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By Bora Derin

This work deals with the recovery of valuable metals from the ancient copper smelting slags located in Küre-Turkey. In this process, copper and cobalt were recovered in metallic form and/or as their compounds, whereas iron was recovered as magnetic oxide or pigment. Abrasive grit material was produced using reduced final slag. The process stages involved carbothermal reduction in a DC arc furnace, granulation, leaching, chemical precipitation, selective sulfidizing roasting and product preparations. In this paper, the process stages were described as theoretically and experimentally whereas slag and products were characterized in detail.

Jan 1, 2003

By Yuanbo Zhang, Zhixiong You, Zijian Su, Bingbing Liu, Guanghui Li, Guang Yang, Tao Jiang

Sodium stannate is widely used in the electroplating and tin alloy industry. But the traditional processes for sodium stannate production are characterized by long flowsheet, high production cost and strict requirement for the equipments, etc. In this study, a novel process for sodium stannate preparation from cassiterite concentrate and sodium carbonate via roasting in CO/CO2 mixed gas then followed by leaching was developed. The effects of roasting parameters on the Sn leaching efficiency were conducted. A Sn leaching efficiency of 77.2% was obtained under the optimal conditions. Sodium stannate (Na2SnO3·3H2O) with a purity of 95.8% was produced by the new process, which is better than that specified for the industrial first-grade product.

Jan 1, 2014

By N Currey, G W. Wilson, P Ritchie

Kidston Gold Mine in Queensland, Australia has a 310 ha tailings impoundment that has undergone final closure rehabilitation. Kidston Gold Mine evaluated their closure options for this low acid generating tailings impoundment, and due to a lack of cover soils and the cost of importing material, the mine decided to investigate the possibility of direct vegetation onto the tailings impoundment surface. The mine subsequently embarked upon a well planned and detailed research program to determine the feasibility and sustainability of this closure option. The research program included vegetation trials, toxicology studies for metal uptake by vegetation, as well as a comprehensive closure water balance model for the tailings impoundment complex. This paper describes the results of the long-term closure water balance for the tailings impoundment complex for the pre-closure state of the impoundment, as well as predictions towards the impoundment performance once final rehabilitation of the tailings impoundment complex has been achieved. The water balance presented is unique in that it is founded on unsaturated flow principles and accounts in full the impacts of the surface flux boundary conditions. This novel approach enables the prediction of actual infiltration rates into the tailings impoundment surface, which in turn allows for the calculation of how much seepage will exit from the tailings dam toe drains.

Jan 1, 2003

By R J. Butcher

Many deposits have been evaluated as potential block caves over the last 20 years due to the perceived benefit of low operating costs. However, block cave projects are typically capital intensive, with mass mining providing high throughput rates that required large investments in mining, processing and utilities infrastructure. While the key economic metrics in deciding to proceed with a caving project are typically net present value (NPV) or internal rate of return, these may not represent the best decision metrics for some companies. Where a caving project is competing for scarce capital amongst other projects in a company’s portfolio or where the caving project is the only project being evaluated by a company trying to raise capital, other metrics may be more appropriate. This paper explores the use of present value ratio and the minimising of maximum negative cash flow as suitable metrics in determining alternative strategies. Trade-offs between optimising for economic value and capital efficiency measures allow for decision-makers to evaluate potentially higher-risk, higher-capital and maximum NPV projects against lower-risk, lower-capital projects.CITATION:Stewart, C A and Butcher, R J, 2016. Block cave evaluation, in Proceedings Seventh International Conference and Exhibition on Mass Mining (MassMin 2016), pp 809–816 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

May 9, 2016

By S. Kado, G. Derge, L. Yang

Self-diffusion coefficients of silver in molten silver have been measured by means of the capillary-reservoir method in the temperature range 1002" to 1105°C. The results can be .represented by the equation D = (7.10 i 0.06) X 10-4 exp [(—8150 ± 1130)/RT]. The heat of activation agrees within the limit of experimental uncertainty with that for the viscous flow. The validity of the Eyring and the Stokes-Einstein equations are examined on the basis of the self-diffusion coefficients obtained and the known viscosity data of molten silver. MEASUREMENT of the self-diffusion coefficient of silver in molten silver was made in the temperature range 1275° to 1378°K, using the capillary-reservoir method and &"' as the radioactive tracer. The experimental arrangement is shown in Fig. 1. Silver of 99.99 pct purity (fine silver), was melted and degassed in vacuum in a graphite crucible situated inside a McDanel vacuum jacket. The crucible (4 in. tall and 1 in. ID) was protected both at the top and at the bottom with graphite shields and contained about 220 g of silver. The sample holder was a piece of graphite rod (1 in. long and 1/2 in. diam) with 4 capillaries drilled longitudinally into it. The holder was screwed onto a long graphite rod (12 in. long and 74 in. diam) which was connected to a steel disk hanging on a nylon string through a glass pulley. The steel disk kept the sample holder at the center of the McDanel tube and was heavy enough to overcome the buoyancy when the holder was lowered into the molten silver. By turning a handle connected to the pulley through a tapered glass joint, it was possible to raise or lower the sample holder without breaking the vacuum. Two such arrangements were constructed, sitting side by side in 2 Kanthal furnaces. One with non-radioactive silver in its crucible was used for the diffusion run and the other with radioactive silver in its crucible was used for filling the capillaries. To fill the capillaries with radioactive silver, the sample holder was degassed first and then lowered into the radioactive molten silver in vacuum. Purified argon gas was then admitted into the system to push the liquid silver into the capillaries. After cooling in argon, the filled capillaries were polished on emery paper to expose the top of the rod and used immediately as samples for the diffusion run which was carried out at the same temperature as that used for filling the capillaries. During the diffusion run, the samples were degassed in vacuum and lowered slowly into the nonradioactive molten silver before purified argon was admitted into the system. After a predetermined period of time, the samples were raised out of the melt and cooled in argon. The temperature of the melt was measured before and after the run with a chromel-alumel thermocouple inside a McDanel protection tube. Another chromel-alumel thermocouple attached to the outside wall of the McDanel vacuum jacket was used to indicate any fluctuation in the temperature of the furnace during the run, which was found to be less than ± 2°C for the longest run made (93 min). The temperature gradient inside the molten silver was found to be negligible. No significant difference was observed in the results obtained whether the melt was stagnant during the run or was stirred by raising and lowering the sample holder slowly a few times a minute for a distance of about 1/4 in. inside the melt.

Jan 1, 1959

By W. C. Holliman

This report on the characteristics of commercial aviation gasolines is one of a series of such reports. It presents compilations of' inspection data furnished on their products by 15 manufacturers of commercial grades of aviation gasoline and special data obtained in Bureau of Mines laboratories on 68 samples of these gasolines. Data are presented for 18 samples of grade 80, 20 of grade 91/98, 21 of grade100/130, and 9 of grade 115/145 aviation fuels. The gasolines are designated January 1948 production, although some of the samples actually were produced at a later date.

Jan 1, 1948

By Charles L. Kimbell

In 1989, worldwide total mineral industry activity registered advances from 1988. The advances may not have been as noteworthy as in 1988, but they can be regarded as a worthy theme for this article. The momentous political events throughout the centrally planned economy world had only a modest impact on actual 1989 industry performance. But these events have such potential for worldwide changes in economic activity in future years that they dwarf the actual happenings of 1989 in the minerals industry. Perhaps most significant factor here is the rapidity with which these changes have occurred. The end of World War II saw the almost immediate division of the world into major economic blocs. Since then, mineral industry activities and other industrial operations have been governed, to a considerable extent, by this partitioning. The developed market economy nations have operated as a group, the centrally planned economy states as another group. And these two groups essentially have vied for recognition in mineral industry operations in the developing economy states of Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The boundaries of these country blocs were fixed in the late 1940s and early 1950s. They were not markedly altered in the ensuing 40 years. We have seen the establishment of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, the continued Arab-Israeli confrontations in the Near East, the upheavals surrounding the rise of Moslem Fundamentalism in Iran, and the establishment of Soviet-oriented governments in Cuba and Nicaragua. These events have had notable effects on the world economy. But they have done little to change the pattern of market economy states functioning as a competitive bloc with the centrally-planned economy countries.

Jan 1, 1990

By E. W. COCHRANE, R. HOPKINS, G

The number of completed petroleum refineries in the United States continued to decline in 1938, but the total capacity to process crude oil increased materially. This information was obtained in connection with the Bureau's annual canvass of refinery capacity as of January 1, 1939. In spite of the addition of a half dozen plants in Illinois and the inclusion in this year's list of several more "pot-stills" in Montana, the total number of plants, and inactive, declined from 551 on January 1, 1938, to 538 on January 1, 1939. was entirely in shut-down plants, as the number of operating plants rose from both active The decline 431 to 435. Yost of the plants dismantled were situated in Wyoming and Texas, parts or several from the latter being transported to Illinois. About 10 more East Texas refineries were dismantled in 1938, leaving about 15 plants in the field, only 8 of which were operating on January 1, 1939. Although the total completed capacity increased from 4,351,151 barrels on January l, 1938, to 4,508,555 barrels on January l, 1939, the operating capacity declined, and the inactive capacity increased about 50 percent, or from 380,955 to 574,770 barrels. These shifts in capacities reflect the comparative slump in the refining industry in 1938 after the prosperous year 1937. Daily average crude runs in 1938 were 3,192,000 barrels, from which it may be figured that the operating ratio for the active units was about 81 percent of crude and for all completed equipment 74 percent. The highest daily throughput in 1938 was about 3,400,000 barrels, at which time the reserve capacity represented in the active equipment was at least 500,000 barrels, in addition to about that much capacity shutdown. In an emergency, much more reliance could be placed on the reserve capacity of the active equipment, as much of the shut-down capacity is obsolete at present specifications and prices. Regarding obsolescence, the refiners reported 418,165 barrels of their idle capacity in good condition on January l, 1939 and 156,605 barrels in poor condition. However, it is probable that the former reflects an optimistic viewpoint. Refinery activity, as represented by new construction and dismantling, declined materially in 1938. The new capacity added in 1938 was 378,350 barrels compared with 394,680 barrels in 1937. Probably 1939 will see a much larger decline, as the new capacity under construction on January 1, 1939, totaled only 142,250 barrels compared with 283,020 barrels the preceding year. The capacity represented by the new plants was negligible throughout

Oct 1, 1939

By Mike Rhodes, Paul Miller, John W. Neale, Vishal Deeplaul, Barrie Hancock, Tony Pinches

The Beaconsfield underground gold mine is one of only a few new Australian gold projects to come into operation in the current climate of low gold prices. Up to 200,000 tonnes per annum of Tasmania Reef ore will be mined and processed over a minimum eight-year life to a depth of 900 metres below surface. The Tasmania Reef is a gold-bearing quartz-carbonate-sulphide vein occupying an old fault structure which transgresses a series of sedimentary beds. The sulphides are predominantly pyrite with lesser arsenopyrite, and also minor copper as chalcopyrite. Drilling to date below this level clearly indicates that the high-grade orebody is open at depth and that the mine life should be extended significantly over time. Since redevelopment of Beaconsfield mine began in the 1980's, extensive exploration has identified a resource of 1.5 million tonnes within a 450 vertical metre zone beneath the old workings, which extended more than 450 metres below the surface. Installation of an 800 litre per second capacity pump station 180 metres below the surface has been critical in overcoming one of the major hurdles experienced during previous operations in the early 1900's. A multi-stage development program, designed to bring the mine into full production, and incorporating construction of the on-site gold treatment plant incorporating bacterial oxidation, has now been completed. Prior to execution of a detailed engineering design of the Mintek-BacTech bacterial oxidation process, a programme of bacterial oxidation testwork was completed to provide a basis for fixing the process design criteria. A flow diagram of the Beaconsfield treatment plant is shown in Figure l. It comprises:

Jan 1, 2000

By Luana de Sousa Santos

O setor Petróleo e Gás Natural vem tendo enormes gastos com as paradas de manutenção. Estes gastos estão relacionados à degradação sofrida por seus equipamentos de refino devido à corrosão. Uma possível solução seria a utilização de novas ligas de aço inoxidável ferrítico com elevados percentuais de molibdênio, o que teoricamente favoreceria um aumento da resistência à corrosão. No entanto, pelo fato dessas ligas serem aplicadas na condição como soldada mudanças microestruturais significativas podem ser geradas, além de considerar o fato da solda das ligas em estudo ser realizada com material dissimilar, e a diferença existente entre o metal de adição e a região afetada pelo calor (ZAC) pode propiciar ao surgimento do fenômeno eletroquímico conhecido como pilha galvânica. Portanto, o objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar o comportamento corrosivo na solda dissimilar de duas novas ligas de aço inoxidável ferrítico com diferentes teores de cromo e um elevado teor de molibdênio, ambas com adição de superliga de níquel, verificando a influência da pilha. O resultado da soldagem foi avaliado através de exames metalográficos e ensaios eletroquímicos. As micrografias do metal de adição utilizado na soldagem das ligas mostraram que o mesmo possui uma microestrutura dendrítica e os gráficos obtidos dos ensaios de Polarização Potenciodinâmica Cíclica não reproduziram para as ligas soldadas, o que foi melhor analisado observando os resultados dos ensaios de forma separada, para as regiões que constituem a solda das ligas, o metal de adição e ZAC. Sendo possível verificar a existência de uma maior resistência a corrosão no metal de adição.

Aug 8, 2018

By Lou Gaozhong, Guo Wenbing, Zhao Gaobo, Wang Shuren

"The height of a fractured zone due to high-intensity mining (HIM) plays a vital role in the safety analysis of coal mining under bodies of water. This paper described the characteristics of HIM. The processes of overburden failure transfer (OFT) are analyzed. The state of destruction transfers from a certain stratum to the upper stratum as face advance distance increases, and the processes of OFT are divided into two stages: transmission development stage and transmission termination stage. Through theoretical analysis, the limited suspension-distance and limited overhanging distance of each stratum are proposed to judge the damage of each layer. Based on this, the OFT criteria of fractured zone development are obtained. The mechanical model of strata suspended integrity and overhanging stability are established. Finally, a new method to predict the height of fractured zone due to HIM is put forward based on the processes of OFT, the limited suspension-distance, and the limited overhanging distance. Further, a HIM panel in the Datong coal mine is taken as an example. Theoretical methods are proposed, and engineering analogy is used to predict the height of the fractured zone, which is compared with in-situ measurements reported in the literature. The results show that the in-situ measurements for the height of the fractured zone are in close agreement with the theoretical calculation result. Therefore, the rationality and reliability of the theoretical method proposed to predict the height of fractured zone is verified.INTRODUCTIONThe height of the fractured zone (HFZ) due to the exploitation of coal is a key parameter for the safety analysis of coal mining under a body of water (Wenbing, Youfeng, and Hou, 2012). Accordingly, it is necessary to predict HFZ under the corresponding mining conditions before coal mining."

Jan 1, 2018

By Ana Carolina Abrantes de Souza

O objetivo deste trabalho foi a obtenção de microestruturas diferenciadas, em um aço baixo carbono com microadição de Molibdênio e Nióbio laminado a quente, após submetê-lo a diferentes meios de resfriamento antes e após a temperatura de interrupção de 600°C (que simulava a temperatura de bobinamento). A evolução microestrutural e mecânica foi avaliada com o auxílio de técnicas de microscopia óptica e microscopia eletrônica de varredura, testes de dureza Vickers e tração uniaxial, somado a determinação das temperaturas de transformação de fase em um analisador termomecânico (TMA). De acordo com os resultados, meios de resfriamentos mais severos foram mais efetivos em proporcionar um aumento da resistência mecânica associado a decréscimo da ductilidade pela formação de fases mais dura e aumento da acicularidade da ferrita.

Jul 30, 2018

By R. R. Allen

Gieseler plastometer tests were performed on eight western coking coals at retort - immersion depths ranging from 2 to 3-3 /4 inches (measured to the center of the coal charge ) . Increased maximum fluidities were associated with greater retort - immersion depths , the most pronounced increases being observed on highly swelling coals when tested at 3-3 /4 inches . The maximum fluidity of one of these coals when tested at 3-3 /4 inches was 146 percent greater than that observed at 24 inches . Retort - immersion depth had no significant effect on the temperatures of initial softening , fusion , maximum fluidity , end of fusion , and solidification .

Jan 1, 1964

By Carlos .. Alvarado P

Si bien la empresa Inversiones mineras del Sur S.A. inicia sus operaciones de la mina Ishihuinca a través de la Planta de cianuración, la ejecución de sus pruebas para determinar el mejor proceso de beneficio, concluyeron que ni la cianuración ni la precipitación eran los procesos adecuados para la obtención del oro. En este sentido, el presente texto analiza el origen del problema, derivándolo a una mezcla de minerales de la mina,para luego plantear un programa de minado selectivo donde se elimine la extracción de los minerales con sulfuro secundario a través de los óxidos y sulfuros primarios.

Nov 8, 1984

By J. A. Marts, R. C. Gilmore, Jr. Bogin, S. A. Saki, J. F. Brune, J. W. Grubb

The main purpose of mine ventilation design is to provide sufficient quantity and quality of air to the workers and to dilute methane and other contaminants. It is generally perceived that the additional air along the longwall face will improve methane dilution on the face and in the tailgate. However, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling efforts at the Colorado School of Mines (CSM) under a National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) funded research project have found that higher flow velocities along the longwall face are shown to increase the pressure differential between the gob and longwall face allowing more methane to be entrained in the active face and tailgate (TG) area, thereby negating the dilution effect. The increased face ventilation causes an increase in pressure along the headgate side which allows more oxygen to ingress into the gob area, thereby increasing the amount of oxygen available to form explosive methane air mixtures in the gob and to support spontaneous combustion of the coal. Two things are happening at two different locations along the longwall face, increase in pressure as the flow enters the active area cause an increase in pressure which forces more oxygen into the gob, but as the flow is developed along the longwall face, the higher velocities causes greater pressure drop allowing methane to enter the active face further downstream from the headgate (HG) towards the tailgate side. In this paper, a parametric study will be presented to discuss the effect that varying the face air quantity has on methane concentrations in the tailgate and formation of explosive gas zones (EGZs) in the gob. Counter to conventional wisdom, it appears that increased longwall face air quantities may increase the explosion hazard as they result in increased EGZ volumes in the gob, along with increased methane quantities in the tailgate return.

Jan 1, 2015

By H. Y. Sun, Q. Y. Tan, X. P. Niu, L. Li, Y. Jia, R. M. Ruan

During bioleaching processes of sulfide minerals, the sulfide minerals act as the natural habitats for acidophiles, of which, most are autotrophic iron and sulfur oxidizing microbes. These microbes acquire energy by oxidation of sulfide minerals, and play crucial role in bioleaching processes. In the industrial bioleaching heaps, microbial community and their activity are highly related to engineering configurations, while the optimized industrial operation can help to fast dissolution of aim minerals and acid/iron balance under optimized microbial condition. Microbial community succession and activity formation, the function of microbes to mineral dissolution, the mechanisms to promotion and inhibition of sulfide minerals oxidation, and the industrial instances for microbial community regulation were reviewed. For these instances, promoted microbial activity helped to fast pyrite oxidation for sulfuric acid generation, which realized zero sulfur acid addition to the irrigation solution in the initiation of a bioleaching heaps. High microbial activity by optimized operation parameters improved Cu leaching efficiency during the heap bioleaching process. And also by inhibition of microbial activity, especially the iron oxidizing microbes, the excessive pyrite oxidation can be inhibited, which helped to the acid/iron balance during heap bioleaching. INTRODUCTION Around the world, high grade copper ore are exploited, while barely new high-grade deposits are succeeded, the copper grade of ore deposit is constantly decreasing. The increasing copper demands worldwide requests to process these low-grade ore deposits. Processing of low-grade ores are not economical by usual extraction processes. Heap leaching is a cheaper process for recovery of low-grade ores, and has been applied to extract valuable metals from sulfide minerals worldwide, such as copper, gold, uranium and nickel (Gericke et al., 2009). Heap leaching process has greatly decreased the economic grade and expanded the recoverable ore reserve worldwide (Brierley, 2008). It is usually carried out in the open environments, and could process huge amount of ore (usually in millions of tonnes in one reactor) in the heap reactor (Gericke et al., 2009). For copper sulfide, especially the secondary copper sulfides, heap (dump) bioleaching is successfully applied. Heap bioleaching process is cost saving, and sometimes can be achieved without adding chemical into heaps, by microbial fixing of the atmospheric N2 and CO2, and generating oxidant Fe3+ and sulfuric acid in heaps from oxidation of sulfide minerals. Also heap bioleaching is environment friendly by cycling use of the leaching solution, and without exhaust emission.

Jan 1, 2019

By A N. Parry, G van Wyk

"Sensor based automatic ore sorting technologies are used in the minerals industries to efficiently remove waste and submarginal grade material from crushed and screened run-of-mine (ROM) ore, producing a coarse (typically >10 mm) upgraded preconcentrate at an early stage in the mineral processing circuit. This avoids additional energy intensive downstream processing of this rejected component of the ROM feed, leading to lower unit operating costs and reduced tailings disposal volumes.Test work on bulk low-grade gold ore stockpile samples from Central Norseman Gold Proprietary Limited has been conducted, indicating high gold recoveries as well as high material rejection rates. A financial model, based on these results, evaluates grade sensitivity and identifies a minimum stockpile grade for adequate financial returns. The base case modelling estimates that the ex-stockpile grade (including the fines bypassed fraction) can be more than doubled through ore sorting and that the project will be highly viable with strong cash flow generation at stockpile grades as low as 0.7 g/t gold. The modelling will enable the company to benchmark ore sorting options against stockpile reclaim and screening operations currently employed. Citation:Parry, A N and van Wyk, G, 2016. Upgrading Low-grade Gold Ore Stockpiles by Preconcentration Using Ore Sorting - an Assessment of the Economic Impact and Viability, in Proceedings 13th AusIMM Mill Operators’ Conference 2016, pp 179–190 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne)."

Oct 10, 2016

By P. T. Bissert, L. Yan, J. R. Srednicki, J. A. Yonkey

"Refuge alternatives (RAs) are required in underground coal mines to support life post-disaster. RAs are mandated by MSHA to maintain an apparent temperature (AT) at or below 95°F (35°C) while providing a safe and livable shelter for a minimum of 96 hours. Because strata composition and mine temperatures will affect the final AT within an occupied RA, NIOSH researchers have collaborated with five underground coal mines across the US to characterize the effects of geographic location and seasonal temperature fluctuations on mine air temperature, relative humidity, and mine strata temperatures. The data collected indicates that some mines will experience greater temperature fluctuations than others, based on geographic location. The mine which demonstrated the greatest temperature differential over the course of the year resulted in a mine air temperature that ranged from 53.4°F (11.9°C) to 84.2°F (29.0°C) and a rib surface temperature that ranged from 55.4°F (13.0°C) to 82.8°F (28.2°C). This data suggests that the location and seasonal peak temperature can significantly affect the mine strata temperature, which could lead to a fully occupied RA exceeding the 95°F (35°C) AT limit over the course of 96 hours. The data reported in this paper could be used to examine the heat buildup inside an RA for actual mine conditions. Thermal simulations could be implemented to evaluate maximum occupancy ratings based on actual mine temperatures and strata compositions. INTRODUCTION In the event of a mine disaster, miners’ primary focus is to escape. Should their attempt be futile, they can enter a refuge alternative (RA) to await rescue. In 2008, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) mandated that underground coal mines implement RAs within 1,000 ft (304.8 m) of the working face and spaced within one-hour travel distances in outby areas where persons work such that persons in outby areas are never more than than a 30-minute travel distance from an RA or safe exit. These RAs are required to provide a safe and habitable shelter for a minimum of 96 hours and to prevent the apparent temperature (AT) from exceeding 95°F (35°C) [1]. There is concern throughout the industry that in some cases the internal ambient of occupied RAs may exceed the 95°F (35°C) AT limit due to the potentially hot mine atmosphere as well as the metabolic heat generated by RA occupants and the carbon dioxide scrubbing system. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has conducted tests in its Safety Research Coal Mine (SRCM) and its Experimental Mine (EM) to investigate heat buildup in RAs. It was found that the number of occupants in an RA may need to be reduced based on the ambient mine temperature, which varies from mine to mine [2]. Further testing and analyses were completed to evaluate the mechanisms (conduction, convection, radiation) by which heat is transferred from an RA to the mine surroundings. Additionally, the effects of varying mine strata compositions on the heat buildup inside an RA were studied [3]. The mine strata temperatures will increase due to heat transfer from within an RA. Depending on the mine strata composition, some mines may be more thermally conductive than others. For example, sandstone is much more conductive than shale or coal (i.e. it disippates heat at a quicker rate). All things being equal, the air temperature inside of an RA after 96 hours will be higher for a mine with strata that has low thermal conductivity compared to a mine with high thermal conductivity."

Jan 1, 2017

By William I. Weisman

Natural sodium sulfate is obtained from both brines and solid deposits. The brines almost always contain other salts with sodium chloride predominating. They may be obtained from surface occurrences, such as Great Salt Lake or from shallow subterranean deposits. Althought many sodium sulfate minerals are known to exist, only three are of commercial significance. These are thenardite, the anhydrous salt; mirabilite, the decahydrate; and glauberite, the double salt of sodium and calcium sulfate. The reader is referred to Weisman (1983) for details on mineralogy and geology of sodium sulfate minerals. Sodium sulfate deposits, either in the form of brine or solid minerals, are found in many parts of the world. Natural sources, by far, provide the primary supply of commercial grades in Canada, Mexico, Spain, and probably in the U.S.S.R., Chile, Argentina, and Turkey. In the United States, production of natural material and synthetic (including by-product) are about equal in volume and have been for many years.

Jan 1, 1984

By A. Collings, A. Farmer

Power ultrasound may be used in the processing of mineral suspensions to clean the particle surfaces of oxidation products and fine coatings, mainly through the large, but very localised forces, produced by cavitation. This effect may be utilised in lowering the level of iron contamination in silica sand used for glass making, in improving the sharpness of electrostatic separation of heavy mineral concentrates, in shortening the time of leaching of minerals and in improving the selectivity and recovery of flotation processes. Parameters affecting the efficiency of these processes, such as input power and levels of reagent addition, are discussed. In particular, we present data showing the relationship between power input and the particle size of surface coatings removed, which can be explained by the Derjaguin approximation for the energy of interaction between a sphere and a flat surface. Pilot scale studies, using commercially available components, are currently being used to assess process viability and will be compared with laboratory scale results.

Jan 1, 2003