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By R. F. Coulter

THE Flin Flon concentrating and metallurgical plants (Figure 1) of the Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting Co., Limited, lie adjacent to the town of Flin Flon, on the Manitoba-Saskatchewan border, 400 miles northwest of Winnipeg. Since the start of milling operations in 1930, over 50 million tons of ore from the Flin Flon mine have been treated in the concentrator. During the past few years, newly discovered orebodies have been brought into production and their ores processed at the company's main metallurgical plants. All these properties are within a 75-mile radius of Flin Flon and have aided substantially in augmenting plant metal production as well as retarding depletion of ore reserves in the Flin Flon mine. •Current satellite producers are the Schist Lake, Coronation, and Chisel Lake mines. The Schist Lake mine, located 3 ½ miles southeast of the main plant, is a copper-zinc producer. It was brought into production in 1954. The

Jan 1, 1962

By Les Philips

National Institute for Safety and Health?s (NIOSH, USA) Office of Mine Safety and Mine Safety and Health (OMSHR) has definitions for: -Proximity Detection as detection of personnel, vehicles and other objects near a machine using some type of sensor technology -Proximity Warning (aka Collision Warning) as detection of personnel, vehicles and other objects near a machine resulting in alarms that ?Warn the operator only ?Warn the operator and nearby personnel (two-way) -Collision Avoidance as the processing of sensor information resulting in control signals or actions that alter machine status/movement to avoid a collision by ?Computer control ?Human control

May 1, 2013

By H. Kurushima, S. Tsunoda

An investigation of the hydrometallurgy of Cu-Zn concentrates by The Dowa Mining Co. of Japan is described and a detailed flowsheet of the Kosaka hydro-metallurgical plant is given. Sufficient operating experience has shown that the Dorrco FluoSolids system has proven successful for recovery of both zinc and copper by roasting in a fluidized bed. At present, 2400 metric tons of concentrates per month are being treated and recoveries of 93 pct Cu and 65 pct Zn are being effected. A SURVEY of the Japanese chemical industry in 1949 revealed, among other things, that sulphur-bearing blast furnace gas from the Kosaka smelter of The Dowa Mining Co. Ltd., Kosaka, Japan, was being exhausted to the atmosphere as waste. In addition, it was costing that company an average of ten million yen ($28,000) annually for damages to the surrounding property caused by the sulphur dioxide in the gas. It was recommended by this survey that the gas be utilized for the production of sulphuric acid by the contact process. Mr. Kurushima visited the United States in May 1950 to investigate the engineering, construction, and operation of a contact acid plant. Any acid produced at Kosaka would necessarily have to be 98 pct H,SO, to prevent corrosion in railroad tank cars transporting it to the point of use. However, the production of 98 pct acid requires constant volume and SO, content of the gas. As the converter gas at Kosaka fluctuates in both volume and quality, it was decided to evaluate the smelting process with relation to other methods of recovery. This evaluation revealed a relatively new type of roaster, the Dorrco FluoSolids reactor, which was reported to be capable of roasting the copper sulphide concentrate in an excess of air with the production of an SO1 gas strong enough for acid production and a water-soluble copper sulphate calcine. The copper sulphate then could be leached from the roasted ore and electrolytic copper recovered from the leach solution in much the same manner as practiced by the Chile Exploration CO. for treating naturally occuring copper sulphate ores. Use of a reactor of this type would eliminate the need for a blast furnace and converter and, in addition, would effect savings in labor and fuel. The Kosaka ore is a microscopically fine mixture of copper, zinc, and lead sulphides. The lead and a small amount of the barite present can be separated by flotation, but any separation of copper and zinc proved extremely difficult. In blast furnace operation at Kosaka, zinc had been slagged off until a stockpile of about 12,000,000 tons containing 5 pct Zn had been accumulated. Mr. Kurushima felt that if any of the zinc in the concentrate was sulphat-ized and leached with the copper, it also could be recovered electrolytically. The Dorr Co., sponsors of fluidization technique in the metallurgical field, suggested that sulphate roasting be tested out on a laboratory scale and that, if successful, a commercial Dorrco FluoSolids system be constructed. They indicated that the results from such laboratory tests could be transposed to a commercial scale without pilot planting the roasting operation. It was therefore decided to send samples of flotation concentrate to the West-port Mill, laboratories of The Dorr Co., for testing. The objective of Mr. Kurushima's visit to the United States thus had changed from investigation of sulphuric acid plants to a fundamental examination of the hydrometallurgy of copper and zinc. Testing Program In February 1951, Mr. Tsunoda went to the United States to witness the application of the FluoSolids system to sulphate roasting at The Dorr

Jan 1, 1956

By N McIntyre, M Edraki, K R. Jain

From the very early stages of a mining project, there is a requirement to predict the chemistry of potential drainages from various waste storage facilities. However, using relative masses to scale chemical loads measured by laboratory kinetic tests, such as humidity cells, to a full-scale mine waste facility will lead to concentration predictions that are unrealistically high for many dissolved constituents. Scaling factors developed by various procedures indicate that laboratory rates may range anywhere from two to eight times (Drever and Clow, 1995) to 100 to 1000 times faster than field rates (Malmstrom et al, 2000; Smith and Beckie, 2003; Ritchie, 1994). This contribution will use previous works and secondary data to discuss the significance of scale in water quality predictions. It will also present primary experimental geochemical and numerical data from a column leaching study on coal spoils to discuss potential applications of mesoscale leaching tests in bridging the gap between bench-top tests and field scale trials.

Aug 2, 2023

By M. R. Carter

The Rochester Mining District is located some twenty-five miles NE of Lovelock, Nevada. The District was discovered and named in the 1860's by prospectors from Rochester, New York. For a number of years, they worked Rochester Canyon, sinking shafts and inclines and making open cuts. After reaching a depth of approximately eighty feet, the miners tapped an underground channel and were driven from these workings by a strong flow of water leaving pumps in the shaft and barely escaping with their lives. With the Rochester workings no longer accessible, the miners went to the southeast and established the Relief Mining District. About 1881, gold was found in the gravel at the mouth of American Canyon, to the east of Rochester. These placers were worked until 1895, first by the Americans who reportedly took out $1 000 000, and later by the Chinese who mined the gravel with great skill. It was estimated that the Chinese took out as much as $10 000 000.

Jan 1, 1987

By Mike Johnson, Greg Andrews, Niels Verbaan, Ernesto Bourricaudy, David Dreisinger

Search Minerals has developed a Direct Extraction Process for recovery of rare earths from the Foxtrot and Deep Fox deposits in Labrador Canada. The process includes crushing, acid treatment, water leaching, impurity removal, precipitation of an intermediate rare earth product and finally re fining of the intermediate product to produce a high purity mixed rare earth oxide (*99% total rare each oxides). The Direct Extraction Process has been validated in an extensive demonstration pilot plant program at SGS Minerals. A total of 3 tonnes of material was processed to produce final mixed rare earth product. The results of the demonstration pilot plant program are reported.

Mar 1, 2018

By James C. Cawley

A summary is presented of existing leaky feeder communications systems currently in operation in North America. Background information pertaining to previous use of leaky feeder technology is discussed along with the survey methodology. A review of some pertinent facts concerning propagation in tunnels and specific reference to mine tunnel propagation is presented. A summary of the characteristics of each mine visited is presented in tabular form, and methods of procurement and maintenance are discussed. The role of user training in efficient system use is presented. Seven sites representing eight mines are included in the survey. Economic and technical topics are considered.

By P Walker, I Crnkovic, D Bennett

The Phu Kham deposit represents a copper-gold porphyry system, with mineralisation present in skarn, stockwork and disseminated styles. Significant folding and alteration events have created a complex heterogeneous mineralogy horizon. Weathering and water table contact have created a leached zone, overlying transition zones with supergene chalcocite- dominant secondary copper mineralisation and clay-rich gangue. Primary ore copper mineralisation is mainly chalcopyrite with minor bornite. The major challenges to the copper-gold flotation process are a wide size distribution of chalcopyrite mineralisation and poor primary grind liberation, a high pyrite content in skarn ore requiring aggressive pyrite depression conditions, clay-rich gangue and non-sulfide copper mineralisation in weathered zones, and a significant association of gold with pyrite.The Phu Kham concentrator has been developed as a conventional semi-autogenous grinding (SAG) and ball milling circuit followed by selective rougher flotation, regrinding and cleaner flotation to produce a copper concentrate containing payable gold and silver values. The concentrator flow sheet design offered a capital efficient compromise between high copper recovery bulk sulfide flotation with large cleaning capacity, and lower recovery copper selective rougher flotation to ensure concentrate specification of 24 per cent copper grade could be achieved. This paper will examine and discuss concentrator flow sheet development, including projects implemented since commissioning to improve copper recovery, and future projects designed to maintain and enhance copper in concentrate production with decreasing copper grade and increasing pyrite content of ore feed, and increasing hardness of primary ore.CITATION:Bennett, D, Crnkovic, I and Walker, P, 2012. Recent process developments at the Phu Kham Copper-Gold Concentrator, Laos, in Proceedings 11th AusIMM Mill OperatorsÆ Conference, pp 257-272 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Oct 29, 2012

By Serge L. Delinois

President Kennedy said that before 1970 this country will send a man to the Moon and get him back on Earth safely. Today, no one doubts that his promise will become reality. He who asks "What, then, is next for us in space?" is no longer considered a dreamer. And one of the very first things he discovers in trying to answer this question is that in whatever does come next, geologists and mining engineers will play a prominent role. This will be true not only in the conquest of the Moon, but also in that of the whole solar system. After 1970, it is very likely that a permanent lunar camp will be established. This beachhead, supplied entirely from Earth, in the beginning, will gradually develop into a research complex where virtually all scientific disciplines are investigated.

Jan 1, 1966

By B. C. Blakey

Unlike most hydrometallurgical slurries, those containing significant concentrations of goethite are typically highly viscous and shear-thinning, even at solid volume fractions below 5%. The viscosity may also depend upon time. These characteristics must be taken into consideration in slurry transport and heating. The technical literature is replete with apparent contradictions regarding the viscous behavior of these slurries, which may be due, in part, to variations in viscosity-measuring techniques. We present techniques that yield consistent results suitable for use in process design. A striking degree of time-dependent behavior is demonstrated for a laterite slurry. Reliable methods to design and analyze tubular transport and heating systems for time-independent slurries are summarized. Rules of thumb are then offered to account for the effects of time-dependency.

Jan 1, 2000

By Windsor C

A review of the current pit design procedures and their performance has been undertaken recently by Mining Research Associates (MRA) and the CSIRO Division of Geomechanics. Visits were made to mines covering a wide range of operations. A questionnaire was completed by each mine in order to collate the relevant information. Interviews were also made with representatives of the Mines Departments to ascertain their role in regulating mine designs. Design expectations were compared with field performance, and reasons for variations noted. Problems associated with designs were identified and suggested methods of alleviating the problems have been made.

Jan 1, 1986

By T. H. Jeffers

To help maintain an adequate supply of minerals to meet national, economic, and strategic needs, the Bureau of Mines investigated the feasibility of extracting copper from coarse native copper ore with ammoniacal ammonium carbonate solution by a simulated in situ leaching procedure. A 5.9-metric-ton (6.5-ton) sample of minus 30.5-centimeter (12-inch) conglomerate-type ore analyzing 1.96 percent copper was leached in a column for 556 days with a solu-tion that contained, in grams per liter, 2.2 NBs and 1.9 CO[3=]. The copper extraction was 71.4 percent, and reagent consumptions were, in kilograms per metric ton of ore, 1.1 NBs and 0.85 CO[3=] (in pounds per ton of ore, 2.2 NH3 and 1.7 CO[3=]). The pregnant leach solutions contained about 1.4 grams per liter copper, which was readily extracted from these low-tenor liquors with a 1:19 mixture of an organic extractant and kerosine. Copper was stripped from the loaded organic with depleted electrolyte containing 150 grams per liter H2S04, and the copper was recovered by electrowinning with antimonial lead anodes. Conditions also were established for minimal lead transfer to the cathode copper.

Jan 1, 1979

By N Maistry, A Singh

It is estimated that in less than a decade, high-grade iron ore reserves in South Africa will be depleted, leaving only low-grade ores with a dominant lithology of banded iron formation (BIF) hematite. BIF is a complex ore reserve as it is typically liberated below 1 mm, resulting in high energy costs. However, due to its abundance, its beneficiation potential should be evaluated to maximise recovery at an acceptable product grade. To develop a beneficiation program for BIF hematite, the first step is to determine the effect of two laboratory crushing techniques on mineralogical characteristics, specifically liberation and shape. For this study, the cone crusher and high pressure grinding rolls (HPGR) were used. The Electron MicroProbe Analysis (EMPA) and Mineral Liberation Analyser (MLA) were used to compare the mineralogical characteristics. The liberation characteristics for hematite are similar for both crushing techniques; however, HPGR preferentially liberates quartz. HPGR achieved 8– 12 per cent additional quartz liberation in the greater than 80 per cent and 100 per cent liberation classes respectively and specifically in +75 μm size range. Improved quartz liberation is associated with lower energy requirements for downstream milling and improved separation efficiencies for beneficiation units that operate in this size range. Both samples displayed similar shape characteristics; most particles were elongated smooth and the rest were elongated angular. Good hematite liberation is expected at grinds of 212 μm to 150 μm. Further consideration should be given to throughputs, energy efficiency and downstream equipment selection prior to selecting a crushing technique.

Sep 18, 2023

By C. E. MacQuigg

MAN?S desire to harden metal is older than recorded history and obviously would date from the moment when he found his implements were not equal to the demands of service. This need for hardness in metal may be divided roughly into two main classifications: (1 :I need for hardness through- out-for purposes of greater strength or elasticity of the whole implement or member, and (2) need for surface hardness alone. A strong steel needed to transmit stresses or resist de- formation is an example of the first class. In metals only surface- hardened, the chief need is for resistance to wear. Obviously the whole gamut of all uses can be imagined- from the extreme of a simple cantilever supporting a load in space to that of a solidly supported face plate serving to resist wear. It is the in- creasing of wear resistance which I propose to discuss.

Jan 1, 1939

By O. Peters, D. Lascelles, R. Caldwell

Ageing tests on a crushed Cu-porphyry ore were conducted to assess the impact of sample oxidation on flotation performance. The objective of the testwork was to simulate ageing of ore that would be blasted through block caving but not milled for possibly several months. Ageing was performed in specially designed columns, using site and deionised water to keep the samples moist over the entire ageing period. Samples from each ageing interval (0, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, and 8 months) were examined for physical and metallurgical changes resulting from the ageing process through chemical analyses, size analyses, and batch flotation tests.

Jan 1, 2009

By Arthur V. Petty

The Bureau of Mines has investigated the effect of refractory oxide additions, introduced in soluble form, on the refractory properties of 42-, 58-, and 70-pct-A1203 brick. Brick having porosities ranging from 12 to 16 pct were impregnated with solutions containing chrome, chrome-iron, zirconium, calcium, magnesium, cobalt, nickel, tin, and manganese ions. Additions of some of these ions provided dramatic improvements to such properties as hot modulus of rupture, hot load, and particularly slag resistance. These improvements can be related to reduction of porosity, amorphous grain boundary phases, formation of more refractory bond phases, and reduction of the wettability of Al203-containing refractories by metallurgical slags. Fifty-eight-percent-AI203 brick, impregnated with chrome, showed hot modulus of rupture, hot load, and slag resistance two to five times better than those of untreated 70-pct-AI203 brick. This could result in reducing the Nation's dependence on imported refractory-grade bauxite generally required for high-A1203 brick, as domestic alumina resouces could be used to produce the improved refractories.

Jan 1, 1984

By Andre L. Du Preez

Global mine hoisting regulations require safety fall arrest systems to be installed on vertical conveyance systems capable of safely decelerating and supporting a fully loaded conveyance in the event of a rope severance. Most current arresting systems are incapable of producing controlled safe deceleration rates. Although safety ?dogs? achieve marginally acceptable results on wooden guides, difficulties arise in achieving safe deceleration performance requirement where safety arrest systems operate on steel shaft guides. Previously, arresting systems capable of operating with steel guides have been incapable of producing controlled deceleration rates during the arresting of free-falling conveyances. Most are ?instanton? systems, whereby an occupant inside a conveyance being arrested would be subjected to unacceptably high deceleration forces. This paper briefly highlights the background to the selection process of Rio Tinto?s Technical Staff of a suitable Mine Conveyance Safety Fall Arrest System for #1 Shaft at Rio Tinto Oyu Tolgoi Mine, Mongolia. It also describes the Drop Test and Free Fall Test procedure and the results leading to the acceptance of the Horne Group Levelok® Emergency Braking Technology for the Oyu Tolgoi #1 Shaft in Mongolia. The paper highlights Rio Tinto?s primary objective for the selection of this advanced technology on their primary production shaft cage system as an emergency safety catch braking system combined as an advance hydraulic chairing system. It describes the design and operational parameters and the 'Fail to Safe' interfacing with current automated mine hoist systems.

Aug 1, 2013

By C. Van Den Heuvel, C. B. Van Buuren

BIOX® has been successfully demonstrated over the past 2 decades for the recovery of gold from refractory sulphide concentrates. To date 12 successful BIOX® plants have been installed in 8 countries spanning 4 continents with the 13th installation currently nearing completion in the Philippines. In 2010 BIOMIN introduced the ASTER™ process for improved water balances in commercial BIOX® applications by supporting tightening environmental legislation on water usage and availability in both arid and tropical regions. Previously, a common challenge for BIOX® plants was the inability to recycle thiocyanate containing water due to the low tolerance of the organisms. ASTER™, a biological thiocyanate and cyanide destruction process, renders a non-toxic solution for re-use in BIOX®. Two commercial ASTER™ plants are in operation with the 3rd ASTER™ plant under construction in the Philippines. A 3rd BIOMIN technology, specifically developed for double refractory ores is available for implementation. The HiTeCC process has shown considerable success on ores where competition from disseminated carbon has rendered ineffective gold recoveries. Through HiTeCC, gold is desorbed from the carbonaceous matter by manipulating the ionic strength and temperature of conventionally treated CIL product. One Australian commercial plant utilises HiTeCC while a 2nd installation is set for commissioning 4th Quarter 2014. BIOMIN’s premier solutions for refractory gold processing are described herein.

Jan 1, 2014

By J. Y. ` Xie

The paper introduced bio-oxidation plants of refractory gold concentrate in China and CCGRI cultures. CCGRI cultures are composed of bacteria and archaea. Archaea Ferroplasma acidiphilum is very thick and fills whole mineral surface. It plays a more dominant role in CCGRI process. Several years of practice has proved that the operating temperature in bioreactors between 38~52?,gold recovery is almost same. Pulp concentration has been increased each year and reached to 25%.

Jan 1, 2014

By W Potma, C Brauhart, S Halley, S Urbisinov, A Scogings

Truly integrated, quantitative, 3D GEOmetallurgical (or mineral system) characterisation, classification and 3D modelling should provide a cradle to grave unifying link across the exploration and mining value chain. All too often, spatially representative (quantitative) characterisation and modelling of a mineral system is delayed until feasibility stage, incurring a significant opportunity cost. The application of robust GEOmet characterisation methods early in the project lifecycle (at exploration stage) improves ground selection, exploration, and Mineral Resource estimation outcomes, long before there is a need for metallurgical test work. The value of this early provision of quantitative 3D mineralogy models is compounded at project feasibility stage, and continues to accrue over the entire project lifecycle, delivering cost savings, improved decision making and early warning of issues and opportunities.CITATION: Potma, W, Halley, S, Scogings, A, Urbisinov, S and Brauhart, C, 2018. Putting the ‘GEO’ back in front of GEOmetallurgy: importance of early implementation of quantitative mineral system characterisation, classification and modelling, in Proceedings Complex Orebodies Conference 2018, pp 55–57 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Nov 21, 2018