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By J. H. Shillabeer

"Rational exploration requires the prior selection of areas possessing excellent geological potential and minimum hazards to commercial development . Within an over-all strategy of grass-roots exploration, two procedures for selecting areas for (i) coal and (ii) metals exploration are described. The procedures explicitly balance infrastructure requirements and environmental concerns for areas of geological merit not alienated in parks and reserves. Through consensus, priorities are attached to those areas meriting closer scrutiny and field reconnaissance.IntroductionMining companies need to know that having made a potentially economic discovery, they will be allowed to develop it with minimum delay and at reasonable cost. The environment for exploration in British Columbia is complex and recent experience suggests that conditions are not becoming any easier. Conflicts over land use issues, preservation and economic development are common. The high cost of exploration requires that the risks should be offset where possible by: (i) carefully selecting the areas in which to work (ii) conducting operations in a responsible manner, and (iii) working cooperatively with the community of interests. This paper concerns the first action: prior selection of areas.To aid exploration planning at Suncor, a procedure was developed to grade those areas of the province possessing favourable geology according to the ease with which a mine might be developed . This had to be done within the constraints of the company's over-all approach to exploration. This emphasizes ""grass-roots"" exploration of self-generated projects in British Columbia. In addition, having selected a favourable belt of rocks, it is intended to persevere there while steadily adding to the accumulated data base and local experience. Hence, it is intended to concentrate on an area. This implies a long-term commitment to an area which in turn increases the importance of the original selection.Suncor's search is directed to finding base and precious metals in intrusive and volcanic environments, and export quality coal."

Jan 1, 1985

By D. V. Ziehlke, J. M. Franklin, T. M. Gordon, A. G. Galley

The Snow Lake-Wekusko Lake region of northern Manitoba conta ins numerous lode gold occurrences, including the largest gold deposit in the Churchill Prov ince, the Nor Acme mine. The Aphebian volcanic and sedimentary rocks of this region are comprised of submarine volcanic strata, overlain by turbidites, both of the Amisk Group, and fluvi atile sedimenta ry strata and bimodally composed subaerial volcanic rocks of the overlying Missi Group. Gold occurs as: 1) accessory gold in volcanogenic massive sulphide deposits, 2) lode gold in shear zones related to sy n- to post-FI thrust fa ults, and 3) lode-gold associated with post-F2 fault . An alteration a emblage of biotite, al bite and calc ite is associated with both groups of lode-gold deposits, and has been superimposed on the regionall y-developed metamorphic assemblages. AJthough these deposi ts are spatial ly related to britt le-ductile faul ts of different initial ages, they appear to have all fo rmed after the major period of reg ional fo lding and metamorphism, and thus may be penecontemporaneous. The alteration is different from the sericite-ankerite-quartz assemblage that is typically associated with gold deposits in Superio r Prov ince. Deposits in thi s area of Churchill Prov ince may have formed either at a higher temperature or a deeper structu ra l level than tho e in Superior Prov ince.

Jan 1, 1986

By Jo Render

Expectations of your management approach ??Life of mine applicability ??Tailor scale of activity to scale of project ??Assess impacts, risks, and opportunities ??Use global good practice, backed up by rigorous analysis ??Support with trained monitoring and evaluation team ??Information infrastructure to allow ongoing trend analysis and tracking of progress ??Public reporting using standardized indicators Yes, we are talking about a ?management system?

May 1, 2011

M INE production requires the coordination of the talents of men and the use of equipment. Mine operators maintain a continual surveillance of equipment, looking for improvements and modifications that will benefit them. Few give similar attention to the advances made in the education of mining engineers since they themselves graduated. That is not surprising. Education lacks the advertising budget available to manufacturers. A modification to improve a mechanical contrivance is advertised, and an advertiser's press releases get attention by publishers. The whole program for mining engineering education could be revolutionized and no one, except a few professors, would know about it. The Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy's newly established General Commit-tee on Education can improve that situation. Nine groups of engineers in Canadian universities are trying to give undergraduates an education that will make them useful to the mineral industry as mining engineers. The tabulation offered here (Table I) is an analysis of the distribution of the undergraduate-teacher contact time.

Jan 1, 1963

By J. C. Ingles

"A new technique is in the process of revolutionizing inorganic chemical analysis. Galled atomic absorption spectrophotometry, it combines the use of a special light source, a flame, and the equipment of conventional spectrophotometry, to provide a quick, reasonably accurate method for the determination of a large number of elements.This paper outlines the principles on which it is based, describes the commercial instrumentation"" available for exploiting it, and. summarizes current applications in process metallurgy."

Jan 1, 1966

By P. Hanniala, S. Harkki, B. Andersson

"The Outokumpu Flash Smelting Process was put into commercial operation in 1949. The original process was based on the use of preheated air. The adoption of oxygen enrichment of the flash smelting process air in 1971 was a crucial improvement, especially for smelter capacity. Oxygen use according to the Outokumpu method means selection of the most suitable oxygen content for the process air on the basis of the concentrate composition, capacity and matte grade. The furnace is not bound to only one fixed degree of process air oxygen enrichment; the oxygen content may vary from 21% to 100%.The degree of oxygen enrichment and the matte grade are the most important process parameters in reducing the operating costs of the whole system, including smelting, converting and acid production. Raising the matte grade allows more efficient use of the reaction heat in the smelting stage. Sulphur is recovered in a high-strength, constant-flow gas stream. The blowing time in the converters is reduced considerably.Oxygen enrichment and high matte grade improve the energy efficiency of the plant complex as long as the surplus heat from the system is not wasted. When the operating costs and investment expenditure of the total plant complex are taken into account, a reasonably high degree of oxygen enrichment (35-80°/0) is the best alternative in practice. Existing operating smelters have achieved single-stream thoughputs of over one million t/yr of concentrates.HistoryLocal capital and operating costs as well as lower energy consumption per unit of metal produced are now the crucial factors in determining the choice of process. In the late I940s, the same reasons prompted Outokumpu to develop the original flash smelting process in Finland. Between 1900 and 1940, very few technical changes in pyrometallurgical copper production took place. However, the commercial use of the flash smelting technique began a new era in metal extraction from sulphide concentrates. The characteristic feature of the method is that the concentrate is smelted in suspension: this offers the most favourable conditions for heat and mass transfer, and thus high reaction velocities. Outokumpu was the first to exploit the known advantages of flash smelting in a commercial installation at Harjavalta in 1949."

Jan 1, 1982

By William D. Gallant, Thomas M. Barczak, Carol Tasillo

"This paper describes the results of full-scale testing of several multi-layered wood crib configurations that were tested in the Bureau of Mines mine roof simulator in cooperation with the Cape Breton Coal Research Laboratory and Cape Breton Development Corporation of Sydney, Nova Scotia. Nine different crib configurations currently being used as wood packwall supports for advancing longwall applications in Canada were evaluated. Configuration parameters understudy included the aspect ratio (height-to-width relationship) and percentage of solid material used in the crib construction. Test results and generalized wood crib behaviour are discussed in detail. Recommendations are made concerning crib constructions to maximize strength and stability. A cost benefit analysis of multi-layered wood crib configurations is made. A comparison of laboratory results and underground observations of several wood packwall supports in the Sydney coalfield suggest in situ load capacity is less than that measured in laboratory testing. Reasons for the apparent decrease of in situ load bearing capability are described.IntroductionA cooperative effort was undertaken by the U.S. Bureau of Mines with the Cape Breton Development Corporation (CBDC) and the Cape Breton Coal Research Laboratory (CBCRL) to evaluate the behaviour of gateside packing materials used in advancing longwall mining applications in the Sydney coalfield. As part of this effort, full-scale tests were conducted on wood packwall supports in the Bureau's 3-million pound (13.3 MN) active load frame.Nine different pack configurations were evaluated as part of this study. The wood packwall supports were multi-layered crib constructions from 6 in. (0.15 m) by 6 in. (0.15 m) cross section timbers using timber s 30 in. (0.75 m) and 60 in. (1.5 m) in length . The percentage of solid material in the crib constructions varied as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. A summary of crib constructions is provided in Table 1."

Jan 1, 1991

By J. W. Reynolds

"The use of approved fire-resistant hydraulic fluids in equipment operating underground was made mandatory in British Columbia by amendment to the Provincial Mines Regulation Act effective January 1, 1975. This paper covers the action taken to achieve this, in the largest underground metal mine in British Columbia. Some evaluation of costs and effects based on experience to date is included.BackgroundAn amendment to the Mines Regulation Act of the Province of British Columbia was passed in July 1974 as follow s: "" Rule 111 (b) Hydraulic Fluids. After the first day of January 1975, all hydraulic fluids used in equipment operating underground shall be of a fire-resistant type accept able to the chief inspector.""Unquestionably, its intent was justified as a safety improvement measure. The list of fires in mines involving machinery where hydraulic fluid was a factor in the fires is long and sobering. In British Columbia, in a 22-month period from 1972 to 1974, there were six fires in metal mines resulting in extensive equipment damage and injury to four workmen. Nevertheless, no provision was made for research or development of systems modifications compatible with conditions encountered in B.C. and, as late as June 1977, the Mining Association of British Columbia continued to argue that fire suppression systems should be considered sufficient until a universal suitable hydraulic fluid could be developed. The sole concession was to issue permits for continued use of mineral oil in equipment bought prior to 1975 in order to allow producing operations to continue. The burden of developing the necessary technology was laid on the industry.The Sullivan Mine at Kimberley, the largest and longest established underground mine in the province, and Cominco's most important source of ore s for its smelter at Trail, B.C., was at the outset of a conversion from conventional to trackless mechanized mining methods in pillar recovery operation s. Introduction of fire-resistant hydraulic fluid s had to be done in a period of change, in many instances on equipment for which no data existed, and called for research which had to be done while retraining the work force.The introductory phase is complete. All equipment is on FRF, the requirements of Rule 111(b) are being satisfied, and a number of research and development programs continue."

Jan 1, 1980

By C. Feng, D. W. M. Arrigan

Arsenic is often associated with gold mining operations and poses a significant health and environmental hazard. While a number of technologies are available for removing arsenic, none of them is effective under all conditions. Although adsorption is a promising approach, most methods focus on the purification of water under neutral or acidic conditions and tend to be less effective in gold mining process waters, operating under alkaline conditions. In this study, the removal of As (III) and As (V) from both arsenic-only solutions and simulated process waters using composite magnetic nanoparticles was investigated. The nanoparticles consisted of magnetite (Fe3O4) or maghemite (?-Fe2O3) cores covered by various metal oxides with Langmuir adsorption capacities of As (III) and As (V) ranging from 31.4 to 79.1 mg/g and 10.2 to 25.5 mg/g, respectively, in arsenic-only solutions at pH 9. Their adsorption capacities were further recognised by the adsorption tests conducted in simulated process waters. The ability to remove As (III) is of particular importance as it is harder to remove it from alkaline solutions. The magnetic cores allow simple and efficient magnetic recovery of the As-loaded nanoparticles.

Jan 1, 2017

By Marc C. Betournay, John E. Udd

"In this study, the authors investigated the stabilities of slopes cut predominantly into Trenton limestone in a large quarry in the Montreal region. Analyses of the bench and pit walls indicated that small-scale toppling, ravelling, and wedge failures are the most likely modes of instabilities. Because most of the joints dip steeply, however, the conclusion was made that relatively high walls could probably be justified.The field investigations were supplemented with the determinations of the shearing strengths of artificial discontinuities that were cut into samples of the limestone. The properties of a fine-grained limestone were found to be influenced very much by the magnitudes of the loads that were applied, while the properties of a crystalline limestone were found to be much less, or not load-dependent.The study is one of a number that are being conducted in this area.IntroductionExtensive quarrying has been done in the sedimentary strata of the Montreal area for a very long time. By any standards, it can be said that the Island of Montreal is a major mining area. At present, approximately 20 quarries are being operated in, or near, the city of Montreal.In addition to the millions of tons of limestone that are removed each year, a large number of excavations for foundations are cut into the sedimentary rocks.To date, however, very little information has been published concerning the engineering properties of the local geological materials. No mention is made of this aspect in the references which are presently available.Because of this lack of information, the senior author has initiated a study in which the strength properties of most of the rock types, and of the natural discontinuities contained in these, would be investigated. To date, the results of one other investigation have been published and other work is in process. It is hoped that the end result will be a comprehensive knowledge of the important strength properties of all of the rocks in the entire region."

Jan 1, 1983

By B. Jena, M. Rigaud, S. C. Panigrahy

"The influence of flux addition on the structure and properties of pellets produced from low silica specularite with peat moss and bentonite as binders was investigated. Specific pellets basicities in the range of 0.4 to 3.2 were obtained by the addition of limestone or a combination of dolomite and limestone as flux. A t basicities < 1.6, the bonding in the pellets was provided by a glassy silicate phase. At basicities =1.6, calcium ferrites were the predominant bonding phase. When dolomite was added as a flux, presence of magnesia-ferrite was noted. The reduction behaviour of pellets at different basicities was found to be influenced by the type of flux and binder. The pellet compression strength and swelling characteristics were improved with increased basicity.IntroductionThe properties of iron ore pellets are influenced by the type and nature of the ore or concentrate, additives and their subsequent treatment to produce pellets. The interaction between various constituents of the concentrate and additives, i.e. iron oxides, gangue and fluxes etc. result in the formation of various mineralogical phases which affect the degree and nature of bonding achieved in the pellet and the structure and distribution of pores. The pellet properties such as pellet strength and reducibility are influenced by the extent and type of bonding achieved between the ore particles. In view of the present emphasis on the production of high quality pellets to meet progressively stringent quality control requirements, it is essential to investigate the effect of additives on the bonding mechanism and properties of the pellets.In the past, the effects of additives on the bonding mechanism of pellets have been investigated. It is important to note that the conditions and parameters to be controlled are typical of a given concentrate/ore. In this paper, the results of the investigation on characterization of fluxed pellets produced from a low silica specularite concentrate are reported.This investigation was also aimed at assessing the suitability of peat moss for use as a binder for the production of low silica fluxed pellets. Peat moss is abundantly available in the vicinity of iron ore mines in Quebec and encouraging results have been obtained du ring the production of high silica acid and fluxed pellets."

Jan 1, 1992

By Matthew S. Hall

Gold/iron oxide catalysts have been prepared and their catalytic performance evaluated for low temperature CO oxidation. The method and temperature used to dry the sample has a significant effect on their catalytic activity. Analysis by TEM revealed the catalysts contained Au particles, although catalysts with high and low activity did not always differ in their microstructure as evidenced by TEM. Catalysts were characterised using XPS and the difference between the Au(4d) and C(1s) binding energies measured; in general the greater the difference, the higher the catalytic activity of the material.

Oct 1, 2003

By Neil Schofield

"The Pine Creek gold mineralization is associated with saddle reefs and quartz and quartz sulphide veining within the Enterprise Anticline. The anticlinal structure is complex and the mineralization was considered prior to development to be dominantly strata controlled. Gold grades vary up to 160 gin 1.5 m core samples with coefficients of variation in excess of three.The estimation of ore reserves for such a deposit must account for both the geological complexity and the extreme variability of gold grade.This paper describes the structural and variogram analysis of the gold grades and demonstrates the importance of incorporating the geological model in such an analysis. Variogram interpretation is greatly improved and greater insights into the finer geological structure areprovided. Part 2ofthis work presents the application of multigaussian kriging to reserve estimation for deposits with highly variable grade and which consequently demand highly selective mining operations. IntroductionThe Enterprise Gold Mine is situated some 220 km southeast of Darwin in Australia&apos;s tropical north. Gold is believed to have been discovered there in 1869 during the construction of the overland telegraph line.From 1894to 1915, some 75 000 ounces of gold were produced from 121 000 tonnes mined mainly by Chinese leaseholders. From 1906 to 1915, government-sponsored drilling led to the sinking of the Enterprise Shaft to 79 m and several drives were developed. Mining ceased because of war.Since late 1980, Goldfields Exploration Pty. Ltd. had explored on several mining tenements near Pine Creek under joint venture with the title holders, Enterprise Mines NL. This work culminated in the development of the current mine which opened on October 29, 1985.Feasibility studies to determine the economic viability of mining were based on ore reserves generated by project geologists using a sectional polygonal approach tuned to the interpreted geological control of the mineralization.The study motivating this two-part paper covers are-estimation of the recoverable reserve s using the geostatistical approach of multigaussian kriging developed at Stanford University, (Verly, 1984)."

Jan 1, 1988

By P. R. A. Andrews, R. K. Collings

"There are more than thirty-five deposits or occurrences of celestite in Canada, chiefly in Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Ontario and British Columbia. Deposits of economic interest are the Lake Enon and MacRae deposits in the Loch Lomond district of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. Two Cape Breton deposits were operated from 1969 to 1976 by Kaiser Celestite Mining Limited, which supplied an upgraded celestite concentrate to an associated strontium carbonate plant at Point Edward, near Sydney.The MacRae deposit is of current interest because of its possible development for strontium carbonate production using the ""black ash"" process. This process involves chemical leaching, rotary kiln calcining with petroleum coke, washing and treatment with carbon dioxide.Celestite is the basic material used in the manufacture of strontium chemicals, principally strontium oxide, carbonate, nitrate, chromate, chlorate, chloride, sulphide and phosphate. Strontium chemicals, in turn, are used in the manufacture of glass and ceramics, in pyrotechnic devices, in the production of strontium metal and in other metallurgical applications. Recently, strontium ferrites have been introduced into permanent ceramic magnets."

Jan 1, 1991

By G. C. Hodgson

Specification and Tests of Rope Wire Chemical Analysis: The range in composition of steel used in the manufacture of wire rope is as follows: Carbon 0 4 to 0.9 per cent Manganese 0 4 to 0.8 Sulphur Not above 0.04 Phosphorus Not above 0.04 The carbon and manganese content are varied according to the gauge of wire to be drawn and the tensile strength required. Generally speaking, best results are obtained from heats where the melt is not of too large a tonnage. The amount of reduction and patenting of the wire is left to the wire maker, who thus has a free hand in meeting the balance of the specification.

Jan 1, 1931

By K. Meshinchi Asl

In this study the effects of T4 and T6 heat treatments on microstructural characteristics of AZ91 alloy containing Rare Earth elements have been investigated. Formation of intermetallic Al1 1RE3 needle shape particles which have a good thermal stability reduces both formation of ß(Mg17A112) and discontinues precipitation in AZ91 alloy which are dominated at the grain boundaries and are responsible for poor mechanical properties specially in elevated temperatures. For AZ91-RE samples both T4 and T6 heat treatments led to a continuous precipitation of ß particles at the grain boundaries after aging. However, in AZ91 samples (with no Rare Earths) precipitation was discontinuous at grain boundary areas. This type of precipitation is one of the main reasons of poor mechanical properties of this alloy at elevated temperatures.

Jan 1, 2007

By O. Neves, C. G. González Beca, M. C. Sol Pereira, H. Sousa Vale, R. A. Guedes de Carvalho, M. N. Sampaio

"As sulphide ores are usually concentrated by flotation , the material is very finely ground <37um), wet and impregnated with the chemicals used in flotation. These conditions are favourable to the development ofchemical reactions which are largely influenced by atmospheric conditions (temperature, humidity, wind, etc.) as well as by the geometry of the piles.Physical and chemical properties of a chalcopyrite concentrate were determined by laboratory tests. The knowledge of these properties was considered necessary in order to establish a correct design of the storage and handling operations of the sulphide ore concentrates obtained by flotation.The properties studied in this work were: transportable moisture limit, flowability, effects of vibration, hygroscopicity, ""caking"", chemical alterations by humidity, oxidation and self-heating (auto-ignition, dry and wet oxidation, self-heating by humidification and its prevention).INTRODUCTIONIn order that the handling and the transport of a powdered material may be carried out correctly, it is necessary to know certain physico-chemical characteristics. Transportable moisture limit (TML), apparent density (both aerated and compacted), compressibility, angle of repose, angle of spatula, cohesion and angle of slide(l-4) are characteristics (among the flowability parameters) worth knowing.Moisture content of the powdered material is fundamental, because if this is too low heavy losses will occur when the product&apos;s particle size is very small, if it is too high, separations between solid and liquid phases may occur. In the latter case, the centre of gravity of the system may change suddenly and cause accidents, mainly if transport is by sea or by river."

Jan 1, 1989

By Earl Gebhardt

"The planning and design of mining panels in the Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc., Lanigan Division mine Block B involved a number of investigative techniques. The techniques utilized to gain insight into the viability of mining included2-D and 3-D seismic surveys, longhole drilling, exploration wells, photo lineament, magnetic and gravity surveys, and actual room excavation.IntroductionPotash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc. (PCS) owns and operates four potash mines in the province of Saskatchewan. The Lanigan Division mine is located 110 Ian east of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, near the town of Lanigan.The Lanigan Mine commenced production in August 1968under the ownership or Alwinsal Potash of Canada Limited. The mine was purchased by PCS in 1977.Lanigan Division&apos;s productive capacity is 3.4 million tonnes of product per year. Ore is extracted from the "" B"" zone or Layer III or the Patience Lake member of the Prairie Evaporite, more than 1000m below surface . The Patience Lake member (approximately 20 m thick) consists of potash interbedded with salt. The average run-of-mine ore grade is 21070 K20 (Fig. I).The mine was initially developed using the room-and-pillar technique. Improvements in mining resulted in the use or extensible conveyors in long panel rooms."

Jan 1, 1993

By M. J. Latva-Kokko

This paper describes the behaviour of iron and the methods used for iron control in the nickel matte leaching process. OMG Harjavalta Nickel Oy processes approximately 10 000 t/y of iron, which enters the process with the nickel matte raw material. Iron dissolves and precipitates in several different stages of the leaching process. Compounds like ferric hydroxide, parabutlerite, goethite, hematite and jarosite are found. Iron removal is done within the leaching process, and this means that the dissolution of nickel sets the limiting conditions for iron precipitation. A leach residue consisting mainly of the iron precipitates is neutralized and stacked in the waste pond. When iron is precipitated from concentrated nickel sulphate solution, some nickel is lost by co-precipitation. Recent studies have shown that Ni-Fe ratios less than 1%, attributed to co-precipitation, can be obtained with jarosite precipitates, compared to 2-3% ratios typically found with hematite precipitates. Iron can be precipitated as jarosite under the optimal nickel leaching conditions by adding ammonium sulphate to the feed slurry of the autoclave.

Jan 1, 2006

By H. Tudeshki

A great amount of aggregate is utilized in civil engineering applications such as road construction, railway infrastructure, concrete production, etc. Igneous rocks are the preferred raw material due to their high strength and abrasion resistance. Rock quality assurance is a key factor and has great influence on the quality of constructions in civil engineering. One of the major problems encountered by both the producers and users of igneous aggregate rock is the fact that, with the passage of time, some specific rocks lose their strength, up to a complete loss of structure, i.e. disintegrate and degrade. This phenomenon has a great influence on the quality, strength and durability of aggregates. In the last decades, different methods and procedures such as the glycol test, the methylene blue dye test, as well as the Los Angeles test, have been introduced to distinguish rock properties, and to identify these problems. However, as these wet-chemical methods are time consuming, hard to perform, only to be applied to hand-piece samples, requiring special laboratory equipments, and are only possible to be accomplished under laboratory conditions, their application has always been severely limited. To address this widespread quality management problem of the quarry industry, a relatively quick, easy and user-friendly approach is necessary. It calls for a systematic solution with a device that can simply be used in the day-to-day routine of a mine for quality control of the quarry´s daily production. Our research is concentrated on developing a systematic method for early recognition and diagnosis of rock quality, in order to control and manage the quality of the quarry production in advance. Our new approach is based on two rock parameters: magnetic susceptibility and loss on ignition. The measurement of these parameters provides reliable information on the quality of the rock and allows the quality control process to be accomplished and performed at the borehole location. Our new approach has been assessed through extensive field and laboratory studies and has been implemented on the drill-cuttings of a basaltic andesite quarry. The results of the experiments are discussed in detail, including their impact on increasing resources and environmental protection.

Aug 1, 2013