The use of Karelia’s finelyground mining waste and local clay for production of heatinsulating materials

The results of the study of fine-grained feldspathic and talcchlorite waste from Republic of Karelia’s mining companies as a new mineral product for heat-insulating materials and stationary heat accumulators (fireplaces and furnaces) are reported. The physico-mechanical and thermal-physical properties of the materials, based on finely ground waste and local clay, are appraised. The materials produced from pegmatite waste are highly strong, and can be used for lining furnaces and fireplaces. Heat-insulating materials based on talc-chlorite waste have low thermal expansion at 20‒900 °C, their thermal resistance increases 9 times (at 980 °C, water) and their mechanical strength is 2,6 times higher than that of samples containing talcum powder.

Financial and Growth Analysis: A Comparative Study of Economic Sectors of Pakistan

performance across the sectors. Taking economic group of an economy the unit of analysis, this research presents a comparative financial ratios analysis of economic groups composed of listed companies at Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSE). The analysis is based on the profitability, liquidity, efficiency, leverage, growth and trends over a period of time using 5 years data of non-financial listed companies. The results show that profitability ratios for Food, Chemicals, Cement, Motor vehicle, Fuel & energy sector and Coke sectors are performing above the overall average R.O.A and NPM while the Textile, Sugar, Manufacturing, Minerals, Information and Communication, Electric machinery and Other Services economic groups are performing below the overall averages. Sales growth of Manufacturing, Mineral product, Cement and Other services activities economic groups are performing above 50%. While Textile, Sugar, Food, Chemicals products, Motor vehicle, Fuel & energy, Info. & transport services, Coke and refined pet., Paper products and Electric machinery economic groups are performing below 50%. Sugar economic group has liquidity and total asset turnover ratio above overall average but the profitability of this economic group is below overall average. It means that the economic group is not properly utilizing its liquidity for generation of profits. Similarly, Textile sector has profitability, efficiency and liquidity below the overall average of economic groups.

Methane utilization as a resource-saving method inthe coal industry

Risks of partial or total loss of ecosystems and species due to climate change are currently increasing. Russia is the world’s fourth largest emitter of greenhouse gases, which have a detrimental effect on ecosystems. The fuel and energy complex is the largest emitter of greenhouse gases; in this regard, it is precisely the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in this area has the utmost significance.In addition, methane as one of the greenhouse gases is harmful not only for the ecosystem but also for industrial safety, and this is also a sphere of state regulation.Since methane, based on its forecast volumes, may well be mined as an independent mineral product, it is necessary to develop a rational method for its use, since today everything that is mined is emitted into the atmosphere.The report analyzes how coal mining companies are currently using coal-seam methane. The volumes of methane in coal seams in the Russian Federation and in coal basins are analyzed. The world experience in the extraction of coalbed methane as a separate mineral product is investigated. A project is proposed for the rational use of methane as a separate mineral product.The main purpose of the article is to show that resource-saving measures for the use of methane can have not only environmental but also economic effect.A financial model of the project is proposed, which allowed to prove the economic efficiency of the project for the use of methane as a fuel. The article is based on the case method, the method for constructing financial models, the method for assessing risks, the method for analyzing information, etc.

Characterization of Biominerals in Cacteae Species by FTIR

A biomineral is a crystalline or amorphous mineral product of the biochemical activity of an organism and the local accumulation of elements available in the environment. The cactus family has been characterized by accumulating calcium oxalates, although other biominerals have been detected. Five species of Cacteae were studied to find biominerals. For this, anatomical sections and Fourier transform infrared, field emission scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive x-ray spectrometry analyses were used. In the studied regions of the five species, they presented prismatic or spherulite dihydrate calcium oxalate crystals, as the predominant biomineral. Anatomical sections of Astrophytum asterias showed prismatic crystals and Echinocactus texensis amorphous silica bodies in the hypodermis. New findings were for Ariocarpus retusus subsp. trigonus peaks assigned to calcium carbonate and for Mammillaria sphaerica peaks belonging to silicates.

Performance Comparison of Rapid Petrifilm™ Test Methods vs. Conventional Test Methods for Microbiological Testing of Dietary Supplements

Objectives The aim of this study is to show suitability of 3M™ Petrifilm™ across various types of common multi ingredient finished dietary supplement products. Methods In present investigation, parallel analysis and suitability was conducted using gold standard methods prescribed under U.S. Pharmacopeia general chapter dietary supplement ⟨2021⟩/⟨2022⟩, US FDA's Bacteriological Analytical Manual (BAM), and AOAC using 3M™ Petrifilm™. Five commonly used tests in food and dietary supplement quality testing were deployed in this study, namely: Total Aerobic Microbial Count (TAMC), Total Yeast and Mold Count (TYMC), Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Coliforms. Dietary supplements selected for this investigation are from most common types of dietary supplements categories sold in US market i.e., multivitamin and mineral, protein, multi mineral, Prenatal, Vitamin D, and Omega 3 Fish oil. Three individual lots of each of the five products were tested to increase robustness of data. Acceptance criteria was set same as USP ⟨2021⟩/⟨2022⟩ requirements, that is to demonstrate a greater than 70% recovery in comparison to a control. Results AOAC using 3M™ Petrifilm™ results show recovery of >70% compared to control for all five test Total Aerobic Microbial Count (TAMC), Total Yeast and Mold Count (TYMC), Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Coliforms: Multivitamin and mineral product recovery ranges were between 79%–111%, Protein product recovery ranges were between 94%–104%, Multi mineral product recovery ranges were between 94%–107%, Prenatal product recovery ranges were between 74%–117%, Vitamin D product recovery ranges were between 93%–123%, and Omega 3 fish oil product recovery ranges were between 83%–101%. Conclusions We found that AOAC based 3M™ Petrifilm™ methods are suitable for selected major categories of dietary supplement finished products. All results from AOAC using 3M™ Petrifilm™ microbiological testing achieved >70% bioburden recovery in comparison to a control. We also found that AOAC using 3M™ Petrifilm™ provides consistent and comparable results to USP ⟨2021⟩/⟨2022⟩/FDA's BAM results for the same samples as well. Funding Sources Reliance Vitamin.

Reduction of negative impact on the geoenvironment using silica sol in road construction

Consumption and pollution of natural resources must be constantly compensated by their conservation, saving and restoration to create a balance in the ecosystem between man and nature. To solve this problem any construction process must be accompanied by geoecoprotective measures. The authors of the article suggest to use silica sol in the soils stabilization and reinforcement technology. Silica sol is a pure mineral product that has binding properties and neutralizing properties against some pollutants. This makes it suitable for soils reinforcement and also soils neutralization from pollutants such as heavy metals ions. The stabilization technology using technogenic soils and silica sol will conserve natural resources, improves the soil strength properties and neutralize them from pollutants.

Formation of Physic and Mechanical Composition of Dust Emission from the Ventilation Shaft of a Coal Mine as a Factor of Ecological Hazard

During operation of coal mines, polluted air is emitted from the ventilation shafts, it contains large amount of carbon and rock dust with various physical and mechanical composition. Dust contains freshly formed silicon dioxide and other components of the mineral product that are hazardous to human health, which are scattered in the surface layer of the atmosphere. Mainly fine dust comes from the mine workings, and the release of the total dust mass by 80 – 96 % is due to the operation of the loading and unloading complex. It is established that the level of dustiness decreases mainly due to the settling in the mine workings of the coarsely dispersed dust fraction. The environment receives mainly fine dust with a high content of fine particles, which can be intensively dispersed outside the sanitary protection zone of the mine. A mathematical model is obtained in the form of a differential equation of mass transfer, which takes into account the physic and mechanical composition of the dust emission from the ventilation shaft of the coal mine as a factor of ecological hazard. The obtained results determine the directions of effective struggle against dust emissions of coal mines.

Pricing Mining Concessions Based on Combined Multinomial Pricing Model

A combined multinomial pricing model is proposed for pricing mining concession in which the annualized volatility of the price of mineral products follows a multinomial distribution. First, a combined multinomial pricing model is proposed which consists of binomial pricing models calculated according to different volatility values. Second, a method is provided to calculate the annualized volatility and the distribution. Third, the value of convenience yields is calculated based on the relationship between the futures price and the spot price. The notion of convenience yields is used to adjust our model as well. Based on an empirical study of a Chinese copper mine concession, we verify that our model is easy to use and better than the model with constant volatility when considering the changing annualized volatility of the price of the mineral product.