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Training by Inclusiveness ?Background ?Video ?Results ?Partners ?How SEM works ?Future of SEM Background: Inclusivity partners ?Northwest Community College ?Smithers Exploration Group ?With support from the Province of BC ?Federal government ?And First Nations across the northwest

May 1, 2010

By J. H. McCormick

This plant, near Marysville, Mont., was planned to treat the ore from the Piegan and Gloster mines, the latter being one of the early and famous producers of the Marysville district. When the mill was closed in 1888, treatment consisted of stamp milling, followed by pans and settlers for pan amalgamation. The extraction was evidently poor, because, a few years later, thousands of tons of tailings were re-treated by the ranchers in the valley below the mill, by the then new cyanide process, and gave a handsome profit. In 1914, the present owners, after laboratory tests and an experimental mill run, decided upon the following treatment: crushing to 40 mesh in cyanide solution, concentration, amalgamation, classification, and cyani-dation of sands by leaching, and of slime by agitation and decantation in charges. The ore averaged about $7 per ton, gold and silver, the ratio of weight being 1 oz. gold to 7.56 oz. silver. The ratio of gold and silver in tailings was 1 oz. Au to 36.6 oz. Ag; the quartz was sharp and sandy, however finely ground, and rather difficult to slime. The mechanical equipment was a No. 5 Symons gyratory crusher; three 10-ft. Lane slow-speed Chilean mills; one Wilfley roughing and one finishing table; one submerged-type Akins classifier; five 26 by 10-ft. fir leaching tanks; one 24 by 7-ft. Dorr thickener; four 14 by 16-ft. Dorr agitators; four 6-compartment double-row zinc-boxes having compartments 18 in. wide, 18 in. deep, and 34 in. long; Johnson zinc lathe; acid and vacuum filter tanks for treating precipitate; roasting furnace; and Case tilting No. 275 crucible furnace for melting precipitate. The mill is driven by electric power supplied by the Montana Power Co. at the following rates, per kw.-hr.: 200 to 300 hp., 0.68 c.; 300 to 500 hp., 0.61 c.; 500 to 750 hp., 0.55 c.; plus $1 per month per installed motor horsepower. The plant as above described was operated from May, 1915, to the end of the year, when an additional Dorr thickener and a 12 by 12-ft. Portland revolving filter were added, increasing the nominal capacity of 100 tons per 24 hr., but not the percentage of extraction. The combined treatment, at a cost of $1.48 per ton, saved 90 per cent. of the gold arid

Jan 1, 1919

As a result of the rapid economic growth in Japan, environmental problems have become a national concern in the latter half of the In 1967, the Basic Lair for Environmental Pollution Control was enacted as a fundamental ::olicy in this field. This lair provided compre- hensive guidelines for the action to be taken pollution prevention. The biggest problem n air pollution of those days was that of the sulphur dioxide content of the atmosphere. Based upon the law, the smelters in Japan have struggled hard to solve this difficult problem. Consequently, the ambient SO2 level has been lowered gradually year by year. At present, the ambient SO2 level is nearly equal to that in the atmospheric background. Furthermore, the fixation ratio of sulphur in Japanese copper smelters has attained up to 99.5 per cent.

Jan 1, 1980

By Charles W. Goodale, William A. Akers

The treatment of silver-ores of too low a grade to justify either smelting or preliminary roasting, and yet not " free" enough to permit of raw amalgamation, has ever been a serious problem. As bearing upon it, the operations of the Combination Mining and Milling Company of Black Pine, Deer Lodge county, Montana, during the past year may not be without interest. It is not claimed that the process to be described is not susceptible of great improvement, nor is any claim of originality made for it; but its use is, as yet, not very general, and it seems to offer a means of profitably working the large class of partially-decomposed argentiferous ores which, by reason

Jan 1, 1890

By Frederik H. Kriel, John Ralston, Craig Priest

"Stream-based microfluidic solvent extraction offers a novel alternative to bulk-scale mixer-settler operations. However present maximum throughputs are restrictive and there are engineering challenges that need to be overcome before the technology is robust. This is especially the case for mineral processing, where circuits must be able to handle variable feed streams with long retention times and where maintenance should be minimized. This paper highlights research directed at investigating and evaluating these challenges for actual mineral leach solutions of metal ions. Molecular and particulate channel fouling is discussed. Most extraction systems studied to date show no effects that would preclude use of the technology. For rare earth elements (REE) with fast extraction rates, scale-up of volumetric throughput to 100 L/h using suitable arrays of channels, microfluidic chips and modules is shown to be achievable using a small contactor (approx. 2 m3) platform. This requires only 2–3 % of the typical aqueous phase inventory and residence time used in an equivalent mixer-settler. For a circuit with 100 contactors, the overall residence time would be less than 1 h, using an aqueous inventory of 40 L.INTRODUCTIONHydrometallurgy is of pivotal importance in many mineral processing circuits around the world, with liquid-liquid solvent extraction (SX) a key step in the separation of many base metals (e.g. Cu and Ni), radioisotopes, precious metals, and the ‘technology’ metals, such as rare earth elements (REEs) (Ritcey & Ashbrook, 1979). The standard equipment for SX in mineral processing is the mixer-settler, in which liquid dispersions are created, by agitation, to increase the surface-to-bulk ratio and, thus increase the mass transfer rate between the liquid phases. In stream-based microfluidic SX (microSX), these high surface-to-volume ratios are achieved by contacting microscopic streams (Ciceri, Perera, & Stevens, 2014), rather than forming small droplets, so that phase disengagement can be accelerated (essentially instantaneous via branching of the two streams of liquid at a channel junction). MicroSX is profoundly different from bulk mixer-settler SX operations and offers exciting opportunities for processing hydrometallurgy solutions (Kriel, Holzner, Grant, Ash, Woollam, Ralston, & Priest, 2015; Priest, Zhou, Klink, Sedev, & Ralston, 2012). Nonetheless, the advantages of using microfluidic environments are presently balanced by very significant challenges relating to throughput, process control, coupling of stages, flow stability, and fouling. If these challenges can be met using smart chip designs, process control and clever engineering, high-value/low-volume SX processes stand to benefit greatly."

Jan 1, 2016

By John J. McClelland

The U.S. Bureau of Mines formed a team in 1991 to begin developing a long-range research plan for computer-assisted mining that would benefit the metal-nonmetal mining industry. This report details the team's accomplishments, specifically, the development of a model that identifies metal-nonmetal mining research needs that could be addressed by the application of automation technology. The report also provides a summary of automation needs and applications based on visits with mining company representatives. The status and future direction of this work is also presented.

Jan 1, 1994

By C. A. Hansen

The furnace used for experimental work is shown in Fig. 1. One fireclay sagger, or pot, was set within another and the space between the two filled with Silox heat insulation. The hearth is a cast-iron plate with an imbedded ribbon of nichrome wire; this wire heater is connected to a potential regulator, which permits a very close voltage control. A mechanically driven arm is fitted with rabble blades so arranged that a uniformly thick ore bed may be maintained indefinitely. This arm is usually driven at about one revolution per minute but its speed of rotation can be varied as desired. Compressed air is led into the furnace through a meter, and it was found necessary to preheat the air in order to secure the definitely isothermal conditions sought. With this arrangement, it is possible to maintain any desired temperature constant within about 5" C. for any desired length of time and to

Jan 1, 1921

By Edilson Alves Maranhão, Willi Anton Buehler, Andrea Pezza

O processo de vácuo é a solução típica aplicada quando é hora de atualizar o nível de qualidade do aço de uma aciaria existente. A instalação do novo Tanque de Desgaseificação à Vácuo (VD) de 135t no Canadá e do novo RH de 150t na planta integrada no México para a produção de tubos de alta qualidade na América do Norte é um exemplo típico disso. A nova instalação inclui o mais recente conceito de design para este tipo de equipamento: operações totalmente automatizadas e menor impacto ambiental são os principais aspectos do projeto. A solução de bomba mecânica a seco continua sendo a melhor abordagem de investimento e custo operacional para a tecnologia de vácuo. Os principais aspectos do design da planta são descritos neste documento. O desgaseificador a vácuo VD é responsável pela melhoria das performances metalúrgicas, especialmente em termos de nitrogênio, remoção de hidrogênio e nível de pureza do aço. O processo a jusante e os resultados estão estritamente ligados aos desempenhos do desgaseificador a vácuo. O monitoramento de processos através da linha completa é uma prática padrão para obter uma melhoria efetiva da qualidade do produto. Os desempenhos metalúrgicos do desgaseificador a vácuo VD são analisados e comentados neste trabalho.

Oct 1, 2019

By David H. Yee

Because of environmental concerns, the Bureau of Mines investigated an anhydrous chlorination process for the recovery of copper from chalcopyrite, Pelletized concentrate was reacted continuously with chlorine in a vertical shaft reactor at 550° to 750° C to extract copper-iron chlorides and elemental sulfur. The resulting molten metal chlorides drained from the reactor and collected in a receiver while sulfur distilled from the top and condensed in a separate unit. The tests were conducted in a 10-cm-diam reactor constructed of glass and in l5-cm-diam reactors constructed from various refractory materials. A high-alumina ramming mix exhibited the best resistance to molten metal chlorides and elemental sulfur in chlorine atmospheres. A reactor made with this high-alumina refractory was operated for 55 hr under actual chlorinating conditions without suffering any deterioration. Tests results show that more than 96 pct of the chalcopyrite was converted to copper-iron chlorides and elemental sulfur. Good separation of the metal chloride and sulfur products was achieved. After filtration, elemental sulfur of greater than 99 pct purity was obtained.

Jan 1, 1977

By Y. P. Malhotra, JE. C. Carter

"Syncrude's overburden removal requirement ranges from 20 million to 30 million bank cubic metres per year to meet tarsand demands for the production of 129,000 barrels of synthetic crude oil per day. The economic tar-sand lies beneath a variable thickness of overburden materials, composed of silts, clays, some sands of lacustrine origin, wind-deposited sand dunes, and out-wash sands and gravels.For the removal of overburden, Syncrude commissioned its own mobile equipment fleet in January 1981. This fleet consists of two Demag 241 hydraulic shovels, ten Titan 33-15B trucks and support equipment. Prior to this, all overburden removal was being carried out by contractors.This paper presents an overview of overburden removal at Syncrude, with particular reference to the performance of its own fleet.IntroductionThe Syncrude Tar Sands Plant was officially opened on September 15, 1978. After an expenditure of approximately $2.26 billion, the second and the largest commercial tarsands plant was on stream toward a permit production rate of 129,400 barrels of synthetic crude oil per day. The Syncrude Plant, a joint venture of six oil companies, the federal government and the Alberta government, is a major step forward toward the goal of Canadian energy self-sufficiency.The Mildred Lake operation of Syncrude Canada Ltd. Is located 40 km north of Fort McMurray and 480 km northeast of Edmonton in the Province o f Alberta.Synthetic crude oil leaving the plant is a blend of two-third s gas oil and one-third naphtha. The two streams combine in a pipeline and flow to Edmonton. The product takes six days to make the journey, arriving at four locations in the city Imperial's Strathcona Refinery, Gulf's Edmonton Refinery, the Interprovincial pipeline terminal and the Trans-Mountain pipeline terminal. Each Syncrude owner receives a share of oil equal; to its percentage of ownership in the project. At the present time, the oil is being utilized by Canadian refineries from Vancouver to Montreal."

Jan 1, 1983

By R. Dorey

The Kennecott Ridgeway Mine in South Carolina is scheduled to complete mining and ore processing in the last quarter of 1999. Tailings are disposed in a 300 acre, lined tailings impoundment. To facilitate closure and reclamation, modification of the tailings impoundment operation has been adopted. Mining involved the sequenced development of two open pits. In 1996 mining of the South Pit was completed and backfilling of the pit with waste rock from the North Pit was initiated and will continue until mining ceases. Both pits will be reclaimed as fresh water lakes. This paper presents the physical, geochemical and hydrogeochemical evaluation of the operational and post operational management of the project. Comparison of the operational monitoring data against predicted performance is reviewed.

Jan 1, 1999

By M. Omneya El-Hussaini, M. Galal Abdel Wahab, A. Mohamed Mahdy, M. Fathi El Shahat

"Um-Gheig Pb-Zn representative sample was collected from the main adite of Um-Gheig mine along Red Sea coast in Egypt. Its chemical analysis shows that, it contains 16% Zn, 2.3% Pb, 0.1% Cd and 0.1% B as elements of interest. After H2SO4 agitation leaching, the chemical composition of Um- Gheig Pb-Zn deposit ore residue assayed 2.26% Pb, 1.5% Zn, 0.085 % B and 0.01% Cd. This residue was leached with 20% HCl at S/L ratio 1/3 for 2 hours at 80o C. The chloride leach liquor was found to contain 18 g/l Pb, 13 g/l Zn, 0.1 g/l Cd and 0.75 g/l B with the corresponding leaching efficiencies 79%, 86%, 100% and 88% respectively. Lead was precipitated from the chloride leach liquor using concentrated H2SO4 to obtain PbSO4 with precipitation efficiency 96%. While boron was extracted by the selective resin Amberlite IRA743 with loading efficiency of 80%. On the other hand, Zn and Cd were precipitated using Na2S solution with 86.7% and 100% recovery efficiencies respectively.IntroductionLead-zinc ores occur in Egypt in a few localities distributed along the Red Sea coast between El Qusier and Ras Banas.. The reserve of the ore deposits has been estimated by Soviet and German Experts to be about 900,000 Ton, [1]. Onal et al., [2] recovered Pb from Pb–Zn sample containing 10.17 % Pb and 10.98 % Zn from Aladag in Turkey. El-Sherif, [3] used concentrated HCl to leach lead-zinc ore sample of Um-Sammuki area in Egypt. As had been published by Marchioretto et al. [4], the precipitation of heavy metals with lime, sulfide and caustic soda are the most commonly used economical methods for metal removal. Lead was completely removed from the anaerobically digested sludge by precipitation with NaOH and Na2S at waste water treatment plants. Mahdy et al., [5] had successfully extracted boron from the bittern solution of Qaron Lake by ion exchange resin (Amberlite IRA 743). The extraction of boron was mainly depending upon the pH value. They extracted 80% of boron at pH 5.5, while at pH 3.9 about 74% boron was extracted. Kabay et al. [6] used the column-mode to remove 1g/l of boron from geothermal waste water of the Kizildere-Geothermal Power Station by using Diaion CRB 02 Nglucamine- type chelating resins. In this regard, the removal of lead, cadmium and boron allow the residue to be reclassified as non hazardous material."

Jan 1, 2008

By G. W. Jones

In cooperation with the Edison Electric Illuminating Co. of Boston, Mass., and the Boston Consolidated Gas Co., a survey has been conducted continuously since 1929 by the Bureau of Mines to determine the general hazards of combustible gases and vapors in manholes of the Edison Electric Illuminating Co. The New England Telephone & Telegraph Co. also has cooperated in the investigation, and tests have been made in its manholes since May 1, 1933. Yearly reports6/ on the results obtained since the beginning of the survey have been published. The method and procedure of conducting the survey in 1936 were the same as heretofore.

Jan 1, 1938

By Alan Morris

Brass rod for use in automatic screw machines is one of the major products of the brass mills. A large tonnage is consumed each year in the manufacture of an endless variety of finished articles and parts for assembly into other products. The machines that do this work have been developed to a high degree of efficiency, and their manufacturers are still striving for higher production speeds. This development has brought with it a demand for brass rod to meet the increasingly difficult machining conditions. This paper is a report of the results of tests undertaken in an effort to obtain a measure of the effects of such variables as lead content, microstructure and cold work on the machinability of brass rod. It is realized that the term "machinability" has never been well defined. Power, finish and tool life all should have a place in such a definition. In practice it is sometimes found necessary to sacrifice some of these in order to obtain a rod that will not tend to throw up a burr, or will give a burr which is easily tumbled off. Again a specially stiff rod may be necessary because of long overhang from the chuck or a rod of special characteristics is needed to take a given broaching operation without chattering. It is only through an understanding of the effect of basic mill operations on the machinability of the rod that such problems as these may be solved most economically. It is hoped that this paper, together with the discussion it may evoke, will prove to be a basis for such an understanding. Testing Apparatus The testing apparatus used was of the single-tooth milling cutter type, in all respects sirnilar to that first used and described by Airey and Oxford1 and again by Boston. The machine used in the present test is shown in Fig. 1. It is an ordinary milling machine in which a heavy pendulum has been substituted for the pulley on the arbor. If the pendulum is raised

Jan 1, 1932

By Ralph W. Smith

DEVELOPMENT of the lime industry- in Ste. Genevieve County began in a crude way in 1840. According to information furnished by the Missouri Bureau of Geology, in the early days small vertical kilns built of stone were used, and wood was the fuel. Modern development began in 1904 when one company introduced steel shells lined with firebrick. Within a few years two more companies erected similar plants, and in 1925 a fourth company began operations. Thus there are today four lime companies at Ste. Genevieve, all operating at high capacity and with a gradually increasing production. GEOLOGY The limestone of Ste. Genevieve County, which has the chemical composition and purity required for lime burning, is the upper 80 or 90 ft. of Spergen formation. The Missouri Bureau of Geology, in its geological map of Ste. Genevieve County, gives the Spergen formation a total thickness of 160 ft., but only the upper portion is pure enough for lime burning, with an average raw-stone analysis of 98.7 per cent CaC03; 0.35 Si02; 0.3 R203; 0.35 MgCO3; 0.3 S03. The Spergen, one member of the Meramac group, Iowa series, of the Mississippian system, underlies an area approximately 12 miles long north and south, by 5 miles wide east and west (Fig. 1) in Ste. Genevieve County. The entire eastern two-thirds of Ste. Genevieve County is sedimentary, the formations dipping gently toward the east on an average grade of about 4 per cent, or 2 ½ º. Thus the outcrops of the various sedimentaries run approximately north and south. A line running west from Ste. Genevieve crosses the outcrops of the sedimentaries, ranging from the top of the Mississippian to the Ozarkian geological system in a space of 12 miles. Thus with the gentle dip of 2 ½ º the 160-ft. thickness of the Spergen formation stretches out in its outcrop so that it is approximately one mile

Jan 1, 1938

In the spring of 1944 the Congress passed Public Law 290 (58 Stat. 190, 30 U. S. C. Sec. 321) "authorizing the construction and operation of demonstration plants to produce synthetic liquid fuels from coal, oil shales, agricultural and forestry products, and other substances, in order to aid the prosecution of the war, to conserve and increase the oil resources of the Nation, and for other purposes." Section 2 reads: "In order to carry out the :purpose of this act, the Secretary of the Interior is authorized- (a) to conduct laboratory research and development work, and, with pilot plants and semi-works plants, to make careful process engineering studies, along with structural engineering studies, in order to ascertain lowest investment and operating costs necessary to determine the best demonstration plant designs and conditions of operation;

Jan 1, 1948

By Stewart R. Wallace

Members of the Society, it is a very great honor for me to be here today and to have the opportunity of telling you about some things that have been accumulating in the back of my mind for some time. Before attempting to do so, I should acknowledge my debt to the many people who are responsible for my presence here this afternoon. To do this properly, however, would consume much of my allotted time and I will therefore mention only two men, both of whom were directly involved in the discovery of the Henderson ore body. The first of these was Robert Henderson, now dead, who at the time the work was going on was vice president of Western Operations of the Climax Molybdenum Co. Truly, he provided the environment that permitted the exploration program to function effectively, and the deposit appropriately bears his name. The second man I meant to mention was resident geologist at Urad at the time of the Henderson discovery. I think I should explain right here that the Urad ore body and the Henderson ore body, although entirely separate, are closely related deposits, and that both are located at Red Mountain in Clear Creek County, Colo.

Jan 6, 1975

By G. W. Jones

In cooperation with the Edison Electric Illuminating Co. of Boston, Mass., and the Boston Consolidated Gas Co., a survey has been conducted continuously since 1929 by the Bureau of Mines to determine the general hazards of combustible gases and vapors in manholes of the Edison Electric Illuminating Co. The New England Telephone & Telegraph Co. also has cooperated in the investigation, and tests have been made in its manholes since May 1, 1933. Yearly reports6/ on the results obtained since the beginning of the survey have been published. The method and procedure of conducting the survey in 1936 were the same as heretofore.

Jan 1, 1938

By Francis Church Lincoln, Paul Zinner

"Attention of the Bureau of Mines was first directed to the Gray farm area by the results of several exploratory churn-drill holes completed by the New Jersey Zinc Co., and later by Roland J. Teske and by Judge H. L. Heer.When the Bureau of Mines initiated its investigation of the area, all drilling on the Gray farm had been discontinued, and no mining had resulted from the exploratory work. However, in the opinion of the Illinois Geological Survey, the Federal Geological Survey, and the Federal Bureau of Mines, this drilling,with the preliminary geological studies, was considered sufficient evidence to justify continued exploration to the southeast along a projection of the trend of mineralization developed in the mines to the northwest, or the so-called Black Jack Trough.This report describes the work done and presents the data obtained during the period of Bureau of Mines exploratory work.In its program of exploration of mineral deposits, the Bureau of Mines has as its Primary objective the more effective utilization of our mineral resources to the end that they make the greatest possible contribution to national security and economy. It is the policy of the Bureau to publish the facts developed by each exploratory project as soon as practicable after its conclusion. The Mining Branch, Lowell B. Moon, chief, conducts preliminary examinations, performs the actual exploratory work, and prepares the final report. The Metallurgical Branch, R. G. Knickerbocker, chief, analyzes samples and performs beneficiation tests. Both these branches are under the supervision or Dr. R. S. Dean, assistant director.Special acknowledgment is due Paul Herbert, geologist, Illinois Geological Survey, for his studies of cores, which greatly influenced the planning and progress of the exploratory work. Acknowledgment is also made to A. F. Agnew and A. V. Heyl, geologists, Federal Geological Survey, for their invaluable aid; to 0. W. Terry, F. C. Lincoln, M. H. Berliner, A. M. Cummings, project engineers; and to E. P. Barrett, district engineer, Minneapolis, and E. D. Gardner, regional engineer, Rolla, Mo., for supervising the program.The Gray ore body is on the Gray farm 5 miles south of Galena in Jo Daviess County, northwestern Illinois. The location with respect to adjoining properties is shown on figure 1. Galena is a city of 4,000 population on the banks of the Galena River, a stream that was formerly navigable by Mississippi River steamers but has now shrunk to the dimensions of a small creek. A gravel road leads from the city to the Gray farm and onward to the Bautsch and Boevers farms to the south of it."

Sep 1, 1946

By L. C. Raymond

Valuations in the mineral industry differ from those of other enterprises because mines and oil wells have a definite life so cannot be considered a perpetuity. This requires that in any mineral-property evaluation the recovery of invested capital is necessary during the life of the property. Capital write-offs for nonextractive industries are assumed to be continuously plowed back to sustain the operation and produce yields on the capital invested. The extractive or mineral industry, however, generally attempts to return to the investor both interest and principal during the life of a property. Normally this is done currently and the dividend includes both items. Where the mineral property possesses large reserves and the life factor approximates a perpetuity, the return on investment is generally comparable to that of industrial stocks. The valuation of a mineral property, at best, is based on educated estimates and judgment factors. This is particularly true as it relates to estimating selling prices over a long term or assessing the quality of management. Also, it is possible to make various assumptions as to rapidity of working out the deposit, varying time for start-up of operations, varying earning rates, so as to obtain different results with the same basic facts. Thus it is not surprising that two engineers, irrespective of their abilities, may not agree exactly even when given the same facts, but their results should be close enough to be used in establishing a fair value for trading purposes. The valuation is no better than the source of basic data and the soundness of judgment factors. Fundamentally the basic principles of mineral valuation are similar for base metals, sulfur, oil, or any other mineral. Each mineral, however, requires an engineer to have a knowledge of such factors as its occurrence, distribution, mining and processing methods, and marketing problems in order to gather and analyze all the facts and data that have a bearing on the earning potential of the property. Present Value of a Mineral Property In essence the present value of a mineral property is a sum of money in today's dollars that future income from the property are worth. It differs from the total anticipated earnings by the amount of the interest that the unrecouped investment could be expected to earn during the period of recoupment. Thus, if one could accurately estimate what a mineral property will earn during its life, after deducting all operating, administrative, capital, interest, and tax charges, the determination of present value would be a relatively simple mathematical calculation. Normally, where the expected life of the mineral property extends beyond 20 or 25 years, the discounted value of earnings beyond this period is relatively small. The petroleum industry generally discounts the annual cash flow of an operation rather than earnings since, for tax-saving purposes, earnings are kept

Jan 1, 1976