Search Documents

By Ralph C. Holmer

IN the field of mineral exploration, 1956 can be looked upon as the International Geochemical Year. This is not because of unusual developments in geochemical prospecting but rather because of the world-wide effort in geochemistry and the realization that geochemistry is now an established exploration method. Use of mining geophysics has continued to increase. Those extensively employing exploration techniques indicate that developments of the past few years have permitted better programming of methods, from reconnaissance to location of drill- holes. There is greater diversification of methods- reliance is not placed on results of one. However, it is realized that often it is more economical to drill an anomaly than to conduct additional expensive geophysical surveys

Jan 2, 1957

By V. M. Lovell

The recovery of apatite from the phoscorite ores occurring in the Transvaal, Republic of South Africa, involves a flotation process that is particularly difficult to characterize from a fundamental point of view. However, the reagents used, (tall oil fatty acid, nonylphenyltetraglycol ether, sodium silicate, and sodium hydroxide) can successfully bring about a separation of apatite from dolomitic calcite, which is the most troublesome gangue component. Recently, it has been demonstrated with some flotation feeds that the addition of certain polysaccharides can improve the flotation significantly. It has been shown that the metallurgy obtained is closely linked to the nature of the froth, and this, in turn, is influenced, often dramatically, by the presence or absence of certain of the reagents. The character of the froth depends less on the inherent frothing ability of these reagents than on the presence or absence of fine mineral particles in the froth, and on their surface characteristics and state of aggregation. The polyglycol ether and the polysaccharides have been shown to affect these properties, and it is suggested that a major function of these reagents is to modulate the properties of the fine particles in the pulp, thereby changing the character of the froth and giving rise to improved results.

Jan 1, 1976

By John Hays Hammond

IT was but a few years ago that the mining engineer, and his confreres, the civil, mechanical and electrical engineer, were stigmatized by politicians of the parish? pump variety as advance agents of unprincipled exploiters of backward countries. Today he is recognized as a most important missionary of civilization in opening up new territory to contribute its mineral wealth and incidentally its other resources for the needs of mankind. An engineer, it is now conceded, is not only a benefactor of the world at large, but is a primary factor in the betterment of conditions of the inhabitants of those countries developed by his skill and indomitable courage-for courage is requisite in pioneering and his indefatigable industry. The engineer will, I believe, become a real "Ambassador of Good Will," when the slow-consenting academic mind realizes as it must that beneficent deeds are more enduring and more convincing than mere gestures of professed amity.

Jan 1, 1929

By Roger L. Winter, Borje O. Saxberg

Some form of wage incentives has been used traditionally in the mining industry to determine miners' pay. However, very little is actually known about the administration of such wage incentive plans in mining. As far as the authors know this is the first time a general examination of wage incentive systems as applied to underground mining has been undertaken.* This article reports the results of an investigation pertaining to the administration of wage incentive programs for miners who drill, blast, and load- mainly in underground metallic mining operations. This investigation was conducted to obtain management's views and attitudes towards wage incentives; therefore, the results do not necessarily represent accurately the thoughts of the miners themselves nor those of any organized union of miners.

Jan 10, 1960

By Ronald E. Versaw

Environmental legislation, both existing and proposed, requires that mills, tailings dams, evaporation ponds, and related processing facilities be located, constructed, and operated within stringent guidelines. An early step in planning a new processing facility is performing a site selection study in which topographic, hydrologic, geotechnical, and environmental parameters are evaluated for several alternate sites. Once a site is selected, then an environmental report, including a description of the proposed action, alternatives, baseline surveys, and discussions of potential environmental impacts, mitigation measures and monitoring programs is required. The federal legislation, siting studies, and environmental studies (along with the implications of these as they affect design) are discussed. In addition, costs for performing these studies and implementing control of effluents are discussed.

Jan 1, 1978

By H. W. Smith

This paper presents a review of developments to date in computer control practice, based in large part on Canadian experience. The basic problem examined is that of stabilizing control; matters considered are control strategies, hardware and software aspects of system implementation, reliability, human factors, and economic results.

Jan 1, 1976

E. D. TILLYER,* Southbridge, Mass. (written discussion?).-It is quite generally known that there is very little that is standard about a mercurial thermometer at temperatures above 212° F. (100° C.) because so many precautions must be taken-precautions that are rarely realized in practice-such as depth of immersion, aging, elastic fatigue, separation of mercury column, and accidental deformation from very slight excess temperature. One cannot help wishing that Mr. Brown would dwell at greater length on the practical side of both radiation and optical pyrometey, both of which have great possibilities as commercial instruments. In the radiation pyrometer we have ideal conditions for a permanent instru-ment, no materials being exposed to excessive temperatures or subjected to contamination from the furnace fumes which may raise such havoc with an ordinary pyrometer. The development of a radiation pyrometer requires a thermocouple having a relatively high electromotive force but which need stand temperatures of only 200° F. or 300° F. instead of 1500 to 2000° F., which is required of even a base-metal couple. The galva-nometer, if located near the thermocouple, does not need to have a high resistance as at such low temperatures no changes can occur in the thermocouple that will affect its resistance and, consequently, the in-dicated temperature.

Jan 11, 1919

By P. A. Robbins

FAR NORTH, on the bare Arctic tundra, 11 mi. above the mouth of the Keewalik River where the latter discharges into Kotzebue Sound. several ., Eskimos garbed in parkies and muck lucks mingle with a small group of similarly clad white men. All of them shield their eyes from the white glare of the arc as a gasoline-driven arc-welding set rains molecules of metal on the break in a bull wheel, the large gear wheel which swings the boom and cab of a dragline shovel.

Jan 1, 1937

By John Griffen

THE modern anthracite breaker or washery uses almost completely a wet method of preparation, which requires, roughly, 1 gal. of water per minute per ton of production per day. The entire anthracite industry uses about 320,000 gal. per min. of water for this purpose or 800,000 tons of water per day. As this water leaves the breakers, it contains fine solids-coal, slate, pyrite, and clay-and is then called silt or slush; as slush is the term most commonly used, it will be employed throughout this paper. The solid content of the slush will be referred to as solids. In the earlier days of anthracite mining, little coal was washed, less crushing was employed, and virgin coal was mined exclusively. As a result, the slush problem was not acute because of the relatively small quantity and the coarseness of the solids. Such slush as was produced could usually be easily impounded and retained or could be discharged into streams without any appreciable pollution being apparent. The character of the fine waste from the breakers, changed materially as its quantity increased until now about 40,000 tons of slush solids are produced daily. Second mining and robbing operations materially increased the quantity of fine solids delivered to the breaker in the mine car. The demand for chestnut, stove and egg sizes, to the exclusion of grate, steamboat, and lump sizes, require finer crushing of the mine-run coal with a consequent increase of fine solids in slush. The use of rice and barley sizes removed a considerable tonnage of coarser solids from the slush but left great quantities of fine solids difficult to retain completely and store and long considered of no possible fuel value. Despite the efforts of the coal operators, the slush solids have found their way into the streams causing, in some cases, serious pollution. The Water Supply Commission of Pennsylvania published, in 1916, a report on Culm in the Streams of the Anthracite Region,1 from which the following is taken: About 40,000,000,000 gal. of water carrying 10,000,000 tons of fine culm are discharged into the water-courses direct, flushed into the mines, or disposed of by various means on the surface. The extent to which the very small sizes of anthracite

Jan 9, 1921

By Ivor E. Campbell

The Smelter Control Research Association, Inc. (SCRA) was established in 1971 by domestic primary copper producers to investigate processes for removal of sulfur oxides and particulates from copper reverberatory furnace stack gases. The Association maintains a continuing review of developments related to sulfur oxide and particulate control technology, and conducts pilot-plant-investigations of scrubbing processes with feed streams of copper reverberatory furnace off-gases. In its first year of operation, SCRA reviewed over 100 processes proposed for sulfur dioxide removal. As could be anticipated, the frequency of receipt of proposals relating to improvements in sulfur, dioxide control technology has now declined. However, the number of such proposals still being received indicates continuing research on both wet and dry scrubbing systems, and indicates a widespread awareness, of shortcomings of proposed control. Despite the fact that an almost unbelievable number of processes has been proposed for sulfur dioxide control, few have progressed beyond the conceptual stage, and only a limited few have been subjected to thorough pilot-scale evaluation. The most extensive pilot-scale and demonstration-scale investigations have been. devoted to the so-called throwaway processes employing limestone or lime slurry scrubbing. This work has, in turn, for the most part been on utility plant stack gases, containing from 500 to 3,000 ppm sulfur dioxide.

Jan 1, 1976

By Moshe Sheinkin, Burke O. Trafton

This paper describes the use of a computer in analyzing the expected return on a mining venture. The computer program is designed to incorporate all aspects of a mining project, including the mine, mill, smelter, and refinery. Data input may consist of the operating variables in each phase such as the mining rate, grades, reserves at the mine, and the technical operating characteristics of the mine, mill, smelter, and refinery. Detailed tax computations are shown for a domestic operating company, for a foreign company and for a foreign subsidiary. In addition, the use of the various options that are available such as expense write-offs or deferments to create tax credits during preproduction years are considered, and its effect on the DCF. The program is also constructed to accommodate changes in metal prices, and escalation of capital requirements and operating costs. Output consists of profit and loss statements for entire projects using different methods of depreciation, cash flows, discounted cash flows, net present value and returns on investment. Returns on investment are computed for equity investment, total investment, and total investment less tax credits. Allowances are made for bank and guaranteed loans. Additional financial statements can be made for the following: a) A mine-mill segment with a concentrate selling schedule b) A mine-mill-smelter complex with a smelter product selling schedule c) Profitability of the smelter separately d) Profitability of the refinery separately

Jan 1, 1969

By George Young

DURING the spring of 1910 I visited a number of open-pit brown-coal mines and underground workings in the vicinity of Halle, Halberstadt, Leipsic, Cologne and Bonn. The notes which I took and the observations which I made at the time have been condensed and make up the principal part of this paper. Certain supplementary information has been taken from several sources which are given in the paper. The mining of brown coal is one of the important industries of Germany. The coal varies in color from dark brown to almost black and is soft like loam. Pieces of wood and strips of bark and, even parts of tree trunks are frequently encountered in the excavation although the coal for the most part consists of a pulverulent, more or less matted mass of small particles of vegetal matter. It is a product between peat and lignitic coal. An analysis, taken from Coal Resources of the World shows the approximate composition of the material: Moisture, 53.73 per cent.; ash, 4.98; fixed carbon, 18.08; volatile carbon, 23.31 per cent. The principal characteristic is the amount of moisture. This seldom runs less than 48 per cent. The ash is usually low and ranges from 5 to 10 per cent. The sulphur content is usually less than 0.5 per cent. The heating effect of the fuel ranges from 2,000 to 2,500 calories.

Jan 2, 1916

By Samuel H. Dolbear

THE value of a mine is basically dependent on its capacity to yield profits. Since the ore must be mined, treated, and sold, some of it in various future years, there is a risk involved as to future costs, selling price, and working conditions. It cannot be expected that the economic condition existing at the time of valuation will continue unchanged for long periods in the future.

Jan 9, 1953

Lieut. Louis J. Brunel, now in France, was commissioned on July 27, 1917, as Second Lieutenant in the Engineers Reserve Corps, assigned to the 7th U. S. Engineers, Dec. 10, 1917, and has been with the American E. F. since Mar. 26, 1918. He was assigned to the staff of the General commanding the 5th Field Artillery Brigade, as Engineer Officer, on Aug. 6, 1918. E. Ross Housholder writes that "the record for pontoon bridge building was broken Sept. 25, 1918, by Section A, Co. 4, 5th Engineer Officers' Training School, at Camp Humphreys, Va., of which I am a member. The time was 15 min. 11 3/5 seconds. We then proceeded to break the record for dismantling in 9 min. 57 1/5 seconds. The length of the bridge section was 200 ft. The post band was sent out to meet us, and we feel proud of this record. I have met quite a few A. I. M. E.

Jan 11, 1918

By A. L. Holley

THE members of the society are doubtless aware that the production of American Bessemer steel works is constantly increasing ; that the same converters and machinery are doing more work every year. This enlarged output is due to various causes, chiefly the following: 1st. Better organization-better knowledge on the part of both managers and men, of the plant and the process ; of the way to economize the more exhausting labor, and of the arrangement of the details of labor and operations so that they shall not conflict; also, more pluck-a greater willingness to take risks, or, more properly, such an intimate knowledge of the nature and capacities of the refractory tory linings in various stages of disrepair, and the probable be- . havior of the fluid metal at various stages of its treatment, that the precise nature of the risk may be better known, so that the works may be crowded to their full capacity. In the early practice, after getting four or five consecutive heats in a day, the men preferred to "let well enough alone," and to devote the remaining time to preparation for another turn. Now, thirty, and sometimes forty heats are regularly made during the twenty-four hours, day after day, without the frequent occurrence and without the fear of breakdowns or "messes," as the spilling of steel charges was graphically named in Sheffield. 2d. Although no new refractory materials have been developed, improved means of preparing such as we have, and of imbedding

Jan 1, 1874

By Roger E. Barthelemy

PRIMITIVE mining and metallurgy has today almost disappeared. Probably the only remaining tribal tin mining and smelting is practiced by the Laotian natives in one of the less known tin areas of the world. This district lies almost a thousand miles from the sea along the Mekong River, one of the longest rivers in the world, that marks the border between Siam and Laos, one of the five states forming French Indo-China. Less than twenty years ago it took more than two weeks' travel on elephant-back to reach the spot and today it still takes many days of travel, using all kinds of transportation from automobiles to native

Jan 1, 1938

By P. H. Royster

For a number of years the Bureau of Mines has been investigating certain problems relating to the blast furnace. In the course of these investigations it was desirable to measure, with the optical pyrometer, the temperatures occurring in the hearth of the furnace. Since no systematic measurements of these temperatures have been published a statement of the results may be of interest. The data given in this paper were obtained it thirty-two blast furnaces operated by seventeen companies; twenty of these furnaces were making iron, eight ferromanganese, and five spiegeleisen. The collection of this information was made possible by the cooperation of the American Manganese Co., Bethlehem Steel Corpn., Brier Hill Steel Co., Buffalo Union Furnace Co., Clinton Iron & Steel Co., Donner Steel Co., John B. Guernsey & Co., Jones & Laughlin Steel Co., E. E. Marshall, the McKinney Steel Co., National Tube Co., New Jersey Zinc Co., Republic Iron & Steel Co., Seaboard Steel & Manganese Corpn., Southeastern Iron Corpn., the Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co., and the Wharton Steel Co.

Jan 9, 1919

By Zay Jeffries

THE object of the present paper is to enlarge somewhat on the general principles advanced in my discussion 1 of Mathewson and Phillips' article on. The Recrystallization of Cold-Worked Alpha Brass on Annealing.2 It will also serve as an acknowledgment of Prof. Howe's3 most important remarks on my contribution. In this paper the writer has adopted Prof. Howe's suggestion to substitute the term "germinative temperature" for "critical temperature for grain growth." Instead of being an exact or certain temperature it should be considered that the germinative temperature phenomenon exists throughout a small temperature range. Factors Influencing Fast Growth Phenomena The development of grains of macroscopic size at the germinative temperature should be considered the extreme condition of a general rule. When considered in this light it is not strange that the development of these large grains should be the exception and not the rule. The principal factors influencing the operation of the laws of fast growth temperature are as follows: 1. Rate of heating.

Jan 10, 1916

By Harry E. Krumlauf

The year 1957 was one of declining metal price and production. Many lead-zinc-copper mines were forced to close, and the remaining mines limited production to stay more in line with demand. High cost of labor, supplies, and equipment and high taxes aggravated the situation. Some operators postponed or abandoned expansion programs because of uncertain economic conditions. Output was curtailed by elimination of over- time employment and reduction of the working force. The number of employes laid off was small- reduction in the labor force was accomplished by not replacing those who left a company's employ.

Jan 2, 1958

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