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By A. G. Matyas, B. Wasmund, R. C. Francki, K. M. Donaldson

"The construction of large. high-power electric furnaces has been an important factor in the growth of electric smelting technology . New developments in the design and operation of electric furnaces have been spurred by the escalating cost of electric power and increasingly stringent environmental constraints. Key areasofprogress include the application of high voltage to enhance furnace productivity; the installation of novel furnace cooling elements and robust binding systems to extend furnace life; development of process schemes to reduce power consumption by preheating and prereduction of the charge; and environmental control improvements for handling fine dusty feedstocks, and for furnace sealing.This paper reviews these developments and outlines a systematic approach for their application in the custom design of new or retrofit electric furnace facilities.IntroductionThe use of electric smelting furnaces has continued to progress during the last decade. Electric furnaces offer high throughput capacity and productivity. In addition, they produce minimum environmental impact, as the furnaces can be readily sealed, and only a small quantity of off-gas is generated. Electric furnaces present the most favourable choice of smelting technology where high process temperatures in excess of about l400°C are required.Their application is burdened by the escalating cost of electric power, hence it is important to seek new opportunities through further technological development. This paper reviews recent developments in the design and operation of high-power electric smelting furnaces, in the following areas:"

Jan 1, 1993

This paper generalizes open stopes into elliptical cross sections and applies the results of calculations based on the mathematical theory of elasticity to indicate stress distribution on the boundaries of such stopes. These show both compressive and tensile stresses and provide an ex-planation for the development of excessive dilution in shrinkage toping. Introduction T HE stress pattern around shrinkage stopes is identical with that around other stopes under the same physical conditions. However, a shrinkage stope ends as an unsupported open stope, and the method i limited to the stress range within which the rock is generally self-supporting. If it is acceptable to generalize the outline of a shrinkage stope into an elliptical cross section, then the graphs of Geldart & Udd (1) (see also Panek (2) and Denkhaus (3)) provide a good base for approximating the stress distribution as mining progresses. However, with failure conditions in the walls, the axis ratio, as cut

Jan 1, 1964

By L. C. Galloway, P. M. Tiley

"Some progress has already been made in defining the parameters which will determine the performance of a guidance system in a mine shaft. Very little information is available, however, to help designers or operators predict the effects of varying these parameters in new or existing installations.The experience we have gained from monitoring a variety of installations has led to the development of a model which simulates the motion of a conveyance as it moves through a mineshaft, restrained by fixed guides.This paper presents a general analysis of the performance of the guidance system used in several installations, as well as a detailed description of the problem encountered at one mine and the steps taken to solve it.IntroductionOur company has investigated in some depth the problems that arise in the guidance of mine hoist conveyances.We have a telemetering accelerometer which we obtained to test mine hoist brakes. Frequently, during brake tests, the mine owners request us to use this instrument to measure the lateral motion of the conveyance ""to check guide alignment"". We have made such tests in shafts that have guide s of different kinds, including wooden guides, steel rail s and tubular steel guides. From these tests, we have gained some valuable information about guidance systems.In a well-aligned guidance system that is designed within common and well-known practice, the conveyance will experience very little shock most of the time. However, on rare occasions, shocks up to .5 g will occur. That is, the conveyance exerts a force of up to half its loaded weight on the guide. If the guide slips or is damaged by this force, it will be misaligned for future trips and become the cause of future shocks. In time, the whole guidance system can become misaligned."

Jan 1, 1982

By Alexandre Desbarats, Michel David

"All optimum pit design studies start from the geological are reserves inventory, the estimated grades of all blocks of potential are within the interpreted limits of the deposit. The actual optimization procedure is then carried out on block valuations based on these estimated grades. Thus, the relevance of any pit design can be seen to depend directly on the ore reserve estimation . To insure a proper pit design, a first step would be to use a geostatistical reserve estimation technique such as kriging, however, this is not enough. A frequently neglected fact is that the blocks of ore estimated during the planning stage of the mine are usually considerably larger than those on which the ore-waste selection will be made at the time of mining. Experience in the exploitation of large low-grade deposits has shown that large blocks, estimated to be are, when mined selectively in smaller blocks, often yield significant amounts of waste material. This phenomenon, known as internal waste, is a function of the variability of the grades, the size of mining unit and the amount of sampling information on which ore-waste decisions are made.In this study, it was proposed to consider the effect of internal waste caused by selective mining, on. pit design, using geostatistical methods to predict the tonnage and grade of recoverable reserves within large blocks.Optimum pits obtained using a block valuation formula taking into account the recoverable reserves within large blocks were compared with optimum pits obtained using a conventional block valuation formula. It was found that the optimum pits obtained by the proposed method had the highest total valuations and thus were, in fact, ""more optimum”. These pits were characterized by greater are tonnages at a lower average grade, the additional ore more than compensating for the drop in grade. It was also found that the consideration of internal waste in pit design could considerably alter pit limits in marginal areas of the deposit.It was concluded that selective mining had a significant, potentially critical, impact on the design of optimum pits especially in the case of large low-grade deposits."

Jan 1, 1984

By A. W. Johnston, R. E. Barrett

"The Central Patricia mine is in the greenstone belt north of lake Sc. Joseph in northwestern Ontario. It is 90 miles north of Allanwater on the Canadian National railway and 220 miles east of the Manitoba boundary. The unusual feature of the ore of this mine is that the gold does not occur in quartz but in sulphide minerals filling fractures in iron formation.AREAL GEOLOGYThe rocks of the area in which the mine occurs belong to the Early Precambrian. They consist · of andesite lavas and tuff interbedded with greywacke-like sediments and iron formation . A siliceous phase of the sediments lying north and south of the greywacke enclosing the ore-bearing iron formation in places resembles a sheared and sericitized quartz porphyry. This is shown in the legend of Fig. 1 as quartz porphyry and quartzite, but it is possible that the quartz porphyry-like phase is sediment. A northwest- striking dyke of diabase crosses the property 3,000 feet east of the shaft ( Fig. 1).IRON FORMATIONAlthough there are numerous bands of iron formation in the v1cm1ty of the mine, ore has been found to date in only one main and two lesser zones. The iron formation bands range in width from a few inches to 60 feet, and are interrupted along their strike by gaps that are parallel and rake to the east at about 65°. The iron formation is definitely banded and laminated."

Jan 1, 1954

By L. C. Galloway, P. M. Tiley

"Some progress has already been made in defining the parameters which will determine the performance of a guidance system in a mine shaft. Very little information is available, however, to help designers or operators predict the effects of varying these parameters in new or existing installations.The experience we have gained from monitoring a variety of installations has led to the development of a model which simulates the motion of a conveyance as it moves through a mineshaft, restrained by fixed guides.This paper presents a general analysis of the performance of the guidance system used in several installations, as well as a detailed description of the problem encountered at one mine and the steps taken to solve it.IntroductionOur company has investigated in some depth the problems that arise in the guidance of mine hoist conveyances.We have a telemetering accelerometer which we obtained to test mine hoist brakes. Frequently, during brake tests, the mine owners request us to use this instrument to measure the lateral motion of the conveyance ""to check guide alignment"". We have made such tests in shafts that have guide s of different kinds, including wooden guides, steel rail s and tubular steel guides. From these tests, we have gained some valuable information about guidance systems.In a well-aligned guidance system that is designed within common and well-known practice, the conveyance will experience very little shock most of the time. However, on rare occasions, shocks up to .5 g will occur. That is, the conveyance exerts a force of up to half its loaded weight on the guide. If the guide slips or is damaged by this force, it will be misaligned for future trips and become the cause of future shocks. In time, the whole guidance system can become misaligned."

Jan 1, 1982

By W. H. Mathews

"The Hardie group of cinnabar claims is in the interior of British Columbia; 25 miles northwest of the city of Kamloops. It is one of a number of mercury; properties scattered along a north trending belt 20 miles long and up to 5; miles wide. In all but one of these properties cinnabar is associated with; dolomite veinlets in zones of carbonate alteration in bedded rocks of Triassic; and Cretaceous (?) age; or in intrusives cutting these bedded rocks. No dolomite alteration or cinnabar mineralization is known in the undoubted Tertiary rocks adjacent to the mercury belt.The mercury showings of the Hardie group lie for the most part in a granitic stock cutting Cretaceous (?) volcanics. The rock in this intrusive shows marked variations in texture and has been described in earlier reports as granite and granodiorice, granite porphyry, and trachyte or dacite porphyry. At Hardie mountain the cinnabar mineralization, unlike that of the other properties, is associated with a fine-grained, almost chalcedoni c, quartz; carbonates, though present, are of minor importance. Some of the most interesting showings are found in an adit in the southeastern part of the property where cinnabar mineralization shows a very distinct structural but not a genetic relationship to a brown porphyry dyke 2 to 8 feet wide cutting a phase of the stock that may best be described as aplitic"

Jan 1, 1954

By A. Dolatmoradi

Nanocrystalline structure formations produced by severe plastic deformation in Fe-0.15C with initial ferritic-pearlitic and IF steel with ferritic microstructures have been studied through microstructural observation and microhardness measurements. It was found that the nanocrystalline region first forms near the surface of samples due to localized severe deformation. It was also observed that the nanocrystallization rate of Fe-0.15C and IF steels and the deformed layer thickness in these two materials are different with similar milling conditions. The crystallite size and structural evolution of the samples during milling was studied by employing XRD and SEM.

Jan 1, 2010

By R. W. Thompkins

"PREFACEThis paper will be published in three parts. Part 1, in this issue, will cover the occurrence of uranium, radiation from uranium ores, the uranium series, radioactive theory, radioactive equilibrium and application to the radon series, the working level, the theory of emanation and diffusion, transport by thermal diffusion of radon emanating from porous rocks, and definitions.Part 2, to appear in the October issue, will deal with radiation theory applied to uranium ores, other radon migration factors , fact ors affecting the radon gas release rate, measurement of radon gas emanation rates, the tunnel concept, variation of emanation rate with grade, and estimating radioactivity from grade analysis.The series will conclude with Part 3, in the November issue, which will discuss the techniques for controlling radiation and give some example calculations.1.0. Occurrence of Uranium1.0.1. Uranium is widely distributed in nature. Sedimentary rocks contain less than igneous or metamorphic rock s and as the outer 10 miles of the earth's crust is composed of 95 per cent igneous and 5 per cent sedimentary rock, it has been estimated that about 1.3 x 1014 tons of uranium exist in the earth's crust.1.0.2. It is not surprising, therefore, that radiation has existed naturally in the ear h ever since the beginning of time. It is found in such places as:(1) non-uranium mines;(2) houses not close to or connected to uranium mines;(3) ground-water tables supplying drinking water to large populations.1.0.3. All mines do not necessarily have abnormal radiation in them, but it is possible for many mines to have abnormal levels of radiation. Therefore, all underground mining operations should be tested for radiation."

Jan 1, 1982

By G. R. Webber, P. J. Whittaker

"A multielement (Au, Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, c-, Ag, As, Hg, Co, and S) geochemical rock sampling survey was carried out in 1977 in the Munro Township area of Ontario to assess the application of rock geochemistry for gold exploration in the region. Detailed sampling with analysis for gold and arsenic was done in 1986 in the immediate vicinity of the Croesus Mine.Samples of quartz veins and rock formations were taken in regional traverses and in more detail near old showings, prospect pits, and trenches. Quartz, graywacke, carbonate rock, and rhyolite contain the highest concentrations of gold for samples taken away from the old workings. Ultramafic rocks and gabbro have uniformly low gold. Basalt samples have slightly higher geometric means, but individual samples contain high gold concentrations. Multielement highs are mostly in mineralized quartz samples. Gold distribution is independent of other elements in most other rock types. Samples near old showings possess elevated concentrations of gold indicating that prospecting for individual mineral deposits by bedrock sampling is feasible. Concentrations of gold greater than 100 ppb are mostly within 30 m of old workings. Those samples which contain greater than 1000 ppb Au were obtained from quartz veins, basalt, graywacke, and rhyolite.High concentrations of gold were not notably concentrated near the Contact Fault although some anomalous samples came from near and on both sides of the fault. Arsenic concentrations are elevated near the Contact Fault. Detailed sampling near the Croesus Mine suggests that gold was introduced with faulting, alteration and quartz veining. Gold and arsenic have been added to the wallrock in the vicinity of the main veins."

Jan 1, 1989

By Ken Wood, Luc Duval

"The development and operation of the milling circuits treating the different Selbaie orebodies are discussed in this paper. The project is reviewed from metallurgical evaluation through construction to present operating status. The current flowsheets are described, with discussion of some unusual features.IntroductionThe Selbaie concentrator commenced initial production in August 1981, treating underground B zone copper ore in a single 1500 t/d circuit. Throughput was increased to 1650 t/d in 1985. The mill was expanded in 1986 to treat ore from the A-I zone open pit; an independent circuit was added to selectively treat 5000 t/d of copper-zinc ore. Current total mill throughput through both circuits averages 7200 t/d with the production of approximately 270 t/d of copper concentrate and 230 t/d of zinc concentrate.This paper describes the stages involved in bringing the project from initial laboratory testing to its current status as one of the most important producers of silver, copper and zinc in Quebec and a major employer in the region."

Jan 1, 1990

By V. G. Papangelakis, G. P. Demopoulos

"Recovery of gold from refractory ores and concentrates presently constitutes one of the most important, challenging, and exciting areas of R&D activity in the gold processing industry. New technologies are being tested for the treatment of refractory gold materials, some of which have been advanced to the level of commercial operation. In this paper, some recent technological developments in the hydrometallurgical processing of pyritic matrix-refractory gold ores are highlighted. Key operational steps of each of the alternate hydrometallurgical technologies are analyzed and potential advantages and drawbacks are identified. The processes which are reviewed are: hydro chemical oxidation, biochemical oxidation and pressure oxidation. INTRODUCTIONOver the years the term ""refractory"" has been applied in gold ore processing to denote situations in which straightforward cyanidation failed to yield high gold recoveries. A number of mineralogical and chemical factors may be responsible for this ""refractoriness"" problem. A systematic classification of the different options for their treatment has been discussed in a recent review paper. In this paper, the pretreatment of the submicroscopic gold encapsulated within the matrix of pyrite and arsenopyrite minerals is considered. This type of gold is the ultimate refractory material because complete breakdown by reaction of the host mineral structure is required.The method which has been traditionally applied for the treatment of pyritic-type refractory gold ores is an oxidation roast (single stage or double stage depending on the As content) of a flotation concentrate to produce a porous calcine, the latter being more amenable to cyanidation. Despite its established practice, oxidation roasting is not considered particularly attractive with today's standards for high product recovery and clean environment. Roasting is known to be very sensitive to heating parameters and feed composition and deviation from optimum conditions can result in reduction in permeability which is translated to incomplete gold liberation."

Jan 1, 1989

By Julian Baldry

"This paper begins by describing the parameters of high-speed underground tracked drifting operations and the mucking cycle, and-discusses their variations. The railbound Haggloader 8HR is then described, as well as the Hagglund shuttle trains, outlining the advantages and disadvantages of the system. A comparison with conventional mucking operations is then given.IntroductionDrift and tunnel rounds are mucked by one of two major methods, either trackless with diesel loaders and trucks or with track loaders and cars. The aim of this paper is to compare the conventional tracked mucking cycle with the Hagglunds system alternatives.For many years, the traditional method of attacking the mucking cycle has been with a rocker shovel loader, a string of cars and a locomotive. The rocker shovel loads the first car and when full it is taken to a side drift, cherry picker or some other transfer point and is exchanged for an empty one. This empty car is then pushed back into the face and the loading continues until all cars are full . Then the whole train is taken out to a dump point where the cars are emptied. Normally the train's capacity is less than the volume of the muckpile, so the cars go back to the face. This loading cycle is repeated until all muck is removed from the heading. The last train out from the heading usually takes the loader and parks it in a side drift before continuing on to the dump where the cars are emptied.This simplified version of the traditional loading cycle excludes the ancillary work elements such as track laying and so on, but does point out that the cars must be transferred when full and that the whole train normally makes at least two round trips from the dump to the face. The prime aim in drifting is to cycle a round whithin a working shift which necessitates that no one part absorbs so much time as to prevent the completion of the cycle.Mucking, drilling and loading and the ancillary work such as rock bolting, vent and service pipe hanging typically each take one-third of the available work time. Drilling or mucking can and often do, because of various factors, take nearly half of the total cycle time. Once any segment of the operation starts to take this portion of the shift, the likelihood of missed rounds becomes increasingly greater."

Jan 1, 1981

By R. S. Nichols

"During 1973 to 1978, Canadaka Mines Limited, a subsidiary of St. Joseph Explorations Ltd., undertook an extensive exploration and development program in the Cobalt area. This program resulted in the delineation of previously unknown stratigraphic units in the Archean volcanic sequence. During this time period, significant are controls related to area silver deposits were also identified.The Archean geology is comprised of a volcanic pile conformably overlain by sediments. The volcanics contain at least two felsic volcanic centres near the stratigraphic top of the pile. The bulk of the pile consists of mafic flows and interflow sediments. lnterflow sediments around silver are shoots contain mineralized halos of base metal sulphides. The halos exhibit lateral and vertical metal zoning with Cu, Pb and Zn mineralization decreasing away from an are shoot.Silver mineralization controls determined during the Canadaka program agree with the historically well established importance of Coleman sediments as well as Archean contacts for hosting silver deposits. The vertical extent of are shoots is typically 150to 250ft. A strong correlation was found to exist in the Cobalt area between Archean strike and the strike of are veins. Finally, al/ Cobalt area are deposits appear to be associated with a distinct volcanic pile at the top of a sequence of Archean flows."

Jan 1, 1988

By B. E. Shaw

This paper describes the use of the Free Piston Valve, and a simple hoist brake control system, which has been developed over the last two years, greatly improving the performance of low-pressure brake engines. The basic control system is outlined, with sections devoted to emergency trips and differential braking, and the application of the system to deep shaft hoisting is discussed.

Jan 1, 1966

By M. R. Shadnam

This contribution provides an assessment of research and development efforts to optimize SOx, NOx and mercury capture in flue gas. Coa, characteristics and combustion conditions in a power plant have an impact on the types and concentration of flue gas pollutants. These factors can also affect the amount of pollutant removed. This contribution would also provide a comparative study of the technologies that holistically aim remova, of SOx, NOx and mercury altogether in coal-fired power plants. A portion of this contribution provides background information on regulatory drivers.

Jan 1, 2010

By G. Harper

The Sustut Copper deposit, 230 miles northwest of Prince George, B.C., was discovered in August of 1971. Subsequent exploration has included 56,417 feet of surface diamond drilling in 139 holes. The deposit occurs in gently dipping volcanic rocks of the Upper Triassic Takla Group, which outcrops as rugged mountains. The general Mesozoic sequence comprises some 20,000 feet of green and red basaltic to andesitic rocks. The Lower Formation is characterized by subaqueous basalt, andesite and augite porphyry flows with interbedded breccias. They were rapidly deposited in tectonic depressions of limited extent and steep gradients. Fades changes are abundant. The Middle Formation consists of volcaniclastic rocks made up of fragments from the underlying formation. Two cycles are discernible, both with basal turbiditic, tuf-faceous sandstone and shale units overlain by massive, volcanic conglomerates exhibiting graded and cross bedding. A broader, shallower-water basin is indicated. The top of the uppermost unit was subaerially deposited. The Upper Formation is a variable sequence of volcanic sedimentary rocks. Detritus was supplied from a wide source area and included multiple reworked fragments of the lower formations and material from other rock groups known in the region. Zeolite fades metamorphism is recognized throughout the entire sequence. Epidote is particularly abundant in the Middle Formation, demonstrating the results of metasomatism. The mineralized zone is approximately concordant with the strata over 100-200 feet of the Middle Formation succession. It lies just below the zone of transition from subaqueous to subaerial deposition in the top unit. Hematite, chalcocite, pyrite, bornite, chalcopyrite and native copper are disseminated throughout all sizes of lithic fragments and matrix. Concentration into the specific zone is believed, to be due to upward leaching of copper during low-grade metamorphic and metasomitic reaction. Precipitation occurred in the zone of hydration characterized by prehnite-pumpellyite below the oxidized subaerial rocks.

Jan 1, 1977

By M. P. Du Plessis

"The paper discusses coal research in relation to the special needs of Western Canada, with its large resources of lignite and subbituminous coals. Research programs are presented under the following headings: Coal Liquefaction, Pyrolysis, Fluidized-Bed Technology, Underground Coal Gasification and Supporting Investigations. Typical processes are presented and their relevance to Canadian coals is described. The longterm plan of the Alberta Research Council for coal research and the steps taken for its implementation are discussed. Finally, some innovative concepts arising from basic research in coal chemistry are discussed.Canada's Coal ResourcesCanada is richly endowed with coal reserves. With estimated ultimate reserves of 600 billion tons in O.76-m (2.5-ft) thick seams under less than 762 m (2500 ft) of overburden, Canada rank s fourth after the USSR, the USA and Chinatu (see Table I) . Canada's reserves are incompletely explored and estimates are constantly being upgraded. Preliminary information from deeper test-hole logs suggest that similar , if not larger, tonnages occur at depths greater than 762 m (2500 ft).The types of Canadian coals and their regional Distribution(2) is shown in Figure 2. Alberta's subbituminous Plains coal represents about 70% of estimated national reserves. A large portion of the coal can be mined at relatively low cost by surface mining techniques, and it is currently being used exclusively for power generation in conventional thermal plants. This coal, however , also represents a large potential .source of liquid fuels which could equal or exceed that of oilsands and heavy oil. Table 3 compares Federal Government estimates for resources and reserves of fossil fuels in Canada and their recoverable oil content or equivalent.A conservation estimate of only the reserves of thermal coal represents an oil equivalent of 27.6 billion barrels , which equals the recoverable reserves of oil-sand bitumen and heavy oil. A more realistic estimate is probably several times this amount. Although coal can be converted to many other end products, such as fuel gas and synthesis gas for hydrogen and ammonia production, liquid fuels remain the most desirable product mainly because they can be transported more cheaply over long distances and their high energy density makes them uniquely suitable as fuels for transport and agriculture."

Jan 1, 1981

By Nosa O. Egiebor, Kafui Nyavor

"The effectiveness of sulphuric acid, nitric acid, and hydrogen peroxide pressure oxidation on the cyanide extractability of gold from a double-refractory concentrate is presented. Whileover90% of the sulphide content could be oxidized by either of the two acid pretreatments, only 65% was achieved by the peroxide oxidation. Carbon oxidation by both acid and peroxide pressure oxidation were less than 15%. Although the peroxide pressure oxidation pretreatment resulted in much lower sulphur and carbon oxidation, it gave pretreated residues with decreased levels of preg-robbing activities and higher gold recoveries during subsequent cyanidation, thus indicating some deactivation ofthe preg-robbing carbon during pretreatment with hydrogen peroxide. The refractoriness due to carbon preg-robbing activity was found to contribute more to the refractory behaviour of the concentrate than the occlusion of gold particles by the sulphide mineralization.IntroductionGold ores and concentrates are classified as refractory when a significant portion of the gold content cannot be extracted efficiently by conventional cyanidation, even after fme grinding (Weir and Berezowsky, 1984); (Demopoulos and Papangelakis, 1987). The refractory behaviour of precious metal ores and concentrates is generally attributed to two main factors: The presence of carbonaceous materials which could cause preg-robbing activity during cyanidation (Zaitseva et al., 1973); (Nice, 1971); Scheiner et al., 1971); (Eisele et al., 1983), or occlude gold-bearing minerals (Wells and Mullens, 1973); (Gasparrini, 1983); (Chen and Reddby, 1990), and the occurrence of sulphide minerals which can occlude gold, thus reducing the access of lixiviants (Schwartz, 1944); (Weir et al., 1986); (papangelakis and Demopoulos, 1990); (Michaelis, 1989); (Schweigart, 1965). When the refractoriness is due to a combination of these two factors, the ore or concentrate can be referred to as being ""double-refractory"". Because of the rarity of gold ores exhibiting this double-refractory phenomenon, only a few studies have been carried out on their suitability for pretreatment by existing techniques."

Jan 1, 1992

By J. G. Peacey

"Canada has a special place in non-ferrous pyrometallurgy because it is the only country in the western world that is a significant producer of all the major non-ferrous metals; aluminum, copper, lead, magnesium, nickel and zinc. This large non-ferrous pyrometallurgy industry has developed because of Canada's abundant mineral wealth and energy resources. Table I summarizes the number of primary non-ferrous production facilities in Canada and their share of western world production.Production of non-ferrous metals is a mature, capital intensive business and its basic processes have been in use for many years. Nevertheless, these processes have continued to evolve in response to changing needs and external pressures; such as the energy crisis of the early seventies; historically low metal prices in the early eighties and the continuing pressure to reduce plant emissions and improve in-plant working conditions. Canada's major metallurgical companies: Alcan, Cominco, Falconbridge, Inco and Noranda have played a leading role in pioneering new process technology and continue to meet the difficult challenge of keeping their operations competitive in the global metals market. This paper will try to give an overview of the major developments in non-ferrous pyrometallurgy, largely from the Noranda and Canadian perspectives, highlighting the current status of process technology and possible future directions.AluminumCanada has the world's second largest aluminum smelting industry and its capacity has expanded rapidly in recent years with the completion of several large projects in Quebec. The location and capacity of the Canadian aluminum smelters are given in Table 2. All these plants use the Hall-Heroult process, that was invented over a century ago but over the last twenty years considerable improvements have been made to increase productivity, reduce power requirements and emissions.The developments in aluminum cell technology can be illustrated by the experience at Noranda Aluminum. In 1971, Noranda Aluminum started its first pot line using Kaiser's P69 prebake cell, which was considered, at that time, the best available technology. The P69 cell was designed primarily for high productivity, operating at 150 000 amps and high current density to produce just over tonne Al per cell-day. The P69 cell is a simple design, typically operating at about 88070 current efficiency and 15 800 kWh/tonne Al. When Noranda Aluminum decided to expand in 1980, the Alcoa 697 cell was selected as it then represented the most proven, stateof- the-art technology. This cell is similar to that installed at Alcan's new Grande Baie and Laterriere smelters and is designed to operate at 180000 amps and 93070 current efficiency, producing about 25070 more aluminum per pot-day than the P69 cell using about 15070 less power. The 697 cell has a much more sophisticated cell design, with very good balancing of the magnetic field giving a flat metal pad and allowing efficient operation at the higher amperage. Alumina is fed via point feeders that provide an almost continuous feed allowing close control of the alumina level in the bath and the use of low-ratio bath composition, giving much higher current efficiencies."

Jan 1, 1991