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By Richard N. Spencer

Electric-furnace smelting for simultaneous recovery of zinc spelter and lead bullion from complex lead-zinc sinter was investigated. Reduction of lead and zinc was satisfactory. Condensation of lead and zinc vapor to pyrophoric metal powder in a water-cooled, shock-condensing system produced excellent recoveries. Metal-splash condensation to produce zinc spelter was unsatisfactory. Special smelting experiments differentiated the effects of several smelting parameters on zinc metal recovery. The principal cause for unsatisfactory zinc metal recovery was transfer of iron to the condenser and subsequent degradation of zinc in a mixture composed of lead and an iron-zinc intermetallic compound. Limitations of the process were determined. Slag-resistance open-bath electric smelting of complex lead-zinc sinter is not considered feasible.

Jan 1, 1967

By E. D. Gardner

This is one of a series of papers written for the consideration of operators of small gold and silver mines in the West. The paper discusses smelting schedules, general smelting practices that have a bearing on rates, and the reasons for penalties or credits for certain constituents of ores. Crude gold and silver ores generally are shipped to smelters only when milling facilities are not available; however, high tailing losses in milling a high-grade or refractory ore or low smelting rates because of the fluxing value of an are may make direct smelting more economical.

Jan 1, 1936

By R. E. Dye

Introduction Research concerning all phases of hoisting practice, but more particularly the causes and prevention of hoisting rope deterioration and the improvement of safety dogs 158 for shaft conveyances, has been carried on intensively for the past three years in the Province of Ontario. Prior to the hoisting accident at the Paymaster mine on February 2nd, 1945, there had been no fatalities in the Province due to a hoisting rope failure. It was probably on this account that little original research on hoisting problems had been undertaken here and that the mining industry had been content to look to British, South African, and United States investigators for new developments in this field. Except for the Paymaster accident this might still be the case since, in any industry, it is apparently necessary for a serious accident to occur before any extensive programme of preventive research is launched. When this accident occurred, the Government of Ontario, with the close co-operation of the Paymaster officials and the mining industry as a whole, took immediate steps to determine the cause. A five-man, non-industry committee, selected from the Faculty of the University of Toronto with Dean C. R. Young as Chairman, was appointed by the Government, and a three-man Committee consisting of R. D. Parker, General Superintendent of the International Nickel Company of Canada, Limited, R. L. Healy, General Manager of Wright Hargreaves Mines, Limited, and R. E. Dye, General Manager of Dome Mines, Limited, with the latter acting as Chairman, was appointed by the Ontario Mining Association.

Jan 1, 1948

By T. Lu

Microwaves have considerable potential as an energy source in both mineral processing and metals extraction. In this research, the utilization of microwave radiation for the heating of a gibbsite type bauxite ore was investigated. Firstly, thermogravimetric studies were performed in order to characterize the dewatering processes of the ore. Secondly, both the real and the imaginary permittivities, which are the fundamental properties that determine the interaction of microwaves with any given material, were measured for the bauxite ore as a function of temperature. The changes in the permittivities were shown to be related to the dewatering processes. Subsequently, the effects of operating variables such as processing time, sample mass, particle size, microwave power, sample bulk density and carbon and magnetite additions on the sample temperature in a microwave field were studied. The results showed that under suitable conditions the bauxite ore could be readily heated. Therefore, there is considerable potential for the application of microwaves for the heating of bauxite ores.

Jan 1, 2007

By Corwin L. Cooper

This paper, describing; the milling and cyanidation methods and costs at the Yellow Aster gold mine, is one of a series of papers being prepared by the Bureau of Mines on bold milling practices in the United States. Acknowledgments Acknowledgment is made to the executives of the Anglo American Mining Corporation, Ltd., for permission to publish this article, and to A. W. Frolli, manager, and other members of the company staff, for assistance` in preparing the, paper.

Jan 1, 1936

By C. K. Leith

OTHERS here are far better qualified than I to discuss some of the specific proposals for government regulation of the oil industry. I shall make no attempt to carry oil to Oklahoma. The question of public control, however, is inherent in other branches of the mineral industry in varying degrees, and my comments will be directed mainly toward some of the trends affecting the mineral industry as a whole, as a background for your more specific consideration of oil legislation. A proud American tradition has been the insistence on freedom of competition, on equality of economic opportunity, on a policy of laissez faire. Nowhere has this principle been given wider application than in the mineral industry. The mineral field has been open to all comers, and the job of mineral exploitation has naturally attracted daring and independent spirits. The laws governing conditions of discovery and development, as well as the anti- trust laws, have been devised to foster the spirit of private initiative. The result has been the building of a mineral industry on a scale never before approximated anywhere in the world. The impetus thus gained, the methods, the technique, the financial resources, have been projected be- yond our boundaries and have made the American mineral industry the purveyor to the world for many essential commodities and first in the exploitation of the world's minerals. Our habits of individual self-reliance and success are deeply ingrained, and there is hardly an individual in the entire mineral field who does not instinctively recoil fro111 the extension of collective control, whether public or private.

Jan 1, 1932

By Albert Sauveur

IT is not without some hesitation, and even misgiving, that I venture into a discussion of the now classical Roberts-Austen Roozeboom diagram, lest I too fail, like so many other writers, in giving a satisfactory and logical explanation of these interesting curves. Roozeboom's original diagram is reproduced in Fig. 1. The generally accepted meaning of the various curves has been so often described before this Institute that it will suffice to recall it briefly before passing to my own interpretation of the changes involved.

Nov 1, 1906

By H. El-Faramawy, A. Ahmed, M. Eissa, M. El-Fawakhry, T. Mattar, S. N. Ghali, E. M. Kotb

As a result of the depletion of high-grade manganese reserves, it has become necessary to consider the exploitation of low-grade manganese ores. The main problem of low-grade manganese ore is the low Mn/Fe ratio, which makes it unfit for the production of manganese ferroalloys. In this work, a selective reduction technique was used for smelting low-manganese ore in the presence of coke and fluxing material in an electric submerged arc furnace to obtain a rich manganese slag and low-manganese pig iron. The product slag was blended with medium-manganese ore and smelted in an electric submerged arc furnace, in the presence of coke and the fluxing agent, to produce silicomanganese alloy. The influence of reducing agent ratio, charge basicity, and charge Mn/Si ratio on the smelting process was investigated. The optimum conditions were found to be a coke ratio of, 1.35, Mn/Si ratio of 2.0, and charge basicity of 2.5. The silicomanganese alloy produced under these conditions satisfies the specifications for Si16Mn63 and Si17Mn65. The experimental results were applied on a pilot scale, producing a silicomanganese alloy with a chemical composition close to that of the standard specifications.

Jan 2, 2022

By G. J. Perrott, H. W. Clark

During the course of the cooperative smoke abatement investigation carried on by the Bureau of Mines , the city of Salt Lake and the University of Utah during 1919-1920 , a study was made as to the suitability of Utah coals for by-product coking with particular reference to low temperature coking . was done because it was realized that a smokeless fuel for domestic consumers was the best remedy for this class of smoke producer . A report of the technical side of the work was included in the final report of the cooperative investiga- Since this report was written (June 1 , 1920) further work has been done by other investigators .

Apr 1, 1922

By R. E. Brewer

Published investigations show that many different chemical reagents have been used in determining the constitution of coals , but only a few studies have been applied directly in evaluating the effects of such reagents on the carbonization products of coal , Most of the treatments have been so drastic that any permissible conclusions that may be drawn are inferential in respect to any favorable effects on the yields and composition of the usual carbonization products .

Sep 1, 1943

By D. Harrington

Along with other phases of mining , the ventilation of metal mines has been affected by the business depression of 1930. As might be expected , some of the results are favorable , and some are distinctly disadvantageous to progress . Probably the worst effect of the recession of mining activity is that , as usual , one of the first departments of almost any industrial establishment ( and this is especially true of mining ) to be curtailed is that which concerns what might be called welfare work , such as safety , health , etc. , and ventilation : in consequence , a number of men who were employed mainly on ventilation work in metal mines are now out of employment and their former duties either are being handled by others as only part of a crowded routine or are being allowed to lapse . On the bright side of the picture is the following paragraph from a letter by the ventilation and sarety engineer of the United Verde Copper Co. , Jerome , Ariz . , indicating that money and effort expended on ventilation during " flush " times give results which aid in money savings when depression comes : The desirability of absolute control over the ventilation system has again been demonstrated at this mine . Under full operation we have been using approximately 500 hp . to drive our big fan . Under curtailed operations we naturally do not require as much air , so by sending the air only where needed and airing out all other places periodically to keep timber , etc. , in good condition we have been able to economize in the quantity of air required . The fan speed has been reduced and the power dropped to 300 hp . , thus effecting a material saving in the power bill , and still maintaining an efficient ventilating system . "

Jul 1, 1931

By Jiayao Wang, Jian Chen, Leiting Shen, Hongyang Wang, Zeping Cao, Ziru Wang

Large amounts of by-products, including coal gangue, circulating fluidized bed (CFB) slag, and coal fly ash (CFA), are generated during mining, washing and burning of high alumina coal (HAC). The stockpile of these by-products of HAC will cause the pollution of air, water and soil. Meanwhile, the unbalanced regional distribution of bauxite and alumina production has been a critical challenge for the sustainability of world alumina refineries, especially for China. Therefore, economical extraction of alumina from by-products of HAC not only resolves the environmental pollution problems caused by stockpile but also decreases the dependence degree of import bauxite in China. Considering the fact that powder alumina can only be produced by alkali methods, the alkali extraction of alumina from by-products of HAC is summarized in this paper. Based on the formation process of by-products of HAC, the principle, research status, and problem of existing methods were analyzed and discussed, as well as the forecast of research trend. The analyses indicate that simplex recovery of alumina from byproducts of HAC generates large amounts of leaching residue (red mud) with difficulty for disposing, while comprehensive extraction of alumina and silica meets the research trend for clean and high-value utilization.

Aug 25, 2023

By N. H. Darton

This report presents the results of an investigation begun by the Government in the summer of 1907, the investigation being started under the immediate supervision of Dr. J. A. Holmes and continued under him as director after it was transferred to the Bureau of Mines in 1910, the field studies being completed in the spring of 1912. The purpose of the investigation was to obtain information on the origin of the inflammable gases in coal and the conditions under which they occur. It was especially intended to ascertain whether there was any relation between the occurrence of gas and the structural or other geologic features of the coal beds. To this end many months were spent in mines and much time was devoted to the examination of mine maps, bore-hole records, and other data made available by the kindness of various coal companies. Two fields of work were selected-one in the northern anthracite basin of Pennsylvania, where the beds are considerably flexed, and the other in the southern part of the bituminous coal field of Illinois, where the beds lie nearly horizontal. In order to take advantage of results of previous investigations of the same general subject, an extended examination was made of reports of various investigators in Europe and America. A digest of the information obtained from these publications is included in the first part of this report, which constitutes an introduction to the discussion of the conditions governing the occurrence of inflammable gas in coal beds.

Jan 1, 1915

By David E. Nicholson

In a Bureau of Mines investigation of the dynamic compaction of mine hydraulic backfills, two basic forms of mechanical vibration inducers were used and compared for effectiveness of compaction. Internal compaction, using concrete probe vibrators of various sizes, and external compaction, using plate vibrators} were studied and evaluated for use in underground stopes. An aluminum plate, which was light and displaced sufficient volume to remain afloat in fluid fill, and a steel plate were both used in the external compaction tests. Efficiency of compaction was better in studies conducted with internal probe vibrators. Tests were conducted in an underground backfilled stope with three different-sized probe vibrators (2-, 4-, and 6-inch-diameter) to determine an approximate area of influence. Results showed the areas of influence to be approximately 3, 4, and 5 feet in diameter, respectively, for the three different probes. Physical properties of hydraulic slurries were determined; preferred grain-size distributions, water exudation properties, and water contents of hydraulic slurries are reported. The best compaction results were obtained with moderately well-graded, fully saturated backfills, with slow rates of water exudation, which were capable of remaining in a semifluid state during the compaction process.

Jan 1, 1967

By W. Zheng

Pipelines can develop stress corrosion cracks in either intergranular or transgranular form. Since the mid-1980s, numerous colonies of transgranular cracks have been found across Canada and many other countries in the world. While the intergranular form of cracking has been well studied in the past 40 years, the mechanisms governing SCC in near-neutral pH environment, i.e., the transgranular form of the cracking, are yet to be understood in greater depth. Over the past ten years or so, a large number of research publications have been available on this subject and this paper summarize our latest progress in understanding the mechanistic aspect of the problem. Better understanding of the role of mill scale surface and the steel metallurgy in crack initiation has been indicated in the recent literature. However, the initiation of SCC in the lab research still relies on loading conditions that are far more aggressive than those encountered in the field. Most crack growth studies in the past are also performed under very aggressive mechanical conditions, which could have prevented the observation of environment effects. However, more recent research at lower K or Delta K ranges seems to suggest a strong role of the environment. Naturally, modeling of growth should reflect the effect of the environment, steel metallurgy, and the changing mechanical properties of the pipe steel with time. For a specific steel in a given environment, the crack growth rates tended to increase with the strain rate, indicated either by the nominal applied loading frequency or by the calculated crack tip opening rate. Future research needs to address the issue of concurrent growth of multiple interacting cracks. More attention should also be given to concurrent initiation of multiple cracks in a colony, as failure is usually caused by a coalesced crack not by an individual crack. The effect of soil environment should not be limited to the chemistry of soil solution; other factors such as cathodic processes, the variation of environment with time and physical conditions of coatings should also be considered as part of the study.

Jan 1, 2005

By Michael P. Hardy

The report described improvements and applications of the Hybrid Computer facility. Improvements implemented under U.S.B.M. Contract H0252035 included expansion of the capability to model nonlinear seam behavior, installation of a color video output display monitor, and further development of software capabilities. To demonstrate the capability of the system, firstly, the influence of nonlinear seam behavior response to the occurrence of coal mine bumps was fully investigated and secondly, the effect of improper mining sequence on bump occurrence was demonstrated. In addition, the system was applied to the analysis of a series of practical coal mine problems. Mines in three coal seams were analysed to investigate the parameters which contribute to the occurrence of coal mine bumps.

Jan 1, 1977

By E. Asselin

Electrochemical polarization experiments were conducted on alloy 625 in ammonia solution between 25 and 225°C and the results were compared with those of an oxygen solubility model. Results confirm that corrosion is under oxygen control, Normalized corrosion rates are determined based on the rate of oxygen diffusion to the corroding surface, and the corrosion rate at 200°C (-9.7 µA.cm-2) is roughly 24 times higher than the corrosion rate at 25°C (0.4 nA,cm-2), An oxygen-solubility model for Supercritical Water Oxidation (SCWO) conditions was generated using the Redlich¬Kwong-Soave (RKS) equation of state, Results of the model confirm many of the experimental observations from SCWO reactors which suggest that corrosion is at a maximum at temperatures just short of the critical point, The RKS/oxygen diffusion model predicts that the corrosion rate at 365° C is ?85 times higher than the corrosion rate at 25' C. Given that a normalized corrosion rate is obtained, this type of model could be useful for selection of SCWO reactor materials.

Jan 1, 2005

By D. J. Donaven, Manuel Gomez, W. S. Landers

Bulk density tests were made on a Western U.S. coke oven plant blend to obtain bulk density control data that would be directly transferable to plant practice . Maximum bulk density values were obtained at zero surface moisture . Increase in surface moisture to about 6 percent decreased the bulk density to a minimum value . Increase in the fine grinding of the blend , at constant surface moisture , decreased the bulk density . The effect of oil on bulk density was observed with five oils at concentrations ranging from 1/8 to 1-1 / 2 gallons per ton . Maximum bulk densities were obtained within the 1 / 2- to 1 - gallon - per - ton range . Essentially the same bulk densities were obtained with petrolatum- and nonpetrolatum- containing oils . Storage effects were observed on samples tested at selected intervals from 0 to 56 days . No significant change in bulk density took place if no surface moisture was lost during storage .

Jan 1, 1964

By Charles E. Green

This study was conducted to identify, evaluate, and develop procedures to minimize or eliminate safety hazards associated with the electrokinetic dewatering process, such as toxic and volatile gas emissions, electrical shock, accidental detonation of explosives, electrochemical corrosion of metal appurtenances, and possibly others. The identification, evaluation, and procedure development were based on pertinent literature, existing safety regulations, interviews with mine personnel, physical and mechanical properties of the electrokinetic dewatering process, and physical characteristics of the material to be dewatered. The electrokinetic dewatering process was described in detail. Potential safety hazards were identified and evaluated. Procedures and/or safety regulations were developed to minimize or eliminate the potential hazards. It was recommended that the electrokinetic dewatering process when used in deep metal mines be properly monitored to obtain additional information on other potential hazards that possibly exist.

Jan 1, 1979

By B. C. Alberts

Planning the use of South Africa's energy resources, especially coal, is of the utmost importance. The State and the mining industry require reliable official estimates of the economically mineable coal reserves for planning purposes. An overview of al the previous reserve estimates is given, with specific attention to the two most recent estimates-those of Petrick and De Jager. The differences between these two estimates are highlighted. The following important aspects are discussed: . the need to update the information regarding South Africa's mineable coal reserves, . the necessity of understanding and agreement between the coal-mining industry and the State department responsible for updating the coal-reserve data, and . the importance of the specific assumptions used in the updating of the data. A downward adjustment of mineable reserve figures is proposed, and the factors that influence the meaningful exploitation of the coal reserves are discussed. A recommendation is made as to how the Waterberg coal reserve should be exploited, and it is concluded that the Soutpansberg Coalfield cannot be exploited economically in the foreseeable future. An evaluation of the status of the coal-export trade is made and compared with the assumptions and targets set at the start of the coal-exportation scheme. The comparison shows the extent to which the exploitation of the coal reserves is being negatively influenced by the current market situation. Recommendations are made regarding planning for the coal-export market, and the aspects that have to be taken into account to keep South Africa in the export market are identified. Reference is made to the fact that the present unrestrained wage and salary adjustments, which show a total disregard of South Africa's poor productivity record, require serious thought and speedy rectification if the country is to survive in the export market. A salary and wage strategy must be developed to suit the specific needs of the Republic of South Africa.

Jan 1, 1987