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The recent dedication of Magma Copper Co.'s San Manuel, Ariz., electrolytic copper refinery and rod casting plant marks the culmination of a three year, $250 million expansion-modernization program. The new facilities will eventually permit an annual production of 200,000 tons of marketable copper for direct sale to fabricators. The Newmont Mining Corp. subsidiary will produce and market continuous cast 5/16 in. copper redraw rod, full plate cathode copper and sheared cathode plate under its own brand name. Among the four largest in the nation, the new refinery and plant, was built at a cost of $34 million and will be fully automated. In addition, all materials used in the plant will be recycled and no waste, discard or emissions will occur.

Jan 3, 1972

By Fred D. DeVaney

Probably no ferrous metallurgical process has ever found such ready acceptance and rapid expansion as the pelletizing of iron ores. The process was first commercialized in the early 1950's and since then it has grown to the point where the amount of material pelletized worldwide will approach 100 million tons in 1971. The term agglomeration is used to describe any process by which fine material is formed into larger shapes or agglomerates and includes, in addition to pelletizing, such processes as sintering and briquetting. Sintering cannot be used to efficiently agglomerate iron materials containing a high percentage of 100-mesh fines but the method has been widely used over many decades for agglomerating flue dust, mill scale and iron ore finer than 3/8 in.

Jan 1, 1971

By Charles J. Speake, Dennis R. Haley, Thomas E. Finch

The tremendous interest in development of surface- mineable coal throughout the western US will bring with it a requirement for many manhours spent in mine planning and equipment selection. One problem in particular that engineers face during the planning stage is that of selecting a dragline with the proper reach capability. Reach, expressed in terms of operating radius and effective spoil radius, can be a major problem when mining deeper than originally planned, and aside from production requirements, the ability of a particular dragline to spoil across a strip is essential. Determination of dragline reach needed for a multiple-seam western coal operation can be simplified by use of an equation derived below that eliminates the need for tedious and repetitive calculations.

Jan 5, 1977

By M. S. Tsai, Y. D. Chuang, H. M. Wu

To contact the commercial OPAP-kerosene solution with CH3OH – H20 solution, we used the appropriate concentration of DOPAP / MOPAP solvent. By using this treated OPAP solvent, uranium can be recovered from wet-process phosphoric acid. Electric DC power is supplied on the dual side of the ion-exchange membrane of a specially designed box-type mixer settler. U(VI) is reduced to U(IV) in the cathode and U(IV) is oxidized to U(VI) in the anode. Uranium is extracted in the cathode by treating it with OPAP solvent. Next the uranium is stripped from the loaded OPAP solvent by concentrated phosphoric acid in the anode. After 300 hours of continuous operation total recovery of uranium is as much as 95%.

Jan 1, 1984

By William I. Watson

Problems encountered in beneficiating mineral raw materials become increasingly difficult as there is a shift to lower grade and more complex raw materials, and because of the economic need to strive for ever higher recoveries, higher grade products, and lower processing costs. Methods of attacking the many problems should include not only the familiar chemical and physical tests and equipment, but such techniques as X-ray analysis, infra-red analysis, differential thermal analysis, and the use of electron and X-ray microscopes. Many people in the mineral-treating field are unfamiliar with these newer methods and techniques. The differential thermal analysis method, in particular, does not seem to be very well known, even though it offers interesting possibilities in the study of many ore treatment problems.

Jan 7, 1959

By J. M. Karpinski, F. P. White, R. L. Stone

By means of laboratory balling tests and a procedure for determining bentonite concentration in a green ball, the present study revealed that the bentonite savings by mulling concentrate and bentonite prior to balling was sufficient to warrant installation of a full-size unit in a pellet plant. On the basis of this work, a muller was put on stream at Bethlehem Steel Corp.'s Cornwall pellet plant in June 1969, and has operated continuously since then. Plant tests showed that the use of the muller resulted in bentonite savings of about 50% without any loss of green, dry, and fired ball quality. Virtually no maintenance problems have been encountered. This information is important to future pelletizing operations both from the standpoint of product quality and economics.

Jan 1, 1972

By W. W. Simpson, W. L. Staker, R. G. Sandberg

The Bureau of Mines investigated selective extraction of Au and Ag from a low-grade Au ore containing Hg. Gold and silver were extracted from the ore in cyanide slurries, and Hg extraction was suppressed with sodium or calcium sulfide. Maximum Au extraction and minimum Hg extraction were obtained using solutions containing 17 kg NaCN/t of solution (0.34 lb NaCN/st). Increasing the cyanide concentration increased Hg extraction without increasing Au extraction. Mercury extraction from the ore was suppressed with 0.5-2.9 kg CaS/kg Hg (0.5-2.9 lb/lb) in the ore. Gold-to-mercury ratios of 100:1 to 400:1 were obtained in the leach solution, and on the activated carbon in a CIP circuit.

Jan 1, 1985

By K. V. S. Sastry, S. C. Panigraphy, D. W. Fuerstenau

The batch balling behavior of hematite, magnetite and limestone was found to depend markedly on the grinding method used for feed preparation. Wet ground materials require higher moisture for balling than do dry ground materials. Further, as the fineness of the wet-ground material is increased, the overall rate of agglomeration decreases, whereas the opposite is true for dry-ground materials. In contrast, the resulting pellet size distributions are not affected by the nature of the feed material preparation. These differences and similarities in the agglomeration behavior between wet and dry ground materials may result from the hydrophilic/hydrophobic nature of the surfaces, the formation of pre-agglomerates during dry comminution, and possible variations in the packing density of particles in the agglomerates.

Jan 1, 1978

By J. K. Gerlach, E. D. Gock, S. K. Ghosh

Previous experience in leaching chalcopyrite with dilute sulfuric acid has generally resulted in rather poor extraction. However, the reaction rate of the leaching process can be significantly improved by an increase of the crystal lattice defects of the chalcopyrite. It was found that subjecting chalcopyrite to a milling action involving a strong impact, permits 99 percent of the copper to be extracted in a subsequent single leaching stage with at least stoichiometric quantities of sulfuric acid in the presence of oxygen at 100°C. Simultaneously, about 80 to 85 percent of the sulfide sulfur content is converted to elemental sulfur. The dependence of the reaction rate of chalcopyrite on the pretreatment, temperature, oxygen pressure and acid content will be discussed.

Jan 1, 1973

By P. L. Hofmann

The National Waste Terminal Storage (NWTS) Program was established in 1976. The objective of this program is to develop the technology and provide the facilities for the safe, environmentally acceptable isolation of civilian- and defense-related, high-level and transuranic nuclear wastes, including spent fuel elements, for which the federal government is responsible. The principal emphasis of this program is on disposal in mined geologic repositories. Technology development in support of the NWST program includes the formulation and management of a strong basic science and engineering program to generate an appropriate data base to aid in understanding of the key geological processes and major engineering structures involved. The current status, problems, and future plans of the technology program will be summarized.

Jan 1, 1984

By S. J. Noesen, J. R. Hughes

Several four-inch-diameter tungsten ingots were arc melted in vacuum or in hydrogen atmospheres. Melting pressures, melt-off rates, effect of atmospheres, and other pertinent factors were examined. Two of these ingots were extruded at 1650°C. Subsequently, forging and rolling were carried out at lower temperatures. For a 60 per cent area reduction by rolling, a one-hour recrystallization temperature of 1250°C was obtained. This temperature is considerably lower than those reported in previously published work, and can probably be attributed to the extreme purity of the as-cast ingots (N, H, 0 all less than 1 ppm). EVER since W. D. Coolidge, in 1909, described his process for producing tungsten metal of high density and good workability via the powder metallurgy tech-

Jan 1, 1961

By Robert H. Richards

Very little has been published recently on this subject in the mining journals or proceedings of societies. The attention of experts has been diverted perhaps by the demands for pan amalgamation of refractory ores. Yet free milling ores occur in many localities, and it may be interesting to have on record some data as to details of running a small test-mill, especially as details of results do not seem to be accessible to stndents and investigators. Küstel, in 1863, under battery amalgamation, dismisses the subject by stating that "amalgamation on copper-plated platforms, troughs, and other copper fixings" is " very imperfect, and mostly abandoned." J. Arthur Phillips says, in 1867, under placer mining : " A well-amalgamated copper plate is considered as effective for

Jan 1, 1880

By Robert H. Richards

VERY little has been published recently on this subject in the mining journals or proceedings of societies. The attention of experts has been diverted perhaps by the demands for pan amalgamation of refractory ores. Yet free milling ores occur in many localities, and it may be interesting to have on record some data as to details of running a small test-mill, especially as details of results do not seem to be accessible to students and investigators. Küstel, in 1863, under battery amalgamation, dismisses the subject by stating that "amalgamation on copper-plated platforms, troughs, and other copper fixings" is " very imperfect, and mostly abandoned." J. Arthur Phillips says, in 1867, under placer mining : A well-amalgamated copper plate is considered as effective for

Jan 1, 1880

By R. J. Jones, L. D. Clark, R. C. Howell

This research provides an empirical approach toward further analysist10 of the variables in rock breakage under direct, hydroimpact (impacting on fluid) and explosive impulse loading. That the strain on the face of a block of rock, below an impact pin or explosive charge, is directly proportionate to the rupturing force F and inversely proportionate to the product of the burden W and the hole periphery S, is borne out in the laboratory using electrical resistance strain gages to measure a peak strain during rupture by small explosive charges detonated in boreholes. Furthermore, such findings established the validity of the expression F = Ss • Wy • R as a useful relationship from which, it is believed, can be derived practical applications in commercial rock blast design.

Jan 1, 1972

By Fred W. Menzl, Raymond E. Sutton

GABBS, Nev., in Nye County, is 140 miles southeast of Reno and about 31 miles north of the Southern Pacific railroad at Luning. The townsite lies at the eastern edge of Gabbs Valley, and plant and quarry operations are in the foothills of the Paradise Range at elevations from 5000 to 5900 ft. Hard-surfaced roads connect with main U. S. high- ways on the north and south. Historical Background: Brucite, a magnesium hydroxide mineral, was discovered in the Gabbs area in 1927 and magnesite, the magnesium carbonate, was found later on claims originally staked and worked for the tungsten mineral scheelite. The brucite is on a granodiorite contact and the magnesite is usually some distance away from the granodiorite

Jan 7, 1957

By Dan E. Lewis, William E. Saegart

Similarities of certain geologic and mineralogic parameters are recognized among the various Philippine porphyry copper deposits. Lowell and Guilbert3 described a model of the typical porphyry copper deposit as the result of comparing numerous Western Hemisphere occurrences. Many of the characteristics of the Philippine porphyry copper deposits differ from the model developed by Lowell and Guilbert. A model of the typical porphyry copper deposit is presented and the characteristics of the Philippine model are compared with those of the Western Hemisphere model. Estimated Philippine copper production in 1975 was 242 446 mt. The total in 1948 was 2091 mt. This represents a 116-fold increase in copper production during the 28-yr period. The Philippines now rank seventh in total world production of copper.

Jan 1, 1978

By F. D. Rosi, Walter R. Hibbard, R. I. Herron, H. T. Clark, O&apos

Introduction and Previous Work In the search to find a copper-base alloy with high strength properties, it was considered that the addition of a small amount of an age-hardening element to a binary system with useful strength properties might result in a series of alloys of theeretical and practical importance. The copper-nickel system was selected for its basic properties and chromium was added as the age-hardening element in view of the small percentage involved and its decreasing solubility with decreasing temperature. A study of the Cu-Cr binary alloys was undertaken as a preliminary investigation. However, in view of the response of these alloys to heat treatment, the scope of this phase of the investigation was widened.

Jan 1, 1949

By John W. Tieman

Research on processes to remove sulfur oxides from flue gas has been in progress for many years. Pioneers in this field were the British who, in the early 1930's, installed a full-scale flue gas scrubbing unit on a 120 MW boiler using alkaline water from a Thames estuary plus chalk. Since that time, various methods have been studied by many investigators. Federal laws covering air pollution started with the 1955 Air Pollution Control Act. With the advent of the Air Quality Act of 1967, and subsequent publishing of criteria and available technology for control of sulfur oxides in January 1969, the clamor for information on commercially available control techniques to remove sulfur from fossil fuels has rapidly increased.

Jan 8, 1972

By William G. Pariseau

A design procedure for the quantitative estimation of support load requirements in underground mines is presented. The central problem in the design of mine support is one of es¬timating a maximum load that the ground will exert on the support in the coarse of mining. The distribution of stress around mine openings changes as mining progresses. At the time of support installation, the support load is essentially zero. With the passage of time and advance of the face, ground motion loads the support. The finite element method of analysis provides a simple quantitative technique for simulating the effects of mining and face advance on support load requirements. In particular, the maximum support load can be estimated by the proposed design procedure.

Jan 1, 1978

By Sharon Brady, Catherine O’Donoghue, John V. Beall, Paul C. Merritt

Between 1950 and 1965, more than 80% of all phosphate rock produced in the world each year was used as fertilizer, either directly applied to the soil or processed into mixed chemical fertilizers. Of the potassium salts produced, 95% followed suit. A variety of uses in industrial chemicals and consumer products absorbed the remaining percentage of each. Future trends in these two commodities will be dominated by what happens to the fertilizer market. Farming is much the same as mining the soil. Plants remove the minerals little by little. Phosphate and potash comprise two of the three primary nutrients removed in this way, the third being nitrogen. Phosphate stimulates early root formation and growth, whereas potash is a salt necessary to root strength.

Jan 10, 1966