Search Documents

By D. J. Pandelis, W. J. Schlittler

Auxiliary Equipment pumping systems to support primary, secondary and regrind grinding circuits will be the primary focus of this paper. Every grinding system is unique and requires special design considerations for proper application of pumps to transport mill discharge. To satisfy the majority of applications, a new series of pumps has been developed by Svedala, known as World Class Pumps. Selection of these newly developed pumps for each type of grinding circuit will be presented. Specific components of selection are materials of construction, piping system, classification method, material characteristics and slurry characteristics. Both horizontal and vertical pump applications will be reviewed with emphasis on rules of pump piping and sump design.

Jan 1, 1999

By K. Park

Coupled influence of sulphidizers and xanthates on the electrokinetic property and flotation behavior of malachite was systematically examined via electrophoretic mobility measurements and microflotation tests. The electrophoretic mobility results for the malachite before and after surface modification with different types (Na2S and (NH4)2S) and amounts (1×10-7?1×10-4 moles/g) of sulphidizers, showed that the isoelectric points (IEP) of malachite differed at the low dosage level depending on the type of the sulphidizer, which ranged between 5 and 9.5. However, the IEP values were observed to be shifted from high to low pH values with increasing amount of sulphidizers and finally ranged between 3 and 4, indicating that the sulphidizers played a different role on changing the surface property of malachite. In order to further understand the effect of sulphidizers on the electrokinetic property and flotation behavior of malachite in a sulphidizer+xanthate system, flotation tests were carried out with malachite sulphidized with Na2S and (NH4)2S (adsorptive amount=8×10-5 moles/g) at different bulk xanthate concentrations. The results showed that the flotability of (NH4)2S-treated malachite was greater than Na2S-treated one over the entire xanthate concentration investigated, indicating that the type of sulphidizers played important role in malachite flotation; however, no obvious correlation between electrokinetic property and flotability of malachite was observed.

Feb 27, 2013

By M. R. Stokes

Over the recent years there has been an increase in the application of retreat mining on longwall faces as mine operators strive for ever greater productivity. The purpose of this paper in then to review current practice as a starting point and then move forward to discuss the future geometry's that a longwall face may take. Single and double production zone three roadway faces are assessed. All possible configurations of three roadway faces are defined. Unsuitable configurations are rejected after analysis of broad ventilation issues. The remaining configurations are then assessed on an operational basis, this includes: limits on retreat synchronisation, structure of centre gate, floor bulging and equipment installation. The remaining viable configurations are then further assessed on ventilation issues, this includes: provision for gas control/gas fringe, face climate and balancing of face flows. Possible face climate is assessed using numerical simulation of the various configurations, the predicted dry/wet bulb temperature and predicted levels of heat stress indices are given and discussed in detail, along with face flow balancing. The necessary conditions required for the successful operation of a double production zone three roadway face system are formulated, together with conclusions as to the possible level of application.

Jan 1, 1997

By G. Raspa

This article describes a procedure for calculating the recoverable reserves of stratified orebodies characterised by a thin and irregular layers. An application on the phosphate deposits in the N'Zeto region of the Popular Republic of Angola is also described. The procedure consists in building a block model of the deposit through the conditioned multivarial geostatistical simulation of small areal units. The recoverable reserves are then calculated and defined by applying to the model a selection processes based on measured geological/economic parameters taken from the drillholes: thickness of overburden and mineralised layers, economic grain-size fraction, grade. The procedure also takes account both of the geometrical constraints of the mining method and dilution. For reasons of confidentiality, a multiplier has been applied to the values adopted for the sampling data.

Jan 1, 1992

By Howard M. Cotton

Early in 1977, Amoco Production Company and Houston Chemicals, a subsidiary of Pittsburg Plate Glass (PPG) Industries, started producing iodine commercially in northwestern Oklahoma. This is significant because it is the first plant in over 40 years to be built in the United States with iodine as its sole commercial product. With the exception of a limited amount of iodine produced by Dow Chemical in Michigan, the United States is dependent upon imports from Chile and Japan for its iodine needs. The two million pounds of iodine produced annually from the Woodward plant will supply over one-third of the United States' requirements. Routine analysis of subsurface brines by the Formation Water Lab at the Amoco Production Company Research Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, revealed unusually high concentrations of certain potentially economic minerals. Investigations determined that, of the minerals in question, iodine appeared to offer the best potential. The brines in question are located in the Morrow sands (basal Pennsylvanian) at a depth of 7,175 to 7.400 feet, in an area where Amoco has been active in a gas play for the past 20 years. The regional iodine concentration ranges from 10 to 700 ppm and averages around 300 ppm with the project area. The project is located 8 miles north and slightly east of the town of Woodward, where the well-developed, porous, and permeable sands of the Woodward trench contain large volumes of brine.

Jan 1, 1978

By G. E. Slagel

On August 3, 1987, a hearing was held by the House Subcommittee on Energy and the Environment to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA). Four panels of environmental/citizen group representatives went before the Subcommittee to report on the state of affairs (from their perspective) of the coal industry and the Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) As expected, these groups had little positive news to report and continued to focus on glaring deficiencies within the surface mining program. They indicated that gross abuse of SMCRA has continued over the past ten years and the states have performed poorly. Congressman Udall's opening comments perhaps best characterized the mood of the group with his statement that "The Act has not accomplished what I or the people of the coalfields had hoped." and " ? a segment of the coal industry has continued in its bitter and implacable opposition to the most basic of environmental controls."

Jan 1, 1988

By Z. T. Bieniawsk, C. A. F. F. Santos

The effects of artificial weathering on the mechanical properties of the Loyalhanna sandstone have been investigated. Weathering was simulated in the laboratory by subjecting cylin- drical specimens of rock to alternate cycles of wetting and drying (in distilled water at 2O0C 2 5OC and in an electric oven at 105OC t 1°C, respectively). The total number of cycles was 100 and the geomechanical characteristics of the altered material were determined through uniaxial compressive and indirect tensile ("Brazilian") tests, with the determination of axial and trans- verse strains and monitoring of acoustic emission activity (rate and total event count). Moisture content and weight loss data were collected after each cycle and the mechanical parameters (unconfined strength, indirect tensile strength, young's modulus, Poisson's ratio, permanent set and AE/MS activity) were determined for unweathered specimens and after 10, 20, 50 and 100 cycles of wetting and drying. Hypotheses for the effect of weathering on the geomechanical properties of the Loyalhanna sandstone are proposed as reinforced by petrographic analyses carried out for the different stages of artificial weathering. A methodology for assessing the degree of physical weathering of rocks is proposed based on the number of wetting and drying cycles.

Jan 1, 1986

By J. Finch, W. Petruk, R. G. Pinard

An investigation was conducted to determine the minimum number of samples that must be studied by image analysis of polished sections to characterize a mill product and determine the apparent mineral liberation. It was found that a representative polished section cannot be prepared from an unscreened sample that has a wide size range of particles. Similarly, individual screened fractions are not representative of the sample because minerals are partitioned during screening, and the quantities of soft brittle minerals are increased in fine grained fractions, whereas the quantities of hard minerals are increased in coarse grained fractions. It is assumed that results obtained by combining data for a series of narrow size range screened fractions (one Tyler size range) are representative of the sample, and relatively accurate apparent mineral liberation data can be obtained for a mill product by analyzing each fraction and combining the data. Somewhat less accurate data would be obtained by analyzing a series of screened fractions that have a wider size range of particles (five Tyler size ranges).

Jan 1, 1987

By John A. Ferguson

John Ferguson of Phelps Dodge provides us with a case study of how his company approaches its computing and hardware decisions. Senior management is the target audience for this contribution which discusses computer employment strategy at Phelps Dodge and how it may differ from the practices followed by other companies. The computer professional is well advised to read this subsection also to gain insight into the way in which management looks at computers in support of company operations. The following pages take us through a progression of developments and expectations brought about by the computer: the tremendous versatility of this new tool and its swift development; the widespread changes and problems it introduced; the new and revolutionary management theories it prompted and the widely supported centralized service concept it introduced to information processing. It continues with a discussion of Phelps Dodge's early experience, its ,operating environment, and its strategy development-attention to operating units and later headquarters with stress on service needs of users. It concludes that for computing to be effective it must fit in with the bay in which the company operates and must be sensitive to the needs of the people it serves.

Jan 1, 1979

By Éder Domingos Oliveira, Carlos Antonio Morais, Ruberlan Gomes Silva

The objective of this work was to assess the influence of parameters such as residence time, solid content, and temperature in a process route towards purified rare earth liquor which could be adequate to produce marketable rare earth products. The steps of the process route proposed in this study comprised water leaching of a sulfated rare earth ore and removal of impurities through the purification of the rare earth sulfuric liquor, which is the product of the water leaching step. The sample used in the water leaching experiments was a sulfated rare earth ore produced by the reaction of a beneficiated rare earth ore with sulfuric acid followed by roasting at 700 °C for 2 h in a muffle furnace and cooling at 20 °C. The water leaching experiments showed that the best condition comprised a residence time of 30 min, temperature of 20 °C, and solid content of 10% w/w, resulting in a recovery of 71.3% of the rare earth elements (REE) and a lower impurity extraction, e.g., only 15.0% of Fe, representing the main impurity in the rare earth ore. Even when presenting low amounts of impurities, the rare earth sulfuric liquor still needed to be purified before it can be used in the production of marketable rare earth products. In the study, the rare earth sulfuric liquors were purified in two consecutive neutralization steps, first by dosing the limestone pulp to pH up to 3.5 and secondly by adding the lime pulp to raise the pH from 3.5 to 5.0. The application of two consecutive purification steps at 20 °C resulted in the highest overall REE recoveries (65.4%) throughout all the steps of the process, being 71.3% in the water leaching, 99.6% in the partial purification with limestone pulp, and 92.1% in the purification with lime pulp at 20 °C. Under this condition, there was a total elimination of Fe, P, and Th and a significant reduction in the Al, U, and sulfate concentrations in the purified rare earth liquor. The purified rare earth liquor attained through the experiment is expected to be amenable to be used in the production of marketable products due to the lower impurities/REO mass ratios.

By R. O. Y. Breese

The term "diatomite" implies the nearly pure sedimentary accumulation of diatoms. Sedimentary and chemical purity, low density, inertness, intricate fine structure, high brightness and other properties give the diatom and diatomite unique industrial usefulness and commercial value in high value functional filler and specialty filter aid products. Although diatomite deposits occur commonly throughout the world in Miocene and younger marine and lacustrine sediments, deposits that contain significant reserves of crude suitable for these quality sensitive markets are uncommon. U.S. production is centered on exceptional deposits located in Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Washington and California. Evaluation of deposits requires understanding of geology, mining, production and end use. As crude quality in deposits varies within and between strata, ore suitable for quality sensitive end uses must be identified through sampling and evaluation programs tailored to permit recognition of critical variations.

Jan 1, 1989

By F. Michael Wahl

With the exception of reports on commercial deposits of kaolin, fuller's earth, and other specialty type clays, there is little published information on the extent, properties, and potential uses of the clay resources of Florida. Recent studies by the Florida Bureau of Geology in cooperation with the University of Florida and the U.S. Bureau of Mines have proven the existence of two extensive Miocene clay deposits, one in peninsular Pinellas County and the other in southeastern Charlotte County. Drilling and subsequent testing of the clays from these deposits indicate their potential for economic development. Both deposits consist of montmorillonite type clays, have an average thickness of 25 to 35 feet, and are overlain by unconsolidated Pleistocene sediments. Preliminary firing tests indicate that the clays from Pinellas County are a potential raw material for lightweight aggregate production. The clay has good bloating characteristics across an acceptable temperature range with a resultant aggregate density of less than 1.00 specific gravity. The clays from Charlotte County have poorer natural bloating characteristics but might well be used after treatment or with additives. The economic potential and locations of both deposits emphasize the need for locating similar clay resources in the state that might have economic potential so that land use planning and subsequent urbanization will not prohibit their development.

Jan 1, 1972

By D. I. Smith

Constructing tunnels in congested urban areas requires tunnels to be placed closer together and with less cover than was previously necessary. Contract CQ031 of New York?s East Side Access project will construct four six-meter diameter bored tunnels in a three-up one-down ?T? configuration, with less than three meters of soil between the tunnels. Mixed-face rock and glacial till conditions with a high ground water table will be encountered under active railroad yards. The tunnels will also pass beneath the busiest railroad interlocking in North America with cover as shallow as three meters. This paper discusses the challenges of designing segmentally lined tunnels for these conditions.

Jan 1, 2008

By G. Brackebusch, S. J. Jung

Backfilling techniques are widely used in large-scale underground mines. Massive pillars, which have been left in place for stability, limit mining activity. Backfilling allows safe recovery of the ore remaining in pillars and assures long term stability. In deep mines expected high stress can be relieved with the backfill. Initially, waste rock was used to fill the openings with mixed results. The need to improve safety and reduce costs has prompted the industry to investigate alternatives. Hydraulic filling with Portland cement added has shown considerable promise, but little has been done to define the parameters of design effective system. The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between backfill and mining components that can be used to effectively design a best-case hydraulic backfill.

Jan 1, 2000

By C. J. Johnson

As the U.S. coal industry moves into the next century, it is becoming more apparent that the effective application of new technology is the only way it can remain competitive in the energy marketplace. Examples of this emphasis are with us today in such diverse areas as face-ventilation and excavation-equipment applications. The focus of this new technology is directed toward improvements in health and safety, cost control, and productivity. Room-and-pillar mining accounts for approximately 80% of the nation's underground coal production; this percentage is not expected to decrease markedly in the near future. As such, this paper analyzes the impacts of the changing technological climate on future room-and-pillar operations by comparing a base-case section (current) to three scenarios incorporating new or emerging technology. A microcomputer-based comparative analysis will reflect the changes in section production and costs.

Jan 1, 1988

By J. B. Hedrick

In 2004, rare earths were not mined in the United States. The major supplier, Molycorp, continued to maintain a large stockpile of rare-earth concentrates and compounds. Major uses for these commodities were in automotive catalytic converters, petroleum fluid-cracking catalysts, permanent magnets, glass-polishing compounds, ceramics, metal-alloying additives, phosphors and rechargeable batteries. Consumption of refined rare-earth products decreased. The United States was a major importer and exporter of rare earths in 2004. Yttrium was not mined or refined in the United States in 2004. Imports from China, France and Japan accounted for most of the U.S. supply of yttrium compounds for refined yttrium products.

Jan 1, 2005

By Jorge Lanza

SUMMARY La Granja copper deposit, in terms of volume, is among the five largest deposits in the world and represents reserves of three thousand million tones. The field consists of a 40 m. thick layer of copper lying over the secondary ore and further down the primary copper. The flotation process has indicated a recovery rate of 88 to 90 percent and concentrates of 27 to 32 percent of copper. The acid leaching process of low grade ore produces financially acceptable results. To carry out the project, it is necessary to build long distance pipelines and a port. Both the Feasibility Study and the Environmental Impact Study on the project have been approved by the Peruvian government. INTRODUCTION La Granja is located in the district of Querecoto, province of Chota, in the department of Cajamarca, in the Northwest of the country (Figure 1). Geographically it is situated on the eastern slopes of the Andean mountains at an altitude of 2,000 to 2,700 m.a.s.1. (Figure 1). The site is an 8 hour car ride from the city of Chiclayo, capital of the department. The first 60 km. are over a paved road and the remaining distance is over a narrow hard dirt road. The copper porphyry of La Granja was discovered between 1969 to 1971 during some geochemical prospecting activities carried out by the State mining institution, Ingeomin (currently Ingemmet). From 1978 to 1982, Ingemmet continued with its geochemical and geophysical studies supported by a German technical assistance program. A total of 19 bore- holes were drilled (5,814 m.) and a 90 m. long tunnel made. This study calculated reserves of 175 million MT. In 1993, Minero Peru drew up a technical-financial study based on the above studies and proposed a 12 year extraction operating program: 20,000 MT daily using the leaching process, followed by 13 years of operation using the flotation process with the same daily volumes. In 1994, Cambior Inc. won an international auction in order to carry on further exploration work and to have a purchasing option. Since that date the company

Jan 1, 1998

By J. Torma-Krajewski, M. Lehman

In 2005, NIOSH and Badger Mining Corporation entered a partnership to implement ergonomic interventions, including a systematic process, to address exposures to risk factors that may result in musculoskeletal disorders or other types of injuries/illnesses. As a result of this partnership, an ergonomics process was integrated with the existing safety and health program to promote an on-going application of ergonomic principles, and over 40 task-specific interventions were implemented during the first year of the process. This paper presents details of the process integration, and several examples of task-specific interventions that reduced exposures to risk factors.

Jan 1, 2007

By K. Biswas, F. C. Felipe

Paste backfill, because of its colloidal or water-holding properties, does not produce run-off water when placed underground. Paste backfill is generally, prepared from relatively low water content, full mill tailings with a certain proportion of ultra-fine particles and mixed with cement, thus producing early and better strength. Mill plant discharge tailings and other materials available at or near the mine site such as sand, aggregates or waste rock are used as blending materials in the mix design. This study investigates the influence of the above-mentioned blending materials on the mechanical characteristics of paste backfill, as well as the grading, shape, specific surface area, mineralogy and workability of the different mix design.

Jan 1, 2000

By T. Patten

A method for stabilizing mercury containing waste for landfill disposal would be a very cost effective solution for industry. A mercury polythiocarbonate material which is made via a metallurgical process passes a traditional TCLP for mercury. The mercury polythiocarbonate material was subjected to a more thorough evaluation, the Integrated Leaching procedures as described in Kossan (1) and Sanchez (2)The procedure involves leaching the mercury polythiocarbonate material at varying pH and sample size to liquid. The procedure had to be adapted for small sample sizes and finely divided materials due to the product characteristics and available material. The leachates were evaluated and found to be stable within common environmental pH values. The performance details on how Inter-Mountain Labs met the leaching requirements of the procedures and the analysis of mercury are presented.

Jan 1, 2012