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By J. R. Billingsley

The Sunro mine, operated by Cowichan Copper Co. Ltd., under lease from Sunro Mines Ltd., a Cominco subsidiary, is located on the south end of Vancouver Island. Exploration and limited development before 1960 established the existence of twelve mineralized zones. The "B" and "C" orebodies of the River zone contained an estimated 937,000 tons of 1.80r/, copper plus approximately 35 cents per ton of precious metals. On reviewing the indicated tonnage and the exploration possibilities in the River zone and the other eleven zones it was decided to construct a 1500-tpd mill. In August 1961, excavating of chambers for a crushing plant and concentrator located underground near the River zone began.

Jan 12, 1963

By M. L. Jeremic

Observations of ground behavior in mining the Choka Dulkan ore body have been described. Ore recovery was limited to approximately 60% because unconsolidated hydraulic fill did not permit either the widening of stope spans nor secondary ore recovery from pillars. Stope undercutting induced high stress concentrations. However, as extraction progressed, ground conditions improved but before extraction was complete they deteriorated again. After completion of a stope, the remnant rib and crown pillars continued to be deformed by other stresses for some time.

Jan 1, 1979

By Erwin J. Durrer

The development of planning in the petroleum industry is de- scribed and the current status analyzed. Worldwide transportation networks led to corporate models which caused a differentiation between operations research and planning groups. Ranking of projects solely by ROI proved infeasible because of the diversified nature of the industry. Qualitative elements such as synergism with ongoing operations and the external socio-economic environment had to be included, leading to business plans based on scenarios of possible futures and stressing growth-opportunities over cash-flow rich mature product lines. In addition, decision analysis is finding applications in large capital, high uncertainty situations such as planning for synthetic fuel development.

Jan 1, 1977

Prior to World War I, zinc was universally made by the distillation process. Small plants were operated at Cockle Creek, N.S.W., and Port Pirie, S.A. Then the electrolytic process was developed at Great Falls, Mont., in 1915 and at Trail. B.C. encouraging the Broken Hill companies to investigate the process. England's war-time need for zinc gave impetus to the development, and the site at Risdon, Tasmania, coincided with the developing hydro-electric power there. Experimental work was begun in 1917 by a proprietary company formed and owned by Broken Hill interests. Then in 1920, the principal features of the process having been established, a public company. Electrolytic Zinc Company of Australasia Ltd. was formed, now known as E.Z. Industries Ltd.

Jan 10, 1964

By Ingersoll Olmsted

These ores are of two classes, Bessemer and non-Bessemer, existing in separate, though adjoining, beds. Both are carbonates, with small admixtures of oxides and other combinations. To prepare them for market they are roasted in kilns, which have already been described by Mr. John Birkinbine at the Troy Meeting, October, 1883 (Trans., xii., 378). Concerning their size, arrangement, etc., I need, therefore, only repeat that they are 60 feet in height; have wrought-iron shells 24 feet in diameter; are lined with fire-brick, and supported by cast-iron mantel and columns.

Jan 1, 1889

By N. P. Weymont

A first step towards using advanced control and optimization techniques at Kaiser Aluminum's Baton Rouge Plant has been the decision to utilize digital process control equipment exclusively throughout the plant. This paper describes the philosophy and strategy which has been used to successfully implement this program for both existing plant facilities and plant expansions. Some of the problems that have been encountered include system selection, vendor support, soft- ware development, system security and system reliability. How these problems arose, were overcome and how they can be prevented in future projects is discussed. A key element of the success has been the organization of the technical, engineering and maintenance efforts and also training has been found to be extremely important. Finally, the effect of these experiences upon present thinking is discussed.

Jan 1, 1984

By R. A. Turpin

Bethlehem Steel's Research Department is developing a set of computer programs as mine-planning tools for Bethlehem's coal mines. Several of these computer programs have been completed and have been in routine use by Bethlehem Mines personnel since early 1975. The production scheduling and ventilation planning programs have been installed on an interactive time-sharing computer. The use of time sharing allows mines in remote locations to access these planning tools through standard phone lines and low-cost computer terminals. The capabilities of the interactive production scheduling and ventilation planning programs are briefly described. The advantages of implementing them using time sharing are discussed. A case study illustrates some of the benefits that planning based on the use of these programs has already provided.

Jan 1, 1977

By F. Galasso, A. Paton

ThE recent emphasis on producing boron fibers by reacting boron trichloride and hydrogen on a hot tungsten wire has brought about a renewed interest in the tungsten boride phase diagram. The reaction of the boron with the tungsten core results in the formation of 6 WB, W2B5, and another tungsten boride phase, which was suspected of being the WB4 phase reported by Chrbtien and Helgorsky.1 While the powder-diffraction data for the boride in the fiber and those reported

Jan 1, 1967

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 Roswell Johnson

A CANVASS of the various institutions known or suspected to be giving courses dealing with petroleum and gas revealed the courses listed in the accompanying table, which includes a summary of the number of class hours, as a whole, of the courses listed. It will be observed that the situation is grati-fying. Courses are presented in different institutions in the main geographic sections of the country, so that students have no difficulty in obtaining education in this field. The committee believes that the courses that are offered in many institutions are so inadequate in amount as to make it unwise for students who have not had additional work to consider themselves trained in this field. We strongly urge the few schools now presenting the most adequate courses to develop these more fully, bringing their work up at least to 300 hours, and let other schools concentrate their energies in other fields.

Jan 6, 1922

By F. R. Jones

T Tahawus, N. Y., National Lead Co. operates the MacIntyre development. Here the world's largest titanium mine produces 5200 long tons of ore per day and pours 8000 long tons of waste rock over its dumps. Concentrated ilmenite is sent by rail to National Lead Co. pigment plants, and a second product, magnetite, is sold to steel producers in raw form or is agglomerated and shipped as sinter. Several earlier attempts had been made to produce iron from the deposits, which have been known since 1826. These attempts failed, chiefly because of titanium impurity. In 1941 the present owners re-established the operation for production of war-scarce ilmenite, and the impurity became the main product.

May 1, 1956

G. SHERBURNE ROGERS,* Washington, D. C. (written discussion ?).- Mr. Neal's paper on the petroleum hydrology of the Mid-Continent district is a welcome contribution on a subject concerning which none too much is known; it is, I think, the first published description of the chemical character of the oil-field waters of the great Mid-Continent area. When studying the oil-field waters of the California fields several years ago, the differences in chemical composition between waters occurring at various horizons seemed to be sufficient to enable the operators to use water analyses as a basis for determining the source of the water flooding a well; and it is gratifying to find that, Mr. Neal has arrived at a similar conclusion. As Mr. Neal points out, the Mid-Continent waters are very different in character from those of the California fields, and casual. inspection

Jan 3, 1919

By H. L. Hollis

The paper read by Mr. George J. Snelus, in 1894, before the Iron and Steel Institute of Great Britain* so fully and ably described the Walrand-Leghisel process that there remains very little to add beyond recording some changes in practice, made since that date, and observed by the writer last summer, at several continental works, and the further fact that the process has now been for some time in successful operation in this country. Briefiy stated, the Walrand-LegBnisel process is an addition to the Bessemer operation, with the object of obtaining quiet and more fluid steel, and consequently sound castings and ingots. This is achieved by adding ferro-silicon at approximately the time of flame-drop in the ordinary Bessemer operation, and making an after-blow. The high calorific power of silicon is well known, and the rapid combustion of it immediately before

Jan 1, 1897

By C. B. Barlow, T. A. Mekelburg

Due to a tight ash constraint on the clean coal product and difficult middlings washability characteristics, a considerable amount of coal was being lost in the jig middlings at the Monterey No. 2 Mine. An investigation was conducted into circuitry to recover this lost coal with minimal effect on the total clean coal ash. A reverse two-stage hydrocyclone system cleaning at low specific gravities was selected. This system is currently recovering approximately 5.8 kg/s (23 stph) of 11.5% to 12.5% ash coal. The specific gravity of separation for the system is about 1.5 and the probable error is 0.13.

Jan 1, 1986

By Fred C. Bond

IN crushing and grinding the larger particles are more exposed to the work input. They absorb most of the work and protect the smaller neighboring particles from destructive contact with the crushing surfaces or grinding media. The importance of this exposure differential upon the reduction efficiency and product size distribution has long been recognized. Unfortunately, there has heretofore been no direct method of evaluating it, and such indirect methods as observing the slope of the plotted product size distribution line have been used as an indication. In this presentation the Third Theory of Comminution1 has been used, together with the exponential formula for size distribution, to evaluate the exposure ratio and exposure constant and to illustrate examples of their utility in crushing and grinding applications.

Jan 12, 1957

By C. D. Henry, M. L. W. Jackson

Environmental geologic maps of the Wilcox and Jackson-Yegua lignite belts of the Texas Coastal Plain delineate land areas on the basis of their natural characteristics. Criteria used to define map units include substrate, soil, topography, geologic process, vegetation, and land use. The maps are useful in planning and reclamation of lignite mines and in meeting the requirements of state and federal surface mining laws. Specific applications include identification of land capability, recharge areas and geometry of aquifers, flood-prone areas, areas that may qualify for prime farmland status, and other areas sensitive to lignite mining.

Jan 1, 1984

By Jerry L. Taylor

Utah Power & Light Company is an electric utility serving approximately 1.8 million people in Utah, Idaho, and waning. In order to supply coal to fuel power plants, Utah Power & Light awns three mines in central Utah. Planning for these mines is aided by a computer program developed by the staff mining engineers. This program, when supplied with the pertinent seam and mining configuration data, calculates the time to mine each section. This allows the planning engineer to estimate accurately the time required to extract pillar sections or develop longwall panels. The program's greatest benefit, however, is its ability to allow the engineer to examine quickly, different combinations of possible mine layouts to determine the most efficient plan. Computer aided mine planning has been used at Utah Power & Light Company since 1979, and has significantly improved the accuracy and quality of mine planning.

Jan 1, 1983

By David R. Maneval, Ralph A. Lambert, H. B. Charmbury

Subsidence, although it may or may not be apparent on the surface, is an inevitable consequence of deep coal mining and a frequent cause of damage to surface structures. Efforts to prevent subsidence go back many years, but there is still only one known antidote that is both technically feasible and predictable. This is the hydraulic or pneumatic stowing of solids-or flushing. In coal mines, however, flushing has been rarely used because it is considered the most expensive method of filling such mines, even though the reverse is true for ore mines. It is thus significant that the method has found favor in a comprehensive program the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has undertaken to eliminate the hazards of abandoned coal mines within its jurisdiction. In "Operation Backfill," as the program is known, the Commonwealth has successfully used hydraulic flushing and fully justified the method economically.

Jan 4, 1967

By R. C. Croft

Many chemical methods of upgrading ilmenite to enhance its titanium dioxide content involve reduction of the FeO in this mineral followed by solution of the metallic iron produced. While the use of most mineral acids for this purpose entails acid regeneration or salt disposal problems, these difficulties can be overcome with carbonic acid. Satisfactory rates of iron removal have been achieved at temperatures below 100° C and at CO, pressures up to 600 psi. Lowering of gas pressure over soluble bicarbonate solutions permits recovery of CO. and precipitation of iron oxide. The removal of the manganese, often present in ilmenites, is also feasible with these treatments.

Jan 1, 1972

By H. M. Strong, R. A. Oriani

THE technological interest attaching to light, age-hardening alloys for structural uses has been pointed out to one of us.1 A potentially interesting alloy would be titanium-rich Ti-Mg alloy, provided that sufficient solid solubility exists. or could be induced at high pressure. and provided also that age hardening can be induced by proper temperature and/or pressure annealing. It was decided therefore to explore the feasibility of producing a Ti-Mg alloy in the high-pressure apparatus. Experimental. Three high-pressure runs have been carried out. In each case the geometry of the sample was that of a cylinder of titanium of commercial purity, into which a narrow hole had been drilled along the axis; this hole was filled with magnesium wire,

Jan 1, 1967