Search Documents

By F. Flores

With the World Summit for Sustainable Development planned for 2002 in mind, nine of the world's largest mining companies decided to initiate a project to examine the role of the minerals sector in contributing to sustainable development, and how that contribution could be increased ? the Mining, Minerals and Sustainable Development Project (MMSD). This project assumed from the start that sustainable development could provide a useful framework to guide the minerals sector which main goal was integrating economic activity with environmental integrity, social concerns, and effective governance systems. The broad steps of MMSD project strategy can be grouped into four major categories: increase understanding of sustainable development; create organizational-level policies and management systems for implementing the principles of sustainable development; collaborate with others with common interests to take joint steps towards sustainable development, and; increase our ability to work towards sustainable development at the local, national, and global levels. In opinion of the article's author, to go ahead with the MMSD strategy and achieving the sustainable development objectives, it is necessary to consider the concept of self-organization, fundamental of the emergent new scientific paradigm, and the consequent epistemology and values that conform a supporting culture for sustainable development.

Jan 1, 2007

By C. E. St. Denis

"Training Program at Sherritt Gordon's Ruttar:. ConcentratorA formal training program for mill operators is being developed and employed at Sherritt Gordon's Ruttan Concentrator. The program was set up to fulfil the needs created by a shortage of skilled reliable labour, a 200% turnover of personnel within the first six months of operation and the rapid advances in mineral processing technology. All new employees are introduced into the Mill Department through an orientation program designed to familiarize them with the operation of the plant. All training and orientation of new employees is the responsibility of a. small training section consisting of two training foremen and one assistant. Using a combination of classroom and supervised on the job training, the training times have been cut by at least one half. High operating standards have been set and are maintained through the use of detailed manuals for each work area and competent instruction at all operating levels. The major portion of training costs arise from the salaries of the training staff but are negligible when compared to the improved recoveries, smaller turnover and less downtime. Government assistance is available to all industrial employers to offset the costs of training employees."

Jan 1, 1974

By P. Nelson

Extending the campaign life of the Mitsubishi furnaces at Xstrata Copper's Kidd Metallurgical Division Copper Smelter has been a major focus of attention for many years. One aspect of this effort is real time monitoring to detect abnormal conditions and safely shut the furnaces down before significant damage occurs. Traditional real time methods of monitoring the integrity of refractory furnaces containing molten metal include alarms on individual temperatures of the refractory or cooling water. The need to set alarm limits which are not exceeded across the range of normal operating conditions leads to a system that only provides a limited warning, if any, before a failure occurs. Integrity monitoring systems that look at many different signals and alarm only changes in the relationships between the signals have been implemented on the smelting and converting furnaces. The systems are based on principle components analysis (PCA) models and implemented with the monitorMV software package. These provide much more sensitive and selective alarms so that changes in integrity are alarmed well in advance of any event. At a critical alarm level, the converting furnace is set to automatically shut down so that operating and technical personnel can review the situation. The configuration of the systems and operating experience with them will be discussed.

Jan 1, 2007

By W. A. Lang

COAL of sub-bituminous rank underlies much of the plains area of Alberta. This coal is geo-logically young, and occurs in Belly River and Edmonton strata of Up-per Cretaceous age. Generally, the seams are flat-lying, but in some areas they may dip as much as 5 degrees. The overburden, composed mainly of glacial clays and sand-stones, may vary in depth from a few feet to several thousand feet. Recovery of the coal has 'been by drift, slope, and shaft underground mines, and by open-pit stripping operations. Production has been obtained from a large number of mines, most of which have been relatively small and with preparation equipment limited to a loading tipple with screening facilities, and a picking belt where high-ash materials can be removed from the larger sizes. The coal has been sold for domestic and industrial space-heating, for production of process steam, and for power generation. In re-cent years competition from natural gas, propane, and oil has seriously interfered with the production and marketing of sub-bituminous coal, especially with the disposal of the smaller sizes at a realistic price.

Jan 1, 1958

By Alfred E. Pugsley

PAYMASTER CONSOLIDATED MINES, LIMITED, began an investigation into the economy and use of detachable bit drill-steel in June, 1937. This investigation has continued to the present time, and was made necessary by transportation and distribution difficulties that had arisen through the use of standard steel in three widely separated mine areas serviced by a central steel-sharpening shop. Detachable bit drill-steel performance was first studied in the workings of No. 2 mine, where the rock being drilled was composed mainly of porphyry or tourmaline, and where standard drill-steel transportation costs had been excessive. The results obtained in this early work definitely established the economy of detachable bit drill-steel at No. 2 mine. This conclusion was reached when the 're-grind' system of re-sharpening dulled detachable bits was 1n use. Preliminary observations on the performance of detachable bit drill-steel in the quartz-carbonate veins of No. S and No. 6 mines gave encouraging results, and warranted a large-scale investigation under practical mining conditions. All drilling operations were gradually changed over to use of detachable bit drill-steel. This change was completed by February, 1938.

Jan 1, 1939

By N. Katsikaros, R. Agius, B. Adaszynski

"With stricter limits globally being imposed on cyanide discharge levels in plant tailings, having a reliable and well designed cyanide detoxification circuit is critical for any operation. The INCO SO2/Air method is most commonly used for cyanide detoxification where sulfur dioxide and oxygen combine to oxidize cyanide to the much less toxic cyanate. This paper discusses the steps involved with the development, from laboratory through to design, of a robust cyanide detoxification circuit. The goal is to produce a cyanide detox circuit that reliably meets discharge target with the lowest operating and capital cost.Design begins in the laboratory where continuous tests simulate full scale operation of a detoxification circuit. Detailed design relies on several design parameters, based on theory and experience, to ensure the reactor can satisfy requirements of the cyanide destruction reaction. Selection of the correct reagents and their supply to the reactor is important to an operable process with minimal operator workload. The operability of the system relies on correct process control strategies to maintain optimal reagent addition and chemical conditions in the reactor. These design factors are critical to providing a robust plant that will consistently meet cyanide discharge levels, ensuring uninterrupted production and plant profitability."

Jan 1, 2014

By John G. McCamis

The Maritimes Carboniferous Basin is the largest intermontane basin in the Appalachian Mountain System, occupying a total area of 57,200 square miles and containing up to 30,000 feet of late Devonian through Permian .sediments. Deposition began with continental elastics in late Devonian and early Mississippian. Marine deposition is represented by a limestone-evaporite sequence of late Mississippian age. Pennsylvanian and Permian continental rocks deposited largely in flood-plain and swamp environments complete the succession. Marine seismic data disclose several varieties of structure, both halokinetic and tectonic in origin. Recent exploratory drilling in the offshore part of the Basin encountered good reservoir rocks in the Riversdale sandstones, which also provided encouraging shows. The most likely source rocks of hydro~ arbons in the Maritimes Basin are shales in the Horton and Riversdale groups. Potential recoverable reserves of the Maritimes Basin are estimated to be 400 million barrels of oil or 7.8 trillion cubic feet of gas, based on the volume-of-sediment method of calculation.

Jan 1, 1973

By R. N. Chakravorty

Environmental monitoring plays a key role in coal mine safety. In recent years, significant advances have been made in the development of systems suitable for monitoring air in underground coal mines. Because of intensive mining and large capital outlay, the need for higher productivity consistent with safety is well recognized and it appears that environmental monitoring may help achieve this objective. This paper reviews the state-of- the-art in the monitoring technology with particular reference to hazardous gas detection in underground coal mines. The preliminary results obtained from ongoing studies, with regard to continuous monitoring of methane and carbon monoxide in mine air in some of the operations in Western Canada, are discussed. The inadequacies of the methods using spot samples are examined and the need to supplement the present practice with continuous monitoring systems is emphasized.

Jan 1, 1979

By J. W. Spyker, D. H. Filson, W. H. W. Husband

"Large deposits of sodium sulphate exist in southern Saskatchewan in the brines or muddy crystal beds of alkali Jakes. Currently, more than 300,000 tons per year of sodium sulphate are produced from these lakes and sold as salt cake to the paper industry. Most of the production is obtained from the brines of a limited number of Jakes.The Saskatchewan Research Council was requested to develop a process for recovering sodium sulphate from the muddy crystal beds so that this type of deposit could be exploited in the future. A flowsheet was developed with the aid of phase diagram data and the process was studied on a pilot-plant scale using raw material from three different lakes. Satisfactory yields and product purities were obtained in all cases, and an economic analysis indicated that a 100,000-ton-per-year sodium sulphate plant could produce salt cake at a cost of $12.26 per ton for a rate of return upon investment of 16 per cent at current market prices."

Jan 1, 1966

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

An advanced laboratory-scale weathering apparatus has been developed at McGill University to study the effects of weathering (ambient temperature oxidation) on the self-heating of sulphides. Previous work by the authors has shown that the problematic self-heating of sulphides is inherently linked to the degree of oxidation (weathering) of the minerals: un-oxidized active sulphides exhibit little or no self-heating while the same material when weathered can generate extensive self-heating bringing temperatures well above 100 0C. In this study the effects of environmental conditions (weathering time, ambient temperature, sample moisture, relative humidity, and oxygen content) were evaluated with respect to the self-heating response of a pentlandite-pyrrhotite nickel sulphide concentrate.

Jan 1, 2015

By Paul Hammond

Abstract The Allard Lake ilmenite deposits, which are currently being developed on a large scale, occur as a series of dykes or lenticular, flat-lying bodies within the northeastern part of a large, oval shaped anorthosire mass of Precarnbrian age which lies with its long axis paralleling the gulf of St. Lawrence. The Lac Tio deposit, discovered by Kennco Explorations, Limited, in 1946, is the largest body of titanium ore of its type now known in the world. It contains upwards of 112,000,000 short tons of ilmenite ore averaging 32 per cent TiO2 and 36 per cent Fe. The ore is an aggregate of ilmenite with oriented microscopic blades of hematite. The deposits appear to be high temperature, late magmatic injections containing only a small amount of volatiles, and bear a genetic relationship to the anorthosite rocks in which they occur. * * * Introduction Recent developments on the ilmenite deposits in the Allard Lake district of Quebec indicate the probability of a major industry, and one which may make Canada the world's greatest producer of titanium pigments and, ultimately, of titanium metal. The presence of ilmenite in this district was first reported by the Quebec Department of Mines following a reconnaissance shore-line geological survey in the year 1941. The ensuing report by Retty describes the occurrence of a number of small ilmenite lenses about the shore of Allard lake and' along two smaller lakes in the vicinity. These showings were later staked by Toronto and Montreal interests who carried out a certain amount of development work, and were described in more detail by Longley for the Quebec Department of Mines. The claim groups were later optioned by Kennco Explorations, Limited, Canadian subsidiary of Kennecott Copper. None of the deposits in themselves constituted a sufficiently large body of ore to warrant the major construction expenditures necessary for their exploitation on a profitable basis. The surrounding anorthosite areas, however, were considered favourable for the possible occurrence of other ilmenite deposits

Jan 1, 1949

By Richard Poulin

Rehabilitation of mined out areas is often enforced by environmental bonding. It is usually assumed that this process provides financial assurance that rehabilitation will be carried out as agreed at the permitting stage. Shortcomings of the current practice in environmental bonding for mining are reviewed. Of particular importance for the public, for governments and for the environment is the absence of protection against cost overruns and companies defaulting before the bond amount is entirely paid. Elements of solution are identified through the emergence of environmental insurance as a complement to bonding for cost overruns and defaults. A cover of environmental catastrophes could also be added, hence reducing the risk for the public and the environment. We examine the merit of creating a captive insurance company under the responsibility of the mining industry. The use of insurance techniques would incorporate a genuine risk management dimension to the financing of rehabilitation.

May 1, 2004

By Neil Campbell

"The gently-dipping Devonian dolomite beds south of Great Slave lake in northern Canada are nearly every-where concealed by a cover of glacial drift and muskeg. Nevertheless, in 1898 or earlier, four small outcropping areas of dolomite, richly mineralized with lead and zinc sulphides, were discovered. Exploration work performed here up to the end of 1930, included intensive trenching and drilling of the showings, together with mapping and wide-spaced drilling in the surrounding region. This work proved that the discoveries are isolated pockets of mineralization much too small to be commercially valuable by themselves. No evidence of orebodies elsewhere was reported.Meanwhile, mapping by the G.S.C. in the Shield far to the east disclosed major Precambrian faults, some of which can be projected southwesterly (under a cover of Paleozoic sediments) to the vicinity of Pine Point. During the period from 1940 to 1947, consideration was given, by The Consolidated Mining and Smelting Company Ltd., to evidence of a theoretical possibility that, although apparently dormant in Paleozoic times, these faults may have provided a structural control and a source of ore-bearing solutions in some post-Devonian period. From this, it was postulated that the breaks might have created, in the overlying dolomite, a linear array of orebodies concealed by overburden but lying in a belt of considerable length and in a position predictable within practical limits. A program of drilling designed to test and exploit this specific concept was conducted from 1948 to 1955.he drilling within the new, theoretically-defined search area resulted in the discovery of many lead-zinc ore-bodies, none of which was exposed at the surface. Some of these are large and (as indicated by 1965 production records) very rich. They are situated 1 to several miles distant from, and apparently not connected to, the earlier-known surface discoveries. The drilling also disclosed that the ore, which consists of disseminated sphalerite and galena replacements together with colloform sphalerite and coarse galena cavity fillings, occurs mainly at certain stratigraphic horizons within a large, coarsely-recrystallized dolomite barrier reef. Considerable fracturing and folding was found. It has been suggested that reef development was influenced by post-Precambrian tectonic movements associated with the old faults in the basement complex. The ore may have been deposited by solutions moving from distant sources to favourable structural and chemical environments in or related to the reef.In more recent exploration performed in the course of preparing for mining production, the rate of ore discovery within the same general geological context has been greatly accelerated by the use of new geophysical techniques and drilling equipment. Reserves of 21.5 million tons, averaging 4 per cent lead and 7.2 per cent zinc, were reported in 1965, and production from open pits at the rate of approximately 248,000 tons of concentrates per year is in progress"

Jan 1, 1966

By Joseph Bradley

THROUGHOUT this article, minerals used in the paint industry are designated 'pigments'. They may be classified in two groups: (1) Pigments which are used in the state in which they occur in nature, requiring only mechanical preparation. (2) Pigments which require heating or chemical treatment before use, in order to obtain from them a product of the desired quality or shade of colour. They may be further classified according to colour, as follows: White Pigments .-These include calcium carbonate (chalk, marble), gypsum and alabaster, kaolin-or china-clay, and magnesia. However, the white pigments most extensively used are compounds prepared chemically from minerals containing lead, zinc, titanium, and antimony. The white pigments are of particular importance because, not only are they used by themselves, but they also serve as adjuncts to other colours for the production of special shades. Yellow Pigments.-These are mainly naturally occurring ferric hydroxides, as limonite and bog iron ore, or similar. compounds prepared artificially. Brown Pigments .-Pigments of this group are distinguished for their beauty and depth of colour, and many of them are used in the finest of paintings. Familiar names are sienna, umber, and Vandyke brown. They are for the most part ferric hydroxides, containing varying amounts of water; but the group also includes a manganese brown, which consists chiefly of a mixture of oxide and hydroxide of manganese. Red Pigments.-Chief among this group is ferric oxide, known under various trade-names, such as Canadian red, Persian red, etc., and also the much prized and somewhat rare vermilion. The pigment used is either naturally occurring hematite, de-hydrated limonite, or artificially produced red ferric oxide.

Jan 1, 1937

By Z. Jun, L. Kerning

Jinlong copper smelter and refinery, originally designed for 100,000tpa primary copper and started up in 1997, has been expanding its capacity on the basis of operational optimization and by modifying its facilities. Currently it is producing 210,000tpa primary copper, and the new phase of expansion project with a target capacity of 350,000tpa primary copper is ongoing. This paper reviews problems and improvements made with operation and equipment in the past years. Recent plant operation is briefly described. The expansion projects completed are summarized and the ongoing expansion project is present.

Jan 1, 2007

By A. H. Mumin, A. Prikhodko

"This paper provides an understanding of interpreting and evaluating airborne time domain electromagnetic (TEM) surveys as applied to massive sulfide exploration. Variations in the conductive morphologies of massive sulfide ore systems are discussed, followed by forward modelling exercises examining the derived TEM response to these morphologies and discussion of the subtleties of data interpretation. Deposit morphology in the orientation at formation and the variations occurring due to later deformation are considered. Images of corresponding resistivity–depth models are provided. The combined modelling results provide a low-cost method for initial interpretation and screening of TEM anomalies. RÉSUMÉ Cet article nous permet de mieux comprendre l’interprétation et l’évaluation des levés élec-tromagnétiques aéroportés en domaine temporel (TDEM, de l’anglais time-domain electromagnetic) appliqués à l’exploration du sulfure massif. Y sont débattues les variations au niveau des morphologies conductrices des systèmes de minéralisation du sulfure massif, suivies d’exercices de modélisation prospective qui examinent la réponse dérivée des TDEM à ces morphologies et d’une discussion sur les subtilités de l’interprétation des données. L’étude envisage la morphologie de l’orientation originelle non déformée des gisements ainsi que les variations résultant d’une déformation ultérieure. Des images des modèles correspondants de résistivité-profondeur sont fournies. Les résultats combinés relatifs à la modélisation proposent une méthode peu onéreuse d’interprétation et de contrôle initiaux des anomalies dans les TDEM.INTRODUCTION Electromagnetic geophysical surveys are an indispensable foundation of many mineral exploration programs and can account for as much as half of the predrilling exploration costs. Quantitative mass interpretation of the survey results remains difficult due to the infinite variation of deposit morphologies, their complex physical properties, and the presence of barren conductive materials that can mimic or mask the response of targeted ore. Many modern geophysical investigations that focus on time domain electromagnetic (TEM) data interpretations are devoted to problems with inversion and modelling and their algorithms. Although a few of these investigations have resulted in commercial software products, these require highly qualified and experienced users and usually include geometric assumptions. Furthermore, without the input of known physical properties and geometric constraints, the inversion results are highly ambiguous. A number of case studies document the geophysical responses to known targets in well-defined and diverse geo-electrical environments, providing a high degree of correlation between field obser-vation and the results of the modelling used in this style of investigation (Hone, 1980; Schneider & Emerson, 1980; Tyne, Idnurm, & Malone, 1981; Bishop & Lewis, 1992; Hopgood & Hungerford, 1994; Meju, 2002; Yang & Oldenburg, 2016). The uniqueness of the target/environment parameters and their specific features limits the use logy is poorly understood. The responses are therefore that are devoid of complicating environmental factors (e.g., highly conductive overburden and hostrocks or nonuniform target conductivity) as a first approach to the interpretation process of such case studies as the main reference for interpreting TEM survey responses in areas where the underlying geomodelled from generalized and typical geological models"

Jan 1, 2018

By P. Au, P. Patnaik, H. Saari, D. Y. Seo, S. Bulmer

Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb-xW (where x = 0, 0.5, and 1 at. %) powders were consolidated by hot isostatic pressing (HIP). The consolidated samples were solution heat treated above the a-transus followed by stepped cooling to room temperature. Selected samples were subsequently aged at 950 °C for up to 72 hours. The post-heat treatment microstructure was examined by optical and electron microscopy. It was found that increasing holding time above the a-transus generated a more homogenous microstructure. Utilizing the stepped cooling sequence, especially with a transition temperature of 1270 °C, massively transformed gamma (Ym) was diminished. Aging caused coarsening of the fully lamellar microstructure in the 0%W and 0.5%W samples while almost no coarsening occurred in the 1 % W sample. Precipitates began to form during aging in samples containing W. The precipitates at the lamellar interfaces are fine and have a needle like shape, while precipitates at the lamellar grain boundaries are coarse and circular in shape. The size and number of the precipitates depend on aging time and the level ofW content.

Jan 1, 2006

By W. L. Uglow

In recent years, the microscope has come to be recognized as a valuable aid to engineers whose business is the discovery, development, concentration or reduction of metallic ores. In many of the large treatment plants microscopical research has already an important status; and in the hands of efficient operators the microscope has indicated methods of solving ore problems resulting in the saving of thousands of dollars that otherwise might have been lost in tailings, or expended in freight rates or smelter charges. Failure to procure all the information that the microscope can supply concerning the physical and mineralogical characteristics of complex ores has in many cases led to the construction of unsuitable concentrators, just as the failure to investigate in detail the geological conditions of an ore deposit has often results in the squandering of money on shaft sinking, and mechanical installations which subsequent development of the deposit failed to justify. The great progress recently made in the selective separation of minerals by means of the various processes of flotation and leaching brings strongly to our attention, the scope of the field in which microscopical methods may be advantageously employed. The microscope enables one to observe the minute details of rock, ore, gangue, concentrate, tailing, matte, slag and metal, that are invisible to the naked eye. Furthermore, the technique of microscopal research has been so highly developed that a microscopist can not only observe, but deter-mine the compositions and measure the diameters of the mineral constituents in the ore to be treated. Magnifications of these constituents up to 3,000 diameters may be produced by the proper combination of eyepiece, objective, and projection apparatus, and the images thus viewed may be photographed through the microscope, and permanent records made of them.

Jan 1, 1924

By D. Nower

"The supply of copper is expected to be at a large deficit in 2012. To recover from these deficits mining companies are required to maximize production and there is no better way to accomplish this than to optimize the use of their mobile mining equipment fleets. To optimize these fleets, each equipment type has to be monitored in its own unique way. Automation would not only improve production, but also minimize the safety risks and eliminate planning errors. The automated vibration monitoring of multiple systems on the shovel can determine the machine’s condition at all times. This reduces unplanned downtime and keeps critical shovels in production. This paper will discuss the details of how shovels can be successfully monitored, continuously. INTRODUCTIONP&H Mining, part of Joy Global, is the world’s largest manufacturer of above-ground mining equipment. Its electric rope shovels, such as Figure 1, with capacities up to 115 tons (104.3 metric tons), are used for high production loading in surface mines; its draglines, such as Figure 2, have bucket capacities to 160 cubic yards (122 cubic meters). P&H also produces blasthole drills, mobile mining crushers and other essential mining equipment. Headquartered in Milwaukee, WI, the company does business on every continent, except Antarctica. ECONOMIC FACTORSDue to the global demands for metals and power, mines are required to operate at full capacity. Mine operations cannot afford any critical assets to shutdown unexpectedly; depending on the ore type and quality, downtime for a single shovel can be as much as $300,000 per hour.Electric rope shovels are one of the most critical assets in open pit mining. They are very large, complex machines with DC or AC motors, multiple reduction gearboxes (some of them complex planetary) and multiple large rolling element bearings. This complexity, combined with the tough 24/7 service, results in too much unplanned shovel downtime, which can affect the entire downstream process."

Jan 1, 2012

By J. J. Brummer

The possibility of diamonds occurring in Canada was first raised by W. H. Hobbs in 1899, who concluded: "that the apex of the fan of diamond distribution probably lies somewhere in the strip of the territory bordering James Bay on the east." This was based on the occurrence of diamonds in surficial sediments at various locations south of the Great Lakes. There are two recorded discoveries of drift diamonds in Ontario: (a) the Peterborough Diamond, 33 carats in size, poorly documented and found sometime before 1920;and (b) the Jarvi Diamond, 0.255 carat, found during 1971 in Sheraton Township near Timmins . Both discoveries were in surficial sediments and their source(s) have not been located. During 1960, Selco Exploration Company Ltd. started a heavy-mineral sample program of river gravels in the James Bay Lowlands of Ontario. This was continued by Canadian Rock Company Ltd. (1962-1963) and the Ontario Division of Mines (1973). The surveys discovered the presence of kimberlite minerals in gravel samples from streams draining the Moose River Basin. A total of 53 pyrope grains, four magnesian ilmenites and one grain of chrome diopside were identified from 32 sample locations. A study of the distribution of these minerals suggested the kimberlite source rocks to be located along the north margin or within the Kapuskasing gravity "high" in the area immediately south of James Bay. The Jarvi Diamond, found on an esker east of Timmins, could well have originated from this area. During 1965, an esker was sampled by the Geological Survey of Canada, and the results attracted attention to the area south of Lake Abitibi. At 9 out of 34 sites sampled along the Munro esker, Lee recorded the presence of pyrope garnets and very minor chrome diopside.

Jan 1, 1978