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By J. R. Welsh, D. J. Palmer, O. M. G. Newman

"The use of calcine for selective zinc precipitation requires specialist knowledge to achieve satisfactory flowsheet design. Calcine from the bed of a fluid roaster is preferred, and factors such as the size distribution of ground calcine, the stoichiometric ratio of the calcine precipitant to the initial dissolved zinc concentration and the moisture content of the resultant filter cake are parameters which require critical attention. Extensive testing in a fully-integrated electrolytic zinc plant pilot plant has demonstrated that properly designed selective zinc precipitation plants using calcine as the precipitant are reliable operating units.The advantages of using calcine instead of limestone for selective zinc precipitation include a decreased cost of reagents, as well as avoiding the formation of by-product gypsum.Process simulation modelling has demonstrated that the use of calcine in this context has widespread application in the design of zinc plants with superior impurity and water balance control characteristics. A particularly powerful approach involves closed circuit washing. In this mode, filtrate from the selective zinc precipitation step is used to wash a zinc plant residue such as jarosite, and the resulting filtrate is returned to the selective zinc precipitation section. IntroductionThe Selective Zinc Precipitation (SZP) Process, developed and patented by the Electrolytic Zinc Company of Australasia Limited (EZ) may be used to achieve simultaneously, water balance and impurity control in an electrolytic zinc plantO,2). Impurities which may be controlled by the SZP process include chlorine, magnesium, manganese, potassium and sodium.In the SZP process, basic zinc sulphate is precipitated from a zinc sulphate solution by either limestone, lime or a compound containing zinc oxide, usually calcined zinc sulphide concentrate (calcine) or alternatively zinc oxide fume .The solids containing basic zinc sulphate are separated, typically, by filtration and returned to the zinc plant circuit as a neutralizing agent. The zinc depleted solution can either be discarded, or used to wash residues, thereby achieving water balance and impurity control (Fig. I)."

Jan 1, 1988

By Carl L. Renzoni

INTRODUCTION This paper defines equity as the issuance of a permanent interest in the business on a broadly distributed basis. As such, it excludes the issuance of equity to either a merchant bank or to another corporation. Nearly twenty years ago the equity markets were very simple: The instruments used were primarily common shares, convertible debentures or convertible preferred shares. Another equity-type option often used, especially by junior companies, was the sale of joint venture interests. Issue sizes were generally in the order of $25 - $100 million and issues were syndicated primarily in North America and Europe by one or two investment dealers. Mining corporations today benefit from a market with much more depth. Issues are syndicated by dealers on a truly international basis, and issue sizes now often range up to $300 million. Moreover, dealers are now willing to take significant risk in buying the issues for redistribution. This discussion of trends in equity markets will encompass: 1) common shares 2) warrants to buy common shares 3) convertible debentures 4) commodity backed instruments A review follows of events that affect the mining industry and investment dealers as they have a bearing on the equity markets for the metal producers. FACTORS AFFECTING THE MINING INDUSTRY The current business cycle, up to October 1987, had been characterised by a buoyant stock market and depressed base metal prices. Mining companies entered this period with weak balance sheets and little prospect of cash flows meeting capital needs. The issuance of equity and the sale of assets were used extensively to reduce debt to manageable levels. During this period, the relative high price for gold, and more important, the very high earnings and cash flow multiples afforded to gold producers, caused companies to target gold as the only game in town. The need for capital to acquire and develop gold properties prompted an unprecedented volume of equity issues. (Burns Fry led or co-managed over $1 billion of mining equity issues per year during this period). This high demand for equity capital by the industry prompted an increase in the use of equity instruments, such as commodity backed instruments. In addition, government tax incentive programs in Canada, such as flow-through shares, allowed smaller companies to raise significantly more equity than would otherwise have been possible. Over $1 billion in flow-through equity was raised in 1987 alone. The abundance of flow-through capital in Canada made it easy to form a new company. One flow-through share fund developed a system of providing the working capital required for a company to be eligible to receive flow-through share capital so that an entrepreneur required only a mining property to get started. Many new companies were formed and several flourished in a buoyant stock market environment to the point that market capitalizations grew to $100 million or more. The current period is in stark contrast to that before October 1987. The equity markets are generally available to the resource industry only on a window basis and only for senior companies and for special situations. The industry is benefitting from buoyant metal prices, and bankers are anxious to provide debt capital. Investment dealers previously processing several equity issues

Jan 1, 1990

By F. E. Lathe

RECENT events have emphasized with renewed force the well known fact that war greatly intensifies the demand for certain metals, particularly for iron, copper, and zinc. Any increase in the use of iron and steel, whether in war or peace, is also accompanied by increased consumption of those metals which find their chief application as ferro-alloys, such as nickel, chromium, manganese, molybdenum, tungsten, and vanadium. Further, since high temperatures are essential for the production of all these metals, activity in the metal industry is inevitably accompanied by an insistent demand for refractories. For example, in North American practice the consumption of magnesitic hearth refractories is frequently expressed in pounds per ton of steel. This quantity (not including straight dolomite) ranges on individual plants from about 7 to 12 pounds. When the industry is operating at approximately full capacity, the ratio of refractory to steel tends to increase, since the tonnage of steel produced is recognized as of paramount importance, and this leads to the harder driving of furnaces and less regard for the effect on refractories. It should also be observed that the cost of refractories per ton of metal produced is always so low, in comparison with other items, that it may even increase while the cost of metal per ton is being reduced through more continuous operation and the use of higher temperatures. As one prominent Canadian copper metallurgist has tersely expressed it, he is "not in business to save refractories but to smelt ore". The effect of war demands and of general industrial activity upon the production of basic and neutral refractories is clearly shown in Figure 1, which gives the value of chrome ore and magnesitic-dolomite produced in Canada during the period 1907 to 1937. Tonnages have not been shown, as these are not available for the full period; such figures as have been published from time to time are not strictly comparable, since both raw rock and finished products have on occasion been included. The preliminary figures for 1938, which are now available, have been prepared by the Dominion Bureau of Statistics on a different basis from those immediately preceding, and have therefore not been shown.

Jan 1, 1940

By Sanat Talmaki

Construction and mining worksites pose unique challenges to workers and equipment operators due to their dynamic and unstructured nature. Narrow haul roads, crowded work spaces and presence of workers and equipment in close proximity, combined with large blind spots and overall poor visibility afforded to operators lead to collisions and run-over-type accidents between equipment, workers, and other entities that may be present on the jobsite. Operations that involve machine-infrastructure interaction, particularly in the case of concealed infrastructure such as excavation and drilling lead to unintended strikes between the equipment?s end-effect or and the infrastructure. Such accident-prone scenarios can be avoided by providing operators with real-time feedback and warnings using 3D visualization and proximity monitoring of the entities present in the equipment?s vicinity. Thus the jobsite in the real world is abstracted and represented in a 3D virtual world. However, this requires the ability to create a seamless link between real-world sensors present on the equipment and/or the jobsite and the virtual environment. This paper describes a non-restrictive acquisition allocation framework that allows position and orientation sensor streams from construction and mining job sites to be used for updating 3D virtual scenes in real-time for providing vital collision avoidance warnings to equipment operators.

Aug 1, 2013

By Adrian Villanueva

In this study, we compare the influence of two water soluble polymer-based organic binders added to bentonite, to form a hybrid-binder system for Iron Ore Pelletization. The kinetics of the agglomeration process and resulting properties of green pellets were analyzed, and examined in detail through Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM) analytical techniques. It was encountered that the differences in the mechanical properties of the pellets produced by each binder system could potentially be explained by the ability of the polymer to interact with bentonite at a macromolecular level.

Oct 30, 2017

By W. M. Peirce, R. K. Waring

Zinc of high purity offers definite advantages in certain fields. A process by which zinc of 99.99 + per cent purity is produced by pyro-metallurgical methods is described in this paper. The process consists of a fractional distillation following the primary reduction; this fractional distillation employs the principles of rectification for the separation of lead and other high-boiling impurities and cadmium and other low-boiling impurities. Theoretical Considerations Involved in Production of High-purity Zinc by Distillation Fractional distillation, fractional condensation, and rectification are recognized methods of separating mixtures of liquids. In the field of organic liquids these methods are widely used but not commonly to effect as complete a separation of liquids as is done in the problem under consideration. Zinc boils at 905" C., cadmium at 778" C. and lead at about 1620" C. Zinc may contain from several hundredths of one per cent to over one per cent each of cadmium and lead, and the problem is to reduce these impurities to a few thousandths of one per cent. For lead and zinc, the spread in boiling points is substantial, 715° C., while for zinc and cadmium it is only 127" C. The basic limitation of any separation by distillation may be found from the relation between the equilibrium composition of the vapor and the liquid for all mixtures of the two substances involved. If a mixture of constant boiling point is found, or if a stable compound that vaporizes without dissociation occurs, there is a definite theoretical limit to the degree of separation that is possible when operating at atmospheric pressure with respect to that mixture. Otherwise, any degree of separation is theoretically possible. The equilibrium composition of vapor in contact with liquid mixtures of zinc and cadmiurn at the boiling point has been determined experi-

Jan 1, 1937

By A. J. Goodman

Introduction The position of Turner Valley in the foothills of Alberta, some thirty-five miles southwest of Calgary, is too well known to need further description. This attempt to interpret in detail the nature of the structure, and its relationship to neighbouring structures, together with general observations on the foothills belt, is based on work carried out in the office of the Supervisory Mining Engineer, at Calgary. The object in view was the correlation of the mass of evidence which had accumulated from the detailed examination of drill cuttings, and to discover, if possible, its structural significance. Unfortunately it is not possible to publish most of this detail owing to its confidential nature, and in consequence the reader is asked to accept certain statements, which under other circumstances would not be made without supporting evidence. The main argument for the general structural interpretation rests on evidence which has already been made public, and it is possible to proceed to logical conclusions on the main points. The evolution of ideas concerning the structure of Turner Valley is somewhat difficult to follow, as, compared with all that has been said on the subject, there is not a great deal on record.

Jan 1, 1930

By AIME AIME

AWIDE variety of subjects was discussed at the Wednesday sessions on Non-metallic Minerals. W. M. Weigel as chairman, presided at the morning session, and W. M. Myers, vice-chairman, in the afternoon. In the morning session a paper by W. N. Logan on "Mineral Wool Resources of Indiana" was read by H. H. Hughes. Mr. Logan explained that as Indiana is the principal source of mineral wool, the paper might well he entitled "Mineral Wool Resources of the United States."

Jan 1, 1932

By J. E. Pahlman

Spontaneous oxidation and combustion of sulfides and resultant fires are serious problems in underground mines. The Bureau of Mines has con-ducted fundamental thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) research to deter-mine the mechanisms and factors governing the rate of low-temperature pyrite oxidation, and to identify possible inhibitors to spontaneous oxidation and combustion. The mechanism of low-temperature pyrite oxidation was found to be topochemical, meaning that the oxidation process is controlled by the chemical reaction at the interface between pyrite (FeS2) and iron sulfate (FeS04)' An activation energy of 8.9 kcal/mol FeS2 was obtained for oxidation of minus 500-mesh pyrite in an atmosphere of 60 vol pct water vapor and 40 vol pct . Water-vapor content of the atmosphere was found to be the critical factor in the rate of spontaneous oxidation of pyrite, with a water-vapor content greater than 20 vol pct needed for accelerated oxidation. An atmosphere of pure oxygen resulted in negligible oxidation. The rate of pyrite oxidation is also greatly affected by the particle size of pyrite. Pyrite-oxidation rate increased drastically for particles less than 40 ~m. Room-temperature pyrophoric behavior was observed for freshly ground unoxidized pyrite (55 pct minus 5 ~m) upon exposure to air. Addition of water-adsorbing materials such as activated alumina (Alz03) decreased the rate of pyrite oxidation.

Jan 1, 1986

By Robert W. Geehan

A preliminary examination of the Dayton iron deposit was made in 1941 and 1942 by Paul E. Pesonen and O. H. Metzger, engineers of the Bureau of Nines. Trenching and sampling were recommended, to be followed by core drilling if favorable results were obtained. The Bureau of Mines conducted a project at the property from June to December 1942. The deposit is in sec. 6, T. 17 N., R. 23 E.; sec. 31, T. 18 N., R. 23 E.; sec. 36, T. 18 N., R. 22 E.; and sec. 1, T. 17 N., R. 22 E., M. D. B. & M., about 15 miles west of Lahontan Reservoir in Lyon and Storey Counties, Nev. It lies at an altitude of about 4,500 feet north of the Carson Plains, in the foothill section of mountains that rise to about 7,000 feet to the north of the property. The deposit may be reached by driving 12.5 miles northeast of Dayton over U. S. Highway 50, thence northerly 2.7 miles over a dirt road to the property. The climate is hot and dry in summer, with occasional thunderstorms some of cloudburst variety, and frequent high winds. Winters are usually moderate, with light snowfall and some subfreezing temperature.

Jan 1, 1949

By Homer E. Harris

As a result of the enactment of the Federal. Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969 1, the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW) has been carrying out research in the "field of coal mine health". The National Institute (formerly Bureau) for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) was designated the agency within HEW to be responsible for such research activities. One of the early programs sponsored by NIOSH was undertaken by Eastern Associated Coal Corp., with the Harvard University School of Public Health participating as a subcontractor to Eastern. This program on Coal Mine Respiratory Protective Devices, which started on June 30, 1970, had five major objectives as follows: a. to determine current status of respirator usage with respect to duration and frequency, types. and maintenance b. to determine acceptability ( and reasons therefor) of currently used units c. to determine protection factors provided by respirators worn by working miners d. to make recommendations on ways to improve existing units, or on research needed to develop new types of respiratory protective devices for coal miners e. to provide recommendations to mine management on more effective use of respiratory protective devices

Jan 1, 1973

By P. R. ZETTWOOG

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND A program in France to develop personal [a] dosimeters has been initiated 1974. The patent on which is based the present device was obtained in 1972 * . From 1972 to 1974, the possibilities of applying certain ionograph track detectors to the spectrodosimetry of radon daughters was explored. The first prototype were produced in 1974. It took four years (from 1974 to 1978) to produce an autonomous dosimeter whose components has a sufficient life span, especially for the turbine motor unit. Qualification in the laboratory was obtained in 1977. In 1978 it was obtained in the mine for technology (autonomy of 12 hours and a life span of more than one year) and in 1980 for monitoring. 300 dosimeters have been tested in underground mines all together. Indispensable peripheral equipment were also developed from 1976 to 1980 : calibration devices, equipment to prepare and develop the films, read out systems. The concept of an "Integrated System of Individual Dosimetry" (ISID) based on a personal [a] dosimeter measuring exposure to radon daughters, thoron daughters, ore dust and external irradiation doses was proposed at the end of 1980. Since January 1st 1981, ISID is used on a routine basis in some french mines, situated in remote area, and appears to be very competitive with the ambiant dosimetry. The latest version of the dosimeter is produced in mass series since June 1981 and should equip all french mines in 1982. DESCRIPTION OF THE INSTRUMENTATION DEVELOPMENT OF THE DOSIMETER MEASURING HEAD The measuring head is based on the use of ionographic film to detect a tracks. In fact, the measuring head is a spectrodosimeter which measures separately over the period of exposure: - the potential [a] energy inhaled due to the decay of Po 218, Po 214, and Po 212 ; - the number of Rn 222 atoms inhaled ; - the inhaled total [a] activity of the five long-lived emitters present in the ore dust. The contribution to the total inhalable potential [a] energy of these various radionuclidesin a typical underground mine is studied in Appendix I. The measuring head described in detail in Appendix II, is able to satisfy all the implications made in the ICRP recommendations. Appendix III deals with the use of this measuring head in the cases where the equilibrium factor is lower than 0.1. This situation occur in open-pit mines where account must be taken of the Rn 222 contribution, which is no longer negligible in relation to that of its daughters. CURRENT DOSIMETER PERFORMANCES Table I shows the characteristics of the latest dosimeter. Appendix IV should be consulted concerning qualification of the dosimeter in the laboratory and in mines, technological development which finally produced the [a] dosimeter and its peripheral equipment, and technical presentation of the ISID (Integrated System of Individual Dosimetry) based on the concept of a multirisk personal dosimeter. Data on the installation and operating costs of such a dosimeter, which would seem to be competitive, are also given in this Appendix. ADVANTAGES OF PERSONAL DOSIMETRY AS COMPARED TO AREA MONITORING The results of the first eight months of experiments carried out under real conditions in an underground mine site are given in detail in reference 8. Area monitoring : The monthly exposure per worker to inhaled Rn 222 was determined from the knowledge of time spent in various areas of the mine and for the different mining operations, as well as from numerous and systematic sampling of the Rn 222 concentration in all work places. Personal dosimetry : The exposure to potential energy from radon daughters was measured by an [a] dosimeter developed by the CEA and worn by each of the 160 miners during eight months. In this way 160 x 8 pairs of monthly individual exposure values have been obtained which can be statistically studied. This test was decisive for us because it proved that the [a] dosimeter was technically sound (very few defects over one year for 160 dosimeters) and especially that personal monitoring devices were superior to area monitoring devices. The following conclusions can be drawn 1. The exposure distribution obtained by personal dosimetry is log-normal. This is true for the results on the whole as well as for groups of results relating to certain explanatory variables. See fig. la, 1b, 1c. 2. The exposure distribution obtained by area monitoring does not correspond to any type of distribution. If the results of personal monitoring are taken as a reference, area monitoring tends to underestimate the high exposures and overestimate the low exposures.See fig. 2. 3. [a]-energy exposures are underestimated when calculated from radon exposures and the equilibrium factor found in the considered mines. This is due to episodes or to zones of high radon concentrations not registered

Jan 1, 1981

By H. G. Hedlund

Tailings in Mining Industry can be handled in different ways. Today tailings disposal is in focus by projecting new plants as well as treating and handling of old Tailings dams.The trend today is to process minerals, detoxify the Tailings and place them as dry surface Deposition or Underground Backfill. This paper will briefly present five different Mining plants in North and Central America, where Tailings have to be dewatered for dry depositing. The Metso-Sala VPA is a filter especially developed for dewatering and drying of Mineral Concentrate and Mineral Tailings. Keywords: tailings disposal, dewatering, drying, mineral tailings

Sep 1, 2012

By Everaldo Afonso Fernandes

O estudo do efeito do elemento de liga Zircônio, nos teores 0,15% e 0,22%, sobre a liga AL-0,05%Cu-[0,35-0,45]%Fe foi realizado com a finalidade de caracterizar o desempenho em cabos e fios para fins de transmissão e distribuição de energia elétrica. Dessa forma, foi adotada sequencia operacional a fim de caracterizar as estruturas apresentadas pelas ligas. O processo de solidificação foi realizado de modo unidirecional horizontal. Posteriormente os lingotes passaram pelos processos mecânicos de usinagem e laminação para obtenção de corpos de prova com quatro distintos diâmetros (2,7; 3,0; 3,8; 4,0) mm a fim de se ter amostras próximas das bitolas utilizadas nas indústrias de cabos elétricos. Todas as ligas foram caracterizadas termicamente [Análise Térmica], eletromecanicamente por meio do ensaio de tração [LRT] e condutividade elétrica [%IACS].

Aug 8, 2018

By H. Ikeda

The new Onahama N0.3 tankhouse was put into operation early in 1973. This new tankhouse, which has a capacity of 90,000 metric ton cathode per year, is distinct in many important respects from conventional tankhouses. The major objectives in design were to simplify the construction and ope- ration for reduction of the costs for labor, interest and depreciation and also to reduce the copper inventory in the tankhouse by the use of conti- nuously-cast anodes. As a result, the investment cost was decreased by approximately 30% and the inventory cost by approximately 600, while the production per unit area of the tankhouse was increased by 80 - 100% as compared with the existing conventional-type tankhouses at Onahama. By abolition of cell inspection and maximum mechanization of materials handling the labor cost was decreased by as much as 80%. On the other hand, the new system has some disadvantages, such as increase in anode scrap ratio and increased cost of anode casting. The No.3 tankhouse system is, however, still at its starting point, while conventional methods have been continuously improved over the past years of operation. It is expected that the innovational ideas behind this system will serve as bases for a more efficient electrolytic refining system in future.

Jan 1, 1976

By Suthan Pooranampillai

Verification of drilled shaft resistance is primarily obtained through the use of different load testing methods. Procedures utilized include conventional top down static loading, the Osterberg load cell (O-cell) test and dynamic tests such as the Statnamic method. The O-cell test provides a means of obtaining separately the base and side shear resistance behavior of drilled shafts (cast-in-drilled-hole). Alternatively, the Statnamic load test method enables the engineer to derive base and side shear behavior separately, based on measurements of load, accelerations and strains along the length of the shaft. However, due to time and cost constraints these tests can only be performed on selected shafts within a project. Post grouting of a drilled shaft base embedded within a cohesionless material, with a low mobility compaction grout, will essentially pre-load the shaft base soil against the side shear and self-weight in much the same manner as an O-cell load test (when the load cell is placed within the base vicinity). Therefore, successful post grouting of a drilled shaft would enable verification of both shaft side shear and base resistance simultaneously on each and every shaft it is carried out on. Additionally, such post grouted shafts display stiffer load-displacement response during subsequent downward, superstructure induced, loading compared to ungrouted shafts. Verification of resistance on each and every shaft through the use of post grouting will allow an increase in resistance factors (reduction in safety factor) used in the design. Two 6 ft. diameter drilled shafts were constructed in Fredonia, WA, for WSDOT, each with an approximate length of 52 ft. The shafts were terminated within medium dense poorly graded silty sand. Statnamic load testing of the shafts indicated maximum derived static side shear and base resistances of 2545 kips and 507 kips (1.6 in. displacement) for shaft One and 2466 kips and 212 kips (1.4 in. displacement) for shaft Two. Shaft Two was subsequently grouted, with a low mobility compaction grout. Shaft base mounted total earth pressure cells measured a maximum sustained pressure of 55.44 ksf during the compaction grouting operation. Shaft displacement reached 0.65 inches in the upward direction at termination of grouting. Comparison of grouting data with initial load test information indicates that properly instrumented post grouting verifies shaft base and side shear resistance. In addition, these grouting induced resistances were much higher than design values supplied by the engineer using conventional resistance factor design. Large scale laboratory testing also shows that base grouting verifies higher soil resistances than permissible in conventional design.

Jan 1, 2010

By Michael S. Miller

In 1987, 1988 and 1989, at the request of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Bureau of Mines studied the Sperry Creek Wilderness Study Area (OR-003-035; 5,600 acres) and the Gold Creek Wilderness Study Area (OR-003-033; 13,600 acres), plus an additional area (OR-003-033; 2,180 acres) adjacent to the Gold Creek Wilderness Study Area. The wilderness study areas and the addition are south of the Malheur River and are about 20 miles east of Juntura, Oregon. The wilderness study areas and the addition are underlain by volcanic rocks, predominantly basalt and rhyolite flows, breccias, and welded ash-flow tuffs. Lacustrine deposits containing diatomites occur mainly at the east side of the Gold Creek Wilderness Study Area and addition. Alluvium lies along the Malheur River, in terraces and fans south of the Malheur River, and along the floors of some creeks. Shear zones and faults have offset the rocks and provided channels for eruption of volcanic rocks and epithermal mineralization by hot springs.

Jan 1, 1989

By Robert W. Holliday

Natural resources are the reservoir from which society draws its material sustenance. Although there is a growing awareness of the need for aesthetic resources such as space for recreation and natural beauty, the basic resources are soil, air, water, and minerals including fuel. Minera's and all sources of energy gain in relative importance with advancing technology and expanding industrilization. In the highly industrialized economy of the United States, almost every aspect of man's life is touched in some way by a product of, the mineral; industries. Agriculture owes much of its productivity to mineral-based fertilizers, insecticides, and mechanical equipment. Modern construction, manufacturing, communications, and transportation are all dependent on nonmetallic minerals, metals, and fuels. Throughout history, those nations with access to minerals, and the technology for using them, have gained ascendency. Before World War II the leading powers also were, leading coal producers. In order of declining rank the five leading' coal producers were the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, the USSR, and Japan. That the military victory went to the side with the greater' capacity to convert iron and coal into tools of industry, and weapons, is' more than coincidence. It is a fundamental' fact of existence. It is axiomatic that the United States must have a continually increasing supply of minerals if we are to meet the needs of our burgeoning population for a comfortable standard of living and for national security.

Jan 1, 1968

By L. Vinnett, J. Yianatos, S. Flores

"A numerical conditioning analysis for mineral recovery estimation was performed for industrial flotation plants, considering the copper (Cu), molybdenum (Mo) and iron (Fe) separability. A modified relative condition number, ?, was presented that allowed sensitivity analysis to be evaluated for the component recovery by means of an analytical formula. This closed form made it possible for the error propagation to be determined from feed, concentrate and tail grades with different orders of magnitude. The ? parameter can be evaluated using available grade data from the design criteria or historical mass balances, in which the variability is typically unknown. Reconciled data from different Cu/Mo concentrators were employed to evaluate the effect of small numerical disturbances in the grade data on the mineral recovery estimation. Higher error propagation was typically observed for Fe. The Mo minerals presented numerical problems, mainly in second cleaners and in the first cell of rougher banks. Lower condition numbers were observed for Cu due to the higher flotation rates.Mass-balance data reconciliation without redundancy was evaluated for a typical Cu/Mo flotation circuit using relative error minimization. Significant relative errors in the mineral recovery estimation were obtained with nonreconciled data in ill-conditioned problems. Negligible improvements in the mineral recovery estimation because of the data reconciliation with regard to the nonreconciled approach were obtained in well-conditioned problems. In addition, the improvements in mineral recovery estimation by using Cu, Mo and Fe in the data reconciliation were nonsignificant with respect to using only the best-conditioned component in well- and ill-conditioned problems.Despite the effort in data reconciliation and data repetition, poor performance may be obtained in ill-conditioned problems, which can deteriorate the flotation rate characterization. The error propagation has a negative impact on the mineral recovery of the first cell, which may significantly bias the flotation rate characterization of both valuable and nonvaluable elements.IntroductionMass balances have been extensively used in flotation processes to determine the mass flowrates (production) and mineral recovery (efficiency) of valuable minerals. Simple relationships for steadystate processes based on the feed, concentrate and tail grades can be obtained by taking a black-box approach. However, the calculation of concentrate flowrates from different components of the system, such as size fractions, chemical elements or minerals, does not satisfy the mass-conservation principle because of measurement errors (Smith and Ichiyen, 1973; Romagnoli and Sánchez, 2000). Mass-balance data reconciliation allows for obtaining a unique solution that satisfies the total and component mass balances, making small adjustments to the process data and taking advantage of the information redundancy (Narasimhan and Jordache, 2000). This methodology, which is based on a constrained weighted least-squares minimization, has proved to be robust when measurement errors are normally distributed, in the absence of gross errors.Commercial software has been developed to conduct massbalance data reconciliation in flotation processes, including MATBAL (Algosys, 2002), BILMAT (Algosys, 2013), JKMultibal (JKTech, 2013), BILCO (Caspeo, 2013) and HSC Chemistry (Outotec, 2013), which accomplish the reconciliation using known data accuracy in the optimization problem. The data accuracy can be obtained by sampling a stream n times in a run, known as repeats, each with independent chemical assays. Some unmeasured variables can be estimated using the measuring redundancy and sensor location. At present, grade and flow rate sensors may be incorporated in flotation to conduct real-time mass balances. However, a lack of sensor calibration and maintenance for suitable online measurements hinders the quality of the information. In"

Jan 1, 2016

By David N. Hedges

This paper discusses the actual recovery and installation of a longwall in a bituminous coal mine in Western Pennsylvania. The coal bed mined is in the Lower Freeport seam which averages 42 inches (1.07m) in height locally. Drainage from the mine is approximately 3.5 million gallons of water per day (13.25 million liters per day). This water deteriorates the mines predominately fire clay bottom making it extremely difficult to move equipment. Support removal is accomplished by pulling the 6 ton (5443 kg) shields out under their own hydraulic power and transporting them by track over four miles (6437m) co the next longwall panel. This paper also discusses the changes that will be made to aid in the succeeding longwall recoveries and installations.

Jan 1, 1984