Economic skill is an essential partner to technical skill in every step of the mining process. An economic "mindset" begins before the first drill hole. This new book will help you effectively direct mining operations through the use of innovative economic strategies.

The text covers what is meant by a cost-effective mining scheme, the economics of information, and the procedures for rational evaluation of uncertain projects. It defines "ore" from an economic perspective and covers the influence of scheduling on ore reserves.

Discounted cash flow techniques, the most widely used evaluation technique for investment decision making, is covered in detail. The assumption of the use of spreadsheets is unique to this book. The application of DCF techniques in an operating mine environment is given expanded coverage and examples are drawn from real-life studies.

The differences between economic decision-making--a forward-looking task--and the reporting of results via accounting methods--a backward-looking activity--are reviewed. Capital and decision-making procedures associated with capital investments in a risk environment are given extensive coverage. Case studies for capital investment in an operating mine are included. Comprehensive examples investigate "value" from a risk-reduction perspective and from an "expected return on investment" perspective.

This book offers solutions to the problem that many mining projects fail to achieve expectations because of their inability to adapt to change. A new technique is explained that allows calculation of capital that is "at risk" from capital that is not at risk. This promises significant advances in the way that investments are made and capital is valued in the industry.

The aerospace community has long recognized and repeatedly emphasizes the importance of reliability for space systems. Despite this, little has been published in book form on the topic. "Spacecraft Reliability and Multi-state Failures" addresses this gap in the literature, offering a unique focus on spacecraft reliability based on extensive statistical analysis of system and subsystem anomalies and failures.

The authors provide new results pertaining to spacecraft reliability based on extensive statistical analysis of on-orbit anomaly and failure data that will be particularly useful to spacecraft manufacturers and designers, for example in guiding satellite (and subsystem) test and screening programs and providing an empirical basis for subsystem redundancy and reliability growth plans. The authors develop nonparametric results and parametric models of spacecraft and spacecraft subsystem reliability and multi-state failures, quantify the relative contribution of each subsystem to the failure of the satellites thus identifying the subsystems that drive spacecraft unreliability, and propose advanced stochastic modeling and analysis tools for the reliability and survivability of spacecraft and space-based networks.

"Spacecraft Reliability and Multi-state Failures"provides new nonparametric results pertaining to spacecraft reliability based on extensive statistical analysis of on-orbit anomaly and failure data;develops parametric models of spacecraft and spacecraft subsystem reliability and multi-state failuresquantifies the relative contribution of each subsystem to the failure of the satellitesproposes advanced stochastic modeling and analysis tools for the reliability and survivability of spacecraft and space-based networks.provides a dedicated treatment of the reliability and subsystem anomalies of communication spacecraft in geostationary orbit.

Advances in machine learning techniques and ever-increasing computing power has helped create a new generation of hardware and software technologies with practical applications for nearly every industry. As the progress has, in turn, excited the interest of venture investors, technology firms, and a growing number of clients, implementing intelligent automation in both physical and information systems has become a must in business. Handbook of Research on Smart Technology Models for Business and Industry is an essential reference source that discusses relevant abstract frameworks and the latest experimental research findings in theory, mathematical models, software applications, and prototypes in the area of smart technologies. Featuring research on topics such as digital security, renewable energy, and intelligence management, this book is ideally designed for machine learning specialists, industrial experts, data scientists, researchers, academicians, students, and business professionals seeking coverage on current smart technology models.

Orbital Mechanics for Engineering Students, Fourth Edition, is a key text for students of aerospace engineering. While this latest edition has been updated with new content and included sample problems, it also retains its teach-by-example approach that emphasizes analytical procedures, computer-implemented algorithms, and the most comprehensive support package available, including fully worked solutions, PPT lecture slides, and animations of selected topics. Highly illustrated and fully supported with downloadable MATLAB algorithms for project and practical work, this book provides all the tools needed to fully understand the subject.

Drilling technology has evolved in order to get at the increasingly harder to find oil, and in a more environmentally friendly way. Successful drilling operations require blending many technologies. Drilling equipment and procedures have a unique language that must be conquered in order to understand drilling operations.

Working Guide to Drilling Equipment and Operations provides a fundamental, basic knowledge of the intricacies of drilling fluid, drilled solids management, drill bits, drill string design, directional drilling, cementing, casing, hydraulic optimization, and a discussion of predominant problems such as stuck pipe and lost circulation. Background information, such as: clay structure (needed to understand well bore instability and drilling fluids), discussion of pressure and pressure effects, the theory behind factors affecting drilling performance, and rock failure under pressure, are included to enhance the understanding of the drilling process and problems.
Drilling and Production Hoisting EquipmentHoisting Tool Inspection and Maintenance ProceduresPump Performance ChartsRotary Table and BushingsRig Maintenance of Drill CollarsDrilling Bits and Downhole Tools

The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) was successfully launched on June 18, 2009 and joined an international eet of satellites (Japan's SELENE/Kaguya, China's Chang'E, and India's Chandrayaan-1) that have recently orbited the Moon for scienti c exploration p- poses. LRO is the rst step to ful ll the US national space goal to return humans to the Moon's surface, which is a primary objective of NASA's Exploration Systems Mission - rectorate (ESMD). TheinitialLROmissionphasehasaone-yeardurationfullyfundedunder ESMD support. LRO is expected to have an extended phase of operations for at least two additional years to undertake further lunar science measurements that are directly linked to objectives outlined in the National Academy of Science's report on the Scienti c Context for Exploration of the Moon (SCEM). All data from LRO will be deposited in the Planetary Data System (PDS) archive so as to be usable for both exploration and science by the widest possible community. A NASA Announcement of Opportunity (AO) solicited proposals for LRO instruments with associated exploration measurement investigations. A rigorous evaluation process - volving scienti c peer review, in combination with technical, cost and management risk assessments, recommended six instruments for LRO development and deployment. The competitively selected instruments are: Cosmic Ray Telescope for the Effects of Rad- tion (CRaTER), Diviner Lunar Radiometer Experiment (DLRE), Lyman-Alpha Mapping Project (LAMP), Lunar Exploration Neutron Detector (LEND), Lunar Orbiter Laser - timeter (LOLA), and Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC).

This book discusses autonomous spacecraft navigation based on X-ray pulsars, analyzing how to process X-ray pulsar signals, how to simulate them, and how to estimate the pulse's time of arrival based on epoch folding. In turn, the book presents a range of X-ray pulsar-based spacecraft positioning/time-keeping/attitude determination methods. It also describes the error transmission mechanism of the X-ray pulsar-based navigation system and its corresponding compensation methods. Further, the book introduces readers to navigation based on multiple measurement information fusion, such as X-ray pulsar/traditional celestial body integrated navigation and X-ray pulsar/INS integrated navigation. As such, it offers readers extensive information on both the theory and applications of X-ray pulsar-based navigation, and reflects the latest developments in China and abroad.

Detection and quantification of trace chemicals is a major thrust of analytical chemistry. In recent years much effort has been spent developing detection systems for priority pollutants. Less mature are the detections of substances of interest to law enforcement and security personnel: in particular explosives. This volume will discuss the detection of these, not only setting out the theoretical fundamentals, but also emphasizing the remarkable developments in the last decade. Terrorist events airplanes blown out of the sky (PanAm 103 over Lockerbie) and attacks on U.S. and European cities (Trade Center in New York and the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, railways in London and Madrid)--emphasize the danger of concealed explosives. However, since most explosives release little vapor, it was not possible to detect them by technology used on most organic substances. After PanAm 103 was downed over Scotland, the U.S. Congress requested automatic explosive detection equipment be placed in airports. This volume outlines the history of explosive detection research, the developments along the way, present day technologies, and what we think the future holds.

- Written by experts in the field who set out both the scientific issues and the practical context with authority
- Discusses and describes the threat
- Describes the theoretical background and practical applications of both trace and bulk explosives detection"