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By P. G. Thornhill

EARLY in 1951, Falconbridge undertook a research program aimed at the development of a sulphate roasting process for the recovery of the non-ferrous rnetals from the nickeliferous pyrrhotite fraction of Falconbridge ore, in order to reduce the tonnage of iron entering the srnelter. Such a method, it was hoped, would permit a high recovery of the nickel from pyrrhotite otherwise entering the smelter feed, thus not only raising the grade of the latter and reducing its iron content, but also providing an iron oxide residue useful as a source of by-product iron ore. At an early stage in the exploratory laboratory test work it was found that the degree to which the nickel could be solubilized by the sulphating roasting treatment was limited by particle size and the ex-tent to which the pyrrhotite concentrates were freed of the nickel occurring as physically separable pentlandite, a mineral relatively difficult to roast. ( 1) Thus the program

Jan 1, 1961

By Akihiko Nishiyama

Unmanned construction technology used for remote control operation of construction machines has some problems to solve compared with manned operation of construction machines, such as fatigue due to long-term operation or decreases in operational efficiency. To solve these problems, we recorded the viewpoints of operators in both manned and remote control operation and analyzed the differences. This paper reports on our discussion of improving the operability of remote control operation based on the analysis results.

Aug 1, 2013

By Matheus Tocchini, Henrique Kahn, Juliana Antoniassi, Carina Ulsen, Eldon Masini

"Sand and gravel are the second and third largest minerals in production in Brazil, and this is increasing noticeably. The extraction of natural sand from river beds is increasingly restricted and most of the sand used in large cities comes in from more than 150 km away, resulting in high transportation costs. As a result, it has become more common to use crushed rock as artificial sand. The main difficulties in this process are controlling the shape of the particles and the content of deleterious materials, such as mica. Within this situation, this paper presents an alternative to using artificial sand for concrete use. Our procedure involves the following steps: a) sampling sand from different production days, b) characterizing the bulk sample by particle size and shape distribution, chemical composition by X ray fluorescence and mineralogical composition by X ray diffraction, c) removing fine grains by air classifier, d) performing intensive attrition with high pressure washing and e) characterizing products. The results demonstrated that this sample contains a huge proportion of fine grains and a notable content of mica, which is distributed along all sieve fractions. The presence of mica makes the use of sand in concrete unfeasible, moreover scanning electron microscopy analysis demonstrated that this phylossilicate is finely grained and associated with coarse fractions. Thus, the removal of fine fractions made possible a partial reduction in mica content. Furthermore, intensive attrition demonstrated that the procedure was efficient to remove most of the mica while also reducing sharp edges, which improved the shape of these particles."

Jan 1, 2014

By T. Chmielewski

Unique mineralogical and petrological properties of black shale in the copper ore deposit of the Foresudetic Monocline (SW Poland) resulting from three lithological layers have been described in terms of its unfavorable behavior in the ore processing circuits. A concept of processing of a part of the black shale fraction from the flotation circuit of the concentrating plant by separating a by-product enriched in the shale matter was presented. This by-product represents the tailings of the first cleaning flotation and, as a hard-to-treat circulating middlings, overload the cleaning operation in the flotation circuit. It was found that the investigated by-product cannot be effectively up-graded using standard xanthate flotation. This is due to a fine dissemination of sulfide minerals in the dolomitic and clay shale particles significantly enriched in organic carbon. The content of the organic carbon is similar to that in the petrographically "pure" black shales. After a comprehensive examination of the shale by-product it was recognized that the investigated middlings can be regarded as a specific shale concentrate for individual processing. The effect of non-oxidative leaching of middlings with sulfuric acid on their further flotation was presented. It was shown that non-oxidative leaching is a selective process, in which calcium and magnesium carbonates decomposition leads to effective liberation of sulfide minerals which were finely disseminated in the hydrophilic carbonate gangue. Leaching of the flotation feed with sulfuric acid selectively decomposes carbonate minerals and consequently enhances flotation results. Saturation of leaching slurry with gaseous carbon dioxide favorably creates non-oxidative conditions and leads to a great decrease of the electrochemical potential of sulfide particles as well as hinders their solubilization. Partial carbonates leaching from middlings resulted in evident liberation of valuable minerals. Consequently, it resulted in an increase of both recovery and grade of concentrates obtained by flotation of shale by-product after non-oxidative leaching.

Jan 1, 2014

By Eduardo Thomazi

Este trabalho apresenta o estudo da influência do ciclo de resfriamento em discos cerâmicos produzidos pelo processo de moldagem por injeção em baixa pressão (MIBP). Foram injetados discos utilizando uma suspensão cerâmica com 86% em peso de Alumina (Al2O3) e 14% em peso de veículo orgânico e com dimensões de Ø80x3 mm. Três condições de resfriamento foram utilizadas para a fabricação dos discos cerâmicos: baixa taxa de resfriamento, alta taxa de resfriamento (ambos acionados após a injeção da suspensão cerâmica) e resfriamento contínuo durante todo o ciclo de injeção. Para avaliação foram considerados aspectos dimensionais (contração) e geométricos (planicidade e circularidade). Os resultados mostraram que a condição com baixa taxa de resfriamento obteve maior contração dimensional, maior desvio de planicidade, enquanto a alta taxa de resfriamento obteve uma contração intermediária e menor desvio de planicidade. Utilizando resfriamento contínuo as amostras apresentaram baixa contração devido a maior compactação da suspensão cerâmica na moldagem.

Aug 7, 2018

By Panshi Xie, Xicai Gao, Yi Luo, Youfu Zeng, Yongping Wu, Shenghu Luo

This research investigates roof deformation and failure characteristics, as well as mechanical interaction between the panels of the roof strata above two adjacent working faces in a steeply inclined coal seam. Physical modeling with photogrammetry measurement method has been employed in this investigation. The movement of roof strata and section pillar, as well as the stratum morphological characteristics, was quantitatively analyzed. Results show that the roof movement direction above the two panels has zoning characteristics, especially in the lower panel. Roof migration in the lower panel of the working face is larger than that in the upper panel. The roof to floor closure perpendicular to the seam direction is larger than the sliding along the seam. The maximum roof concave and convex bending occurred at the middle and upper parts of both panels; the roof bending in the upper panel mining area indicates a larger mining disturbance induced by lower panel mining. The void ratio contour of the lower panel is an asymmetrically arched shape, which is different from that of the upper panel area. The higher roof strata above the upper panel exhibit separation and breaking, whereas the lower roof exhibits compression due to mining in lower panel. The section pillar is compressed and slides slightly, which aggravates the mechanical interaction between the panels and increases the caving height of the roof over the lower panel and the periodic weighting intensity

By Luis Arias, Luis Ramirez

La implementación de entornos virtualizados, está cada vez generando mayor expectativa rumbo a la digitalización industrial, debido a la escala evolutiva de la tecnología haciendo uso de la realidad virtual y el metaverso. En este articulo presentamos el entorno comunitario virtual LabVR, cuyo objetivo temático está enfocado a desarrollar el conocimiento en el sector industrial-minero, mostrando un nuevo punto de vista en la manera de aprender. LabVR ha sido diseñado para optimizar las relaciones sociales a distancia y el aprendizaje, a través de diversas salas especializadas de aplicación a nivel industrial.

Sep 30, 2022

By Bruno Vidal de Almeida

A campanha dos refratários à base de carbono aplicados como revestimento de trabalho de diversos equipamentos siderúrgicos depende da soma de diversos fatores como resistência à corrosão, resistência à oxidação do carbono, estabilidade termomecânica, entre outros. Durante a etapa de aquecimento inicial de revestimentos refratários novos ocorre a oxidação prematura do carbono presente no revestimento refratário, reduzindo a vida útil do revestimento precocemente. Para reduzir a oxidação precoce do carbono foi desenvolvido um novo coating cerâmico que atua como uma eficiente barreira física, reduzindo o contato do oxigênio da atmosfera de aquecimento com o carbono presente no refratário. O coating desenvolvido possui uma fase ligante com pega química ativada termicamente e possui como carga refratária um composto sílico-aluminoso com elevada estabilidade térmica. Os resultados laboratoriais de avaliação de desempenho revelaram que com a aplicação do novo coating desenvolvido reduz-se a oxidação prematura do carbono em até 77% e elevase a vida útil do revestimento em alguns casos em até 15%. O coating desenvolvido revelou possuir excelente desempenho quanto a proteção do refratário MgO-C contra a oxidação do carbono que ocorre durante a etapa de aquecimento de equipamentos com refratários novos, comprovando sua aplicabilidade em diversos equipamentos siderúrgicos que possuem revestimentos refratários à base de carbono.

Aug 17, 2017

By H. W. Becker, C. C. Frye, A. V. Degau, A. Masuda

Natural gas containing 25.65 per cent hydrogen sulfide and 4.75 per cent carbon dioxicle is gathered frorn eight \veih arid tratzsporrcd 26 miles at a flow rate of 160 MMcf/D and at operating pressures of frotrl 1,200 to 1,800 psig. Dry desiccant dehydrators at each wellsite tnaintaitz the dew point of the gas below 17F. Telemetering facililies permit control of field operations from a central instrunlent console. Corrosion control ineasures, design coilsiderations and material specifications pertainitz to these specia1 conditions are cliscussed. INTRODUCTION Natural gas containing 25.65 per cent H2S and 4.75 pcr cent CO, is produced from the Pine Creek field, Alta. It is dehydrated at wellheads, gathered at 2.200 psig and transported 26 miles to the Windfall field where it is delivered to the inlet of injection compressors at 1,800 psig. The daily average volume of gas transported is 160 MMcf. The project is believed to be unique in its combination of percentage of hydrogen sulfide, operating pressure and transportation distance. This paper describes the project and presents details of some of the design features, corrosion control program and centralized automatic operational control. The Pine Creek field project is one phase of a joint operation of two fields—thc other being the Windfall field. The two fields lie about 30 miles north of Edson, Alta. and 20 miles west of Whitecourt, Alta., respectively, as shown on the map (Fig. 1). They are owned by the same interests and operated according to a plan for maximum economic recovery of products. The Windfall Leduc D-3 reservoir contains a rich condensate-bearing gas containing 15.5 per cent HIS. The gas from the Pine Creek field contains only very small quantities of butane and heavier products. The Windfall reservoir is being cycled to obtain maximum condensate recovery using gas from the Pine Creek field as the displacing fluid, while producing the residue sales gas for both fields from the Windfall field. The Pine Creek field development and gas-gathering facilities are shown on the map (Fig. 2). The producing formation is the Leduc D-3 reef at a depth of 11,300 ft. The original reservoir pressure was 4,590 psia at 7,400 ft subsea and the temperature is 245F. Eight wells are equippcd with dry desiccant dehydrators with the following capacity ratings: three at 35 MMcf/D; three at 20 MMcf/D; and two at 10 MMcf/D. WELLHEAD EQUIPMENT Dry desiccant dehydrators were designed to reduce the water content of the saturated wellhead stream to 2.5 lb of water/MMcf at 2,000 psig. This specification was necessary to prevent hydrates and corrosion forming in the pipeline which will operate at temperatures as low as 20F. A typical flow diagram is shown in Fig. 3, and Fig. 4 is a photograph of one of the wellhead installations. Some of the design details given below are subject to modification in the field. The well-stream flowing temperatures range from 135 to 170F. Wellhead flowing pressures up to 3,200 psig are reduced to the dehydrator-operating pressure of about 2,100 psig by throttling through a pressure control valve. The gas is then passed through an aerial cooler where its temperature is reduced to 105F. thus removing over half

By Aleksandar D. Bugarski

Three types of uncatalyzed diesel particulate filter (DPF) systems, three types of high-temperature disposable filter elements (DFEs), and one diesel oxidation catalytic converter (DOC) were evaluated in underground mine conditions for their effects on the concentrations and size distributions of diesel aerosols. Those effects were compared with the effects of a standard muffler. The experimental work was conducted directly in an underground environment using a unique diesel laboratory developed in an underground experimental mine. The DPF systems reduced total mass of aerosols in the mine air approximately 10-fold for light-load and 20-fold or more for high-load test conditions. The DFEs offered similar reductions in aerosol mass concentrations. The efficiency of the new DFEs significantly increased with accumulation of operating time and buildup of diesel particulate matter in the porous structure of the filter elements. A single laundering process did not exhibit substantial effects on performance of the filter element. The effectiveness of DPFs and DFEs in removing aerosols by number was strongly influenced by engine operating mode. The concentrations of nucleation mode aerosols in the mine air were found to be substantially higher for both DPFs and DFEs when the engine was operated at high-load modes than at low-load modes. The effects of the DOC on mass and number concentrations of aerosols in mine air were relatively minor when compared to those of the DPF and DFE systems.

Jan 1, 2009

By A. H. Lang

Introduction Tin continues to be as much a strategic metal as it was during the war. This situation is due to the fact that the tin mines in the major producing areas of Malaya and the Netherlands East Indies have not yet reached their pre-war production. Moreover, the world requirements for tin in certain fields, particularly in the food pack industries, are steadily increasing. At present, tin is still under International allocation by the Combined Tin Committee, of which Canada is a member nation. This Committee reviews periodically the availability of refined tin for export from the producing countries and makes allocations of tin to ensure equitable distribution to the consumer countries. In 1947, availability permitted an allocation of only 70 per cent of stated requirements. From 1935 to 1938 the price of tin in New York averaged 49 cents a pound and during the war the price in Canada was controlled under a subsidy programme at levels from 60 to 70 cents per pound. Just recently, this price has been raised to 96 cents. The value of the Canadian production amounts to about half a million dollars annually and the whole of this is obtained as a by-product of the lead-zinc-silver ores of the Sullivan mine in British Columbia. In 1947 Canada's imports of tin were 3,961 long tons valued at over $6,000,000. In addition, tin plate to a value of $8,000,000 was imported from the United States; the tin content of this is estimated to be from 650 to 700 long tons. An increase in domestic production would, therefore, be of great national importance, and the present high price may make the search for and development of tin deposits more attractive than it has been in the past. Although no one can foretell what future prices will be, there is reason to believe that, unless there is a drastic downward revision of production costs, the price will be maintained at present levels for some years. A number of tin occurrences are known in Canada, but none of these have been developed for their tin content alone.

Jan 1, 1948

By Martin C. Jones

INTRODUCTION This paper outlines the methods used to drill and pregrout prior to the excavation of five Mine Shafts in the Coal Measures of the Eastern United States. One example is the use of cement pregrouting of four 240 meter deep shafts and the second is the use of chemical pregrouting of a 360 meter deep shaft. These two examples will be compared and contrasted, both at the investigation stage of each project, and during the drilling and pregrouting itself, to illustrate the different approaches taken and how these affected the outcome, both technically and economically. INVESTIGATION FOR 240 METER SHAFTS In the case of the four 240 meter shafts, site investigation was carried out prior to bid, and information was made available by the Client in the form of a report. This report was based on pressure testing of NQ cored boreholes at each shaft site. Pressure testing was repeated two or more times, at each test setting, using 345 or 690 kPa of water pressure in accordance with the procedure outlined by the U. S. Bureau of Reclamation. Flow readings were taken every minute over a period of ten minutes. Maximum computed permeabilities, for the strata which accepted water under test for the shafts, carried between 1.0 x 10-6 m/s and 3.0 x 10-6 m/s, and total calculated seepages varied between 170' litres/minute to 3891 litres/minute. Although these figures did not indicate an excessive amount of seepage, the Client decided that pregrouting should be carried out, and chemical grouting was not discussed, even though the test permeabilities indicated the use of cement grout would be limited in this case.

Jan 1, 1979

By William Gilman

IN the past five years, and without much fanfare, Turkey has emerged as a significant figure in the world mining picture. This has been accomplished by a five-year plan now in its last year. A second five-year plan is already under way, ahead of schedule. It will concentrate even more than the first in developing Turkish mines in order to increase present exports of coal, chrome ore, and copper, and to develop new mineral exports as well. To be fully understand the republicic?s mining program should be considered as something more than merely tapping rich resources in the East along the Aegean Sea, in the North among the mountains descending to the Black Sea, and in the West at the foot of the Taurus Mountains. It should also be viewed in the light of a strong nationalist policy with many aspects of state socialism. Turkey declares frankly that all mineral re- sources belong to the nation and all exploitation should be by the state for the twin purpose of modernizing the state and securing foreign exchange for the state by exports. Accordingly, the principal mines are state-operated and a few lesser enterprises, although not state-owned, have at least been put in the hands of Turkish capital.

Jan 1, 1938

The problem of thin and very thin coal seam extraction in a long perspective of Ukraine?s fuel and energy industry development was determined. Technical and economic benefits of coal seams selective mining technique including beneficial environmental impact were substantiated. The scientific and practical aspects of development of borehole underground coal gasification (BUCG) technology are considered. The technological scheme of underground gas generators is offered on the basis of the authors? criteria of fitness and adaptability to the mine and geological conditions. These charts foresee the preparation of gas generators from earth surface and directly from the present mine working by inclined horizontal boreholes. Basic research is directed at abandoned supplies extraction in coal mines. Concepts of technological decisions and technical implementation of the underground part of the gasification system are worked out with analytical models, with subsequent test verification on special options and a mine experimental gas generator. Forming the technological scheme of gasification is founded on the basis of tying up spatial and sentinel factosr of coal seam gasification taking into account sufficient impermeability of the system a «gas generator ? rock massif» and to dirigibility by thermochemical processes that flow in a rock massif. The offered solutions contain the possibility of creation of the power and chemical enterprises of gasification, taking into account the complex use of BUCG products in the ecologically reserved technological cycle. Gas generator efficiency is evaluated from an economic standpoint.

Aug 1, 2013

By W. E. Webb

This report describes a method the Bureau of Mines devised for measuring the dielectric constant and loss tangent of low-loss minerals at microwave frequencies. Determina-tion of these properties makes it possible to predict the effects of using microwave heating in potential mineral processing applications. The method uses a test cell and radio-frequency (RF) impedance analyzer with automated data acquisition and analysis. In this initial phase of microwave heating research, the Bureau measured dielectric constants and loss tangents at frequencies between 100 MHz and 1 GHz. The objective was to establish a reliable data base for use in predicting the effects of microwave heating on minerals. Comparison with previously measured data showed the Bureau's measurement method to be accurate to within ± 3 pct. This report describes the method and discusses the preliminary results of the Bureau's investigations. Typical comparative data are included.

Jan 1, 1986

By Jetson Lemos Ferreira

A Usiminas vem procurando fornecer aços de menor espessura ao mercado automotivo, com graus de resistência cada vez mais elevados, destacando-se os Advanced High Strength Steels (AHSS). Contudo, até então, a aplicação desses aços tem sido destinada basicamente em aplicações em peças de segurança e de reforço estrutural dos veículos. Visou-se nesse estudo avaliar, em escala laboratorial, a aplicabilidade em painel exposto de um AHSS referente ao grau DP450 em termos de conformabilidade e de desempenho, tendo como referência aços Interstitial Free (EC180) e Interstitial Free High Strength (IFHSS220). Foi verificado que o aço DP450 apresenta características mecânicas favoráveis ao processo de estampagem de componentes automotivos expostos. Para fatores que podem limitar sua utilização, tais como a flangeabilidade e o retorno elástico, foram propostas alternativas de processamento, as quais resultaram na maximização da conformabilidade do material e em melhor fixação de forma. Em termos de aplicação, verificou-se que o aço DP450 exibiu uma resistência à indentação, avaliada pela profundidade da impressão permanente, em torno de 43% e 31% superior à dos aços EC180 e IFHSS220, respectivamente.

Aug 17, 2017

By K. D. Mondale

The chemical and physical properties of samples from ten sedimentary zeolite deposits. (representing chabazite, clinoptilolite, erionite and mordenite types), have been determined as a prelude to the development of a wet beneficiation process. The mineralogical composition of each deposit and such properties as morphology, size, apparent density, surface area, pore volume, relative hardness and zeta potential in solution have been determined. Some of these properties, especially apparent density and relative hardness, were found to differ significantly from textbook values. Based on differences in properties between the zeolites and their associated gangue minerals, a wet beneficiation process has been developed which makes use of selective grinding, sizing, sorting and gravity concentration. Additionally, an alternative upgrading process using flotation has been developed for one of the deposits.

Jan 1, 1988

By R. W. Bartlett

High salinity geothermal brines typically contain up to several hundred parts per million of valuable heavy metals, and because of the large potential flow of geothermal brines from future power plants, metal production as a by-product could be significant A-planned 55-MW demonstration plant near Niland, California should generate enough spent brine to contain approximately $670,000 per year in gross metal values. Lawrence Livermore Laboratory estimates (1) a Salton Sea Geothermal potential of 1300 to 8700 MW, which would translate to possible yearly heavy metal values between $5,800,000 and .$l05,000,000. Since these estimates were made on a conservative basis, this geothermal reservoir is potentially a large ore deposit. The heavy metals in order of decreasing abundance in high salinity brines from the Salton Sea geothermal field are usually manganese, zinc, iron, lead, and silver. All but manganese and iron are valuable enough to be of commercial interest. Minor amounts of copper and arsenic are also present. Although heavy metal precipitates, particularly lead, have been found in scales within pipelines and obtained from steam flashing, most of the metals remain soluble during steam production; hence removal of the valuable metals from the spent brine before reinjection in ground reservoirs is indicated. Because the heavy metal concentrations are low, a very simple and inexpensive process is required. The heavy metal value in Niland brine is only ' about $1 per 1000 gallons; see Table 1. The brine composition shown in Table 1 was taken from one of the brine samples used in our study. Projected post-flash brine from a steam plant has somewhat higher Zn and Pb values, but the gross heavy metal value is still less than $2 per 1000 gallons.

Jan 1, 1980

By Arthur E. Morris

Fifty years ago when Professor Yazawa began his career, the field of process simulation and modeling was in its infancy. Since then, tremendous progress has been made in our ability to model metal production flowsheets from mine to refined metal. This progress has come about by parallel developments in basic understanding of process chemistry and in computational techniques, This paper will review the progress made in process understanding and modeling in lead, zinc, and copper metallurgy from its inception to the present, and the role of Professor Yazawa's work in furthering this progress. Specific examples will be given for the sintering of lead concentrates, slag fuming, zinc concentrate roasting, flash smelting of copper, and pyro-extraction of zinc. Factors limiting further progress will be described.

Jan 1, 2003

By Giacobbe Braccio, Alessandro Blasi, Assunta Romanelli, Massimo Morgana, Corradino Sposato

The solvent extraction technique is the only industrial way used to separate and purificate yttrium from other rare earths. In order to improve this process several extractants have been tested during last years. In this work, the behavior of sec-octylphenoxy acetic acid (CA-12) in Yttrium recovery from high concentrated heavy rare earth mixture was investigated. Sodium hydroxide solution was used in order to presaponify organic phase composed by CA-12 and Tributyl phosphate (TBP) diluted in kerosene. In the investigated condition, TBP confirmed its role of phase modifier not significantly altering the extraction behavior of CA-12. The CA-12-TBP system showed a high affinity in extraction for lighter rare earths such as Sm, Eu, and Gd, leaving yttrium in aqueous phase. Using a feed concentration (P [RE]) of 1 M, organic mixture is capable to extract around the 70% of metals in a single extraction test showing this extraction sequence Y < Lu < Yb < Tm < Er < Ho < Dy < Tb < Gd < Eu < Sm. Moreover for [CA-12] = 1.79 M and [RE] = 2 M the instability of extraction system occurs.

Mar 1, 2017