Gospodarka Surowcami Mineralnymi - Mineral Resources Management

The principal goal of the article is an attempt to precise the contemporary definition of mineral commodity, taking into account the current conditions on the world mineral market. The authors reviewed the literature referring to that concept and analyzed the evolution of its meaning through the ages. Some popular classifications ofmineral commodities have been also presented together with the analyses of the traditional and new sources of mineral commodities, including the secondaries, wastes and chemical synthesis. The crucial role in the creation of the definition of mineral commodity played the determination of horizontal and vertical limits of that term applicability. These considerations resulted in a proposal of a new modem classification of mineral commodities, which included some components of the earlier general classification dividing mineral commodities into fuels, metallic commodities and industrial minerals. Each group ofmineral commodities consists ofsomc/scvcral related minerals, which were ordered according to mineralogical, chemical and technological criteria, and which could be obtained both from deposits, secondary sources, wastes, and by synthetic preparation.

Unlike previous methods of estimating undiscovered hydrocarbon reserves, a new method of data synthesization, which was derived from the petroleum-system concept, integrates, in a temporal-spatial approach, all parameters of sedimentary basins and processes within them which have been necessary for the formation ofoil and gas fields. Its apparent advantage is the possibility of quantitative assessment of undiscovered oil and gas reserves and prcdiciting zones of commercial hydrocarbon accumulations, based on quantification of hydrocarbon generation and migration processes on reconstructed models of geodynamic evolution of petroleum basins. Modelling of these processes requires application ofspecialized interpretative and analytical techniques, supported by laboratory simulations and professional computer programs. Their most critical element is estimation of such losses of the primary hydrocarbon potential due to dispersion and leakage of hydrocarbon phases which were predominating in the scale ofglobal and regional petroleum cycles. The magnitude of these losses was particularly dramatic with regard to folded and ovcrthrust oil- and gas-bearing series in the Flysch Carpathians, the petroleum system ofwhich was forming synchronously with processes of their tectonic compression and erosion; that caused separation of integral petroleum subsystems and plays having different hydrocarbon potentials. In the context of the above problems, results of balancing the petroleum system and its integral elements in the eastern Polish Carpathians arc discussed, which was the subject of several unpublished research projects carried out by interdisciplinary teams of specialists under the management of the author.

There were presented three econometric models useful for optimisation ofmetals recovery in KGHM "Polska Miedź" S.A. in the article. With using of computational program GAMS there were determined values of concentrate yields and a contents of copper in them, at different variants oflimitations. The usefulness ofpresented models and their logical compatibility with industrial reality was also proved.

The particle settling velocity is the argument of separation in such processes of mineral processing as classification or enrichment in jigs. It belongs to the so-called complex arguments because it is the function of particle density and size, i.e. the function of two simple arguments. The affiliation to a given subset is determined by the values of two magnitudes and the distribution of such an argument in a sample is the function of distribution of simple arguments. The paper presents distributions of density and sizes of particles which are applied most often in mineral processing. The largest amount of attention was paid to the distribution of particle settling velocity. The fundamental formulas applied for calculation of settling velocity of particle were presented. Both particle density and size are random variables of fixed distributions. Consequently, the particle velocity as a function of simple arguments, i.e. particle density and size, will be also the random variable of a distribution which is the function of distributions of simple arguments. Applying the theorems of probability, concerning distributions of function of random variables, the authors presented general formulas of probability density function of settling velocity for three conditions of particle motion: laminar, turbulent and intermediate, respectively to the formulas of settling velocity, applied in these conditions. As an example, the authors present a detailed calculated distribution of settling velocity for linear forms of frequency functions of particle size and density. The shape of the distribution function of settling velocity depends on the conditions of particle motion.

Each real separation process in industrial scale takes place in turbulent conditions ofmotion. Therefore particular separation products include particles with properties from beyond interval of properties typical for this product. Quantitatively the partition function dectracts this effect, which determines, in the case of gravity separation, the fraction's fragment of the density r getting to the one of separation products, in relation to the quantity of this fraction in the feed. In industrial practice, the separation efficiency is estimated by probable error or imperfection. In turbulent conditions of motion, the value of probable error is conditioned by factors connected with the geometric properties of the feed particles, device characteristics and technological parameters of the process. The variables, which characterize the particles geometric properties are screen particle diameter and the particle shape. This paper presents results of the investigations on influence of the particles geometric properties such as: the influence of size and shape of the particle on separation efficiency in dense media, being characterized by probable error.

Restructuring changes taking place in the Polish hard coal mining sector during the period of transition essentially affect the process of hard coal mine planning. Systematic progress of computer technique creates new calculating possibilities based on greater than before quantity of data and input informations. New calculating procedures, which could not be used before because oftheir complicated character can be applied now. In the paper there is presented a briefdescription of the investigations aimed at further improvement ofhard coal mine planning, especially having on mind the best use ofinvestments and manpower in the aspect ofuncertainty and risk connected with the random character of mine production process.

Basing on the example ofKonin brown coal deposits, the results ofresearch confirmed-as it was signalled in the sixties ofXX c.-that the impact ofdrilling methods and bore-holes setting on chemical analyses ofbrown coal exists. It is a consequence of inserting the impurities from overburden and/or drilling fluid into the samples. The phenomenon was assessed in terms of quantity and in dependence of drilling type. The results were compared with the quality analyses of coal delivered to the power plant ZE PAK SA. Basing on the correlations between the main coal quality parameters (moisture, ash content and calorific value), the possibility for verifying the average quality parameters ofbrown coal deposits in Poland was shown.

Native sulphur mining with the underground melting method at the Jeziórko Mine has been abandoned in 2001. The remediation of the license area includes the whole industrial infrastructure with over 8,000 producing wells. The transfer of rcmcdiated area for the new land-use purposes (recreation) requires the regulation of aquatic environment, particularly the Quaternary groundwater horizon. The mine drainage system with surface pump stations operating up to date must be replaced with the gravitational drainage. The designed drainage system will include surface reservoirs connected with ditches and canals. Water discharge from the former mine area will be provided by reconstructed and deepened Żupawka River. Effectiveness of drainage ofpost-mining land, prognosing ofchanges in the position of groundwater table and the volume ofgroundwater flow were the topics ofstudies on the numeric model ofthe Jeziórko filtration area. The results ofmodelling ofQuaternary groundwater horizon point to the possible local floodings whereas the Tertiary groundwater invironment is expected to return to the primary conditions.

As a result of dewatering liquidated mines continued for protect working coal mines against water menace, at the average 200 OOO m3/d is discharged with summary concentration of chloride and sulfate range from 0.5 to 8.0 kg!m3• In the thirteen fields ofCentral Department OfMine Drainage (CDMD) dewatering are kept by two sorts of systems: pumping stations and submerged pumps. In the example of"Siemianowice" field and "Paryż" field, changes ofhydrogeological conditions and water chemical constitution was elaborated during the liquidation and mine flooding. The Department's experience reveals that forecasting mine water quality are much different tha observed results, an analogy with earlier mines are not correct because of different conditions deciding of final mine water chemical constitution. There is no possibilities to use mine water for different aims, it decides that water is discharged into surface water races, caused changes of receiving flora and fauna and water self- purification process.