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By Garry M. Hughes

Sherritt's new, 3000 tpd, copper- zinc Fox mine is situated 30 miles southwest of Lynn Lake. The copper-zinc orebody is part of a large body of massive and semi-massive sulfides consisting chiefly of pyrite; with chalcopyrite, sphalerite (containing 7-9s Fe) and pyrrhotite in varying proportions which occur within a series of volcanic and sedimentary rocks. The average sulfide content is 67%. Higher zinc zones are masses of pyrite grains cemented by sphalerite with lower than average copper content. Zones higher in copper and lower in zinc are slightly more quartzose. Gold and silver are present in small amounts roughly proportional to the copper content. Surface diamond drilling indicated an orebody containing 12,269,000 tons grading 1.74% Cu and 2.35% Zn to the 2000 ft level. Underground drilling established the tonnage at 11,- 300,000 tons containing 1.96% Cu and 2.74% Zn.

Jan 4, 1972

By S. F. Turcotte, B. J. Grierson

At the Q. I. T. ilmenite smelter, nine electric furnaces produce titania slag and iron At high power levels, a furnace requires either a slag or an iron tap approximately once an hour, using rail cars as slag receptacles and ladles for iron. The correct scheduling of taps is an important operational tool due to peak power load and operational considerations. Over recent years, large increases in furnace capacity have imposed severe strains on the product handling facilities. This situation results in loss of production when several taps are bunched, because of an in- ability to handle many taps simultaneously. An on-line computer program has been developed to generate schedules for tapping a single furnace. By improved scheduling, this program can en- large the tonnage of each tap and minimize the number of taps, while reducing traffic congestion and unit cost s. Future plans call for extension of this technique to all nine furnaces with addition of a master scheduling program to optimize the overall traffic flow in the smelter aisle.

Jan 1, 1969

By John K. Dienes

The permeability of sands and soils seems to be adequately de- scribed by Darcy's law, but the permeability of rocks is complicated by a number of factors related to the probability of crack intersections. During the last few years we have developed a statistical theory of fragmentation which has been successful in explaining the observed behavior of rocks. In this paper, a theory of permeability is developed which draws on the concepts employed in previous work. The permeability involves three factors, the average fluid flux per crack, the number of cracks per unit area, and the fraction of cracks that are not isolated. Probabilistic ideas are used in connection with the hydrodynamic theory of flow through a single crack to develop an integral expression for permeability. The result has the form of Darcy's law for anistropic media. Although the current work is motivated by the need to develop optimized oil-shale retorts, we believe that the theory can be applied to a variety of other problems.

Jan 1, 1982

By M. L. Jeremic

The massive Pb-Zn-Ag sulfide ore body is originated at the contact between the porphyry (footwall) and volcanic (hanging wall). The ore zone is folded and refolded, which results in two different structural geometries of the individual ore bodies. This requires both shrinkage and cut-and-fill mining methods. Strong bedrock resists caving after shrinkage stope completion, so high stress zones are developed below and above the mined area. The cut-and fill system has a limited destressing mechanism, where the stope walls with a backfill exhibiting stress close to a primitive one. This results in closure deformation of the open stope walls, yielding deformations of crown pillars and roof falls of the wide stope backs.

Jan 1, 1985

J. E. JOHNSON, JR., New York.-It seems to me that it ought to be somebody's job to tie these notch tests with the reversed-stress tests, because the thing that causes failures in structures, in a great majority of cases, is where the material is stressed repeatedly up somewhere near the elastic limit, and the repetition of that stress seems to bring about what I suppose you may call a growth of crystals and that eventually develops into a break. It seems to me that it would be of the greatest value if there could be a coordination of the results of a shock test of some kind with the reversed-stress test, so that we could be sure that a material that had shock-test resistance would have reversed-stress resistance. H. F. MOORE,* Urbana, Ill.-The question raised by the speaker concerning the correlation of results from impact tests of notched bars with the results of repeated-stress tests is a very complicated one. Impact on a specimen sends energy into the specimen, and if the specimen absorbs this energy without fracturing there must be developed both stress and elongation. A notch in the specimen allows but little elongation to take place before rupture, and develops the ductility of the

Jan 5, 1919

By Robert Linton

THE Sierra Consolidated Mines Co., organized in 1909, owns, together with other holdings, practically all of the productive mineral area in the Ocampo district. Lying within this area are 15 mines, large and small, that had previously been worked and appear to have yielded, since the discovery of the camp, about 100 years ago, bullion of a total value of over $50,000,000. The deepest mine, the Santa Juliana, had been worked to 1,100 ft. below the outcrop. The reopening of the mines involved, first, extensive and thorough development to open up the known ore-shoots at greater depth and explore the ledges for additional shoots, and, second, a revision of existing equipment and methods, so as to increase output and reduce cost of production. This paper will give some account of the metallurgical treatment and a description of the new mill to be built at El Salto.

Jan 2, 1914

By D. Malhotra, R. M. Hoover, F. N. Bender

The paper discusses the effect of aeration and agitation on grade and recovery of molybdenite. A series of factorially designed flotation tests were carried out in a "Leeds Automatic Laboratory Flotation Cell." Analysts of flotation results indicate that molybdenite has fast floating and slow floating components. The rates of fast floating components, which do not create a problem inflotation, could be varied by changing agitation or airflow rates. However, the rate of slow floating components was stable and was only a function of residence time. Aeration has a significant effect on the grade of MoS2 and only a slight effect on the recovery of MoS2. Agitation has a slight effect on the grade, but does not effect the recovery of molybdenite. The implications of the results on the design of flotation cells and control and optimization of the existing circuits are also considered.

Jan 1, 1981

By Stuart Buckley

THE application of hydrocarbon equilibrium data to various problems encountered in refining and in natural gasoline recovery is an old and well established practice. Both generalized data and data on specific hydro-carbon systems have been made available by a number of investigators. More recently such data have been applied to the relations governing the separation of oil and gas both in the reservoir and at the surface. Most of the applications to production problems, however, have been based upon examinations of surface samples of oil and gas. This paper describes a technique that has been used satisfactorily in a number of cases to calculate directly from the hydrocarbon analysis of and auxiliary laboratory data on a subsurface sample of the reservoir fluid the behavior of the oil and gas during the various stages of separation at the surface incident to production.

Jan 1, 1938

By A. J. Lynch, N. W. Johnson, D. J. McKee

The behavior of nonsulfide gangue in chalcopyrite flotation circuits has been investigated. Plant and laboratory tests were conducted on five different ores. Linear relationships between the recovery rates of free nonsulfide gangue and water were observed. From pilot plant tests, there was evidence that the linear relationship was actually a linear approximation to a parabolic relationship. There was evidence that free nonsulfide gangue is transported from the pulp to the froth in the water and that the gangue is subjected to hydraulic classification in the froth column. A classification matrix has been proposed to define this behavior. This matrix is suitable for inclusion in a mathematical model of the process.

Jan 1, 1975

LIEUTENANT MARTIN F. BOWLES Martin F. Bowles, born Apr. 25, 1893, at Bonne Terre, Mo., and graduated from the Neodesha, Kans., High School, had finished all but one month of a four-year course in metallurgical engineering at the Missouri School of Mines, Rolla, Mo., when on May 12, 1917, he entered LIEUTENANT MARTIN F. BOWLES. the first Officers' Training Camp at Fort Riley, Kans. At the close of the training period, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant and as¬signed to Co. B, 355th Infantry, 89th Division, and stationed at Camp Funston. He left this camp with his company on May 21, 1918, and sailed from an eastern port on June 4, arriving in England on June 15, 1918. After a short stay at a rest camp there, he proceeded to France. On August 14, he wrote that he was with Battalion Headquarters as Scout Officer, 1st Battalion, 355th Infantry, 89th Division. The last letter received from him, dated September 2, was written in his dugout and contained the following: "Here it is 2.45A. M. Sitting in a dugout

Jan 1, 1919

By R. Hogg, F. F. Aplan, P. B. Bradley

The mineralogy of the solids contained in the black-water effluent from coal preparation plants has been investigated. Samples were obtained from 13 locations, representing major coal seam in the Appalachian, mid-continent, and western regions of the United States. On the average, the samples were found to contain 60% carbonaceous material with the balance as mineral matter. The mineral fractions from all of the samples from the eastern half of the United States were found to be remarkably similar, consisting of over 50% illitic clays; about 10-15% each of kaolinite, calcite, and quartz; and lesser amounts of chlorite and pyrite. The western samples were somewhat different, generally containing significant quantities of montmorillonite clay. Flotation may be wed to recover additional clean coal contained in the black-water discharge.

Jan 1, 1981

B. S. Crocker (Screened Ore Used for Fine Grinding at Lake Shore Mines, P. 499) was born in Toronto, Ont. and attended Saint Andrews College and University of Toronto. He received a B.A. and M.A. degree. He was graduated with honors and received a fellowship in metallurgy. Mr. Crocker did post-graduate research at University of Toronto from 1933 to 1934. He was employed by Beattie Gold Mines in 1933. He did research in milling at Lake Shore Mines from 1934 to 1936 and from 1936 to 1940 was head of experiment laboratory. At the present time he is mill superintendent with Lake Shore Mines at Kirkland Lake, Ont., Canada. Grinding, cyanidation, flotation and roasting are of special interest to him. He is a member of AIME. Mr. Crocker has presented several papers before C.I.M.M. and also holds membership in this society as well as Professional Engineers of Ontario. Skiing, yacht racing and photography are his favorite hobbies.

Jan 1, 1952

By John M. Pitt

Shear strength assessment and the associated variability in rock masses historically have been hindered by high costs and biases in laboratory testing programs. An in situ direct shear device was developed on the principle of the previous borehole shear device for soils. Using wedge action to simultaneously apply normal and shear stress to an envelope of material on the periphery of a borehole, the device develops a complete Mohr-Coulomb failure envelope. Tests performed in homogeneous materials show expected strengths and their variability equivalent to laboratory tests. However, tests in a structurally non- homogeneous coal did not display significant variability. A 38 mm diam borehole was used in this work; however, larger or smaller bore- holes may also be used within the size limits of the device. The device is employed in holes commonly drilled for rock bolt placement, at 1 to 2 minutes per test.

Jan 1, 1984

By Helen L. Cannon

BOTANICAL methods of prospecting for metalliferous ores are based on the premise that deposits at depth may be reflected chemically in surface vegetation. For the past several years, on behalf of the Atomic Energy Commission, the U. S. Geological Survey has investigated on the Colorado Plateau the application of botanical methods to uranium prospecting. Results suggest that orebodies may be found under a considerable cover of barren sandstone through the absorption of uranium and associated trace elements by plants growing at the ground surface. Plant physiologists have demonstrated that uranium is a necessary nutrient for plant growth and therefore is present in all plants.' The amount present is small but measurable. The absorption of uranium by plants growing over ore deposits forms the basis, therefore, for a method of prospecting by plant analysis.

Jan 2, 1954

By Peter J. Conroy, Lewis V. Wade

Old Ben Coal Co. successfully completed the fit longwall panel in Illinois. The panel was mined wing shield supports and was part of a cooperative agreement with the US Bureau of Mines. This paper describes the rock mechanics studies which were performed to monitor: the performance of the supports, the stress changes in the coal and floor, convergence in entries, and caving mechanism of the roof. From this study, maximum support loads were obtained as well as the stress distribution in the panel, floor and adjacent pillars.

Jan 1, 1981

By Octavio G. Echavarria

HISTORY The Santander Mine is located on the western flank of the Central Andes of Peru, about 100 miles northeast of Lima, at an elevation of 15,000 ft. This complex sulphide orebody, whose predominant minerals are sphalerite and marmatite with recoverable amounts of galena and chalcopyrite, was discovered around 1920. In 1956 Compania Minerales Santander, a subsidiary of St. Joe Minerals Corp. acquired the property. Construction of the camps, concentrator and power facilities started in 1957. The mine, at first an open pit operation, and mill began production in January 1959. The initial capacity of the mill was around 120,000 short tons per year (stpy). Production has increased steadily to about 312,000 stpy at present. Production statistics are shown in Table 1. [ ]

Jan 1, 1970

By Fred C. Bond

IN crushing and grinding the larger particles are more exposed to the work input. They absorb most of the work and protect the smaller neighboring particles from destructive contact with the crushing surfaces or grinding media. The importance of this exposure differential upon the reduction efficiency and product size distribution has long been recognized. Unfortunately, there has heretofore been no direct method of evaluating it, and such indirect methods as observing the slope of the plotted product size distribution line have been used as an indication. In this presentation the Third Theory of Comminution1 has been used, together with the exponential formula for size distribution, to evaluate the exposure ratio and exposure constant and to illustrate examples of their utility in crushing and grinding applications.

Jan 12, 1957

By A. Bouillot, G. W. Luxbacher

In a reserve assessment in areas where multiple coal seams lie above drainage or outcrop and where mining options include contour, auger, mountaintop removal and underground methods, the mining technique (or techniques) selected are heavily dependent on both economic and technologic factors. Rapid and accurate calculations utilizing digital terrain modeling, structure isopacs and including factors such as minimum seam heights, reject limits and coal quality are of vital importance in mine planning. The ability to forecast mine development in a "what if" fashion is a powerful tool that now demands computer resources to reduce these time-consuming, often repetitive calculations. Island Creek Coal and Occidental Systems have developed a minicomputer based engineering workstation for local digitizing, plotting, and volumetric calculations to move the computing function from the computer room (with time sharing on a mainframe computer) into a more interactive environment, resulting in a gain in efficiency and productivity for the mine planning process. The workstation is connected to Occidental's mainframe computers allowing data transfer to the host for "CPU-intensive" calculations. This paper reviews the system configuration and describes the operations required for a typical mine planning application.

Jan 1, 1983

By R. A. L. Black

Between March and June 1962, the privilege of holding a Carnegie Corporation Fellowship enabled R. A. L. Black to travel extensively in the northeastern and western U.S. and in Canada, seeing mining schools, mining research establishments and a cross-section of the American and Canadian mining industry. Visits were paid to 12 university mining schools, 7 research establishments and 19 mining operations. The author had previously spent two months in Britain in a similar manner and eventually returned to his home in South Africa after a short period studying mining problem in Australia. Thus, although the following remarks are mainly concerned with the educational problems of mining in North America, a comparison of impressions of American and Canadian conditions could be made with impressions gained from first-hand experience of other mining centers in the English-speaking world. The conclusion was reached that the problems and conditions of mining, research and mining education are very similar in all areas visited.

Jan 4, 1963

By G. L. Jr. Spencer

THERE is no question as to the importance of the part played by the retort in modern zinc smelting. A satisfactory retort should have properties that will result in resistance to slagging action and fire cracks, and have no tendency, or at least, only a small tendency, to soften and bend under furnace heat. The life and cost of a retort also are extremely important factors. The trend in zinc smelting during the past few years has been toward longer retorts and higher charge density. This is caused by the fact that the diameter is limited to 9 or 10 in. because of heat penetration difficulties in larger sizes. Consequently, increasing the length of the retort and density of charge offers the only practical means of increasing the amount of zinc produced per retort. The stiffness of a retort perhaps is the most important factor, as slag accumulates in the bottom of a retort which has sagged and very quickly cuts through, often ruining the retorts below. The development of the high-silica retort is a result of the demands made by the trend toward heavy charges.

Jan 1, 1931