Search Documents

By Jose J. Alvarez

INTRODUCTION Three major plant processes control the operation of an uranium in-situ mining plant. The three pro- cesses can be categorized under the headings termed - loading, elution, and precipitation. All other plant processes can be subcategorized under the three. In summary, the major plant processes in an in- situ mining plant are: 1. Loading - The pregnant lixiviant from the production wells flows through anion exchange resin. The loading of the uranium on the resin is controlled by various factors, such as ionic strength, valence, functional groups, etc. 2. Elution - The uranium-loaded resin is eluted or regenerated by a high ionic strength solution. The effluent from this process is de- fined as the pregnant eluate. 3 . Precipitation - The pregnant eluate is chemically treated to attain the ideal conditions for the selective precipitation of uranium. Hydrogen peroxide is an ideal precipitating agent under URI conditions. This paper will focus on two of the major processes: Elution and Precipitation. For the most part this relatively young industry has grasped the theory of liquids in continuous flow for the operation of the plant processes. Likewise, URI initially operated the two processes of interest with the continuous flow concept. Through laboratory experiments, URI has abandoned the flow concept and operates the eluting and precipitating stages with the concept of "batch" processes, whereby only one container, filled to a specified liquid level, is chemically processed. In the proceeding sections, each of the two pro- cesses will be discussed in detail, from their original concept to the present operation. Only minor modifications were made to the existing circuits for the conversion with results revealing a greater level of efficiency. ELUTION The elution of the loaded anion exchange resin can be achieved by different high ionic strength solutions. The selection of constituents is dependent on both chemical and economic considerations (i .e., efficiency and operating/restoration factors). The regenerant presently used is a pH 9.5 solution containing 7.5% NaCl and a mixture of Na2C03/NaHC03. expressed as 2.5% NaHC03.

Jan 1, 1980

By Frederick Prime

AT the last meeting of the Institute, Mr. A. L. Holley read a paper on "Steel," in which he proposes for it a definition so opposed to the one generally received, as to call for some remarks. Until within the last five or six years there has been no dispute on the subject, and it seems worth while to investigate the matter. For not only does a proper tax on all importations depend on a proper appreciation of the term steel, but it is necessary to know whether steel, or wrought-iron, or homogeneous iron are requisite in all processes of manufacture in which malleable iron is employed, on account of cost, strength, etc. Karsteu* says : " Iron may be obtained, either as an unforgeable, unweldable metal, which melts at a high heat, termed cast-iron; or as a ductile, weldable, soft metal, which can only be melted at the * Karsten, Handbuch der Eisenhüttenkunde, 3d ed., vol. i, p. 6. Berlin, 1841.

Jan 1, 1876

By George M. Bouton, Lawrence Ferguson

The experiments described in this publication were inspired by the Bell System's large interest in lead-alloy sheathed cables and by the wide range of fatigue and corroding conditions to which they are sometimes subjected in service. The first experiments consisted of operating specimens of lead + I per cent antimony telephone cable sheath alloy in a fatigue test while they were immersed in water taken from a manhole. Because of many published reports concerning corrosion-fatigue phenomena of various metals and alloys, a reduction in fatigue life was expected(1)2 Instead, however, the fatigue test ran on for many times the normal number of cycles an4 was finally stopped without failure. Because of this, the experiments were broadened to include the effect of many media on the fatigue properties of four lead alloys over a wide range of testing speeds and strains. One material, a viscous tacky polymerized isobutylene3 used in

Jan 1, 1945

By T. P. Meloy

In a recent paper, Gaudin and Meloy1 derived a size distribution function for single, impact fracture. Mular2 extended the use of this size distribution to describe the output of carefully controlled grinding experiments. As it stands, the function is difficult to compute. Consequently, a series of tables of the function are presented below: where M(x) is the cumulative fraction finer than size x when x is particle size. Weight percents are tabulated for the single parameter, r, in three different size ranges: from 0 to 1, from 1 to 10 and from 10 to 100. Tables I, II and III are cumulative percent finer and Tables IV, V and VI are for weight percent passing screen size x, retained on the screen below. A number of conditions from the table are plotted in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 1 is a plot of the cumulative percent finer vs. size, and Fig. 2 is the weight per-

Jan 1, 1963

By C. N. Reid

In the course of annealing studies on molybdenum, it has been observed that a carbide precipitates preferentially on internal and external surfaces. The evidence for this is as follows. Electropolished bend specimens prepared from two grades of commercial molybdenum were loaded in a closed but unsealed tantalum can, and were annealed for 1 hr at 2000°C under a vacuum of 1 x 10-4 torr. The compositions of these materials are summarized in Table I. The samples were then slowly cooled at an average rate of 10°C per min, and were examined when cool. The surfaces of specimens prepared from Molybdenum A were consis- tently clean and featureless, except for thermally etched grain boundaries, see Fig, l(a). On the other hand, Molybdenum B had surfaces containing many needle- and featherlike markings, see Fig. l(b). These features were present in all surface grains, and within a given grain belonged to families

Jan 1, 1965

By H. E. Sadler, B. Silliman

INTRODUCTORY NOTE. THE research here recorded was undertaken early in the present year, and has been prosecuted steadily for about eight months. While the work has been under my constant supervision and advice, the labor has all been performed by Mr. Sadler, to whom is chiefly due the development of the successive steps which have led to the final result. The process is better than I dared to hope, and we are able to place at the command of chemists and engineers interested in the matter an apparatus of continuous and uninterrupted action, and methods of analysis by which the daily averages of the two variable and inconstant factors of illuminating gas, ammonia and sulphur, may be determined with all needful accuracy, even by those little skilled in chemical manipulation, and with very little loss of time. This research has been carried out in the laboratory of the New Haven Gaslight Company. B. SILLIMAN. October 17th, 1876.

Jan 1, 1877

By G. C. Mudd, E. J. Myers

Within the last 15 years David Brown Gear Industries has manufactured approximately 200 large mill gears over 6m diam., 58 of them over 9 m and up to 12 m diam. The experience has not been without problems, due to a lack of clear understanding of the loads and stresses imposed on large gear wheels. American Gear Manufacturers Association (AGMA) practices suggest that a service factor be used for mill gears. But what is meant by "service factor"? The layman might be forgiven for believing that the term is synonymous with "safety factor," but this is certainly not true. The service factor is an aggregate of the following in some proportion: -An application factor, i.e., an allowance for the fact that systems do not run smoothly with uniform torque. -An ignorance factor covering the imperfections in the basic gear calculation. -Possibly a safety factor. In the following sections some of the ways in which the limits of applicability can be overstepped are discussed.

Jan 1, 1983

By O. Bilharz

The rules laid down by Peter von Rittinger in his classic Lehrbuch der Aufbereitungskunde (Berlin, 1867, p. 513) concerning the designing of dressing-works still possess authority for such works and their operation. Nevertheless, some modifications and additions suggested by practice may be of value at the present time. Rittinger says: "I. Choose the apparatus and machines which can be, under the existing con-' ditions, easily constructed and kept in running order!' This rule contemplates the construction of apparatus (mostly of wood) on the spot, with the command of good sbops and especially of good workmen in wood. But in many cases, particularly for the sake of a prompt supply, the construction of apparatus is now left to special manufactories, which pay more attention in the choice of materials to durability and strength than to easy manipulation and erection. Nevertheless, here,as in many other instances, simplicity of construction and solidity of execution are to be recommended. Especially important is the convenient and cheap replaceability of

Jan 1, 1894

By B. Prof. Silliman

THE occurrence of diamonds of some size in the gold-fields of California is by no means uncommon, and was noticed by me in a communication, to the California Academy of Science in 1867, when specimens of this gem, from at least five different localities, were exhibited. I then suggested that a more attentive examination of the heavy sands left in the sluices of hydraulic washings would in all probability detect diamonds, mingled with other rare species not commonly believed to have occurred in these sands. Mr. George A. Treadwell, of San Francisco, has lately sent me a small package of these sands, collected by him from the sluices of the "Spring Valley Gravel Mining Claim," Cherokee, Butte County, California. A microscopic examination shows these sands to abound in beautiful colorless zircons (hyacinths), of the form well known in the hyacinths of Expailly (France), associated with crystals of topaz, quartz in fragments, rounded grains 'of chromic and titanic iron, and

Jan 1, 1873

By R. Neilson M. E. Clark

(with map on plate I.) THE coal-beds of Canyon City are situated six miles below the town, upon the Arkansas River. At this point the Rocky Mountains have thrown out from their main ridge two spurs. The one to the north, containing Pike's Peak and Cheyenne Mountain, is known as part of the "Rim Range;" the one to the west and south is known as the `1 Green¬horn Range." Against these syenitic mountains, the later rocks are piled and uplifted; at right angles to the direction of this main uplift is the axis of a lesser plication. On the north, west, and south, the pitch is steep, gradually flattening as it approaches the centre of the basin and rising again to the east at a pitch of about 5°, thus forming a perfect basin, the centre of which is only three miles east of the base of the Greenhorn Range.

Jan 1, 1873

THE CHAIRMAN (A. F. LUCAS, Washington, D. C.).-The activities of the Petroleum and Gas Committee for the half year have brought gratifying results, as exemplified by 14 technical papers, brim full of novel and attractive issues in which we are all keenly interested. I beg to extend my hearty thanks to all members and authors who have responded to my appeal, and to all those who have endeavored to meet the growing demand which has resulted in the augmented production of this commodity which is so essential for the Nation's welfare, comfort and safety. As you well know, within the last few years, petroleum and its products have been used for numerous and novel purposes, so that we have become accustomed to their use in thousands of activities, and pleasures as well, but we should also note that we have been wasting and misusing these wonderful products, apparently believing that their sources are inexhaustible.

Jan 1, 1918

By Victor V. Damiano

THOMPSON1 proposed a very convenient nomenclature in which an imaginary regular tetrahedron was used to facilitate the analysis of dislocation interactions in fcc materials. The faces of the tetrahedron were constructed parallel to four different sets of (111) planes, and the six edges of the tetrahedron then represented the six 1/2 [110] Burgers vectors. The lines which joined the midpoint of a tetrahedron face with the ends of one of its edges represented the Burgers vectors of the partial dislocations into which the six 1/2 [I101 Burgers vectors dissociate. Using Frank&apos;s2 notation, all of the dislocations and their partial dislocations were identified and numerous possible interactions were postulated. The case of hexagonal crystals is unfortunately more complex, but it appears convenient to introduce a system similar to that of Thompson1 to describe the various slip planes and Burgers vectors encountered in cph structures. The system proposed has limited application but serves to identify the following slip systems {0001} <l20>, {1010} <1120>,

Jan 1, 1963

By B. Silliman

THE occurrence of diamonds of some size in the gold-fields of California is by no means uncommon, and was noticed by me in a communication, to the California Academy of Science in 1867, when specimens of this gem, from at least five different localities, were exhibited. I then suggested that a more attentive examination of the heavy sands left in the sluices of hydraulic washings would in all probability detect diamonds, mingled with other rare species not commonly believed to have occurred in these sands. Mr. George A. Treadwell, of San Francisco, has 1at.ely sent me a small package of these sands, collected by him from the sluices of the " Spring Valley Gravel Mining Claim," Cherokee, Butte County, California. A microscopic examination shows these sands to abound in beautiful colorless zircons (hyacinths), of the form well known in the hyacinths of Expailly (France), associated with crystals of topaz, quartz in fragments, rounded grains &apos;of chromic and titanic iron, and

By G. Rinelli, A. M. Marabini

Flotation of rutile with N-benzoyl-N-phenyl-hydroxyhmine (N-BPHA) has been investkated. Initially, floatability tests were performed in a Hallimond tube. The results indicated that rutile was floatable at pH 2-4 with N-BPHA concentration between 2 x 10-3 mol/L and 2 x 10-2 mol/L. Selectivity against hematite was recognized when operating at pH values below 2. Following the hypothesis of the formation of a surface chelate between N-BPHA and titanium ion, this compound was precipitated from a solution of Ti (SO4)2 to which N-BPHA was added. I. R. spectrometry of the rutile before and after treatment with N-BPHA solution confirmed the presence of this compound on the rutile surface. Adsorption isotherm and kinetics were determined by analyzing N-BPHA in solution with an U. V. technique. A hypothesis on the way N-BPHA is adsorbed on rutile is presented.

Jan 1, 1984

By J. W. Stewart

ONE of the postwar problems posed for mineral engineering educators is the desire of some mature student veterans to finish their college education under the G. I. Bill of Rights as quickly as possible, a desire that is quite understandable. Not only have they lost several years of education, which they wish to make up as quickly as possible, but many are married and have families and want to become productive as soon as possible in order to support their families properly. The obvious solution to this problem, if it really is serious, would appear to be a continuation of the wartime Accelerated Program, as it was carried on in most colleges and universities. As a matter of fact some schools are known to have continued their wartime programs in one or another form. To ascertain just what our mineral engineering schools generally are doing to meet this postwar problem, last April a questionnaire was sent to administrative officers at colleges and universities

Jan 1, 1946

By Richard P. Rothwell

A REFERENCE to the geological map of Alabama shows the coal- measures of that State to form three distinct fields. The Coosu, or most easterly, contains about one hundred square miles ; the Cahaba, or middle field, which is also the most southern true coal in the United States, contains about 230 square miles ; and the Warrior field, which contains in the State of Alabama some 5000 square miles, is the southern extremity of the great carboniferous deposit, which extends through Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Georgia. But very little has yet been done towards developing those coal- fields, partly owing to the absence of all commercial manufacturing enterprise in the South under slavery, and partly owing to the want of capital and the disturbed condition of the South since the war. During the past three or four years I have devoted a large part of my time to the examination of the coal and iron ores of this range,

Jan 1, 1874

George L. Heath, South Lake Linden, Mich. (communication to the Secretary): In presenting some notes on the "Heine&apos;s Blue Test" Mr. Smith expresses a preference for fresh standards and a cheaper bottle; but this is rather a reversion to the old method, since I devised in 1897 the newer method of preparation and preservation of&apos; permanent standards, which were not used with any success in the original method. Many busy western assayers no doubt value a method for preparing a permanent set of standards in air-tight glass-stoppered bottles, whose use brings the method as near perfection as one could desire as regards rapidity of color-reading and avoidance of unnecessary work. Mr. Smith notes that his color-readings were compared with an electrolytic assay of another ore-sample, and that my electrolytic assays were made on the " blue test" solution from colorimetric assay. He omits, however, reference to the fact, showing the advantage of my procedure, that the next column in table of

Jan 1, 1901

By Charles Locke

IT will soon become apparent that the Conference Committee&apos;s choice of the title for this presentation is a fortunate one for the speaker; since if it had read "Review of Known Facts Controlling Slag Volume" he would best step down right now. There is a dearth of facts in a quantitative sense on this subject, especially in regard to the effects of slag volume on the acid electric practice for steelmaking, as borne out by a library search involving some 175 references from 1915 to date. Even the opinions in these references on any phase of slag volume are meager. This, then, leads to a report that is candidly based on private observations, on readings and on conjectures gleaned from gossiping with fellow practitioners. Perhaps the subsequent papers, which, as I understand it, are substantiated by actual measurements, of slag volume versus specific contributing factors, will be able to acclaim or disclaim my remarks.

Jan 1, 1947

The history of surface mining is essentially that of mining coal, copper, and iron ores and the non- metallic minerals, i.e. clays, gypsum, phosphate rock, sand, gravel and stone. The accompanying table comparing world production with that of the U. S. indicates that two thirds of the 8.8 billion tons of ores mined throughout the world come from surface operation. Assuming that the stripping ratio for surface mining in the U. S. applies equally to world production, then over 21 billion tons of waste, or a total of nearly 27 billion short tons of material are mined annually in the world by surface methods. Several factors are significant indicators of economic and technologic trends in surface mining. Among these are increasing production, a shift in emphasis from underground to surface mining, a decline in the grade and quality of some crude materials and, with few exceptions, an increase in the productivity of labor.

Jan 10, 1967

By W. C. Lacy

A WIDE variety of metalliferous deposits in Peru shows a close and consistent relationship to intrusive and extrusive igneous rdcks. This relationship furnishes a clue to the comp(osition of ore-bearing fluids and to the timing in separation of these fluids from differentiation magma Conclusions presented here are based on ten years&apos; study of a large number of metalliferous deposits in Peru. The most important of these areas are shown in Fig. 1. The structural relationship of meta1 mineralization to the intrusive series and of the members of the series to each other can be illustrated by three examples: I The well described Cerro de Pasco (Ref. 1, p. 160) sulfide mass shown in Fig. 2 is localized along the &apos; eastern contact of an agglomerate-filled crater. Quartz-monzonite porphyry and related intrusive breccias, which in places border the pyrite mass On west, are replaced by the pyrite and cut by later transverse vein structures. Late unmineralized but

Jan 1, 1958