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By Jean-Marie Fecteau

The gold mine sector is presently facing low gold prices as well as technological challenges. Its competitiveness and survival will depend on new mining methods and equipment to improve ore extraction. In 1999, Natural Resources Canada has invested new funds over a period of three years at CANMET?s Experimental Mine to establish the Narrow-Vein Mining Project. A team of engineers and researchers specialised in mining, mechanics and electronics engineering are working to meet the critical need of ore-extraction technology. CANMET?s program in mechanisation and automation for narrow vein mining had, prior to 1999, realised several important achievements, many in co-operation with a consortium of mining companies (Soredem). The investment of new funds in this area will contribute to develop technologies to improve the productivity, as well as health and safety conditions of the narrow vein mining industry. Several important impacts of this project will be monitored. Specifically, a database of methods and equipment used in narrow vein mining is being developed. A key thrust is to identify operators? needs with respect to the development and automation of mining methods and equipment. Based on those needs, research and development projects will be created. The main problems identified following meetings with mine operators are described with a few elements of solution and the Web site created for the broadcast of the results is presented.

Oct 1, 2001

By H. R. Manouchehri

"It is well understood that, apart from particle hydrophobicity, the flotation process is strongly influenced by the cell hydrodynamics. Once the chemical conditions were optimized and fixed, the flotation rate is essentially determined by impeller speed and the air flow rate.The collection efficiency in flotation is a product of collision, attachment and stability/detachment efficiencies. The collision efficiency for a given particle diameter is increased by decreasing the bubble size and bubble velocity as well as increasing the power input to the cell. The attachment efficiency, however, is defined by bubble size and its velocity. The detachment/stability depends on the relative magnitudes of the attachment force between the bubble and particles and the detachment force acting on the bubble-particle aggregates. For the particles having specific contact angle, the stability decreases as the energy input increases. Therefore, there must be an optimum energy dissipation to maximize recover of defined size fraction.A comprehensive laboratory study was devoted to determine the effect of power input in recovery of finely grind Cu-Ni bearing ore. Several flotation tests were conducted to define the hydrodynamic parameters for a laboratory scale Runge cell under different impeller speeds. An increase in flotation recovery of finely ground ore was observed when the impeller speed was increased from 450 to 1,200 rpm. The experimental results have shown increasing in water recovery and improving in flotation kinetics of fines by increasing the power input to the flotation cell. Implementation of the Wark flotation model to the experimental data revealed a good correlation between the experimental data and the model. For the particles having enough hydrophobicity the flotation rate increases by increasing the impeller speed due to a higher value for collision efficiency within the cell."

Jan 1, 2016

By Kenneth L. Norris

Stonegate Agricom Ltd. is currently conducting exploration and development drilling of the Paris Hills Phosphate Project (Paris Hills Project) located in Bear Lake County, southeastern Idaho, 3.2 km west of the towns of Paris and Bloomington, Idaho. The project is located adjacent to a highway and 19 km by paved highway to Montpelier, Idaho where the Union Pacific Railroad system is located. Power and water are available locally. The nearest metropolitan centre is Salt Lake City, Utah approximately 225 km by road to the south-west of the property. The Paris Hills Project encompasses an area of approximately 856 hectares. Property holdings consist of three (3) patented lode mining claims and 16 contiguous fee parcels (some with federal phosphate leases). Active open pit phosphate mining operations are located in surrounding counties in south-east Idaho and are owned and operated by Agrium Inc., Monsanto Company and J.R. Simplot Company. The Paris Hills Project is located near the centre of the Western Phosphate Field which constitutes the most extensive phosphorite beds in the United States. Phosphate beds of the Western Phosphate Field occur within the Phosphoria Formation of Permian age and extend over an area of more than 350,000 km2 including extensive areas of Idaho, Utah, Wyoming and Montana. At Paris Hills the phosphate mineralized beds occur in the overturned limb and the horizontal limb of the Paris Syncline. Grades and thicknesses in both the western overturned limb and the eastern horizontal limb of the anticline are similar. The vast majority of potential mineralization occurs in the horizontal limb which underlies most of the property holdings. Mineralization in the overturned limb has a strike length of over three (3) kilometres and extends from the surface to a depth exceeding 300 m depending on location along the north-trending strike of outcrops. Depths of the horizontal limb range from surface along the north side of Bloomington Canyon to estimated depths of 915 to 1,035 m at Paris Canyon. The property contains an Inferred resource of 109.6 million tonnes at 23.6% P2O5 over two mineralized horizons. The phosphate zones have a strike length of over 3 km and extend from surface to a depth of at least 900 m. Drilling commenced late in the 3rd quarter of 2010 and is planned to continue through 2011. The drilling was planned to target an area of potentially higher grade phosphate mineralization and better define and upgrade the current resources.

May 1, 2011

By Zolfan F. Oszter

As exploration for new mineral deposits advances farther into the Canadian North, the more the design engineer is faced with the problems of cold weather conditions. This is especially true when designing belt conveyor systems for open-pit operations where the temperature in the winter may go to -40°F or below. Problems with the mechanical components and also with the belting will arise, which in turn may reduce the availability of the system. This paper outlines the problems encountered during cold weather operation and what precautionary measures must be taken into consideration in the design of equipment, as well as in the selection of materials, in order to ensure a system which will maintain production. THE conveying of ore and waste in the pit or to the processing plant poses problems during cold weather, when temperatures may drop to -4o?F or be-low. Troubles with the mechanical components, the belting or the supporting structure may arise, and this, in turn, will reduce the availability of the conveying system.

Jan 1, 1965

By Clifford S. Gibson

A year ago a paper (1) was presented at the Annual Western Meeting of the Institute regarding silicosis in Ontario mines. It described the whole problem as we see it and discussed the means of prevention. The work and aims of the Technical Silicosis Research Committee of the Ontario Mining Association, and of the Committee's field engineer, were fully described also and it is suggested that reference be made to this paper in order to have a better understanding of the observations which are presented now. These observations enlarge upon parts of the dust control measures already discussed and tell of general progress in the past year. They concern fifty properties, the majority of the operating mines, which vary in size from the hopeful prospect to established producers yielding 11,000 tons of ore daily. Most of these are gold mines; a few copper-nickel. The ores range from heavy sulphides to siliceous materials and they are mined by many methods from varying types of deposits. The majority of the latter are steeply dipping and all are found in Precambrian host-rocks. Up to the present, die greatest depth to which mining has penetrated is 6,400 feet.

Jan 1, 1939

By C. R. Whittemore

IT can be truly stated that no branch of the engineering industry has progressed more rapidly in the last few years than that of welding. In spite of depressed economic conditions, this industry has continued to advance along scientific lines, replacing the old hit-and-miss method of welding. The development work is intensive, and increased activity is recorded in every sphere of the industry, new applications of existing methods, together with new processes, being added to those already proved in practice. The general acceptance of the welding processes can be measured by their utilization as a manufacturing tool in the metal-working industries. Many manufacturers have partially or wholly adopted welding. These concerns have on their staffs welding specialists, design engineers, and metallurgists, who are qualified to design and supervise the manufacture of welded parts, at a considerable saving to the purchaser. The steady, consistent, and sound growth of welding is based upon investigation of the fundamentals of the various processes, together with their proper application. The classification of welding processes varies in different countries. In Europe, they are divided into two main classes, namely, heterogenous and autogenous. In the former, the parts are joined, as a ruler without melting the edges, and by using as filler a metal different from that of the object welded. Such welding differs from soldering and brazing in that higher temperatures are required to effect the union of the parts. In autogenous welding, the parts are joined by melting of the edges, with or without the addition of a material similar to the parts being joined.

Jan 1, 1936

By Helen Francis

Over the last decade, lower ore grades and deeper mine environments have demanded that mining companies develop new technologies (tools and processes) to ensure a mine?s economic sustainability. At Inco Ltd., this demand has lead to the focus of technological development within the area of automation. Delineation (Drilling and Interpretation) is a key step in the determination of ore grade and location and therefore was chosen as a priority area for enhancement through automation. Focusing on the tools (the diamond drill) automation, significant benefits have been consistently achieved in terms of productivity, process efficiency, operational safety, cost reduction, component life cycles and machine reliability. It is suggested that optimum benefits have yet to be achieved, and will not be achieved until the human aspects of automation have been properly addressed. Since project inception, the human aspects of automation were recognized as critical to the success of the diamond drill automation project. However, it was only upon the installation of the Automated Diamond Drill in the field and its continued use on a daily basis that this issue received due attention. The human aspects of automation can be broadly addressed as economic, physical and psychological. This paper, with examples from the field, will discuss the human aspects of automation in each of these areas. The paper will draw from observations and experiences acquired throughout this project and recommend implementation strategies that should be utilized in future automation projects to enhance both the acceptance of automation and the success of the automated process itself.

May 1, 2002

By P. K. Kaiser

3-D virtual reality (VR) visualization has opened new opportunities for complex 3D (x, y, z), 4D (x, y, z, t) or even nD data interpretation. The integration of common earth models (3D geologic data), mine models (3D excavations and stress), extraction models (1D time sequencing or mine sequencing) and nD monitoring data (e.g., seismic event parameters) into a common mining process model provides a platform for experts in various fields to better design, evaluate, monitor and modify mine plans throughout a mine?s life; from feasibility, through operation, to closure. Viewing seismic data in a stereoscopic VR environment within a mining process model offers data interpretation processes previously unavailable at lower dimensionality. MIRARCO has developed data analysis and viewing processes specifically designed to enhance microseismic and seismic data interpretation in a collaborative, immersive VR environment; bringing mine personnel and expert consultants together to evaluate data and make strategic decisions for cost effective and safe mining. Seismic events cause immediate hazards (rockbursts) and microseismicity causes gradual hazards through its cumulative effect in rockmass degradation. The focus of this paper is on understanding seismicity from a mine safety and mine planning perspective; in particular, how seismic migration patterns relate to the rockmass response to mining. The benefits of innovation in seismic data interpretation are significant, e.g., for hazardous work area identification, allowing better formulation of re-entry policies and workforce allocation planning, as well as allocation of effective support systems to strategic areas of elevated risk. Better understanding of the overall response of a mine to extraction also facilitates mine planning and design, assisting in reducing production costs and thus in enhancing profitability.

Apr 1, 2005

By E. Bonsall, J. J. Brummer, A. R. Graham

"A method and device are described for sampling diamond-drill core by cutting a continuous fillet of constant cross section from the cylindrical surface of the core throughout appropriate sample lengths. The apparatus employs a tapered, abrasive-set, cutting wheel, the conical cutting surface of which projects slightly into a rectangular core-guiding trough set parallel to the axis of rotation. The depth of fillet and thus the amount of sample per unit length can be regulated by adjusting the core guides. The freshly cut fillet itself, by engaging in a guide beyond the cutting wheel, acts to prevent rotation of the core during operation of the device.The cuttings which form the sample are normally collected in a tray below the cutting-wheel and appear at about 80 per cent -100 mesh. They require little or no further treatment or comminution before analysis. Speed, economy and convenience of sampling are thus greatly increased as compared with conventional sampling by im-1>act breaking or sawing, followed by crushing, grinding and sub division for assayAssays from fillets (about 1/20 the cross-sectional area of the core) and from 180-degree segments, from the same ninety-three core-samples, representing 431 feet of nickel-copper mineralization, gave the following results:"

Jan 1, 1968

By J. M. Cooper

The HBMS reverb furnace in Flin Flon was originally designed in the late 1920s. Throughout the decades campaign life has been increased due to operational practices, technological changes and brick quality improvements. In recent decades the campaign life had been extended such that a complete rebuild was scheduled every 3 years. The latest furnace rebuild and start up has been after a campaign life of nearly 6 years. Brick construction methods and techniques along with furnace operational practices allow the present campaign to be double that of the historical campaign length.

Jan 1, 2007

By ANNE FUZESY

Soluble potassium salts in bedded underground salt deposits supply most of The world demand for potassium f or agricultural and industrial use. The potassium salts, sylvite and carnallite, were f irs, noted in drillcores in southern Saskatchewan during The search for oil and gas in ihe early /940s. Problems in shafi sinking beset pioneering potash companies, however, and cominuous production did no, begin uniil 1962. Powsh deposits in southern Saskatchewan occur within ihe uppermost 60 111 of the Middle Devonian Prairie Evaporite a, depths in excess of 900 m. Four groups of po/ash-bearing haliie beds have been distinguished: the Esierha-::,y, White Bear, Belle Plaine and Paiience Lake members. Powsh deposiis extend a jell' kilomeires into Manitoba and south imo orth Dakoia and non heasiern Moniana. Individual potash-rich beds are extensive and consistent in grade and Th ickness. Local th ickening occurs where carnallite is the dominani poiash mineral. Th e preferred ore, sy lviniie, is a clean mixiure of sylvite and haliie. Carnalliie and insolubles are avoided wherever possible because of Their detrimenwl effects on mine stability, grade and refining. Sy lvin ite is exTracted by underground mining or brought TO swjace as brine in solution mining. Poiash is separaiedfrom halite byfloiation or sequential crystallization. The refined produci, potassium chloride, is employed as a fertilizer ingredient as well as in chemical and other industrial capaciiies. The ten poiash mines of Wesiern Canada all are in Saskatchewan and account for aboui 25 per cem of world production. Faciliiies are being expanded, and a new mine and refinery was planned for ihe Breden bury area. Deposiis in Manitoba also were being evaluaied.

Jan 1, 1984

By I. Ciabatti

Inorganic salts of hexavalent iron (ferrate (VI)) are versatile reagents for water and industrial effluent treatment because of the strong oxidising effect of the ferrate ion (FeO42-) and the well-known coagulation properties of the resulting ferric ion. Among other applications, ferrate can effectively remove arsenic, cyanide and phenols from industrial effluents. Furthermore, ferrate salts can be prepared from ferrous sulphate, a common byproduct of the steel and titanium industries, and possibly from other iron wastes. Notwithstanding their many potential advantages, the industrial-scale application of ferrate salts, such as potassium ferrate (K2FeO4), for effluent treatment has been hindered by the difficulties inherent in their synthesis and stabilisation. Within a project co-funded by the European Commission, the large-scale synthesis of stabilised potassium ferrate was realised through a new synthesis process, and different applications of the resulting ferrate to effluent and wastewater treatment are under investigation. This paper reports the results of the application of stabilised potassium ferrate for the purification of textile effluents. Laboratory and pilot-scale tests were carried out and the performance of the ferrate was compared to that of chemicals currently used in wastewater treatment. According to these experiments, potassium ferrate is a promising reagent for an effective treatment of textile and other industrial effluents.

Jan 1, 2006

By Edward R. Rose

This paper summarizes and emphasizes the potential importance of Canadian rare-earth occurrences, and recommends that efforts to locate and evaluate rare-earth deposits should be increased. Increasing world markets, depending on intensive applied research into the numerous unique and remarkable chemical and physical properties of the rare-earth elements (REE), are developing; their properties and uses are becoming better known; methods of separation are much improved. The REE group comprises a Cerium (Light) subgroup of 7 metals and an Yttrium (Heavy) subgroup of 9 metals. REE are trace elements in many rocks and minerals, and major constituents of more than 50 rare-earth minerals, many of which are difficult to detect and identify. They occur preferentially in acidic and alkaline igneous and metamorphic rocks, including carbonatites, as well as in placer deposits, certain uranium deposits, phosphate rocks and others. The main ores now are bastnaesite (in Precambrian carbonatite), monazite and xenotime (in Recent beach sands) as well as uraninite and brannerite (in Huronian quartz-pebble conglomerate) and loperite (perovskite) and apatite (in alkaline complexes). World resources are summarized. Twenty mines in 1973 produced an estimated world total of about 31,000 tons of contained rare-earth oxides (REO), 19,341 tons of which came from one mine at Mountain Pass, California. A selected fifteen, of 315 or more Canadian occurrences, are briefly described and compared, and their relative merits indicated. Their abundance and variety suggest the possibility of finding high-grade deposits in many geological terranes in Canada.

Jan 1, 1979

By Joel Werner

Weak metal prices, declining head grade, and increased operational costs are forcing many open pit mining companies to look to their balance sheets for significant cost reductions in order to remain competitive. Maintenance continues to represent a significant proportion of the total operating costs in the mining industry. Compared with the other major cost components of the mining process very little effort has gone into maintenance optimization. The potential payoff from maintenance optimization on the cash cost of the commodity is enormous. A large percentage of these costs are incurred in unscheduled maintenance events, which typically cause serious disruptions to the production process. These maintenance induced production losses can be a significant contributor to the overall operating costs. A structured proactive maintenance approach using the latest advances in technology can achieve dramatic cost reductions and productivity improvements. Remote condition monitoring systems are becoming increasingly commonplace and have the potential to identify problems prior to failure. Detection of equipment degradation prior to failure will enable repairs to be scheduled thereby reducing costs and interruptions to production. Remote condition monitoring technology has evolved rapidly in recent years, with a host of new tools becoming available to assist mine operators in improving their maintenance operations. These tools have capabilities such as: remote real-time vital signs and performance monitoring, alarm/event handling, trend analysis, and maintenance workflow management. When these monitoring tools are used in conjunction with a mine management system the vital signs data can be integrated and associated with maintenance history, predictive maintenance data, operational information, and geographical information. This integrated approach to the management of vital maintenance data will help shift the mobile equipment maintenance paradigm from reactive to proactive. This paper will introduce a proactive approach to the management of the maintenance process and the tools required to facilitate this process.

May 1, 2003

By Solar D. Andrés

Several large open pit mines are facing the challenge to design and plan an underground transition to sustain the long term future of their operations. The desired underground method is Block Cave since its natural high productivity and low operating cost that could compete against the open pit cost to mine the final open pit pushbacks. It has been found at several operations where this transition is taking place that the pit limit at which transition is performed is rather deep. This aims to think that perhaps several transition projects have started late in the life of an operation producing an over stress in the transition project and reducing the flexibility in the design of the overall infrastructure and a substantial lost in the complete project NPV. Traditionally the approach to plan open pit underground transition consists of sequentially deciding the final pit using a Lerchs and Grossman type of optimization to find the overall maximum pit shell and then running block cave simulations to find the best footprint for the underground option. The research summarized in this paper is related to the development of an integer linear programming model that aims to compute simultaneously the maximum NPV of the combined option final limit open pit and block cave underground footprint. The model has been tested using two large block models representing two of the current operations in the process of transiting from open pit to underground operations. Finally, the integrated open pit underground transition model is going to be compared to the traditional sequential approach in order to define which method achieves the best NPV. The paper illustrates both case studies in depth.

Oct 1, 2009

By H. Feldheiser

Acid resistant brick linings are state of the art for anti-corrosion linings in tanks for high pressure acid leaching (HPAL) treatment. The design of these brick linings has to take into account the almost non-elastic behaviour of the brick lining inside a relatively highly elastic steel vessel. There must be tools and data available to determine for the steel vessels the thermal growth plus the pressure expansion and for the brick lining the linear thermal expansion and the chemical swell. Thermal shocks and pressure drops are not regular operating events but their negative influence on the lifetime of a brick lining has to be a part of the engineering study. Finite Element (FE) models as well as a lot of research and development on brick lining materials is the only way to find a path through the complex engineering work for pressure vessels.

Jan 1, 2004

By E. H. Holm

"This paper is a market-oriented review of the industry's present and forecasted performance, considering some of the principal factors influencing natural resource development. The author illustrates the steady consumption growth of nickel, and stresses the need for a quantitative long-range approach to production, consumption and the supply/ demand balance on a worldwide basis. Objective consideration of this data exposes some popular misconceptions. The possibility of near-term undersupply of nickel is discussed in relation to historically rapid changes in inventories and demand patterns. What is the significance of the increasing reliance on lateritic sources? New• facilities, new processing methods and new product forms are illustrated as further evidence of the industry's determination to satisfy the needs and preferences of nickel consumers. Examples indicate how product forms must accommodate to fast-evolving end-use technology. A review of nickel's price performance is used as a base from which to explore tomorrow's price trends."

Jan 1, 1972

By O. Lundhede

Today, systems and machinery usually are designed to meet only one specific customer?s requirements. One reason for this is that underground automation and smart functions are often developed tightly together with a customer. This is natural, since risk and cost can be shared between the customer and the supplier. Nevertheless, when the automation product develops and the market increase this will cause problems: The highly specialized products will not fulfill the next customer?s demands. In order to cope with this problem, Atlas Copco works towards a common platform. Instead of designing solutions for specific customers, we will lift the abstraction and focus on standardized modules. These modules, or function blocks, can then be combined in a large variety of configurations. The benefits of combining modules into products are, for example: increased flexibility when options are available for many machines; easier commissioning and maintenance since less different spare parts and tools are needed; and easier operation since the user interfaces have a similar look and feel. This paper will present the ongoing work towards standardized modules. We will discuss how our Rig Control System (RCS) allows for modular design at Atlas Copco. RCS has number of standardized modules that are used in different surface and underground mining and tunneling equipment. These modules are also used for optional products such as, drilling, radio-remote control, and telematics systems.

Aug 1, 2013

By J. W. Reynolds

Use of crushed waste rock recovered by sink-float separation from normal ore production for backfill is an established procedure at Commco's Sulhvan mme, Kimberley, British Columbia. Need for a safe method of placement in voids which were difficult to reach by gravity methods led to a co-operative venture with Radmark Engineering Ltd. in the development of a workable pneumatic transportation system for rock material. This paper reviews work done to date in a current program, and includes comments on the nature of the fill so placed, options for cementing such fill, implications for other aspects of mining and references to other applications of the system by other organizations who exchanged experiences with the Sullivan mine staff during the five-year period reviewed.

Jan 1, 1972

By J. Grignon, C. Fleming

It is possible to reproduce the performance of an operating CIP or CIL plant in the laboratory, in small scale batch kinetic tests, coupled with mathematical models that translate kinetic data into predicted steady state gold profiles across multi-stage adsorption circuits. Once the performance of the commercial plant has been mimicked by the model, the plant operating parameters can be varied systematically in the model, and the likely response of the plant to the step wise change can be determined. In this way it is possible to inexpensively optimize the operating conditions of an existing plant, with no disruption to plant operations and no economic risk to the mining company. This approach had been adopted by IAMGOLD to optimize the performance of their Rosebel CIL plant following several major expansions in mill capacity since 2004.

Jan 1, 2011