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By George M. Douglas

The southeastern shores of Great Slave lake present a curious anomaly in geographical and geological exploration, in that an area so large and important, and withal so comparatively accessible, should nevertheless have remained unexplored, unmapped, and indeed almost unknown, until quite recent" times On their return from the famous journey to the mouth of the Coppermine, the band of Indians with whom he travelled led Samuel Hearne across Slave lake. He was the first white man to see that great body of water and it is rather curious that it should have been seen first from the north rather than from the south. Hearne's account of the lake is vague, and he made no attempt ?to map the part through which he travelled. About 30 years later John Franklin, on his first journey to the Arctic, crossed the lake from the mouth of the Slave river to the Yellow Knife river. Franklin's maps show all of his route in accurate detail, except that part of it which lay through Slave lake. In 1833-34, Captain, afterwards Sir George, Back made the first exploration of the eastern end of the lake. Captain Back was then on his way to the Arctic coast by way of the Great Fish river, and his Indian guides led him through Great Slave lake by the route they had followed from time immemorial. This route, partly because of its directness, and partly because of its sheltered character, lay through the great mass of islands in the middle of the lake to the Talthei narrows, and thence along the sheltered north shore with its many coves and harbours. Pere Petitot made extensive journeys in Slave lake as well as other parts of the far north.

Jan 1, 1929

By T. B. Williams

Most geologists have felt the need of a longer base than is ordinarily available when using a Brunton compass or other convenient instrument for taking strikes and dips in the field. To overcome this difficulty a lath or stick with straight parallel sides is frequently used. This accessory adds to the accuracy of the work, but it is a decidedly inconvenient one for the geologist to carry, especially if he be heavily loaded or is travelling on horse-back or through thick brush on foot. The writer has abandoned its use in favour of a sturdy two-foot carpenter's rule. The rule preferred is manufactured by J. Rabone and Sons, Birmingham, England. It is provided with a good level-bubble set in one of the limbs, and a scale, of the protractor type, graduated to five degrees through 180 degrees, attached to the main joint at the middle of the rule. (See Figure 1). For an instrument of its kind it is very accurate, and, in addition to the uses mentioned below, it 'is a handy thing to have around any camp. It is frequently used when plotting roughly in the field and for a protractor when one is not available. When not in use it may readily be carried in the top of the high-boot or legging. Ordinary strikes are measured as illustrated in Figure 1, the compass being held against the rule, which is in a horizontal position. Dips may be measured in a corresponding way by holding the Brunton compass against the extended rule, which is thus used merely as a straight edge. It is usually much more convenient, however, to ? use the rule only for this purpose, in which case one foot of the length rests as a straight-edge against the rock surface. This adaption is shown in Figure 2.

Jan 1, 1929

By T. F. Pugsley, D. Gignac

"The historical background to the project dates back to the mid-30s with the discovery of surface sulphide showings in the Cape Smith-Wakeham Bay ultramafic belt. In the mid1950s, orderly exploration commenced with an extensive work program by Asarco, INCO, Lemoine, Falconbridge and Raglan Nickel Mines Ltd. on exploration permits. In 1966, Falconbridge and Raglan Nickel Mines interests merged. Extensive exploration, drilling, under- ground delineation of the Donaldson orebody and the construction of basic infrastructure such as camps, airfield, road links from Douglas Harbour to Donaldson and Katinniq, a distance of 60 km, were completed.Production project design at that time consisted of plans for a 50 000 mt per year nickel mining and concentrating operation, including a 2000 person community and smelter at Douglas Harbour. These plans unravelled in the mid-70s due to high capital costs, poor nickel market conditions and the realization that the Raglan orebodies were not large enough to economically support the construction of green field smelter and refinery facilities for processing Raglan production. Nickel market conditions in the late 70s and early 80swere generally poor, resulting in further delays on production plans.While recognizing the very high potential to discover increased tonnages of high grade(3% Ni) in excess of 20 million tonnes, the project was deferred into the late 80s when a serious re-evaluation of exploration potential occurred and the requirement to prove up additional reserves resulted in an underground exploration program at Katinniq covering the period 1990-1992."

Jan 1, 1996

By C. I. Godwin

"The relative-value (R-value), discrimination-factor (D-factor), and vector-ratio (V-ratio) method (RDVM) provides a geological knowledge-based statistical and geological-genetic interpretation scheme for geochemical data that enhances discovery in geochemical exploration. The practical advantage of RDVM is that it synthesizes geochemical features geologically related to ore-deposit discovery in three steps: reclassifying element concentrations using log-probability plots into R-values; calculating geologically defined D-factors from R-values; and determining V-ratios. D-factors are the sum of R-values, divided by the number of R-values summed. Based on the analyses selected, D-factors mimic rock or mineral deposit signatures. V-ratios refine interpretations of rock type and vector to orebody locations.RÉSUMÉ La méthode de la valeur relative (valeur R), du facteur de discrimination (facteur D) et du rapport de vecteurs (rapport V) (RDVM), fournit un schéma d’interprétation des données géochimiques basé sur les statistiques et les connaissances géologiques et la génétique géologique; ce schéma contribue aux découvertes en exploration géochimique. L’avantage pratique de la RDVM est qu’elle fait la synthèse des caractéristiques géochimiques reliées géologiquement à des découvertes de gisements de minerais en trois étapes : une reclassification des concentrations des éléments au moyen de courbes de probabilité logarithmique en valeurs R; un calcul des facteurs D définis géologiquement à partir des valeurs R et la détermination des rapports V. Les facteurs D sont la somme des valeurs R divisés par le nombre de valeurs R additionnées. Selon les analyses choisies, les facteurs D imitent les signatures de la roche ou des gisements minéraux. Les rapports V peaufinent les interprétations des types de roches et dirigent vers des emplacements de gisements."

Jan 1, 2016

By J. W. Rogers, S. K. Schwartz

"The Cape Breton Development Corporation (CBDC) is a federal Crown corporation which operates two coal mines (Phalen and Prince Collieries), a coal preparation plant, a railway, a central workshop and a deep water shipping facility.The Sydney coal field consists of 11 major seams, which range from 0.8 m to over 3.7 m in thickness. Of the 2.4 billion tonnes of known coal resources in the field, approximately 550 million tonnes can be mined with present mining technology. These parameters define reserves which extend more than 8 km beneath the ocean to a depth of 1200 m. With today’s design and present high production faces, the colliery life is projected at approximately 20 years."

Jan 1, 1996

By William M. Luff

"The Bathurst area has recorded mining production as early as 1837, although the bulk of the production has come in recent years. Production has been mainly from the well-known massive sulphide deposits, but vein, gossan, and a variety of other deposits have also been mined. This paper summarizes the history of the mined deposits, along with tonnages and grades produced. A number of ""firsts"" have been noted in the Bathurst area. The A Zone deposit, located in the Heath Steele area, was the first in the world discovered using airborne electromagnetic methods. Heap leaching of gold from the gossan zone at Caribou was the first operation of its kind in Canada. The Keymet mine was the first base metal (lead-zinc) mine in New Brunswick. For the past few years, the Brunswick No. 12 mine has been one of the largest zinc mines in the world.IntroductionThe Bathurst area (Fig. 1) first had mining production in 1837 when copper was mined from a deposit on the Nepisiquit river (MacKenzie, 1958). The majority of the production, however, has been in recent years from massive sulphide deposits, but there are also other significant operations. . Table 1 is a summary of Bathurst area mineral production, showing concentrator feed tonnages and mill feed grades. The table does not include peat deposits, sand and gravel, dimension stone or rock quarries. Figure I is a general geology map of the Bathurst area, indicating deposit locations. The deposits are divided into four categories: massive sulphide, vein, gossan and other. The deposits in each category are described in chronological order of exploitation."

Jan 1, 1995

By Hao Zhang

Site inspection is an important component of safety management system. In current practices, the inspectors evaluate the safety condition on a construction site with the assistance of a standardised checklist. However, the checklist emphasizes on evaluating the implementation of safety management system, but provides limited task-specific check items for assessing whether the individual construction tasks are conducted under safe condition and in a safe manner. To address this issue, the research presented in this paper aims to provide safety practitioners with comprehensive and taskspecific safety information to promote effective risk identification and facilitate strategic risk control during site inspection. Specifically, this research first builds a project-specific safety information database, which stores potential risks and control measures for each construction task. The research team then develops a mobile decision support tool to retrieve information from the database and support safer decision-making on site. The tool supports users in two ways: one is to provide daily risk checklists and risk control strategies to guide step-by-step inspection alongside the project schedule; the other is to let users input any safety-related keywords during the safety inspection process and the tool returns relevant safety information by applying text mining algorithms. It is ongoing research. This paper presents an overall research framework and discusses the progress in developing safety database and data retrieval concepts. The outcome of the project will help enhance safety management practices and reduce possible risky working conditions on a construction site.

Aug 1, 2013

By J. S. DeLury

Introduction The problems of metallogenesis are largely related to those concerning the origin of igneous rocks, which, in turn, are involved with the question of crustal mechanics. Many ore-bodies are genetically related to associated intrusive and there is an equally close association apparent between igneous intrusion and crustal deformation. The problem of ore-deposition is concerned, therefore, with the fundamental problems of geology. For a long time speculations regarding crustal movements rested largely on the contraction theory and its associated conceptions. Vertical movements were considered to be all important and horizontal movements secondary to them. Magmas were pictured as rising more or less vertically in the crust and were believed to form in vertically disposed magma-chambers or reservoirs. The principle of magmatic differentiation seemed to offer the best explanation of the origin and association of diverse rock types and it seemed also to require the existence of quiescent magma-chambers for the admittedly slow process of differentiation. Accumulating evidence of the importance of horizontal movement in the crust, has, along with other considerations, discredited the contraction hypothesis and many of the inferences that go with it. The same evidence may require some change in the prevailing conception of the origin of the various types of igneous rock and of the mechanics of intrusion. Geologists are now at sea concerning some of the vital and fundamental problems of the crust, and the field is open for speculation. The writer is developing a hypothesis which seems to permit an explanation and? a correlation of earth structures and phenomena. If it rests on a firm foundation, the hypothesis, because it is fundamental, is certain to have a profound bearing on the problems of economic geology. It is for this reason that an outline of the hypothesis is offered at this time. Only a few of its economic bearings are foreseen at this time and these will be indicated.

Jan 1, 1932

By Ramsey Hart

MiningWatch Canada is the only national independent civil society organization with an exclusive focus on mining in Canada and Canadian mining companies operations internationally. In 2005, MiningWatch Canada collaborated with other NGOs to develop the Framework for Responsible Mining: A Guide to Evolving Standards. The project was the result of a perceived need by NGOs and retailers, particularly from the jewellery sector, for a framework that would set out environmental, social, and governance standards for the minerals sector ?providing recommendations for retailers and others seeking to source or invest responsibly, as well as regulate and encourage responsible mining practices?. This paper is a reflection on the Framework that examines key areas of concern and notes where the industry norms and expectations of civil society have evolved. The paper focuses on developments in social issues related to the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, new initiatives associated with financial transparency, the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The environmental components of the Framework that are revisited are waste management, biodiversity, energy and climate change, environmental assessment, mine closure, mercury and seabed mining.

Aug 1, 2013

By G. H. Charlewood, J. W. McBean

"One hundred years after being developed, the diamond drill is still an essential tool in mineral exploration. The basic principle is unchanged, but the technique has been revolutionized, particularly in the past fifteen years. The cost of core drilling has not kept pace with the rising cost of living. The price of machinery, supplies and labour in drilling has doubled and trebled since 1946. Some of the techniques which have made it possible to hold the price line are described."

Jan 1, 1967

By R. H. Knudsen

"In view of the chronic overcapacity problem in the world potash industry and Saskatchewan's recent emergence as a major producer, the long-term outlook for potash productive capacity and consumption is of importance and interest to both the Saskatchewan Government and the potash industry. This paper is based on a report recently published by the Saskatchewan Department of Mineral Resources on projected world potash productive capacity and consumption for the ten-year period 1970 to 1980. Potash productive capacity and consumption are estimated on a country and regional basis and projected annually to 1980. Tables and graphs are included which summarize projected capacity and consumption for the period and illustrate the impact of Saskatchewan's capacity upon the North American and world potash industries."

Jan 1, 1973

By The Satff

"TEXADA Island is situated in the Strait of Georgia, about 100 miles northwest of Vancouver. The property of Texada Mines Ltd. lies on the southwest coast of the northern end of the Island. A part of the ""Sunshine Coast,"" the climate is moderate, with about 30 inches of rain during winter months and relatively dry summers. Texada has been shipping high-grade magnetite concentrate continuously since 1952 to Japanese ore buyers. In 1959, a 3,000-foot tunnel was driven just above sea level to explore the possible downward extension of known orebodies then being mined by open pit. In January of 1961, because the open-pit operations had a limited life, C. C. Huston and Associates were brought in as mining consultants to do a feasibility study on the possibility of going underground for production. This study was completed in March, 1961. With the completion of the report, the Company went to Japan seeking a ,long-term contract to justify the capital outlay necessary for setting up an underground operation. Concurrently, underground diamond drilling revealed more ore, and the Company planned some modifications to the concentrator for increasing the copper recovery. By November, 1961, a ten-year contract was signed with Japanese ore buyers for the sale of 450,-000 long tons of concentrates beginning in October, 1963. Since that time, the Company has built its own 65 000-ton ore carrier and an additional three-year contract has been negotiated, with an annual tonnage increase of from 450,000 to 550,000 tons."

Jan 1, 1967

By J. Tuominen

Outokumpu Direct-to-Blister Flash Smelting is currently in operation in two smelters, a third one is under construction and a fourth one is in the design phase. The two smelters in operation are the Glogow 2 smelter of KGHM Polska Miedz S.A. in Poland and the Olympic Dam smelter of BHP Billiton in Australia. The Outokumpu Direct-to-Blister smelter of Konkola Copper Mines Plc. in Zambia is under construction and the new smelter of Glogow 1 is under design and waiting for final go-ahead decision. Additionally, the Garfield smelter of Kennecott Utah Copper Corp. makes blister copper out of matte in a Flash Converting furnace. A similar operation is under construction for Y anggu Xiangguang Copper Co. in China. The slag cleaning process, which is needed to clean the slag of the Direct-to-Blister Flash Smelting Furnace, has different requirements depending on the feed to the flash furnace. These differences are discussed in the paper. The differences between the processes and slag produced are discussed as well as the metallurgical requirements for slag cleaning. The Direct-to-Blister process, where the blister copper is produced directly from concentrate in one step, requires at least a partial treatment of the slag in an electric slag cleaning furnace. The existing impurities determine the specific requirements of the actual cleaning process. The different processes are discussed in the paper. The newest developments of Outokumpu Technology Oy for electric slag cleaning furnace design are presented as well as the characteristics which the furnace shape gives to the process.

Jan 1, 2007

By R. Blazej

Machinery Systems Division (MSD) in the Institute of Mining Engineering at Wroclaw University of Technology specializes in belt conveying systems analyzing, calculating and design. Within the division operates the certified Laboratory of Belt Transportation (LTT) and Laboratory of Rollers. Since few years, a group of several people have begun work on developing a comprehensive system for the automatic evaluation of condition of conveyor belts working in the mines. Group uses both magnetic devices developed by specialized companies servicing belts and its own machine vision system developed for assessment of belts covers and edges during belt movement (up to 7 m / s) on the specially designed for this purpose the test conveyor. Recently they have got the research grant funded by the National Centre for Research and Development (NCBiR) for development of the system for automatic diagnosing of conveyor belts? condition and aiding of rational belt management. On the basis of previously created diagnostic tool called ABCDE (Automatic Belt Condition Diagnostic Equipment) the five modules: vision-A magnetic-B, preventive-C, forecasting?D, and determining safety factor-E will be developed. They will automatically interpret data about conveyor belts? condition to indicate the extent and timing of repairs, to prevent failures and to select the optimum moments for their replacements. The system will use results of ongoing research & development and planned research concerning modeling of belt wear using evolutionary genetic algorithms. The reached stage of research can not yet allow to start the implementation work by potential users. It is therefore necessary to pursuit research in real scale, the development of new modules (C-E) and intensive testing of the system in working condition with system calibration to optimize the economic effects.

Aug 1, 2013

By S. Dessureault

The relatively recent explosion of available data in all business sectors has induced a common expression of “drowning in data, starving for information.” The mining sector is affected by the information age through equipment-based sensors, process monitoring, and traditional enterprise data sources. Information technologists have developed techniques such as data mining that apply new and old statistical algorithms to large datasets. Mine planners and managers can apply these tools for improved planning and control, thereby increasing the use of the highly underutilized information system infrastructure in most modern mines. This paper describes the use of data mining and its enabling technology, data warehousing, in the development of an energy consumption model for large surface mines using real historical data.

Jan 1, 2007

By K. Barbetti

"The carbon-in-pulp (CIP) process has been the dominant gold recovery process since the early 1980s. CIP has proven to be very adaptable for a wide range of ores and circuit configurations. The key performance indicator for CIP circuits is the minimisation of soluble gold losses to tailings, however, it is also important to operate the circuit efficiently (maximising gold loadings on carbon and minimising carbon inventory). Over the last 30 years the Curtin Gold Technology Group has studied CIP circuits as part of an on-going collaborative industry funded project (the AMIRA Gold Processing Technology Project). In the early years the project undertook basic research into understanding activated carbon, and its management in the circuit. More recently the development of process models and instrumentation has provided additional tools to assist operators. The results show that while most CIP circuits operate well, there are still significant opportunities for further cost savings, or additional revenue. This paper reviews the observations arising from this work, including key requirements for good carbon management, the results of benchmarking and industry surveys of carbon circuit over 20 years, the value of process modelling of CIP circuits to establish operating parameters, and the use of automated instrumentation to better optimise carbon control in the circuit.INTRODUCTION The introduction of activated carbon to recover gold from cyanide leach solutions in the last quarter of the 20th century was the most significant development in gold ore processing since the advent of cyanidation seventy years before. Replacing the Merrill–Crowe zinc cementation step with carbon-in-pulp (CIP) or carbon-in-leach (CIL) circuits provided a process that allowed the treatment of lower grade and problematic ores (e.g. high-clay ores), at lower capital and operating costs, and higher metal recoveries. The CIP circuit was first developed in the 1950s at the Carlton Mill, Cripple Creek, Colorado. All the components of the modern CIP process came to fruition at the Homestake Mine in South Dakota in 1973 (Fast, 1988). From the late 1970s onward a variation of CIP, carbon-in-leach (CIL) which combined the leach and adsorption stages, became the preferred circuit design in most parts of the word."

Jan 1, 2017

By L. K. Daneshmend

The mine of the year 2020 will need to be based on a new way of mining. It will employ technology in a paradigm that assumes responsibility for sustainable development: taking account not only economic but also ecological and social issues. This will require a holistic approach to mine design and planning, considering all controlling factors and impacts (technical, economic, environmental and social). A national collaborative strategy is required to address the several options that exist for the development and application of 2020 mining technology. Key issues in implementing 2020 mining technology will also relate to human resources, in terms of employment, skills and education. A need exists to proactively prepare for 2020 through development of a comprehensive education and training strategy.

Jan 1, 1998

By George Kellock

In presenting this paper for discussion at the Western Annual Meeting to be held in Edmonton, it is with the idea of creating a full and general discussion by the mining men in the Province as to the best way to eliminate, or at least hold down to a minimum, the dangerous coal-dust which is made in mining pitching seams in our Alberta mines by the chute method. Also, an alternative method is outlined, whereby the percentage of lump-coal mined can be increased, and the mining costs reduced-although the paper does not go into any detailed consideration of costs. The general trend of mining practice and lay-outs is at present towards mechanization, and the results being accomplished by the substitution of machines for manual labour are fully justifying the changes. In the technical mining journals, there are published from time to time papers dealing with a variety of methods of mining, which are descriptions of actual operations, and a great deal of interesting and valuable data is given as to the comparative values of the different methods, insofar as the percentage of grades of coal produced, the cost of production, etc., are concerned; but the mechanical methods described in these papers are nearly always suitable only for flat seams, or seams with a very low inclination.

Jan 1, 1929

By JAMES E. TILSLEY

Veins at St. Lawrence near the tip of the Burin Peninsula in southeast New/ oundland have been the major Canadian source of fluorspar. Some 2.8 million tonnes were shipped during the period 1933-1977, mostly from five of the more than forty veir.s known. Most of the veins occur in granite. individual veins may be several km in length, comprising a number of mineable lenses up to 760 m long and 25 111 thick. Fluorite content averages about 50 per cent, but may exceed 90 per cent locally. Quartz, calcite, barite and a few sulphides are the other vein constituents. Jn recent years, gravity concentrates were shipped to a flotation plant at Arvida, Quebec, where the fluorspar concentrate was used as a flux in the making of alum in um. Competition f rom Mexican fluorspar was a major factor in the closure of the mines. Ample reserves are available should economic conditions improve.

Jan 1, 1984

By Chi Zhang, Junyi Wu

"The use of permanent stainless steel cathodes for electrorefining and electrowinning of cathode copper had been introduced to the market long time ago and now is a well-accepted technology worldwide. During the last decades, the Chinese copper refinery industry had been growing rapidly and many large scaled production plants had been built. In the modern refineries, permanent stainless steel cathodes are introduced and used instead of traditional starter sheets. The most common steel grade used is austenitic stainless steel S31603 (316L/1.4404), while both S30403 (304L/1.4404) and N08904 (904L/1.4539) have been used depending on the actual working conditions, especially with regarding corrosion environment. While 316L permanent cathode functions well in many plants, different kind of problems, such corrosion and deformation, have been reported. There is therefore an increased need for more suitable material. New stainless steels, such as duplex stainless steels, with better properties have been tried and introduced into the application of permanent stainless steel cathode with satisfied results. The article introduces first the Chinese copper refinery industry and properties of duplex stainless steel in general, and then describes the development of using permanent duplex stainless steel cathode, including the actual working conditions, production of cathode sheets as well as the experiences of application in details. After more than one year’s usage, the advantages of permanent duplex stainless steel cathodes are clear seen.INTRODUCTIONChina has become a major player in the international copper market, accounting for around 40 percent of global refined copper demand. Despite the slowdown of the Chinese economy, the consumption of copper products will still increase, but with a medium and/or low growth which will be the new situation for the coming years. The average growth rate is expected to be around 5 percent per annual. In the coming Five-Year plan for National Economic and Social Development a number of initiatives will be finalized which will require massive amounts of copper. In 2015, the expected consumption of copper products will be over 9 million metric tons. The main driver of the consumption is the electric power industry which accounts nearly the half of the total consumption; followed by cooling application with 15% and transportation with nearly 10%, see figure 1."

Jan 1, 2016