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By Marlin E. Sandlin

NORTH-CENTRAL United States is now, and will continue to be, a natural market for Canadian crude oil. This area is a natural market for many basic reasons. There are no physical barriers along the border of our countries. This market is in dose proximity to Canadian production. This market is already joined by crude oil pipe-1,ines to numerous producing areas of Canada. The tariff barriers are reasonable. We are not handicapped by mandatory quota restrictions. There are many of us who desire lo sell Canadian crude oil in this market. Further, and what is really important, there are many of us who desire to buy Canadian crude oil for this market. It is fundamental that for crude oil to be sold in the world market, it must ?be sold at competitive prices. At the same time, it is important that such competitive price must result in a fair price for the crude oil at the we1lhead. The factors of nearness to market, cheap pipe line transportation, and reasonable United States tariffs, all tend to make ?possible a competitive market and a fair wellhead price.

Jan 1, 1958

By F. Baerhold, S. Mitterecker

"Acid recovery is an important process step in pickling and leaching processes. Pyrohydrolysis in spray roasters and fluidized beds is a well-established technology to recover hydrochloric acid, but the hydrolysis in the liquid phase is more and more considered as an alternative new process route. The characteristic features of these three processes will be discussed along with select industry trends. For example, hydrochloric acid based leaching processes for ilmenite and nickel laterite ores produce far larger volumes of waste acid streams than the steel industry. Scaling-up of the spray roasting technology to the highest possible capacity is necessary in order to become more cost effective. In addition, process routes based on ferric chloride pyrohydrolysis allow the production of super-azeotropic HCl (up to 30 wt.%). Finally, the new ECOmode concept optimizes the operation of both pickling lines and the spray roast acid recovery plant. Long term results from industrial applications show that fuel savings in the spray roaster of 25% are easily achieved without additional process steps. An attractive feature is also to upgrade existing installations to higher plant capacities.INTRODUCTION Pyrohydrolysis is the conversion of metal halides into metal oxides at elevated temperatures in the presence of water vapor. Reaction products are a hydrogen halide gas and a metal oxide. The process was originally developed and introduced into the market by ANDRITZ Ruthner in the 1960’s. It has found wide technical application in the field of acid recovery and oxide production. The introduction of this process has revolutionized pickling technology. The use of hydrochloric acid has strongly increased over the last decades, since pyrohydrolysis is available for the total recovery of waste pickle liquors from mild steel pickling, as illustrated in Figure 1.Chloride media are also used increasingly in the metallurgical industry. Oxide production processes for Mg, Co, Ni, and Al have been installed. Processes using hydrochloric acid are known for the leaching of ores as well as for the re-extraction of metals from organic solvents. In both cases the recycling of HCl is of substantial importance to achieve highly economic processes and to reduce waste."

Jan 1, 2016

By W. L. Bancroft, Peter Price

"What is now known as the 'Waite section' of the property of Waite Amulet Mines, Limited, was originally the Waite-Ackerman-Montgomery mine. It includes a group of twenty-eight claims lying on either side of the Duprat-Dufresnoy township line, and about 8 miles north-northwest of Noranda, Quebec. ,The original discovery of ore on the property was made by Thomas Montgomery in Block Q, Duprat township, and was staked by him on behalf of himself, I. C. Waite, and C. H. Ackerman, in the summer of 1925. The property was optioned late in 1925 to N. A. Timmins who, after trenching and drilling the deposit, sold his 85 per cent interest to Noranda Mines, Limited. Early in 1927, a company known as Waite-Ackerman-Montgomery Mines, Limited, was formed and shaft sinking and development undertaken. Production commenced in August, 1928, ·and continued tJ May, 1930, when, owing to falling metal prices, shipment of direct smelting ore was stopped. Development of the mine by shaft sinking, drifting, and drilling continued until March, 1932, when owing to the prolonged low price of metals, the property was closed down. In September, 1933, an amalgamation with Amulet Mines, Limited, was effected, the new company being called Waite Amulet Mines, Limited. Early in 1937 operations were resumed, first by direct shipments to the smelter and later by aerial tramway to the Amulet mill. Operations have been continuous up to the present time, reaching an average of 720 tons a day milled for the year 1940. Production during the initial period (1928-1930) amounted to 75,811 tons, having an average grade of 7 .11 per cent copper, 4.47 per cent zinc, and 0.03 oz. gold and 0.65 oz. silver per ton. During the second period (1937 to end of 1946) , 1,060,524 tons, having an average grade of 4.53 per cent copper, 2.97 per cent zinc, and 0.03 oz. gold and 0.65 oz. silver per ton, were produced."

Jan 1, 1954

By Yoginder P. Chugh

Beginning in 2010, a scientifically-founded water spray system for continuous miners (CMs) has been in development at Southern Illinois University that significantly reduces respirable dust exposure for workers in the face area (patent pending). It includes engineered sprays around the cutting drum, outer bitring sprays, chassis sprays and side cutter boom sprays. About 3.6?4.5 m behind these sprays are additional sprays that cover the area between the CM chassis and the mine roof and ribs. The innovative spray system uses approximately the same volume of water as spray systems currently used on CMs and with similar operating pressures. The innovative spray system design also takes into consideration coal dust wettability. An Illinois mine decided to implement these concepts on a CM during the rebuild stage. Dust control performance of the rebuilt CM was evaluated using gravimetric dust sampling and real-time monitoring with multiple personal dust monitors. The average results based on gravimetric sampling of about 105 cuts show about 30 and 20% reduction in dust exposure for the miner operator and the haulage unit operator, respectively. Visibility in the mining areas was also significantly improved. Since the initial demonstration, the coal company has implemented the system on all of their operating CMs.

Aug 1, 2013

By J. R. CAMERON

Gypsum is mined in all Atlantic Provinces except Prince Edward Island. It is generally thought to have been derived from the hydration of anhydrite in areas of minimal drainage. Late Devonian downwarping and crustal oscillation east of the Appalachian fold belt allowed the Windsor Sea to advance and retreat in a depositional trough and deposit about 1,000 m of sediments in Mississippian time, much of which were evaporites. The best areas for further gypsum development are lowland basins such as the Cape Breton Lowlands, the Hillsborough area of New Brunswick and the St. George's Lowlands in Newfoundland, all of which are already sites of gypsum quarries. Nova Scotia's gypsum is mined from the Lower Windsor Group, which is divided into subzones 'A' and 'B'; 'B' provides most of the province's gypsum production. The Atlantic Provinces gypsum industry has markets from the St. Lawrence waterway to the mouth of the Mississippi River.

Jan 1, 1984

By Jerry Gagnon, Matt Burr, Timothy Ellis, Abbas Mirza, Larry Webb

"The mechanical properties of RSR anode alloys (lead-calcium-tin, 009+ and lead-strontium-tin) were investigated as a function of time with an objective of developing lead anodes for use in high temperature electrolytic processes such as in copper liberator cells and in cobalt and nickel electrowinning. At a temperature of 70 oC, the mechanical properties of rolled RSR lead-calcium-tin (PbCaSn) alloy currently used in copper electrowinning decreased gradually while the mechanical properties of rolled RSR lead-strontium-tin (PbSrSn) decreased relatively quickly and stabilized at low strength levels. Cast PbSrSn started off as the weakest alloy but its properties remained stable with time. Rolled RSR 009+ anode alloy showed improvement in ageing properties over the other alloys tested. However, its mechanical properties did not stabilize in the study timeframe of 284 days. Further investigations are planned to study the effect of alloying elements on mechanical properties of RSR 009+ anode alloy over several years as a function of time at 70 oC. The mechanical properties will be evaluated to determine the time at which they stabilize. Comparative plant trials with rolled RSR PbCaSn and RSR 009+ will also be performed in copper liberator cells and in cobalt and nickel electrowinning tankhouses to determine their mechanical and electrochemical performance at temperatures of 65-75 oC.INTRODUCTIONLead-based alloys are the primary anodes used in the electrowinning of copper, zinc, nickel, cobalt and manganese from sulfate-based aqueous systems. Lead anode technology has evolved over the years migrating from pure lead and lead-antimonial alloys to the present day PbCaSn alloys for copper and PbAg and PbCaAg alloys for zinc electrowinning (Prengaman, Ellis and Mirza, 2010). It has also migrated from cast to rolled microstructures in search of improved mechanical properties and higher corrosion resistance. Although great strides have been made in the development of new lead anode alloys and production processes for lead anodes to be used in copper electrowinning, the industry still has some unresolved issues. These relate to the necessity of having higher mechanical properties especially for the lead anodes in liberator cells in copper electrorefining and for cobalt and nickel electrowinning as these tankhouses operate at temperatures of 65-75 oC compared to 40-45 oC in case of copper electrowinning."

Jan 1, 2016

By L. Szecowka, M. Poskart, Siwka M. . J.

Oxides of nitrogen, created during combustion, are the most hazardous components of atmospheric pollution. However, it is possible to limit the negative influence of hazardous components on the natural environment. An experimental appartatus was built to determine the influence of the following "primary methods" on the reduction in concentration of NOx: air staging, reburning and flue gas recirculation. The influence of the simultaneous usage of the primary methods on reduction in NOx emissions was also examined. A significant increase in the efficiency of NOx reduction was achieved in two cases.

Jan 1, 2004

By J. Ga?parík

The optimal selection of machine or machine group for building processes is very important role of building planner during the process of building planning. During this process building planner have to analyze several factors influencing the final effective decision concerning this problem. There are several factors and criteria for effective selection of building machines. In our contribution there are analyzed: ability of machines to realize designed building process (quality aspect), duration of mechanized process (time aspect) and minimizing of energy consumption (cost and environmental aspect). Selected scientific methods and theories of problem solution can be divided into these groups: theory of system (creation of building machine selection method), multi-criteria optimizing method (analysis of mechanized building process from the point of more optimal criteria), queuing theory (application during the mathematical modeling of mechanized soil processes), method of scientific analysis (analysis of factors influencing final decisions), method of scientific synthesis (creation of optimizing method implemented into building processes and possible application in construction sector). Multi-criteria optimizing method were during our research work implemented into soil processes and selected building group machines (excavators and trucks), which are very often used in construction and mining processes. This method can be considered as a multi-level decision making process based on multiple parameters. In our contribution is presented key mathematical models for model example solution and software built in Java, which has been created as a support for method described in this contribution. Application of this method and software will increase the effectiveness of building machine selection from the point of key criteria of optimizing: quality, time and energy consumption.

Aug 1, 2013

By I. M. Masters

Iron removal and control in processes employing pressure leaching technologies developed at Dynatec Corporation are reviewed. Discussions are focused on recent developments in the processing of nickel-copper matte and copper concentrates, and on the Ambatovy laterite project in Madagascar. Iron control and its implications on flowsheet design in the pressure acid leaching (PAL) treatment of laterite ores and in the oxidative pressure leaching of mixed nickel-cobalt sulphide intermediates are also discussed.

Jan 1, 2006

By Z. Bibak, S. Banisi, A. Ghasemi, E. Nematollahi

"The major importance of liners in grinding is their role in providing an appropriate trajectory for the charge. Since it is not possible to study the charge movement by direct observation in operating industrial mills, this task is accomplished by physical (laboratory), and/or, mathematical (software) methods. Because of the high cost and a longer time required for a physical analysis, mathematical simulations have become more common. Simulation of the effect of liner shape on the charge movement has provided a means to select a proper design based on the operational objectives and conditions. Furthermore, the liner shape changes due to wear and impact during operation, which will influence the charge trajectory. This adds more of an incentive to use simulation. These changes in liner could be predicted through liner profile measurements during operation and/or simulation. In this research, an inhouse developed DEM software called KMPCDEM © was used to simulate the charge movement in industrial plant SAG mills. A geometrical method of implementing the shell liners on SAG mills at the Sarcheshmeh (9.75×4.87 m) and the Gole-E-Ghohar (9×2.05 m) operations facilitated the software simulation. Point by point implementation of the measurements of liner profiles of these mills enabled the study to trend the change in the charge movement as the liners wear. Comparison of the simulation to a laboratory mill (1 m diameter) showed that the difference between the measured and predicted charge impact point, shoulder angle and toe angle were 6, 4 and 3°, respectively.INTRODUCTIONComminution is the most energy intensive operation constituting the major portion of operating and capital costs of a mineral processing plant. In the last decade, a vast number of research was aimed at studying various aspects of grinding with the aim of performance improvements (Davis, 1919; Mishra & Rajamani, 1990; kalala, Breetzke, & Moys, 2008). Mill liners transfer the input power to the charge and play a significant role in affecting the motion of the charge (Mclvor, 1983; Mishra & Rajamani, 1990; Radziszewski, 1997; Van Nierop, Glover, Hinde, & Moys, 2001; kalala et al., 2008). Lifters are usually used with mill liners to extend their life and to enhance the grinding and impact breakage efficiency. Mill lifters are used to raise the grinding media and ore to transfer the energy from the mill to the load (Rezaeizadeh, Fooladi, Powell, & Weerasekara, 2010)."

Jan 1, 2016

By Steven Chung

Decision Network Modelling in a mining operation represents a complex process environment that is inherently more variable than a processing plant or factory. The uncertain availability of loading locations, haulage paths, loading and hauling equipment, along with inconsistent operator behaviour, cause a relatively large number of upset events that must be recognized, communicated and dealt with by the appropriate management authority. Traditional process maps that represent a deterministic model of the mining process can quickly break down in the face of such a volatile environment. An alternate modelling strategy, composed of decision networks, focuses on the interactions between goal-oriented entities and their environment, allowing system integrators to explicitly determine the information to be exchanged while providing feedback mechanisms that improve system flexibility and decision quality. This ensures a consistent framework for incrementally increasing system automation.

May 1, 2010

"Nanisivik Mines Ltd. operates a 10-M W diesel-electric generating plant at its zinc-lead operation on Baffin Island in the Canadian Arctic. This paper provides a description of the plant and the integrated waste heat recovery system. Data is presented detailing the actual costs of operating a plant over a period of seven years. Problems in operation are described as well as the success of the plant in meeting its objectives over the years. IntroductionNanisivik is located on the shore of Strathcona Sound at the north end of Baffin Island (Fig. I). Nanisivik Mines Ltd. has operated a 2,100 tonne per day zinc-lead underground mine and a concentrator, together with supporting infrastructure, at this location since October 1976. Annual production of 100 000 tonnes of zinc and 10 000 tonnes of lead concentrate is transported by ship to Europe during the mid -July to mid October shipping season.All electrical needs of the project are provided by the company-owned and -operated power plant. Facilities served by this electrical system are the underground mining areas, the concentrator and industrial area, a townsite, airport, and shiploading dock complex."

Jan 1, 1986

By A. Rao, J. A. Davidson, B. L. Jones, K. W. Bowes, D. Craib

Supported by ANSTO, Groundwater Science and Inception Consulting Engineers, Boss has embarked on a series of technical projects aimed at reinforcing the Project’s capability to meet its export permit production capability. This paper will focus on three aspects of this technical program: Reducing the cost of resource expansion through smart use of low cost, surface target generation techniques; Improving the rate of uranium leaching and solution stability (gypsum, jarosite) through lixiviant chemistry modifications; and Development of an ion exchange (IX) process to increase production capacity, and integration of IX and the current solvent extraction circuit with the existing uranium precipitation and product preparation circuits.

Jan 1, 2020

By George C. Riley

While the general public has little knowledge or appreciation of either the mining or explosives industries, modern civilization could not exist without them. They are to-day the key industries of the world. In common with many other industries the demands of the war greatly stimulated the production of explosives and the research necessary for such increased production. Production, supplies of all kinds, munitions of all sorts and then again production, practically regardless of cost, were the first reactions to the imperative war demands of the governments of the world. Following the war there was a momentary lull, then first gradually but with quickening acceleration, particularly in a recent slump, the situation was reversed - cost and not production was the dominant factor. Some industries readjusted themselves very rapidly and completely. Others were but partially re-adjusted and others again only carried out the process of deflation in certain departments. The explosives industry in Canada has not only thoroughly deflated itself, but has learned to apply to commercial disruptive explosives, the best, most efficient and most economical methods of manufacturing developed during the war. As a consequence, miners have at their disposal to-day better and more different kinds of compressed energy than ever before in all the long history of mining.

Jan 1, 1925

By D. B. Felsher

"Lakeshore Gold’s Bell Creek Mill is located in Timmins, Ontario. The mill has been in operation since 2009 and has undergone several small expansions since then. In 2012 - 2013 the first major mill expansion was commissioned raising the mill capacity from 2,000tpd to 3,150tpd. This was done through the installation of a new ROM ore truck dumping facility, jaw crusher, ore storage dome, SAG mill, leach tank, CIL tank, and electrowinning cell. This paper will cover the equipment installed to raise the tonnage as well as the commissioning of the new equipment including problems encountered and how these problems were solved.IntroductionLake Shore Gold acquired the Bell Creek Mill, along with the Bell Creek Mine, from the Porcupine Gold Mines Joint Venture, a joint venture between Goldcorp Canada Ltd. and Kinross Gold Corporation, in December 2007.The Bell Creek mill, which processed ore from the Bell Creek Mine has consistently achieved recoveries of over 95%, is a conventional gold mill circuit, involving crushing and two stage ball mill grinding, gravity and leaching, followed by Carbon-In-Pulp (CIP) process for gold recovery. The facility had been placed on care and maintenance in 2002. At the beginning of 2009, the mill had been refurbished with an initial capacity of 800 tonnes per day and was subsequently refurbished to a capacity of 1,500 tonnes per day near the end of the third quarter of that year. The Mill was then expanded in 2010 to a capacity of 2,000 tonnes per day.In late 2011, the Company commenced a 50% expansion of its milling facility, from a processing capacity of 2,000 tonnes per day to 3,150 tonnes per day. Phase 1 of the expansion, which mainly involved enhancements to the solution circuit (“back end”) and increased the mill’s capacity to 2,500 tonnes per day, was completed at the end of 2012. Commissioning of Phase 2 of the expansion, to a capacity of 3,150 tonnes per day, commenced at the end of July 2013."

Jan 1, 2015

By A. Sutherland Brown

"The Red Rose Mine is in the Rocher Deboule Range, 8 miles south of Hazelton. The mill camp (elevation 4,000 feet) is on Red Rose Creek, 11 miles by road from Skeena Crossing. The mine camp is one mile northeast and 1,600 feet above the mill camp on a spur of Red Rose Peak.The Red Rose mine was described in the Jubilee Volume, Structural Geology of Canadian Ore Deposits (Davis, pp. 129-131), but regional geology and mine development have progressed to a stage at which a more complete description is possible.The property was first located in 1912, and for the next 7 years was prospected actively for gold and copper on the southern extension of the Red Rose shear. Scheelite was first discovered in the vein in the northern part of the shear in 1923. The Consolidated Mining and Smelting Company of Canada, Limited optioned the property in 1939, and after a drilling program in 1940 the present mine development was initiated in the vein in the northern part of the shear. A 75-ton-per-day mill started operating early in 1942 and continued until 1943. The property was inactive until 195 l, when Western Tungsten Copper Mines Limited leased the property from The Consolidated Mining and Smelting Company of Canada, Limited. A mill, which later was enlarged to 140 tons per day, started operations at the end of 1951. The mine and mill were closed in December, 1954.The mine has twelve levels and sub1evels, and most of the workings are in the plane of the vein (see Figure 2a). The level interval is not constant, but between the lower four levels is 87 feet (100 feet in the plane of the vein). Access is provided by four adits; the 800 (elevation 5,659 feet), 600 (5,920 feet), 300 (6, 133 feet) and 200 levels (6,237 feet). The 600 level is the main haulage, and from it the ore is transported to the mill by aerial tram. From this level an inclined shaft extends in the vein to the lowest level (I, 100)."

Jan 1, 1949

By Raymond D. Potts

"Minntac is a taconite mining, concentrating and pelletizing operation located near the town of Mountain Iron, Minnesota, U.S.A. It is totally owned and operated by USX Corporation and represents its largest source of domestic iron units. Minntac began producing fluxed pellets in 1988 and has produced both acid and fluxed pellets since then. This paper compares the acid and fluxed pellets produced at Minntac. It reviews modifications that have been made to the plant flowsheet and discusses areas recognized for improvement since the beginning of fluxed pellet production. It also comments briefly on the performance of Minntac fluxed pellets in USX blast furnaces and the future of fluxed pellets at Minntac.IntroductionMinntac was built in three steps with each step designed to produce 6 million long tons of acid pellets per year. The actual production has varied though. Figure I shows the production by year at Mirmtac. Step I began production in 1967, Step 2 in 1972 and Step 3 in 1978. Mirmtac produced 16.5 million tons in 1979 but only 3.5 million tons in 1982 when the facility was shut down for six months because of the lack of demand for pellets. Since the initial start up, Mirmtac has produced over 200 million long tons of pellets. Until 1987, all the pellets produced were ""acid"" pellets. In 1987, equipment to produce ""fluxed"" pellets was installed and tested. In 1988, full scale production of fluxed pellets began."

Jan 1, 1991

By R. D. Brown

"Finance Minister Donald Macdonald's budget of May 25, 1976 featured a restructuring of the anti-inflation profit controls and a grab bag of tax changes, some of direct interest to the mining industry. All Canadian taxpayers now will be permitted to write off immediately 100% of mineral and oil and gas exploration expenses included after• May 25, 1976 and before July 1 1979. The cost of acquitting Canadian resource property after May 6, 197.4 from a federal or provincial government will now clearly be included in Canadian development expense, and provincial drilling and exploration incentives received after May 25, 1976 will not reduce exploration and development expense for federal income tax purposes. Under tough new anti-inflation profit controls, all controlled businesses, except distributions, will essentially have one uniform set of rules for• determining allowable profit margins; this allowable margin will be determined by product line or by over-all net margin and will be 85% of the higher of the margin obtained in the five years preceding October• 13, 1975 or the one year preceding May 1, 1976. The basic capital cost allowance system is to continue, but many rates will be revised. The ability to offset losses created through claiming capital cost allowances on leased equipment, etc. against other income will be ended with respect to transactions entered into a/te1• budget night. Miscellaneous other tax changes will raise the low rate base for Canadian-controlled private corporations to $750,000 increase retitement plan contribution limits and reduce the rate of branch tax imposed on branches of corporations resident in a country with which Canada has a comprehensive tax treaty to equal the withholding tax rate on dividends under that treaty."

Jan 1, 1976

By M. Sukhram

In the year 1992, T.A. Utigard published a paper titled "The measurement of the heat-transfer coefficient between high temperature liquids and solid surfaces." In that work, he instrumented an agglomerate of materials with thermocouples to infer the heat transfer coefficient of a high temperature liquid on a solid. The purpose of that research was to help in the design and operation of metallurgical reactors. Since that time there have been many researchers that have worked to characterize heat, mass, and momentum transfer phenomena in high temperature metallurgical processing operations. This paper presents results from the author’s experience with instrumenting thermocouples in copper elements coated with carbon to infer velocity of high temperature liquid metals. It also presents a methodology to determine velocity of a high temperature liquid by inferring the local heat transfer coefficient at a solid-liquid interface

Jan 1, 2015

By John W. Korczak

The use of geological and grade block models has been standard practice in mine design for many years now, with a wide range of software available for creation and analysis. Although geotechnical parameters are of vital importance to mine planning there is very little in the way of commercially available systems for integrating geotechnical data into the mine planning and design process. Sirovision is a new technology developed by the CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization) in Australia for automated, safe and accurate 3D mapping of geological and geotechnical features. Datamine has integrated this capability into its product range so that Sirovision has become an integral part of the day-to-day mapping, mine geology and geological / geotechnical modeling in both open pit and underground mine environments. This is the first integrated underground application of Sirovision from Datamine collaboration with Xstrata Nickel at the Nickel Rim South Project. This paper discusses the role of Sirovision in collecting the raw data required for geological and geotechnical analysis and the interpretation in a quick, safe, auditable and reproducible manner.

May 1, 2009