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By M. R. McKenzie

This paper describing the milling methods at the Walkermine concentrator, Plumas County, Calif., is one of a series being prepared by the United States Bureau of Mines on milling methods and costs in the various mining districts throughout the United States. ACKNOWLEDGMENT The authors wish to acknowledge their indebtedness to James O. Elton, manager of the International Smelting Co., and to Henry A. Geisendorfer, manager of the Walker Mining Co., for permission to present this paper; to H. A. Geisendorfer and J. D. Roberts, shift boss, for historical facts, and to D. D. MacLellan, geologist, for geological information.

Jan 1, 1932

By R. G. Sinclair, E. Sangine, S. M. Fortier, J. Brainard, K. Stone

"The U.S. Geological Survey and Natural Resources Canada conducted a study on the net import reliance of each North American country, and the impact of North American trade on the net import reliance of 12 nonfuel mineral commodities that are associated with advanced technology products: cadmium, cobalt, gallium, germanium, graphite, indium, lithium, nickel, rare earth elements, selenium, silver and tellurium. The combined results for North America, using 2014 data, showed greatly reduced net import reliance for nearly all of the commodities evaluated, which is largely the result of pooling the resources of production and recovery in Canada and Mexico of materials that are consumed in the United States. This study highlights the mitigation of potential supply risk for critical materials that results from trade within the North American trade bloc. IntroductionMultiple metrics and definitions exist for what constitutes a critical material, but there is broad acknowledgment that a mineral commodity may be considered critical if, among other factors, its production is geographically concentrated, if it has few or no substitutes, or if the country of origin is politically unstable. Numerous governmental and independent researchers have proposed methods of investigating criticality, with differing priorities such as economic resilience or strategic military supplies (European Commission, 2014; Graedel et al., 2015; U.S. National Science and Technology Council Subcommittee on Critical and Strategic Mineral Supply Chains, 2016). While criticality really depends on who is asking the question, and despite the differing priorities, there are several commodities that are commonly found to be of concern. In particular, some critical or potentially critical materials are used increasingly in advanced technologies, or they have complicated supply chains because they are coproduced or are produced in controlled markets.Commodities for which imports are required to satisfy domestic demand are those for which the importing country is net import reliant. Net import reliance (NIR) in this study is calculated as the amount of imported material, including changes in stockpiles, minus exports and is expressed as a percentage of domestic consumption:"

Jan 7, 2018

By Orlando Guerreiro Meira

A utilização de revestimentos com aços inoxidáveis superausteníticos em substituição às ligas a base de níquel na indústria de óleo e gás pode ser uma alternativa interessante, uma vez que é possível a manutenção de bom desempenho e corrosão com um menor custo. O presente trabalha avalia as propriedades mecânicas e microestruturais de revestimentos depositados com a liga AISI 904L sobre o aço carbono ASTM A 516 pelo processo eletroescória, tanto na condição de como soldado quanto após tratamento térmico de alívio de tensões. Após a soldagem, foram realizados ensaios mecânicos e metalográficos para verificar o efeito do ciclo térmico de soldagem nas propriedades do revestimento. O ensaio de dobramento não mostrou indicação de defeitos, sendo considerado aprovado. Os ensaios de microdureza apresentaram valores inferiores a 300HV0.5, em decorrência da microestrutura austenítica com baixo percentual de fases secundárias no metal de solda e de bainita na ZTA. O tratamento térmico de alívio de tensões não provocou mudanças significativas nas propriedades do revestimento

Aug 17, 2017

By Raja V. Ramani, Robert L. Frantz

"In response to the U.S. Bureau of Mines (USBM) Request for Proposal (RFP) for "" the establishment of a Generic Mineral Technology Center (GTC) in Respirable Dust,"" the Mining and Mineral Resources Research Institutes (MRIs) at The Pennsylvania State University (PSU) and West Virginia University (WVU) in association with participating MRIs at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and the University of Minnesota (UMN) have prepared the comprehensive research program described herein. Michigan Technological University (MTU) joined the Center as an affiliate after its inception. This program was developed with recognition of the stated objective of the Federal Mine Safety and Health laws which is to "". . . permit each miner the opportunity to work underground during the period of his entire adult working life without incurring any disability from pneumoconiosis or any other occupation-related disease . . . .""Exposure to respirable contaminants in mine atmospheres has long posed a serious hazard to miners. The control of these hazards, some of which can have sudden and catastrophic consequences and some others, slow and long enduring, has been a major concern for labor, management and the government. This concern has manifested itself in four mechanisms of control -- (1) regulatory control through minimum standard setting by the passage of mine health and safety laws, (2) engineering control through design and operation of mines according to the best recommended practices, (3) interaction of dust and lung control through periodic physical examinations, wearing personal protection devices, etc., and (4) legal and social control through workman's compensation laws for occupation related health deterioration."

Aug 31, 1989

By Franz Fohr

On July 27, 1919, there passed away a simple, unassuming gentle-man, who, throughout his life, allowed his intense modesty to keep him-self in the background and during his later years effaced himself so thoroughly that but few of his acquaintances knew aught of him. Yet he was one of our accomplished metallurgists, who did good work in the practice of his profession and lived an upright life. Now that he is no longer with us Franz Fohr cannot plead to be overlooked, and those who fondly remember him will be gratified by his receiving his due. Franz Fohr was born, Sept. 7, 1838, in Mannheim, Germany. Of his ancestry, education, and early career we know scarcely anything. We do not even know just when he came to America, or. what led him hither. The first record of his professional work in this country, found among his papers, shows that from July, 1870, to Jan. 1, 1872, he was superin-tendent of the Newark Smelting & Refining Works, then owned by Ed-ward Balbach & Son. At that time the Balbach works at Newark, established in 1850, and the Selby works at San Francisco, established about 1866, were the only important silver-lead refineries in the United States. Mr. Fohr may have been associated with the Balbachs for some time before he became superintendent of their plant or he may have come from Germany but a short time previously. At all events, it is certain that he was at that time an experienced and accomplished metallurgist. After leaving Newark and going to San Francisco, he soon formed a connection with Thomas H. Selby & Co. Early in 1874-this firm sent him to New York to procure information respecting the manufacture of white lead. His engagement in New York terminated on-Jan. 31, 1875. During 1875, Mr Fohr spent some time at Silver Islet and in the Lake Superior copper region, but of his work there no record remains. In the latter part of 1875, or early in 1876, he associated himself as metallur-gist with the Boston Silver Co., operating at Saint John's, Summit County, in which William L. Candler, of Boston, was the moving spirit. That company was developing its mine in 1875. At the end of that year it "had about 800 tons of ore on hand, about three-fourths of which is dress-ing ore, to be concentrated in its very systematic establishment and to be smelted into pig lead." Evidently Mr. Fohr was engaged for the latter purpose. Henry A. Vezin, erudite and painstaking, was the mechanical engineer for the company. In the fall of 1876, Anton Eilers took his family for the first time so far West as Denver and Mr. Fohr went with them. I do not think that Mr. Eilers had any connection with the Boston Silver Co., save possibly in a consulting capacity, but he visited Saint John's and the enduring friendship among Eilers, Fohr, and Vezin, which terminated only with their deaths, dated from that time.

Jan 12, 1919

By Auhin Kumar Maparu

Metal oxide nano-particles are used as additives in various industrial applications such as pigments in paints, additives in adhesives, plastics, cosmetics, functional coatings, personal care and health care products, for antibacterial applications and more recently in heat transfer applications. In most of these applications, usually dry nano-particle powders are added to the formulations. However, often it becomes difficult to achieve a uniform and stable dispersion of nano-particles in the given formulation. Thus, a scalable and commercially viable process for in-situ production of stable nano-particles suspensions in the desired medium will certainly be more beneficial. Ultra-fine grinding in high energy mills (planetary mill, stirred media mill) has been used to produce fine particles (sub-micron size). However, in order to obtain nano-particles (particle size <100 nm), the choice of appropriate dispersant and solvent is crucial, since freshly generated nano-particles tend to agglomerate due to their high surface reactivity. We have employed molecular modeling (MM) based selection methodology to arrive at the most suitable solvent?dispersant combination for preparation of the given metal oxide nano-particles. Molecular modeling techniques are employed to compute the interaction energy of a given dispersant with surface of the metal oxide particles in the presence of the dispersion medium. The interaction energy helps identify a dispersant that has strong affinity for the metal oxide surfaces allowing for strong dispersant adsorption and hence a more stable dispersion. For example, in case of aqueous nano-titania suspensions, poly-carboxylic acids like citric acid provide better dispersion than mono-carboxylic acids like lauric acid, mysristic acid, and oleic acid. While in non-aqueous medium like ethanol, p-hydroxybenzoic acid and glycerol trioleate perform better. The suspension is produced in-situ by ultra-fine grinding of the metal oxide powder in the presence of the selected dispersant and dispersion medium in a planetary ball mill. By careful selection of various process parameters such as percent loading of powder, jar filling, grinding media to powder ratio, time and amount of dispersant addition, both aqueous and non-aqueous suspensions of metal oxide nano-particles with average particle size less than 100 nm are produced. The aqueous suspensions of alumina and titania produced in presence of citric acid dispersant exhibit median particle size of 83 and 62 nm, respectively. These suspensions have been found to be stable for nearly 3 years. The nano-particles thus produced are used in the preparation of nano-fluids?advance heat transfer liquids, which show enhanced heat transfer capabilities and unaltered stability and performance even after several heating-cooling cycles. The nano-particles are also utilized for making efficient photo catalysts, which are found to be highly effective under sunlight. Keywords: stability, nano-fluid, milling, grinding, thermal conductivity, nanocoolant, photocatalyst

Sep 1, 2012

By E. R. Hughes

Introduction Situated 182 miles east of Vancouver, on the Kettle Valley branch of the Canadian Pacific railway, the Princeton coal field is readily accessible to the Coast markets. The area covers approximately forty square miles and present indications are that the deposits should contain at least 300,000,000 tons of coal. Comparatively little development has yet taken place in this coal field. Since the commencement of recorded output, the collieries operating in this area have produced 1,640,518 tons of coal. The coal field proper includes only the Tertiary deposits adjacent to the town of Princeton and does not include the Coalmont or Nicola deposits. Production has never been on a large scale. The largest annual output from any property was 81, 780 long tons mined at the Granby colliery in 1940. Coal output was first recorded in 1909 and since that time fifteen properties are reported to have either mined coal or to have done prospecting or development work; of these, only two are presently active. However, none of the properties now inactive were closed because their coal resources were exhausted. The accompanying key map shows the extent of the Princeton coal field, and the location of the coal mines and prospects in this field General Geology The Princeton field is underlain by rocks of Oligocene age and is one of the series of more or less isolated Tertiary lake basins in which coal, or lignite, has been found in the interior of British Columbia. Resting on the Nicola group rocks of Triassic age, the Princeton sedimentaries consist of sandstones, conglomerates, shales, bentonite, bentonitic clays, and several seams of coal. Tertiary volcanics occur both above and below the stratified rocks and in places they have been thrust through the overlying measures. In some areas, the coal has been burned to a red ash as the result of vulcanism, while in other parts some of the moisture has been driven from the coal, thus improving the grade. The field can best be described by dividing it into two areas: the Southern area, lying to the south of the town of Princeton, where most of the mining has been done; and the Northern area, to the north of Princeton, where very little development has taken place.

Jan 1, 1947

By L. S. Rivett, U. M. Oko

The Strathcona mine, with a large new underground operation and concentrator, was recently brought into\ production by Falconbridge Nickel Mines Ltd. The tailings disposal and water utilization problems at Strathcona are described in this paper, with sections devoted to the Moose Lake watershed system, tailing impounds, the construction of dams and the operation of the Moose Lake neutralization plant for the elimination of acidity, including the equipment used.

Jan 1, 1971

By Xiaojing Li, Yueyuan Zhou, Shengyao Ma

The paper presented the acnalysis of field intensity of rare-earth permanent magnet with high BH product and the research of magnet configuration with narrow pole pitch on open magnet surface, both using ANSYS. The possibility to separate micro-disseminated feebly magnetic minerals by improving the field intensity and the capture line distribution rate on open magnet surface were verified. The research on the method to pile up magnets to increase peak value of field intensity on the open magnet to 1.0T was done through correlation analysis between shape and dimensions of magnetic material and field intensity. And the research on technology method to improve capture line distribution rate in the separating field to 1.25×105/m2 was done through optimization design of magnet configuration of the open magnet with narrow pole pitch. Laboratory tests were performed with hematite sample from ore dressing plant such as Hainan mine, Qidong iron ore, etc. The separation results acquired were at the same level as using the electromagnetic separator, verifying the possibility to separate micro-disseminated feebly magnetic minerals with open magnet. The research suggested a new idea about the development of magnetic separator with high efficiency and low costs to separate feebly magnetic minerals and non-magnetic gangues.

Jan 1, 2014

By W. L. Jiang

Reverse-flotation technology is often applied in iron ore dressing plant, in order to enhance the quality of iron concentrate from magnetic separation. However, this technology has disadvantages in operating cost, energy consumption, and environmental protection. Developing innovative equipment to process magnetite ore more-effectively is a way to get rid of these disadvantages of reverse flotation and improve the quality of iron concentrate. This paper describes the development of Complex Flashing-Field Magnetic Cleaner, a new kind of equipment based on the principle of combination of separation in magnetic field and separation in gravity field. This innovative equipment possesses a tailor-made magnetic system and has the characteristics of a magnetic field, which can strengthen the formation of magnetic agglomerations and the dispersion of gangue minerals, improving the quality of separation. The automatic control system developed specifically for this equipment can further increase the accuracy of separation and stabilize the process. Test results showed that this equipment is reliable in operation, economically beneficial, and has large potential of application.

Jan 1, 2014

By Sven Schröer, Lilma Schimmel, Dimiter Alexiew

"The Geotextile Encased Columns (GEC) deep foundation system for embankments on soft soils was introduced some 20 years ago and is now considered State-of-the-art worldwide.The GECs consist of compacted granular fill, similar to common gravel columns, with one decisive difference: they are confined in a high-strength low-strain flexible geotextile “cylinder” (encasement). This engineered element provides a very efficient tool to control and optimize the behavior of the system. GECs perform very well even in extremely soft soils ensuring bearing capacity (stability) and reducing settlements. Due to the encasement, they a lso provide high lateral ductility. A wide range of fills including sands can be used.The remarkable reduction of vertical stresses in the soft soil surrounding the GECs results in a decrease of lateral pressure as well. Such reduction combined with the lateral ductility allow GECs to be also used for lateral pressure-relief adjacent to sensitive foundations, e.g. rigid piles. The application of GECs as lateral pressure relief was recently used in Brazil and Germany where bridge abutments were built on concrete reinforced-piles. The GECs below the bridge approaches and adjacent to the piles decreased the lateral pressure to acceptable values.This paper presents two case studies for which the most relevant parameters, the geotechnical conditions, specific problems, engineering philosophy, final solution and lessons learned are discussed. Furthermore, instrumentation programs were applied in both projects. The most important results in terms of displacements and stresses are shown, evaluated, summarized and commented upon, focusing on the lateral stress-relief, followed by conclusions and recommendations."

Jan 1, 2016

By Takeo Oki

A new suspension electrolysis method has been developed, which enables without any gas or dust pollutants a direct anodic extraction of zinc from zinc sulfide concentrates, while simultaneously oxidizing sulfide sulfur to elemental sulfur. The investigations were performed in a laboratory scale electrolytic cell with suspended zinc sulfide concentrate particles with or without graphite powder additions in dilute sulfuric acid electrolyte. By regulating the redox potential of the electrolysis system in combination with some additions, for example [Fe3+/Fe2+, MnO 4/MnO2, MnO 2/Mn2+ or MnO 4/Mn2+], the anodic dissolution reaction of zinc sulfide has been accomplished effectively without evolution of hydrogen sulfide. Under optimum conditions the anodic current efficiency of zinc dissolution ammounted up to 95 %, while sulfide sulfur was converted nearly completly to the elemental form. Purification by removal of sulfur and other impurities gives a zinc sulfate solution suitable for electrolysis to cathode zinc.

Jan 1, 1975

By J. W. MacDonald

Two coal mine shafts recently completed in Franklin County, Ill., afford experience and accomplishment to warrant review, These shafts provide access to a tract with a potential recovery of one hundred million tons. This work provided the initial sinking by other than a contractor&apos;s organization since 1918. Four additional shafts required during the interim were sunk under contract arrangement with others. Supervisory contact and inspection afforded experience to govern planning and conduct of the recent work.

Jan 1, 1960

Discussion of the paper presented at the Manchester Geological and Mining Society's general meeting held in Manchester, April 11th 1916, with Mr. Leonard R. Fletcher, President, in the chair, included questions asked and points for discussion raised by Bramall V., Paton J.D., Fletcher L.R., Siddall F.N., Stoker A. and Stone T., in particular on how to eliminate dust

Dec 1, 1916

By George H. Popper

The Bureau of Mines has evaluated the extent of phosphate resources available for recovery by the experimental borehole mining method in the Southeastern Coastal Plain of the United States- Phosphate re- sources at overburden depths greater than 30 m are as a rule currently unsuitable for recovery through conventional mining methods because of economic, environmental, or technical considerations. In the identified deposit areas, borehole mining operations are projected to yield a more favorable rate of return and to be environmentally more desirable than conventional surface mining. Borehole mining resource estimates presented in this study are preliminary and designed to serve as a basis for future resource evaluations, as the current data base is relatively sparse and incomplete. The resulting resources have, therefore, been classified as hypothetical and speculative and are subject to up- dating as additional exploratory data become available. Hypothetical and speculative resources amenable to borehole mining are estimated to total about 385 billion metric tons (rat) of phosphate matrix with a minimum in situ grade of 5 pct P205. With projected borehole mining capabilities and current conventional beneficiation procedures, this resource would make available approximately 64 billion mt of phosphate rock product at an estimated grade of 30 pct P205.

Jan 1, 1985

By L. R. Smith

BUTANE OPERATED drilling rigs are a recent innovation in the petroleum industry, so extensive data on their operation are not available. However, experience indicates that, within limitations, as much can he accomplished with butane as with steam, at a decided reduction .in expense of installation and cost of operation. Commercial butane is a liquid motor fuel similar to gasoline, but much more volatile, so that it has to be stored under pressure. At 10° F. it is liquid at atmospheric pressure, but at 100° it has a pressure of 70 lb. or more. As soon as the pressure is reduced, it turns to vapor and in that state is far more easily mixed with the air necessary for combustion. Butane occurs as a by-product in the absorption process of natural gasoline extraction from casing-head gas. The product has been used to some extent 10 raise the octane value of gasoline. However, because of its volatile nature, such admixture is stable only to a limited degree. Attempts also have been made to introduce the product in a gaseous form into oil- hearing formations in repressuring work. It has, however, until recently, for the most part been wasted.

Jan 1, 1937

By Noriyuki Fujii

It is no need to say that exploitation of industrial minerals has a close relation to development of the industries related. In the first stage, a small scale manufactures were initiated in areas producing some main raw material minerals. China and cement manufactures, for example, were established depending on the local occurrence of raw materials such as kaolin and limestone without exception. That is, the industrial development is greatly influenced by the local production of the raw materials in the stage. With the development of industrial technology, various kinds of raw material minerals are explored to meet the demands of industries in the second stage. New materials become indispensable, and low-grade raw material minerals, which were left as useless, are developed as useful materials. In the stage, the development of raw material minerals is accelerated by that of industrial technology related. However, industries mainly rely on domestic production of the min raw material minerals.

Jan 1, 1981

By X. Cui

Hydrocyclone is widely used in closed-circuit grinding process. However, in the first classification operation of coarse particles with high pulp density, the shortcomings of traditional cyclone are that the grinding cycle load is much high, the apex of cyclone is easily to be blocked and classification efficiency is less. Specifically, the problems of traditional cyclone used in grinding process are as follows: (1) Mill utilization factor is low and its handling capacity is small. (2) Coarse particles mixing in cyclone overflow affects the following separation process and fine particles mixing in underflow causes over-grinding, which affects the total recovery rate of valuable minerals. (3) High grinding cycle load leads to large amount of high-density slurry pumping, which causes high energy consumption and severe wear of cyclones, pipelines and pumps. The applications of new type pre-classification hydrocyclone with centrifugal volute in the first classification process of Iron Mine Mill are introduced in the paper. Pulp particles fed in the centrifugal volute were arranged in advance, so that coarse particles can be far away from the overflow pipe, which can reduce the short circuit current to avoid coarse particles entering overflow and improve classification efficiency and accuracy of cyclone. The strong points of the new cyclone in the coarse classification operation are as follows: (1) finer overflow and less fine particles mixing in underflow improves classification efficiency more than 10%; (2) lower ball mill load cycle improves ball capacity more than 10%;(3) grinding energy consumption reduces by more than 20% and cyclone feed pump reduces energy consumption by more than 12%. In short, new type pre-classification cyclone with centrifugal volute solves the problems of fine particles mixing in underflow, high grinding cycle load and less classification efficiency in the coarse classification operation. Therefore, it has broad application prospects in ferrous metal and non-ferrous metal ore dressing plant.

Sep 1, 2012

By R. Pixler

Arch Mineral Corporation and Rocky Mountain Energy&apos;s Medicine Bow Mine in Wyoming presented an interesting challenge to the concept of mining a multiple-seam, dipping coal in the Hanna Basin. The 3362 and 2962 pits at MBCC were designed in a multiple seam coal consisting of 4 (and in some areas 5) bands of coal; these coal beds are all in the Ferris formation. The area was subject to some localized faulting and a major fault caused a physical restraint that we mined up against in our final cut. Using a 1570 dragline as the principal stripping machine, the concept of developing a bench for stripping the lower seams from the low-wall side of the pit was initiated. The results of this method of stripping were very satisfying for this pit through the completion of pit life and prompted us to use it in other areas at MBCC and at our other operations. Mining a dipping coal presents a small twist to conventional "flat" coal stripping. The spoil has a tendency to continually try to slide into the pit and the increased overburden on each cut as you mine down the dip creates spoil problems unless adequate design provisions are made prior to stripping.

Jan 1, 1986

By A. R. Miller, R. A. Stanton, M. J. Male, G. R. Cluff

"The Dubawnt Group consists of continental sedimentary and volcanic rocks which fill structural depressions - Baker Lake Basin, Yathkyed Lake and Angikuni Lake subbasins- whose evolution was controlled by late Aphebian extension, between 1.9-1.8 Ga. Structurally controlled uranium mineralization having the signature U + Mo + Ag + Pb + Cu ± Zn is spatially related to (i) intersecting fault systems that record multiple movements, (ii) chemically reactive lithologies containing sulphide, chlorite or graphite/ carbonaceous matter in the Archean and Aphebian basement complex and as alkaline volcanics of the overlying Dubawnt Group and (iii) areas containing thick successions of basal Dubawnt Group red clastic sediments.The most significant uranium occurrence found to date is the Lac Cinquante deposit, which contains 14 million pounds U3O8 of drill-indicated reserves. Mineralization is hosted in Archean meta-volcanic and metasedimentary rocks of the Henik Group adjacent to the basal Dubawnt unconformity in the northeastern A ngikuni Lake subbasin and occurs as plunging pods in and peripheral to a fractured and brecciated tuffaceous meta-sediment- sulphide+ carbonaceous exhalite. This deposit exhibits many features typified by the classical vein deposit at Beaverlodge, northern Saskatchewan.Epigenetic stratabound U + Cu + Ag ± Mo mineralization, typified by the 74-1E prospect in the eastern Baker Lake Basin, is hosted in thermally altered Kazan redbeds adjacent to alkaline dykes.At the eastern end of the Baker Lake Basin, small prospects having an elemental signature U + Se + Cu + Ag +Au are interpreted as unconformity-related mineralization associated with the Helikian The/on Basin.The Dubawnt Group rocks of the Baker Lake Basin, subbasins and adjacent basement complex contain uranium mineralization of two eras- Late Aphebian and Helikian."

Jan 1, 1986