This course does not have "tests" in the traditional sense. The final "test" of any design project is the designs and reports it produces and of course how it works when implemented in the field. Obviously a one semester college course cannot fully test field implementation of a full design project, but it can check the written and oral communication of the final result.
The Midterm "test" in this class is a folder progress check as indicated in Grading. It will be due just before spring break.
The second "Midterm" is a folder precheck just before the end of the semester as also indicated under Grading.
The Final Exam consists of an oral and final written presentation of your work.
The final written report will likely require one or more binders of 3 inch thickness. All the work you do during the semester will ultimately be directed at producing this one document. This final written report is giving instead of a final examination. It will be due at the end of the time block specified by the university for the final examination. While the exact content of any document must depend on the topic covered the outline below illustrates the organization of a report on an example mineral deposit.
Cover Page
Table of Contents
List of Figures
List of Tables
Executive Summary
Section #1 Project Background
Explanation of review of J.I.L. Blade - scope in 3 types of deposits
Explanation of contracts and reserves needed.
Explanation of types of data used (ie. reconnaissance of known coal geology, preliminary check of land availability, drilling and outcrop studies, old mine records)
Section #2 Review of Reserves
Overview of hypothetical site geology and coal formations
Explanation of gross geologic reserves and how they were calculated
Explanation of exclusion of oxidized zones
Explanation of exclusion of higher stripping ratio reserves
Explanation of exclusion of reserves on geologic considerations (faulting or other such problems)
Explanation of dilution and mining and processing losses
Over-all recoverable reserves projected
Section #3 Equipment Selections for POD Mining
Typical Cross-sections for Mining Properties
Considerations and Selections for Equipment to be used in Mining
Applications for Which the J.I.L. Blade was selected
Alternative Sequences chosen to replace the J.I.L. Blade
Explanation of the Mining Sequence to be used on each property
a- Sequences with J.I.L. Blade used
b- Sequences with no J.I.L Blade application
Section #4 Mining Schedule
Production Rate Targets Selected
Location of Areas to be mined each year to meet production quotas
Inventory of Material to be moved each year to meet production
Swisher Surprise Area
Gorgeous Glacier Area
Paulywog Paradise Area
Explanation of Mining Conditions and Requirements through planned mine life
Section #5 Equipment Selection
Size of units considered
Impact of the J.I.L. Blade on types and sizes of production units considered
Supplemental and Support Equipment Needed
Definition and extent of supplemental work needed from support equipment
Impact of the J.I.L. Blade on support equipment needed
Section #6 Calculating Production from Equipment
Explanation of Methods from Cat Handbook
Explanation of Computer Programs Utilized
Summary of Initial Calculations of Production
Method of Time Study
Results of Time Studies
How Time Study Results were Applied to Production Calculations
Calibrated Rates of Production Estimated for Equipment
Section #7 Equipment Fleets Needed to Meet Production
Results of application of production rates
Proposed Equipment Fleets
Fleets with J.I.L Blade Applied
Fleets with no J.I.L. Blade
Support Equipment Inventory
Fleets with J.I.L. Blade Applied
Fleets with no J.I.L. Blade
Section #8 Cost Estimates for Equipment
Method of Calculating Costs
Assumptions and Inputs to the Calculation
Cost of Equipment Fleets
Cost per ton of Coal
Cost with the J.I.L. Blade
Cost without the J.I.L. Blade
Impact of Mining Conditions on potential of the J.I.L Blade
Section #9 Conclusions About the J.I.L. Blade
Appendices
Obviously there are details of any outline that are project specific.
The points on the final report will be awarded based 60% on content and methodology. Your report will be reviewed to find whether the material required is present and whether it was determined by applicable engineering methods. If material is missing you will be penalized as a percentage of the required work that in the instructors opinion was not done or was not done in a solid engineering manner. A typical way in which many people get in trouble with this standard is to simply put in a filler section of text speaking in general unquantified meaningless terms about a subject just so they have the section in place. While this may be preferable to skipping the section altogether, the amount of time and effort required for a filler fluff section is not a whole lot more than a section not present. A filler fluff section may still have the virtue of defining assumptions that you made in other sections, thus avoiding loosing points for things that make no sense unless someone has the background to know what was going on in other sections.
The remaining 40% of the points for the final report will be based on organization, English, and appearance. Things like grammar and spelling are checked for English. Appearance will examine the quality of figures and tables. Most figures should be either done as large plots using autocad (or for the good draftsmen remaining by drawing). Organization examines such things as whether one skips aimlessly from topic to topic. Clear well defined paragraphs following a logical sequence from one subject to another usually best avoids topic shifting. Another aspect of organization is good use of appendices. Many designs require significant amounts of supporting calculations. To place such calculations in the main body of a text would divide the logic sequence of the report so much that no one would know where the writer is going. One would probably not want to put a fat old computer printout in the main text. They may prefer a summary table of results with a citation back to an appendix where the program used is explained (including how to read the output) and the input detailed, followed by the output and summary of key conclusions from the output.
