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By R. E. Stewart

The major mining companies of the world all face the problems associated with investing in new mining ventures. In particular, investment in foreign countries - whether these are advanced or developing countries - requires careful consideration. A thorough analysis of all the possible risks must be undertaken, so that realistic decisions can be made. Some of the points to be considered are outlined in this paper.

Jan 1, 1977

By E. T. Turkdogan, Klaus Schwerdtfeger, P. Grieveson

The rate of growth of "Fe4N" on a iron was measured by nitriding purified iron strips in flowing am -monia -hydrogen gas mixtures at 504" and 554°C. It is shown that a dense nitride layer is formed when a zone -refined iron is used in the experiments. With less pure iron, the nitride layer is found to be porous. Through theoretical treatment, the self-diffusivity of nitrogen is evaluated porn the parabolic rate constant, and found to be essentially independent of nitrogen actirlity, e.g., D* = 3.2 x l0-12 and 7.9x l0-12 sq cm per sec at 504" and 554?C. Some consideration is given to the mechanism of diffusion in the nitride phase. THERE is a great deal of background knowledge on the solubility and diffusivity of nitrogen in iron, and on the thermodynamics and crystallography of several phases in the Fe-N system. Although case-nitrided steels have many applications in practice, no work seems to have been done on the diffusivity of nitrogen in the iron nitride, ?', phase. The only work reported on the related subject of which the authors are aware is an investigation by Prenosil,1 who measured the growth rate of the e phase on iron by nitriding in ammonia-hydrogen gas mixtures. EXPERIMENTS Purified iron plates of approximate dimensions 1 by 0.5 by 0.03 cm were nitrided in flowing mixtures of ammonia and hydrogen, in a vertical furnace fitted with a gas-tight recrystallized alumina tube. After a specified time of reaction, the sample was cooled to room temperature by withdrawal to the water cooled top of the reaction tube. The furnace temperature was controlled electronically in the usual manner within *l°C; the temperature was measured using a calibrated Pt/Pt-10 pct Rh thermocouple. For each experiment the iron strip sample was cleaned with fine emery cloth and degreased with tri-chloroethylene prior to the experiment. The ammonia-hydrogen gas mixtures were prepared from anhydrous ammonia and purified hydrogen using constant pressure-head capillary flowmeters. The gas mixture flowed upward in the furnace with flow rate of 400 cc per min at stp. The composition of the gas mixture was checked by chemical analysis at regular intervals. In most cases, the compositions of the exit gas and metered input gas agreed within about 0.3 pct, indicating that cracking of ammonia did not pose a problem at the temperatures employed. Two series of experiments were carried out using two different types of purified iron samples. In the first series of experiments at 550°C, vacuum carbon deoxidized "Plastiron" was used. The main impurities present in this iron were, in ppm: 4043, 50-Cr, 20-Zr, 40-Mn, 20-P, 20-S, 20-C, 50-0, and 10-N. In these experiments the rate data were obtained by measuring the change in weight of the iron specimen suspended in the hot zone of the furnace by a platinum wire from a silica spring balance. The nitride layer formed in these experiments was found to be porous, particularly near the outer surface. In other experiments, high purity zone-refined iron (prepared in this laboratory) was used. The total impurity content of this iron was 30 ppm of which 20 ppm was Co + Ni, 4 ppm 0, other metallic impurities were less than 1 ppm. The zone-refined iron bar, -2.5 cm diam, was cold rolled to a thickness of about 0.03 cm and the specimens were prepared for the experiment as described earlier. After the nitriding experiment, the sample was copper plated electro-lytically and mounted in plastic for metallographic polishing. After polishing, the thickness of the ?' layer was measured using a metallographic microscope. The nitride layer formed on the zone-refined iron was essentially free of pores. RESULTS The different morphology of the nitride layers grown on "Plastiron" and zone-refined iron is shown in Fig. 1. Both samples were nitrided side by side for 55 hr. The holes in the less pure iron, Fig. l(a), are confined to a region about one half thickness from the outer surface. The dense layer grown on zone-refined iron, Fig. l(b), is thinner than the porous layer on the "Plastiron". The impurities in the iron are believed to be responsible for the formation of a porous nitride layer. The pore formation may be due to the high nitrogen pressures existing within the nitride layer, e.g., the equilibrium nitrogen pressure is 1.2 x l05 atm in the 38.6 pct NH3-61.4 pct H2 and 6.6 x l03 atm at the Fe-Fe4N interface at 554°C and 0.96 atm. It is possible that the oxide inclusions present in the electrolytic iron may facilitate the nuclea-tion of nitrogen gas bubbles within the nitride layer. Support for this reasoning is the fact that pores are only encountered in the outer range of the layer where nitrogen pressures are largest. The photomicrographs in Fig. 2 show the effect of reaction time on the thickness of the dense nitride layer formed on zone-refined iron. These sections are from samples nitrided in a stream of 29 pct NH3-71 pct H2 mixture at 554°C for 22, 70, and 255 hr. In all the sections examined the nitride-iron interface was noted to be rugged. These irregularities are be-

Jan 1, 1970

By John A. Church

AT a time when the treatment of gold and silver ores by fusion, in opposition to the mill-process, is attracting so much attention in this country, it may be useful to consider what is done in a well-conducted foreign work. For this purpose I will ask the reader to accompany me to Lend, in Austria, a small but thoroughly organized

Jan 1, 1873

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Jan 1, 1938

By John Patek

KNOWLEDGE of the relative floatability of silicate minerals is increas-ing in importance as flotation is being applied to the concentration of nonsulfides. Many silicates are in themselves commercial products amenable to concentration by flotation. Moreover, the selective flota-tion of other nonsulfide minerals, such as cassiterite, depends largely upon the floatability of associated. gangue silicates. Differences in floatability existing between the various silicates have not been suffi-ciently appreciated; for example, the feldspars that differ greatly in floatability have generally been merely treated as "feldspar." It was the purpose of the work described in this paper to determine by experi-ment the differences in floatability between silicates; to investigate the causes for such differences, and to discover a means of predetermining approximate floatability without the necessity of experimentation.

Jan 1, 1934

By I. E. Rosenzweig

GeophyGical prospecting by earth-resistivity methods is frequently applied to investigation of structural problems in geology. Fig. 1 indicates a scheme of the general arrangement used in these methods of measurements. The battery (or generator) E is connected with two "current electrodes" I1 and I2. The current of intensity J, supplied by this battery, passes through the earth between these elcc- trodes. A potential difference U will be measured between two other electrodes V1 and Vz, called "potential electrodes." According to the configuration of electrodes (Fig. I), the resistivity of a homogeneous soil results from the formula p — 2rca-j [1] where 1 C = -------------------------------------- a a 1 a a [2]

Jan 1, 1940

By I. E. Rosenzweig

GeophyGical prospecting by earth-resistivity methods is frequently applied to investigation of structural problems in geology. Fig. 1 indicates a scheme of the general arrangement used in these methods of measurements. The battery (or generator) E is connected with two "current electrodes" I1 and I2. The current of intensity J, supplied by this battery, passes through the earth between these elcc- trodes. A potential difference U will be measured between two other electrodes V1 and Vz, called "potential electrodes." According to the configuration of electrodes (Fig. I), the resistivity of a homogeneous soil results from the formula p — 2rca-j [1] where 1 C = -------------------------------------- a a 1 a a [2]

Jan 1, 1940

By Brij M. Moudgil

Disposal of fine coal refuse is one of the major technical problems which could adversely affect growth and development of the coal industry. At present one of the most: common methods for disposal of fine coal refuse slurry involves impounding the slurry behind dams. However meeting new federal and state government regulations for building, maintaining and reclaiming these impoundments in addition to terrain and space considerations render this technique to be only marginally competitive with other disposal methods. The coal industry has been actively engaged in developing alternate disposal techniques which are economically feasible and environmentally acceptable. A review of coal refuse disposal problem and current refuse disposal practice both in the eastern and western coal fields is presented. Various promising techniques being developed for economical and safe disposal of fine coal refuse slurry are also discussed.

Jan 1, 1980

INTRODUCTION The difference between a mineral inventory or mineral reserve and an ore reserve was discussed in the introduction to Chapter 10. The term ore reserve implied mineral in place that is capable of being mined at a profit. Potential profitability of in situ minerals is dependent upon several economic parameters in addition to grade estimates for blocks of the mineral

Jan 1, 1980

By Robert Glass Cleland

Jan 1, 1952

By Rip Thompson

ALTHOUGH the metallurgical treatment for the Ophir Hill tailings was developed more than 20 years ago and in the interim a vast amount of experimental work was done with later-developed flotation rea-gents, it was found necessary to revert to the original oil reagents and their combina-tions with specific chemical reagents in order to obtain results of economic value. This is of especial interest because in present ore-treatment investigations later-developed flotation reagents are used almost exclusively and the coal-tar deriva-tives, except in certain patented reagents, are virtually neglected. These coal-tar oils and derivatives still have a definite field of application, especially in the treatment of some oxidized ores when modified sulphidi-zation is desirable. The Ophir Hill tailings deposit is in Ophir Canyon, Tooele County, Utah, about 55 miles southwest of Salt Lake City and 25 miles south of the Tooele smelter of the International Smelting and Refining Co. A road good for trucks leads directly from the Ophir mill to the smelter.

Jan 1, 1940

By D. G. Hartley, P. C. Hayward, K. R. Weller, U. J. Sterns

The major copper loss at Mount Lyell is in the coarsest particles presented to flotation. An analysis of data collected from the five Primary and six secondary ball mill circuits showed that grinding was limited by low breakage rates in secondary mills, possibly due to oversize balk. For five months, the make-up ball size for one secondary mill was reduced from 50 to 30 mm (2 to 1.1 in.). Frequent steady-state tests indicated that overall average breakage rates could be increased by about 70% using smaller balk. A mathematical simulation of the whole circuit with increased breakage rates showed that the resultant finer grind was likely to improve copper recoveries by about 2%.

Jan 1, 1984

By John F. Blandy

The map on Plate I illustrates a part of the works of the Red Bank Mining Company, on the Upper Freeport seam of coal, in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. The contour lines give a careful representation of the conformation of the surface, showing also the line of outcrop of the seam, and the gangways of the mines are shown by the black lines. Upon assuming charge of the works in January last, I found that the first and greatest difficulty lay in the great uncertainty of the

By E. Maltby Shipp

WALLACE MCKEEHAN, Douglas, Ariz. (communication to the Secretary*).-In going over this report, which I have done very carefully, I find that the summary as composed deals with the various problems almost entirely from the employer's standpoint and that practically no consideration is given to the employee's point of view. An experience of 3 ½ years as safety inspector, and almost 30 years as workman-and official, has convinced me that any plan for the betterment of working conditions which will achieve any degree of success must give the workmen their share of responsibility and allow them full participation. The company may finance and direct the movement, but its ultimate success depends upon the support given by the workmen. The cooperation of the men doing the actual work is so essential that all writers insist that this must he secured, but they do not agree as to how this can best be done.

Jan 3, 1917

By S. LeFevre

THE solution of the housing and sanitation problem in mining communities, keeping in view both economic and humanitarian aspects, demands the best thought of the management of such enterprises. Upon the solution depend the health and comfort of the employee and his family, and as a consequence his contentment and efficiency. The following description covers briefly the methods installed for Witherbee, Sherman & Co. The operation of the system has been for about two years under the direct supervision of T. A. Hammond, Land Agent, and I am indebted to him for a compilation of the results.

Jan 2, 1915

By W. Armstrong Price

INVESTIGATION by German chemists during the World War showed that particles of iron oxide form rapidly in iron pipes carrying hydrogen gas under pressure when the gas contains small amounts of water. Under these conditions, the gas frequently exploded when expanding into a dirigible. The explanation of the explosions lies in the building up of a charge of static electricity in the flow just beyond the orifice and the ignition of the gas by a spark accompanying discharge of the electricity. Friction between the moving particles and the pipe generated the electric charge, which was manifested by a pale blue glow formed in the flow at pressures above two atmospheres. In one experiment, this glow, at eighty atmospheres, extended for a distance of forty to fifty centimetres, but did not ignite hydrogen and air mixtures until the charge was col-lected by a conductor and discharged across a gap between electrodes placed at the side of the column of gas. Autoignition did not occur when this discharge was effected at a distance from the gas column, nor if the gas used was thoroughly dried and free from impurities. The electric charge has been studied by placing various wire and screen conductors in the outcoming stream of gas, Guest having summarized these experiments. The application of these conclusions to fires in petroleum and natural gas issuing uncontrolled from wells is made in the following paper, citing the ignition of a wild gas well in Texas.

Jan 1, 1936

By D. L. Pentz

The use of "probability" methods in slope stability analysis has been practised by geotechnical engineers for some time. This paper questions whether the term probability has been properly used since in many cases the term is used in a classical statistical manner only to describe frequency distributions of data. This paper proposes a definition of the term probability which includes the engineers' subjective state of confidence for all critical parameters. Such parameters may include the slope stability model, undetected structural features, strength, groundwater pressure distribution, and geological framework. This process does not make a "better" analysis but it does force the geotechnical engineer to state his opinion in such a manner that others can understand and if necessary, criticize the assumptions. Further, this technique forces the question, "What impact would failure of a slope have on the production schedule or costs of a mine?" The level of risk taken in adopting a particular slope design strategy in a mine is not a question of what Factor of Safety should be selected but, rather, what trade-offs result from steeper slopes and the associated costs of failure. This paper also presents several simple probabilistic techniques which, though widely used in other fields have been all but ignored in geotechnical slope stability analyses. These include the use of stratified sampling to optimize Monte Carlo uncertainty approaches, and the use of simple functional approximations rather than complex stability models in probabilistic analysis. The author presents a case example of this technique and discusses the results in comparison with more traditional methods.

Jan 1, 1983

By Mark W. Springett

The sampling of precious metal deposits entails inherent problems due to the low mineral abundances, high mineral specific gravities, skewed grade distributions and wide ranges of mineral particle sizes. Sampling practices and precautions are discussed with particular attention to each of the tripartite stages of sampling - sample acquisition, sample preparation and sample assaying. Practical examples of approaches to the sampling problem are given and some examples of significant sources of error are provided from gold and silver deposits in North America.

Jan 1, 1984

By John Peperakis

Coal mine bumps are normally associated with pillar mining under moderate or deep cover. Severe bumps at Sunnyside, however, have not been confined to pillar lines. Many have occurred in virgin development and in localities a long way from active pillar workings. As early as 1918 bumps in virgin territory were attributed to the faulted structure in the Sunnyside area.1 Sunnyside is an old property, mined for more than 60 years. Both man-made and natural conditions contribute greatly to bump occurrences, and loss of life and great destruction of workings have resulted from some unusual bumps in recent years.

Jan 9, 1958

Jan 1, 1920