The School of Mining Engineering has a wide range of laboratory facilities which form an integral component of the undergraduate course in Mining Engineering as well as providing facilities for post graduate and staff research. The facilities can be classified under the following six categories:
Rock Mechanics
500 kN Schenck/Instron servo-controlled testing machine
360 Tonne Avery compressive strength testing rig
50 Tonne Avery Universal testing machine
Point Load Strength rig
Rock bolt anchorage testing rig
Triaxial creep testing rig
Shear boxes, rock and soil compression testing equipment
Back to Top
Machine Cutting of Rock - Rock Cuttability
The Machine Cuttability Research (MCR) facility has been used in both fundamental and applied research covering topics including automated cutting systems, development of new cutter tool designs, improvements in the working environment such as reduced dust make and the assessment of the cuttability of rock.
The MCR facility includes the capability to determine:
- Cuttability of rock. A test facility based on the University-Upon-Tyne core cuttability test incorporating a standard carbide drag bit and triaxial dynamometer. Provides a determination of the cutting and normal forces in cutting, Specific Energy and impact wear.
- CERCHAR Abrasivity Index (CAI) test. A standard test to assess the abrasivitiy of a rock.
These are parameters are used when assessing the propensity of rock excavation in mining and tunnelling to mining machines including roadheaders, continuous miners, longwall shearers and tunnel boring machines (TBM).
Back to Top
Geotechnical Sample Preparation
Diamond cutoff saws
Diamond coring machines
Surface grinding machines
Back to Top
Mine Ventilation and Safety
Ventilation educator/simulator
Gas modelling facility
Model ventilation networks for centrifugal and axial fans
Wind blast laboratory model
Frictional ignition test rig
Back to Top
Computing
Range of networked PCs with various applications software packages including stress analysis, mine planning, simulation, scheduling.
Individual PCs linked to experimental equipment described above.
Back to Top
Virtual Reality
Fully equipped 3D virtual reality and simulation laboratory for development of training and mining system simulation capabilities – interfaced with equipment control hardware.
Mineral Processing
Various comminution facilities (jaw, cone and gyratory crushers, rod and ball mills and grinder)
Rotary and riffle sampler
Float-sink bench and combustion furnaces for coal washability determination.
Sieves with shakers, cyclosizer, 100mm cyclone in closed circuit loop
Spirals, batch jig, electrical separators, magnetic separators
Bench and pilot scale mechanical and column cells.
Back to top of page |
