{"title":"A Comparative Study on Position Fixing with GPS to Ascertain Positional Accuracy","authors":"C. B. Boye, I. Yakubu","doi":"10.4314/gm.v12i1.64363","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/gm.v12i1.64363","url":null,"abstract":"Various techniques have been employed to determine the relative or absolute positions of locations on the surface of the earth to promote effective land management. Continuous Observation Reference Station (CORS) is one of the latest techniques employed in differential GPS positioning. In order to ascertain the positional accuracy of a newly established CORS equipment located on the campus of the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), this comparative study was carried out. Selected positions around the campus were surveyed and their coordinates computed using a temporarily occupied base and then a CORS base, and the results were compared with the coordinates obtained from a conventional precise traverse. It was observed that the Eastings coordinates obtained from the temporarily occupied reference station compares favourably with those of the conventional method and the CORS with variations in the second and third decimals. Standard errors of -0.144 m and 0.806 m respectively were obtained for the Northings and elevations respectively between the CORS coordinates and that of the conventional method. It was observed that there is a strong correlation between the coordinates of the control points and the relation between the Eastings, Northings and heights were all linear. It could be concluded that the CORS station, which is under study, could be used with minimal error for planimetric and or cadastral surveying purposes.","PeriodicalId":12530,"journal":{"name":"Ghana Mining Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78250721","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Assessment of Pollution Potential of Cyanide-Bearing Tailings Dam *","authors":"E. Asiam, D. Kugblenu","doi":"10.4314/GM.V12I1.64368","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/GM.V12I1.64368","url":null,"abstract":"This study ascertained the types of chemical species that are formed in tailings material of gold leaching plants and assessed their short and long term pollution potential capabilities. The results revealed that chemical, biochemical and geochemical reactions were occurring in the tailings material; producing complexed cyanides, bicarbonates and nitrates which accumulate with depth in the tailings material while ammonium, carbonate and sulphate ions decreased with depth. Heavy metal accumulation particularly Mn, Pb, Zn Cu, Fe were also observed to increase with depth. It was concluded that the cyanide bearing tailings material has short term pollution potential of free cyanides, ammonium ions, sulphates ions and a long term risk of, complexed cyanide, nitrate and increase in water hardness due to bicarbonate ion. Heavy metal pollution and a decrease in pH are also possible.","PeriodicalId":12530,"journal":{"name":"Ghana Mining Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"77546187","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"ICT Development at University of Mines and Technology (UMaT)","authors":"Sk Asiedu-Asante, V. Temeng","doi":"10.4314/GM.V12I1.64371","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/GM.V12I1.64371","url":null,"abstract":"The University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) has adopted IT and later ICT to enhance, teaching, learning and research for sometime now and in this paper the authors who were part of the team that introduced ICT at UMaT describe this adoption of ICT. The concept of ICT preparedness index is introduced and used to assess the advancement of UMaT in the areas that are most critical to the adoption of ICT in a university and to identify areas of strength and weakness in ICT at UMaT.","PeriodicalId":12530,"journal":{"name":"Ghana Mining Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"73833309","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Bore and Well Water Quality Studies in The Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality and Prestea-Huni-Valley District, SW Ghana","authors":"If Quansah, R. Amankwah","doi":"10.4314/GM.V12I1.64370","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/GM.V12I1.64370","url":null,"abstract":"The quality of bore and well water within the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality and Prestea-Huni-Valley District has been studied. The major cationic pollutants with concentrations above the WHO standards were iron, molybdenum, lead, mercury and manganese. High nitrate levels were found in boreholes at Akoon and Brenu Akyim which are communities close to active large scale mines where nitrates are major constituents of the explosives utilised. The study revealed that due to high microbial contamination, wells and boreholes at Tarkwa Community Centre, GAG Mile 7, Teberebie Roadside, Samahu Quarters, Dumasi, Abekoase, and Prestea Anyinam will require shock chlorination. Such a step can potentially reduce the numerous domestic water related sicknesses recorded in the investigation. Hydrochemical modelling using PHREEQC software indicated that some minerals had high saturation indices with the highest being goethite, hematite and ferric hydroxide at 7.38, 16.78 and 1.38 respectively within a borehole at Dumasi. The relatively high saturation indices of the iron oxides and hydroxides in the Dumasi samples explain the reddish brown precipitate formed when the samples are allowed to stand for a while. The results demonstrate that geological, mining and non-mining community related activities contribute to the water quality within the study area.","PeriodicalId":12530,"journal":{"name":"Ghana Mining Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"81519471","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Assessment of Quality of Assay Data on Drill Samples from Golden Star Resources (Prestea/Bogoso)Ltd","authors":"S. Al-Hassan, Hk Danuor","doi":"10.4314/GM.V12I1.64366","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/GM.V12I1.64366","url":null,"abstract":"The success of a mining company is dependent on the integrity of the resource database. The quality of assay data and thus the validity of the database can only be guaranteed when appropriate sampling and assaying protocols have been implemented. It is necessary to convince investors and project financiers that appropriate samples have been collected and that analyses are valid. Monitoring laboratory data improves confidence in ore reserves, drill target selection and management of the company. This work examines how the key sampling, analytical and quality assurance factors impact on project success and assaying samples from Golden Star Resources (Prestea/Bogoso) Limited. It describes Fire assay and Screen Fire Assay, a ‘high tech’ method for gold analysis. The study has shown that Screen Fire Assay is a more suitable and reliable analytical method for ores with coarse gold particles than fire assay. It is therefore recommended that the Screen Fire Assay method be used as a model for gold exploration in general and for ores with coarse gold problems in particular.","PeriodicalId":12530,"journal":{"name":"Ghana Mining Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"75493269","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Acid Mine Drainage Potential of the Coral Snake Waste Dump, Anglogold Ashanti, Obuasi Mine","authors":"S. Ndur, N. Amegbey, J. Agyeman, V. Frempong","doi":"10.4314/GM.V12I1.64367","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/GM.V12I1.64367","url":null,"abstract":"This paper assessed the Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) potential of the Coral Snake Waste Dump located close to the Enkansu and Kaw streams in Obuasi. Ten water and fifty rock samples were analysed for physico-chemical parameters. Acid Base Accounting (ABA) determinations using static methods were employed to ascertain AMD potential of the dump. The modified ABA and the High Temperature Combustion methods were used to determine the Neutralisation Potential (NP) and the Maximum Potential Acidity (MPA) of the various rocks at the dump. The Net Neutralisation Potential (NNP) and Neutralisation Potential Ratio (NPR) of the rocks were calculated from the values of the NP and MPA. The pH of the streams ranges between 7.09 and 7.81. As and Pb concentrations in the streams were above WHO limits for drinking water. The major constituents of the waste dump; phyllites and greywacke constituting about 75.0 % of rocks are not acid generating. The schist and oxide minerals have negative NNP and MPA implying that they are acid generating. However, quartzite analysis indicates they lie in the uncertainty zone. The results show that the Coral Snake Waste dump is not acid generating, although As and Pb levels in streams are issues of major concern.","PeriodicalId":12530,"journal":{"name":"Ghana Mining Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78550194","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Heavy Metal Contamination of Soil and Surface Water in the Arufu Lead-Zinc Mining District, Middle Benue Trough, Nigeria","authors":"C. I. Adamu, T. Nganje","doi":"10.4314/GM.V12I1.64365","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/GM.V12I1.64365","url":null,"abstract":"This paper is aimed at investigating the nature of heavy metals dispersion in soil and surface water around the Arufu leadzinc mine, Middle Benue Trough, Nigeria. Rock samples from mine pits and adjoining outcrops as well as water samples from mine pits and adjacent streams were collected and analyzed. Also analysed were soil samples collected from mine waste and adjoining areas as well as from a forest to serve as control. All samples were analysed for Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, Pb, Cr, As, Cd and Ag, using atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). Organic Matter (OM) content of the soil samples, and the pH of both soil and water samples were also determined. The results show that the OM content of soil was generally low (4 + 1.1%) and both soil and water samples were characterized by moderate pH values of 6.30 to 8.00 and 5.60 to 7.80 respectively. Furthermore, soils developed over bedrock show normal (background) levels of heavy metals, while soils developed over mine waste are enriched in Zn (181 + 83 mg/kg); Pb (40 + 28 mg/kg) and Cd (3 + 2 mg/kg). Also, water samples from mine ponds are enriched in Pb (0.02 – 0.10 mg/1) and Cd (0.02 – 0.04 mg/1). The sources of these heavy metals are most probably sulphides in the mine waste. Tailing and mine pits may therefore represent point sources of heavy metal contaminants and should therefore be reclaimed to prevent further contamination.","PeriodicalId":12530,"journal":{"name":"Ghana Mining Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"74480810","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
D. Asiedu, D. Atta‐Peters, E. Hegner, A. Hegner, T. Shibata
{"title":"Palaeoclimatic Control on the Composition of Palaeozoic Shales from Southern Ghana, West Africa","authors":"D. Asiedu, D. Atta‐Peters, E. Hegner, A. Hegner, T. Shibata","doi":"10.4314/GM.V12I1.64364","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/GM.V12I1.64364","url":null,"abstract":"The Late Ordovician to Early Cretaceous Sekondian Group of southern Ghana is made up of seven major sedimentary formations. One important feature of the Sekondian Group is the abundance of fairly fresh plagioclase in the lowest two formations, i.e., the Ajua Shale and Elmina Sandstone, and at the uppermost formation (i.e., Essikado Sandstone); but a virtual absence throughout the rest of the Group. The basal part of the Sekondian Group has been interpreted as of glacial origin whereas the upper formations are thought to have formed in a warmer stage. The abundant plagioclase in the lowest two formations could, therefore, be due to less pervasive chemical weathering rather than erosion of a distinct source. In this paper, geochemical data for fine-grained sedimentary rocks of the Ajua Shale and the Takoradi Shale (that overlie the Elmina Sandstone) formations are used to investigate the influence of palaeoweathering on the composition of the Sekondian Group. The concentrations of the transition trace metals Cr, Ni, V, and Cu, and Cr/V-, Zr/Y-, and Ba/Co-ratios are similar in the samples from both formations and suggest that they were largely derived from the granitoids that intrude the Birimian supracrastal rocks. However, the Takoradi Shale samples are enriched in Rb, Cs, Th, U, and Nb relative to the Ajua Shale samples, and this may be related to differences in the degree of weathering in the source rocks. The Takoradi Shale samples are characterized by high chemical index of alteration (CIA) values and Rb/Sr ratios (CIA > 75; Rb/Sr > 1) indicating high degrees of weathering of their source rocks. In contrast, the Ajua Shale samples have low CIA values and Rb/Sr ratios (CIA","PeriodicalId":12530,"journal":{"name":"Ghana Mining Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"89166084","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Recycling Potential of Waste Di-Isobutyl-Ketone (DIBK) and Recovery of Residual Gold","authors":"W. Buah, G. Ofori-Sarpong, Ak Banson","doi":"10.4314/GM.V12I1.64369","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/GM.V12I1.64369","url":null,"abstract":"Di-Isobutyl-Ketone (DIBK) has been commonly used in most mining and allied industries to extract gold from aqueous solutions for analytical purposes. In most cases a complexing agent, methyl tricapryl ammonium chloride otherwise called aliquat 336 is added to the DIBK to give a 1% volume by volume solution. The DIBK containing aliquat 336 is then used to extract gold from aqueous solutions for subsequent analysis using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS). After the AAS analysis the DIBK-aliquat solution containing gold is stored as waste since its disposal is often associated with environmental and health problems. This paper investigated the possibility of using distillation to recover gold contained in the waste generated in Ghana as well as the recycling potential of the distillate (regenerated DIBK). It was established that distillation of the waste DIBK yielded about 92% distillate leaving a residue of tar, which contained all the gold in the waste. Thermal oxidation of the residue followed by conventional cyanidation of the resulting ash led to gold recovery of 98.97% and the gold extraction efficiency of the regenerated DIBK compares very well with that of fresh DIBK.","PeriodicalId":12530,"journal":{"name":"Ghana Mining Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"74221550","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The use of gis to study the spatial variation of diseases: a case of western region, Ghana","authors":"B. Kumi-Boateng, I. Yakubu","doi":"10.4314/GM.V11I1.53267","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/GM.V11I1.53267","url":null,"abstract":"The ability to formulate disease control programmes and put strategic action plans into practice has become an important issue for Regional Health Directorates in Ghana. An important factor in disease control programmes is to correlate variations in different communities with environmental factors using spatially reliable data. To achieve this, spatial distribution maps for predominant diseases such as malaria, skin infection, Respiratory Tract Infection (RTI), asthma and diarrhea for the year 2005 were created. In this study, a database of disease statistics and the geographical information representing the boundaries as well as the centre of the administrative units of the Western Region of Ghana were built using cartographic and GIS techniques – choropleth mapping to examine the spatial distribution of the selected diseases. The results show that there is a strong correlation between mining activities and the prevalence of diseases under study in the Western Region.","PeriodicalId":12530,"journal":{"name":"Ghana Mining Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2010-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78067078","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}