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By R. T. McAndrew

Introduction Drinnan is situated in the Prairie Creek coal area in the Foothills belt of Alberta. It lies on the main line of the Canadian National railway from Edmonton to Jasper. The exact location is shown on the map (Figure I). Interest in the field was aroused by several circumstances: Its proximity to Brule and Pocahontas on the southwest and to Coal-spur on the southeast led to the belief that coal might be economically produced here. There was already at Hinton a 3 ft. 9 in. coal seam being mined by Seabolt. The coal was of very good grade, being black and shiny in appearance with well defined cleavage and a heat value of 12,000 B. t.u. Outcrops of coal had also been noticed on the north side of the Athabaska river and Fish creek. These facts led the Jasper Coal Company to investigate the field. This Company considered taking over the Seabolt property at Hinton, but, owing to the size of the seam, this plan was abandoned and prospecting by diamond drills and test pits was started two years ago in the district east of Hinton. After prospecting had been completed, the most favourable district was found to be in township 51, ranges 24 and 25, west of the 5th meridian. The Company's lease includes all or parts of sections 18, 19, 20, and 28 in range 24, and sections 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 in range 25. The approximate boundaries of the property are the Canadian National railway on the north, Happy creek on the west, and Cache Percotte creek on the east. The lease comprises 3,100 acres, and the total amount of coal in sight is estimated at 100,000,000 tons.

Jan 1, 1931

By N. Vayenas, G. Yuriy

"The combination of a predictive reliability assessment model and discrete-event simulation can be an effective methodology to study the impact of equipment failures on the capacity of production systems in mines. In our case, a predictive reliability assessment model using genetic algorithms is combined with a discrete-event simulation model to analyze mine equipment systems.Discrete-event simulation involves modelling of real-life systems based on variables and events that occur or change at distinct points in time. The Simul8 simulation software, by Visual Thinking, is used in this research. It is a two-dimensional (2D), discrete-event simulation/ animation software tool for creating realistic depictions of manufacturing and materials handling systems.The simulation model developed for the purpose of this research represents a typical two-level, sub-level stoping section of an underground mine in the Sudbury region in Ontario, Canada. This 2D model was created to assess the impact of equipment failures to a mine’s production throughput. In more detail, using mean time between failures (MTBF) data of scooptrams derived from a reliability assessment model based on genetic algorithms, LHD failures are incorporated into the simulation model. These failures cause production interruptions to the development cycle and consequently loss of hauling capacity.Another purpose of this research work is to demonstrate how low-cost simulation tools such as Simul8 can be successfully applied to model underground hard rock mining operations. The research discussed in this paper is carried out by the Laurentian University Mining Automation Laboratory (LUMAL)."

Jan 1, 2005

By T. Orser

In 2010 Newmont made the decision to purchase a 42 foot (ft) Semi-Autogenous Grinding (SAG) mill from Metso and a 28 Mega-Watt (MW) Gearless Mill Drive (GMD) from ABB for the Conga Project in Peru. The test and study work showed that a single line 42 ft SAG mill circuit gave the most favorable project economics in comparison to an equivalently powered single line 40 ft SAG mill circuit. This paper does not address the process design or the project economics, but instead focuses on the key aspects of the SAG mill design, GMD design and the associated component manufacturing. This paper also addresses, where applicable, the potential reliability differences between the initially proposed 40 ft SAG mill and the finally accepted 42 ft SAG mill.

Jan 1, 2012

By T. J. Wells

THE blast furnace is the base of the steel industry, since there is no commercially practical way of converting iron ore directly into steel. In three hundred years, the blast furnace has developed from a small unit using charcoal as fuel and producing about one ton of iron in twenty-four hours to a furnace making upwards of 1,500 tons a day. The principle of the blast furnace is briefly this: A descending column of stock, consisting of ore, fuel, and flux, is met by an ascending stream of gases, consisting in part of gases formed by the combustion of the fuel and in part of pre-heated air which is blown into the lower part of the furnace. The flux combines with the impurities in the ore and the ash in the fuel to form slag, which is drawn off as liquid.

Jan 1, 1943

By G. M. Proudfoot

IN June, 1940, a .Longyear 3420 blast-hole drill rig was purchased by the Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting Company for the purpose of experimental blast-hole drilling. The early work showed that the diamond drill could compete successfully with the Leyners then in use and by January 1st, 1941, the diamond drills were placed on contract. They may be considered to have gone into production at that date. Prior to the introduction of the diamond drill, our bench drilling was clone with Ingersoll-Rand S-70 and S-83 Leyner drills. Holes up to 40 feet were drilled, using coupled 1 1/4-inch round steel. Bits with a gauge of 3 inches were used in starting these holes, with a drop of 1/8-inch gauge for each 2-foot run. The holes normally ended with 1 1/2 or 1 5/8-inch gauge, though bits down to 1 1/8 inches were available for holes longer than normal or for holes drilled in abnormally abrasive ground. This method of drilling was very satisfactory and was a distinct improvement on the three-bench method of drilling used previously (1). During 1937 and 1938, when experienced miners were available, Leyner long-hole drilling was carried on with great efficiency. However, in 1939 and 1940, labour turnover in-creased and experienced long-hole drillers became scarcer. This resulted in a marked decline in the efficiency of the drilling operations, with increased costs and less tonnage drilled per shift. EXPERIMENTAL WORK The initial diamond drilling test work was carried on with a Longyear 3420 air-driven blast-hole drill rig, drilling a 1 3/16-inch hole. Tests indicated that diamond drilling could be successfully adapted to local conditions and that overall costs compared favourably with costs obtained with the Leyner long-hole method. Leyner long holes on stope benches usually bottomed at a larger diameter than the 1 3/16 -inch diamond-drill holes. More powder could therefore be introduced into the Leyner holes than could be placed in the diamond-drill holes. To achieve the same fragmentation, additional footage was required when diamond drilling. Diamond-drill holes of larger diameter were indicated.

Jan 1, 1943

By C. R. Kato, G. Proulx

"Within the continuous scenario of reduced aluminium price and plants production costs increase, the energy consumption optimization in the aluminum electrolytic pots continues as the main focus for the producers. Energy consumption was chosen as a key performance indicator to drive the efforts and actions for improvements. Alcoa improved the energy consumption by approximately 3% from 2005 to 2015. This improvement was a result of best practices implementation, new technologies introduction, strategic actions with plant curtailments and management practices. The main objective of this paper is to highlight the importance of the management practices for planning and operational improvements beyond the technology changes. About 10 years ago, Alcoa reorganized its approach to retain knowledge in the Smelters by using a Best Practices format. For each specific subject, a skilled team defined the minimum requirements and the Best Practices for several aspects of operation and maintenance, which affect the environment, safety, cost, customers and performance. These Best Practices were deployed to all Smelters combined with training sessions to process and operation professionals. We will describe how the Best Practices were organized, the deployment strategy used, and the approach to measure the plants’ success. We will describe the management approach that includes Manufacturing Analyses focused on 3-year potential, annual planning, and weekly monitoring of plant stability. A manufacturing analysis is organized at select plants with cross-functional participation of specialists from technical, operational, procurement and finance. The output of a manufacturing analysis includes a roadmap of enablers to improve energy efficiency. A quarterly follow-up of enabler deployment is held with the plant and resources that participated in the analysis. Annually, there is a Planning Process where energy consumption enablers are selected to be implemented during the next 3 years for each plant. A monthly critical analysis is made by the plants with regional best practice support. On a weekly basis, key performance indicators are reviewed with determination of a stability index for each plant. Any deviation signal of unstable condition is alerted and supporting resources are diverted to the plant to reverse trend with countermeasures.INTRODUCTIONDue to factors like excess aluminum in the market and lower consumption in China, the LME price is declining along the last years, as showed in Figure 1. In 2011, the price peaked at US$ 2,400/ton and since then, continues to trend down and approaching the lowest level at US$ 1,500/ton in the last 5 years."

Jan 1, 2016

By A. C. Hawken, L. M. Strah

"The Report outlines the Conversion to Rubber Mill Liners and steel grinding balls from the old style Cobalt pocket liners and flint pebbles which had been used in 5'x22' Fraser-Chalmers tube mills for over fifty years. An outline of the past history and some of the plant modifications are mentioned as well.The details pertaining to considerations, modifications and repairs carried out on the mills are described. Factors influencing the rubber liner design are outlined along with the description of the rubber liner design.The performance and advantages to date are given and concludes with brief summary.HISTORYThe original amalgamation-cyanidation mill of Dome Mines Limited went into operation in 1912. Milling has been continuous since 1912, except for two periods; one of 17 months commencing in December 1917, and the other of about 12 months, when fire destroyed the plant in November 1929. Initially the capacity of the mill was 350 tons a day. In 1916 it was raised to 750 tons a day, following which there was a gradual expansion to 1,500 tons a day."

Jan 1, 1977

By C. S. Simons, D. A. Dahlstrom

"Growing interest in the developing technique of improving the dewatering of filter cakes by the direct application of steam has been apparent during the past year. A number of applications to iron and base-metal concentrates are under study, and intensive work continues on applications to coal cleaning.This paper presents and discusses the data presently available. The effects of material characteristics and operating variables on final cake moisture are examined. Although it is not yet possible to answer all questions regarding the applicability of the technique to specific problems from general data correlations, it is found that the use of these in con-junction with empirical data derived from properly conducted laboratory tests does yield reliable conclusions.Emphasis is placed on the basic economics of the process, and on de-sign criteria for ""steam drying"" filter stations, as applied particularly to metallurgical concentrates. Examples of the use of laboratory tests to solve application problems are given."

Jan 1, 1966

By Jan Drzymala, Przemyslaw B. Kowalczuk

"Flotation is possible when the forces operating between a bubble and the attached particle are properly balanced. There are many forces operating in the bubble-particle aggregate. The magnitude, location and direction of the forces depend on the type of process. The simplest arrangement in flotation is when a spherical bubble is attached to a spherical particle and both are immersed in water. In such a system there are four essential forces which shape the stability of the bubble-particle aggregate. They are excess pressure and interfacial solid/liquid, solid/gas and liquid/gas forces. A proper analysis and balance of the size, location and direction of these four principal forces lead to a general equation delineating the stability of the spherical particle–attached bubble system. Specific cross sections of the system and solution of the general equation lead to different relationships including the Young formula as well as the well-known geometrical relation between contact angle, particle and bubble radiuses. The arrangement of forces in the proposed graphical representation of the Young law is different from that presently used in literature for a bubble attached to an unmovable solid particle. Many real solid/liquid/gas systems are more complex due to the presence of additional forces which change the regular curvature of the liquid/gas interface leading to advancing and receding contact angles.INTRODUCTIONThere are numerous papers (Athukorallage, Aulisa, Iyer & Zhang, 2015; Chau, Bruckard, Koh & Nguyen, 2009; Drzymala, 1994; Lubarda, 2012; Pellicer, Manzanares & Mafe, 1995; Wang, Cui, Zhou, Xu, Sun, & Zhu, 2014; Young, 1804) and books (Davies & Rideal, 1963; Defay & Prigogine, 1966; Lee, 2013; Lyklema, 2000) dealing with the solid/liquid/gas system. Many of them concern the three involved phases having the shape of a sphere or spherical cap and the formed contact angle. The contact angle is usually measured through the liquid phase and can be either smaller or greater than 90o. The essential part of these publications is a graphical representation of the system with the Young equation shown as a result of balance of only three forces that is the excess Gibbs (or Helmholz) free energy per unit area of the three involved interfaces (Davies & Rideal, 1963; Defay & Prigogine, 1966; Israelachvili, 1985) (Figs. 1a-c). The Young equation, when the gravity force/buoyancy is neglected, is:"

Jan 1, 2016

By Maurice Hall Haycock

ONE result of the higher price of gold has been the exploitation of many low-grade deposits, the successful treatment of which depends upon obtaining high recovery of the contained gold. Modern methods have made it possible to recover gold from many ores formerly regarded as impossible to treat economically, but in order to apply these methods efficiently it has become desirable, and indeed in many cases indispensable, to gain precise information concerning their mineralogical and physical character. The most successful means of doing this is the use of the reflecting microscope. Reflecting microscopes had long been employed by metallurgists for studying polished surfaces of iron and steel when, thirty years ago, Dr. W. Campbell, of Columbia University, advanced the idea of using similar methods for studying opaque minerals (1). The immediate result was the completion of two microscopic studies, the first on Cobalt silver ores (2) and the second on Sudbury nickel ores (3). The idea was surprisingly slow in being adopted, and not until 1911 did it begin to spread through the universities of this continent. From then on, ore microscopy, or 'mineragraphy', made rapid progress, and, during the next fifteen years, research in universities of North America and Europe led to the development of somewhat specialized apparatus and technique. This phase of development, which resulted largely in contributions of a descriptive nature, furnished a mass of data from which the possibility of economic applications was soon recognized. Ore microscopy became an aid to the mining geologist in solving many problems of ore deposition. This soon led to its application in the study of ores and mill products in connection with their treatment. Its usefulness in this latter field has been very marked and has led to its widespread adoption by the mining industry.

Jan 1, 1937

By A. Hutwalker, T. Plett

"Blast fumes are one of the major sources for NOx in underground mines. In 2016, the Occupational Exposure Limits for NOx in Germany were reduced by 90%. The task is to keep re-entry times after blasting at the present level and thereby ensure an economic operation of the mine. Measurements show that using ventilation solely is not sufficient. A new approach to reduce NOx from blast fumes is described. Laboratory experiments were performed and a reduction of NOx was observed. Measurements were conducted at an explosive factory’s testing facility and in an underground mine at blasting operations. INTRODUCTION Whether for production of ore or for drift development, the processes in an underground mine are always the same: 1) fracturing the rock, 2) loading the pile, 3) support the resulting cavity. The fracturing of the rock can be done mechanically, by cutting, for example by using continuous miners or tunnel boring machines, or by drilling and blasting. Drilling and blasting is more flexible than mechanical driving, as it can be used independently of the rock strength. Furthermore, this driving method allows a more flexible reaction to changes in geological and/or operational conditions. Thus, underground mining and blasting are almost inextricably linked with each other, and regardless of the size and level of technology of the mine, blasting is hardly avoidable. Depending on the mining method chosen and the existing framework conditions, such as the mechanical properties of the rock or the availability of machinery, blasting is an integral part of daily operations. Even in mines where blasting is not part of regular operations, it cannot be completely avoided. The blast fumes generated by the explosions are, in addition to diesel engine emissions, one of the two main sources of emissions of nitrous gases underground. Up to now, state of the art for dealing with blast fumes is ventilation. The fumes are diluted with fresh air and ventilated out of the mine. This treatment of blast fumes is more than sufficient with the former German Occupational Exposure Limits (OEL). The adaption of the OEL in Germany to the recommendations of the Committee on Occupational Exposure Limits (SCOEL), a committee of the European Commission, leads to big challenges for the mining industry in reducing the concentrations of these gases at the workplaces underground. On its meeting on May 2nd and 3rd 2016, the Committee on Hazardous Substances (Ausschuss für Gefahrstoffe, AGS), an advisory body of the German Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS), advised the BMAS to copy the OEL, as recommended by the SCOEL, to the Technical Rules for Hazardous Substances (TRGS 900). BMAS followed this advice, consequently the new OEL where published on November 4th 2016 and became part of the TRGS 900. Table 1 shows the former and new OEL for Germany. These new OEL became law after publishing, but two exceptions were made: For tunneling operations, they became law on October 31st 2017, for mining operations they will become law on October 31st 2021 (BAuA, 2004, 2016, 2017)."

Jan 1, 2019

By Brian Lewis

"IntroductionThe leaching method selected for the dissolving of uranium ore depends in part on the physical characteristics of the ore, as well as the uranium mineralization. There are two main methods of leaching employed in uranium circuits in North America, one being ""Carbonate Leaching"" on sandstone, and pitchblende type ores, and ""Acid Leaching"", on quartzite type ores.This chapter deals with the acid leaching of uranium ores found in the Elliot Lake area, using sulphuric acid, for the leaching reagent, and ""pachucas"" for the contactor.The basic leaching process involves the pregrinding of the ore and the mixing of the ore with hot sulphuric acid, the mixture is air agitated, the air being used to oxidize the ore as well as produce agitation. The chemical reaction is as follows: Uranium Oxide + Sulphuric Acid = Uranyl SulphateThe following equations show the actual dissolution of the ""Hexavalent Uranium"", which show that more than one ion or complex of uranium is possible.Uranium DissolutionsI. UO, + 2H-(UOJ + H,O2. (UO,) + SO, = -UO, SO, (Uranyl Sulphate)3. UO, + SO,-(UO, (SO,),)=4. (UO, (SO,),)= -(UO, (SO,),)'Test work carried out in the laboratory as well as in the plants has determined the most efficient methods of extracting the uranium from the ore. A very important factor that has to be determined during initial test work are the amount of acid consumers in the ore. Within the Elliot Lake orebodies are minerals such as chlorite schist, diabase, and basement material, all very high acid consumers, consuming up to 1000 lbs. of acid per ton of ore. Of these minerals only the chlorite schist contain any uranium at all.The following are the operating parameters that have to be controlled in the plant:I. sulphuric acid concentration2. temperature of the mixture3. agitation4. liquid solid ratio5. reaction time6. particle size of ground ore"

Jan 1, 1989

By J. E. Nesset, F. Rosenblum, J. A. Finch

"The self-heating of sulphides can be a major hazard in mining operations and concentrate handling, particularly during transportation and associated storage. Self-heating results from the oxidation of sulphide minerals and can vary from being insignificant to highly reactive and potentially hazardous to both humans and infrastructure. It is essential that there be a reliable test methodology that can measure and categorize a given sulphide material as to its self-heating potential. By their nature, sulphide ores and concentrates are complex and variable mineral mixtures making it difficult to predict their self-heating behaviour a-priori based on mineralogy or with a simple “snapshot” test. Furthermore, self-heating behaviour will depend on the state of oxidation of the sulphides as well as time, temperature and humidity. A review of available testing apparatuses and protocols that can be used to assess self-heating potential is presented. Each of these methodologies was examined in relation to its ability to measure and reliably predict the latent self-heating hazard of a sulphide material. Several of the methods were tested and compared to illustrate their strengths and weakness. The results indicated that a number of the test protocols may produce false negative indications of self-heating potential, constituting an obvious concern to the industry.INTRODUCTION Sulphides as well as other materials (coal, wood chips, hay, powdered milk, to name a few) that are stockpiled in an air atmosphere may undergo oxidation reactions which can result in the evolution of heat (Beever, 1984) (Hudak, 2002) (Blanchard, 2007). If the rate of heat generated exceeds the rate of heat dissipation, the stockpile temperature will rise, potentially leading to “hot spots” in the most reactive areas, and possibly even fires. The heat generation rate, the “self-heating” rate, depends on many factors such as the type and composition of material, particle size, moisture content, oxygen availability, ambient temperature and humidity, and of prime importance, the extend of prior oxidation, or more specifically, the presence of oxidation products. The desire of operators that mine, process or transport sulphide-bearing materials with a potential for self-heating is to have an accepted and reliable method for evaluating and quantifying the potential hazard of their material. The challenges are how to best measure the self-heating properties of given samples, and based on results, predict the behaviour of the bulk material over time and in-situ. Generally, when evaluating a given material one derives the self-heating characteristics of that sample at the time and under the conditions of testing, which will be referred to as a “snapshot test”. If that material is invariable, i.e. it will not change its response over time, then it may be considered to be a “predictive test”. However, if as a result of continuing oxidation or other changes, the material becomes more or less reactive with time, then a “snapshot test” is unreliable with respect to predictive ability."

Jan 1, 2014

By James R. Hunter, Sandra K. Zacharias, Ursula M. Franklin

Archaeometallurgical remains can be a valuable source of information about past technological activities and, by inference, the societies that undertook them. Material traces of former metal-producing or metal-working centres can include raw materials, products, or metallurgical installations such as mines, furnaces or forges. Of these remains, the most common is slag, often left undisturbed since its original production. Physical and chemical analyses of archaeological slag and metal can often reveal the processes and materials involved in their formation. Mineral composition and softening temperature of a slag, for instance, can indicate the conditions of the metallurgical operation, such as temperature and atmosphere and, thus, help identify metallurgical processes which took place at a site(1). The present report illustrates the value of such analysis. Metal-working remains from Sainte-Marie among the Hurons, near Midland, Ontario, on the south side of Georgian Bay have been analyzed in order to determine the techniques and processes used by the 17th-century blacksmith who worked at the mission headquarters from 1642 to 1649. Samples were selected from a very large collection of blacksmith refuse which was excavated from the site by archaeologist Kenneth Kidd in 1941-42(2).

Jan 1, 1999

By T. Mulpeter, G. Deschênes

Sadiola Gold Mine is an open pit operation located in Mali and owned by Anglogold Ashanti Ltd, Iamgold Corporation and the State of Mali. A conventional cyanidation process (cyanidation/CIP) treats 15,000 tpd (of a mixture of oxide and sulphide ores) at an average grade of 3 g/t Au. In 2002, the increasing tonnage of sulphides caused an increase in production costs and a decrease in gold extraction (from 95% to 70-76%). Because of the short retention time of the leach circuit (18 hours) and the refractory nature of the sulphides, gold leaching kinetics are critical. A laboratory investigation was initiated to evaluate actual plant practice and identify a means of improving the gold leaching rate. The study was conducted on a "soft" sulphide gold sample containing 4.96 g/t Au, 0.4 g/t Ag, 2.5% pyrite, 1.2% arsenopyrite, and 0.2% pyrrhotite with a P80 of 74microns. Pre-leaching significantly influenced the gold leaching rate. A short pre-leach (2 hours) performed at pH 8, a DO of 8 ppm, and with 300 g/t lead nitrate added at the start or the end, produced the preferred conditions. Pre-leaching for more than 2 hours was detrimental to gold extraction. The cyanide concentration had to be maintained at 450 ppm NaCN to reach a maximum gold extraction within the retention time of the circuit. A maximum extraction of 81.3% Au was obtained in 20 hours (leach residue at 0.97 g/t Au). A high level of dissolved oxygen in the pre-leach was not of any benefit. Extension of gold leaching beyond 20 hours indicated that all leachable gold had been extracted by that time. Plant modifications were made to allow leaching of oxides and sulphides in separate circuits. Treatment of oxide ores is now performed at a higher rate. Sulphides are processed at a lower throughput, with 300 g/t lead nitrate, to allow a retention time of 22 hours. Combined throughput remains the same, and total gold recovery has increased from 76% to 80% for an additional gold production of 16,000 ounces per year.

Jan 1, 2005

By N. H. Grace

"IntroductionDURING the past half century, the economy of Western Canada was largely centred on agriculture. However, the impact of World War II has led to an acceleration in the development of a variety of natural resources so that, today, Western Canada is experiencing great industrial development. Consequently, the availability •of low-cost energy assumes prime importance. In the final analysis, industrial growth and expansion are intimately linked to the energy resources.Coal ReservesHas Western Canada adequate coal reserves to meet the present accelerating demand for power in the days that lie ahead? This question must be answered before detailed consideration can be given to the probable patterns •by which various energy sources in Western Canada may be expected to meet the expanding demand. Figure 1 indicates the extent and distribution of the Canadian coal reserves, the data having been prepared by Dr. B. R. MacKay for the Royal Commission on Coal in 1946 (1). The amount of readily recoverable coal is listed as one-half the quantities shown on the chart. It is interesting-to note that upwards of 90 per cent •of the Canadian coal reserves .are located in the three most westerly Canadian provinces. It has been estimated that the coal reserves, at the present rate of mining, would be adequate for about 3,000 years. Consequently, it may be concluded that the coal •reserves in Western Canada •are indeed adequate to meet tremendous energy demands for many centuries. When the oil and natural gas have been exhausted, the great coal reserves will still be available."

Jan 1, 1953

By Ham. Y. M.

The corrosion behaviour of Al-B4C metal matrix composites immersed in 2500 ppm boron-containing H3B03, 0.5 M K2SO4, and 3.5% NaC1 solutions was investigated. Effects of B4C particle volume fraction on the corrosion behaviour of composites were studied using potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques. Scanning electron microscopy was employed to study the surface morphology of the material before and after corrosion. Results show that all materials investigated are more corrosion resistant in 2500 ppm boron-containing H3B03 than in other solutions. No appreciable corrosion was observed in boric acid and sulfate solutions in contrast to an obvious pitting in NaC1 solution for both base alloy and composites. The preferential pitting sites are the interfaces of Al/Fe intermetallics for the base alloy, and the A1/B4C interfaces for the composites. Increasing the volume fraction of B4C particles in the composite decreases its corrosion resistance of Al-B4C composites.

Jan 1, 2011

By Luis Magallanes-Hernández

"Industrias Peñoles, S.A. de C.V. (Peñoles) in Mexico, is a major silver producer. The Peñoles Mining Division has eight Mining Operations and in seven of them, flotation is used to concentrate the metal and mineral values. Common metals and minerals values are: metallic gold and silver, gold-silver alloys, silver sulphide minerals (acantite, pyrargirite, argentite, proustite); lead sulphide mineral, galena; zinc sulphide mineral, sphalerite; and copper sulphide minerals (chalcopyrite and bornite).In the last years, a special emphasis has been given to using modal analysis to identify ore mineralogical limitations, in order to direct efforts into key areas where opportunities exist to improve the metallurgical results.This work aims to share Peñoles mineralogical and metallurgical results, through presenting, discussing and drawing conclusions on these results; as well as pointing out areas where more work is needed to improve the Concentrator´ performance.PEÑOLES BACKGROUNDPeñoles´s mission is to add value to non-renewable natural resources on a sustainable manner. It was established in 1887, and it is a mining group with integrated operations in smelting and refining non-ferrous metals, and producing chemicals. Peñoles is the world’s top producer of refined silver, metallic bismuth, and sodium sulphate, the leading Latin American producer of refined gold, lead, and zinc.Peñoles Mining Division is integrated into eight mining business, located on five different states in Mexico. Metal productions for the Mining Division during 2003 were: 343 thousand gold ounces, 48.4 million silver ounces, 81.3 thousand tons of lead, 235.1 thousand tons of zinc, and 10.6 thousand tons of copper."

Jan 1, 2005

By J. Cayouette, . Blatter, P. Cousin

The Laronde mill was commissioned in 1988 and has been treating the Laronde Perim ore since 2000. The Laronde plant, situated in the Abitibi region of Quebec, has experienced mill expansions to accommodate 7500 mtpd and to recover gold and silver as well as important amounts of base metals (Cu, Zn, Pb). Ten sequential metallurgical and environmental processes are responsible for metals recovery and process viability. Over 200,000 ounces of gold, 4,5 million ounces of silver, 7000 tonnes of copper, and 78,000 tonnes of zinc are produced annually. In 2008, the Goldex plant began trucking high wade (35-45 Wt Au) pyrite sulphide concentrate (TCGO) for gold extraction at a newly constructed treatment plant, increasing gold output at Laronde by 40,000 ounces. In 2009, the high gold wade Lapa ore processing facilities were annexed to the Laronde plant increasing output by 120,000 ounces of gold. TCGO and Lapa productions are forecasted until 2018 and 2015 respectively, with known reserves of each mine. Today, up to 140 permanent employees run and optimise the Laronde plant operation. As a result, Laronde has intricacies intrinsic to a large and varied operation. The paper will outline the metallurgical highlights, challenges, and future outlook related to the treatment of each ore type (Laronde, TCGO, and Lapa)

Jan 1, 2011

By S. Southall, F. McCaffrey, F. Stober, M. Darini

Electrode Columns are commonly used in electric furnaces to deliver current and regulate furnace power to the smelting or melting process. Hatch has developed an innovative patent-pending system for lowering ("slipping") and/or raising ("back-slipping") the electrodes through an electrode column, without requiring the release of any clamping devices. All clamping forces are applied by springs. Unlike systems employing hydraulically applied clamping forces, (e.g., water bladders) the spring system is failsafe. Its inherent simplicity virtually eliminates the need for maintenance. The Hatch system is particularly applicable to Soderberg electrodes, and comprises two axially movable slipping clamps and a stationary power clamp, each of which apply a distributed, radial clamping force to the electrode. The magnitudes of the slipping sleeves' clamping forces and sequencing of their axial movements are selected such that the slipping clamps, in conjunction with the weight of the electrode, provide slipping or back slipping without release of any clamping force.

Jan 1, 2005