Search Documents

By M. Tang, X. Tong

"SynopsisSlime coating is one of the most common ways for serpentines to contaminate metallic mineral concentrates during traditional flotation of coarse sulphide particles. This could pose quite a complicated and challenging problem in the case of some types of low-grade and finely disseminated Cu-Ni ores bearing high serpentine contents. This is the case for the copper and nickel sulphides from the Yunnan Mine, China. Previous batch flotation tests of this ore resulted in satisfactory recoveries of 86.92% Cu, 54.92% Ni, and 74.73% Pt+Pd, and concentrate grades of 4.02% Cu, 3.24% Ni, and 76.61 g/t Pt+Pd. However, the MgO content in these concentrates was more than 19%. In the current study, microflotation tests and settling rate tests were introduced to investigate the effects of a combination of strong collectors (a 2:1 weight ratio of butyl xanthate and butyl ammonium dithophosphate) on entrainment of serpentines in metallic mineral concentrate, as well as visual observations of the concentrates in suspension using still photography. All test results indicated the presence of serpentines entrapped in the hydrophobic flocs that resulted from these collectors, even with the use of effective gangue depressants. These strong collectors are used to flocculate the ultra-fine sulphides by forming loose and ‘fluffy’ hydrophobic flocs. However, these hydrophobic flocs may also be able to load or entrap some serpentine slimes into the concentrate, and this entrained serpentine could be harder to remove by using depressants or intensified conditioning than serpentine slime coating on the particle surfaces.IntroductionSerpentine minerals, which have the generalized composition (Mg,Fe)3Si2O5(OH)4, can be easy to crush and grind due to their convoluted and bent layered structures. These serpentines can hinder the enrichment of some metallic minerals and dilute their concentrates by entrainment during flotation. The resulting high pulp viscosities, slime coatings, and high content of dissolved ions adversely affect the flotation recoveries of copper and nickel sulphides, and high levels of MgO entrained in the concentrates lead to heavy penalties from smelters. Since the quality of nickel flotation concentrate depends heavily on its MgO content (generally less than 6–7% for No.1 or 2 grade nickel concentrate according to the standard requirement from National Nonferrous Industry), reducing the entrainment of serpentine during flotation is becoming more and more pressing. Previous research has focused on the collectors and depressants that are commonly used in copper-nickel flotation, as well as their interaction mechanisms."

Jan 1, 2015

By J. van der Merwe, C. Phetolo, V. Matjeke

The mechanical properties and microstructure of AlSi10Mg alloy samples that were printed by selective laser melting (SLM) were studied to determine the effect of processing parameters and building orientation. After printing, the alloy was stress relieved at 250°C for 2 hours. The microstructures were analysed by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to determine the alloy phases and distribution. Phase transformation characteristics of the material were evaluated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Mechanical properties were determined by subjecting the XY- and Z-built samples to tensile and nano-indentation testing. The samples from the tensile tests were then used to perform fractographic analysis by SEM. The microstructural properties in each orientation revealed a non-homogeneous microstructure which was characterized by a semi-elliptical tract and fine silicon precipitates, which were found to be softer along the fusion zone. The DSC thermograms revealed that the material underwent two phase transformations during the first heating cycle. The mechanical properties revealed a higher UTS, higher yield strength, and a lower percentage elongation in the Z orientation than in the XY orientation. Fractographic analysis showed that crack initiation in both orientations started from the surface in a brittle manner due to surface flows, and then propagated via microvoid coalescence.

Jul 1, 2021

By R. Harris

Blister copper melts of 800 g to 1000 g containing less than 1 wt % S and up to 3 wt % Ni were desulfurized at 1523 K in air or by a pure oxygen jet blown at 75,500 and 1000 cm3/min, from 1 cm above the melt. Rates of desulfurization and oxygen pickup were measured and visible surface phenomena were photographed and videotaped. It was observed that SO2 was evolved from Cu-S melts in a manner reminiscent of the effervescence seen in carbonated drinks. The effervescence lasted up to 20 minutes and resulted in the ejection of material up to a height 50 cm above the melt surface. Sporadic discharge of large bubbles was also observed in a Ni containing melt top-blown with oxygen at 1000 cm3/min. The Cu-S melts top-blown with oxygen experienced faster sulfur elimination as compared to stagnant melts exposed to air and experienced only a single period of turbulent SO2 evolution, which occurred almost immediately after oxygen injection commenced. The Cu-S melts exposed to air experienced multiple episodes of effervescence. The stagnant blister copper melt containing nickel did not exhibit effervescent behaviour and experienced a lower rate of sulfur elimination compared to Cu-S melts tested under similar conditions. The present article examines the role of surface phenomena in determining the observed behaviour.

Jan 1, 1999

By Henry Hibbard

Fox the purpose of this paper all steels will be divided into two divisions: effervescing and non-effervescing. This classification must be borne in mind as many statements true of one class are not true of the other. Effervescing steels are those that effervesce in the molds, evolving large volumes of gases, which, in escaping, throw up a spray of molten particles of steel and give the molten metal in the mold a rapid stirring or churning motion until it freezes, or, at least, becomes pasty. This effervescing is intended and proper. The non-effervescing steels, which are more or less completely killed, should not evolve any gas in the molds. Many years ago the writer proposed to call the two classes of steels evolution and solution steels, depending on whether the gases in the molds are evolved or kept in solution, but the present designations seen to be better. In America, at least, effervescing steels are in a class by themselves and include steels made for boiler, tank, and ship plates, steel pipe, soft steel wire, wire nails, soft machinery, and structural steels. These are all low-carbon steels with less than 0.40 per cent. carbon. Low-carbon steels that do not effervesce but are killed are also made; these are put into ingots and castings but they are outside the limits of this paper. Effervescing steel is cast into square or slab molds, either top or bottom poured. Most of the effervescing steel is made in the basic open-hearth furnace, though much is made by the acid Bessemer process and a little is made in the acid open-hearth. It is not made by the crucible or electric-furnace process, in which the volume of gas required cannot be produced in the steel and evolved from it in the mold to give the effervescence desired. Any steel ingot, when teeming is finished, is of a certain size or volume. Leaving out of consideration for the moment the lessening of the over-all dimensions of the ingot through contraction due to loss of heat, the ingot may be placed in one of three classes: It may settle, losing in volume; it may stand, that is, remain constant in volume; it may rise, that is, increase in volume.

Jan 9, 1919

By Alan M. Muir Wood, Gerhard Sauer

There axe two essential features of administrative practices in tunnelling in order to provide proper encouragement to innovative and economic tunnelling: first, that there should be a continuity in the decision making at all stages so that the full implications of decisions in early stages of planning and design are understood; second, that there should be appropriate provision for variation so that the greatest possible benefit can be derived from modifying the working scheme in relation to the characteristics of the ground and from study of its behaviour during execution of the work. Examples are given from the Authors[?] experience as to the benefits to be derived from the application of such principles.

Jan 1, 1981

By Sachihiko Tokunaga, Hirofumi Taguchi, Kenji Maruyama, Hidenori Takahashi, Yoshiyuki Morikawa

"Abstract The present study proposed a new liquefaction countermeasure to improve sandy ground and conducted a trial execution. The new method is a floating-type and lattice-shaped cement treatment method, where cement-treated soil is not fixed to a non-liquefiable stratum. A fixed structure such as treated soil should be formed at the side of the floating-type treated soil to reduce its lateral displacement. In the study, one-dimensional dynamic response analyses were first conducted to confirm the mechanism of the new method. Then, a series of centrifuge model tests were performed to demonstrate the effect under a stress condition at the prototype scale. The analyses and model tests confirmed the effect of the liquefaction countermeasure. Finally, trial executions were carried out to confirm high-quality vertical execution.INTRODUCTIONLiquefaction induced by an earthquake generates sand boiling and ground settlement. Other problems have also been reported, including a decrease in bearing capacity and an increase in the horizontal earth pressure against retaining walls. To prevent these problems caused by liquefaction of the ground, various countermeasures have been proposed, such as cement deep mixing and high-pressure jet mixing methods. These methods have the big advantage of being applicable to ground that contains soil with a fine-grain fraction. Furthermore, the unnecessary displacement caused by the construction can be reduced. In Japan, a lattice-shaped cement-treatment method has frequently been used at many construction sites to prevent liquefaction, where cement-treated piles are intersected to form a lattice, as shown in Fig. 1. The lattice-shaped walls can reduce the shear stress generated by an earthquake, restricting the liquefaction at that location. However, the construction cost of the cement treatment is relatively high compared to other methods such as the sand compaction pile (SCP) method, and needs to be reduced. In particular, the cost of the high-pressure jet mixing method, which can be applied to the liquefiable ground under existing structures, is significantly high. Therefore, decreasing the total volume of the cement treatment is necessary to reduce the construction cost."

Jan 1, 2014

Efficacy of Enhanced Gravity Separator in Processing Indian Iron Ore Slime The slime sample was subjected to concentration using Falcon concentrator for their enrichment. The effects of three important variables, eg bowl rotation frequency, back water flow rate and per cent solid were studied on the process performance. Increasing the rotation of the Falcon bowl, enable more material to the underflow by increasing the yield, whereas, the iron content decreases steadily with increasing the rotation of the bowl. The increase in the back water flow effectively removes the clay materials from the underflow at the expense of the yield. Similarly, increasing the per cent solid concentration in the feed produces a better product both in terms of yield and Fe content. Results show that EGS/Falcon can be used for processing Indian iron ore slime and producing pellet grade concentrate.

Sep 13, 2010

By A. Sariisik

This study analyses the results of a pilot trial of a newly developed armed-chained stone-cutting machine. The machine was developed in Turkey and trialed at the Kaklik/Kocaba travertine quarries in the Denizli District. An armed-chained cutting machine is an alternative to the diamond wire cutting method more frequently used in the production of natural stone quarry blocks, and increases production efficiency and quality. Since there is no need to collapse the blocks using the armed-chained cutting production process, there is no risk of the block developing cracks. This results in a considerable increase in the efficiency of natural stone block production. The armed-chained cutting machine is easier both to assemble and run when compared to other block cutting methods. This process resulted in the production of a larger number of blocks at a lower cost within the same time frame, particularly in travertine quarries and in all other natural stone quarries. The block efficiency in travertine quarries was calculated as 65?80%using the armed-chained cutting machine, compared with 7?14% using the normal diamond wire cutting method.

Jan 1, 2010

By M. Asghari, R. Amiri, A. Haratian, M. Noue Parast, S. Haji

Today the roller screen has a wide range of applications in the steel-making industry. It is used for screening of green pellets before using the kiln. Since the appropriate size of a green pellet is -16+9 mm, there are different gaps between rollers that make green pellets classified in three categories: -9 mm (undersize), -16+9 mm (onsize) and +16mm (oversize). The efficiency of a roller screen is specified according to the weight percent of undersize in onsize as a fine material, and weight percent of onsize in oversize (loss). This efficiency is influenced by different operational parameters such as roller diameter, roller speed, and roller gap, material type of rollers and inclination of roller screen. This study investigates the effect of different material types of rollers in efficiency of Ardakan roller screens, located in the Yazd province of Iran. The rollers of the existing roller screens in this pelletising plant are made of polyurethane which according to this investigation, has a maximum lifetime of about six months. Operating the polyurethane rollers beyond its lifetime generates serious problems such as high wear of rollers, and consequently, material buildup on the roller surface which then significantly decreases the roller screen efficiency. So, after examining different roller materials, stainless steel 304 with higher surface roughness to help pellets move properly on the roller screen surface was selected as a solution to this problem. The new roller screen was constructed by Fakoor Meghnatis Spadana (FMS) and replaced the previous one. In this way, the maximum capacity of the roller screen was increased about 17% and the roller screen efficiency was increased about 15%. Keywords: Roller screen, green pellets, efficiency, onsize, operational parameters

Jan 1, 2020

By H. F. Yancey

Various criteria for evaluating the performance of coal washeries are discussed critically, with particular reference to ideas developed at the First International Conference on Coal Preparation held in Paris in June 1950. Criteria that relate only to the sharpness with which a cleaning unit separates coal from impurity are compared with those that reflect loss of coal or quality of products.

Jan 6, 1951

By J. J. Scott

During 1967 wage settlements and strikes ran at a high rate and it has been estimated that union gains of 4 ½ % to 5% per year have been attained in many instances. When these events are coupled with the need to operate on lower grade and deeper deposits the need for technological advances in underground mining becomes obvious. Emphasis has been on ways to reduce the number of manshifts required per ton of product. Most significant advances have been made in rapid advance of primary mine openings, development of mobile, rubber-tired, front-end loaders and hauling units, high-speed drilling with rotary and rotary percussive units and a serious look at nuclear devices to break large volumes of ore cheaply. Boring Developments in bit manufacture and metallurgy have allowed continuous boring-type machines to be used on harder formations than was deemed feasible in the past. Hecla Mining Co. has been using raise boring equipment for drilling 9 7/8 in. diam pilot holes in raises which are later reamed in an upward direction to 48 in. diam. The machine used is a J. S. Robbins model 42R raise borer which has been used successfully to drill two relatively long 48-in. diam holes. The first was 520 ft in length at a dip of 76º, and the second was a 785-ft vertical hole.

Jan 2, 1968

By D. A. White

A simple model for hydrocyclone classification based on the crowding theory first put forward by Fahlstrom is presented. This is a mechanistic theory that postulates that the behaviour of a hydrocyclone is the result of an ordered process that is independent of its dimensions. The main variables that describe the process are the fractions of feed solids and water that are ejected from the underflow. A simple model is developed from basic properties of the classification process and is compared with theory. Agreement is good but improves when the cyclone has a high solids content

Dec 1, 1991

By M Lak, R Amiri, A Haratian, M Asghari, S Haji

Dry magnet separators are used to upgrade and beneficiate a wide variety of minerals such as hematite and magnetite materials. In recent years advances in dry magnetic separators have improved their performance. Fine particle separation is one of the main areas which still remain weak. This paper will present a new design of fine particle drum separators which used for particle size less than 3 mm. A big problem in processing of iron ore is the grade and recovery of mineral values in the fines fraction. The new design high efficiency drum separator is developed to handle fine feeds. In this drum separators both of the drum shell and magnetic yoke rotate in opposite direction. the results showed that when the material feed size was = 1298 μm, drum shell speed was 42.5 rev/min, magnetic yoke speed was 100 rev/min and the maximum intensity of magnetic field was at = 30° the feed grade increased from 50.87 to 65.67 in concentrate box, increase to 60.45 in middle box and tail grade was 24.44. The total achieved recovery for both concentrate and middle box was 81.89 per cent.

Nov 8, 2021

By M Lak, R Amiri, A Haratian, M Asghari, S Haji

In recent years, due to advances in designing of various magnet assemblies, a wide range of magnetic materials with different properties can be concentrated. Jalal Abad iron ore beneficiation plant, which is located in Iran, Kerman province, is currently producing iron ore concentrate with the capacity of 0.8 Mt/a by having medium intensity magnetic separators (MIMS) with rougher and cleaner stages that finally leads to the production of an iron concentrate with the Fe grade of about 65 per cent. In this plant, the rougher tailings directly goes to the thickener as the final tailings and cleaner tailings feeds to the ball mill for regrinding. Since some hematite particles with weak magnetic properties cannot be recovered from only these two stages of magnetic separation, the obtained tailings from this concentration plant has approximately an iron grade of 25 per cent to 27 per cent. Accordingly, laboratory processing tests were conducted on the obtained representative sample of the final tailings. Based on the experimental results performed on final tailings, a new magnetic drum separator with a specific magnetic assembly was designed that could finally lead to product with iron grade range of 58 per cent to 60 per cent with relative and total weight per cent of 8.6 per cent and 3.86 per cent. Finally, it could be concluded that feeding of magnetite particles to the existing drum separators, due to their high magnetic field intensity, cannot efficiently lead to improvement of the grade of concentrate. Therefore, pilot magnetic separation tests were done on the final concentrate for evaluation of product upgrading probability. Consequently, by increasing another stage of cleaning and by decreasing the magnetic field intensity, the final product grade could be enhanced from 65 per cent to 67 per cent.

Nov 8, 2021

By Robin Schott

The blast furnace process is the most important process to produce pig iron. The necessary process energy is mainly covered by coke. But the production of coke is connected with CO2-emissions and high costs. A significant measure to reduce the coke rate and with it the CO2-emissions plus costs is pulverized coal injection (PCI) through the tuyeres into the blast furnace. A further increase to substitute coke by coal can be achieved by using the Oxycoal+ technology. This article compares and shows the cost effectiveness and the decrease of CO2-emissions with the help of simplified energy balances for the only coke operation of the blast furnace, the operation using pulverized coal injection and the operation using the Oxycoal+ technology.

Aug 17, 2017

By M. Rotz

In the minerals industry today, the ?low hanging fruit? that once existed to debottleneck production and improve recovery, while meeting market needs for quality in mineral processing operations, are more and more difficult to find. Systematic methods for establishing plant mass flow, recovery, operational efficiency and control strategy in context with customer specifications provides the necessary insight and confidence for plant operators to prioritize improvement projects in order to maximize return on investment (ROI) for the site. The evaluation of aggregate and industrial mineral processing plants requires the following steps when projecting cost saving opportunities: collecting background data, conducting a base-line evaluation, analyzing specific unit-operation performance, defining investment options, prioritizing the selected improvement opportunities and the implementing process changes. The following paper describes the approach and challenges of developing an improvement plan for a dry and wet mineral processing operation.

Feb 23, 2014

By A. B. Holland-Batt

Two graphical techniques which are commonly used to assess batch separations are analysed in terms of reaction kinetics to provide a more powerful method of evaluation. An alternative and more general approach, based on the selection and application of suitable efficiency criteria, is also presented. The method proposed distinguishes between selection and collection efficiency in flotation and can be used to estimate the degree of liberation in the feed. Two examples are given: table concentration of monazite and ilmenite from a beach sand, and flotation of a pyrite-haematite ore

Dec 1, 1971

With the signing of the armistice on Nov. 11, the direction of the main concentration of effort of the United States was changed. In order to win the war, all industrial efforts had to be organized and centralized. With the war won and peace in sight, this centralization of effort stopped and the full play of individual initiative was allowed to resume its sway in the community. During this period of reversal of direction of effort, there was a natural loss of momentum and the United States, as well as the rest of the world, is in for a period of readjustment. The immense progress that was made in one direction under the stress of the necessities of war, which focused the energies of a nation in one direction, is an outstanding example of what can be accomplished if a community with many varying interests can be united on one objective which it desires to attain. The realization that the fusing of many interests into one stream of effort is difficult should not prevent us from taking the long view ahead that is necessary in order to be able to measure the progress made. If we don't have a mountain peak to guide us, we are very likely to run in circles in the plain without reaching the goal to which we strive. The most efficient development of natural resources is an ideal that, from a material point of view, appeals to the engineer. This ideal includes giving of opportunities to everyone to take a share in the development of these resources.. It also contemplates rewarding foresight

Jan 4, 1919

By R. A. Marshall

Much has been written by men connected with the coal mining industry, and mining laws have been enacted for the safety of the men employed in the mines, and for the protection of property connected therewith. It seems almost impossible for anyone to select a subject that has not already been read, discussed and put into effect, especially in the coal mines of Western America. There is, however, a subject of much interest to the mining public, and to which I have given a great deal of study and consideration, and which I believe will be received by this convention, and will be given due consideration in the future in applying it to the safety of the mine,- "Efficiency in Shot Firing." Beginning with 1865, and for a period of 28 years in the state of Colorado, the annual reports of the chief inspectors show that 1159 coal miners were killed in the following manner: Five hundred eighty-two by falls of rock and coal ; 517 by gas and dust explosions; 6o by careless handling of explosives and the shooting of coal by the, individual, miner. It is my firm belief that 75 per cent of these fatal accidents might have been avoided, if a safe and proper shot firing system had been installed, at each and every mine. This may sound unreasonable, but I believe that the blasting of coal by the individual miner, and the use of black powder, squibs and fuse has, in reality, caused the death of many miners, from shock after blasting, the shooting out 'of timbers, and working in powder smoke, which fatal accidents were attributed to falls of rock or coal. These conditions led the people of Colorado, through their representatives of the General Assembly of Colorado, to enact a new coal mining law, and in 1913 this law became effective, containing twelve sections devoted to the subject of Efficiency in the System of Shot Firing. During the period 1913 to 1920, the employment of a shot firer, the use of permissible. powder, and the electric hand battery has resulted in safer mines, safer miners and safer shot firers, and I believe every coal mine in the state should employ first-class, certified shot firers, use permissible powder and fire the shots with an electric hand battery. I believe where gas generates in dangerous quantities, which is generally determined by inspection of the mine, and the daily report, the shooting in. such a mine should be done by electric battery located outside of the mine. Where permissible powder is used, I have seen the shot firer start down the mine with a belt around his waist containing one hundred caps, a safety lamp to test for gas, and an open light to ignite the fuse. Would it not be much safer for the shot firer if he used the electric hand battery? In non-gaseous mines where black powder is used, I have. seen the miners carry fuse into the mine, and shot firers have been known to partly tamp the holes, which was

Jan 1, 1921

By W. N. Best

THIS paper is not intended as a scientific discussion of the combustion of oil but is written from, the standpoint of an operator who has the experience and qualifications necessary to guide others in producing the most economic results in the use of liquid fuels. Oil, in this paper, usually, means petroleum or its products but incidental reference is made to other liquid and gaseous fuels, so that the term may be considered, as referring to all liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons in comparison with solid fuels, as coal and. wood. However, only a few of the principal factors in the use of oil as a fuel can be given. The present, and prospective, high price of coal is causing users of fuel to renew inquiry as to the merits of other forms of fuel for industrial purposes. Crude oil (petroleum) is proving to be one of the world's most valuable mineral resources. The recent discovery that oil underlies a considerable area of the United States, Mexico, and other parts of the world to a greater extent than was formerly believed and the large production of some of the wells in these areas shows the probable quantity of fuel oil that may now be available. Through the energy of Lord Cowdrey, who was one of the pioneers of the oil industry in Mexico, oil has been discovered in England; some prominent geologists believe that it may be found yet, in quantity, in Great Britain. For years, oil has been known to be of great value in the manufacture of metals. It has proved incomparable in forge shops, steel foundries, heat-treating furnace s, and wherever accuracy of temperatures is essential, or where a maximum output is desired as well as quality of metal. In some types of equipment, the output produced with oil as fuel is double that obtained with coal and, at a reduction of 50 per cent, in the cost of the fuel. For example, in drop-forging plants, the metal is always waiting for the man when oil is used as fuel, whereas with coal, the man must wait for the metal to become sufficiently heated.

Jan 8, 1920