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By Mark Lawshe, Shosie Serata

The conventional method of mining underground, using narrow rooms and wide pillars, has proven to be poorly adapted to the powerful earth forces that act on underground openings. The high costs of roof bolting, timbering, steel arching, and other means of artificial roof support for both room-and--pillar operations and longwall gate roadways attest to the limitations of traditional mine design. Too often, productivity halts when corners buckle under "cutter roof' stresses, floors heave, and roof strata fall. In the 1960s, an entirely different approach to strata control was developed. The Stress Control Method (SCM) stabilizes failing roofs and heaving floors by removing the cause of failure - highly concentrated stresses around the openings. This is achieved by regrouping three to 10 rooms into a single entry where the rooms are separated by very narrow yielding but stable pillars. SCM employs a specified excavation sequence to redirect earth pressures away from the mine openings. The yield pillars act as scaffolding until a permanently protective secondary stress envelope forms around the entry (lower part of Fig. 1). The result is a dramatic improvement in roof stability and a significant reduction in artificial support costs. Some roof bolting must still be done, mainly to meet Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) requirements. Potash, salt, coal mining The stress control method was first applied to the deep potash mines of Saskatchewan. The new SCM design actually increased room widths to enlarge the stress envelope, redistributing the stress concentration away from the entries (Serata and Schultz, 1972). This resulted in a turnaround from pervasive roof fall/floor heave conditions that threatened operations in the eight new mines opened in the Saskatchewan potash field during the 1960s. In addition to eliminating all roof bolting, SCM successfully stabilized ground conditions and substantially increased productivity over the original design (Serata, 1976, 1982). Similarly, the deep Boulby potash mine of Yorkshire, England, was about to close after various conventional means of combating roof failure had failed. An SCM test area was excavated that resulted in the ground quickly stabilizing without need o artificial support (Serata, 1982; Chilton and Laird, 1982). Another example is the Diamond Crystal salt mine in Louisiana. Here, multiple level mining was being extended from the third to the fourth level downward in the Jefferson Island salt dome. Extensive roof failure was occurring at 396 m (1300 ft) ii the third level. SCM design principles in creased the room size from 24 to 49 m (80 t( 160 ft) on the fourth level at a depth of 457 m (1500 ft). This unprecedented expansion of room width was first questioned and later ap¬proved by MS HA, which expressed satisfaction in seeing the improvement documented by field validation data in 1973. The most recent SUM application to salt mining has been in the Michigan Basin a: Goderich, Ontario. The anticipated abandonment of Domtar Chemicals Group/Sifto Salt Division's deep operation in bedded sale was prevented by a multi-year SCM implementation. The success of SCM in dry mining[lecc] to its application to solution mining of salt This adaptation of the method is now being implemented in bedded salt at Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta by Dow Chemical Co., and in St. Clair, MI by International Salt Co. Application of SCM to solution mining in a salt dome is proceeding at Napoleonville. LA by Dow Chemical. The same technology has also been applied to cavern design for the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port (LOOP), and the compressed air energy storage (CAES)

Jan 1, 1989

Book review Proceedings of the Symposium on Mining Methods. London, Institution of Mining and Metallurgy, 1974. 160 pp. The Symposium was held from 30th October to 1st November, 1974, and the papers include an interesting range of subjects in coal-mining operations, covering the improvements achieved to date, current practice, and required development for the future. Salamon, M.D.G., and Oravecz, K. 1. Rock Mechanics in Coal Mining. 119 pp. NIM reports Report no. 1822 Stability constants and linear free-energy relations for the platimtm-group metals. (22nd Oct., 1976). Report no. 1852 A revised method for the dissolution of platiniferous materials by the sealed-tube technique. (18th Oct., 1976). Report no. 1828 y-picoline adducts of the nickel, copper, and zinc chelates of 2-thenoyltrifluoroacetone. (26th Nov., 1976) Report no. 1847 A pilot-plant investigation of a kinetic model for flotation.(19th Nov., 1976)

Jan 2, 1977

This paper discusses the history and development of the system and the benefits that are being gained for Yabulu from Solar Drying. Following the end of mining of the local Greenvale and Brolga nickel deposits, QNI Yabulu Refinery is dependent upon imported ore from over 15 different mines in New Caledonia, Indonesia and the Philippines.

Jan 1, 2003

By George Weaton

Two years ago the general features of the St. Joseph Lead Company's zinc-smelting process were described.1 At that time the discussion was limited to a description of the production of high-purity electrothermic zinc oxide. The present paper will describe the commercial production of electrothermic zinc metal. Since a fairly complete description of the plant of the Josephtown smelter was given in the earlier paper, the brief recapitulation given here will be limited to mention of additional equip-ment recently installed and a bare outline of the preparatory process. The raw material is zinc sulphide concentrate received from the com-pany's mines in St. Lawrence County, New York. An average dry-weight analysis of this material is: Zn, 58.28 per cent; Pb, 0.56; insoluble, 1.6; Si02, 1.12; Fe, 6.4; CaO, 0.47; MgO, 0.27; S, 31.9; Cd, 0.1; Cu, 0.06; Mn, 0.24. Moisture content is usually about 3 per cent. Three 21-ft. 6-in. diameter, 12-hearth Nichols-Herreshoff furnaces roast the concen-trate to a calcine of average composition (first 10 months of 1938) : Zn, 67.69 per cent; Pb, 0.06; insoluble, 1.75; Si02, 1.26; Fe, 7.24; CaO, 0.47; MgO, 0.36; S, 1.88; Cd, 0.1; Cu, 0.07; Mn, 0.27. The sulphur dioxide gas, after passing through a waste-heat boiler, proceeds through a recently redesigned low-resistance gas-purification assembly to the contact sul-phuric acid plant, of which the capacity is 200 tons of concentrates per day. The calcine is mixed with a portion of returned furnace residues and sintered on 42-in. by 44-ft. Dwight-Lloyd sintering machines, gas-fired. Wind-box gases pass through air coolers before filtering in a 1440-bag Dracco unit, and thence to stack. The Dracco fume is mixed with Cottrell dust, from roaster gas cleaning, and sent to the leach plant, where it is roasted (SO2 to acid plant) and leached with sulphuric acid to recover, as end products, lead sulphate, zinc sulphate and cadmium.

Jan 1, 1939

By Hsin H. Huang

Equilibrium calculational software programs can be effectively utilized to model the importance of activity or concentration, solubility, temperature, solution pH, solution potential, and ligand complexation on extraction and recovery processes. Illustrative examples using the calculational program ST ABCAL for the creation of diagrams such as EwpH, activity or concentration-pH, and activity or concentration-EH are presented to demonstrate the fundamental characteristics of real hydrometallurgical mercury dissolution and recovery processes. An industrial application will include leaching of mercury from K 106 mercury sulfide waste and solution purification by iron cementation.

Jan 1, 2003

By J, T C. McCuaig, J Hodgkison, T Fouet

Olympic Dam is the eighth largest Cu deposit and the largest U deposit in the world, with approximately 35 million tonnes of contained Cu and 1.2 million tonnes of U. The most recent resource estimate was for 2.95 billion tonnes of mineralised material with average grades of 1.2 per cent Cu, 0.4 kg/t U, 0.5 g/t Au, 2.6 g/t Ag as contained mineral resources. Olympic Dam is expected to produce >200 000 tonnes of Cu and 4200 tonnes of U3O8 from 9.8 million tonnes of ore in 2004, making it the 12th largest Cu producer in the world. One of the impediments to achieving targeted rates of production has been oversize material (>0.9 m) reporting to stope draw points. A major contributor to oversize material may be overbreak along pre-existing structural weaknesses from stope walls and backs during the production life of a stope. Underbreaking to structures can also have a detrimental effect on the performance of a stope. In an effort to understand the influence of structural geology on stope performance, WMC Resources and SRK Consulting partnered during 2003 to refine the current system of structural mapping, and to use historical data to produce a structural interpretation covering a large part of the mining area. The interpretation has been wireframed in DATAMINETM into a three-dimensional structural framework model. To date, there are more than 600 structures of >50 m strike length incorporated into the structural framework model, which covers a study area 1500 m + 600 m + 350 m. A back-analysis exercise to assess the influence of interpreted structures on overbreak and underbreak was completed for laser-surveyed stopes.

Jan 1, 2004

By John A. Gann

WITHIN a very few years magnesium has sprung from oblivion, from classification as a technically unknown, little appreciated, and expensive material to front-page importance in many fields of engineering. Bunsen may be considered the real founder of our present magnesium industry. In 1852; he prepared this metal by the electrolysis of fused magnesium chloride in a porcelain crucible. In the following years the electro¬lytic process became recognized as superior to chemical reduction methods and Germany became the world's chief producer, installing the first electrolytic magnesium plant in 1886. ' Thirty years later, national defense requirements, occasioned by the outbreak of the World War and the cutting off of imports, caused France, England, and the United States to begin production. Most of this magnesium was used for military purposes so the close of the war resulted in a large curtailment in production. A few companies, however, encouraged by the early success of the Germans and by the rapid developments taking place in aeronautics, and confident in the certain future and ultimate value of this metal, undertook extensive re¬searches in its production and utilization. A variety of production methods, both chemical and electrochemical, were investigated and some of them operated on a commercial scale. Reduction of the oxide with carbon at high temperatures and the electrolysis of the oxide in a fluoride

Jan 1, 1932

By Luther Wagoner

Having given in a former paper1 the results of assays of sea-water, bay-mud, dredgings from San Francisco bay, etc., and believing it might be interesting to extend the work to include some deep-sea dredgings, I procured from the Smithsonian Institution six samples taken by the U. S. steamer Albatross, and marked as follows: Depth in No. station. Locality. Latitude. Longitude. Fathoms. 1. 2103. Off Delaware bay. 38' 47' 20" N., 72o 37' W., 1,091. 2. 2265 to Between Chesapeake 35° 37' N., 74O to 75O W., 49 to 70. 2297. bay and Hatteras. 3. 2420. Off Chesapeake bay. 37' 03' 20" N., 74O 31' 40" W., 104. 4. 2528. East of Georges 41° 47' N., 65o 37' 30" W., 677. bank. 5. 2572. SE. of Georges bank. 40° 29' N., 66O 041 W., 1,769. 6. 2681 South of Nantucket. 39' 43' N., 70' 29' W., 990. The above samples were assayed by the cyanide-method, described in my former paper (p. 807), about 30 g. of sample being used, and the following results were obtained: Value in Milligrams Per Metric Ton. No. Station. Gold. Silver. 1. 2103. 145 1,014 2. 2265 to 2297. 44 304 3. 2420. 15 353 4. 2628. 267 1,963 5. 2572. 125 377 6. 2681. 66 414 No. 4, Station 2528, consisting of red clay and volcanic ash, mas re-assayed ; 35 g. was roasted at a low heat for one hour and weighed 34.05 g. after roasting; the color was changed to a deep brick-red; and when assayed by the cyanide-method

Jan 1, 1908

By J. W. Eckerd

This report describes an investigation of the technical feasibility of using a conventional commercial-size (10-ft. i.d.), rotating grate, dry-ash-removal type gas producer to make producer gas from chestnut-size bone anthracite. Test instruments were installed, and some minor changes were made in the equipment to handle the large quantities of materials expected. Extensive tests, lasting about 4 weeks, were planned, using 35 to 50 percent ash chestnut anthracite bone. However, operations were suspended after 8 days when it became apparent that to use this type of fuel satisfactorily substantial changes in equipment and operating procedures would be required. Nevertheless, enough data were obtained to indicate that gas could be produced continuously and routinely from bone coal in this type of producer whenever conditions justified the necessary development work.

Jan 1, 1960

By M. M. Tilman

The Bureau of Mines evaluated corrosion resistance of Split Set friction rock stabilizer mine roof bolts to aid in better prediction of useful service life. Electrochemical corrosion testing was conducted utilizing an automated corrosion measurement system. Natural and/or synthetic mine waters from four uranium and two copper mines were the test media for the two types of high-strength, low-alloy (HSLA) steels from which Split Set stabilizers are manufactured, and for galvanized steel. Tests were conducted with waters of minimum and maximum dissolved oxygen content at in-mine water temperatures. Retrieved Split Set stabilizers were also evaluated for property changes. Galvanized steel was found to be far superior to the unprotected steel in general corrosion resistance; limited tests indicate little ten.dency to pitting, contrary to behavior for the uncoated steel. Copper-bearing HSLA steel was slightly more corrosion resistant than non-copper-bearing HSLA steel. Statistical analyses resulted in development of equations relating dissolved oxygen, chloride, sulfate, and magnesium contents of mine waters to corrosion rates of the two HSLA steels (nongalvanized). An equation was developed that relates corrosion rates of galvanized steel to mine water temperature and dissolved oxygen content. Variable conditions in mine environments make corrosion damage difficult to predict and emphasize the need for corrosion prevention and control.

Jan 1, 1984

By C. Babcock

When a flat-lying mineral deposit such as a coal seam is mined, some coal is left to separate the roof and floor so that miners and machines can safely mine the seam. The mineral left is in the form of mine pillars. If too much is taken, support problems and unsafe working conditions result. If too little is taken, the mining operation will be unable to compete economically with other mines. Therefore, one must select pillars of the optimal size to maximize mining recovery and minimize risk to miners and equipment. Later, if the pillar support is no longer needed and the surface can be allowed to subside the thickness of the coal seam, then the pillar support can be removed to increase mining recovery, and initial pillar size is not as critical. Only a small part of the information available on pillar design can be presented here. The purpose of this report is to summarize some of the work done by the U.S. Bureau of Mines and others on pillar design, which is reported in the literature from 1833 to the present, and present rock mechanics test results that aid in understanding mine pillar behavior. The variable names used are those of the authors cited. This results in multiple use of some variable names.

Jan 1, 1994

"The Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration (SME) Inc. developed a guide of minimum standards for reporting exploration results, mineral resources, and mineral reserves for the purpose of informing the general public. The SME Guide has been adopted by the Society.History1. In 1988, at the request of members of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration (SME), Inc., the President of SME formed Working Party #79, Ore Reserve Definition, with the mission to develop guidelines for the public reporting of exploration results, resources, and reserves. A Subcommittee was appointed by the Working Party to draft these guidelines and submit recommendations to SME. The Subcommittee's recommendations were published by SME in the April 1991 issue of ""Mining Engineering"", and as a document entitled ""A Guide for Reporting Exploration Information, Resources, and Reserves"" (the SME Guide) in January 1992. Work continued on an ad-hoc basis until 1996, when Working Party #79 was renamed the SME Resources and Reserves Committee and became a standing committee.In 1994, the Council of Mining and Metallurgical Institutions (CMMI) started a concerted international effort to create a set of international definitions for reporting mineral resources and mineral reserves. An ad-hoc International Definitions Group was formed, with representatives from mining and metallurgical institutions from the United States (SME), Australia (AusIMM), Canada (CIM), the United Kingdom (IMM) and South Africa (SAIMM). A major breakthrough came on October 18, 1997 when the CMMI International Definitions Group met in Denver, Colorado and reached a provisional agreement (the Denver Accord) on definitions of mineral resources and mineral reserves. Concurrently, and since 1992, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN-ECE) was developing an international framework classification for mineral resources and mineral reserves. Starting in October 1998, joint meetings were held in Geneva between the CMMI International Definitions Group and the UN-ECE Task Force, resulting in agreement to incorporate the CMMI definitions into the UN framework classification."

Jan 1, 2003

By Kenneth Pidgeon

The Boston Marine Industrial Park (BMIP) Boat Section, which is part of contract C04A2 of the Central Artery/Tunnel (CA/T) project, is currently under construction in South Boston, Massachusetts (Fig. 1). The Boat Section is approximately 900 feet long and varies in width from about 135 to 185 feet (Fig. 2). The depth to the top of the Boat Section base slab varies from about 28 to 31 feet below final ground surface and about 23 to 26 feet below normal ground water levels. The Boat Section is supported on 578 anchors drilled into the underlying bedrock each designed for a working load of 630 kips. Design and Construction Team The owner of the project is the Massachusetts Highway Department (MHD). The owner's representative is the Management Consultant, Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff. The section design consultant (SDC) consisted of HDR Engineering, Inc. with GEI Consultants, Inc. as the geotechnical subconsultant. The general contractor was the joint venture of Kiewit, Perini, Atkinson, and Cashman. The boat anchors were installed by the subcontractor Delta Geotechnical Services, Inc.

Jan 1, 1994

Toward the goal of maximizing minerals and metals recovery from domestic resources, the Bureau of Mines, U.S. Department of the Interior, has conducted in situ corrosion studies at the Salton Sea Known Geothermal Resources Area (KGRA) in the Imperial Valley, Calif., to evaluate and characterize materials of construction for geothermal resources recovery plants. General-, pitting, and crevice-corrosion characteristics of 13 commercially available alloys were investigated for periods of 15 and 30 days in seven process environments expected to be found in typical geothermal resources plants. Stainless steel alloy 29.4, Inconel 625, and the Hastelloys G, S, and C-276 were the most resistant to general corrosion, did not pit, and exhibited little susceptibility to crevice corrosion. Stainless steel alloys 430, E-Brite 26-1, and 6X had low general corrosion rates, but pitted and were susceptible to crevice corrosion. Stainless steel alloy 316 L had a low corrosion rate, but corroded intergranularly, pitted, and was susceptible to crevice corrosion and to stress-corrosion cracking. Titanium-1.5 nickel and TiCode-12 had low corrosion rates, did not pit, and were not susceptible to crevice corrosion. Carbon and 4130 steels had high corrosion rates, pitted, and had high susceptibilities to crevice corrosion. The major scale-forming mineral on the corrosion samples in most of the process environments studied was galena mixed with lesser amounts of other minerals.

Jan 1, 1979

By Paul B. Queneau

Formulation and commercial utilization of solid-waste incinerator slag by-product is the focus of this paper. Particular attention is given to iron aluminosilicate melts having compositions similar to that of nature's basalt The earth?s crust can be viewed as an environmental laboratory for predicting stability of various silicates; small-scale laboratory experiments are necessary to confirm findings there from. An ideal slag consumes flux additives at acceptable cost, is compatible with furnace refractory, flows readily from the furnace, and has physical properties suitable for its commercial utilization -all within the critical constraint that the slag is environmentally stable. Examples of successful solid waste slagging practice, including tonnage, utilization and pricing, are provided from metallurgical and waste treatment operations of North America. Western Europe and Japan.

Jan 1, 1991

By Richard S. Dennis

Acid recovery employs ion exchange (I-X) resin as separation media for inorganic acids from dissolved metallic salts by physical adsorption and without the use of chemicals. This technology has been used for years on spent etching and plating liquors to recover acid for reuse in the bath and to reduce waste acid neutralization costs. It is also used for electrolyte treatment to facilitate valuable metal recovery via acidity reduction. TETRA's ccrxr'" I-X contactor has been used successfully for acid separation from its metallic salt counterpart in a simple, continuous operating mode using strong base anion resins. Efficient separation is enhanced by acid reconcentration to nearly its original strength or as high as 14-20%. Continuous treatment also recovers heat to the tankhouse or bath and improves metal quality due to consistent acid quality. Conventional fixed bed ion exchange (I-X) systems are impractical for acid recovery because of complex control design and large resin inventories needed to process very low liquid-to-resin treatment ratios associated with strong acid concentrations.

Jan 1, 1996

1. Reviews A concise world atlas of geology and mineral deposits, by D. R. Derry. London, Mining Journal Books, 1980. (Reviewer: B. C. Alberts) The geology of the Western Cordillera of northern Peru, by various authors. London, Institute of Geological Sciences, Overseas Memoir 5. (Reviewer: C. E. Feather) 2. New books Influence of diffusion coatings on the strenth of steel, by G. V. Karpenko, V. I. Pokhmurovskii, V. B. Dasilov, and V. S. Zamikhovskii, second revised and updated edition by A. Aladjem. Aedermannsdorf (Switzerland), Trans Tech Publications, 1979. 200 pp. Sw. Fr. 68.00. Mechanical and corrosion properties, by G. S. Ansell, P. Haasen, J. Weertman, D. J. Fisher, U. Gramberg, and F. W6hlbier (editors). Heat-resistant and refractory steels, by K. L. Lanskaya. Aedermannsdorf (Switzerland), Trans Tech Publications, 1979. 266 pp. Sw. Fr. 86.00. Hardening of metals, by P. Feltham (editor). Aedermannsdorf (Switzerland), Trans Tech Publications, 1980. 316 pp. Sw. Fr. 78.00. Precious metals The 6th International Precious Metals Conference will be held in Newport Beach, California, from 7th to 11th June, 1982. Strata mechanics A symposium on Strata Mechanics is to be held in Newcastle-upon-Tyne from 5th to 7th April, 1982. Over the past thirty years, mining of coal and stratified mineral deposits has become increasingly capital-intensive, and the level of investment demanded by modern methods has led to demands for improved assessment of their likely performance.

Jan 1, 1981

By D. K. ] [Gupta

The Foundations of the Shear keys and alround cut off for Power House -IV of the Western Yamuna Canal Hydroelectric Project at Bhudkalan, Haryana were to be laid at a depth of 26M below the N.S.L and 24.4M below ground water table. The foundation of the drainage sump was to be laid at still higher depth, Viz 29.OM below N.S.L. The Sub soil at the site consisted of Gravel with some amount of sand. The laying of the foundation at such a great depth, at a large depth below the ground water table and that too under such difficult sub-soil conditions encountered a large no of Geotechnical problems-viz excessive seepage, side slope sloughing and sand boiling during excavation. Under the circumstances at the site, the modified foundation construction procedure i.e a battery of M. S. Troughs was placed in flowing water conditions and concreted thereafter, resulting in a sizable cut in dewatering and reducing a significant amount of time and cost of construction affecting a saving of crores of rupees at the state exchequer. Sheet Piling was used to prevent side sloughing in the foundation pit.

Jan 1, 1996

By M. Bevis, A. F. Acton, P. C. Rowlands

Defor~nation twinning and transformation twinning modes most likely to be operative in Fe-Ni and Fe-Ni-C martensites have been determined using a new theory of the crystallography of deformation t~inning.~ This analysis shows that potentially important conventional and nonconventional twinning modes1 have been omitted in previous analyses. Discussion is given on the relevance of the predicted twinning modes to the lattice invariant shear associated with the martensite transformation in steels and to anomalous deformation twinning in Fe-Ni-C martensites. THE two most important criteria which appear to govern operative twinning modes in metallic structures1 are that the magnitude of the twinning shear should be small and that the twinning shear should restore the lattice or a multiple lattice in a twin orientation. The latter criterion ensures that the shuffle mechanism required to restore the structure in a twin orientation is simple. These criteria have been adhered to in the prediction of twinning modes2"6 in bcc and bct single-lattice structures with axial ratios in the range y = 1 to 1.09 as, for example, encountered in martensite occurring in steels. Refs. 2 and 3 in particular consider the martensite transformation in steels and the twinning modes in these cases relate to transformation twinning, and hence the lattice invariant shear associated with the martensite transformation. The list of twinning modes which can be compiled from these sources is incomplete and the ranges of magnitude of shear considered could be unrealistically small, particularly in the case of deformation twinning. The latter consideration is supported by the fact that twinning modes with magnitudes of shear large compared with the smallest shear consistent with a simple shuffle mechanism have been established in, for example, the single-lattice structure mercury7 and the multiple-lattice structure zirconium.&apos; In addition the anomalous deformation twins reported by Ftichrnan4 to occur in a range of Fe-Ni-C martensites still remain unexplained. It is clear that a comprehensive analysis of twinning modes likely to be operative in martensite In steels is required. The results of the application of a new theory of the crystallography of deformation twinningg to these structures are presented in this paper. The theory has been used to determine all shears which restore the lattice or a multiple lattice in a new orientation with magnitude of shear up to a required maximum. The orientation relationships between parent and twinned lattices are not restricted to the classical orientation relationships of reflection in the twin plane or a rotation of 180 deg about the shear direction. PREDICTED TWINNING MODES Twinning modes which restore all or one half of lattice points to their correct twin positions will be referred to as m = 1 and m = 2 modes, respectively. These modes are the most likely to describe operative modes in single lattice structures. The bcc m = 1 and m = 2 modes which have magnitudes of shear s in the range s < 2 and s < 1, respectively, have been given10 and are reproduced here in Tables I and 11. Detailed discussion of the crystallography of these modes and cubic modes in general will be discussed elsewhere (~evis and rocker, to be published). The four twinning elements Kl, &,ql,7)2 as well as the magnitude of shear s are given for each twinning mode, and the twinning modes are given in order of increasing shear. Two twinning modes are given in each row of the tables, the twinning mode Kl, Kz, ql, q2 and the reciprocal twinning mode with elements Kl = K,, Ki = Kl, q: = q2, and 17; = ql. The m = 1 and m = 2 twinning modes which describe twinning shears with small magnitudes of shear and simple shuffle mechanisms in bct crystals with -y = 1 to 1.09 are given in Tables I11 and IV, respectively. On increasing the symmetry of the tetragonal lattice to cubic, that is making y = 1, all modes listed in Tables 111 and IV must reduce to crystallographically equivalent variants of the modes given in Tables I and 11, respectively, or become twinning modes with both shear planes as symmetry planes in the cubic lattice and hence not considered in Tables I and 11. With the exception of this last type of mode only those tetragonal twinning modes which reduce to modes 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, and 2.2 of Tables I and I1 are considered in Tables 111 and IV. For values of y in the range -y = 1 to 1.09 the tetragonal modes and the corresponding cubic twinning modes have approximately the same magnitude of shear. The twinning modes listed in Tables 111 and IV are therefore by the criteria given above the most

Jan 1, 1969

By P. H. Metzger, D. W. Fuerstenau

The activation of sphalerite was found to occur at a much lower rate with Pb++ then with Cut++ or Ag+. To prevent activation with Pb++, the ratio [m in solution must approximate 103. An example is given illustrating how this condition is met in practice through the addition of zinc sulfate and soda ash. In selective lead-zinc flotation, the mill operator, especially the one who is concentrating a partially oxidized ore, often must add zinc sulfate and/or soda ash for effective depression of the sphalerite. In the present paper the authors show how this practice prevents the activation of sphalerite in the presence of Pb++. A number of years ago Gaudin (1) postulated that Zn++ might control the activation of sphalerite with Pb++ through competitive adsorption. However, recent experimentation has shown the activation of sphalerite with Ag+ and Cut++ to be a chemical reaction in which silver or copper ions replace zinc in the sphalerite lattice through the formation of a more insoluble sul-fide (2,3,4) Thus, if activation with Pb++ is similar to that with Ag+ or Cu t+, zinc salts should control the activation of sphalerite not through competitive adsorption but because the ratio of [zn++/Pb++] in solution regulates the extent of the chemical exchange between Zn++ and Pb++ in the solid phase. The objective of this investigation has been to study the kinetics and equilibrium conditions for the uptake of Pb++ by sphalerite and to investigate the prevention of lead activation with zinc salts. BASIC PRINCIPLES Sphalerite activation has been shown to be a replacement reaction wherein a less soluble compound is formed at the expense of the more soluble zinc sul-fide (2,3,4) For example, if sphalerite is placed in an aqueous silver nitrate solution, ZnS gives to the solution more S= than can exist together with Ag+, and hence the following reaction takes place: ZnS + 2 Ag+? Ag2 S + Zn ++; k = [zn ++]/[Ag ++]2 = 10 26 (1) Therefore, ZnS will dissolve in the presence of Ag+ and activation of sphalerite with Ag+ will proceed after monolayer coverage by solid state diffusion until equilibrium conditions are reached in the system (2, 4) Because of the large difference in the solubility of ZnS and Ag2S, zinc salts cannot affect the reaction unless a complexing agent, such as cyanide ions, is present to complex Ag+ more tightly than Zn++ . By complexing Ag+ and Zn++ in solution, the uptake of Ag+ by sphalerite can be regulated by controlling the ratio m. . Experimentally (2) it was found that the activation of sphalerite by Ag+ could be prevented through the addition of NaCN if this ratio reached a value of approximately 10 26. The mechanism of sphalerite activation with copper salts is given by the following reactions: ZnS + Cu ++ ? CuS + Zn + + ; (2) k = [Zn++]/[Cu++] = 10 11 ZnS + Cu + ? Cu2S+ Zn++; (3) Experimentally Mao (3) found that the activation of sphalerite with Cu++ or Cu + was prevented if the ratios expressed in Equations 2 and 3 were approximately l09 and l022, respectively, with cyanide ions as the deactivator. Although zinc salts do not affect the activation of sphalerite with silver or copper ions in the absence of a complexing agent, activation with lead ions theoretically can be controlled by the addition of zinc salts because of the relatively small differences between the solubility of ZnS and PbS (5). Equilibrium

Jan 1, 1961