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By Paul M. Musgrove, Larry S. Diaz

Recent tests conducted at Inspiration Consolidated Copper Co. examined some aspects of the value of a continuous measurement of particle size to the operation and control of a mill grinding circuit. Inspiration's control objectives and kinds of control systems developed in recent years to attain these objectives are outlined. A description is given of the arrangement of the test circuit at Inspiration and also of the systems used to measure particle size of the cyclone overflow product in these tests. Use of on-line size measurement for the analysis and improvement of grinding circuit performance is illustrated by relating how two important relationships were detected. Finally, the performance of a particle-size-based control system is described, including preliminary conclusions as to increased productivity.

Jan 1, 1974

By Robin P. Gardner

A radioisotope tracer method combined with a suitable back-calculation method is proposed and evaluated for the determination of model simulation parameters in open-circuit continuous ball mills. The method essentially consists of using impulse and/or step injections of short-lived radioisotopes of the naturally occurring trace elements manganese and sodium. It is evaluated here on the basis of the minimum standard deviations of the product weight-size distributions. These minimum standard deviations are taken as those predicted by a Poisson distribution of the number of particles present in size fractions of the samples taken for analysis. Previously developed tanks-in-series lumped parameter models are used in the evaluation. The results indicate that the method is very promising.

Jan 1, 1976

By G. J. Armstrong, K. S. Lynch, C. G. Thomas, L. A. Baker, R. J. Cornelius

The presence of geothite in a hematite ore has been shown to strongly affect the time of heating to the firing temperature. The investigation of spalling of single pellets and of packed beds has enabled free water and goethite spalling to be identified as separate phenomena. In addition, it has been shown that even for an 18-in. deep bed of green balls, the free water and goethite drying periods can be considered separately. Based on this observation, a method of predicting production rate and hood temperature profile is presented. The method required knowledge of the ore goethite content, ore grind, and the green pellet bulk density. Laboratory results were found to be in good agreement with actual plant practice and have led to improved process performance.

Jan 1, 1974

R. W. Raymond, New York, N. Y.: Mr. Bain's introductory statement that there is a growing disposition on the part of the public " to change emphasis " in government from political equality " to " social justice " is somewhat vague; but I gather from his argument that he approves the growing disposition to which he refers, and that the " emphasis " which it demands involves a radical change in the policy hitherto pursued by the United States—the policy under which the Pacific States and Territories have been developed thus far. I do not understand how "social justice" is to be furthered by the sacrifice of " political equality," or how the change is to be effected by "emphasis." But I fancy that the beneficent and necessary

Jan 1, 1913

By K. V. S. Sastry, S. C. Panigraphy, D. W. Fuerstenau

The batch balling behavior of hematite, magnetite and limestone was found to depend markedly on the grinding method used for feed preparation. Wet ground materials require higher moisture for balling than do dry ground materials. Further, as the fineness of the wet-ground material is increased, the overall rate of agglomeration decreases, whereas the opposite is true for dry-ground materials. In contrast, the resulting pellet size distributions are not affected by the nature of the feed material preparation. These differences and similarities in the agglomeration behavior between wet and dry ground materials may result from the hydrophilic/hydrophobic nature of the surfaces, the formation of pre-agglomerates during dry comminution, and possible variations in the packing density of particles in the agglomerates.

Jan 1, 1978

Robert H. Richards, Boston, Mass.: Mr. Goodale calls attention to the difficulty of obtaining clean tailings from the jigs which are fed by the spigots of the hydraulic separator. This difficulty is universally encountered. The Lake Superior copper mills practically overcome it by running the beds of those jigs loose, carrying into the hutch all of the available copper and some sand. These hutches are again jigged upon threesieve Collom jigs, where the treatment is very slow and gentle; and on the successive jigs lighter and lighter bedding is used. The last sieve is run thin enough to let some sand into the hutch. With these precautions most of the free copper is extracted, as well as a fair proportion of the included copper.

Jan 1, 1897

By AIME AIME

WITH a membership in the Institute of 32 years behind him, Chester Alan Fulton became an A.I.M.E. Director last month. In 1937 he served as Chairman of the Industrial Minerals Division. Mr. Fulton was born in Brooklyn on Dec. 18, 1853, and at the age of 22 graduated from the Columbia School of Mines. His first job was as assayer for the Standard Smelting Co., Rapid City, S. D., but he soon left to become shift boss in the cyanide plant of the Peregrina Mining & Milling Co., Guanajuato, Mexico. From 1908 to 1912 he was mine superintendent of the Guanajuato Mining & Milling Co., leaving there for two years of varied professional work. From 1914 to 1916 he was

Jan 1, 1939

By Martin J. Gungl, J. Lyman MacInnis

None of the industry submissions could persuade the Canadian Tax Reform draftsmen that the rate of return has had as much bearing on investors' decisions to invest in Canada as the success records of Canadian ore findings. The goverment opted for the position that mining capital goes where the ore can be found. Many tax incentives which were available until the end of 1971 have been greatly reduced. However, it is still recognized that new ventures in exploration and development of natural resources deserve a break even if there is reduced recognition of the established and highly successful members of the industry unless they continue to search and develop. The latter will also get some breaks for processing beyond the prime metal stage.

Jan 7, 1972

By Richard Maclin Stewart

A priest at Shenandoah, Pa., one day persuaded the president of the Philadelphia & Reading Coal & Iron Co. to slush breaker waste and culm into old mine workings in order to save his church from being destroyed by surface subsidence. The year was 1864, the project was successful, and history recorded the first use of hydraulic backfilling. Shortly afterward, the method was applied to several eastern coal mines for area fill to control subsidence. In 1884, hydraulic backfilling was used to control a mine fire in the Schuylkill region of Pennsylvania. The idea was taken to Europe by German engineers and developed successfully at the Myslovitz colliery in Upper Silesia in 1901. From there it was applied to several mines throughout Europe.

Jan 4, 1958

By R. Dugdale, F. Habashi

Studies on hand-picked samples of chrysocolla from Arizona showed that heating in an inert atmosphere enhances greatly copper extraction by ammoniacal-ammonium carbonate solutions. Heating in hydrogen improves the extraction of copper even further and maximum extraction by ammoniacal-ammonium carbonate and by sodium cyanide solutions is achieved for samples heated at 350°C. Heating in SO2 atmosphere results in the simultaneous formation of CuSO4 and Cu2O; maximum reaction rate is also achieved at 350°C. At temperatures higher than 350°C, CuCO4 starts to decompose. Chrysocolla heated above 600°C either in argon, H2, or SO2, is rendered less amenable to leaching, supposedly due to the formation of insoluble copper silicates.

Jan 1, 1974

By Milton C. Neul

As recently as the mid-1930's, steam and rail haulage were still the primary means of moving large quantities of rock. However, 2- to 5-ton standard on-highway trucks were beginning to be used in the mining industry's efforts to lower haulage costs. It was quickly obvious that rubber-tired equipment was more flexible, faster and more maneuverable. The trend towards haulage trucks had begun. Now while savings were being realized, the severe operating conditions encountered in open pit operations proved too much for the lightly constructed frames, gasoline engines and highly inflated tires. As a result, a few years later, the first 10 to 15-ton, two-axle heavy duty trucks were designed specifically to operate under off-highway conditions.

Jan 3, 1966

By Lawrence Burkhart, S. B. Joo

A hemispherical, constant volume drop with forced internal circulation was considered as a model approximating a real drop at a similar stage of formation Axially symmetric steady flow within a drop contaminated by surfactants was described by solving the full Navier-Stokes equations written in terms of a meridian plane stream function Rotational flow occurred inside the drop above a computed Reynolds number of 5.8, and the change in interfacial flow caused by imposing a surface-tension gradient at the surface had a significant effect on the internal flow Although the work is quite fundamental in nature, the rotational flow described in the paper is responsible for much of the bulk transport of solute to the interface in hydrometallurgical processes such as solvent extraction.

Jan 1, 1981

By K. E. Niermeyer, J. A. Bratt, B. A. Fahm, B. A. Kennedy

The instrumentation, monitoring, and prediction of a major slope failure at the Chuquicamata mine are described. In December 1967, preexisting tension cracks on the south end of the east wall of the mine began to open. Various forms of instru¬mentation were installed for continuous monitoring. These systems included tension crack stakes, crack extensometers, linear extensometers, tape and transit lines, sliding wire contacts, and a seismograph. From the information obtained, the failure date was accurately predicted some five weeks before failure, enabling the mine to reroute truck and rail access; hence, causing a minimal mine shutdown of 21/2 days and preventing any injuries to person or damage to equipment. The shape and form of the sliding mass are analyzed, as are possible modes of failure.

Jan 1, 1972

By S. Chander, D. W. Fuerstenau

Hallimond tube flotation, contact angle measurements, electrokinetics, and electrode potential measurements have been used to investigate the natural floatability of molybdenite. The effect of surface pretreatment and the role of hydrogen, hydroxyl, molybdate, and calcium ions on the flotation of molybdenite has been studied. The surface potential of molybdenite has been suggested to be controlled by HMoO[ ] and MoO4= surface species whose properties are strongly influenced by pH. Calcium ions, which appear to be specifically adsorbed, are able to reverse the zeta potential of molybdenite. The experimental results have been analyzed in terms of the Derjaguin model of wettability, namely in terms of van der Waals and electrical double layer interactions and hydration effects at interfaces.

Jan 1, 1973

By D. A. Dahlstrom

(A. C. Richardson and Charles C. Boley, presiding) W. E. BROWN*—In the operation of the cyclone, what factors have you found that will affect its results as far as efficiency goes; for example, if you have coming through the cyclone a pulp of 20 gpm, that has, say, 25 or 30 pct solids, and then from operational characteristics this pulp changes to 35 pct solids but it is still maintaining the same ratio of flow. HOW does that affect the cyclone;) D. A. DAHLSTHOM (author's reply) —It has a definite effect, as you know from Mr. Sutherland's paper,l3 in that as you increase the solid concerltration of your inlet slurry, you will naturally have an according effect on the overflow concell-

Jan 1, 1950

By AIME AIME

THOUGH Frank Wardlaw was born in the East- at Schroon Lake, N. Y., on July 14, 1887-and was educated in New York City-Columbia, E.M., 1916 he has spent his entire professional life in the West, and is still there, as assistant general manager of the Inspiration Consolidated Copper Co., in Arizona. His first jobs were as miner and surveyor for the Utah Consolidated Mining Co., at Bingham, where he worked under A. S. Winther, now general manager of Inspiration's adjoining big neighbor, the Miami Copper Co. After rising to the position of chief engineer and geologist, Mr. Ward- law left Utah Consolidated to go to Chile for two years with the Braden Copper Co. Then he returned to his

Jan 1, 1940

By S. K. Tarby, A. E. Rathke

A series of 0.21 pci carbon steel melts was processed under conditions which sinzulated industrial vacuum degassing practices. The results indicated that the efliciency of carbon deoxidation was not significantly increased by vacuunz degassing at chamber pressures below 100 torr. The two common phenomena of vacuu?rz carbon deoxidation, i.e.,an unaccountable carbon loss and nonequilibrium deoxidation, were observed in this study. Oxygen from adsorbed and chenzically combined water of certain refractory structures was probably responsible for the unaccourttable carbon drop. The nonequzlibrium deoxida-tion phenomenon was adequalely correlated by a bubble nucleation )mechanism. Although the major limiting factor in oxygen removal from these melts contained in alumina crucibles could not be eslablished with certainty, there was some evidence that melt-refractory interactions were not the most imp-portant limiting factor. CONSIDERABLE attention has been given to the use of carbon in conjunction with vacuum degassing* as a deoxidation technique. An advantage of utilizing the reaction: for deoxidation purposes is that the reaction product is gaseous and hence can be effectively removed from the melt. The pressure dependency of Eq. [I] is illustrated by the expression for the thermodynamic equilibrium constant, K: where pco is the partial pressure of carbon monoxide, and hc and ho are, respectively, the Henrian activities of carbon and oxygen in molten steel. The thermodynamic aspects of the C-0 reaction in molten Fe-C-0 alloys have been investigated extensively. Theoretical predictions based on Eq. [2] indicate that, at the chamber pressures reached in most vacuum degassing units, carbon is the most effective deoxidizer that can be obtained. ~ornak' has compared industrial values of carbon and oxygen contents with values calculated from theory, and has shown that on a commercial basis vacuum carbon deoxidation has not achieved the degree of success that is predicted from theoretical considerations of the C-0 reaction. The use of industrial units to determine the reason for this deviation is limited by economics and the difficulty in controlling critical process variables. Therefore laboratory-sized experiments in this area should yield valuable information. Investigations on vacuum carbon deoxidation have been made in experiments conducted under vacuum induction melting conditions where pressures in the low micron range, long treatment times, exposure to highly dynamic vacuum conditions, and relatively quiescent bath conditions have been maintained. Inve~ti~ators~~~ utilizing vacuum induction melting for the production of high-purity iron by carbon deoxidation have concluded that, under high vacuum conditions, melt-refractory interactions constantly supply oxygen to the melt. Thus, it has been suggested that refractory dissociation rather than the C-0 reaction establishes the lowest possible oxygen content of a melt. Thomas and Moreau4 and Bennett, Protheroe, and ward5 have studied carbon deoxidation of Fe-C alloys melted in magnesia crucibles under reduced pressures. The results of both studies differed considerably from those predicted by theory, and the limiting factor for lower oxygen contents was attributed to melt-refractory interactions. Because the refractory material used in both investigations was magnesia, no quantitative measure of crucible reaction could be made and the amount of carbon consumed during treatment was utilized as an indirect indication of the extent of crucible reaction. Studies concerned with the determination of the minimum oxygen content attainable in pure iron and Fe-C alloy material vacuum-induction-melted in various crucible materials have also been conducted."' The suitability of a crucible refractory for use under vacuum conditions appears to depend upon the major refractory constituent, the amount and type of impurity oxides, and the composition of the melt. Meadowcroft and Elliott9 have presented a theoretical review of the type and extent of various refractory reactions which should be considered in vacuum refining. ~eadowcroft'~ considered the vacuum degassing process to be dependent upon the "carbon boil" and has proposed that a part of the difference between the experimental and theoretical results for vacuum carbon deoxidation may be explained by the fact that the pco term in Eq. [2] is not the chamber pressure. Instead, the pressure necessary for carbon monoxide

Jan 1, 1970

By J. C. Bradbury

The year of the Centennial is upon us. Not only is AIME marking its 100th birthday, but the cement industry is also celebrating 100 years of activity (see article by Roy Grancher, page 48). Fort Dodge, Iowa, and gypsum also tried to get into the act but missed by one year. Frank Apple-yard's gypsum article (page 53) informs us that the Fort Dodge area has been producing gypsum continuously for 99 years. That would seem to make AIME and the industrial minerals doddering oldsters. Not so-our Institute shows more energy than ever, and the word for industrial minerals is growth. These are the mineral resources of the future, the raw materials for the abundant life to come

Jan 1, 1971

By Carl H. Schmuck

The terms "cable bolting," "extended ground support," and "grouted cable" are synonymous, and they have been popping up with much more regularity in the mining engineer s vocabulary. In simplest terms, lengths of u itensioned cable up to 18.3 m (60 ft) are grouted in drill holes prior to mining. This permits radical departures from mining practices that rely on conventional rock reinforcement. For example, by placing a pattern of cable bolts in the back of an open stope, ore can be mined in successive slices. After each slice is taken the protruding cable; are simply cut off and mining proceeds. When about 4.6 m (15 ft) of reinforced back remains, a crew places a new par tern of cable bolts in the ore.

Jan 12, 1979

By C. O. Lee, Z. W. Bartlett, R. H. Feierabend

The Grand Isle sulfur mine is located in the Gulf of Mexico, approximately seven miles off the coast of Grand Isle, Jefferson Parish, La. The deposit is on acreage covered by oil, gas, and mineral leases originally issued in favor of Humble Oil & Refining Co. by the State of Louisiana which were continued, maintained, and redesignated by the U.S. Department of the Interior after passage of the Outer continental Shelf Lands Act. The sulfur deposit was discovered in 1949 when Humble Oil & Refining Co. penetrated more than 200 ft of sulfur-bearing limestone in a zone between 1813 and 2075 ft below sea level. In 1954, Humble drilled ten more sulfur prospect holes, eight of which encountered sulfur ore.

Jan 6, 1960