Browsing by Department "Departamento de Ingeniería Metalúrgica y de Materiales"

The first step in the planning of a mine is the determination of the economic envelope, which is the volume that encapsulates the mine layout and maximizes the total economic value; thus, it has a considerable impact in the design and planning of the mini

The strategic planning of open pit operations defines the best strategy for extraction of the mineral deposit to maximize the net present value. The process of strategic planning must deal with several sources of uncertainty; therefore, many authors have

Mining-induced seismicity presents significant challenges to the safety and operational continuity of underground mines, particularly in deep and highly stressed environments. This study proposes a methodological framework for seismic risk evaluation insp

Refractory high-entropy alloys (RHEAs) are promising candidates for those applications requiring of strong materials at high temperatures with elevated thermal stability and excellent oxidation, irradiation, and corrosion resistance. Particularly, RHEAs s

Uncertainty in short-term grade estimations can significantly affect destination policies and dig-limit definitions in open-pit mining. However, most dig-limit techniques still rely on deterministic methods and manual procedures. This study proposes a sto

The increase in longevity worldwide has intensified the use of different types of prostheses for the human body, such as those used in dental work as well as in hip and knee replacements. Currently, Ti-6Al-4V is widely used as a joint implant due to its g

The relationship between acoustic parameters and the microstructure of a Cu30Zn brass plate subjected to plastic deformation was evaluated. The plate, previously annealed at 550 degrees C for 30 min, was cold rolled to reductions ranging from 10% to 70%.

Determining a set of nested pits to support the design of an open pit mine that leads to high economic value is crucial for the strategic planning of these operations; thus, practitioners rely on optimization methods for finding high-value solutions. Howe

In the past two decades, titanium foams have attracted greater interest from the biomedical industry due to their excellent chemical and mechanical biocompatibility when used as biomimetic implants. The porous structure plays an important role in bone adh

Oxides (Al2O3, SiO2, TiO2, ZrO2, Y2O3, CeO2, MgO) are among the most used reinforcements for Aluminum Matrix Composites (AMC); while the combination of Al with Si, Cu and/or Mg excels among the alloying systems used as matrices. Some works in literature s

Nonoxide ceramics excel among the reinforcements used for aluminum matrix composites due to their variety of morphologies and mechanical properties. Among these reinforcements are carbides (SiC, B4C, and WC); carbon materials (graphite, carbon fibers, car

The accelerating global demand for cobalt, driven primarily by lithium-ion batteries, has intensified the search for alternative sources of supply. Mine tailings represent a promising secondary resource, particularly in regions with extensive mining histo

Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans has been shown to be a good depressant of pyrite in freshwater and seawater flotation. However, the effect of these bacteria over copper-activated pyrite has not been studied. At the industrial scale, the activation of pyrit

Plane failure along inclined joints is a classical mechanism involved in rock slope movements. It is known that the number, size and position of rock bridges along the potential failure plane are of prime importance when assessing slope stability. However

This research presents a case study of producing flexible tiles from rubber powders obtained from automobile tire waste using a polyurethane resin as a binder matrix. The process was made in collaboration with a company located in Colombia, where the manu

This work aims to perform a computational analysis on the influence that microstructure and porosity have on the elastic modulus of Ti-6Al-4V foams used in biomedical applications with different ff/ fi-phase ratios. The work is divided into two analyses,

In situ composite manufacture is an approach to improve interfacial adhesion between matrix and reinforcements, in which reinforcements are synthesized along composite processing itself. In situ powder metallurgy route, in particular, offers alternatives

The mining industry faces growing challenges from declining ore grades and increasing ore hardness, driving up energy consumption and operational costs. This research explores alternatives to ASTM A128 HM A128 Hadfield steel for components subjected to hi

The development of beta titanium alloys with biocompatible elements to replace Al and V is a subject of significant interest in the biomedical industry. This approach aims to enhance biocompatibility and mitigate potential cytotoxic effects associated wit

In this work, Ti-13Ta-xSn samples were manufactured using the powder metallurgy technique with a porosity near 35 %. The microstructural analysis revealed that increased Sn content decreased the alpha-Ti and alpha-Ti phases. Furthermore, scanning electron