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By L. A. Wright

Union Carbide Corp.'s Pine Creek mine in California is the largest known tungsten deposit in the West, and the producer of well over five million tons or ore to date. Located 21 miles northwest of Bishop on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevadas, the mine is also a source of molybdenum and copper and it was the quest for the molybdenum which caused the mine management to undertake a pillar recovery program. GEOLOGY For a full discussion on the geology of the Bishop tungsten district and the Pine Creek mine, reference is made to Special Report 47, Calif. Div. of Mines. The deposit lies along a 3000 ft segment of the contact between quartz monzonite and the marble that flanks the west side of the north portion of the Pine Creek pendant. All the components of a typical contact metamorphic tungsten deposit are developed; these consist of tactite, light colored calc-silicate rock and quartzose rock.

Jan 5, 1964

AN indication that Mesabi Range iron use companies may develop their own flotation processes for low grade iron ores is the report that Cleveland Cliffs Iron Co. is adopting a variation of one of the oldest known methods at its new Michigan treatment plant. Basically, the method involves using fatty acids and fuel oil reagents. The idea was developed many years ago and should be free of patent control. With other laboratories working on the same tack, it seems to be a pretty good bet that they will come up with their own processes. Any outside process will have to offer considerable advantage or low royalty rate to get consideration. Much of the appeal of the fatty acid process is the cheapness of the reagent. One source is pulp paper liquor in semi-refined form. With stream pollution legislation acting as a strong pressure, paper companies have been seeking ways to dispose of the material. Wisconsin has even attempted to use it for road binder.

Jan 5, 1953

By H. Rumfelt

Surface excavators for mining coal and such non- metallic minerals as quarry stone, gypsum, phosphate and the like have advanced tremendously in the last 50 years, and their advancement has paralleled that of excavators used in the construction industry during the same period. Up to a certain stage, the construction industry led the way with this development and even pioneered in how the equipment was used. Afterwards, however, new mining machinery and related operating techniques progressed along a different path than their construction counterparts because of the different demands of the two industries. The word "stage" as used above quite generally connotes a transition period, possibly of several years' duration, during which mining development followed the construction industry. Later, mining branched out and responded to its own needs. Most readers are familiar with the events which led to the development of the power shovel. The first dredge was recorded as having been used in England in the latter 1700's and was no doubt developed along the lines of some notes written in the late 1400's by Leonardo da Vinci.

Jan 1, 1971

By J. W. Harshbarger, E. L. Montgomery

The region of metallic ore deposits in northern Chile, southern Peru, western Bolivia, and northwestern Argentina occurs in arid zones at altitudes as high as 6 km (19,700 ft). Because surface water supplies are meager, new mines require unexploited sources of water. Prolific ground water aquifers occur in salar basins in this region of the Andean Highlands. Exploration water wells have been constructed and aquifer characteristics have been tested in eight salar basins. Results indicate ground water quality is good. Aquifer transmissivity and storage computed from results of pumping tests indicate maximum capacities of more than 170 L/sec (2700 gpm) for individual production water wells. Results of investigations conducted by the authors demonstrate that ground water reservoirs in the Andean Highlands comprise a source of large quantities of water for the mineral industry.

Jan 1, 1986

By R. C. Ellman

In the United States, the consumption of lignite and subbituminous coals is increasing. A variety of energy-oriented companies have leased large blocks of reserves, new large power plants are in operation and being constructed, and new producing mines are being developed. The Bureau of Mines has maintained an active interest in the utilization of low-rank coals for many years. In 1951, with the completion of the Bureau's Grand Forks Coal Research Laboratory, an organizational unit was established for studies in lignite preparation. Since that time, numerous investigations have been completed. This research has dealt almost exclusively with lignite, but since subbituminous coals have many similar characteristics, the findings can often be applied to both types of coal.

Jan 1, 1970

The problem of applying instrument control of variables associated with lead-zinc ore treatment has been under investigation for several years at The Zinc Corp. facilities in Broken Hill, Australia. In 1959 it was decided that there was sufficient knowledge of the problem to enable specifications to be drawn up for a system to automatically control at set conditions the roll crushing, ball milling, lead flotation and zinc flotation sections. In choosing between electrical and pneumatic control systems the broad principle was adopted that if the sensing system was pneumatic the transmission and control would also be pneumatic, whereas if electrical sensing was employed, electrical transmission and control would apply. In general. pneumatic systems were preferred owing to lack of experience with, and standardization of, the electrical systems offered at the time the specification was prepared.

Jan 12, 1964

By C. H. Ault, D. D. Carr

Four counties in Indiana- LaPorte, Vigo, Vanderburgh, and Switzerland-have potential for deep underground limestone mining because they are in or near high population areas and have no surface-mineable limestone deposits. The principal markets are Gary-South Bend, Terre Haute, Evansville, and Cincinnati. Mineable seams suitable for aggregate are 120-150 m (400-500 ft) below the surface in LaPorte and Vigo Counties, about 90 m (300 ft) below the surface in Switzerland County, and about 600 m (2,000 ft) below the surface in Vanderburgh County. Some deposits are also suitable for high-purity uses or for cement raw materials, which enhances their potential for exploitation.

Jan 1, 1983

By W. R. Ingalls

SOME months ago, I had occasion to make an investigation that introduced the subject of blue powder that is produced as a byproduct in zinc dis-tillation. Although every zinc smelter is aware that more or less blue powder production is inevitable and there is a common practice as regards the treatment of it, the specific and quantitative data respecting the subject were more imperfect than would have been expected. I had reports from eight important works. Some of the data were especially determined for my investigation. Speaking generally, there is a good deal of uniformity in the figures, all of which show that the blue powder product, bears a large proportion to the ore originally charged into the retorts; that a large proportion of the retort capacity is devoted to the redistillation of blue powder; and that of the spelter product of a furnace about 30 per cent. is derived from blue powder, i.e., it is zinc that has been distilled twice. The figures from the works are given in the following table:

Jan 4, 1922

By W. J. Millard

Owing to a moratorium in the drilling of crown-land leases in Trinidad during the year of 1931, only 40 wells were spudded in during the first eight months as compared with 110 during the same period in 1930. Nevertheless the production will show an increase of about 400,000 bbl. over that of 1930. An estimate is given in Table 1. Since the oil produced in 1930 was 9,418,907 bbl. and that in 1931 probably will be 9,853,976 bbl., the year 1931 probably will see an increase of about 4.6 per cent. The gross production of crude oil in the colony has increased steadily year by year, with the exception of 1919, when there was a slight decline. A tabulated statement was given last year.' The Petroleum Times of March 21, 1931 (p. 413) gives the total production of 1930 as 9,418,000 bbl. and the average monthly production as 784,833 bbl. The same two items for 1931 are estimated at 9,853,976 and 821,165 bbl., respectively.

Jan 1, 1932

Starting on the facing page is a 16-page section giving a picture of SME and its component parts-and what they mean to a prospective member.

Jan 6, 1961

INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICS It is necessary now to digress from the direct study of appraisal techniques to consider an important tool for the mineral appraiser. Whenever a great deal of data have been accumulated, such as might be gained through the sampling process discussed in the preceding chapter, the application of statistical methods should be considered. Statistical methods are used for descriptive purposes and for the organization and summarization of quantitative or numerical data. Descriptive statistics covers the tabulation of data, its presentation in graphical or pictorial form, and the calculation of its several descriptive measures. It is not the intent of the brief summary of statistics that will be outlined hereafter to cover the total breadth and scope of mathematical statistics. It is the intent of this and the following chapters to review a few of the statistical concepts that have the most direct bearing upon the problems involved in mineral evaluation. Should the reader desire to go more fully into statistical theory and mathematics, numerous texts and publications are available.

Jan 1, 1980

By Donald W. Gentry

In the mining industry, there are two widely accepted methods of determining the investment worth of a contemplated project. One of these is the payback method and the other is the more recent discounted cash flow (DCF) technique known as the internal rate of return. Both techniques can be useful, but it is important to know the assumptions and characteristics of each procedure and how these may affect an investment decision. The Payback Period-A Shortcut to Yes or No The payback period is simply the time it takes for the cash inflows from an investment to equal that investment. Understandably, projects with short payback periods are preferred to those with longer ones. The payback period may be measured either from the time the initial investment is made or from the time that it begins to yield positive cash flows, but the latter approach is more realistic because it permits more accurate allowance for lost interest on the invested capital.

Jan 1, 1971

By K. A. Grace

Reserves are the basic foundation of any mining enterprise, but a lack of understanding of the concept of resources and reserves is still a frequent cause of failure in mining ventures. A review of the development of the resource-reserve concept emphasizes the necessity for a common language, and the classification system as set out by the US Geological Survey and Bureau of Mines is advocated as the basis for this. Because of its strong economic connotation, the term reserves should be severely restricted in its use, and should encompass mining and processing factors. Modifications to the basic definition of reserves to accomplish this are proposed. Caution must be used in the quantification of undiscovered or hypothetical resources, particularly in juxtaposition with known resources data.

Jan 1, 1985

By Maurus Seet

Mainland China, with one-fourth of the world's population and one-tenth of its coal production, can no longer be ignored as a considerable force on the world energy scene. In terms of annual productivity, China's 300 million tons of coal rank third behind the Soviet Union with 655 million and the United States 557 million (1968 Minerals Yearbook. USBM). When viewed from another angle, 1967 figures show that increased productivity from all coal-producing continents, with the exception of North America, was led by Chinese-dominated Asia with a 19% gain. Not unpredictably though, China, on a per capita basis, is closer to the bottom of the list among members of the industrial community. Despite its misspent youth, and despite the set- backs caused by the Big Leap Forward of the late 50's and the Cultural Revolution of the late 60'S, the People's Republic has managed to make some impressive strides in developing its coal industry over the past twenty years.

Jan 1, 1971

By E. S. Porter

The techniques of particle-size measurement are of particular importance in the manufacture of portland cement. A range of sizes, from a close approximation to Fred C. Bond's "theoretical infinite" (represented by raw material in the quarry) to particles smaller than one micron is represented in the process. Moreover, similar size-reduction operations are performed on both natural and synthetic materials, the former relatively inactive in water and the latter quite reactive. This means that aqueous sedimentation systems for particle-size analysis are applicable only to some of the materials involved in the process. A brief review of the process should be useful to place the measurement techniques described here in perspective. (Fig.l) Raw materials are quarried, crushed and transported to storage at a maximum size usually of a few inches. Typical materials are limestone and clay or shale, with small amounts of other materials used to adjust the plant mix to the concentration of lime, silica, alumina and iron oxide required.

Jan 6, 1962

By M. L. Jeremic

The massive Pb-Zn-Ag sulfide ore body is originated at the contact between the porphyry (footwall) and volcanic (hanging wall). The ore zone is folded and refolded, which results in two different structural geometries of the individual ore bodies. This requires both shrinkage and cut-and-fill mining methods. Strong bedrock resists caving after shrinkage stope completion, so high stress zones are developed below and above the mined area. The cut-and fill system has a limited destressing mechanism, where the stope walls with a backfill exhibiting stress close to a primitive one. This results in closure deformation of the open stope walls, yielding deformations of crown pillars and roof falls of the wide stope backs.

Jan 1, 1985

By Clement K. Chase

ION exchange recovery of uranium has been proved successful in many operating plants in various parts of the world. First used in column plants processing clear liquors, ion exchange has more recently been applied in basket resin-in-pulp systems. A logical further development is the application of truly continuous processing techniques to the ion exchange recovery of metals, since previous systems have been semicontinuous at best. Column ion exchange is a valuable technique and has been used extensively in South Africa and elsewhere. However, it requires clear liquors. To produce these clear liquors, considerable investment in filter plant and clarification equipment is necessary. In the cases where it is very difficult or impossible to produce clarified liquors, column ion exchange is not so useful. Moreover, some liquors suffer from post-precipitation after clarification, which can become a serious problem.

Jan 9, 1957

By B. R. Coil

One executive writing on capital equipment re- placement stated: "We keep extremely close watch over repair costs and when we reach the point of uneconomical operation, we replace the machine." This, of course, is most elementary, but a very basic premise. However, it seems advisable to set forth several equally obvious principles, so that all discussion will start from the same point. The subject is intended to deal with the point of uneconomical operation due to high operating costs in general and high repair costs in particular. This is not concerned with a similar problem of high costs because of an insufficient number of machines, be they trucks, shovels, or dozers.

Oct 1, 1955

By Gerald M. Friedman

CONVENTIONAL usage defines emery as a natural aggregate of corundum and magnetite. Because emery bodies contain abundant spinel two types are recognized, spinel-bearing and spinel- free. Watson and Steiger1 introduced the name spinellite for emery in which spinel is a major constituuent, but this term has not been generally adopted. Spinel emery grades locally into spinel magnetite rocks with or without accessory corundum. Even this variety has been used commercially in the past. The term emery therefore applies to natural aggregates composed of corundum and magnetite; corundum, magnetite, and spinel; and spinel and magnetite.

Jan 7, 1957

By W. M. Aubrey

Lying approximately 110 miles east of Toronto, Canada, the Marmora mine produces iron ore with a content of about 40 pct Fe, primarily in the form of magnetite. Operated by the Marmoraton Mining Co., a subsidiary of Bethlehem Steel Co., the orebody is mined by open pit methods. The ore from the pit is crushed, cobbed, ground to -100 mesh, magnetically concentrated to 67 pct iron, and then pelletized in shaft furnaces. The pellets are normally shipped by rail throughout the year from Marmora to Picton on Lake Ontario where they are unloaded and stored. Subsequently, during the navigation season, the pellets are shipped to Bethlehem Steel's Lackawanna plant in Buffalo, New York, for use in the blast furnace. At Marmora, the pellet plant demand and the concentrator output are not usually equal. To counter this problem, surge capacity in the form of storage pits in combination with a 30-ft diam thick¬ener has been provided between the concentrator and the pellet plant. Two sets of controls have been installed on this thickener, one controlling the…

Jan 9, 1960