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By Daniel Kim, Ari Rantala

Efficient on-line monitoring of electrolytic cell performance in copper electro-refining has been challenging due to the need for complex electrical measurement systems and the management of the enormous volume of data. Based on Kennecott Utah Copper's innovation Outotec has developed a novel and innovative electrolytic cell monitoring system called CellSense™ System. As the system is based on self-powering from bus bars, wireless communication, on-line adaptive modeling and easy to access information and alarming, traditional obstacles of electrolytic cell monitoring are eliminated. With cell voltage and electrolyte temperature measurements, CellSense System enables real-time cell performance discovery and early reaction to critical production or quality disturbances such as short-circuiting, flow blockages, cold cathodes or electrolyte temperature excursions. During the past few years the system has been delivered to over 3500 commercial cells. In this paper the largest CellSense™ System ever delivered and recently adapted by Kennecott Utah Copper with 1412 cells monitored on-line for high tankhouse performance, cathode quality and optimized operator work flow is presented. Early results and benefits are discussed.

Jan 1, 2012

By Jie Zhou

Mining mobile equipment is becoming larger in order to lower operation cost and increase productivity; however, their performance characteristics are often limited by the tire capabilities. Although considerable progress has been made in the field of tire research, the lack of comprehensive knowledge on tire performance characteristics impedes the advancement of off-the-road tires. Longer haul roads, and a severe operating environment make tires more vulnerable than other components of a vehicle. Furthermore, due to a limited availability of large tires, mines are facing shortages. Thus mines and tire service companies are keen to improve tire performance, extend tire life and hence lower operating costs. This paper reviews the relevant tire performance research, analyzes tire interactions with the surrounding environment, tire maintenance practices and operational issues using a case study based on data collected during an ongoing project with Fountain Tire.

May 1, 2006

By J. Herbst, J. Groppo, A. Noble, R. Q. Honaker

"Coal and coal byproducts produced annually contain a sufficient amount of rare earth elements (REEs) to meet current U.S. demand. The REEs exist in the form of minerals, ion-adsorbed elements associated with clays, and chemically bonded elements within the organic coal matrix or host mineral. Researchers at three universities collaborated to evaluate the effectiveness of existing physical and chemical concentration processes for the recovery of the REEs. The efforts found that physical separation processes can increase the total REE content in the thickener underflow material collected from a Central Appalachian coal cleaning facility from around 300 ppm to values greater than 17,500 ppm on an ash basis. Leaching followed by solvent extraction was found to be the most effective to recover the REEs from coarse middlings materials collected from multiple coal basins, as indicated by recovery values exceeding 80 percent. Based on material characterization data and process evaluations conducted for several potential feed coal sources, economic recovery of the REEs will require byproduct production of both clean coal and REE concentrate using a process flowsheet that is unique for each source. IntroductionRecent studies initiated by the National Energy Technology Laboratory showed that U.S. coals contain significant amounts of rare earth elements (REEs), suggesting that rare earth minerals (REMs) and/or REEs can be produced as byproducts (Ekmann, 2012). According to the report, the richest source of REEs is the Central Appalachian coal. At present, there are 208 coal preparation plants located in the region consisting of areas within the states of West Virginia, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Alabama and Tennessee, with a total capacity of 166,495 t/h, or more than 1 Gt/y (Fiscor, 2014). If only a portion of these plants are retrofitted with advanced separation processes, the U.S. coal industry would become a significant producer of REE concentrates as byproducts. An inherent advantage of becoming a byproduct producer of REEs is that no mining cost needs to be part of the production cost."

Jan 1, 2017

By M. G. Ayat, B. C. Scott

J. Dasher Having an interest in coal slurry pipelines from a decade of arguments with Ed Wasp and crew at Bechtel about pumping thicker slurries slower, I immediately read this article and found nothing in it pertinant to the title. Ayat and Scott pumped five unidentified coals at 9% solids (50%-60% is the area of interest) in a 25-mm (1-in.) pipe around two square elbows through a 76-mm (3-in.) cyclone for up to 60 minutes and sized a large number of samples of unstated size on an unidentified wet screening device. They did not measure power consumption, discharge pressure, flow rate, or give pump tip speed or impeller diameter. They siad the cyclone had a "high" pressure drop (unmeasured) and did much of the degradation (measured) but more or less per unit of energy expended? Hargrove was not measured, so there are no data as to whether it would correlate with degradation. The authors conclude, with no attempt, correlation is "hard to establish." Please experiment before concluding. I am at a loss to know what "increasingly smaller size" means, much less what theory says such particles take "exponentially larger quantities of energy," which the authors neglected to measure. If such experiments without pertinent data or justified conclusions must be published, please attach a pertinant title. reply by M. G. Ayat The first and the last criticism of this paper is that the work is not pertinent to the title. Anybody who reads this article will immediately realize that the work describes the breakage of coal particles to finer sizes in coal slurry pipes and pumps. If this is so, why not title the work "Degradation process in coal slurry pipelines"? What could be more pertinent to this title than the investigation concerning the degradation phenomenon of coal particles in a pipe carrying a coal slurry? Mr. Dasher complains that he does not understand the meaning of the term "increasingly smaller size." The first sentence of this article defines the degradation process as "the breakage of coal particles to increasingly finer sizes." The term "increasingly finer sizes" here means successive breakage of a fine particle to finer and finer sizes. According to Hukki (Hukki, 1975), the probability of breakage is high for large particles and rapidly diminished for fine sizes. We apologize for being brief about some of these definitions. The degradation process, breakage of particles to increasingly finer sizes, is so widespread in the mineral industry that we did not feel it necessary to bore the reader with lengthy definitions of some simple terms. Mr. Dasher states that the coals examined and their original size consist are unidentified. Please look at Table I and Table 2 in the paper again where you will find the original size consist of the coals examined and their full specifications. We only named the coals A, B, C, D, and E to avoid identifying the coal seams that were more susceptible to degradation. Not identifying the name of the wet screening device used in this work has also been criticized. In our opinion, wet screening operation is such a routine and standard procedure that naming the device by which the screening is performed would serve no purpose but to promote a sales approach. This was not our intention. We did not conclude that the correlation between the degradation process and Hardgrove Grindability Index is hard to establish as Mr. Dasher writes in his letter. We stated, not concluded, that "It is reasonable to assume that some relationship between the extent of degradation and its physical properties, such as Hardgrove Grindability Index, does exist. However, any definite correlation is difficult to establish." This statement is based on other researchers work, which are clearly referenced in the article. The conclusions of this paper were based solely on the findings of the experimental work. As for the theory of comminution that Mr. Dasher asks, we would like to refer him to some basic comminution books and articles where various theories are clearly described. For example, Hukki (Hukki, R.T.,"The Principles of Comminution; An Analytical Summary," Eng. Min. 176, 106, 1975) suggests that the relationship between energy and particle size is a composite form of three laws (Bond's law, Kick's law, and Rittinger's law). A comprehensive analysis of coal breakage processes is also performed by Broadbent and Callcott (S.R. Broadbent, and T.G. Callcott, "Coal Breakage Processes, I. - A New Analysis of Coal Breakage Processes;" and "Coal Breakage Processes, II. - A Matrix Representation of Breakage," Journal of the Institute of Fuel, pp. 524-539, December 1956). These and many other relevant publications explain the relationship between the particle size and energy much better that what can be said in this short reply. We will, however, agree with Mr. Dasher on one particular point. We, too, believe that if the investigation concerning the degradation process in coal slurry pipeline were to be pursued further, one could choose to determine one or more of the variables available in the process, such as discharge pressure, power consumption, percent solid, pipe diameter, etc.

Jan 1, 1989

By M. E. Holuszko

A research program has been carried out at the Mining Department of the University of British Columbia to study the effect of wettability of coal on its handleability and bulk density. The effect of moisture content on the bulk density of coal was found to be more pronounced for hydrophilic coals than for hydrophopbic ones. Altering wettability of coal surface leads to different effects of moisture on bulk density. The samples were studied at different fine fractions content, and it was shown that there was no effect of increased content of fines on the bulk density for hydrophobic coals, while for hydrophilic coals this effect was very significant. It was shown that the moisture content at which the lowest bulk density was reached coincides with the critical moisture content for studied samples, as determined from handleability tests using Durham Cone method. This critical moisture is the moisture content at which a sudden deterioration of coal handleability occurs. Based on the bulk density and handleability tests, the flow theory of moist coal is proposed.

Jan 1, 2006

By Frank A. Vonesh

In order to reduce the amount of visible, airborne emissions in the Metals Industry, a new Industrial Gas Technology was developed by Air Liquide. This patented technique is called ALECT?, Air Liquide Emission Control Technology. Demonstrations have been conducted for many cutting and lancing operations as well as for hot metal transfer from vessel to vessel. Fume reductions of 90% and greater have been achieved in actual practice. Air Liquide continues to improve the process and the associated control equipment.

Jan 1, 1994

By Saied S. Navid, Michael A. Piepenburg, Richard F. Escandon, Robert C. Lindsay

INTRODUCTION Phase I of the Los Angeles Metro Rail Project, known as MOS-1 (Minimum Operable Segment-1), is the first phase of the 27 km± (17 mi) subway starter line. MOS-1 is currently under construction and involves approximately 6.4 km (4.4 mi) of subway, five stations, yards and shops routed through the downtown area of Los Angeles. The project will form the initial heavy rail backbone of a more extensive light and heavy rail transit system planned for the greater Los Angeles area in the future. Construction Contract A-171 is one of 4 tunnel contracts within MOS-1 and involves construction of twin tunnels running from the downtown metropolitan area west to MacArthur Park. The heavily populated and developed downtown area, potentially gassy ground conditions, and the possibility of undocumented abandoned oil wells in seismically active southern California made the design and construction of Contract A-171 a uniquely interesting project. This paper summarizes the construction history to date (December, 1988) including design geotechnical considerations, tunnel support design, as-built geologic conditions, shield tunneling performance through soft ground, and ground response. The findings presented herein may aid in the design and construction

Jan 1, 1989

By H. H. Bleakney

The merit of reduction-in-area as a criterion of quality in metals is shown to lie in its influence on breaking stress, but the virtue of elongation is not easy to find. In order to assess the value of elongation, either as a measure of quality or as a guide to design, it will be necessary to separate the overall de-formation occurring in tension tests from the localized deformation associated with localized reduction in area. The obstacles to a successful solution of this problem have been shown to be more formidable than is generally appreciated, and a new solution to the problem has been suggested. This solution involves a de-vice by which an electric circuit is broken when the particular value of strain is reached that is to be taken as the point of separation between general and localized deformation. The report presents results from a number of tests on both low-carbon and alloy steels. These results indicate that the selected criterion of separation is accurately identified by the proposed method; that it

Jan 1, 1962

By P. R. Tisot

This report discusses the waxes made from shale-oil wax distillate, a specific fraction obtained- from crude shale oil. The plate wax crystals Were exceptionally well suited to solvent extraction. Methyl ethyl ketone was the preferred dewaxing solvent.' The quantity of wax recovered at 32°F was 18.8 percent of the wax distillate, or 6.6 percent of the crude shale oil. The laboratory batch processes used for separating the wax from the distillate and subsequent refining were based .upon conventional petroleum methods. Three grades of shale-oil waxes were made and designated as crude, semirefined, and fully refined. The solvent-extracted wax consisted mainly of paraffin and olefin hydrocarbons. The physical Properties of the fully refined shale-oil wax were the same as er corresponded closely to those of Billy refined petroleum paraffin wax. Inasmuch as the crude and semirefined shale-oil waxes can be separated and refined in much the same manner as petroleum waxes, the cest of manufacture should be about equal to that for making petroleum paraffin wax. The cast of making a fully refined shale oil wax will be somewhat greater than for making .a fully refined petroleum paraffin, due to the loss of the oleofinic material from the shale-oil wax by acid treatment and the increased quantity of acid required for its removal. An analytical method for the determination of wax in shale-oil dietillates, a list of the physical properties that wore determined for the waxes, and the method for testing those properties are given in the appendix to this report

Jan 1, 1950

By Roger Altman

The solubility of copper in primary spinel crystals encountered in reverberatory slag samples has been determined by electron microprobe analysis. These spinels, which ranged in composition from 22% A12O3 to pure magnetite, contained small quantities of dissolved copper (0-0.4%). Based on literature data it was estimated that the solubility limit of copper in solid magnetite is no greater than about 1% at 1200°C and about 2% at 1250°C. However, it was found that practically every spinel crystal examined contained significant amounts of matte inclusions. Further examination of converter slag revealed large quantities of irregularly shaped precipitated magnetite crystals which contained a large proportion of copper inclusions. Additional experimentation showed that the total copper content in reverberatory slag samples was greater than the sum of the estimated en- trained plus dissolved matte in the slag. This difference is believed to be significant and is due to the presence of matte inclusions in the spinel crystals. In the present reverberatory slag samples these inclusions accounted for about 1/2 of the amount of sulfide directly entrained in the slag.

Jan 1, 1976

By G. Thodos, E. M. Phillips

A reduced density correlation for the gaseous and liquid regions of ethane has been developed from all the experimental PVT data available in the literature for this substance. Saturated vapor and liquid densities reported for methane, propane and n-butane were utilized to establish the rectilinear-diameter line for ethane. This line was then used with the saturated-vapor data for ethane to produce the saturated envelope for this substance. Most of the saturated liquid data reported for ethane were found to be inconsistent with the saturated-liquid curve resulting from this study. The correlation covers the regions 0.65 < TR <6.0 and 0 < PR < 15. For regions for which no experimental data have been reported, the isobars of the correlation were extended by the use of the theorem of corresponding states. This correlation is presented both on rectilinear and log-log coordinates. INTRODUCTION At the present time, there is considerable interest in the exact PVT behavior of pure hydrocarbons. Matschke and Thodos12 recently have developed a comprehensive compilation of experimental vapor and liquid density data for methane. Similar studies have been conducted for other pure substances.4, 7 In the present study the density data available in the literature for gaseous and liquid ethane have been critically reviewed and utilized to develop a reduced density correlation for this substance. SATURATED LIQUID AND VAPOR DENSITIES The rectilinear-diameter rule proposed by Cailletet and Mathias5 states that the sum of the saturated liquid and vapor densities of a pure substance is a linear function of temperature which passes through the critical point. This law, although empirical, has been well established by continued verification since its conception in 1886. This rule has been applied to the saturated density data of methane,6 propane 17 and n-butane8 to produce the straight lines presented in Fig. 1 which pass through the critical point TR = 1.00, Pr = 2.00. The rectilinear-diameter relationship for ethane was established from the lines for the other substances in Fig. 1 by plotting the quantity p~, + PR against zc for different reduced temperatures. A critical analysis of the saturated vapor and liquid densities reported for ethane by Kuenen,10 Maass and McIntosh,11 and Sage, Webster and Lacey18 revealed that the values of PR1 + pr resulting from these studies were inconsistent with the rectilinear-diameter line obtained from the reliable density data of the other substances, as shown in Fig. 1. In the analysis of these data, reduced quantities were calculated using the critical con-

By W. A. MacDonald, C. M. McGibbon, J. H. Reynolds

This paper traces the development of the Seaboard Power Plant, which plays such an important role in the industrial life of Nova Scotia. It also shows the involvement of the plant in the siting of a heavy water production facility in Cape Breton. The paper concludes with an outline of the new installations which the Nova Scotia Power Commission has undertaken as an extension to the Seaboard Plant.

Jan 1, 1966

By Thomas J. Peters

At the request of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Bureau of Mines and U.S. Geological Survey conducted a mineral investigation of about 85,470 acres of the Diablo Mountain Wilderness Study Area, to determine mineral resources and mineral resource potential. The study area is in Lake County Oregon, about 45 miles northwest of Lakeview. Fieldwork was conducted in 1986, 1988, and 1989. Geologically, the study area lies on the northwest edge of the Basin and Range physiographic province, a region of fault block-formed mountains and basins characterized by interior drainage. Consolidated rocks are mostly Tertiary basalt and tuffaceous sedimentary rocks. Low-lying areas are covered by Quaternary alluvial-fan, sand-dune, playa, lacustrine, and landslide deposits. The principal structural features are normal faults that have large vertical offsets; these faults are typically concentrated at the margins of large horst and graben. The 34,310-acre "additional," or western part of the area was mainly studied in 1988 and borders the east shore of saline Summer Lake. In this portion of the study area there is potential for undiscovered resources of soda ash, boron compounds, and sodium sulfate as well as by-products, which include magnesium compounds, salts, potash, bromine, lithium, and tungsten associated with brines. No energy or mineral resources were identified in the study area, but brines within lake and playa sediments contain concentrations of chemical components suitable for the production of soda ash, boron compounds, and sodium sulfate. Possible by-products include potash, salts, bromine, lithium, magnesium compounds, and tungsten. Limestone from the study area could be used in the recovery process of brine components or agricultural uses. The study area includes thermal springs and lies within 2 miles of the Summer Lake Known Geothermal Resource Area. Local production of geothermal power by the binary process may be economically feasible. Soda ash, soda ash products, and boric acid are widely used in fluxing metals, and have important applications and markets in the aluminum industry in the northwest and the developing Chinese counterpart. Evaporite commodities are essential to many "backbone" industries, and to many new applications and advanced materials. Markets for brine mineral products appear to be undergoing steady and strong growth, especially in the Pacific Northwest and in Pacific Rim countries. Soda ash produced near the study area would be 55 percent closer by rail to marine export at Portland, Oregon, than trona deposits of the Green River District (Wyoming). Soda ash and a daughter product, caustic soda, and sodium borohydride will receive increased application in the bleaching of paper pulp for environmental reasons. Caustic soda, used in many industrial processes, is more environmentally friendly when derived from soda ash than when produced from sodium chloride salt, because of the absence of a chlorine by-product. Producing soda ash from brines, a type of in situ" mining, can be done with minimal environmental degradation, and mining natural soda ash is environmentally as well as economically preferable to synthetic soda ash production.

Jan 1, 1995

By G. Gutzeit

An inner complex is a cyclic chemical structure containing an inorganic cation that is bound simultaneously to several atoms in a single organic molecule; on the one hand by means of ordinary valence bonds (electron exchange), on the other hand through the action of the electric field thus created, which satisfies the so-called secondary valences. The relative positions of the salt-forming and complex-forming groups are such that most frequently a four, five, or six-membered ring results through this double attachment of the cation.1-6 The formation of inner-complex ring systems depends not only upon the nature and suitable position of the salt-forming and complex-forming groups for ring closure, but, to a great extent, also on the nature of the metallic cation entering the reaction. This selective character of chelate-forming organic compounds is one of their most interesting and most valuable properties. As a matter of fact, the largest number of their practical applications is based upon their specificity.4,7-l3 Once a chelate compound is formed, its character is definitely "organic" in nature. In other words, its properties are conditioned to a much larger degree by the carbon chains or rings than by the metallic atom. Many inner complexes are soluble in nonpolar solvents such as benzene, paraffin oil or carbon tetrachloride, while the chelate-forming reagent before closure of the metal-organic ring is water soluble. (Example: copper complex of salicyl-aldoxime&apos;) It is obvious that such particular properties as those indicated above can be utilized whenever specificity and practically complete binding of inorganic ions into an undissociable complex are required. One of the well-known applications of chelate-forming compounds has been the development of specific reagents in analytical chemistry, creation of the spot-test method,4,14-16 and the application of the same principles to the contact print method for determining minerals." Chelate-forming Compounds as Collectors In the field of flotation, where selectivity is often a quality of paramount importance for the collector, various workers have lately attempted to apply their knowledge of specific organic analytical reagents to this purpose. A. C. Vivian18 has concentrated cassiterite by using ammonium nitrosophenylhydroxyl-amine (Cupferron) C6H5NO(=NONH4). Holmanl9 has tested dimethylglyoxime for the flotation of nickel oxide minerals, while deWitt has shown in a series of systematic experiments that alpha-diox-imes were generally selective collectors for nickel ores. Taurin NH2(CH2)2S03H has been proposed for the concentration Of Oxidized lead ores.19 Diphenylthio-carbazone

Jan 1, 1947

By Donald J. Barnes

There are no producing or developing mines in the study area. The only mineral production was stone from a basalt deposit near Indian View Point. Cinders and sand and gravel have been produced from deposits within 1/2 mi (0.8 km) of the boundary. Stone, sand and gravel, and cinder deposits inside the area are not considered resources because equal or better quality material is found closer to markets. The study area has no known oil and gas, coal, geothermal, or other energy related deposits. However, in 1982 application was filed on 25,000 acres (10,125 ha) of petroleum and on 15,000 acres; (6,0/5 ha) of geothermal leases.

Jan 1, 1983

By W. Curlook, V. G. Papangelakis, M. Baghalha

A pressure acid leaching process has been developed for the extraction of metal values, nickel, copper, cobalt and zinc, from base metal smelter slags. The basic concept contemplates cooling the smelter slags through solidification sufficiently slowly to induce a good measure of crystallization; and subsequently, after fine grinding, to pressure leach such slags at around 250°C while applying oxygen overpressure, utilizing smelter byproduct sulphuric acid. High levels of extraction of the slags&apos; metal values are thereby achieved. It has been shown that if the same slags are quenched thereby producing an amorphous structure, the resulting metal extractions are very low. The process is applicable to smelting furnace throwaway/discard/dump slags, as well as to in-process converter slags. By extracting the bulk of the residual base metal values in the throwaway/discard/dump slags, the resulting leached residues are rendered virtually benign vis-à-vis the external environment.

Jan 1, 2004

By Robert E. Tally

CHAUNCEY L. BERRIEN, Butte, Mont. (written discussion).-Having had much actual experience with mine fires which have occurred or have been active in the mines of the Anaconda Copper Mining Co. during the past 4 years and having lately visited the fire zone of the United Verde mine with Mr. Tally, I wish to congratulate him for the success which he has had in controlling this fire and making the mine perfectly safe .for his miners. By this work he is not only keeping the property in operation but is reclaiming many lost orebodies. The ventilation system as described by him is practically the same as that used under my direction at the Mountain View mine fire in Butte in 1913 and at the Pennsylvania fire in 1916. This same system is at present being followed at the Leonard mine to extinguish a fire which has been active for 10 years although bulkheaded. The mining system in the Butte mine, at the origination of these fires was the same as that at the United Verde, namely, square setting .accompanied by the use of much timber bulkheading in the stopes owing to heavy ground. The pyritic content of the ore in Butte is not as high, but on the whole conditions have been the same, with the exception of actual location of the fire in the mine. I agree with Mr. Tally that flooding, the use of C02 or any gas, and the use of steam are all impracticable unless the fire zone can be absolutely sealed. His system of upcast escapement shafts in the fire zone, the use of bulkheads and fans to keep the gases away from the firemen, must be resorted to. By the method lie describes actual stoping may be carried on safely if started from the bottom of the fire and if the fire zone extends to the surface. In other words, the fire zone must be isolated from the rest of the mine by bulkheads and solid ground, with no ground above which can be damaged by spread of fire or caving. The serious fires in Butte have .occurred on or between levels in the mines where it was necessary to prevent their .extension upward, downward and laterally while the work of actually extinguishing them was in progress. This necessitated proper bulkheading should we lose control of the fire, the installation of ventilation similar to Mr. Tally&apos;s and the systematic drilling of holes with diamond drills for distributing water on the fire and around it.

Jan 12, 1916

By Michael P. Foose

In 1994, more than 41 of the approximately 160 coal-fired, electrical- power plants within the six-state Ohio River Valley region used flue-gas desulfurization (FGD) units to desulfurize their emissions, an approximately 100% increase over the number of plants using FGD units in 1989. This increase represents a trend that may continue with greater efforts to meet Federal Clean Air Act standards. Abundant limestone resources exist in the Ohio River Valley and are accessed by approximately 975 quarries. However, only 35 of these are believed to have supplied limestone for FGD electrical generating facilities. The locations of these limestone suppliers do not show a simple spatial correlation with FGD facilities, and the closest quarries are not being used in most cases. Thus, reduction in transportation costs may be possible in some cases. Most waste generated by FGD electrical-generating plants is not recycled. However, many FGD sites are relatively close to gypsum wallboard producers that may be able to process some of their waste.

Jan 1, 1999

"Real-time, on-stream analysis of the metal content of process slurries is an essential prerequisite for process monitoring and advanced control of mineral processing circuits. On-stream X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) sensors for base metal applications are available commercially and form the basis of many plant monitoring circuits. To date, these commercial technologies have been insufficiently sensitive to measure precious metals such as gold and platinum group elements, typically present at part-per-million (ppm) and sub ppm levels. CSIRO has developed a novel X-ray based technology, called UltraGold, which enables detection of gold in slurries on a real-time basis with a precision below 100 parts-per-billion. This technology is based on the use of advanced X-ray optics, extensive Monte Carlo computer modelling for analyser design, high accuracy X-ray spectrum fitting where the X-ray intensities are matrix corrected. In this paper, we will introduce this technology and discuss the results of a proof of principle study performed in the laboratory with plant slurries (tailings and concentrate) from an Australian beneficiation plant. Finally, we will discuss further planned improvements. As projected grades in (gold) mining around the world fall and several large-scale mines approach the limits of their economic reserves, this method can enable significantly reduced operating costs by rapid analysis to improve circuit efficiency and hence improve recovery significantly.INTRODUCTION This paper describes a study undertaken to explore the feasibility of applying CSIRO?s UltraGold XRF technology to the on-stream measurement of gold in process slurries. The provision of rapid, accurate information of gold grade in feed, tailings and concentrate streams would facilitate significantly improved process control and early detection of plant upsets, resulting in substantial cost-savings. CSIRO have patented X-ray fluorescence (XRF) techniques for the analysis of key elements in slurries present at part-per-million (ppm) and sub-ppm levels. Conventional, commercially available on-stream XRF instruments generally have detection limits in the tens of ppm range, precluding their use for analysis of elements like gold that are mined and processed at much lower concentrations."

Jan 1, 2017

By Steven P. Case

To meet salt production needs over the remaining life of the Cayuga Mine at Lansing, New York, the Salt Division of Cargill, Inc. decided to build a new underground screening plant. The new plant required a chamber 50 feet wide by 250 feet long and nearly 70 feet high. On advise of their mining contractor, Dynatec Mining Company, the company chose an ingenious excavation method similar to sublevel stoping. This method eliminated the need for an access ramp, reduced equipment needs and excavation time substantially.

Jan 1, 1996