mechanisms for forming the supporting base of the runway from snow and ice in Antarctica. The experience gained can be used to solve similar issues in the Far North.
The mineral composition of metacarbonate rocks (silicate marbles and carbonate-silicate rocks) of the Khapchan series (southeastern part of the Anabar Shield) was studied, and the PT (pressure and temperature)-parameters of their formation were established. Silicate marbles contain calcite, dolomite, forsterite, clinohumite, spinel, enstatite, diopside, pargasite, meionite, phlogopite, and feldspars. Carbonate-silicate rocks are composed of calcite, quartz, feldspars, diopside, grossular, marialite, and vesuvianite. Carbonate-silicate rocks are significantly enriched in SiO2, Al2O3, FeO, Na2O, K2O, TiO2 and contain less MgO, CaO than silicate marbles. A difference was revealed in PT-parameters determined for silicate marbles (temperatures 700-900 °C and pressure no more than 8 kbar) and for carbonate-silicate rocks (temperatures 680-820 °C, pressures 8-15 kbar). Silicate marbles have a primary sedimentary nature, as evidenced by their rare-element composition and the presence of fragments of host terrigenous rocks. There is no doubt about the primary sedimentary nature of carbonate-silicate rocks, which are very similar in REE distribution spectra and in rare-element composition to silicate marbles. A number of features indicate that metacarbonate rocks have undergone metasomatic alteration. Thus, in silicate marbles, reaction rims are observed around orthopyroxene, forsterite, potassium feldspar, as well as quartz veins bordered by accumulations of phlogopite, feldspars, and diopside. In carbonate-silicate rocks, the development of secondary marialite on potassium feldspar has been established; the rare-element composition of garnet may indicate its metasomatic origin.
The subsurface state is explored and analysed by studying the core material. This is the basis for forecasts, construction and improvement of models. The reservoir properties of rocks obtained from the laboratory study of sample are subject to a system error caused by three main factors: rock selection in the zone of altered stress-strain state, rock removal from the thermobaric conditions of natural occurrence, and the measuring equipment error. A change in the natural stress-strain state of rocks occurs as a result of intervention in the formation system and the entire massif by constructing a well, creating overburden and depression. The rise of the core causes unloading from formation pressure to atmospheric one, natural saturation is lost, temperature conditions change. This affects the reservoir properties and rock injectivity. This study is aimed at investigating changes in the void space of the rock in formation conditions under cyclic loading. Based on the data obtained, a regression forecast of properties is made, excluding external influences. The article describes the results of experiments on multiple loading and unloading of water-saturated sandstone samples by geostatic pressure with precise control of the water displaced and returned to the void space. This method enables us to record the change in the internal void volume of the rock and, as a consequence, elastic and plastic deformations, the value of relaxation of elastic deformations. The dynamics of change in the coefficients of porosity and compressibility from the stress state cycle is estimated and the range of predicted porosity values of the rock in formation conditions is determined. For samples of permeable medium- to fine-grained sandstone, the obtained character of porosity change gives a forecast of the initial porosity in formation conditions of 20.19±0.61 %. Thus, the exclusion of human impact on porosity gives values 1.42 % higher than the results of standard laboratory studies.
The paper presents an analysis of the advantages and limitations of additional measures to intensify the transportation of the backfill hydraulic mixture flow. The results of the analysis of the conditions for using pumping equipment to move flows with different rheological properties are shown. Generalizations of the methods for influencing the internal resistance of backfill hydraulic mixtures by means of mechanical activation, as well as increasing fluidity due to the use of chemical additives are given. The article presents the results of studies confirming the feasibility of using pipes with polymer lining, which has proven its efficiency in pumping flows of hydraulic mixtures with different filler concentrations. An analytical model of hydraulic mixture movement in the pipeline of the stowage complex has been developed. The trends in pressure change required to ensure the movement of hydraulic mixture in pipelines of different diameters are exponential, provided that the flow properties are constant. The effect of particle size on the motion mode of the formed heterogeneous flow, as well as on the distribution of flow density over the cross-section, characterizing the stratification and change in the rheological properties of the backfill hydraulic mixture, is assessed. An analytical model of centralized migration of the dispersed phase of the hydraulic mixture flow is formulated, describing the effect of turbulent mixing of the flow on the behavior of solid particles. An assessment of the secondary dispersion of the solid fraction of the hydraulic mixture, which causes a change in the consistency of the flow, was performed. The studies of the influence of the coefficient of consistency of the flow revealed that overgrinding of the fractions of the filler of the hydraulic mixture contributes to an increase in the required pressure in the pipeline system.
The demand for feldspar as a raw material in the ceramic industry is continuously increasing. Feldspar is abundant in the Earth's crust and typically found alongside other silicate minerals, as well as titanium and iron oxides. This study aims to reduce the iron oxide content in feldspar ore from the Wadi Zirib region and achieve an optimal grade of feldspar concentrate for various industrial uses. The research involved dry and wet magnetic separation techniques followed by leaching with oxalic and citric acids to minimize iron impurities and enhance optical properties. The factors affecting the dry magnetic separation, for feldspar size of –250+45 µm, were optimized using the Box – Behnken factorial design and a non-magnetic concentrate with 0.29 % Fe2O3 and an 92.19 % feldspar yield was obtained. The wet magnetic separation for feldspar fines of size –45 µm was optimized and a concentrate with 0.27 % Fe2O3 was achieved. The acid leaching was conducted on the non-magnetic feldspar concentrates using oxalic and citric acid. Oxalic acid was more successful in reducing iron oxide of dry (to 0.19 %) and wet (to 0.12 %) non-magnetic feldspar concentrates. The optical properties of the leached concentrates were improved compared to the original sample, as the whiteness improved up to 90 %.
Achieving technological sovereignty implies accelerating innovation and reducing import dependence. An effective tool for addressing these challenges is local content policy (LCP). The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of LCP on innovation activity in oil and gas companies and to provide recommendations for enhancing the effectiveness of this policy in Russia. The paper analyzes the influence of LCP on innovation levels in the oil and gas sector, drawing on examples from 10 countries. A positive short-term impact of LCP on innovation was identified in Brazil, Malaysia, and Saudi Arabia, with long-term effects observed in China and South Africa. Recommendations for improving the effectiveness of LCP in Russia are supplemented with a methodology for calculating the level of technological sovereignty. A refinement of the method for solving the «responsiveness» problem, incorporating the level of localization, has been proposed.
The paper focuses on the technique and results of an aeromagnetic survey conducted using a fixed-wing unmanned aerial system (UAS) in East Antarctica at the Bunger Hills and Highjump Archipelago (Wilkes Land) during the 69th Russian Antarctic Expedition. The above survey was carried out at a 250-meter distance between flight lines (scale 1:25,000) over the area of 600 km2 to increase the geological knowledge of the area. The magnetic anomaly map obtained after data processing is more detailed than any of known published geological maps of the area. The size of anomalies detected varies from dozens of meters up to large, kilometer-scale structures traced within the entire area under survey. The data analysis shows that the surveyed region is characterized by morphological heterogeneity and amplitude variability of anomalous magnetic field. Along with relatively calm zones one can observe strong gradient ones. Even the fluent analysis of aeromagnetic survey results proves their high information content. The UAS-based survey results demonstrate that the technique implemented is an important tool of applied geophysics and can effectively solve tasks of geological mapping in harsh weather conditions of Antarctica. It can adequately replace conventional aeromagnetic surveys that are now done using manned aircraft.
