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By C. Graham

Mechanisation has been a predominant theme of the past 50 years in the mining industry, particularly underground mining. As the level of technology employed has increased, the anticipated productivity gains have not been realised and the differences are not explained by the demand for higher standards of safety and security. Now, mining costs are so high and productivity so low that the resultant return on investment for many Canadian operations has fallen to levels considered unacceptable in a competitive capital market. Simply continuing technological development cannot reverse this trend and its financial implications. The focus on technological development has distracted us from some basic truths. Systems that are more complex are more likely to fail and cost-effective processes depend on the continuity of productive activity and the flow of material. When putting these facts together, it becomes clear that in a system that has fixed external conditions, the single most crucial issue is the effective management of the operational cycle. By its nature, technology focuses our attention on what gets done and how it gets done, while the crucial issue is the increasingly longer periods in the operational cycle when nothing productive is being done. What is required is to match the level of technological complexity to the fixed system conditions, which are virtually unchangeable. This paper looks at the overall system and objectives and attempts to present an appropriate level of technology for the Canadian mining industry, now and in the foreseeable future.

May 1, 2004

By G. G. Richards, D. J. Rioux, R. L. Stephens

Teck Cominco Metals Ltd. operates an integrated zinc-lead complex at Trail, British Columbia, Canada. The year 2007 marks ten years of operation of KIVCETTM flash smelting technology for the treatment of zinc plant residues and lead concentrates. Since start-up in 1997, the furnace throughput has been increased to exceed its design rate and other metallurgical performance targets while continuing to meet its environmental objectives. This was achieved through resolution of key mechanical issues, improved understanding to stabilize the reaction shaft operation and control furnace accretions, significantly reduced boiler corrosion by molten chloride salts through the extensive application of weld overlay, a suite of projects to improve furnace integrity, and some debottlenecking of the surrounding unit operations in the lead smelter. The combination of increased feed rate and improved on-line time allowed the KIVCETTM furnace to set a new quarterly feed throughput record of 129,300 tonnes in the first quarter of 2008.

Jan 1, 2008

By K. Meyer

"INTRODUCTIONThe David Bell Mine Concentrator started production in April 1985. A staff of twenty-seven people operate and maintain the concentrator. The crew is grouped into the following main areas.16 Operators6 Assaying/Metallurgy/Refining/Clerical4 Maintenance people2 SupervisionOperating highlights of the following unit processes will be discussed in detail:Screening and ThickeningPre-aeration and CyanidationCarbon-In-Pulp Gold AdsorptionCarbon Handling andGold RecoveryFor a complete description of the concentrator, refer to the papers by: (1) C.V. Sibbald, Teck-Corona's Hemlo Mill, October 1984, (2) R.A. Ford, The David Bell Mine at Hemlo, From Exploration to Production, November 1987. For operating details of the grinding circuit and effluent treatment plant refer to papers by: (3) T.G. Smith, SAG Mill Experience at The David Bell Mine, October 1988, ( 4) AN. Veltmeyer, The Effluent Treatment Plant of The David Bell Mine, January 1989.TRASH AND CARBON SCREENSTrash ScreenThe vibrating trash screen is inclined at 5 degrees and is clad with a 28 mesh stainless steel cloth which is changed monthly during the SAG mill liner replacement/inspection shut down. Other screen openings and configurations have been tried and the screen has been by-passed to change the cloth ""on the fly"". These attempts resulted in fibres (usually wood) to report to #1 Carbon-In-Pulp (CIP) tank, where the fibres are trapped in the CIP launder screens, and downstream carbon handling screens causing serious blinding problems. The trash screen in a Carbon-In-Pulp (CIP) or Carbon-In-Leach (CIL) gold mill removes fibres before they:are reground in the ball millsaturate with gold bearing leach solutionplug launder screens in CIP or CIL tanksplug carbon circuit pipe screenstherefore the trash screen is best placed ahead of the thickener."

Jan 1, 1989

By Keith Mayhew

Ante la alta demanda de cobre por el crecimiento urbano e industrial y para la construcción de infraestructuras, la industria del cobre necesita una solución para el desarrollo sustentable de los recursos minerales de cobre con alto contenido de arsénico. En ese sentido, Teck Resources Limited (Teck) y Aurubis AG (Aurubis) están trabajando juntas para desarrollar una tecnología que sea aceptable desde los puntos de vista regulatorio, medioambiental, social y económico. Por ello, el presente trabajo señala los resultados obtenidos por Teck-Aurubis conjuntamente, como consecuencia del programa técnico desarrollado desde 2010 para el tratamiento con éxito de concentrados de cobre con alto contenido de enargita usando la tecnología CESL.

Sep 12, 2011

By Barry D. Simmons

Abstract -A well-defined approach is essential to ensure the long-term success of a regional exploration program. Teck's approach in eastern Canada is designed to fulfill corporate objectives while recognizing certain unique parameters for exploration in the area. The elements of this approach include clearly defined objectives, technical considerations and personnel policies, all of which are equally important. The goal is a significant discovery before the mid-1990s and the company is confident that this target will be achieved.

Jan 1, 1992

By Barry D. Simmons

"A well-defined approach is essential to ensure the long-term success of a regional exploration program. Teck's approach in eastern Canada is designed to fulfill corporate objectives while recognizing certain unique parameters for exploration in the area. The elements of this approach include clearly defined objectives, technical considerations and personnel policies, all of which are equally important. The goal is a significant discovery before the mid-l990s and the company is confident that this target will be achieved.IntroductionAs one of Canada's oldest continuously operating mining companies, Teck Corporation traces its roots to Kirkland Lake, Ontario, with the development of the Teck-Hughes gold mine in 1913, later supplemented by production from the Lamaque gold mine in Val d'Or, Quebec. Control of the company was acquired by Temagami Mining Company, part of the Keevil Mining Group, in 1959. Credited as one of the first discoveries made using airborne geophysics, the Keevil Group had recently found the small but very high-grade copper deposits at Temagami, Ontario. These developments in eastern Canada formed a foundation for remarkable growth and Teck's present status as one of Canada's most successful and respected mining companies.Teck currently operates successful mining ventures across Canada and has international exposure through its association with Cominco Ltd., M.I.M. Holdings Limited and Metallgesellschaft AG. Operations in eastern Canada, however, remain an important component of Teck's ongoing success. The David Bell and Williams mines at Hernlo, Ontario, are Canada's lowest cost and largest gold operations, respectively. The Niobec Mine at Chicoutimi, Quebec, is North America's only significant producer of niobium. Teck maintains a 45070 interest in Golden Knight Resources Inc., part owner of the successful gold mining operation in the Casa Berardi area of northwestern Quebec. As a significant shareholder in Aur Resources Inc. and as a part owner, Teck is participating in the development of the Louvicourt deposit, a major base metal discovery at Val d'Or, Quebec."

Jan 1, 1992

By G. J. McTeer, D. L. Verhelst, D. J. Rioux

Teck Metals Ltd. operates an integrated zinc-lead complex at Trail, British Columbia, Canada. Since 1997, KIVCETTM flash smelting technology has been utilized for the treatment of zinc plant residues and lead concentrates. Trail Operations’ furnace uses four water-cooled jackets for bullion tapping. This paper provides an overview of KIVCET bullion tapping for the past 16 years, and discusses successes and challenges encountered with respect to operations, training and monitoring.

Jan 1, 2015

By G. J. McTeer, D. J. Rioux

Teck Metals Ltd operates an integrated zinc-lead complex at Trail, British Columbia, Canada. Since 1997, KIVCETTM flash smelting technology has been utilized for the treatment of zinc plant residues and lead concentrates. Trail Operations’ furnace uses four water-cooled jackets for bullion tapping. This paper provides an overview of KIVCET bullion tapping for the past 16 years, and discusses successes and challenges encountered with respect to operations, training, and monitoring.

Jan 1, 2014

By H. M. Lizama, R. L. Stephens

Secondary leaching of previously leached supergene copper ore has been developed and implemented at Teck’s Quebrada Blanca operations. This consists of using in-situ leaching techniques aided by geophysics to recover the residual metal value from dormant copper leaching heaps. These heaps of crushed and agglomerated ore had been leached 20 years previously but still contained significant copper values. The concept was first tested on a 3,200 m² sector, where injection wells introduced leaching solution into a production zone and electro-resistivity tomography was used to track solution movement within. Operating parameters such as well spacing and injection flow rates were determined. Copper recovery and leaching performance were evaluated based on solution and metallurgical balances. Both ferric leaching and bacterial leaching were enhanced through strategies to pull air into the heap. Positive results from the initial test prompted a larger, industrial pilot test on a 60,000 m² area and 97 injection wells. This larger test obtained a copper recovery of 30% in 457 days. Secondary recovery is now being implemented to all of the abandoned heaps at Quebrada Blanca and has become a production stream. This technology has the potential of wide application to mature copper heap leach operations, and Teck has patented the process and associated methodologies. INTRODUCTION Heap leaching of copper secondary sulphides has been carried out at Quebrada Blanca (QB) since 1994. Ore from the supergene deposit was crushed and agglomerated prior to leaching. Originally, the ore was leached in 6 m lifts stacked one on top of another, known as a static pad configuration. However, in 1998, after the second lift, the operation changed to a dynamic pad configuration; the ore was leached in a single lift and the resulting residues were removed to make way for fresh ore (Yáñez, Ahlborn, & Ramos, 2007). The first two static lifts were left in place and served as a foundation for the dynamic lifts above. Those two buried lifts of leached residues, some 16.8 million tonnes and covering an area of approximately 0.71 million m², remained buried under the dynamic pad.

Jan 1, 2019

LANDSAT imagery has renewed interest in linear features first recognised by E. S. Hills in a physiographic model of Australia. Certain of these lineaments are aligned with structures which control mineralisation.Lineament guidelines are potentially useful in many poorlyexposed areas if they can be recognised early enough in exploration and drilling programs leading to mine development.A case history based on the Charters Towers Gold Field indicates that lineament guidelines can be established early enough to guide development ofnew mines. The position of the Charters Towers Lineament was known as early as 1956. Subsequently, more detailed publications identified and classified associated lineaments which provide intersections correlated with gold occurrences. The discovery of a significant orebody at one of the most prominent lineament intersections came in 1975. Mine drilling has confirmed the influence ofintersecting structural trends indicated by lineaments but not by previous regional mapping.Recent gold discoveries south of Charters Towers lie in a grid of prominent lineaments. The development of mines about Charters Towers will provide additional understanding of relationships between centres of mineralisation and lineament intersections. This understanding may in future be sufficient to encourage exploration for a new generation of concealed gold deposits in northeastern Queensland.

Jan 1, 1986

By Fabiano Mendes

Processos industriais de carbonização são tecnologias maduras e operam há mais de 7 décadas. Contudo, o sistema integrado de produção de ferro primário e aços a base de biomassa como fonte de energia e termorredutor, mesmo sendo a alternativa ambiental de menor impacto existente, chega a seus limites tecnológicos, ambiental e econômico, ameaçando a sua sustentabilidade. O grupo Vallourec buscou o processo Lambiotte como base tecnológica para desenvolver seu ambicioso projeto de carbonização contínua, em substituição ao processo artesanal de fornos retangulares de batelada, utilizados atualmente. O esforço experimental de mais de meia década, com a adaptação e profunda reengenharia do processo Lambiotte, que é o que melhor representa esta classe de reatores, para que ele atendesse as condições brasileiras e o uso das espécies de madeira da família dos Eucaliptos culminou no desenvolvimento do processo de carbonização continua Carboval, que demonstrou sua plena capacidade, para atender aspectos econômicos, sustentáveis e de qualidade siderúrgica do carvão vegetal produzido.

Aug 17, 2017

By Alexandre Rodizio Bento

A competitividade do setor automotivo exige maior agilidade na gestão de ferramentas de usinagem. Para atender esta necessidade flexibilizar e automatizar o processo de gestão de armazenagem é fator primordial. As ferramentas de usinagem muitas vezes têm custo elevado e a necessidade de controle constante é imprescindível no setor automotivo. A padronização de armazenagem aliada a um equipamento específico para controlar ferramentas surge como uma opção. Pois, a troca de produtos deve ser ágil durante a fabricação para evitar perdas e máquinas ociosas no chão de fábrica. Assim, suprir esta necessidade com velocidade é essencial e de suma importância para a integração entre os departamentos de produção e logística. Neste cenário, a tecnologia de armazenagem permite agilizar e flexibilizar a gestão de ferramentas de usinagem, além de possibilitar ganhos de produção. Neste trabalho, apresenta-se a substituição do processo manual de armazenagem de ferramentas de usinagem baseado em caixas e prateleiras, por um sistema com tecnologia de armazenagem vertical. Esta substituição permite automatizar o controle de ferramentas, reduzir o custo de estoque e flexibilizar a troca de produtos na produção. Os resultados deste processo permitem garantir a melhor gestão das ferramentas de usinagem, evitar paradas nas linhas, reduzir custos operacionais e manter estoques em perfeito equilíbrio, entre o aumento de produtividade e a redução de custos.

Aug 8, 2018

By Bruno Rodrigues Henriques

Este trabalho apresenta a tecnologia de produção de aços com ultra baixos teores de hidrogênio (2 ppm máx) que foi desenvolvida na ArcelorMittal Tubarão. Esta tecnologia foi implementada em duas etapas: a primeira etapa consistiu no controle das principais fontes de incorporação de hidrogênio no aço líquido e a segunda etapa contemplou a adoção de práticas especiais de aciaria, visando-se obter o mais baixo teor de hidrogênio possível no aço líquido, no fim do tratamento no RH. As principais fontes de incorporação de hidrogênio foram identificadas e quantificadas. Foram desenvolvidos modelos matemáticos para prever os teores de hidrogênio no início e no fim do tratamento no RH. As práticas especiais de aciaria e o restrito controle de qualidade em cada fase do processo proporcionaram um teor médio de hidrogênio de apenas 1,09 ppm no fim do tratamento no RH. A incorporação de hidrogênio, durante o processo de lingotamento, foi minimizada.

Jul 30, 2018

By Eduardo Cabral

A nova política de resíduos sólidos, imagem positiva da empresa, utilização consciente de recursos com a consequente redução de custos e preservação do meio ambiente têm levado as minerações e siderúrgicas a adotar uma gestão responsável com relação aos seus coprodutos. Em consequência, esses coprodutos (escorias e lamas da mineração, lamas de aciaria, pós da sinterização, calcinação, coqueria, carepas e outros resíduos da siderúrgica) estão sendo economicamente reintroduzidos no processo produtivo. Esse trabalho pretende fazer um resumo de possíveis tratamentos que esses materiais podem sofrer, como umectação, aglomeração, briquetagem, granulação, pelotização ou extrusão.

Aug 16, 2017

By Kazuya Nakabo

In this article, influences of restraint and MgO content on densification of alumina-magnesia castable during heating were experimentally studied. High thermal expansion-alumina-magnesia castable specimens were surrounded by low thermal expansion-alumina-silica castables, and heated in an electric furnace. Doing so allows restrained heating of alumina-magnesia castable. According to the results of simple calculations, the restraint stresses were estimated to be between 2 to 20 MPa, so the experimental conditions were considered reasonable. As a result of the experiments, it was verified that restraint densifies alumina-magnesia castable, resulting in an increase in modulus of rupture and modulus of elasticity. The densification effect of restraint became larger as the MgO content increased. The effects are attributable to an in-situ spinel forming reaction, which improves corrosion resistance.Taking the temperature distribution in the castable lining into account, large restraint stress is expected for the hot face while only a little effect is expected for back end. Thus, excessive difference in material property in the thickness direction, which is undesirable in terms of structural spalling, is a concern.Hence, the MgO content of alumina-magnesia castable should be determined carefully, taking not only corrosion resistance but also spalling resistance into consideration.

Oct 30, 2017

By Wallace Ernesto Sant’Anna Ramos

Dentre as diversas tecnologias utilizadas para desinfecção da água uma das mais utilizadas em todo mundo são as Monocloraminas. O presente trabalho visa mostrar as vantagens e benefícios de se utilizar uma tecnologia combinada mais limpa, verde e eficaz para controle microbiológico sem causar danos ao meio ambiente, além de ser mais segura e confiável, para o processo e o ser humano.

Sep 25, 2017

By Helênio Resende Silva Junior

Em coquerias, o período compreendido entre o início de operação até a desativação devido final de vida útil é relativamente longo. Torna-se tarefa muito difícil determinar-se o tempo exato de desativação por degradação uma vez que as coquerias possuem muitos fornos tipo batelada e o grau individual de degradação varia de acordo com as condições operacionais e método de preservação aplicados. Apesar dos cuidados adotados na operação e manutenção das coquerias, torna-se inevitável um desgaste inexorável em suas estruturas com o passar dos anos, com progressivo decréscimo na capacidade eficaz de produção até a sua paralisação. Tendo em vista o elevado custo envolvido na construção de novas coquerias, torna-se prioridade para as siderúrgicas prolongarem ao máximo a vida útil das baterias existentes, adotando o tipo de reparo adequado a cada fase da vida da bateria. O presente trabalho tem o objetivo de descrever os tipos de reparo em baterias de coque disponíveis, visando restaurar as estruturas e recuperar a capacidade produtiva das coquerias, respeitando as normas ambientais vigentes.

Aug 16, 2017

By Thiago dos Santos Durães

Consiste em apresentar o trabalho realizado de Substituição de Medidor de Vazão Pitot de Média por Tecnologia Ultrassônica Tempo de Trânsito na Medição de Vazão de Gás de Alto Forno, sua performance de funcionamento e principais vantagens de utilização na medição de vazão deste Gás Siderúrgico.

Aug 16, 2017

By Masakazu Iida

In this article, technologies of unburned Al2O3-MgO (UAM) refractories are demonstrated in terms of microstructure evolution. During operation, Mg2+ diffuses from MgO to Al2O3 through the liquid phase to form spinel (MgAl2O4) network. Molten slag tends to penetrate along the voids in the spinel network structure and spinel dissolves in the penetrated slag. Therefore, maintaining a high degree of spinel saturation in the penetrated molten slag is important. In order to achieve the condition described above, suppression of overall mass transfer through penetrated slag is effective. This is achievable by evolution of complicated spinel network structure with small pore diameter, which increases the flow resistance of molten slag. Thus, optimization of refractory composition and fabricating conditions, with the aim of creating on improved spinel network, is essential. The effectiveness of spinel network improvement was validated by commercial applications. According to the investigation of UAM brick after use, further densification due to heating under restrained conditions was recognized. Hence, it was concluded that the evolution of the spinel network structure in UAM refractories is essential technology needed to improve durability.

Oct 30, 2017

By Rafael Abreu Fraga

Em qualquer novo investimento, o desafio é ter um projeto com uma fábrica com flexibilidade para produzir uma ampla gama de produtos de alto valor agregado para atender a demandas futuras dos setores de energia, naval, construção e equipamentos pesados. O emprego de equipamentos robustos com elevado nível de automação é fundamental para isso. Um componente chave é a utilização da laminação totalmente automática através de modelos físicos integrados com o controle dos equipamentos e das temperaturas de processo objetivando alcançar patamares diferenciados de produtividade e qualidade. Este trabalho visa apresentar os novos recursos técnológicos incorporados a nova linha de Laminação de Chapas Grossas da Gerdau em Ouro Branco/MG.

Aug 17, 2017